Neymar helps Santos avoid relegation, says he will have knee surgery
Sao Paulo (AP): Neymar's Santos secured its survival in Brazil's Serie A on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Cruzeiro, and the 33-year-old soccer star later confirmed he will undergo surgery on his left knee.
Playing its last league match of the season, Santos — which achieved a global following with all-time great Pelé — avoided what would have been the club's second relegation in its history. Santos was relegated in 2023 for the first time almost a year after the death of Pelé.
Neymar struggled to recover from a torn ACL in October 2023 during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. But he proved key for Santos in its successful fight to avoid relegation in the Brazilian championship after its promotion last year.
Neymar, who returned to Santos in January, was decisive for the club where he started his professional career. In the last three rounds of the league, Neymar scored a goal against Sport Recife in a 3-0 win, netted a hat trick against Juventude on Wednesday in another 3-0 victory, and on Sunday was an effective playmaker.
Thaciano (26th and 28th minutes) and João Schmidt (60th) scored against Cruzeiro at Vila Belmiro Stadium as Santos finished 12th with 47 points.
Neymar played only 19 of the 38 rounds of the league, which started in April. He scored eight goals.
"I came for this, to try to help the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me,” Neymar said after the game. "I thank those who were with me to lift me up. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have played these matches because of these injuries, this knee problem. I need to rest and then we will have this knee surgery."
Neymar did not give more details about the knee injury and surgery. He still hopes to be included in Brazil's final squad for the 2026 World Cup, though coach Carlo Ancelotti is yet to pick the former captain since he took over in May.
Flamengo won its ninth Brazilian league title midweek after a 1-0 home victory against Ceara. The Rio de Janeiro club also won the Copa Libertadores last month. AP
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Man held for fake campaign against KAS officer; police cite personal hostility
Bengaluru (PTI): In a key development in a cyber defamation case involving social activist Snehamayi Krishna, police on Saturday arrested a man for allegedly circulating fake documents and a fabricated audio clip targeting senior KAS officer and former MUDA Commissioner D B Natesh.
Police said the accused, Vinod, acted out of hostility arising from certain transactions between him and the complainant.
According to a press release issued by the police department, the case was registered on February 18 at the Bengaluru City Cyber Crime Police Station based on a complaint filed by Natesh, former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner.
During the investigation, police found that due to hostility arising from certain transactions between Vinod and the complainant, he contacted Krishna and provided false information, allegedly with the intention of taking revenge for personal gain.
In his complaint, Natesh alleged that Krishna, a resident of Mysuru, had been targeting and harassing him by creating fake documents, morphed photographs and a fabricated audio clip, and uploading them on social media through his Facebook account with the intention of defaming him.
Police said the investigation was taken up accordingly.
It was further revealed that Krishna, without verifying the authenticity of the information received, allegedly circulated it on social media with malicious intent to defame and damage the complainant’s reputation, the release said.
In this connection, a notice was issued to N Vinod, a resident of Bogadi in Mysuru, directing him to appear before the police.
Upon inquiry, and in view of the supporting evidence found against him, he was arrested and will be produced before the competent court, police said.
A notice has also been issued to Krishna to appear for questioning regarding his role in the offence. Further investigation is in progress.
Additionally, another case has been registered against Krishna at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station for allegedly spreading false information and carrying out defamatory propaganda. The matter is under investigation.
During the investigation so far, materials shared by Krishna on Facebook have been collected.
On verifying mobile numbers, vehicle registration details and other evidence, police found that the information circulated was false.
The investigation is continuing, they added.
On Thursday, Krishna had alleged corruption against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and senior KAS officer D B Natesh, a former MUDA Commissioner.
The government rejected the allegations, stating that due process had been followed and a prior sanction for investigation had already been granted.
Krishna also lodged complaints with the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, alleging the exchange of a large amount of cash in Mysuru. He also shared a photograph of a vehicle allegedly used in the transaction.
On Saturday, Krishna apologised to the chief secretary.
“I was brought here yesterday for questioning following a complaint by Natesh that I filed a false complaint, created fake documents, fabricated an audio clip, and posted them on my Facebook page. There was also a complaint against me for making baseless allegations against Shalini Rajneesh,” Krishna told reporters.
The activist said he had received the information through WhatsApp. He added that the person who shared it has also been questioned by the police.
Krishna, however, claimed that his allegations against Natesh are correct. “The information shared with me regarding Shalini Rajneesh is false. I have committed a mistake. I request her to pardon me,” he said.
He added that the investigation will continue.
Krishna was the complainant in the MUDA land allotment case, based on which a case was registered against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and others.
In this case, it was alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upscale area of Mysuru, with a higher property value than the land acquired by MUDA.
MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 scheme in exchange for 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout. Under this scheme, MUDA allots 50 per cent of developed land to landowners in exchange for undeveloped land acquired for residential layouts.
The Karnataka Lokayukta police, which registered the case against Siddaramaiah, his wife and his brother-in-law, later gave them a clean chit by filing a closure report, which was accepted by the Special Court for trial of public representatives.
