The court was hearing a case wherein the complainant alleged rape on pretext of marriage but the court found that the relationship between the parties was purely consensual in nature.
A BJP legislator in Karnataka known for his outspoken comments has set off a new controversy with vulgar remarks about Ranya Rao, the Kannada actor facing a gold smuggling probe after being caught at the airport two weeks ago. Basangouda Patil Yatnal, an MLA from Bijapur City, made the remarks over an alleged gold smuggling attempt by the actor and claimed he knew which ministers were involved in the case.
Ms Rao was arrested with 14-kg gold bars hidden in her clothing after arriving from Dubai at the Bengaluru airport with preliminary probe hinting at the collusion of airport staff.
A video has gone viral showing Mr Yatnal telling reporters that all found guilty must be held accountable. Can someone be defended because they are a central government employee, he asked, referring to a senior IPS officer, the stepfather of the actor.
Ramachandra Rao, the DGP-level officer who had denied any link to the gold seizure, was sent on “compulsory leave” days after his stepdaughter’s arrest.
“There were lapses by customs officials, and necessary action should be taken against them. She (Ranya Rao) had gold all over her body, hiding it wherever she had holes, and smuggled it in,” Mr Yatnal was heard saying in Kannada.
Read: Arrested From Aircraft, Tortured: Actor Ranya Rao’s Explosive Allegations
He said in the video that he would name all ministers who he claimed were involved in the case during the upcoming assembly session.
“I have gathered complete information about her relationships, who helped her obtain security (clearance), and how the gold was brought in. I will expose everything in the session, including which hole she hid the gold and brought,” he added.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had earlier rejected the involvement of any of his ministers in the smuggling case as “political gossip”.
Mr Patil is not new to controversies. His latest remark follows his repeated criticism of state unit chief BY Vijayendra, the son of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa. He had also called for Mr Yediyurappa’s removal when he was the chief minister.
In 2023, he was issued a notice by the Election Commission for labelling Congress leader Sonia Gandhi as “vishkanya”.
Back in 2020, Mr Yatnal had praised a decision to scrap a wedding scheme for poor women from minority communities and said “those who want the scheme can go to Pakistan”. He had also sparked a controversy by branding a freedom fighter, who died at 103 a year later, a “Pakistani agent” for his stand on the citizenship law.
Khushbu Kumari, a student from Bihar’s Danapur, has found a new hope of becoming a doctor after a video of her breaking down over gender bias at her home went viral and caught the attention of the Union government.
In a viral video by News 18, Kumari was seen narrating how she lost her dream of studying science after losing a condition put forth by her parents. Speaking about the gender bias at her house, Kumari said in the video, “Even today, there is a big difference between me and my brother in my house. Brothers have complete freedom to study, but sisters do not. We are not even given a phone to study. My mother said that if you score over 400 marks, then you can take science, otherwise not. I scored 399.”
She added, “That’s why today I’m studying arts” – and broke down in tears.
The condition by her parents was also put forth as they could not afford to fund her education in the science stream in Class 11. “Due to financial constraints, we enrolled her in the arts stream. If we had chosen the science stream, it would have required more money,” the girl’s father, Upendra Rai, told news agency IANS.
The video quickly went viral, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan assuring her full support for enrollment in a good college.
Mr Pradhan, in a video call with Kumari arranged by the Patna District Magistrate, asked her to study well and not hold any grudges against her parents.
“Do not worry, my child. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will arrange for your education. You study well and, please, hold nothing against your parents. They tried to support you to the best of their ability,” the union minister said.
The girl expressed her wish to be enrolled in any college that offers quality education in science.
According to Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh, the administration will ensure that the girl gets an admission to class 11 with a biology major in the 2025-27 academic session.
“Officials have been engaged for the purpose,” he said.