J H Patel 's son joins JD (S)

March 22, 2014

Bangalore, Mar 22: Janata Dal?(Secular) national president H?D?Deve Gowda is rolling his dice carefully while picking the disgruntled leaders of other parties to the party fold. He has not allowed his son H?D?Kumaraswamy to do the calculations this time around.

On Friday, he got back Mahima Patel, son of late chief minister J H?Patel, into the party and fielded him in Davangere. Gowda went to Mahima 's house in Dollars Colony as soon as he returned from Arasikere.

Gowda had not extended this generosity to any other politician who switched loyalty to the party in the recent months. Such gesture comes because Gowda had a long association with J?H Patel. When Gowda became the prime minister, he anointed Patel as the chief minister. Later, Gowda said he has secured the blessings of Sarvamangala, wife of late J H?Patel, to take Mahima into JD(S). “I?will soon hand over the mantle to youngsters like Kumaraswamy and J?H?Patel 's son. I?will distance myself from active politics,” he said.

The Jr Patel is surely not a heavyweight politician. But in Davangere, his late father is still a revered leader. Also, getting a Lingayat man of a reputed political family is seen as a plus point for the JD(S), which is perceived predominantly a Vokkaliga party.

Mahima had successfully contested on the JD(S) ticket in 2004 from Channagiri Assembly seat. Later, he moved out of the party and floated Suvarna Yuga Party. He failed to win in the 2008 Assembly polls. Later, he switched over to the Congress. “I am coming back to practical politics and hope to secure a win from Davangere,” he said. Mahima tried to secure Congress ticket.

While getting Jaffer Sharief to the JD(S) is seen as a strategy to win over Muslims, making Mahima to be the candidate in the Lingayat heartland is seen as a move to send a message to the community that the party is not against them. Gowda has already made A?Krishnappa, a Yadava (Golla) the party president. He was denied ticket by the Congress during the last assembly polls. Now he is the JD(S) candidate from Tumkur.

In Haveri, Gowda has strategically chosen a Lingayat to be the candidate. Former MP Menasinkai 's son Ravi Menasinkai is being fielded here, which has a considerable Lingayat voting population.

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Udupi NRI duped of Rs 12.25 lakh in Telegram investment scam

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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Puttur's Healthcare Dream Cleared: State Finance Gives Nod for 300-Bed Hospital

News Network

December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

• A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

• The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

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‘Profit’ trap: Mangaluru trader duped of ₹33.1 lakh in online App scam

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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