Aboobaker faces allegations of 'lavish spending', says charges baseless

February 8, 2012

aboobaker
Mangalore, February 7: Chicken Biryani, Rs380, Mutton Biryani Rs 400, Chilly Chicken Boneless Rs 350, and Mineral Water Rs 80 —if you thought this is part of a five-star hotel menu, you could be wrong.

This was the bill the chairman of Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation chairman N. B. Aboobaker allegedly ran for a single meal at the Chicken Inn Restaurant at Pandara Road, New Delhi at the expense of taxpayers, according to a report in Kannada Prabha.

As president of the statutory body, Mr Aboobaker is entitled to spend maximum Rs 300 per day for his expenses towards meals and beverages and Rs. 700 per day towards TA and DA. However, according to information obtained through a query under Right to Information, he has been overshooting the limit quite frequently.

However, Mr. Aboobaker has dismissed the allegations as baseless.

According to documents in possession of Amir Khan, an RTI activist, Mr. Abooabker has travelled to Bangalore and back 76 times by flight over the last two and half years that he has been president of the board. House rent, telephone, entertainment, diesel, flight tickets and tourism are his major expenses during this period. He ran a whopping Rs 11,12,749 for the year 2009-10 and Rs. 12,65,809 for 2010-11. The bill that he ran for 2011-12 (upto October) it was Rs 5,57,147.

Every year crores of rupees are set aside in the budget for the development of minorities. But unfortunately the personal expenses of the chairmen and staff of the boards and corporations seems to be eating away a huge part of this allocation. Mr. Aboobaker has also flown to Delhi, Agra and Mumbai several times, according to the data provided in the official reply, claimed Mr. Khan. He has also submitted a memoranda to Governor H.R. Bharadwaj and chief minister Sadananda Gowda seeking a crackdown on Mr. Aboobaker's alleged extravagant expenditure.

Mr. Khan also alleges that he has been victimised for speaking out and a complaint has been filed against him in the Cubbon Park Police station, Bangalore. He has sought a CID inquiry into the squandering of public money by Mr. Aboobaker and urged the government to recover it from him, besides stripping him of his office.

Mr. Aboobaker, however, has strongly denied the allegations and urged chief minister to take action against Mr. Khan for misguiding the media by providing false information.

Speaking to media persons at the press club in Bangalore, Mr. Aboobaker said, the basis for Mr. Khan's allegation was the bill footed by the Corporation for the dinner provided to officers who attended a meeting of the National Minorities Development Corporation in New Delhi.

“He (Khan) is trying to give an impression that I am spending Rs. 1,000 on a day-to-day basis. It is a hobby for him to harass government employees,” he said.

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News Network
March 21,2025

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Assembly on Friday passed Bills doubling the salaries of the chief minister, ministers, and legislators, adding an annual burden of ₹62 crore on the exchequer.

The CM's monthly salary will increase from ₹75,000 to ₹1.5 lakh, while ministers will see a 108% hike, from ₹60,000 to ₹1.25 lakh. MLAs and MLCs will get ₹80,000 per month, up from ₹40,000, and their pension will rise from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000.

The Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill and the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions and Allowances (Amendment) Bill were passed without debate, as the Opposition BJP protested in the well of the House.

The Bills cited the rising cost of living as justification for the hike. The Assembly Speaker and Legislative Council chairperson will now receive ₹1.25 lakh per month, up from ₹75,000.

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Agencies
March 28,2025

Udupi: Deputy Commissioner K. Vidya Kumari has directed officials to expedite land acquisition for designated industrial zones in the district to facilitate new industries. She issued these instructions during a meeting at Rajatadri on Wednesday.

Lands have been identified across various taluks for industrial development. The DC emphasized that KIADB must acquire these lands and ensure essential infrastructure—electricity, roads, and drainage—to attract industries and generate employment.

A total of 77 acres of private land has been acquired and compensated, including 31.2 acres in Kerebettu village, Hebri taluk, and 45.7 acres in Shivapura village. However, approval for 36.5 acres of government land is still pending. She instructed the forest department to assess whether this land falls under an eco-sensitive zone.

For the Belapu Industrial Area, the DC urged officials to accelerate minor land acquisitions for road expansion and commence construction at the earliest. She also mandated rainwater harvesting systems for all units in the Miyaru Industrial Area to tackle water scarcity.

Currently, 22 export-based units operate in the district. The DC encouraged further promotion of exports and an increase in their number.

The meeting was attended by Joint Director of Industries Nagraj V. Naik, KIADB Development Officer Srinivasa Murthy, Small-Scale Industries Association District President Harish Kunder, Deputy Director of the District Industrial Center Seetharam Shetty, District Skill Development Officer Arun B., and others.

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coastaldigest.com news network
March 20,2025

Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), Karnataka’s second busiest airport, has seen 148.5kg of gold smuggled between 2019 and December 2024, with 90% arriving from the UAE. Customs officials recorded 346 cases, averaging 30kg of gold seized per year (2.5kg per month). Most smugglers are from Kerala and Bhatkal.

A senior customs officer revealed that MIA sees at least five gold smuggling cases per month. Numbers dropped during the pandemic but surged after flights resumed. Many offenders are first-time carriers, while some are habitual smugglers. With fewer flights, customs thoroughly checks passengers, making smuggling harder.

Smugglers constantly innovate concealment methods. Hiding gold in the rectum remains common, but gold is also found in trolley bags, mobile covers, chocolate boxes, milk powder, biscuit packets, and clothing layers. Electronic devices like car speaker magnets, LED bulbs, AirPods, wristwatches, and ballpoint pens have been used.

Unusual tactics include hiding gold in a woman’s hairband, a baby’s diaper, and even a kheer mix packet (347g). In one case, a passenger attempted to smuggle 100g in his mouth under a mask but was caught.

Officials note that while the UAE remains a key source, smugglers now bring gold from other Gulf countries, continuously adapting to evade detection.

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