Arrested Janasri CEO's dealings linked to accountant's ‘accidental death’?

[email protected] (News Network)
April 18, 2017

Bengaluru, Apr 18: the extortion case involving Lakshmiprasad Vajpai (42), the arrested CEO of Kannada news channel Janasri, has taken a new twist with police suspecting foul play in the “accidental death” of the channel’s accountant just a day before Vajpai was caught red-handed.

janashree
Police had arrested Vajpai while taking extortion money on Friday from a Bengaluru-based businessman whom he had threatened to defame through the news channel.

Karthik L (25), a resident of Yeddyurappa Nagar near Yelahanka, had been working for the channel as an accountant since 2013. On April 10, he left the channel’s Koramangala office at 10 pm and telephoned his father, Bhadrappa, to tell him he would reach home by 11 pm.

But he failed to show up even after midnight and his phone remained switched off. It was only by 2 am that his family got to know what happened to him. A person from Baptist Hospital called up Bhadrappa to inform him that his son was hospitalised with serious injuries sustained in a road accident. Karthik succumbed to the injuries on April 13.

Karthik’s family, however, raised suspicion about the circumstances and timing of the accident. They have made a complaint to the police in this regard. Police found during the investigation that Karthik was taken to Baptist Hospital around 1 am by three men. The men did not tell the staff anything except that the young man was found with injuries, and immediately left the hospital.

Police tracked them down. They said they had found Karthik lying injured on the Veerannapalya flyover around 12.30 am. They called an ambulance service but found no response. They then decided to take him to hospital in their own vehicle.

Police are investigating whether the two incidents — Karthik’s “accident” and Vajpai’s dealings — were connected. “We are awaiting the post-mortem report and trying to ascertain if Karthik’s death has any links with Vajpai’s extortion cases,” a senior police officer said.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

•    Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

•    State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

•    Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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