Karnataka Assembly witnesses uproarious scenes over excise ‘scam’
Bengaluru: Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes with BJP and JD(S) members protesting from the well of the house, demanding the resignation of Excise minister R B Timmapur, alleging a multi-crore scam in his department. The Opposition had staged an all-night protest in the assembly on Tuesday after Timmapur refused to resign over corruption charges against him and his son related to liquor licensing and the transfer of officials. As the house convened earlier in the day, BJP and JD(S) MLAs shouted slogans demanding Timmapur’s resignation, alleging a Rs 6,000-crore scam in the excise department.
Cong MLA Lakhma walks out of Raipur jail after getting bail from SC
Raipur: A day after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in two cases linked to an alleged liquor scam, Kawasi Lakhma, Congress MLA and Chhattisgarh’s former excise minister, was released from the Raipur Central Jail on Wednesday. Lakhma was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 15, 2025, in connection with its money laundering probe into the alleged scam and was in jail under judicial custody since then. On Tuesday, the apex court granted him interim bail in cases lodged separately by the ED and the Chhattisgarh’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)/Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in the alleged liquor scam.