On the 22nd of May, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) declared a record dividend of Rs 2.11 lakh crore to the Government of India for fiscal year 2023-24. It was announced at the 608th meeting of the Reserve Bank of India’s Central Board of Directors, held today in Mumbai, chaired by Governor Shaktikanta Das. The RBI’s dividend is the highest in five years. In 2019, the RBI transferred a surplus of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the Central government.
I was very pleased to attend the @RBI board meeting earlier today and join with other directors to approve this record dividend.
It’s important to note that this record amountwas declared AFTER increasing the ontingency risk buffer to 6.5% from 6%
In a press release, the RBI said, “During accounting years 2018-19 to 2021-22, owing to the prevailing macroeconomic conditions and the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Board had decided to maintain the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB) at 5.50% of the Reserve Bank’s Balance Sheet size to support growth and overall economic activity. With the revival in economic growth in FY 2022-23, the CRB was increased to 6.00%. As the economy remains robust and resilient, the Board has decided to increase the CRB to 6.50% for FY 2023-24. The Board thereafter approved the transfer of ₹2,10,874 crore as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting year 2023-24.”
Notably, an increased dividend payment is probably going to assist the Central government in reaching its goal of 5.1% of GDP for fiscal deficit during the current fiscal year. Additionally, it would probably support tax collections, giving the new government more spending flexibility when it assumes power early next month following the conclusion of the general elections.
“The government has budgeted the FY25 dividend for RBI and PSU banks & financial institutions at Rs 1020bn, vis-a-vis Rs 1044 bn in FY24. In our view, a positive surprise is likely, similar to last year when the initial budget estimate for the overall dividend was only Rs 480 bn,” a Union Bank of India report published earlier this month reads.
How RBI generates surplus and transfers dividend to Central government
Notably, the RBI allocates contingency money every fiscal year. This provision is aimed at addressing unexpected and unforeseen scenarios, such as security value depreciation and risks emerging from systemic issues, monetary or exchange rate policy operations, and the RBI’s special obligations. The contingency risk buffer should be maintained at 5.5-6.5%. The RBI transferred Rs 1.3 lakh crore to its contingency fund in FY23.
Besides the Contingency Funds, the RBI also maintains revaluation accounts. The RBI maintains revaluation accounts to protect its assets (gold, foreign currency, and investments in domestic and international securities) against market fluctuations. These include the Currency and Gold Revaluation Account (CGRA), the Investment Revaluation Account (IRA), and the Foreign Exchange Forward Contracts Valuation Account (FCVA). Upon satiating the risk provisions and other operational expenses from the RBI revenues, the surplus is transferred to the Central government as dividend.
A substantial portion of the surplus is derived from RBI’s operations in financial markets, when it steps in, for example, to buy or sell foreign exchange; Open Market operations, when it endeavours to stop the rupee from appreciating. Moreover, it also generates surplus as income from government securities it holds in addition to returns from its foreign currency assets. The foreign currency assets are investments in the bonds of foreign central banks or some high-rated securities.
RBI also generates profits from deposits with other central banks or the Bank for International Settlement (BI). The RBI purchases these financial assets to offset its fixed liabilities, which include public money and deposits granted to commercial banks on which no interest is paid.
The RBI’s expenditures are mostly for the printing of currency notes and staff, as well as commissions to banks for carrying out transactions on behalf of the government and to primary dealers. Notably, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s net income for fiscal year 2023 was approximately Rs 874 billion.
On Wednesday (22nd May), the Calcutta High Court cancelled an estimated 5 lakh Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates issued by the West Bengal government since 2010.
As per reports, certificates issued by the West Bengal government before 2010 will remain valid. This will not affect those who have secured employment under the OBC category after 2010.
Following the verdict, Mamata Banerjee has announced to not follow the verdict of the Calcutta High Court and continue to grant OBC reservations to groups that are now invalid.
