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MP to move private resolution in RS over attacks on journalists

DHNS
February 7, 2018

New Delhi, Feb 7: Concerned over the attacks on journalists and police failing to catch culprits, a Trinamool Congress MP will move a private resolution in Rajya Sabha on Friday seeking a separate section in Indian Penal Code dealing with offences against media persons.

Referring to the murder of Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru last September, journalist-turned MP Vivek Gupta said in his private member resolution that cases of work-related threats and violence against journalists are increasing. He also demanded a CBI probe into the murder of Lankesh, who was an outspoken critic of Hindutva forces.

Gupta said there is no umbrella scheme for the protection of security of journalists and media community while seeking a nationwide survey to get an actual estimate of number of journalists facing work-related threats to formulate a protection plan and welfare for them. Another suggestion from the MP was setting up of a toll-free number so that journalists can contact police in case of emergency.

Quoting a report of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the resolution said, "not a single case of journalist's murder was solved in India over the past decade and 96% of cases of attack on media personnel remained unresolved since 1992.

Noting that the country ranks 136 out of 192 countries in 2017 on World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders, the resolution said, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) database records only those cases of attacks on media persons where there is 'grievous hurt of varying degrees' but does not include murder of journalists resulting in under-reporting of cases. The number of journalists facing work related threats is "grossly under estimated" due to less reporting of such cases, it said.

The official statistics itself suggest 142 attacks against journalists for grievous hurt between 2014 and 2015. However, only 73 people were arrested in these cases.

"There is a disparity across the states between the registered cases of attack on the media personnel and the number of persons arrested for these attacks. For instance, Uttar Pradesh registered highest number of such cases (64), but only 4 persons were arrested....whereas in 26 cases of attack on journalists which were registered in Madhya Pradesh, 42 persons were arrested. The conviction rate of the persons arrested for crimes against journalists is even lower than the arrests," the resolution said.

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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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News Network
August 7,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 7: The condition of former Chief Minister and leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, is clinically stable and he is responding to COVID-19 treatment, the hospital authorities said on Friday.

"Leader of the opposition and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is clinically stable and responding to COVID-19 treatment. He is comfortable and his appetite has improved. Our team of experts will continue to monitor him closely," Manipal Hospital said in a health bulletin.

Siddaramaiah had informed on Twitter on August 4 that he tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted himself to a hospital.

Since then, he had been active on twitter and attacked the BS Yediyurappa government in Karnataka over their handling of COVID-19 and heavy rainfall situation.

Earlier on Friday morning, Siddaramaiah remembered Nobel laureate and poet Rabindranath Tagore on his death anniversary.

The former Chief Minister of Karnataka also condoled the demise of Karnataka State Wakf Board chairman Dr Mohammed Yusuf on Friday.

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News Network
June 6,2020

Jun 6: Private sector lender Karnataka Bank has reported to the RBI that it has been defrauded of over Rs 285 crore consequent to loans gone bad to four entities including DHFL.

A total of Rs 285.52 crore has been reported as fraud wherein the bank was one of the consortium lenders during 2009 to 2014 to Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL), Religare Finvest, Fedders Electric and Engineering Ltd and Leel Electricals Ltd, Karnataka Bank said in a regulatory filing on Friday.

The maximum is owed by DHFL at Rs 180.13 crore, followed by Religare Finvest Rs 43.44 crore, Fedders Electric Rs 41.30 crore and Leel Electricals Rs 20.65 crore.

"DHFL (defaulted entity) dealing with us since 2014 had availed various credit facilities under consortium arrangement wherein, we were one of the member banks. In view of Early Warning Signals (EWS) in the conduct of the account and other developments, the account was red flagged on November 11, 2019.

"The borrowing account was classified as Non-Performing Asset on October 30, 2019 and now, for misappropriation & criminal breach of trust & diversion of funds in the credit facilities extended earlier to the company, a fraud amounting Rs 180.13 crore has been reported to RBI," Karnataka Bank said.

Likewise, Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL) was dealing with the bank since 2014, availing various credit facilities.

Following classification of this account as non-performing in October 2019 by a consortium member, Karnataka Bank reported to RBI a fraud amounting to Rs 43.44 crore in the credit facilities extended earlier, on account of diversion of funds.

Leel Electricals was classified as NPA account in March 2019 and it reported to RBI a fraud amounting to Rs 20.65 crore in the credit facilities to the company on account of diversion of funds.

"In all the referred three non-performing accounts, necessary provisions have been made in full to be spread across four quarters," it said.

Fedders Electric and Engineering Limited was reported as NPA in July 2018 by a member bank in consortium, subsequent to which Karnataka Bank reported fraud of Rs 41.30 crore on account of fund diversion.

The account has already been fully provided for, it added.

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