Onus to furnish evidence on those issuing statements in PSI scam: Karnataka CM Bommai
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said those issuing statements in connection with the police sub-inspector recruitment scam are responsible for what they say, and it is their duty to furnish documents and other evidences.
The statement came against the backdrop of Chittapur Congress MLA and former minister Priyank Kharge's denial to depose before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with his claims in a press conference on April 23 regarding the recruitment scam.
"People are responsible for what they say. It is their duty to provide documents and evidences to substantiate their claims," Bommai told reporters here.
He added that the documents submitted by them will be used for investigation.
Regarding Kharge's statement that corruption was rampant in the incumbent BJP government, Bommai said Congress is the 'Gangotri' of corruption. Being a person coming from a Congress family, Kharge knows it better, he added.
Bommai further said he did not need to learn lessons on honesty from Kharge.
The CID has served three notices to Kharge asking him to depose before it in connection with his statements in a press conference but he turned it down saying that the notices were served with mala fide intention.
In Belagavi, former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday claimed that Karnataka Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan's relative secured fifth rank in the sub-inspector examination.
"Ashwath Narayan's relative has also got selected. He scored fifth rank. He alone was spared and others were sent to jail. According to me, without the involvement of government and ministers, this scam would not have happened," the Congress leader told reporters.
Stating that getting justice from the government in the PSI recruitment scam was difficult, he said police officers, politicians and their relatives are also involved.
"The CID can be influenced. We demand that a court monitored investigation should be carried out," Siddaramaiah said.
Ashwath Narayan has come under the attack on previous occasions as well but the minister refuted the charge and termed it "baseless".
Meanwhile, 12 police officers including a deputy inspector general of police have been suspended for their role in the PSI scam.
The government has annulled the PSI recruitment exam after large-scale irregularities came to the fore.
Over 35 people including a BJP leader Divya Hagargi, the principal of a college in Kalaburagi, a few police officers, and the gunman of a Congress MLA have been arrested in connection with the case.
The exam was conducted in October last year to fill up 545 posts and over 54,000 people had written it. It is alleged that Rs 75 lakh was collected from a few candidates by middlemen.
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Kerala HC slams Boby Chemmanur for staying in prison after getting bail; calls it drama
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court on Wednesday ticked off prominent businessman Boby Chemmanur for refusing to come out of jail after getting bail a day ago in a sexual harassment filed by Malayalam actor Honey Rose.
Judges said, "don't play drama with the court".
Irked by the businessman's conduct, Justice P V Kunhikrishnan warned Chemmanur not to "play games with the High Court" and said if bail was granted, it can be cancelled also.
The High Court also sought an explanation by 12 pm from Chemmanur as to why he did not come out after getting bail. The High Court said that the bail order was uploaded on its website by 4.08 pm on Tuesday and the release order was issued by 4.45 pm.
"Why was he retained in jail after that?" it asked.
The prosecution told the High Court that the release order was not produced by Chemmanur's lawyers in the prison and that is why he was not let out.
The prosecution also told the court that the businessman claimed he was not coming out as there were several remand prisoners in jail who could not come out despite getting bail as they did not have the money to execute the bond.
Irked by the development, the High Court said, "You (Chemmanur) need not take the vakalat of the remand prisoners. The High Court and the judiciary are there to take care of them. Don't play drama with the court.
"He wants media attention and is creating stories by keeping the release order in his pocket. Why should his bail not be cancelled?"
Justice Kunhikrishnan said that if he granted bail to the businessman, he can cancel it also.
"Do you (Chemmanur) think you are above the law? I can ask the police to arrest him and order that the probe be completed in two weeks," the judge said.
The court directed that an explanation be provided at 12 pm for Chemmanur's conduct.
Chemmanur, after coming out from jail in the morning, told reporters that many inmates told him that they could not get out of prison despite getting bail as they did not have the money to execute the bond.
"When they came to me, I told them we can resolve the issue. I stayed back in jail one day only for that," he claimed. Granting relief to Chemmanur on Tuesday, Justice Kunhikrishnan, however, said,"body shaming is not acceptable in our society".
While granting him the relief, the court had also noted that prima facie it was of the opinion that "there are ingredients to attract the offences alleged against the petitioner (Chemmanur).
Chemmanur has been charged under Section 75(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for making "sexually coloured remarks" as a form of sexual harassment, as well as under Section 67 of the IT Act for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
The High Court had also noted that he used words "with double meanings". The businessman was arrested on January 8 and remanded to judicial custody on January 9.
According to the actor's complaint, upon invitation, she inaugurated the Chemmanur International Jewellery showroom at Alakode, Kannur, on August 7, 2024, where thousands had gathered to witness the event.
During the inauguration ceremony, Chemmanur placed a necklace around the actress's neck and then made unwelcome sexual advances with bad intentions, twirling or rotating her, the complaint has stated.
However, Chemmanur has stated that he is completely innocent of all the accusations levelled against him and denied the allegations, calling them false, baseless, and incorrect.
