SIT?chargesheets Justice Rao in Lokayukta extortion scam

August 4, 2016

Bengaluru, Aug 4: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing extortion and corruption cases within the Lokayukta institution, on Wednesday filed the chargesheet against former Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao who is also a retired Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. This is the first time a former Lokayukta has been chargesheeted for offences committed while in office.

SIT
The SIT has filed a 560-page additional charge sheet in the case (56/2015) pertaining to extortion and demand for bribe from M N Krishnamurthy, former Executive Engineer, Zilla Panchayat (Bengaluru Urban) on May 4, 2015 at the office of Joint Commissioner Lokayukta (PRO) Syed Riyaz in the Lokayukta office.

Justice Rao's son Yerabati Ashwin and Riyaz are the prime accused in the case. Justice Rao has been named accused number seven in the case.

The SIT has pressed charges of abetment, destroying of evidence and attempting to save his son Ashwin, who ran an extortion racket from both the office and the residence of the Lokayukta. The charge sheet mentions that Justice Rao not only delayed enquiry when the incident was brought his notice through a report by the then Lokayukta SP (City) Sonia Narang, but also made attempts to save his son.

The SIT has attached statements of IAS officers M Lakshminarayana, former BBMP Commissioner, and former IGR (Stamps and Registration) G C Prakash.

Lakshminarayana has stated that he had informed Justice Rao about how Ashwin was summoning public servants and demanding money. Prakash stated that when he visited the Lokayukta's official residence, Bhaskar, one of the suspects, introduced himself as the Lokayukta's personal assistant.

The SIT has stated that details of the messages retrieved from Ashwin's mobile phone revealed that he was in constant touch with his father even after the registration of FIR. In one of the messages sent to his advocate, Ashwin stated that his father would take care of certain apprehensions raised by him.

The charge sheet also stated that Justice Rao provided all documents from the office of the Lokayukta to Ashwin, within 24 hours, only to allow him to move the High Court challenging investigation ordered by Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi.

Ashwin had filed the application on June 29, 2015 and received the documents on June 30, 2015, the day he filed the writ petition. The SIT report also quotes the statement of Pramod, a City Armed Reserve (CAR) constable who was working at the Lokayukta PRO office.

Pramod had stated that after the extortion scam was unearthed, Justice Rao used to speak to Ashwin using his (Pramod's) phone (09618773553), which was given to him by Riyaz. The copy of the FIR and many other documents were sent to Ashwin through Pramod's e-mail ID on the instructions of Justice Rao.

The report quoted the statement of D Sandeep Kumara, a cook at the official residence of the Lokayukta. Sandeep stated that Ashwin used to be in the official residence of the Lokayukta, when Justice Rao was away. Justice Rao's wife would call Sandeep to check whether Ashwin had come home.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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News Network
December 17,2025

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Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

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