Venkatesh Prasanna accused of extortion, blackmail, underworld links

[email protected] (CD Network)
February 13, 2016

Mangaluru, Feb 13: City based entrepreneur Prabhakar N Poonja has accused senior police officer Venkatesh Prasanna of indulging in blackmailing, extortion besides fake encounters with the support of underworld.

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The Chairman & Managing Director of Mangaluru-based Poonja International Hotel, at a press meet in the city on Saturday demanded a high level probe into Mr Prasanna’s alleged links with underworld and his other illegal activities.

Accusing Mr Prasanna of spreading false and baseless rumours against him, Mr Poonja said that he was planning to file defamation case against the former in the high court.

Claiming that he is facing life threats, the hotelier said that if anything happened to him in future Mr Prasanna should be held responsible.

Mr Prasanna, who holds a doctorate in Kannada literature and won a president’s medal in 2015, worked in different parts of coastal Karnataka in different positions after joining the police department in 1994 as a sub-inspector. He worked in Mangaluru city for nearly 15 years.

Mr Poonja said that when Mr Prasanna was heading Dakshina Kannada district crime investigation bureau, the latter had raided Poonja International under the pretext of prostitution.

“When Mr Prasanna found nothing in the hotel, he demanded bribe from me. I refused his demand and made it clear that no such business was allowed in our star hotel,” he said.

He said that initially Mr Prasanna had promised him to protect him from the underworld threats, but later started demanding money and began to issue threats.

Brushing aside allegations made against him of having links with underworld, Mr Poonja said that nearly five years ago he had spoken to a person who identified himself as an underworld don over phone.

“Nearly five years ago city based businessman KC Nayak had received a threat call from underworld don Bannanje Raje demanding Rs 1 crore. Mr Nayak was worried. Since Mr Nayak was my close friend I had called back the same number and asked the caller why he was threatening a senior person. I don’t have any other links with underworld,” Mr Poonja said.

Accompanied by Mr KC Nayak in the press meet, Mr Poonja said that recently Mr Prasanna had sent him a notice asking him to appear for questioning. “It was a bogus notice and I have brought this issue to the notice of senior police officers,” he said.

He went on to claim that if a hotel owner or builder refuses to fulfill demands of Mr Prasanna, he gives their contact number to underworld elements to issue threats.

Comments

Kamlesh
 - 
Wednesday, 11 Oct 2017

These corrupt police officers need to be taught a lesson and only the brave can stand up to them.Mr Poonja is is one of the most reputed and honourable man of the city with a long legacy.not only does Mr Poonja do social service actively but is a man of his words!Congratualtions Mr Poonja for all you have achieved.Wishing you success always!

Mandeep Cheema
 - 
Thursday, 26 May 2016

Mr Poonja is Brother in law of Sharad Shetty, but he looks totally clean and should not be blamed just for this infamous connection leading to D-company but it should be thoroughly probed at the same time.

Jonathan
 - 
Monday, 21 Mar 2016

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ranjith poojary
 - 
Monday, 15 Feb 2016

Dear George ... we hope that the christian terrorists stop the world activity of terrorising the world peace.. we can see what happened in afghanistan.. iraq and other countries.. world war 2 was by the christians... killed millions of jews.. wake up and stop using words like islamic terrorist..

ankita
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

@rakesh wow am shocked at how narrow minded people are these days.Punish the family for someone else's crime?is that what you are implying?.if you lived in mangalore you would know how famous and well respected Mr Prabhakar Poonja is and everyone knows he

kapi
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

@rakesh your comment shows how ignorant you are!just because sharat shetty took the wrong turn in life doesn't mean family related to him should be seen in the same light! Give you an example just because \Ravana was evil we all very well know \"vibeeshan

Sarith kinya
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

some people say prasnna is supplying snake venom (poison).

Rakesh
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

Is mr Prabhakar poonja in law of infamous Sharad shetty..who was with dawood Ibrahim ..????? Is he the same guy?...please correct if I am wrong .we are well aware that d company threatened venkatesh openly (rashid malabari during court visit).case must be properly probed .

George
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

Mr Venkat prasanna is tough cop..who took bold steps against Islamic terrorists ,this case must be probed properly as Islamic terrorist rashid malabari had once threatened to teach lesson to mr prasanna openly as he exposed isi and Muslim underworld nexus in Mangalore.this case must be properly probed .it is well known fact that isi gets boost during congress rule and our strict policers are often targeted .

Pria
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

Venkatesh should be suspended for defaming one of the most important, honourable and respected man like Mr poonja!corrupt police officers like him should be suspended!good job mr poonja for speaking up!

IBRAHIM.HUSSAIN
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

There are plenty of black sheep's in Police department and civil society that cannot be ignored.

