India's Hajj quota for 2023 fixed at 1,75,025: Smriti Irani

Bengaluru, Mar 15: Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar today sought the arrest of Praveen Sood, the state's Director General of Police. The Congress leader claimed that the DGP had been protecting the ruling BJP government and filing cases against leaders from his party.

"This DGP is nalayak (useless). Immediately, there should be a case against him. And he should be arrested. The election commission should remove him," Mr Shivakumar said.

"He has finished three years in service. How many days do you want to keep and worship him? He has been filing cases only against Congress. He has registered more than 25 cases against us," he added.

He said that Congress will take action against him if they come back to power. Elections to the 224-member Karnataka assembly are set to be held before May 2023.

The Congress has set a target of winning at least 150 seats in the 224-member Assembly, to come to power in Karnataka, with a clear majority.

While JD(S) has already announced the first list of 93 candidates for Assembly polls, BJP and Congress are yet to announce their list.

Maddur, Mar 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress and other opposition parties of being busy digging his grave, while he was striving for the development of the country and the welfare of the poor, as he also declared that blessings of the people is his biggest protection shield. On his sixth visit this year to Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due by May, he also asserted that the "double engine" government is a necessity for the fast-paced development of the state.

"Amid the efforts of the double engine government for the development of the country and the progress of its people, what is Congress and its associates doing? ...Congress is dreaming about digging the kabr (grave) of Modi," said the PM, who inaugurated the 118 Km long Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway project here in Mandya district, Addressing a public gathering here, he said, "Congress is busy digging the grave of Modi, while Modi is busy building Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. Congress is busy digging Modi's grave, while Modi is busy in improving the lives of poor."

"Congress people who are dreaming about digging the grave of Modi, don't know that the blessings of crores of mothers, sisters, daughters, and people is the biggest protection shield for Modi," he added. The Expressway will reduce the travel time between the two cities from around three hours to about 75 minutes, according to officials. Prior to 2014, Modi said, "it was a coalition government (at the Centre) running with the support of various types of people."

"It did not leave any stone unturned to destroy poor men and poor families. The money that was there for the development of the poor, thousands of crores of rupees of it was looted by the Congress government," he claimed.

Congress never bothered about pains and sufferings of the poor, he alleged, adding that "In 2014 when you (people) gave me the opportunity to serve you, it paved the way for the formation of a government for the poor in the country, the government which understood the pain and suffering of the poor." The BJP government has made all efforts to serve the poor and to alleviate their sufferings, the Prime Minister said. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, actor-turned-politician and Mandya Lok Sabha MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, who recently announced support to BJP, among others were present in the event.

Earlier in the day, Modi threw flower petals back at the cheering crowd at several places as he was given a rousing welcome during a massive road show in the district headquarters city of Mandya. He enthusiastically waved at the big crowd, who had lined up on both sides of the route, as the ruling BJP appeared focused on winning a good number of seats in the Old Mysuru region. The Prime Minister picked up the shower petals which got piled up on the bonnet of his car and was seen hurling them back at the crowd. He also got down from his car and greeted folk artistes who staged a performance to welcome him.

Mangaluru, Mar 17: A junior engineer of Mulki town panchayat in Dakshina Kannada district, declared guilty of amassing assets disproportionate to known sources of his income, was sentenced to four years of imprisonment by the Third Additional District and Sessions Judge B B Jakati.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs 26.5 lakh on Junior engineer N K Padmanabha.

If he fails to pay the fine, he will have to undergo six months of additional imprisonment, Judge Jakati said. 

The Lokayukta police received a complaint about the amassing of wealth by Padmanabha in 2015. Accordingly, the Lokayukta police conducted a raid, and a case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 section 13 (1) (e) and 13 (2). 

Lokayukta police inspector Naveenchandra Jogi conducted an investigation and inspector Bharathi G submitted a chargesheet to the court.