Karnataka Congress MLA 'directly' involved in sale of jobs in KOMUL: ED

News Network
January 11, 2024

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New Delhi: A committee headed by Karnataka Congress MLA K Y Nanjegowda 'accommodated' 30 candidates referred by some politicians for jobs in dairy cooperative KOMUL by 'completely manipulating' the interview process and in lieu of kickbacks, the Enforcement Directorate alleged Thursday.

The 61-year-old legislator from the Malur assembly seat in Kolar district and those linked to him were raided by the central agency on January 8 as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the hiring of staff for KOMUL and illegal allotment of government land worth Rs 150 crore.

The ED said in a statement that it unearthed a 'scam' in the recruitment in Kolar-Chikkaballapura District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (KOMUL).

"It was noticed that recruitment committee of KOMUL chaired by K Y Nanjegowda and four other members completely manipulated the interview process."

"According to the board decision, orders were issued to the selected candidates and they were sent to training without making the final result public," the agency said.

It was 'admitted' by the directors of KOMUL and members of its recruitment committee during the searches that seats were sold for money ranging between Rs 20-30 lakh per seat, the ED claimed.

It is also gathered that certain politicians have referred their candidates for selection and a total of 30 such references were accommodated, it said.

"K Y Nanjegowda being the head of the recruitment committee is actively and directly involved in sale of seats and manipulation of interview marks," the ED said.

According to KOMUL, it is Karnataka's second highest milk producing district organisation.

"The area of operation is restricted to Kolar and Chikkaballapura districts having 2,919 villages of 11 revenue taluks," it said on its portal.

In the alleged illegal government land allotment case, the agency said, it seized more than Rs 25 lakh in cash, documents related to movable and immovable properties worth more than Rs 50 crore, various 'incriminating' documents and digital data.

Nanjegowda, being the chairman of the Malur land grant committee, 'in collusion' with other members of the committee and revenue officials, abused his power by granting around 80 acres land worth around Rs 150 crore in a single month under four meetings to various illegal beneficiaries by creating various fictitious and bogus documents, the agency alleged.

"Later on, based on inspection report of the then regional commissioner, the same was cancelled," it said.

Illegal allotment of land was done in 'blatant' violation of guidelines and by forging documents, it alleged.

The land allotment money laundering case stems from a Karnataka Police FIR. 

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News Network
November 11,2024

Mangaluru: Six youths including teenagers have been arrested by the Bantwal Rural Police in connection with a brutal assault on 21-year-old Aboobakar (name changed to hide identity), an incident that was widely shared on social media after footage revealed the victim tied to a pole and violently beaten.

The arrested individuals, all from Kanchinadkapadavu, Sajipanadu village in Ullal Taluk, have been identified as Mohammad Sapwan (25), Mohammad Rizwan (25), Irfan (27), Anis Ahmad (19), Nasir (27), and Shakeer (18). According to police reports, the assault took place on November 7 in Kanchinadkapadavu.

The sequence of events began when Aboobakar was reportedly called to a residence in Kanchinadkapadavu by a female relative. Upon his arrival, he was confronted by the accused, who questioned his presence, tied him to a pole with ropes, and attacked him while he was shirtless. 

Aboobakar managed to file a police complaint the following day, detailing the assault. As his injuries worsened, he was admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru.

While in the hospital, Aboobakar alleged that his attackers intended to kill him during the assault. This statement led to additional charges of attempted murder being filed. 

Police officials stated that the suspects were subsequently apprehended, charged with group assault and attempted murder, and placed in judicial custody. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are awaited.

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Udupi, Nov 11: The Karkala town police in Udupi have arrested Krishna Naik, the sculptor responsible for installing a 33-foot Parashurama statue at Umikkal Hill in Bailur, Karkala taluk. 

Naik, the owner of Krish Art World and a resident of Bengaluru's Visvesvaraya Layout, was apprehended in Mahe, part of the Union Territory of Puducherry, for allegedly substituting a look-alike statue in place of a genuine bronze figure at the Parashurama Theme Park in Karkala.

Udupi Superintendent of Police Dr. Arun K confirmed the arrest, stating that Naik faces charges under Sections 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code. 

This legal action followed a complaint lodged in June by Krishna Shetty, a resident of Nallur village, Karkala. Shetty claimed that Naik had received a payment of ₹1,25,50,000 from Udupi Nirmithi Kendra for the installation of a bronze Parashurama statue. However, Naik allegedly deceived the government by installing a replica instead.

The statue was unveiled on January 27, 2023, by then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Current Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has since ordered a CID investigation to probe deeper into the alleged fraud surrounding the statue's installation at the theme park.

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru, Nov 3: Mangaluru police have apprehended two individuals connected to a major online purchasing scam, seizing assets worth ₹11.45 lakh. The suspects, Raj Kumar Meena (23) and Subhash Gurjar (27), hail from Rajasthan and are accused of fraudulently acquiring high-value electronics through deceptive orders.

Background of the Case

According to City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, the case began with a fraudulent order placed through an international e-commerce company. Using a false identity under the name "Amrith," the suspects ordered two high-end Sony cameras along with ten other items, directing the delivery to an address near the KSRTC bus stand in Mangaluru on September 21 at 4 p.m.

The Scam Unfolds

During delivery, Raj Kumar Meena received the items by providing a delivery OTP, while Subhash Gurjar reportedly distracted the delivery personnel. The suspects then executed a sticker-swapping tactic, replacing original Sony camera box labels with stickers from other items in the order to mislead the delivery team. Meena also intentionally provided an incorrect OTP, causing further confusion. The duo told the delivery agent they would collect the cameras the next day, then sent him away before cancelling the camera order.

Detection and Arrest

The unusual activity raised suspicions, and upon inspection, Amazon’s delivery partner, Mahindra Logistics, discovered the sticker swap and alerted Amazon. Subsequent investigations revealed that the suspects had taken the genuine cameras and left behind tampered boxes.

Upon deeper investigation, CCTV footage and other tracking methods led the police to identify and pursue the suspects as they attempted to flee the city. Meena was initially detained by the Salem police on October 4 for a similar scam and subsequently transferred to Urwa police custody in Mangaluru. Following his 13-day custody beginning on October 18, which included a thorough probe in both Mangaluru and Jaipur, Subhash Gurjar was apprehended on October 21.

Broader Criminal Network

The arrested individuals are allegedly part of a larger network, with involvement in at least 12 other high-profile cases. Their targets included high-end cameras, iPhones, and laptops, each costing over ₹10 lakh, with cases registered across states like Assam, Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

The seized assets, valued at ₹11.45 lakh, have been presented to the court as evidence, and investigations continue as authorities seek to dismantle this organized fraud operation.

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