Mani
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

i was waiting for this day ,,,,this saffronist police office ...even he is a black spot for them

amir
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

corrupt officer wearing a facade all this time. while trying to steal from the rich.kudos to Mr Poonja for doing this.This man should be suspended and medals should be revoked.

Sahil
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

Anyone saying somethin like if it's planned why would he raid poonja in the first place?..everyone living in mangalore knws it's the oldest and safest hotel there is..prasanna is corrupt and needs to be taught a lesson

Ankit
 - 
Sunday, 14 Feb 2016

At the comments supporting prasanna just remember your supporting corruption as well. Why would a reputed person such as poonja accuse him of such a serious crime he wouldn't get anything other then a long trial at the court for standing up against a corrupt officer .i have heard of such cases against prasanna before it's just that no one ever brought it to light and we should support poonja for doing this. Medal or not corruption and extortion is wrong and since I've heard many stories about him attacking the rich for money poonja's word and repute definitely prevail's over his.also raiding a hotel was wrong anyone living in the city knws it's the oldest and safest one around to the below people who called this planned .please give your justification for the raid then? No one can fake that especially when nothin was found.the raid will definetely be in the records prasanna can't deny that. I hope he's forced to resign we don't need such corrupt officials bullying people

saurav
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

Hoax,unwanted use of bureaucracy,defamtion may proove too costly for mr.venkatesh prassana for defaming one of the most important person of costal region.The district administration should look after this case very closely so that important people of the society like Mr prabakar poonja is not defamed by any burrucant for unwanted reasons

hrashikesh
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

This is fall fake ..
Phrakar poonja is a well known person ..
It's just tht the cops r expecting something from him
Please stop spreading the fake newd

Alwyn
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

Any way probe in this regards highly recommended as mr. Prassanna track records is not clean.

Mohan
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

I am very shocked and disturbed to read this article people like MR Prassana should be imvestigated properly!i know Mr Poonja and Mr Nayak personally they are honest,well reputed business men of the city and such baseless false allegations against them is so shameful and that too without any proof!these police officers are so corrupt they need to be taught a lesson

Mohan
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

I am very shocked to read this article,I know mr Poonja and mr Nayak personally and they are very honest and reputed people of the city,so for MR Prassana to harass them is wrong,he is a corrupt police officer and probing needs to be done in this matter before he targets other business men as well!

Kalndar
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

Suspend Venktesh first

raj
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

question is not if he has gold medal or not , prasannas name had cropped up in encounter of lawyer shaju which was considered as a fake encounter and investigation is going on .
corruption in police department is not a new thing

Pria
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

Good to see that Mr Poonja has come out in the open and talked about it,people like Prasanna who harass innocent people need to be taught a lesson!they are up to no good and utilise their power to make money!so shameful

Manjula
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

an investigation should definitely be conducted

Miserable
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

This is planned allegation. Mr. Prasanna is a very good gentleman and never ask for any bribe. All politics going on....

Narvante
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

Venkatesh prasanna is a hero for local kannada news papers..

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Udupi: The pontiffs of Sri Paryaya Puttige Mutt, the sacred seat of Jagadguru Shrimad Madhvacharya Moola Samsthanam, have submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister seeking comprehensive development for Udupi district. 

Proposal for International Airport

A key request is the establishment of an international airport. Highlighting that around 1,000 acres of land are available and suitable, the pontiffs noted that the existing Mangalore Airport provides limited international connectivity. They suggested the airport be developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or as a Greenfield Airport to boost trade, education, healthcare, and spiritual tourism.

Metro and Rapid Transit Connectivity

The proposal also calls for Metro Rail or Rapid Transit between Mangaluru and Udupi. The 55 km coastal stretch experiences heavy daily commuter traffic, causing congestion. The district administration is ready to prepare an initial project report for a Mass Rapid Transit corridor and requested inclusion under national urban mobility programmes to ensure safe, green, and time-efficient regional transport.

Port and Coastal Development

The pontiffs urged the development of an international-standard port with a cruise terminal along Udupi’s coast. They also requested fast-tracking of pending coastal tourism projects and revising Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms to encourage sustainable infrastructure and hospitality investment.

IT, AI and Technological Infrastructure

Support was sought for an IT and AI Innovation Park with incubation facilities under Digital India and Startup India initiatives. The proposal also emphasized the need for strengthened data security and cloud computing infrastructure to boost India’s technological independence.

Sports and Education Initiatives

The pontiffs requested national sports status for Kambala, along with financial and infrastructure support. They also sought the establishment of an AIIMS in Udupi, a new IIT campus, and approval for an IIM to promote higher education in the district.

Representation to the Prime Minister

Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Pontiff and Sri Sushrendra Tirtha Swamiji represented the pontiffs in submitting the comprehensive development proposal to the Prime Minister during his recent visit.

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News Network
December 7,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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