No relief for Katta in KIADB scam, wife's plea dismissed

January 29, 2016

Bengaluru, Jan 29: The High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu’s wife K Sowbhagya questioning the constitutional validity of some sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and subsequent amendments made to the law in 2005, 2009 and 2012.

kattasJustice Anand Byrareddy also dismissed her petition for quashing of an order issued by the Enforcement Directorate on September 25, 2012, pertaining to seizure of 141 documents related to the assets of Naidu’s family, Itasca Software Development Pvt Ltd and 23 others in connection with the multi-crore compensation scam in the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) land acquisition.

Sowbhagya had challenged several sections of the Act, contending that an accused can be tried under this law if they had harmed national security or were involved in terrorist activity.

As the petitioner and the family were not involved in any such activities, they must not be tried under the said Act and the High Court must quash the action taken by the directorate in seizing their property documents and transactions, she argued.

The bench in its order stated that the power of search, seize and arrest were important aspects of investigation and the matter related to economic offences was not unusual.

Similar procedures are followed with regard to the Customs Act, 1962, the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, and the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1966.

As a Lokayukta enquiry is pending against the Naidu family, Katta’s wife also sought the court’s direction for a joint hearing.

Request rejected

But the bench rejected her prayer, saying the Lokayukta conducted the enquiry under a different law whereas the directorate was trying them under the Money Laundering Act, hence the two matters could not be heard together.

The bench dismissed the petitioner stating that it was not maintainable and the said sections of the Act were constitutionally valid.

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News Network
June 24,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 24: An elderly woman who was tested positive for coronavirus yesterday, breathed her last at the designated covid hospital in the city today. 

The deceased 57-year-old woman from Ullal. Her final rites were held as per the guidelines issued by the district administration. 

According to sources, she was admitted to a private hospital in Thokkottu due to diarrhoea. She was treated in that hospital for eight days. 

Meanwhile, her throat swabs were sent for covid test. She received positive report yesterday. Hence she was shifted to covid hospital where she breathed her last without responding to treatment.

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News Network
February 6,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 6: In a case of suspected political rivalry, a 28-year-old BJP activist was brutally assaulted by a gang at Munchoor here, police said on Thursday.

Police said that the injured identified as Yashodhar is undergoing treatment at Padmavathi Hospital here.

Four people namely – Diwakar, Dinesh Shetty, Ashwith Kulal and Yashodhara Agaramelu – assaulted Yashodhar and posed him with a death threat. It was reported that the gang had been keeping an eye on Yashodhar’s movements for some time now.

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News Network
April 18,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 18: Hours after announcing that two-wheelers will be allowed to ply and that IT/BT companies can resume operations with 33 per cent strength, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday took a u-turn and rolled them back, citing “public opinion” as the reason. 

Earlier in the day, Yediyurappa announced that, after April 20, there will not be any restriction on the movement of two-wheelers in areas that are not COVID-19 containment zones. Yediyurappa also said that a third of IT/BT employees will be allowed to go to the office after April 20. 

“In the backdrop of public opinion and after discussions with senior officials, it has been decided that the prohibition on two-wheelers will continue throughout the lockdown period,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said. “And in the IT/BT sector, only essential services will be allowed and the work-from-home policy will continue.” 

According to sources, the u-turn came following opposition from Yediyurappa’s Cabinet colleagues. “If I was in the meeting, I’d not have allowed it,” a minister said. Only Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Revenue Minister R Ashoka were in the meeting Yediyurappa held earlier in the day. The Opposition also stemmed from the fact that there was no need to make decisions on the lockdown when the Cabinet was scheduled to meet on April 20, sources said. 

The incoordination was apparent on Friday when Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan, the IT/BT minister, said 50 per cent of employees in the sector will be permitted to work while Yediyurappa said this would depend on the number of cases reported in the coming days. 

Other announcements made by Yediyurappa remain unchanged.

“Places, where COVID-19 cases are reported, will be identified as containment zones. In such containment zones, an incident commander will be appointed and given magisterial power. Teams comprising the police and health department officials will oversee the lockdown,” Yediyurappa said. “Lockdown will be much more stringent in these areas and no one will be allowed to step out. Essential supplies will be delivered home.”

According to Bommai, there were 32 containment zones in Bengaluru and ‘hotspots’ have been identified in eight districts.

With an eye on restarting economic activities, the government will allow construction work and industries. “In urban areas, construction work will be allowed to start wherever construction workers have the facility to stay on site,” Yediyurappa said. “The manufacturing sector in rural areas and industrial units located in the special economic zones (SEZ) and townships in urban areas will be allowed to function,” he said.

Stating that inter-state travel will be prohibited, Yediyurappa said the districts of Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Ramnagara will be considered as one only for the movement of industrial workers.

Asked about liquor sale, Yediyurappa said a decision will be taken after May 3. The government has already prohibited liquor sale till April 20 midnight.

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