Did BJP offer money to Irom Sharmila to contest Manipur polls? Cong seeks probe

executive@coastaldigest.com (Agencies)
February 16, 2017

New Delhi, Feb 16: The Congress moved the Election Commission on Wednesday, demanding a probe into allegations by civil rights activist Irom Sharmila that she was approached by a BJP functionary with an offer of money to contest the Manipur assembly poll as a party nominee.

irom

In a complaint to the poll panel, secretary of the legal and human rights department of the Congress, KC Mittal said the allegations made by Sharmila were “grave” and “very serious”.

Mittal said Sharmila had told the media that she was “really selected” as a BJP candidate and “a condition requiring Rs 36 crore” was put to her, with the sum being either produced by her or “arranged from the Centre”.

The Congress complaint said Sharmila had told the media that she had turned down the suggestion.

It also said that BJP general secretary Ram Madhav had termed Sharmila’s allegations as “baseless” and “an absolute lie” but Sharmila had subsequently reiterated her remarks.

“It is requested that an independent investigation may be conducted by the commission by a high level team,” the Congress said in its complaint.

The party said the probe team should collect all relevant material and “prosecute persons found responsible for such offer of bribe for electoral purposes”. It also called for other appropriate action.

Sharmila, who fasted for 16 years to demand the repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), had announced in January that she will take on Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh in the assembly polls.

Manipur will go for two-phased assembly polls in March.

Comments

shaji
 - 
Thursday, 16 Feb 2017

BJP is trying to buy candidates by the power of money it has collected from Industrialists with assurance to returning with good dividend after coming to power (the same they did to come to power in center). Election commission should investigate on the issue and declare bjp an unconstitutional party and bar it from election.

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Agencies
March 10,2025

ranya.jpg

Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya – also known as Ranya Rao, arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai – was allotted land to set up a steel plant by the previous Karnataka government in February 2023, said the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) said on Sunday.

Ranya Rao was found to be in possession of gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Searches were also conducted at her residence, and gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore were seized, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had said on Wednesday.

Ranya is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao.

The KIADB's statement comes after reports claimed that a company linked to Ranya Rao was allotted 12 acres of industrial land by the board in 2023.

The office of the minister for medium and large industries MB Patil shared the government's final notification issued on February 22, 2023, regarding the allocation of land to Ranya Rao's firm Ksiroda India at the Sira Industrial Area in the Tumakuru district, news agency PTI reported.

The Congress came to power after defeating the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party in the Karnataka assembly election in May 2023.

The proceedings of the Karnataka government, shared by the minister's office, said, "Approval to the proposal of M/s Ksiroda India Private Limited to establish a unit for manufacture of 'steel products - TMT bars, rods and allied products' at Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district.

"The government is pleased to accord in-principle approval to the investment proposal of ₹138 crore, generating employment to about 160 persons with the following infrastructure assistances, incentives and concessions," it said.

In a press release issued by MB Patil's office, the KIADB said the allotment to the company linked to Ranjya Rao was done in January 2023.

KIADB CEO Mahesh said on Sunday Ksiroda India was allotted 12 acres of land on January 2, 2023, by the previous government, referring to the BJP, the PTI report added.

"The land, located in Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district, was approved for allotment during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on the same day, when the last govt was in power," PTI quoted Mahesh as saying.

According to the KIADB press release, the company had submitted a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit for steel TMT bars, rods, and allied products, with an investment of ₹138 crore. The project was expected to generate approximately 160 jobs.

Ramachandra Rao is currently serving as the chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

The total seizure in the case stood at ₹17.29 crore, including assets worth ₹4.73 crore, marking a significant blow to organised gold smuggling networks.

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