MLA Mahesh Kumatalli missing case: HC issues notice to Ramesh Jarkiholi, state government
Bengaluru, February 11: The Karnataka High Court on Monday served notice to former minister Ramesh Jarakiholi and the state government over missing case of Athani MLA Mahesh Kumatalli.
Hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by advocate and Youth Congress secretary Pramod Dayanand Hiremani of Athani, a bench comprising of Justice Phaneendra and Justice Natarajan issued the notice.
The advocate, arguing for the petitioner, said that former minister Ramesh Jarakiholi kept Athani MLA Mahesh Kumatalli in house arrest illegally and the police should be directed to trace him and produce him before the court.
The advocate further stated that the MLA is facing threat to his life, so the Home department and Athani police should immediately be directed to trace the missing MLA and produce him before the court. While further appealing the court to order immediate interrogation of former minister Ramesh Jarakholi.
About incident
It is said that Mahesh had allegedly informed the applicant of the petition that Ramesh had been forcing him to resign from his MLA post, and was also threatening of kidnapping him if he doesn’t resign. And within sometime after this, Mahesh went missing and now has been untraced for over a month.
He was not found in his constituency Athani, nor did he attend any of the assembly session this month where the JDS-Congress coalition government presented the budget. According to the applicant, the MLA’s family is also not responding clearly about his whereabouts.
The apoplicant has also filed a complaint at the Athani police station dated Feb 7, but the police has not yet filed an FIR into the matter, citing that Mahesh might have been to Bengaluru to attend the assembly session, where he was not found to be, when enquired at the legislator’s house.
The HC has now directed the state government and the police to investigate the matter and trace the missing MLA.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
