News theft is happening in the country, says senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan
Kalaburagi: Senior journalist and founding editor of The Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan, has said that while there is widespread debate over electoral malpractice, a far more serious phenomenon has already taken place in India, the theft of news.
Speaking at the launch of Vartha Bharati's Kalyana Karnataka edition in Kalaburagi, Varadarajan remarked that since 2014, news has been systematically taken away from the people. “Whether vote theft is happening or not is still debated. But before that, news theft has undoubtedly taken place in this country,” he said.
He observed that information relevant to people’s lives and problems is increasingly being kept away from the public. According to him, it has become difficult to carry people’s concerns to political leaders because mainstream media has distanced itself from its core responsibility. “Mainstream media has largely vanished from the battlefield of news,” he stated.
Varadarajan said that during moments when large media houses were expected to stand with the public and deliver crucial information, they instead chose to remain silent or absent. This vacuum, he noted, has made the emergence of alternative and independent media platforms necessary.
“These platforms may be small in scale, but they play a vital role,” he said, describing Vartha Bharati as one such independent media outlet. He accused large media organisations of contributing to the erosion of people’s lives, culture, and democratic values in the country, while asserting that small, independent journalism continues to offer strong resistance.
Recalling that Vartha Bharati began its journey in Mangaluru and has now expanded to the Kalyana Karnataka region, Varadarajan said independent media outlets are no longer isolated. “We are not alone anymore. Vartha Bharati stands with us,” he said.
The event also marked the release of Vartha Bharati's 23rd annual special issue and a compilation of selected editorials, along with a special Kalyana Karnataka supplement.
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Man booked for duping 7 persons of Rs 91 lakh on promise of awarding govt works
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai police have registered a case against a man for allegedly duping seven persons of Rs 91 lakhs on the promise of awarding them works of different government departments, an official said on Tuesday.
The accused was identified as Satish Kadam, a resident of Nanded in Marathwada region, an official said.
A complaint was filed by Hanumant Vadje, who alleged that the accused cheated him and six others of around Rs 91 lakh by promising to give them various works of Urban Development and Social Justice Department, he said.
The fraud occurred between 2024 and 2026, with Kadam collecting money in cash and into his accounts, police said, adding he had returned some amount to them partially.
Multiple cheques issued by the accused bounced, prompting the victim to lodge a complaint at the Marine Drive police station. Based on the complaint, a case of cheating and criminal breach of trust was registered against him.
The case is under further investigation, the official said.
