Pak flag hoisting: Loopholes in charge-sheet lead to acquittal of 6 Hindutva activists

coastaldigest.com news network
July 24, 2018

Vijayapura, Jul 24: The District and Sessions Court here has acquitted the six Hindutva chauvinists accused in the Pakistan flag-hoisting case of January 1, 2012 in Sindgi town citing loopholes in the charge-sheet filed by the police.

The acquitted miscreants are Parashuram Waghmore, Mallanagouda Patil, Rohit Navi, Sunil Agasar, Arun Waghmore and Anil Solkar. First Additional District Judge K B Geeta pronounced the judgment. The case of the seventh accused, Rakesh Math, has been taken up by this court since he was a juvenile during the incident.

Among the six men, Parashuram Waghmore has now been arrested by a Special Investigation Team set up to probe into the murder of activist-cum-journalist Gauri Lankesh. He is believed to be the man who shot dead Gauri Lankesh.

According to S H Lagali, advocate for the accused, the court acquitted all the accused based on a technical lacuna found in the filing of the charge sheet. “The court found several technical mistakes in the charge sheet, based on which the accused were acquitted,” he said.

All the accused are said to be active members of the Sri Ram Sene, a hardline Hindutva outfit headed by Pramod Mutalik, a former Sangh Parivar leader.

The accused made an attempt to hoist the Pakistan flag outside the Tahsildar’s office in Sindgi town with an intention of creating communal riots by holding Muslims responsible for the act. However, their attempt was foiled by the police.

Public prosecutor K K Kulkarni and Inspector-General of Police (Northern Range) Alok Kumar, who are sure about the involvement of the above six men in the case, said that they would decide on appealing in a higher court against the acquittal only after reading the full judgment.  “It is only after reading the judgment we can reach a conclusion whether the case is fit for appeal in a higher court. Till then, we can’t say anything,” they said.

Also Read: 

Sri Rama Sene activists arrested for hoisting Pak flag in Sindagi

Flag hoisting row: Kasabs of Sindagi deserve stringent punishment

Plan to hoist the flag was hatched a week ago: police

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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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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