- 1. MUDA case: Bengaluru special court accepts ‘B’ report by Lokayukta police giving clean chit to Siddaramaiah, wife
- 2. Is Karnataka Governor’s phone being tapped? BJP asks as Congress accuses him of taking instructions from Centre
- 3. Viral video prompts Kodagu police to book jeep driver for overcharging tourists
- 4. Patrons question longer travel time on Nagercoil-Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express, demand extension to Goa
A file photo of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah coming out of the office of Superintendent of Lokayukta police in Mysuru after his questioning in the alleged MUDA scam.
| Photo Credit: SRIRAM MA
1. MUDA case: Bengaluru special court accepts ‘B’ report by Lokayukta police giving clean chit to Siddaramaiah, wife
In a major relief to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a special court in Bengaluru on January 28, 2026, accepted the ‘B’ report filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta police, giving a clean chit to him and his wife B.M. Parvathi on complaint of allegation of illegalities and corruption in allotment of 14 sites worth ₹56 crore to Ms. Parvathi by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
Santosh Gajanan Bhat, the judge of the Special Court of Sessions for Criminal Cases against former and present MPs and MLAs delivered the verdict while rejecting the protest petition filed by complainant Snehamayi Krishna, a Mysuru-based social activist, who had questioned the outcome of the investigation conducted by the Lokayukta police.
2. Is Karnataka Governor’s phone being tapped? BJP asks as Congress accuses him of taking instructions from Centre
The opposition BJP accused the Congress government in Karnataka of tapping telephone calls at Lok Bhavan, in response to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil stating in the Assembly that Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had been ‘receiving instructions from New Delhi over the phone’.
The issue arose as senior BJP member S. Suresh Kumar recalled events from January 2011 when then Governor H.R. Bharadwaj had set a precedent by walking out of the joint session of the legislature without reading the full text of the address. In response, Mr. Patil remarked that the present Governor was receiving calls from Delhi, triggering chaos in the House.
3. Viral video prompts Kodagu police to book jeep driver for overcharging tourists
A jeep driver at the designated stand near Madikeri KSRTC bus stand has been booked for charging a tourist ₹4,000 for a ride to Mandalpatti. Acting on a viral video by the tourist, the driver was booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Indian Motor Vehicles (IMV) Act.
When the family pointed out that the Deputy Commissioner had convened a meeting of jeep drivers and owners operating from Madikeri to Mandalpatti and had directed that only ₹2,500 be charged — with boards displaying the approved fare installed for the benefit of tourists — the driver refused to comply, and insisted that everyone charges ₹4,000, police said.
4. Patrons question longer travel time on Nagercoil-Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express, demand extension to Goa
Rail patrons welcomed the introduction of a new Amrit Bharat Express between Nagercoil and Mangaluru Junction, but complained that the train takes 17.2 hours to traverse a distance of about 700 km, which translates to an average speed of around 40 km per hour.
Besides demanding speeding up of the service, they urged the Railway Ministry to extend the train to Kanniyakumari at the southern end, and to Subrahmanya Road/Vasco-da-Gama on the northern end to maximise the benefits of this common man’s premium service to a larger section of patrons.
Published – January 28, 2026 06:42 pm IST
