Mangaluru Court directs to register a criminal case against official in hacking case

coastaldigest.com news network

August 8, 2017

Mangaluru, Aug 8: After 13 year long court battle, Wildlife Conservationist, Niren Jain’s undeterred efforts to seek justice for the illegal seizure and hacking of his computer has borne fruit, with the Mangalore II JMFC judge Santhosh S. Kunder ordering the registration of a criminal case against the then DCF of Kudremukh Smt.Anita S. Arekal under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. Smt.Arekal who is now Addl. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), Social Forestry, Bangalore has been issued Summons to appear before the Court.

The issue dates back to 2004 when she, as the then DCF of Kudremukh, had conducted an illegal search of Niren Jain’s office and seized his personal computer despite having no jurisdiction or authority to effect such a seizure. This blatant abuse of power was unleashed ostensibly to threaten and harass Niren Jain who was campaigning for stoppage of iron ore mining in the heart of Kudremukh National Park. The mining operation, which was causing severe impacts on the Bhadra River and its surrounding shola-grassland ecosystem, was subsequently ordered to close by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The JMFC in his Order has recorded that she accessed information from Jain’s computer and made available personal information to the media which prima facie makes out commission of offences punishable under Section 66 and 72 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Section 25 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.

Niren’s first legal victory came in the form of a scathing Order in 2005 by the Hon’ble Principal Sessions Judge, Chikmagalur, who held that the entire search and seizure was illegal, without jurisdiction and authority of law. This Order was challenged before the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka, which on 12thAugust, 2011 dismissed the State’s appeal and directed that the Order passed by the Principal Sessions Judge was strictly in accordance with law and did not suffer from any legal infirmity that called for intervention by a higher court. The Hon’ble High Court further declared that “the entire search and seizure was without authority of law” Further, the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka had, in 2011, also quashed the FIR filed against Niren Jain, and made serious observations that - “… The so called evidence collected in support of the allegations, in support of FIR, do not show any commission of offence and make out a case against the accused. However, the proceedings is maliciously instituted with the ulterior motive of wrecking vengeance on the accused with a view to spite them”.

Now the JMFC, considering all these major legal conclusions and strong arguments of Niren’s lawyer Adv.Vikram Hegde, has in the Order dt. 17.07.2017 (attached) ordered the registration of a criminal case and issue of Summons against the accused – the then DCF Smt.Anita Arekal. The above offences carry an imprisonment term upto three years and fine extending upto to two lakh rupees.

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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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Post-Sabarimala pilgrimage drinking party turns fatal in Udupi; youth killed in midnight brawl

News Network

December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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