Kalburgi assassination: Two years on, CID fails to catch culprits

News Network
August 30, 2017

Bengaluru, Aug 30: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the assassination of Kannada writer Prof M M Kalburgi seems to have hit a dead-end.

It has been two years since Prof Kalburgi was shot dead at his Kalyananagar house in Dharwad on August 30, 2015.

The lone satisfaction for the CID in the last two years is the ‘conclusion’ that the two assailants who shot dead rationalists Narendra Dabholkar (65) and Govind Pansare (84) in Maharashtra were involved in Prof Kalburgi’s killing too.

Despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that the investigation is in final stage, the CID top brass is tight-lipped about the case.

“We are doing our best and will do our best to solve the case,” Director General of Police (CID), H C Kishore Chandra said.

He maintained that there was no delay in solving the case. “Neither there are any challenges nor is there any delay.” He was quick to add, “In fact, we were the first agency to establish the involvement of same men in the assassinations of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi.”

Though the police suspect involvement of the same gang in all the three murders, officers lack evidences to establish their suspicion.

“Our biggest problem is lack of strong leads. We can only suspect, but can’t establish our suspicion with evidences,” pointed out a senior officer involved in the investigation.

“Kalburgi was killed over ideological, historical and religious issues. Unfortunately, there are no conclusive evidences to establish this,” he said.

The investigation carried out so far points fingers at two sects of Hinduism---one in Karnataka and the other in Maharashtra. Prof Kalburgi was opposed to a sect in Karnataka and exposed certain religious preachers.

He openly condemned preachers of Hinduism.

The two sects plotted the murder and executed the plan through contract killers, the police said.

Property dispute ruled out

Two other possible causes, property dispute and domestic issues, have been disproved by the police.

Even Prof Kalburgi’s close associates express similar views. They criticised the CID’s delay in questioning Dr Virendra Tawde and Samir Vishnu Gaikwad arrested by the CBI and the Special Investigation Team in Dabholkar and Pansare murder cases respectively. They allege that the state government is under pressure from religious leaders and hence Dr Tawde and Gaikwad have not been questioned so far despite the information that the they were involved in all the three murders.

“Religious leaders are involved in Prof Kalburgi’s killing. We are much worried about the delay in arresting the culprits,” Prof Chandrashekhar Patil, writer and Kalburgi’s close friend said.

Writer and former minister B T Lalitha Naik said, “Highly influential religious leaders seems to have plotted the assassination. The government is delaying the probe due to pressure. A CBI probe can alone take the case to logical end.”

Comments

khasai Khane
 - 
Wednesday, 30 Aug 2017

You have to wait 15 Years if the victim was a sanghi (like in case of Rapsit Baba) .. and if you are muslim/pro-muslim wait till eternity..! Congress or BJP or anybody else...!

Justice delayed is justice denied...

Abdullah
 - 
Wednesday, 30 Aug 2017

Shame on our Government and Police department.

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News Network
April 6,2020

Bengaluru, April 6: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday said he is following the one-time fasting as per the order by BJP President JP Nadda.

"I am following the one-time fasting as per the order by our national President JP Nadda, on BJP foundation day today, as a mark of respect to doctors, nurses, media personnel," said BS Yediyurappa.

In his message to BJP workers earlier today, Nadda stated, "All BJP Karyakartas to give up one meal on our Foundation Day as a way to show solidarity with people facing hardships during the lockdown. Provide food packets to 5+1 needy under #FeedtheNeedy program. In the next one week, put a system in place where we can provide two homemade face covers to each person at our booth. We should circulate videos of preparation and distribution of such face covers with #WearFaceCoverStaySafe."

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News Network
May 9,2020

Bengaluru, May 9: The Karnataka government may not extend the daily working hours from 8 to 12, with Labour Minister A Shivaram Hebbar saying on Saturday that the move would neither benefit the industries nor workers.

Hebbar said that the proposal has not been discussed and it may come for final deliberations next week. He also noted that some States have already extended the working hours. More than extending working hours, there should be employment to be given. If there are no jobs what can be done by extending working hours? If it is done (working hours extended to 12 hours), it would neither benefit workers nor industries. Let's see what happens, he said.

Asked if the government was in favour of the extension, he said, "I don't think it will be ready for the (12 hour) proposal." Meanwhile, the Minister also said that their top priority now was to see that all MSMEs start operating again, salaries are paid to employees and there are no job losses for any reason. If industries don't reopen, how can workers get their employment? We should think in parallel, Hebbar said adding, the government was keeping the interests of both MSMEs and workers in mind.

He urged the Centre to offer a relief package to the MSME sector, saying it is facing very difficult times due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19-induced lockdown, and also noting its role in generating large-scale employment and feeding large industries.

The BJP-led government has done whatever within its limitations to help the MSMEs, he said. Earlier this week, the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced that the monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs would be waived for two months. MSMEs have suffered huge production losses due to the lockdown. It takes some time for them to revive, Yediyurappa had said. The Chief Minister had also said payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.

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News Network
February 16,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 16: Deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi’s election to the lone vacant council seat, for which a bypoll has been called, is only a formality as the only other candidate in the contest, independent BR Anil Kumar, dropped out on Saturday.

Kumar conveyed his decision to council secretary and returning officer Vishalakshmi. He decided to withdraw from the February 17 bypoll after failing to get support from Congress and JD(S) legislators.

The bypoll was necessitated after sitting member Rizwan Arshad of Congress resigned as he moved to the legislative assembly as an MLA. Rizwan won the Shivajinagar bypoll in December last year.

“Since the notification on candidates in the fray, after the last date of withdrawal, has already been published, irrespective of any candidate’s retirement, the election has to be conducted,” an official said.

Savadi’s victory was always assured as BJP has 119 members in the House.

Still, Ramanagara BJP district president Rudresh and MP BY Raghavendra reportedly approached Kumar, urging him to withdraw. Kumar, however, denied that he was persuaded by BJP.

“I entered the fray thinking secular parties and likeminded MLAs will support me, but that didn’t happen, so I decided to retire,”he said.

A section of Congress and JD(S) politicians, led by former minister HD Revanna, had persuaded Kumar to enter the contest with the hope that disgruntlement among some BJP legislators over Savadi’s promotion as the deputy CM would result in an upset.

Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy also offered to support Kumar. Siddaramaiah of Congress refused to do the same. Congress and JD(S) did not field any candidates of their own as they don’t have the requisite numbers in the House.

Savadi must get elected to the council before February 20, otherwise he will lose his cabinet role. According to rules, a person who is not a member of either House should get elected within six months after becoming a minister. Savadi took oath on August 20 last year.

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