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Bengaluru, Sep 18: Prime accused in the Karnataka BJP MLA ticket scandal Chaitra Kundapura, an arrested Hindutva activist, has claimed the involvement of the top party leadership in the crime, sources said on Monday.

In a letter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Kundapura has demanded that transactions of industrialist Govinda Babu Poojari, a complainant in her case, be investigated under the Prevention of the Money Laundering Act. She also expressed her willingness to cooperate with the investigation, they added.

The sources further explained that Chaitra had made these revelations in a letter to the ED before her arrest.

She had shot the letter after Poojari, who paid over Rs 5 crore, started demanding his money back when he was denied the ticket.

An associate of Poojari had paid Rs 5 crore in cash.

Govind Babu himself also spoke to her about it. He got the money transferred for the ticket to contest the MLA election. He had given Rs 1 crore to one Manjunath, Rs 1.5 crore to Abhinava Halashri, Rs 3 crore to Vishwanath Ji.

She claimed that Poojari was advised by her to file a police complaint.

Chaitra claimed that she worked in a private company in Bengaluru and had confirmed information on illegal money transactions by industrialist Govind Babu Poojari.

This person had settled in Mumbai briefly and carried out the business. He runs a catering industry in Bengaluru.

“He was an aspirant for BJP MLA ticket and since I was a journalist, I wanted to carry out a sting operation on money transactions. Hence I called up Govinda Babu Poojari and his associate Prasad Poojari to collect information,” Chaitra stated in her complaint.

“I was in touch with those close to the businessman and gathered information with an intention to expose him,” she added.

She also alleged in her complaint that fortunately he did not get a BJP ticket to contest MLA election. Generally, the political parties don’t give positions to leaders once the elections are declared. But, surprisingly, BJP made Govind Babu Poojari as the Backward Classes Morcha Secretary.

After the posting, he had carried out a campaign for the BJP candidate Gururaj Ganthiholi in Baindur seat. During the campaigning, Govind Babu Poojari started to identify with state and national leaders. “I strongly suspected the involvement of influential leaders in the scam,” her complaint read.

Sources explain that Chaitra maintains in the complaint that she didn’t have evidence to prove these charges and she recorded the call from Govind Babu Poojari that he had lost Rs 6 crore for BJP ticket and advised him to lodge a police complaint.

Karnataka police have arrested Chaitra Kundapura and her associates on charges of cheating Rs 5 crore and threatening industrialist Govind Babu Poojari promising him MLA ticket from BJP.

The prominent religious leader Abhinava Halasri is absconding in the case.

Ottawa, Sept 19: Canada is not trying to provoke India by suggesting its agents were linked to the murder of a Khalistani terrorist but Ottawa wants New Delhi to address the issue properly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday.

"The government of India needs to take this matter with the utmost seriousness. We are doing that, we are not looking to provoke or escalate," he told reporters. Earlier in the day, India dismissed the Canadian government's accusations as absurd.

India today expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a reciprocal move over Trudeau's charge that it played a role in the June killing of a Khalistani terrorist. The diplomat, who is unnamed, has five days to leave the country.

The Canadian Prime Minister yesterday said his government had "credible allegations" linking Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing with the "agents of the Government of India". The Indian government rejected the allegation as "absurd and motivated".

The spat deals a fresh blow to diplomatic ties, with New Delhi unhappy over Sikh separatist activity in Canada. It now threatens trade ties too, with talks on a proposed trade deal frozen last week.

Kasaragod, Sept 19: The negligence on part of authorities, who failed to understand the consequence of potholes on Kasaragod – Chandragiri state highway has claimed the life of a future doctor. 

The victim is Shivani Baliga (20), who was pursuing her MBBS studies at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal. She is the daughter of Mahesh Chandra Baliga who was the former president of Kannur Chamber of Commerce, and resided near St. Michael's School, Kannur.

The girl lost her life when her scooter went out of control due to a potohole near Chandragiripalam between Kasrargod and Kanhangad on Sunday, September 17 night. 

Shivani sustained serious injuries in the accident and was rushed to a private hospital, where she breathed her last the very next day. She is survived by her father, mother Anupama, and her brother Rajat Baliga, who is employed as an engineer in Bengaluru. Kasargod police have initiated an investigation into the incident.

Unheard pleas

Local residents and motorists had been urging the authorities at least to temporarily fill the potholes on the road to avert tragedies. The residents reiterated their demand when a 20-year old Ajit Kurup suffered severe injuries in an accident and landed in Mangaluru hospital a few days ago the same road. Had their demand been met at least temporarily, this major tragedy would not have happened.

According to reports at least eight two-wheelers were involved in accidents just two days (September 17 and 18) on the same road injuring many people including women and children. 

The road through Chandragiripalam is full of potholes. Three huge potholes near Pulikun Junction pose major threat. Most of the potholes were at the end of the interlocked section between Chandrigiri Bridge and Chandragiri Junction and at a distance of 5 meters from there to the bridge. It is almost impossible for two-wheeler riders to escape these potholes. 

After the major tragedy, the authorities took steps to fill some of the potholes temporarily with jelly stones without tar. However, due to rain and passing of cargo vehicles the some of the potholes have already reappeared.

Even though various organizations and drivers had repeatedly urged the authorities to take up the repair work before the commencement of the rainy season, no action was taken. Due to the construction work of the national highway, long-distance buses and goods vehicles ply on this road. The officials of the maintenance department on the other hand claim that the rains have hindered the pothole filling work.