BJP leaders gave me Rs 5-cr cash, promised Rs 25-cr more and ministership: JD(S) MLA

Agencies

February 11, 2019

Kolar, Feb 11: In a startling revelation, Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Kolar MLA K Srinivas Gowda has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to lure him with a huge amount of money and ministerial berth. This comes on the heels of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy accusing BJP State president B S Yeddyurappa of trying to lure the son of the JD(S) legislator from Gurmitkal.

“The BJP leaders had pressured me to quit as MLA and join the saffron party. BJP MLAs Vishwanath and Ashwathnarayana and former MLA C P Yogeeshwar brought a bag containing Rs 5 crore cash to my house in Bengaluru. They promised me a further Rs 25 crore and a Cabinet berth if I quit JD(S) and join the BJP. I returned the money after two months following the suggestion by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. I could not trap them along with the cash”, Srinivas Gowda told reporters here.

“When I informed Kumaraswamy about the offer from the BJP, he asked me not to make it an issue out of it. So, I remained silent. I will not succumb to pressure tactics by the BJP. All their efforts to poach MLAs from rival camps have failed,” the Kolar MLA said.

Despite repeated requests to BJP leaders to take back money, nobody came forward. When I decided to initiate legal action, Yogeeshwar took the bag containing Rs 5 crore cash back, the JD(S) MLA added.

To a query on Yeddyurappa mentioning Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar’s name in the leaked audio tape, K Srinivas Gowda said, Yeddyurappa is heard telling in the audio tape that Speaker has been booked for Rs 50 crore. Ramesh Kumar is one of the respected politicians.

A four-time MLA, Ramesh Kumar has been elected as Speaker for the second term. He cannot stoop so low. It is unfortunate that Yeddyurappa has spoken lightly of a man of Ramesh Kumar’s stature, he said.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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