Lokayukta weakened to shield CM Siddu, accuses Shettar

March 18, 2016

Bengaluru, Mar 18: BJP leader Jagadish Shettar on Thursday charged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with weakening the Lokayukta in order to protect himself and his tainted ministerial colleagues.

Addressing reporters, he said a case pertaining to the deletion of BDA lands meant for Arkavathy Layout was lodged against the chief minister with the Lokayukta. Six of his ministerial colleagues were also facing corruption charges. Siddaramaiah, therefore, took away all the powers of the Lokayukta and set up an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), he added.

The ACB has to function under a vigilance wing headed by an IAS officer. The wing will be answerable to the chief minister through the chief secretary. “The ACB will be a puppet in the hands of Siddaramaiah. The chief minister has made the Lokayukta a defunct body, Shettar, who is also leader of the Opposition in Legislative Assembly, said, adding that his party would protest the government's decision in the coming budget session of the legislature.

The chief minister has been citing a Supreme Court order for setting up the ACB. The apex court order came way back in 1998. The court order was just an excuse. The actual reason for taking away the powers of the Lokayukta was the fear of getting caught in corruption cases, he said.

He also accused the government of failing to prevent increasing attacks on pro-Hindu activists in the State. The government should order a judicial probe into the murder of a BJP activist in Mysuru recently and give Rs 25 lakh as ex gratia to his family members, he demanded.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Mangaluru police issue alert over fake traffic fine payment Apps and links

coastaldigest.com news network

December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has issued a high-alert warning to vehicle owners regarding a surge in cyber fraud targeting those looking to pay traffic violation fines. Fraudsters are reportedly exploiting recent government discount schemes on traffic penalties to deceive citizens.

The Scam: How Fraudsters Strike

Criminals are using SMS, WhatsApp, and social media to circulate suspicious links and APK files (Android application packages). They claim these apps allow users to pay e-challans at a discount.

• Device Hacking: Downloading these unauthorized apps gives hackers full access to the victim's smartphone.

• Financial Theft: Once the phone is compromised, fraudsters intercept OTPs and personal data to drain bank accounts.

• Phishing Sites: Fake websites mimicking official portals are also being used to harvest banking credentials.

Already, two residents within Mangaluru city limits have reported significant financial losses after falling victim to these fraudulent apps.

Comments