BJP MLAs caught watching Priyanka pic, playing games on mobile in Assembly

December 11, 2014

Belagavi, Dec 11: In an embarrassment to Opposition BJP, a party MLA was caught on camera purportedly watching a zoomed in photo of Priyanka Gandhi on his mobile phone and other playing video games during proceedings of the Legislative Assembly here.

During video clippings telecast on local TV channels, MLA Prabhu Chavan was also shown watching photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi along with Sonia Gandhi.

The Aurad legislator however courted controversy as he purportedly watched the zoomed in photo of Priyanka Gandhi.

Asked about his conduct, Chavan maintained he was flipping through pictures on mobile, including that of Modi.

When he came across a Priyanka Gandhi's picture, he zoomed into it to read the slogan below. There was nothing objectionable in his zooming in the picture, he said.

"No no there was a slogan below, I was watching it, I can show you. I was watching slogan below (the photo)."

"By mistake I took it (phone) inside. I agree it is my mistake, but I have seen nothing with bad intention. I was checking photos of national leaders, I checked Narendra Modi photo.... I also checked my son's photos....," Chavan told reporters here.

"....nothing of that sort, taking it (mobile) inside is a mistake and I agree it was my mistake...," he added.

Another BJP MLA U B Banakar was caught on camera playing online games on mobile phone oblivious of the discussion about the plight of sugarcane growers to whom sugar mill owners owe huge arrears.

The footage of both the MLAs seated separately was captured by a TV cameraman from the elevated media gallery and beamed by Kannada T V channels.

The incident involved the then Minister for Cooperation Laxman Savadi and Minister for Women and Child Development C C Patil with whom he shared it. The legislature is holding the 10-day winter session here.

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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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