Narayana Murthy’s allegations are false, slanderous: Infosys ex-chairman

News Network
September 1, 2017

Bengaluru, Sept 1: Former chairman of Infosys R Seshasayee on Friday shot back at the company’s co-founder Narayana Murthy, claiming that the latter on carrying out his personal ‘vendetta' against him and his charges were extremely offensive.

“To quote an anonymous whistleblower letter that alleged many things, which have subsequently been proved baseless and false through multiple investigations by highly respected counsel, in order to give an impression to the audience that I lied to the shareholders, is patently offensive,” Mr. Seshasayee said in a joint statement issued along with former directors of Infosys, John Etchemendy and Jeffrey Lehman.

All three quit the board following a public spat with Mr. Murthy, who accused the management of the New York Stock Exchange-listed firm of irregularities in buying a Israeli company, Panaya, and failing to act on whistleblower complaints on the pay package given to top management, including former Chief Financial Officer, Rajiv Bansal.

In June, the company stated that Gibson Dunn & Control Risks completed a detailed independent investigation and did not find any evidence whatsoever of wrongdoing. There was no evidence supporting the whistleblower’s allegations on acquisitions and inappropriate contracting.

The probe also found no evidence that the former Chief Executive Officer, Vishal Sikka, received excessive variable compensation or incurred unreasonable expenses for security and travel.

The anonymous whistleblower wrote a letter to the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the U.S. Securities and Exchange, among others alleging Infosys overpaid for Panaya. The whistleblower's letter mentioned that Panaya was struggling to raise money and employees were leaving the company when the acquisition happened and the board overlooked the decision to buy the firm at a “premium”.

Mr. Murthy, during his investors call on August 29, reiterated his complete faith in new chairman Nandan Nilekani to take the company back to its “glory days”.

“Since my resignation from the Board of Infosys, I have kept away from making any public statements, despite provocations, since I sincerely want the Company to move forward, and not be bogged down with the issues of the past. Mr. Murthy's statement to the investors reported by the Press, however, forces me to issue this statement, which is done only to defend myself against personal attacks and patently false and slanderous accusations,” Mr. Seshasayee said in the statement.

“Mr. Murthy 's statement to the investors misleadingly attributes words to me that are

taken completely out of context, making it appear that I was not stating the truth. I wish to categorically state that I have always been candid and truthful in all my statements concerning Infosys.”

During a press conference in Bangalore, Mr. Seshasayee had said he was close to quitting the company at least three times.

“It is regrettable that Mr. Murthy 's campaign on the alleged governance lapses has continually slipped into personal attacks and slander on individual board members,” the statement added.

Mr. Murthy had invited him to join the board and entrusted him the Chair of the Audit Committee, while he was still the Chairman.

“As late as February '17, much after the alleged lapses took place, Mr. Murthy also issued a press statement that I was a man of high integrity. I am therefore at a loss to understand the motivations for this persistent vendetta against me."

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News Network
January 12,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 12: Protesters plan to intensify their anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act movement from sit-down satyagrahas and rallies to street and door-to-door campaigns in different parts of the city.

The street campaigns began on January 1 with 20-30 volunteers of Hum Bharat Ke Log, reaching out to people in Koramangala and Whitefield and explaining the CAA, National Population Register (NPR), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and related issues. They have organised four campaigns.

According to Zia Nomani, member of Hum Bharat Ke Log, the campaign will intensify soon. “Over 200-400 volunteers will organise nukkad sabhas and other activities around JP Nagar and Banashankari,” Nomani said.

She added that though protests began as a medium for people to vent their concerns, more needs to be done.

“We have realised that many people have begun working on their personal documents and want to help them understand what CAA is all about,” Nomani said.

Volunteers will talk to people at street junctions, discuss issues and run signature campaigns. They say: “Our movement is focussed on reaching out to people. Pro-CAA workers too started a door-to-door campaign last week.”

Avani Chokshi, an advocate who participated in a campaign, said though people had a cursory idea about these issues, they didn’t know the details. “It through such campaigns that we can reach more people. It’s important to talk to people who haven’t made up their mind about the issues or are even pro-CAA,” said Avani, adding, “It hard to combat hatred in a short span of time. The movement needs to be sustained.”

Activist Geeta Menon, who has been at the forefront of the street campaign, says they were heckled at some places.

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News Network
January 29,2020

Hubballi, Jan 29: Thousands of people took part in a protest march against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) causing traffic snarl in the city on Tuesday.

Various Dalit organisations had taken part in protest organised under the aegis of the 'Samvidana Samrakshana Samiti'.

KPCC members including MLA Prasad Abbayya, former Minister A.M. Hindasageri and office-bearers also joined the protest.

They congregated first at B.R. Ambedkar Statue near the Head Post Office in Hubballi. Holding flags and banners, the protesters marched from Ambedkar statue to mini Vidhana Soudha covering Lamington Road, Sangolli Rayanna Statue and Kittur Chennamma Circle.

Mr. Abbayya said that despite opposition from various minority communities and progressive organisations, the Union government had not changed its stand. The opposition would continue till the new law was repealed, he said.

He termed the CAA as a draconian law that meted out injustice to not only Muslims but also to Hindus. “Giving citizenship based on documents is highly condemnable. At a time when the country is undergoing an economic slowdown, it is highly condemnable that thousands of crores are being spent to enact the law. The Union government should immediately abolish the new law,” he said.

They submitted a memorandum to the Hubballi tahsildar that was addressed to the President, seeking abolition of the new law. In view of the march, the police had diverted traffic and had made elaborate bandobast.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 17: The first chartered flight repatriating Indians stranded at Kuwait for months landed at the international airport here.

The Jazeera Airways flight privately booked by the Keralites and coastal Kannadigas living in the Arab country had left sometime in the afternoon with 160 passengers on board.

The flight also carried the mortal remains of Sathish Kochu Shetty (45), who died in a fire tragedy at a refinery in Kuwait on June 14.

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