Bengaluru, July 20: Shiroor seer Lakshmivara Theertha Swamiji’s brother has given a complaint raising suspicions over the seer’s death. The police officers have launched the investigation. The action would be taken based on the investigation, said deputy chief minister Dr. G Parameshwara.

He was speaking to reporters after the release of a special issue in the city's Press Club as part of the birthday of senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

When media asked about the scandal in the BBMP, he said, "The action will be taken if any specific scandal comes to my notice. There is some work in process to bring changes in the BBMP. "I have instructed officials to be accountable to their responsibility," he said.

“Contractors had hired more than required pourakarmikas. This had led to a wage crisis. Therefore we have brought the Biometric System. After which it was cleared that only 18,300 pourakarmikas are working. Approximately four thousand workers are expected to hire. Those who worked under contractors and senior workers would be considered during the appointment,” Parameshwara said.



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.



Kochi (Kerala) (PTI): Police on Sunday arrested three directors of a firm accused of cheating hundreds of investors of over Rs 100 crore through a fake investment scheme linked to agricultural tourism here, officials said.

The accused were identified as Muraleedharan, Ashik Murali and Akhil Murali, all natives of Thrissur.

The arrests were made by the Kalamassery police in connection with a fraud involving ATCOS (Agri Tourism Cooperative Society), a firm headquartered at Pathadipalam here.

Police said the company had promised high returns by collecting investments from the public in the agricultural tourism sector, but allegedly cheated hundreds of people and fled with the money.

ATCOS was registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and operated 13 branches across various districts in Kerala, besides a branch in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, officials said.

When investors failed to receive their promised returns or the invested amount, complaints were filed with the police.

Officials said around 54 cases have been registered against the firm in 32 police stations across the state, including 29 cases at the Kalamassery police station alone.

Following instructions from Kochi City Police Commissioner K S Mahesh Kumar, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shehensha and Thrikkakara ACP Manoj Kumar.

The team traced the accused to an apartment in Amala Nagar in Thrissur, where they had been hiding after secretly renting the flat, officials said.

The bank accounts of the accused have been frozen, and steps have been initiated to trace their assets, officials said.

Police also conducted a raid at the company’s office at Pathadipalam and seized several documents related to the case.

The accused were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kalamassery, which remanded them to judicial custody and sent them to Kakkanad jail.

Police said they would seek the custody of the accused for further interrogation as the investigation continues.