FIR against Ashok Kheny for abusing TV journalist

June 9, 2016

Mumbai, Jun 9: Independent MLA Ashok Kheny, accused of being part in the recent horse-trading scandal, has now landed into yet another controversy. Kheny was caught on the camera abusing a reporter of television news channel Times Now. The video has been released by the channel and is rapidly turning viral on social media.

ASHOKAn FIR was filed by the Mumbai police against Karnataka MLA Ashok Kheny based on a complaint lodged by Times Now Mumbai bureau chief Megha Prasad. Megha approached the police after the MLA and businessman refused to produce a written apology for abusing her while she was trying to interview him on allegations of horse-trading for elections to the Rajya Sabha.

The case against the MLA under IPC section 509 (using word intended to insult the modesty of a woman) has been registered at the Santa Cruz police station.

"I was just doing my job by quesitoning him. His reaction is just not acceptable. He had no business treating a journalist, who is doing her job, like that. Yesterday when I went to the police station, I just lodged a simple complaint against Kheny. But about 10 minutes later they said they want to register an FIR. I went back and filed a detailed complaint,"said Megha.

The journalist approached him at J.W. Marriot hotel in Juhu area, where few independent MLAs from Karnataka had been brought together by the Congress party.

In her complaint she said "I was following a story about the alleged horse-trading indulged into by a few MLAs from Karnataka, in connection with the Rajya Sabha elections. I spotted MLA Ashok Kheny in the hotel lobby. I first introduced myself and asked for two minutes of his time. He kept walking away from me and called the hotel staff, and in an absolutely unacceptable manner used abusing language for me saying "arrest karo iss saali ko". Such language cannot be tolerated at all."

The channel's editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami called Kheny on Tuesday and asked him for a written apology for using "disgraceful" language against his colleague, who was only doing her job.

In a sting operation conducted by Times Now and India Today last week, it was found that Congress leadership offered lucrative amount of kickbacks to the independent MLAs, in order to win their support for the Rajya Sabha elections. Although, the MLAs were not offered direct cash, a tacit deal was made assuring them that they would be allotted huge sums of amount for development of their respective constituencies.

Comments

M R GOWDA
 - 
Friday, 10 Jun 2016

The allegation of 'bias' towards BJP is baseless. I have been watching \Times Now' since its inception. AG has never spared BJP reps on show whenever they are at fault. Most of the comments seem to be of anti-BJP people! AG thumbs up!!!!!!!!"

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coastaldigest.com news network
August 6,2020

Bengaluru/Mangaluru, Aug 6: Battered by torrential rains, several parts of Karnataka are facing a flood-like situation for the third consecutive year, putting lives and property at risk. 

Several districts of the state's coastal, Malnad and north interior regions are receiving heavy rains and the showers are expected to continue, while there are reports of landslides in hilly areas of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts.

With flood-like situation in several parts of the state, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is currently undergoing treatment for COVID-19 infection at a private hospital here, has ordered immediate release of Rs 50 crore for emergency relief.

"In wake of heavy rains in several parts of the state, I have instructed the Chief Secretary to review the situation and issued instructions to DCs (Deputy Commissioners) to closely monitor the situation & take necessary measures. Also ordered immediate release of Rs 50 crores for emergency relief purposes," he tweeted last night.

A statement released by the CMO on Thursday said, Yediyurappa has directed the district in-charge Ministers to take precautionary measures in the wake of heavy rainfall across the state.

He instructed the ministers to remain in their constituencies and tour the damaged areas and also directed them to undertake relief distribution and other necessary measures.

"Rs 50 crore has already been released and if necessary more funds would be released. The ministers can take decisions regarding emergency works," he added.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said he had spoken to Deputy Commissioners of all the districts and given them necessary instructions to respond immediately to the situation.

He has called for a meeting of the disaster management authority later today.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he will be holding a meeting with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) regarding relief and rescue measures to be taken.

Parts of districts in coastal and Malnad regions are currently under red alert and rains are likely to continue there.

Officials said, "... depending on the situation we will downgrade the alerts, it (rains) is likely to reduce during the next couple of days...wind speed is also high some parts, it may also reduce."

In Kodagu district along with widespread rains, landslides have also occurred.

There have been landslides at Brahmagiri, near Talacauvery, the origin of river Cauvery.

