BJP plans nationwide protest against CPI(M)'s reign of terror' in Kannur

Mangaluru, June 13:  The Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru City Police, which is digging up old cases involving underworld gangster Ravi Pujari, has now launched a fresh probe into the murder of human rights lawyer Naushad Kashimji.

Kashimji was gunned down on April 9, 2009 at the basement of his apartment in Falnir in Mangaluru. Ravi Pujari had allegedly ordered the hit. 

As part of investigation, a team from Benglauru CCB has come to Mangaluru. CCB sleuths, who obtained Pujari’s police custody in connection with this case, are tying up the loose ends pertaining to the murder of Kashimji who was representing D-Company hitman Abdul Rashid Hassan Malbari aka Malbari. 

Pujari was said to be unhappy over Kashimji representing Malbari. Pujari had also allegedly issued life threats, directing him to desist from doing so.

Kashimji had reportedly received more than 10 international threat calls from March 30 to April 9 (the day he was murdered). According to a senior police officer, the advocate had not informed the police or his then senior Purushottam Poojary about receiving the threat calls. “This came to light when police went through his call records later,” the officer explained.

“CCB team is primarily focusing on Pujari’s role in the advocate’s sensational murder,” a senior CCB officer handling the investigating said. 

“We have also lined up other cases in which Pujari is allegedly involved, but had filed the chargesheet against him in absentia as he was then a fugitive,” the officer added. The team is now picking up threads of Pujari’s involvement cases in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts.

Pujari, currently in police custody in Bengaluru, is accused in more than 30 cases reported in Mangaluru from 2007 to 2018. Majority of the cases against Pujari pertain to extortion and extending death threats, one relating to murder, three to shootings/ abduction and one where he supplied money to his henchmen in prison. Police have filed ‘C’ report in 17 out of 28 threat call cases and ‘B’ report in one case. Rest are in different stages of trial.

Bengaluru, Apr 16: With two more people testing positive for COVID-19 in Karnataka, the state's corona cases count has reached 279, including 80 discharged and 12 deaths, said the government on Wednesday.

A total of 19 corona cases were confirmed in the state on Wednesday. 17 cases were reported earlier in the day, of which 15 are male patients and two are female. Of the 17 cases, nine are workers of a pharmaceutical company in Mysuru, the government stated.

Meanwhile, a 65-year-old from Chikkaballapur, who had tested positive for COVID-19, lost his life this afternoon.

"He was referred to a Bengaluru hospital with complaints of H1N1 positive, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with obstructive sleep apnea and a past history of diabetes and hypertension," the government said.

Madikeri, Jan 16: Income Tax Department officials on Thursday raided the residence of Kannada actress Rashmika Mandanna at Virajpet in Kodagu District on Thursday.

About 10 IT officials arrived at the residence on Thursday at about 1930 hrs and started searching. The officials have been busy conducting the raid for more than three hours now.

I-T sources said that the search and seizure operations were conducted on suspicion that Rashmika Mandanna had evaded taxes.

Mandanna, 23, is a leading heroine and has acted in several Kannada and Telugu films over the last four years. Her most recent film Sarileru Neekevvaru opposite Mahesh Babu is in the theatres now.

She made her debut in Sandalwood with the film Kirik Party, which was a huge success at the box office. She went on to act in several Kannada and Telugu films in the last two years and has become a huge success in the industry. She has acted in Dear Comrade, Sarileru Neekevvaru, Chalo, Geeta Govindam, Chamak, Yajamana, Anjani Putra and Vritra.

She is currently working in the film Pogaru alongside Dhruva Sarja. She has acted in nine movies in the last two years and has also signed several advertising contracts.