Veteran Cong leader Kagodu Thimmappa declares political retirement
Bengaluru, July 31: Veteran Congress leader, political stalwart, front leader of Socialist Movement in the state and former minister Kagodu Thimmappa, on Tuesday, declared retirement from the active politics.
Speaking to reporters at the Vidhana Soudha here, the socialist leader said that “I am aged. I have completed the works I had to do. I have contentment about my works. It’s enough. I have decided to keep myself away from electoral politics. I’ll not contest in any election. But I’ll involve myself in social works”, said Kagodu is retiring from his 55 years political career.
After his B Com and BL graduation, Kagodu had started his practice in Sagar as an advocate. Later, he had plunged into politics from Socialist Party. He had contested from Sagar Assembly constituency on Socialist Party ticket two times, but was defeated. Third time, he had entered the Vidhana Soudha in 1972. As he had participated in Sandur Bhoo Vimochana Satyagrah in 1973, he was arrested. Later, he was elected as the MLA and MLC and served the state.
As minister, he had managed various portfolios efficiently. In 1980, he had joined Congress (I) party. He was elected as the MLC from the Assembly constituency on May 5, 1980 with the help of then chief minister Gundu Rao and became the chairman of the Backward Classes Committee. Later, Gundu Rao had made him as the forest minister on October 3, 1980 and made him Leader of the Legislative Council. Later, he was appointed as the PWD Minister. In 1989, he was elected to Legislative Council from Congress and then chief minister Veerendra Patil appointed him as state Housing Board chairman.
He was again elected to Assembly in 1994 and 1999 elections from the Congress. He had served as the Social Welfare Minister in SM Krishna government. In the Siddaramaiah government, he had served as the Speaker and Revenue Minister. But he lost in the 2018 Assembly election from Sagar constituency against BJP candidate Hartal Halappa. Now, he has decided to retire from the active politics.
Foolish act: Kagodu
Responding to separate North Karnataka state movement, Kagodu said that the united Karnataka came into existence because of the efforts of many years. It was the height of the foolishness to demand for two states. No one should support the fight aimed at dividing the state, he 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.
Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
