Govt forces ‘Power TV’ to go off air after it airs sting on ‘corruption’ by CM’s family; staff shell-shocked

coastaldigest.com news network
September 29, 2020

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Bengaluru, Sept 29: In what can be termed as a direct assault on media freedom, the authorities have forced a private channel in Karnataka go off air by seizing all the computers and other equipment from its office and blocking its social media accounts, after it aired news about the involvement of members of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s family in acts of corruption.

After obtaining court order, police carried out searches at the offices of Power TV and the home of its managing director-editor Rakesh Shetty, and also questioned news anchor Rehman Hassan. The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by the director of a construction firm who has been cited by the channel as a source of information on the alleged corruption involving the CM’s family.

Expressing shock over the development Rehman Hassan said that the around 250 employees of the channel are facing the risk of losing their job due to government’s action. “When the police came to our office with search warrant we cooperated with them completely. But provided them all the necessary information and data. But they took our system completely and blocked our Facebook and YuTube channels forcing us to go off air,” he lamented.

“It is not easy to run a news channel. There are 250 employees that are dependent on the channel. By forcing the channel to go off air the government has snatched their jobs too. They are crying,” he said.

The channel had run a series of programmes over the last month using a sting audio of alleged conversations of Rakesh Shetty with an important member of the CM’s family, WhatsApp chats exchanged by a construction firm official with another member of the family, and documents showing large deposits in banks accounts of firms linked to a family member.

After the sting was aired, the opposition Congress demanded Yediyurappa’s resignation, and a probe into the allegations by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) monitored by the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court.

The Chief Minister has challenged the opposition to prove the charges against his family. He declined to comment on the police action against the channel. “The matter is in court,” he said.

Amid political controversy over the sting, a police complaint was filed on September 24 by Chandrakanth Ramalingam, a director in Ramalingam Construction Company Limited (RCCL), which is involved in construction and irrigation projects in the state, alleging that the MD of the channel had coerced him into saying he had made payments to political persons, and had recorded the conversations.

Police have registered a case of criminal intimidation, forgery, extortion, cheating, and criminal conspiracy against the MD-editor of Power TV and others.

Ramalingam has alleged that he was approached by the MD in June, claiming he had connections to Home Minister Amit Shah, and could swing central and state contracts for RCCL.

According to the complaint, a copy of which was produced in the state legislature on Saturday by Law Minister J C Madhuswamy, the MD obtained details of RCCL’s projects in Karnataka, and offered to get an outstanding amount of Rs 140 crore from the Bengaluru Development Authority for a housing project in return for a 5 per cent commission. The company paid the channel official Rs 25 lakh after receiving a payment of Rs 7.79 crore from BDA in August.

Power TV claimed on Monday that it was in fact, the RCCL official who had approached it for help to get projects cleared. The channel has accused the government of getting the official to file the police complaint.

Incidentally, a criminal defamation notice issued on behalf of Yediyurappa’s younger son B Y Vijayendra to Power TV last week said the channel was targeting Vijayendra after he turned down a request by a channel official to transfer a deputy commissioner of police.

The sting was aired by Power TV amid a temporary injunction obtained from a senior civil judge by BJP worker C Nagaraja Gowda, prohibiting broadcast of “allegations against the Chief Minister of Karnataka, his family members and the BJP on the basis of false, fabricated and concocted stories”. The ex parte injunction was granted on September 2.

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News Network
April 14,2024

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New Delhi: A 24-year-old student from India was shot dead inside a car in Canada's South Vancouver, the local police have said. The Vancouver Police in a statement said Chirag Antil, 24, was found dead inside a vehicle in the area after neighbours reported hearing gunshots.

"Officers were called to East 55th Avenue and Main Street around 11 pm on April 12 after residents heard the sound of gunshots. Chirag Antil, 24, was found deceased inside a vehicle in the area. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing," the police said.

Chirag Antil's brother Ronit told reporters that Chirag seemed happy when they spoke on the phone in morning. Chirag later took out his Audi to go somewhere. That was when he was shot dead.

The Congress students' wing National Students' Union of India chief Varun Choudhary in a post on X tagging the Ministry of External Affairs requested for assistance to the student's family.

"Urgent attention regarding the murder of Chirag Antil, an Indian student in Vancouver, Canada. We urge the Ministry of External Affairs to closely monitor the progress of the investigation and ensure that justice is swiftly served," Mr Choudhary said.

"Additionally, we request the ministry to extend all necessary support and assistance to the family of the deceased during this difficult time," he said.

Chirag Antil's family is raising money through the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe to repatriate his body to India, local media reported.

Haryana resident Romit Antil, the brother of Chirag Antil, told CityNews that he was a kind-hearted person.

"My brother and I had a great relationship. We used to talk every day, day and night. I spoke to him last before the accident happened. He was kind of happy, he never had any issues or fights with anyone, ever. He was an extremely polite person," Romit Antil told CityNews.

Chirag Antil came to Vancouver in September 2022. He just finished MBA at University Canada West, and recently got his work permit.