The Calcutta High Court has canceled all OBC certificates issued in Bengal since 2011 under the current Trinamool Congress administration pic.twitter.com/36oDWLV4pv
“I don’t accept Calcutta HC’s verdict. OBC reservation will continue as it is,” the West Bengal Chief Minister was quoted as saying by the West Bengal CM.
#BREAKING | "I don't accept Calcutta HC's verdict. OBC reservation will continue as it is": West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
In June 2023, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) found that Rohingyas and illegal Bangladeshi immigrants had received Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates in West Bengal.
NCBC also found that there were more Muslim OBC castes in the state compared to Hindus (although the latter constitute the majority in West Bengal).
NCBC chief Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed that 118 out of 179 castes, which were granted OBC status in West Bengal, belong to the Muslim community. The matter came to light during field surveys conducted between February and May 2023.
A Muslim family in the Harda district of Madhya Pradesh is facing the brunt of a social boycott pronounced by the local Maulanas (Muslim religious leaders/clerics) because a dancer performed in a Nikah (Islamic wedding) ceremony at their house which was deemed against the religious practices. The period of the expulsion of the family stood at 11 months along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. According to the media reports, the matter pertained to the Chhipaner Road of Harda where one Rashid lives with his family.
On 28th January, the marriage ceremony of one the family members took place at the residence with Moeen as the groom and Chandi as the bride. On 30th January, Rashid organised a party to celebrate their union which was attended by his relatives, friends and others from his neighborhood as well as nearby areas. He had also invited Rajasthani artists to entertain at the feast and a female dancer also did Ghoomar (traditional Rajasthani folk dance) there. A video of the dance is also going viral on social media.
— Harda Shanti kumar Jaisani (@jaisani_shanti) May 21, 2024
A female dancer dressed in Rajasthani attire can be seen performing live in front of a large audience in the viral video and a man in a traditional Rajasthani costume is also visible with her on the stage. A meeting was called by a few clerics from Rashid’s neighborhood after the programme which was joined by other members of the Muslim community as well. They unanimously decided that it was forbidden for women to dance during Nikah. Rashid and his family were found to be in violation of Islamic regulations by the self-appointed jury.
Rashid has given a complaint letter to the District Magistrate (DM) of Harda and pleaded for justice. He has revealed that his family has been ordered not to be invited to any weddings for 11 months and a penalty of Rs one lakh has been imposed on them. His elderly mother has called the diktat wrong. His family went to the police against it, however, the cops did not take any action against the accused behind the decree.
Rashid eventually complained to the District Magistrate of Harda. The official immediately dispatched a team to his house and neighbouring locations for investigation. On the other hand, his neighbours termed the allegations as false. They claimed that he had not been boycotted but ousted from the community’s collective food gatherings that are called ‘Jajam’. The matter is now under probe.
A 15-year-old Hindu girl has been abducted by a man named Mohammed Zeeshan in Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh. As per reports, the accused lured the underage victim into his trap by promising to make her a YouTuber.
The girl is a resident of Jagrati Vihar area in Meerut. Zeeshan, who lived on rent in the Madhav Puram area of the city, kidnapped the victim and has since been on the run from the law enforcement authorities.
He also made a video with the minor Hindu girl and uploaded it on his Facebook channel on 7th May this year. The victim’s father lodged a complaint with the Medical College police station, following which the cops initiated a probe into the matter.
Meerut, UP: YouTuber Mohd Zeeshan befriended a 15-year-old Hindu girl, who has now eloped with him.
Police investigations revealed that he was in contact with several Hindu girls and promised them stardom on YouTube.
Local Hindu organisations have extended their support to the girl’s father and have demanded the immediate arrest of the accused. During the investigation, it came to light that Mohammed Zeshan had similarly preyed on other Hindu girls.
According to reports, Zeeshan has several Hindu girls as ‘friends’ on his Facebook account. He would promise to make the victims ‘YouTubers’ and then kidnap them.
