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Bengaluru teacher posing as journalist booked over fake MLC seat promise
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BengaluruUpdated: Jul 30, 2026 10:29 AM IST The woman told the police that the teacher allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore to arrange the MLC nomination, but later settled for Rs 1.25 crore. (Representational image)The Bengaluru police have booked a government school teacher, who allegedly posed as a journalist having close links with the Congress leadership, for cheating a woman from Mangaluru of Rs 1 crore by promising to secure her a nomination to the Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC). In her complaint, the woman, who is associated with a social trust, also accused the teacher, Sirigere Yerriswamy, 56, of misbehaving with her at a hotel in New Delhi, where she was taken on the pretext of arranging a meeting with senior All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders in 2025.Apart from Yerriswamy, the Halasuru Gate police also registered a case against his associates, Siddaraju and Basavaraju, on July 27, following a court direction. According to the complaint, Yerriswamy claimed to be part of the Congress party’s media team when she first met him in 2024 at Vidhana Soudha. He allegedly told her that he had close ties with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior AICC leader Randeep Singh Surjewala and could use his influence to secure her a nomination to the Legislative Council. The accused have been booked on allegations of cheating, criminal intimidation, outraging the modesty of a woman, and other related offences. “Notices will be issued to the accused, and further investigation is underway,” a senior police officer said. The woman told the police that he allegedly demanded Rs 5 crore to arrange the nomination, but later settled for Rs 1.25 crore. Subsequently, she handed over Rs 1 crore to Basavaraju and Siddaraju, and paid another Rs 5 lakh to a woman as per Yerriswamy’s direction.Story continues below this ad The police said that the woman sought her money back from Yerriswamy on realising that his promises were false. “The accused allegedly threatened her with dire consequences, and later on the woman discovered that Yerriswamy was, in fact, a government school teacher,” said an officer. Initially, the police had registered only a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) on the complaint. The woman later approached a court, which directed the police to register a First Information Report (FIR), investigate the allegations and submit a report by August 25. Following the court’s order, the police registered the case and began a formal investigation.
Karnataka Police have registered an FIR against BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna over alleged provocative and defamatory remarks targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (File photo).The Karnataka Police booked BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna for allegedly making provocative and defamatory remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a public protest in Udupi Tuesday. A complaint filed by Udupi district Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor alleges that Suvarna described Rahul Gandhi as a “drug addict”. It further claims that the Udupi MLA compared the demolition of the Babri Masjid with “destroying Rahul Gandhi’s dynasty” and made remarks capable of promoting enmity, disturbing communal harmony and provoking violence. Suvarna’s speech also allegedly targeted students participating in protests over the NEET paper leak and intended to incite BJP workers against Congress supporters.The police registered a case under charges of abetment of an offence by the public or a large group, provocation with intent to cause riot, promoting enmity between different groups, criminal intimidation, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace, and making or circulating statements likely to promote enmity, hatred or ill will between different communities. “We have initiated an investigation into the allegations,” a police officer said. Examine video evidence, Congress leader urges police Reacting to the FIR, Manjunatha Bhandary, Karnataka Congress working president and a member of the Legislative Council, said the state government has taken the matter seriously. Bhandary alleged that Suvarna had made “baseless, defamatory and provocative” remarks against Rahul Gandhi, including the claim that the Congress leader “remains under the influence of drugs for 24 hours” and a statement that his “family lineage would be destroyed”. He said video evidence of the speech was available and urged the police to examine it while proceeding with the case. The Congress leader also criticised BJP legislators present at the event, saying their silence could be interpreted as tacit approval of the remarks. He argued that while political disagreements are part of a democracy, they cannot justify hate speech, personal attacks or threats. Bhandary further said that an elected representative who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution must refrain from making statements that could disturb communal harmony or public order. He added that he will raise the matter with the Karnataka home minister and seek appropriate directions to ensure a fair investigation and legal action against those found responsible.Story continues below this ad The BJP protest in Udupi was organised in response to the nationwide agitation against exam paper leaks and irregularities in the education system. Suvarna was one of the most hardline anti-hijab voices during the 2022 Karnataka classroom hijab controversy. Following the March 2022 Karnataka High Court verdict upholding the dress code policy, Suvarna courted controversy by calling the six Muslim girl students who challenged the classroom ban “members of a terrorist organisation” and “anti-nationals” for disregarding the judiciary.
BengaluruUpdated: Jul 25, 2026 05:55 PM IST According to the complaint, C T Ravi, an MLC of Chikkamagaluru constituency, while addressing a rally at Azad Park, branded Muslims as a “tukde gang” ( According to the complaint, Ravi, an MLC of Chikkamagaluru constituency, while addressing a protest rally at Azad Park on July 23 against the Cockroach Janata Party’s demonstrations over the alleged NEET examination irregularities, had remarked that “even if a Mullah’s chest is split open, three letters (education) would not be found.”The complaint was lodged by Mudassir Pasha, president of the Jamia Masjid in Chikkamagaluru. Pasha further alleged that Ravi branded Muslims as a “tukde gang” while referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens in India (NRC) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). It is stated that the speech, which was widely circulated on social media, contained derogatory references to the Muslim community and was intended to promote enmity, disturb communal harmony and provoke conflict between communities. Chikkamangaluru Town Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Ravi for “making, publishing or circulating false statements, rumours or reports with the intent to create or promote hatred, ill-will or enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language, caste or community, or acts likely to disturb public tranquillity”. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Rajya Muslim Okkuta, in a statement issued on Saturday, demanded Ravi’s immediate arrest, describing his alleged remarks as “shocking and highly provocative”. © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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