Bengaluru: Amidst the standoff between Chairman Beloor Raghavendra Shetty and Managing Director and IPS Officer D Roopa Moudgil, of Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited (KSHDCL) the latter has reportedly said she is under threat of an acid attack by Shetty.

The standoff between the Chairman and MD became public when the two were attending the Annual General Body meeting of the board and labeled serious allegations against each other during the meeting on May 27. The video of the incident had gone viral across social media platforms.

On Thursday, a screenshot of the purported WhatsApp message from Roopa started doing rounds on social media platforms wherein Roopa alleged that Shetty had threatened her with an acid attack while also threatening to commit suicide.

On May 27, Shetty said that Roopa would be responsible for his death if he commits suicide. Following this, Roopa said she had requested the Chief Secretary to file a case against Shetty as threatening to commit suicide was a punishable offence under the Indian Penal Code.

In her complaint to the Chief Secretary Roopa charged Shetty with destroying CCTV footage ill-treating women staff, to trying to bring back a sacked general manager (finance) who had misappropriated Rs 25 crore.

Roopa also alleged that though there is a rule that the chairman should not interfere in the day-to-day work of KSHDCL, Shetty asks the staff to bring files related to projects. She accused him of taking away sandalwood and other products from showrooms without paying money. She alleged that though KSHDCL is paying salaries to four staffers of the chairman, none of them have come to the office.

Later on Thursday evening, Roopa confirmed that the message, of which the screenshot was doing rounds on social media was indeed sent by her. In the message, she had also added that to avoid inconvenience to the government she had not mentioned the acid attack threat by Shetty earlier.

While Chairman Beloor Raghavendra Shetty is a political appointment by the BJP government, MD D Roopa Moudgil is a senior IPS officer of the rank of IGP.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Pathanamthitta (PTI): As many as 23 people were arrested and four minors were apprehended in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a Dalit girl in the district, police on Sunday said.

Ten more FIRs have been filed in the case in two police stations in Pathanamthitta district based on the statements of the girl, a release issued by Pathanamthitta District Police Chief said.

A total of 17 people were arrested, and four minors were apprehended in connection with seven cases registered by the Pathanamthitta police and six individuals have been nabbed by the Elavumthitta police, the release said.

Across both stations, a total of 27 accused have been arrested in the cases, it added.

A special investigation team has been formed to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident, with Pathanamthitta DYSP P S Nandakumar leading the team under the supervision of District Police Chief V G Vinod Kumar, the release said.

The team comprises 25 police officers from various ranks and stations.

The District Police Chief will review the investigation’s progress daily, the release said.

The investigation revealed that several of the accused met the girl at the private bus stand in Pathanamthitta. She was then taken to various locations in vehicles and subjected to abuse, police said.

The probe also found that the girl while she was studying Plus-Two class last year was taken by a youth who was acquainted with her through Instagram to a rubber plantation in Ranni and raped her along with three others.

Police said that the investigation found that she was gang raped at Pathanamthitta general hospital in January 2024.

Police are also focusing on gathering scientific evidence and examining mobile phones and other items as part of the probe.

A detailed investigation is ongoing, the District Police Chief stated.

The girl, who is now 18 years old, has alleged in her complaint that she was sexually abused by 62 individuals since the age of 13.

The police said that they received evidence indicating that the girl was exploited by her sports trainers, fellow athletes and classmates.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, demanded that the government should immediately appoint a Special Investigation Team headed by a woman IPS officer.

The brutal harassment the Pathanamthitta girl suffered was also proof of the shortcomings and weakness of our systems, the LoP added.

He stressed the need to make the counselling system more effective in state schools and change the mode of teaching in a way that directly addresses the problems faced by children.

Calling for immediate arrest of all the accused, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a detailed action-taken report from authorities within three days and emphasised on fair and time-bound investigation to deliver justice.

The Kerala Women's Commission (KWC) has registered a case on its own and its chairperson P Sathi Devi has directed the Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police to immediately submit a report in this regard, the Commission said in a release.

The matter came to light during counselling conducted by the Child Welfare Committee, after the victim's teachers at an educational institution informed the panel about noticeable changes in her behaviour.

The Committee, subsequently, notified the police and an investigation is on.