The Medical College police have constituted a team to nab the accused as soon as possible. They are also downloading videos from Zeeshan’s Facebook account and investigating his accomplices.
While speaking about the matter, SP (Meerut City) Ayush Vikram Singh stated that a case of kidnapping of a teenage girl was registered against the accused. He added that Zeeshan had fled from the house in Madhav Puram, where he lived on rent.
On the 5th of December 2019, a conspiracy to burn Delhi began to be hatched, leading eventually to the Delhi anti-Hindu riots. The conspiracy aimed to pull down the central government, target Hindus, create communal fear in the country and attack its sovereignty. The conspiracy led to waves of violence in Delhi and across the country. First, violence erupted in December 2019 and after low-level violence for almost 3 months, the rioters learnt their lessons from the 2019 violence, fine-tuned their plan, and executed the anti-Hindu riots of February 2020. As the conspiracy of the 2020 riots was being hatched, another conspiracy was afoot almost simultaneously. Leftists like Prabir Pukayashta of NewsClick along with several others, were being funded by China to create disaffection in India, end democracy and attack India’s sovereignty and independence.
It is only now, in May 2024, that are beginning to understand how these two seemingly independent conspiracies were deeply intertwined, with the participation of the Congress party evident in both these cases.
The Newsclick-China funding case, the conspiracy and what we know so far
On the 3rd of October 2023, the Delhi Special Cell arrested Prabir Pukayastha, the founder and editor of NewsClick along with the HR head Amit Chakravarty. An FIR in the matter was registered on the 17th of August 2023 under Sections 13, 16, 17, 18, and 22 of the UAPA and Sections 153A and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the news portal. On 3rd October 2023, the NewsClick office was raided and sealed by Delhi Police in connection to the case regarding foreign funding from China to propagate anti-India activities. Apart from locations linked to NewsClick, the residences of 40 journalists were also raided by Delhi Police across the country as they were connected to the news portal. Teesta Setalvad, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yetchury, Sanjay Rajoura, and others were among those who faced action by the Delhi Police.
The investigation into NewsClick, however, started much earlier. It was in 2021 that ED made startling revelations about the portal and its funding. On February 9, 2021, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the home of News Click founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha. According to the ED investigation, NewsClick had received ₹10 crores under Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from an American company.
In July 2021, the ED informed that the investigation into the money laundering case against ‘NewsClick’ had revealed that the promoters of the media outlet received nearly ₹38 crores from entities, which might be associated with the Communist Party of China.
An officer probing the money laundering case revealed that NewsClick had financial dealings with a Chinese agent, who is a Sri Lankan-Cuban-based businessman named Neville Roy Singham, who allegedly funnelled Rs 38 crore to PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd between 2018 and 2021 from abroad.
The officials, who had traced the money flow of the media outlet, said that Singham is associated with the propaganda arm of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Thereafter, the New York Times published an investigation revealing that NewsClick received crores from the Chinese Communist Party through Neville Roy Singham.
“What is less known, and is hidden amid a tangle of nonprofit groups and shell companies, is that Mr. Singham works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide,” the article stated.
The New York Times pointed out that Singham has been successful in disseminating Chinese government talking points under the pretext of ‘progressive advocacy’ in countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa and the United States.
Since the investigation has progressed, the Special Cell filed an 8000-page chargesheet in the case. Shocking revelations from the chargesheet reveal that NewsClick had links with LeT, was in touch with Sharjeel Imam, and Naxals, got crores to spread disinformation during COVID, spread the distorted map of India, spread propaganda against democracy in India to replicate the Chinese-style government here and more.
In fact, it was since 2021 itself that NewsClick and Prabir Purkayastha’s links to Urban Naxal Gautam Navlakha had emerged as well. Navlakha also finds prominent mention in the NewsClick Chargesheet by the Special Cell.
