Karnataka

Mangaluru, Jul 3 (PTI) A court here has sentenced a man to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for raping a woman on the pretext of marriage and cheating her after she delivered a child.

The Sixth Additional District and Sessions Court judge Sayeedunisa who pronounced the judgement on Tuesday also directed the 34-year old man to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 for the offences committed.

Umesh from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district, had befriended the girl when he was working as a supplier in a hotel at Narimogaru in Puttur taluk in 2009.

Bengaluru, Jul 3 (PTI) Five students of a private college in Dakshina Kannada district were arrested Wednesday on charges of raping their college mate, a dalit girl, in March this year, police said.

The incident came to light this week after a video of the act went viral.

The arrested have been identified as Gurunandan and Sunil of Puttur and Prajwal, Kishan and Prakhyath from Bantwal, all aged 19 years, police said.

Bengaluru, June 20 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Thursday alleged the BJP was continuing its efforts to 'destabilise' the Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by him, but asserted it was stable and would complete its term.

He also said the challenge before him was to take the administration close to the people in a way that they should repent about their decision not to support Congress-JD(S) alliance in the Lok Sabha elections.

New Delhi, Jun 19; PTI/GANASHAKTI: Amid growing rumblings in the Karnataka Congress, the grand old party dissolved its unit in the southern state on Wednesday, while retaining its president and working president.

"The AICC has decided to dissolve the present committee of (the) Karnataka Pradesh Congress. The president and working president remain unchanged," a statement issued by AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said.

Bengaluru, Jun 18 (PTI) The Congress Tuesday suspended rebel MLA R Roshan Baig from the party with immediate effect for "anti-party" activities.

"All India Congress Committee has approved the proposal sent by KPCC to take action against R Roshan Baig, MLA on account of his anti-party activities," the state Congress said in a release.

Bengaluru, Jun 15 (PTI) The BJP's Karnataka unit, which is on a round-the-clock sit-in since Friday protesting against the sale of land to JSW Steel at Ballari and other issues, has decided to "lay siege" to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's official residence on Sunday.

State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa along with a host of senior party leaders including former deputy chief minister R Ashoka, among others, spend the night at Anand Rao circle, the protest venue, as part of the stir, on Friday.

Bengaluru, June 13 (PTI): Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah Thursday said he was unable to understand the Modi mania, despite the "bad state" of the economy under the previous BJP regime led by him.

The former Chief Minister alleged that the BJP won the Lok Sabha election raising emotive issues, rather than delivering on development.

People of the country, including the media, have favoured Narendra Modi's five year government, despite low GDP growth, increase in unemployment and dwindling value of the Rupee, Siddaramaiah said.

Bengaluru, Jun 13 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Thursday launched 118 websites that would enable citizens get building plan approvals, diversion of land use change and other related permissions through online submissions, avoiding middlemen and delays.

"We have simplified the process of getting building plan sanction and land use change. It will bring greater transparency and end corruption and save people's time and money," Kumaraswamy told reporters.

Bengaluru, June 9 (PTI) Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda Sunday said the much awaited expansion of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy led cabinet in Karnataka, aimed at saving the coalition government, would be the "foundation stone" for its collapse.

"I feel this expansion will be the foundation stone for the collapse of the government. Everyone knows about disgruntlement (in the coalition). I don't want to get involved in their internal fighting or issues," he told reporters in response to a question.

In less than a week after LS elections where BJP won 25 of 28 seats in the state, and only 2 days after forming government at the Centre, it has lost Karnataka Local Body elections. Though counting is still underway, Congress is in a comfortable lead by winning 509 seats against BJP’s 366.

The elections to 1,361 wards, spread across eight city municipal councils, 33 town municipal councils and 22 town panchayats, were held on May 29.