Vijayapura: Raising doubts over the alleged suicide of contractor Santosh Patil which led to the resignation K. S. Eshwarappa from his Ministry, BJP National General Secretary, C. T. Ravi on Friday questioned why the contractor chose to committee suicide only in Udupi and not any other place?

“I have serious doubt over the whole incident. Firstly, there is no answer to the question as to why he committed suicide in Udupi only. Secondly, whether the death note forwarded on WhatsApp was typed by Santosh himself before the death or somebody else did that on his behalf after his death. Thirdly, why did he choose to stay in a separate room in the hotel while all of his friends stayed together”, he asked.

Ravi however said that only the autopsy report will give answers to all these questions.

Asked whether he will seek a CBI probe, he said that since there is no demand for it either from the family of the deceased or from the general public, thus, I do not think that a CBI probe is needed. However he said that based on the situation, the CM will take appropriate decisions.

On the resignation of K. S. Eshwarappa from the Ministry, Ravi said that he welcomed the decision stating that the former took the decision on moral grounds and not because the opposition was demanding.

On the allegations of the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association that they have been demanded 40% commission by the government officials and the elected representatives, Ravi refuted all the allegations.

On the contrary he doubted that someone else is instigating the state president of the association to make allegations against the government.

Admitting that corruption exists in the system, he however blamed the Congress for nurturing corruption and making it a huge problem.

Claiming that the BJP is a secular party which never does politics on communal grounds, Ravi said that it is Congress that has been doing appeasement politics for the vote of Muslims.

Addressing media persons on Friday, he said the Congress has been doing only appeasement politics which its projects as secularism.

“It is time we should change the definition of secularism and communalism.  The Congress projects appeasement as secularism and the BJP which believes in religious equality, projects as communalism. What kind of justice is it? If the Congress stands for Hijab then it is a secular party, but when the BJP stands for uniformity in schools, then the Congress calls it communalism. This is not acceptable at all”, he said.

“When Harsha and Chandru were killed, the Congress stayed quiet but when some watermelons of Muslim vendors were destroyed, the Congress started feeling pain for people. This is nothing but selective politics”, 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.



Mumbai, Jul 25 (PTI): Police have opposed the bail plea of the Bangladeshi national arrested for allegedly stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan with a knife and injuring him at his home here in January this year, telling a Mumbai court there was "strong evidence" against the accused.

Citing a Forensic Science Laboratory report, police reiterated before the sessions court their earlier claim knife fragments that got lodged near the actor's spine during the attack as well as a part found at the crime spot have matched with the weapon recovered from the accused, Shariful Islam.

These three pieces were part of the same weapon (knife) used to attack the filmstar, the police said in a written response to the accused's plea submitted in the court on Thursday (July 24).

Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra on January 16 during a robbery attempt.

The 54-year-old actor underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital to remove a piece of knife that got lodged near his spine during the attack. He was discharged from the private hospital after five days.

Shariful Islam, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested two days later for allegedly stabbing Khan.

The police, in their response, highlighted that the accused is a Bangladeshi citizen residing illegally in India.

If granted bail, there was a possibility that he may flee India and not appear before the court during the trial. The crime committed by the accused is of a "very serious nature, and strong evidence" is available against him, they argued.

In his bail plea, filed through advocate Vipul Dushing, the accused asserted he was innocent and had no prior criminal record.

Investigation into the case has practically concluded with only the filing of a chargesheet pending, the accused contended while seeking bail.

The alleged attacker has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to house trespass, robbery and dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous injury.