Electoral authorities ask TV channels not to air Sriramulu video

Agencies

May 11, 2018

Bengaluru, May 11: State electoral authorities today directed TV news channels not to air a "sting" video showing a state BJP leader allegedly trying to bribe akin of a former Chief Justice of India to get a favourable verdict for mining baron G Janardhana Reddy in an illegal mining case.

The direction comes hours after State Home minister Ramalinga Reddy called what the Congress described as an 'explosive press conference' and released the video clippings which were in circulation on social media.

Congress claimed the 'sting operation' revealed that alleged attempts were made to bribe to seek a favourable verdict for Reddy.

The party alleged that just one day before the then CJI retired, he passed an order in a case related to Reddy brothers' Oblapuram Mining Company.

It said the videos that have surfaced today showing how Sriramulu, middlemen and son-in-law of the former CJI discussed bribe deals, hoping to get a favourable judgement from the Supreme Court in the Obalipuram case.

Sriramulu, a confidant of tainted mining baron and owner of Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) Janardhana Reddy, is contesting from two constituencies Molakalmuru and Badami in the May 12 assembly polls.

In Badami, he is pitted against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Rao has also sought a response from BJP and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

The Congress has been criticising BJP and the Prime Minister for their decision to give tickets to eight persons from the Reddy "camp" including his brothers G Somashekara Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy.

As the news channels started airing the video footages shared by the Congress, electoral authorities took note of it and issued notices, the chief electoral officer (CEO) office sources said.

A news channel executive told PTI that the election commission said in the notices to all the news channels and publication houses that they cannot air any such content within 24 hours of the election.

An officer in the CEO's office said a report has been sent to the election commission about the video and directions have been issued to the news channels not to air the video clip.

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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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