Here are 5 facts about Chirag Antil

1.    Chirag Antil was a resident of Sonipat, Haryana.
2.    He was the youngest son of Mahavir Antil, a retired employee of the Sugar Mill Department of the Haryana Government.
3.    Chirag moved to Vancouver in 2022 to pursue higher studies at the University Canada West (UCW), in British Columbia.
4.    After completing his MBA, he started working at a company in Canada after getting a work permit.
5.    Chirag's brother Ronit shared in an interview that his younger sibling was a "kind-hearted" person. "I spoke to him last before the accident happened," he said and added that Chirag sounded "happy".

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News Network
April 22,2024

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Mangaluru: BJP candidate in Dakshina Kannada Capt Brijesh Chowta has received a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishing him victory in the election.

In the letter, which the BJP shared with the media, the PM has lauded Chowta’s exceptional services in the armed forces as a part of the Gorkha regiment, especially in counter-insurgency operations. Modi also has mentioned about Chowta’s efforts as an organiser of the Mangaluru Lit Fest and his dedication to preserve the cultural heritage of the region.

“I am certain that you will immensely contribute towards the welfare of people and the region of Dakshina Kannada. Through this letter, I would like to tell the people of your constituency that this is not an ordinary election. Families across India, especially the senior members, would remember the difficulties they have gone through in the last five to six decades. In the last 10 years, the quality of life of every section of society has improved, with many of these troubles removed. Yet, a lot more is still to be done and this election will be decisive in our mission to ensure a better life for everyone,” reads the letter. 

“Your exceptional service in the armed forces as a part of the Gorkha regiment, especially in counter-insurgency operations, is commendable. Additionally, your efforts as an organiser of the Mangaluru Lit Fest demonstrate your dedication to preserving the cultural heritage of the region. I am certain that you will immensely contribute towards the welfare of people and the region of Dakshin Kannada”

“With the blessings of the people, I am confident that you will reach the Parliament. Team members like you are a great asset for me. As a team, we will leave no stone unturned for the welfare of the people of your constituency and the country. Through this letter, I would like to tell the people of your constituency that this is not an ordinary election. Families across India, especially the senior members, would remember the difficulties they have gone through in the last 5-6 decades. In the last 10 years, the quality of life of every section of society has improved, with many of these troubles removed. Yet, a lot more is still to be done and this election will be decisive in our mission to ensure a better life for everyone.

“This election is an opportunity to connect our present with a bright future. Every vote that the BJP gets will go towards forming a stable government and impart momentum in our journey to become a developed nation by 2047. The people of India themselves have made up their minds to support this vision and are leading the way in this election. I am aware that the summer heat poses problems to everyone. But this election is extremely important for the future of our nation. I appeal to the voters to cast their votes early in the morning, before the heat sets in.

“It is important that our workers motivate people to go out and vote in large numbers. Focus on winning the booth. Victory in every booth leads to success in the constituency. At the same time, I request workers of our party to take care of their health and that of other people around them. As a candidate of the BJP, I urge you to convey my assurance to each voter that every moment of my time is dedicated to the welfare of my fellow citizens. I send you my wishes for your victory in the election,” stated PM Modi in the letter.

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News Network
April 13,2024

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Mysuru, Apr 13: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be visiting Mysuru on Sunday, is welcome in the state.

"Let him come and go. He is the PM. But he should tell people about what he has done to the people of Karnataka. Let him answer about the injustice done by the Union Government towards the state in terms of giving tax share, not releasing drought relief funds yet and also about the unemployment issue," he said.

The Chief Minister was speaking to media people near his residence at Sharadadevi Nagar in Mysuru on Saturday.

Reacting to a question on BJP's slogan, 'Teesri Baar Modi Sarkar, Ab Ki Baar Char Sau Paar' (Modi government for the third time with over 400 seats), CM Siddaramaiah said, "This slogan is only a strategy to divert the minds of people. Because, according to me, the NDA will not get an absolute majority/simple majority this time in the Parliament elections."

"I.N.D.I.A. bloc and the parties which are against BJP will get a majority in the Lok Sabha polls," he said.

Responding to the statement of BJP leaders that 'even if B R Ambedkar comes, the Indian Constitution cannot be changed', Siddaramaiah said, "BJP is always against the Indian Constitution. Savarkar and the second Chief of RSS M S Golwalkar both opposed the Indian Constitution written by Baba Saheb B R Ambedkar on January 26, 1950."

"When BJP MP Ananth Kumar Hegde spoke about changing the Indian Constitution twice, why wasn't he punished? Why wasn't he suspended from the party? Why didn't they drop him from the cabinet?"

"Hegde was not given a ticket for the LS polls, as he had not done any work in the five years and was only active for the last three-four months of his term. The reason Hegde was not given a ticket was because BJP had realised that he would lose the elections, and not because of his statement related to the Constitution" the Chief Minister said.

Meanwhile, regarding the nabbing of the two key suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said, "I thank the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and also the Karnataka police for tracing and arresting the accused in the case, in Kolkata."

"They will be brought to Bengaluru and further information related to the case will be known after their interrogation," he said.

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