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Karnataka High Court lifts ban on bike taxis, Uber welcomes decision

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday, January 23, lifted the ban on bike taxis, dismissing the earlier order that had stopped the operations of two-wheeler transport. Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said he had not yet received a copy of the order and would comment after reviewing it. However, he said the division bench of the High Court had quashed the single-bench order. “The single-judge bench of the High Court had prohibited bike taxis. The division bench has quashed the single judge bench order and allowed the writ appeal. Let the judgment copy come. I will read it and then discuss it with you all,” the minister told reporters. The court allowed the appeals filed by service apps Uber, Ola, Rapido and other aggregators. Uber hailed the court order, saying, “We welcome the Hon’ble High Court’s decision to recognise bike taxis as a legal mode of passenger transport in Karnataka.” According to the company, bike taxis serve as a vital mobility lifeline fo...
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MUDA case: ED attaches fresh assets worth more than Rs 20 crore

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New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday, January 22, said it has attached fresh assets worth more than Rs 20 crore as part of its probe into the MUDA-linked money laundering case in Karnataka . With the fresh attachment, properties worth Rs 460 crore have been attached so far by the ED as part of this investigation. The latest attachment includes 10 immovable properties including six “illegally” allotted sites of the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). A provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was issued on Wednesday to attach the assets worth Rs 20.85 crore, the ED said in a statement. The federal agency had arrested former MUDA commissioner G T Dinesh Kumar in September 2025 on the charge of illegal allotment of MUDA sites. He is currently lodged in a jail under judicial custody. The ED claimed its probe found routing and layering of “undue gratification” obtained by Dinesh Kumar. Also Read Lokayukta files status report in MU...
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Governors vs Govts: Omitting speech triggers row in Karnataka, TN, Kerala

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The governor versus government face-off in non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled southern states has seen a third such incident in three days, with Karnataka Governor on Thursday, January 22, refusing to read the full speech approved by the state government citing grievances and walking out of the Assembly, two days after Kerala and Tamil Nadu governors also did the same. Karnataka governor leaves after two-line address On Thursday, confining his customary address to the state legislature to just two lines, Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot walked out after his two-line address to the Legislative Assembly and Council. It prompted a strong response from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who accused the governor of delivering his own speech rather than the government-prepared one, dubbing him a “puppet” of the Centre. Congress members expressed strong displeasure over the governor walking away without reading the speech prepared by the government, and raised “Shame Shame” slogans on...
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In guise of security check, Korean tourist molested at Bengaluru airport

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Police on Thursday, January 22, arrested a ground staff member for allegedly sexually harassing a South Korean national at Terminal 2 in Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport in the guise of a security check on January 19. It was Kim Sung Kyung’s first time visiting India. In an interview with NDTV , Kyung said she was proceeding to board her Singapore Airlines flight after the immigration check, when the accused, Mohammed Affan Ahamed, 25, approached her and told her to step aside as a “beep beep” sound was supposedly coming from her luggage. Seeing his airline tag, Kyung believed his words and followed him to the men’s bathroom. Kyung told NDTV that Affan was very professional in his approach and explained about security protocols, leaving no space for doubt. “At the men’s bathroom, he did a body check on me and squeezed my body in a very inappropriate way,” she said. “After everything seemed done, he suddenly hugged me and said ‘thank you’,” she said. “The hug made m...
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Karnataka gets new DGP after Rao’s suspension over objectionable video

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Wednesday, January 21, posted Umesh Kumar in concurrent charge of DGP Civil Rights Enforcement. His appointment came after the suspension of DGP CRE K Ramachandra Rao after his purported obscene video went viral in social media and television news channels too beamed it. Also Read Video manipulated, says Karnataka DGP Rao on objectionable video “Umesh Kumar, IPS, Director General of Police, Recruitment, Bengaluru is placed in Concurrent Charge of the post of Director General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement with immediate effect and until further orders,” the government order read. In the suspension order on Monday, the state government said Rao has “acted in an obscene manner, which is unbecoming of a government servant and also causing embarrassment to the government.” Rao is the step-father of Kannada actress and gold smuggling accused Harshavardhini Ranya, who is in the Bengaluru Central Jail. Get the latest updat...
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Karnataka developing cities beyond Bengaluru to boost investments

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Davos: Asserting that there is a huge interest in Karnataka government’s ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ campaign, the state’s senior minister MB Patil on Tuesday, January 20, said his government is developing several other cities to attract investment. Speaking to PTI during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, Patil said Karnataka is one of the most progressive states of the country, and the work started way back in the year 2000 under the leadership of the then chief minister SM Krishna, when Bengaluru was developed as the IT capital of the country. The minister recalled that the state has had a strong ecosystem since the pre-Independence era and has been home to iconic organisations like ISRO, Indian Institute of Science, BHEL, HAL and HMT. “We are also pioneers in professional colleges, and until the last three decades, there were not many engineering colleges in other states in India,” he said. “It is our state from where IT giants like Infosys and Wipro emerged. And now, we are no...
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Karnataka DGP Rao suspended after objectionable video went viral

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday, January 20, said that the government has acted swiftly by suspending Director General of Police (DGP) K Ramachandra Rao after a video showing him in a compromising position with women had gone viral. Saying that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident, the minister asserted that further action will be taken based on the findings of the probe. “He can be dismissed as well,” he added. News channels beamed a video on Monday, January 19, purportedly showing Rao in a compromising position with women. The video had gone viral on social media. Rao sought to reject the videos outright, terming them “fabricated and false”. Also Read Video manipulated, says Karnataka DGP Rao on objectionable video The government placed Rao under suspension with immediate effect, citing conduct unbecoming of a government servant and violation of service rules, pending a detailed inquiry. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru , Parameshwar...
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