Some leaders may be leaving BJP, but workers are committed to party: CM Bommai
Bengaluru (PTI): With the ruling BJP facing revolts and desertions in some constituencies, following the announcement of candidates in 212 Assembly segments for the May 10 polls, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said some leaders with ambition to become legislators might be parting ways, but workers were committed to the party.
The Congress inducting some disgruntled BJP leaders who are unhappy over not getting tickets would make no difference, he asserted speaking to reporters, and claimed that the grand old party lacked suitable candidates in about 60 Assembly segments.
"Naturally there will be a greater demand for tickets in a ruling party," Bommai said in response to a question about dissidence within BJP.
"We have spoken to our workers. Some leaders are trying to go out (of the party) with an ambition to become legislators, but workers won't go....workers are committed to the party," he said.
The BJP has resorted to fire-fighting as disappointed aspirants have raised a banner of revolt.
Responding to a question on reports about Congress being in touch with several rebel BJP leaders, the Chief Minister said, "Congress doesn't have suitable candidates to contest in 60 seats.
"They have already inducted some of our partymen, but it will make no difference. Our party and workers are strong, and people will ensure our victory," he said.
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Traffic fraud: Fake 'no-entry' sticker racket busted in Delhi, mastermind among 3 held
New Delhi (PTI): Police here have busted a crime syndicate involved in traffic fraud and extortion, arresting three people including the alleged mastermind who sold fake stickers to help commercial vehicles bypass no-entry restrictions, an official said on Saturday.
The police said they dismantled a third organised syndicate linked to traffic-related frauds, with the arrest of Rinku Rana alias Bhushan, his associate Sonu Sharma and Mukesh Kumar alias Pakodi, who was also connected to another extortion syndicate.
According to the police, Rinku Rana was running a well-organised network that facilitated the movement of commercial goods vehicles during restricted hours by selling fake 'marka' or stickers for Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per vehicle every month. The stickers were falsely projected as authorisation to evade traffic challans.
During raids, the police recovered Rs 31 lakh in cash, property documents worth several crores of rupees, over 500 fake stickers and six mobile phones allegedly used to operate the syndicate.
The crackdown followed a complaint filed by a traffic police officer in April this year after a commercial vehicle tried to evade checking by producing a fake sticker claiming exemption from enforcement action.
Investigation revealed that social media groups were being used to coordinate the illegal movement of vehicles and alert drivers about traffic police checkpoints, police said.
"A parallel system was being run to cheat drivers and vehicle owners while undermining traffic enforcement. On the basis of evidence, provisions related to organised crime under the BNS were invoked," a senior police officer said.
Sonu Sharma, the police said, managed social media groups through which stickers were sold and real-time alerts were circulated regarding traffic police movement. He also acted as a link between Rana and drivers operating in the field.
In a related development, Mukesh Kumar alias Pakodi, an associate of Rajkumar alias Raju Meena, who was earlier arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), was also apprehended.
Mukesh allegedly helped extort money from transporters and was involved in blackmailing traffic police personnel by recording enforcement actions, the police said.
Investigators alleged the syndicate led by Rajkumar deployed drivers to deliberately violate traffic rules and secretly record police officials during challans, later using manipulated videos to extort money under threat of false allegations.
The police said that in total, eight accused belonging to three different organised crime syndicates linked to traffic frauds and extortion have been arrested so far.
Further investigation is underway to trace the remaining members, conduct financial probes, and analyse digital evidence recovered during the raids, officials added.