"At least four to five people- including the Talacauvery temple priest and family are currently missing... rescue teams have reached the spot," officials said, adding that sensing danger the priest had been asked to vacate the house earlier but he did not.

This is the third consecutive year that Kodagu is facing floods and landslides.

Several parts of north Karnataka, especially the border district of Belagavi are also facing flood situation as inflow has increased in Krishna river and its tributaries due to heavy rains in neighboring Maharashtra and also in the district.

With inflow increasing in Tungabhadra river, there is flood like situation in parts of Ballari district also.

There is a similar situation in Uttara Kannada district that is battered by rains and heavy winds.

The swollen Gangavali river has caused flood like situation in parts of the district.

Due to continuous rains in coastal and Malnad region several rivers including Netravati are swollen and gates of the dams have been opened.

There are also reports of heavy rains and wind causing destruction to crops in parts of Dharwad and Haveri among other districts.

The Karnataka government had recently said it has identified 1,989 villages and over 51 lakh people in 19 districts as flood prone.

As a temporary arrangement for those who will be affected by floods, as many as 1,747 relief centres have been identified- they are schools, anganwadi centres, community centres among others, Minister Ashoka had said recently.

In August 2019, Karnataka witnessed one of its worst natural calamities when heavy floods affected 103 taluks in 22 districts, killing more than 80 people and displacing nearly seven lakh people.

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News Network
April 16,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 16: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwath Narayan today said that if former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, being a law-abiding citizen, does not follow guidelines then action will be taken against him.

The Deputy CM made this comment when he was asked about Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil's marriage, which has been fixed on April 17 at a farmhouse near Bidadi in Ramnagar.

Narayan said: "Any violation of the guidelines will not be tolerated. We will ask the concerned authority to film the entire event and document it."

He said that so far Kumaraswamy has made public statements that guidelines will be followed.

"HD Kumaraswamy is a people's representative. He has been in public life for a long time. He should abide by the guidelines," Narayan said.

"Since he has been in a responsible position for a long time and he was the Chief Minister, guidelines must be followed in his son's marriage as per the rules amid COVID-19 scare.

After the marriage, there must not be any excuses. He cannot say that people came without an invitation," the Deputy Chief Minister added.

Kumaraswamy clarified that only his family members will attend the marriage and that there will be around 60 to 70 people.

"All guidelines will be followed as per the central government directives," he said.

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News Network
May 6,2020

Bengaluru, May 6: More than a month after international flights have been barred, Karnataka government is preparing to quarantine all 10,823 of the state''s people poised to return home from overseas amid the Covid pandemic, an official said on Tuesday.

"The state has planned to quarantine all 10,823 passengers coming back to Karnataka. The quarantine guidelines framed as below would be applicable," said Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey in a statement.

According to the Government of India, 10,823 Karnataka residents have been stranded abroad by April 30, comprising 4,408 tourists, 3,074 students, 2,784 migrants and professionals and 557 ship crew.

Out of the 10,823 people, the state government is expecting 6,100 to return early as the government has decided to allow Indians stuck abroad to return.

"All the passengers arriving at points of entry (airports and seaports) will be compulsorily screened for symptoms of Covid-19," said Pandey.

Point of entry screening will include self-reporting form verification, thermal screening, pulse oximeter reading, briefing with instructions, categorisation, stamping for some and downloading of Aarogya Setu, Quarantine Watch and Apthamitra apps.

Arriving passengers are also required to declare existing comorbidities such hypertension, diabetes, asthma or any lung disease, organ transplantations, cancer, tuberculosis and other ailments.

Passengers will be categorised into three groups: Category A (symptomatic on arrival), Category B (asymptomatic with co-morbidity or aged above 60 years) and Category C (rest of asymptomatic passengers).

Depending on the category into which the people fall, their quarantine place and time will be determined.

Category A arrivals will be subjected to institutional quarantine for a fortnight, Category B one week quarantine at a hotel or hostel, followed by another week at home, and Category C home quarantine for a fortnight.

Karnataka government is making elaborate arrangements and logistical means, deploying healthcare, police and several other departments into action to handle the huge influx of Kannadigas and state residents.

Pandey has issued a 21-page elaborate standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines on how to face the international returnees.

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