I certainly did not dupe; please clear my name in media at least: Ramya tells Congress

News Network
May 12, 2022

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Film actress and former Lok Sabha member Divya Spandana aka Ramya has asked the All India Congress Committee General Secretary K C Venugopal to clear her name in the media regarding reports that said that she had duped the party of Rs 8 crore.

She further tweeted that she didn’t run away and resigned from the party for personal reasons and claimed that the story was planted to discredit her credibility.

“Humble request to @kcvenugopalmp to please clarify with the media about this whenever you’re in Karnataka next. The least you can do for me Venugopal ji, so I don’t have to live with this abuse and trolling for the rest of my life. (sic)”, she tweeted. 

He remarks come after some media reports claimed that Rahul Gandhi's most-trusted aide Praveen Chakravarty along with Divya Spandana were in incommunicado since the day of the 2019 general election results after allegedly charging huge sums of money in the name of research. It was further reported that Spandana was said to have received Rs 8 crore for her research and social media drive during the electioneering phase. 

Yesterday, Ramya had alleged the Congress instructed the workers to troll her on social media for a statement she’d made against Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar. 

“So the ‘office’ has circulated these messages among the congress leaders & volunteers asking them troll me. Save yourself the trouble — I’ll do it myself.(sic)”, Ramya wrote, attaching a series of screenshots that showed various messages in English and Kannada allegedly circulated to troll her. She also tagged Shivakumar and Congress’ Srivatsa Y.B. presently a member Rahul Gandhi’s team and former social media head of the Karnataka Congress.

The day before yesterday, Ramya had criticised the Mr Shivakumar for claiming BJP leader and Karanataka Higher Education Minister Ashwathnarayan C.N., had met the Congress’ M.B. Patil to “seek protection” from being questioned on public platforms in the PSI recruitment scam.

“People across parties meet each other, go to functions, some even get married into families — I’m surprised @DKShivakumar would say this about @MBPatil who’s a staunch congressman. Shouldn’t the party be fighting elections as one unit?@INCIndia,” wrote Ramya on Twitter, in response to Shivakumar’s comment.

In May 2019, during the Lok Sabha elections, BJP came back for the second time with a majority, defeating Congress. The following month, Spandana deleted her Twitter and Instagram accounts citing a “break from politics.” She even cut off all communication with party leaders. She was subsequently removed from the post of the Congress’ social media head.

Divya joined the Indian National Congress in 2012 as a member of its youth wing. She won Mandya Lok Sabha seat by-election in 2013 but was subsequently defeated in the 2014 Ggneral elections. As the Congress’ social media head, she was known for post hard-hitting tweets, especially taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

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News Network
January 6,2025

Bengaluru: An eight-month old baby has been detected with the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a Bengaluru hospital on Monday, with reports going viral online. This is likely the first reported case of HMPV in the country after the recent spike in China.

The baby is reportedly undergoing treatment in a private hospital in northern Bengaluru.

The Karnataka state health department has maintained that there is no cause for concern.

"We don't know what strain of virus is spreading in China. Without knowing that, we cannot say that this reported case is concerning. We have been reviewing all influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) from December to check for any strain that is concerning. There is no such concerning spike across the state or country," said a well-placed source in the state health department.

The HMPV is a known virus (first discovered in 2001) that causes respiratory symptoms similar to that of a common cold, largely affecting children below the age of five. It is not a new virus.

Cases have been reported in the past, especially in the winter season, note experts and health department officials, making it not an immediate concern, unless an unusual spike is observed.

In December 2024, 714 suspected cases of HMPV were tested in 16 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) across the country, of which only nine were confirmed positive.

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News Network
January 13,2025

Mangaluru: Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in Singapore remain determined to establish direct air connectivity between Mangaluru and Singapore despite setbacks. This follows Air India Express' (AIE) recent decision to postpone its planned direct flight service on this route, disappointing many expats.

In response, NRIs have proposed an alternative solution: extending IndiGo's existing Singapore-Bengaluru flight to Mangaluru. Currently, the Singapore-Bengaluru flight lands at Kempegowda International Airport at 7:40 AM, but passengers cannot board the 9:00 AM Bengaluru-Mangaluru connection due to insufficient transit time. Extending the Singapore-Bengaluru flight to Mangaluru would address this issue and benefit travelers.

Rajesh H. Acharya, director of HQ Connections in Singapore and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community, expressed disappointment over AIE's handling of the situation. "We’ve been advocating for this route since 2017, and it was close to becoming a reality. However, the sudden postponement and lack of stakeholder support have delayed our efforts," he said.

A petition has been submitted to IndiGo Airlines requesting the introduction of a direct Mangaluru-Singapore flight. Alternatively, it suggests extending IndiGo’s existing Singapore-Bengaluru flight to include Mangaluru. Expats have also approached Scoot Airlines in Singapore for direct connectivity. However, the lack of 'Point of Call' status for Mangaluru Airport remains a significant hurdle for international flights.

Despite the challenges, NRIs continue their efforts to make direct air connectivity between Mangaluru and Singapore a reality.

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News Network
January 1,2025

Udupi: In a shocking case of investment fraud, a 72-year-old man from Udupi, Karnataka, lost Rs 49 lakh after falling prey to a deceptive stock market scheme. The incident highlights the growing menace of online scams targeting unsuspecting individuals.

According to the complaint filed by Francis Castelino, an unknown individual added his son's mobile number to a WhatsApp group titled "Stock Market Navigation." The group shared stock market insights and promised lucrative returns, convincing Castelino’s son to invest. Trusting the information, the son persuaded his father to make substantial investments.

On December 30, 2024, Castelino transferred Rs 17,00,000, his wife contributed Rs 10,50,000, and their son invested Rs 21,50,000 to the bank account provided by the fraudsters. 

However, when Castelino attempted to withdraw the invested money, he and his family were pressured to reinvest further. Realizing that the promised profits and their principal amount were not forthcoming, the family approached the police for help.

A case has been registered at the Udupi CEN Police Station under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and 318(4) BNS. Investigations are underway to track down the culprits and recover the lost funds.

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