Siddaramaiah & I have discussed, there is time for everything: Shivakumar amid leadership row
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday indicated that the leadership row involving himself and CM Siddaramaiah has been discussed by the two leaders in the presence of Congress high command, they have arrived at a decision and that there was time for everything
Time will answer everything, he said.
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President, asserted that he has the support of 140 ruling legislators, including CM Siddaramaiah.
His remarks came on his return from New Delhi, where he had been camping for the last couple of days.
"I go (to Delhi) for politics and government work. There are reports in the newspapers and TV that I did not get an appointment with Rahul Gandhi and others. Can I keep showing you as to whom I met. One day you (media) show pictures of me sitting together and having discussion (with Congress leaders Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge), then there are reports that I couldn't meet anyone," Shivakumar said in response to a question on his visit to the national capital and meeting with Congress high command.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "not wanting to speak about things, I'm quiet. But one thing is sure, time will answer everything. Other than that I will not discuss anything."
To a question on his brother and former Congress MP D K Suresh's recent statement that the high command will give good news, the Deputy CM said, "my brother is saying, also party workers and you (media) are saying it."
Responding to a question on his supporters having "huge" expectations, he said, "140 people (Congress and supporting MLAs) are in support of me, including the Chief Minister."
"Do you know what the Chief Minister and I have discussed? We know what we have discussed in front of Rahul Gandhi and the high command, and what we have decided together. Can I discuss it publicly before the media. I will not discuss, there is time for everything and time will answer everything."
Asked about discussions that "good news" is expected in April, Shivakumar said, "let's see, why discuss it now."
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had a brief conversation with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar last week at Mysuru airport while transiting to New Delhi from Tamil Nadu, which had sparked off speculations amid the leadership tussle.
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Man booked for duping firm of Rs 6 cr by posing as Infosys CSR official
Bengaluru (PTI): An FIR has been registered against a man and his accomplices for allegedly cheating a firm of Rs 6 crore by falsely claiming to be associated with an IT company and promising to facilitate CSR funds for its projects, police said on Friday.
The crime is said to have taken place between September 1, 2025 and March 20, 2026, and after consultation with legal experts the company decided to file a complaint at the Devanahalli police station here, they said.
The FIR was registered on March 30 following a complaint by Mysore Mercantile Company, alleging that a person named Gagan N Deep approached them, posing as the Regional Head (CSR) at Infosys Ltd, they said.
According to the FIR, Deep claimed he reported to senior officials - Harsh J, Senior Regional Manager - Infrastructure, Facilities Operation, Public Relations and CSR Works, and Niladri Prasad Mishra, Senior Vice President and Head - Global Infrastructure and Climate Action.
The FIR alleged that the accused expressed interest in the activities of their associated trust, Heggunje Rajeeva Shetty Charitable Trust, Bangalore, and assured facilitation of CSR funds from Infosys Ltd.
It further stated that the accused sent a team of four to five individuals representing Infosys, including persons identified as Chethan and Tejas, to Udupi, Mangaluru and other places to verify the trust’s activities.
According to the complaint, the accused subsequently induced the complainant to pay an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) to alleged regular vendors of Infosys as a condition for approval of CSR grants.
The complainant stated that a total amount of Rs 6 crore was paid, including Rs 1.75 crore through demand drafts in favour of Anitha Ventures and Rs 3.75 crore through demand drafts in favour of ANS Engineerings, apart from an additional cash payment of Rs 30 lakh allegedly handed over to the accused through his driver near Nandi Upachar Hotel in Devanahalli, as per his instructions.
The FIR further alleged that the accused issued a purported sanction letter dated October 21, 2025, allegedly from Infosys bearing the signature of Mishra, and executed a grant agreement dated January 8, 2026 between Infosys and the charitable trust for the construction of more than 855 houses across Karnataka with a total grant of Rs 179 crore.
Another grant agreement dated January 13, 2026 was also executed for construction of primary health care centres across the state with a total grant of Rs 178 crore, it stated.
However, the complainant later suspected that the representations made by the accused were false, the documents were fabricated, and the entire transaction was fraudulent in nature, as the accused dishonestly induced them to part with substantial amounts under the pretext of EMD for CSR grants.
"Despite repeated follow-ups neither has any grant materialised nor have the amounts been returned, and the accused is now unresponsive and deliberately avoiding communication," the FIR added.
A case has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), Section 319(2) (cheating by personation), Section 336(3) (forgery for the purpose of cheating), police said, adding that further investigation into the matter is underway.
Efforts are being made to nab the suspects in the case, they added.
