Plea against Kerala Muslim leader's Kodagu visit

A petition has been filed before the High Court of Karnataka for prohibiting a Muslim religious leader from Kerala from attending an ‘Urs’ function at Thajul Islam Jumma Masjid, Yammemadu village, in Madikeri taluk, on Monday.

The petitioner, Ummar K A, has urged the court to prohibit Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar from taking part in the ‘Urs’, saying his speeches “instigate” communal violence. He said that to maintain peace and harmony in Kodagu district, Musliyar must be restrained from delivering any speech at the function, and urged the court to give suitable directions to the Kodagu administration in this regard. Musliyar is the general secretary of All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama.

During the hearing, Justice A S Bopanna said there was an open invitation for people to visit the ‘Urs’ and that the petitioner’s counsel, N P Amruthesh, could go and attend it. The advocate replied that people could pelt him with stones if he turned up there. The judge asked him in a lighter vein to wear helmet and attend the event.

Notice to ex-KAS officer

The Karnataka High Court on Friday ordered issue of notice to H D Balakrishne Gowda, a former KAS officer and son of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, in a disproportionate assets case.

The Karnataka Lokayukta Police has moved the high court challenging the order of the Lokayukta court, which acquitted Balakrishne Gowda of charges for lack of evidence. The lower court has taken up the investigation following a private complaint which alleged that Balakrishne Gowda had amassed wealth of Rs 5.24 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income. Justice P S Dinesh Kumar also stayed the order of the Lokayukta court, which directed the Lokayukta police to return the documents and certain items that were seized during a raid on Balakrishne Gowda's residence. The matter was adjourned.