Dhananjay Kumar formally joins Congress, hits out at ‘promise-breaker’ Yeddy

News Network
August 4, 2017

Bengaluru, Jul 4: V Dhananjaya Kumar, former BJP leader, who had quit the saffron party along with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to float a regional party in Karnataka, on Thursday formally joined the Congress.

Mr. Kumar, 66, a former Union Minister, met AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi during the latter’s visit to Bengaluru, a few days ago, and expressed willingness to join the party.

He joined the Congress in the presence of KPCC president G. Parameshwara and working president Dinesh Gundu Rao at the party office here.

“Yeddyurappa (after forming KJP) had said he would never ever go back to the BJP in his lifetime. But then, he went back. I’m not like him,” Kumar said, taking a dig at the BJP strongman.

Mr. Kumar began his political career in the youth wing of the BJP and later went on to become a Member of the Legislative Assembly in 1983. In 1991, he was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha by defeating Congress stalwart B. Janardhana Poojary in Mangaluru constituency.

With the rise of the BJP in the State, Mr Kumar represented the Mangaluru constituency in the Lok Sabha for four successive terms and served as the Union Minister. He was Cabinet minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism in 1996, Union Minister of State for Finance from 1999-2000 and Union Minister of State for Textiles from 2000-2003.

The BJP’s central leadership was angered by Mr. Kumar’s criticisms against leaders such L.K. Advani and expelled him on the grounds that he was indulging in “anti-party activities”.

He quit the BJP along with Mr. Yeddyurappa, when the latter floated the Karnataka Janata Paksha in 2012.

Later, on the eve of Lok Sabha elections in 2014, Mr. Yeddyurappa joined the BJP. Later, Mr. Kumar joined the Janata Dal (S).

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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