Gaonkar given a clean chit by panel inquiring 'hafta collection' claim

January 11, 2012

Mangalore, January 11: Vinay Gaonkar, the police inspector of Bunder Police Station, has been exonerated of the charges of Hafta collection leveled against him by a criminal-turned-police informer following a departmental inquiry.

Muneer Ahmed, a resident of Ansari Road in Bunder, had accused Gaonkar of harassing him and his family for refusing to be an informant. He had also said that he had been collecting hafta for the officer for the past several years.

He had also petitioned senior police officers and the State Human Rights Commission seeking justice. Accordingly a departmental inquiry was ordered into his allegations and Harishchandra, Deputy Superintendent of Police, was given the responsibility.

In his report to the higher authorities, Mr. Harishchandra has given a clean chit to Gaonkar and said that there was no truth in the allegations made against him. He also said there were no evidences to support the allegations.

Mr. Harishchandra also said that Muneer was issued notices to appear before the inquiry panel five times, but he did not turn up. He was also requested to cooperate in the inquiry and his wife was also requested to depose before the panel. The couple were also given the privilege of deposing before the panel at their own residence.

Hence, the inquiry panel quizzed all those individuals named by Muneer as giving hafta to be transferred to Gaonkar, but no corroborative evidence was found during the inquiry. The person who leveled accusations against the officer has now switched off his mobile phone and remains incommunicado. However, without compromising on impartiality, a honest inquiry has been conducted and as no complimentary evidence was found, the panel has concluded that there was no prima facie case against Gaonkar, said Harishchandra, who is attached to the IGP, western range.

Meanwhile, reacting to his acquittal, Mr. Gaonkar said he was confident about his conduct and he had not taken the allegations seriously.

“Muneer is a criminal facing more than 32 cases. I know him as a criminal and he does not deserve to be treated in any other manner. He tried to fix a trader in a ganja pedaling case and demanded money. When I came to know of his plan, he leveled unsubstantiated allegations against me,” Mr. Gaonkar said.

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Mangaluru Tees Off Big: Golf Excellence Academy to Open at Pilikula

News Network

February 1,2026

The coastal city of Mangaluru is gearing up for a major sporting milestone with the launch of a Golf Excellence Academy at the Pilikula Golf Club (PGC), scheduled to open on May 31. The initiative aims to position Mangaluru firmly on India’s national golfing map.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday during PGC’s first-ever floodlit Pro-Am tournament, club captain Manoj Kumar Shetty said the project is being funded by UAE-based philanthropist Michael D’Souza and is currently in the design phase. Experts from leading golf academies across the country are expected to visit Mangaluru to help shape the training programme and infrastructure.

The academy will train 20 young golfers at a time, with a long-term vision of producing national-level players from the region. Until now, PGC relied on an in-house coach, but the recent renovation of the course and the introduction of floodlights have opened new possibilities for expanding the sport.

Shetty said discussions are underway with two reputed coaching academies, whose heads are expected to visit PGC shortly. “A dormitory for trainers is already under construction. We are inviting academies to assess the facilities and suggest changes so we can build a truly world-class Golf Excellence Academy,” he said.

Professional golfer Aryan Roopa Anand noted that the floodlit course would be a game-changer for young players. “Students can now practise after school hours, even up to 8 or 9 pm, without compromising on academics,” he said.

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