Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Apr 23: The election commission in Dakshina Kannada district which is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the model code of conduct is followed has booked 18 cases for poll code violation.

Among the names of those booked, prominent names such as District-In-Charge minister B Ramanath Rai, RSS Leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, MLC Captain Ganesh Karnik, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Harikrishna Batwal are found in the list.

MLC Captain Ganesh Karnik, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Harikrishna Batwal were booked for their speech blaming District-in-Charge minister B Ramanath Rai on April 20 at Bantwal. A case has been registered against them at Bantwal Town Police station and they are charged under Cr No 293/2018 u/s 123(4) of RP Act.

RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has been booked twice for delivering provocative speeches. On April 6, Bhat had held a meeting without permission at Kairangala village and his speech promoted hatred on the grounds of religion and caste. A case was booked against him at Konaje station.

Yet again on April 15, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat was charged for a speech that was provocative and promoting communal hatred at Kajepadavu, Bajpe. An FIR was lodged at Bajpe police station and cases were registered under Cr No 157/2018 /s 125 of RP Act.

District-in-charge minister Ramanath Rai along with Chandprakash Shetty, Ramakrishna Alva, Abbas Ali and Baby Kundar attended an open meeting at Pallamajalu in Bantwal on March 29, without taking prior permission from the concerned authority. Flying squad officer Mohan filed a complaint. An FIR is lodged against the five at Bantwal Town Police Station.

As many as 1222 sarees were seized from SCDCC Bank in BC Road. The officers were booked in a case registered on April 19.

Members of PFI organization and other residents of Puttur organised a protest against the Kathua rape incident. However, they had not taken the prior permission of the Election Commission and were booked for the same.

On April 13, Mohammad Taufiq and Abdul Sinan were booked for possessing narcotic drug weighing 6.5 kg costing up to Rs 1 lakh. They were taken into custody by the Belthangady police. On April 9, Mohammed Taufiq, Umar Farooq and Sharief were taken into custody by the Puttur police for possessing 0.35 gms of narcotic drug costing Rs 15,000. Nihal Mohammed was booked for possessing Rs 3 lakh cash without proper documentation on April 14 by Mangaluru North Police.

Yaksha Mitra Jyothi president has been booked for installing decorations and lights in front of Mini Vidhana Soudha on March 31, in connection to a Yakshagana. An FIR has been filed in Mangaluru East police station as the organisation had not taken the prior permission of the EC.

An FIR has been lodged against Sandeep Devadiga, Akash, Charan Raj and Rakshith Bhandray on April 1 at Surathkal Police Station, for possessing two pistols and three deadly weapons.

UC News has been booked for publishing an offensive report on Srikar Prabhu on April 6.

On April 7, Umesh DM and Ravi Arasu called for a BJP party workers meeting. However, though they had taken permission for the meeting, the distributed food to party workers. A case has been registered in Bantwal rural police station.

Other cases include against people for taking BJP party shawls in a car without license and erecting banners without permission at Kemmai junction, Haleangady and Neermarga.

Excise Related Cases

As many as 251 excise law violation cases have been filed in Dakshina Kannada district since the enforcement of model code of conduct. Of these, 22 have been booked under Heinous, 67 have been booked as Breach of license (BLC) cases and 139 under section 15 A which is consumption or allowing consumption of liquor in unlicensed public places.

The police and the Excise Department officials have raided 492 places and 140 people have been arrested.

The Excise department has seized 865995 litres of alcohol whose approximate monetary value is Rs 43,44,956.

The District police have seized 55,625 litres of alcohol worth Rs 12,928. Narcotic substances weighing 6.85 kg and costing approximately Rs 1,15,000 and cash worth Rs 2,00,000 has been seized.

The Flying squad has seized items and sarees costing upto Rs 14.4 lakh and Rs 59,000 in cash. The Static Surveillance Teams (SST) has seized Rs 19,000 in cash.