Raghavendra Kini is the new chairman of Udupi Urban Development Authority

New Delhi, Mar 4: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed a trial court in Ramanagara district of Karnataka to ensure the presence of absconding self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda to face trial in a 2010 rape case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde also allowed a plea by K Lenin alias Nithya Dharmananda, former driver of Nithyananda and had filed a complaint against Nithyananda, for cancellation of non-bailable warrants issued against him.

The apex court ordered the cancellation of the non-bailable warrants issued against the complainant in the case on the condition he shows up before the trial court in Ramanagara district today itself.

He had challenged the Karnataka High Court's February order where non-bailable warrants were issued against Lenin for not appearing before the court for recording evidence.

"Having heard the counsel appearing for the petitioner and upon perusal of the record, we see no reason to interfere with the judgment and order passed by the High Court, which merely directs the petitioner to give evidence in support of his complaint," read the apex court order passed on Tuesday.

The Bench also directed that "the concerned trial court shall make every effort to ensure the presence of accused (Nithyananda) to face the proceedings."

The Karnataka High Court had last month cancelled the bail granted to Nithyananda, even as the state police claimed the absconding godman was on a 'spiritual tour'.

Nithyananda is facing charges of rape and indulging in unnatural sex. He was arrested on April 22, 2010, however, granted bail on June 11, the same year.

Kolar, May 7: A 38-year-old man has been arrested for biting a snake and peeling off its skin at Mustur village in Kolar district of Karnataka.

Mulbagal range forest officer KN Ravikeerthi said forest officials nabbed Kumar, a construction worker, at Mustur on Wednesday and booked him under the Wildlife Protection Act. He was under the influence of alcohol.

Ravikeerthi said Kumar's offence is non-bailable and attracts a jail term of up to three years. The remains of the snake were collected and sent to a lab to ascertain its species. Forest officials said the snake Kumar bit was not a viper as was reported earlier but a rat snake.

On Tuesday, Kumar was riding back home after buying liquor when the snake ca me under his bike's wheels. He tossed the injured snake around his neck, bit it and peeled off its skin. Kumar said the snake had troubled him in the past.

Mangaluru, May 20: The local unit of Bharatiya Janata Party has defended the delay in repatriation of coastal Kannadigas from Middle Eastern countries saying that it is impossible to bring all expatriate together at a time when covid-19 cases are continuing to spike in the region. 

Addressing a press conference, Sudarshan M, president of Dakshina Kannada unit of BJP said that the entire district administration was working as a team under the leadership local MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and district minister Kota Shrinivas Poojary and seven BJP MLAs in this critical juncture.

“Without any bias, we also have reached out to the needs of people of Mangaluru assembly constituency represented by former minister and Congress MLA U T Khader,” he said, adding that his party will not forget Indian expatriates in the Gulf too. 

Replying to the charge of not catering to the interests of Kannadigas stranded in the Middle East by way of arranging special flights, Sudarshan said this is part of a well-thought-out move to bring them in batches.

“It is impossible to bring back all Kannadigas stranded in Middle East all of a sudden. Their repatriation will be in phased manner based on facilities available in the district,” he said.

“The district authorities have created healthcare and quarantine facilities for a limited number, be it at Covid-19 hospital or institutional quarantine, and bringing them together will create logistical problems,” he said.