BJP ‘dirty tricks dept’ will spread Pranab Mukherjee’s RSS event pic with fake statements: Daughter

Bengaluru, Mar 13: Several ministers staying at the Bengaluru resort had been emotionally pressurised to leave the Congress party, said Congress leader Jitu Patwari on Thursday after he was rescued by party leader DK Shivakumar from getting arrested due to the scuffle that had broken out at Embassy Boulevard here.

"We had received information that one of the MLAs, Manoj Chaudhary, staying at the Boulevard wanted his father to bring him back home," Patwari told reporters.

He said, "We had accompanied Manoj's father to the resort but the moment we entered the restaurant at the resort, some miscreants took away Manoj to some other unknown place," Patwari told reporters.

"Meanwhile, we (Lakhan Singh and Jitu Patwari) were manhandled and taken to the police station," he added.

Patwari said that the police had started the process of arresting them but Shivakumar came to their rescue and stopped their arrest.

He further said, "The police manhandled us even though we tried to talk to them in a very calm manner."

"If the MLAs giving resignation was their decision then why is the BJP not allowing them to contact their families," the MP said.

He further said that Jyotiraditya Scindia would soon become a minister but "why are the other ministers being made scapegoats."

Earlier in the day, a Congress leader in Madhya Pradesh had said that if action on the assaulters of its two leaders is not taken then the matter will be taken to the court.

Kochi, Jul 12: The two main accused in Kerala gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair have been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Both the accused will be produced before NIA court in Kochi, Kerala on Sunday.

Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair were detained by NIA from Bengaluru, Karnataka on Saturday.

Swapna is named as the second accused and Sandeep has been named as the fourth accused in the FIR taken by NIA and both have been slapped with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, (UAPA) along with first accused Sarith PS and third accused Fazil Fareed
Already, Sarith PS was arrested by the Customs, while Fazil Fareed is still at large. 

NIA officials yesterday conducted a detailed interrogation of Sarith after reaching the customs office in Kochi where he is in custody.

The Customs Department had on July 5 seized 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore concealed in diplomatic consignment at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

The NIA on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Sarith Kumar, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, the three persons allegedly involved in the case.

The agency has charged them with offences under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Swapna Suresh was on the run following the gold seizure. She was employed in Space Park and Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITL), which comes under the IT department, a portfolio held by Kerala Chief Minister. She was ousted after being named an accused in the case.

Sarith Kumar, an accused in the case who had previously worked as a public relations officer (PRO) in UAE Consulate-General's office in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested on July 6.

Bengaluru, May 18: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called a meeting of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) to discuss various issues related to coronavirus and "failures" of the state government in tackling the outbreak.

The meeting, which will be held on May 19 at 4 pm, will also discuss packages announced by the central and state government, the amendment to the APMC Act by the state cabinet and the cancellation of various schemes including Mathrushree and Santhwana scheme.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah had alleged that the Centre and Karnataka government failed in containing the coronavirus spread despite having enough time for preparations.

Meanwhile, the ongoing nationwide lockdown has been extended till May 31.