DK BJP MP's former driver gets bail in RTI activist murder case

July 20, 2016

Mangaluru, Jul 20: II Additional District and Sessions Judge Sarvodaya Shettigar on Tuesday granted bail to Shailesh alias Shailu (40), who is among the seven persons arrested in connection with the murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga.

Shailesh is a Sangh Parivar sympathiser. He had worked as the driver of Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel for several years.

A special team of Mangaluru police arrested Shailesh on May 17 for his alleged involvement in conspiring the murder of Baliga near his house in Kodialbail on March 21.

According to a preliminary charge sheet filed by the police, Shailesh, along with the prime accused Naresh Shenoy and Srikant, hatched a plan to murder Baliga using services of Shivaprasad, Vinit Poojary and Nishit Devadiga.

Shailesh was in judicial custody since his arrest. He had filed a criminal miscellaneous petition under Section 439 of the Criminal Procedure Code on June 9 seeking bail. The judge allowed his petition on Tuesday.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

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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