Puneeth Rajkumar to be conferred 'Karnataka Ratna' posthumously
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka's highest civilian award 'Karnataka Ratna' will be conferred posthumously on late actor Puneeth Rajkumar on Tuesday, on the occasion of the 67th Kannada Rajyotsava (the state formation day).
He will be the 9th recipient of this prestigious honour. The grand event will be held on the fore steps of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of state legislature and secretariat here, this evening.
Cine actors Rajinikanth and Junior NTR, and Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murty will be the guests at the event.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will be presenting the award, which is likely to be received by the late actor's wife Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, and his actor brothers Shivarajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar.
The Karnataka Ratna award will have a full silver plaque and a 50 gram gold medal.
Several noted personalities from the film and literary world, Ministers, political leaders, legislators, among others are likely to be present at the event.
The event is scheduled to start at 4 pm with a performance by singer Vijay Prakash.
With a large number of people expected to come to the venue, the Ambedkar Road in front of the Vidhana Soudha will be closed for traffic, and commuters have been advised to use alternate routes by the traffic police.
Considered the Kannada cinema's reigning star, Puneeth, youngest of five children of thespian and matinee idol Dr Rajkumar, had died of a cardiac arrest on October 29, 2021, at the age of 46 years.
Karnataka Ratna was last awarded to Dr. Virendra Heggade for social service in 2009.
Interestingly, Puneeth's late father Rajkumar is among the first recipients of Karnataka Ratna award in 1992, along with noted poet Kuvempu.
Other recipients of the award are S Nijalingappa (Politics), CNR Rao (Science), Bhimsen Joshi (Music), Shivakumara Swamiji (Social Service), and Dr D Javaregowda (Education & Literature).
Puneeth, popularly known as 'Appu' and 'power star', by his fans, made debut on screen when he was just six-months old and went on to win a national award as a child artiste for the film 'Bettada Hoovu'. He then re-emerged as a lead actor in 2002 and went on to star in 29 films, delivering some big hits.
The government at a separate event later in the evening will be honouring 67 achievers from different fields, including former ISRO Chairman K Sivan, with 'Rajyotsava awards'.
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Cash-for-query: Delhi HC sets aside Lokpal order against Mahua Moitra
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday set aside an order of the Lokpal granting sanction to the CBI to file a chargesheet against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in the alleged cash-for-query scam.
A bench of justices Anil Kshetarpal and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, while pronouncing the order in Moitra's plea, said "The order is set aside. We have requested the Lokpal to accord consideration for grant of sanction under Section 20 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in accordance with the relevant provisions within one month".
The cash-for-query scam pertains to the allegation that Moitra had asked questions in the House in exchange for cash and gifts from a businessman.
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Moitra's counsel had contended that there was clear infirmity in the procedure adopted by the Lokpal. He had referred to Section 20(7) of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act saying it demands that comments of public servants be obtained before granting sanction.
The plea was opposed by the CBI, which had argued that Moitra has no right to produce documents in the Lokpal's proceedings and she is only entitled to give comments and not even an oral hearing.
Moitra has also sought to restrain the CBI from taking any steps in furtherance of the sanction order, including but not limited to filing any chargesheet during the pendency of the present proceedings.
The CBI in July submitted its report to the Lokpal in connection with the alleged cash-for-query scam case involving Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
The agency had registered an FIR on March 21, 2024, against the two under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on a reference from the Lokpal.
It was alleged that Moitra indulged in corrupt practices, including, but not limited to, taking bribes and other undue advantages from Hiranandani for "compromising her parliamentary privileges and causing national security threats by sharing her Lok Sabha login credentials."
The agency has submitted its findings in the case to the Lokpal, which will decide the further course of action in the case, according to officials.
