Special Court finds Karwar MLA Satish Sail guilty in Belekeri illegal iron ore export case
Bengaluru: A Special court for People's Representatives in Bengaluru has found Karwar Congress MLA Sathish Sail guilty in the Belekeri port case on Thursday.
After a lengthy hearing, the judge of the special court ordered all the convicts to be immediately arrested. The court found Mahesh Biliya, Mallikarjun Shipping company and MLA Sail guilty in the case. The sentence on punishment has been reserved to Friday (October 25).
The case pertains to the illegal export of 11,312 metric tons of seized iron ore from Belekeri port in Karwar in 2010. The ore had been allegedly mined by the Obalapuram Mining Company in Ballary which was owned by Gali Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy, who were Ministers in the BJP-led state government under the then CM B S Yediyurappa.
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Rare Kalyani Chalukya-era stepwell discovered in Karnataka’s Gadag district
Gadag: A centuries-old stepwell from the Kalyani Chalukya period is discovered into public in Sudi, a remote village in Karnataka’s Gadag district. The Nagakunda Pushkarani, dating to the 10th-11th century CE, is undergoing extensive restoration under the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage’s ‘Adopt a Monument’ scheme.
The stepwell was focal point of community life and craftsmanship under the reign of Akkadevi, sister of Chalukya king Jayasimha II. It shows the dynasty’s mastery of architecture and water management. Its interior walls are carved with the precision of temple façades, setting it apart from most surviving stepwells in southern India, linking it stylistically to examples in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
After centuries of neglect left its sculptures weathered and its waters dry, the site is now being revived by the Deccan Heritage Foundation India in partnership with Heritage Matters, the Gandipet Welfare Society and the Water Literacy Foundation according to a report published by The HIndu. Work includes structural repairs, removal of invasive vegetation, dredging, stone resetting and landscaping, alongside the restoration of an adjacent mantapa with a large Ganesha idol.
Heritage architect B. Sarath Chandra noted, the project is as much about functionality as aesthetics, with water recharge efforts already underway. Funded by Gandipet Welfare Society founder Rajashree Pinnamenni, the restoration is slated for completion by late 2025, followed by a second phase linking the stepwell to the Jodu Kalasadagudi temple through landscaped pathways.
The report mentions that officials say the revival of Nagakunda Pushkarani could not only reintroduce Sudi’s Chalukya heritage to a wider audience but also serve as a model for conserving other lesser-known monuments across Karnataka.