At SSPL, Gautam Navlakha was also a Director with Prabir Purkayastha. Gautam Navlakha is one of the ‘Urban Naxals’ arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case and allegedly has links with Pakistan’s ISI. Following his arrest, it was reported that Gautam Navlakha was in touch with Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists as well.
Even more shockingly, Gautam Navlakha was an “Independent Partner” of PP NEWSCLICK STUDIO LLP where he was appointed to the position on the 17th of April, 2017. It is pertinent to note here that PPK NEWSCLICK Studio Private Limited, the current owner of Newsclick, was incorporated on the 11th of January, 2018, 10 days after the Bhima Koregaon violence.
China-funded NewsClick and its links to Delhi anti-Hindu Riots of 2020
The link between the Newsclick-China funding case and the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots conspiracy is revealed in the 8000-page chargesheet filed by the Special Cell. The Chargesheet says that there was a ‘deep-rooted common conspiracy’ to create a false narrative against CAA, which propagated that the law intended to strip Indian Muslims of their citizenship, which led eventually to the Delhi Riots 2020.
“The end result of this deliberate misinformation campaign was seen from the beginning of from Dec, 2019 and ranup to Feb, 2020 in the physical manifestation of the deadly Delhi Riots”, the chargesheet says.
In fact, the connection is not just limited to the conspiracy to spread misinformation but also monetary as it manifests in NewsClick employee, who is also connected to Congress and Soros, handed over money directly from NewsClick to Sharjeel Imam, the chargesheet reveals.
The involvement of NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha and others in the Delhi Riots conspiracy since December 2019
The first trace of the China-funded NewsClick conspiring to create violence and spread misinformation against the CAA surfaced on the 17th of December 2019. On the 17th, an email marked ‘Share Notes on CAA docs’ was sent by Rajamanikam P, AIPSN (All India Peoples Science Network). AIPSN was founded by Prabir Pukayastha. This email was sent to several other organisations requesting for all organisations to share their anti-CAA programs. The email also wanted to reach a consensus on a joint statement against the law. The email content spread disinformation and fearmongered against CAA and NRC. It said that NRC was bound to persecute Muslims. It is to be kept in mind that there was not even a draft for the implementation of the national NRC by this time. In fact, there is still no draft to that effect.
On the 17th, there was another email was sent by Citizen for Justice and Peace (CJP), which is run by Teesta Setalvad. The email was addressed to Prabir Pukayastha spreading misinformation about CAA.
Further, on the 3rd of January 2020, Harsh Mandar also sent an email to Prabir Purkayastha, Githa Hariharan and others. In the email, Harsh Mandar suggested making a common pool of resources for the “resistance” against CAA. To this email, Githa responded by saying, “Yes, Harsh it makes sense for all of us to have a common bank of material that each of us uses as individual as well as for common purposes. Varda and Ishita copied in will be the connectors for ICF (Indian Cultural Forum, an NGO run by Githa Hariharan) and NewsClick. Varda has already prepared a Q&A explainer with the help of Mohsin and Prabir”.
On the 2nd of January, Harsh Mandar sent another email requesting a collective working group for all ‘explainers’. In this, he had mentioned Prabir and Gautam Navlakha to work on this. A campaign called ‘main bhi dilli’ was immediately started after this email exchange.
In the email exchanges, there was also date planned. On the 16th of January, Harsh Mandar had planned a ‘People’s Tribunal’ and had invited NewsClick, Prabir and several other left organisations to stand in solidarity with anti-CAA protests.
The People’s Tribunal and the details mentioned therein are rather telling of the strategy being employed in the anti-CAA protests, which were similar to those employed by Naxals in areas like Bastar, the investigators say. The investigators say that by holding such parallel public briefings and investigations, the Maoists try to undermine the authority of the police and the state, which is what China-funded NewsClick and the collaborators were attempting to do.
Dangerously, one of the central themes of these emails and discussions was that the state had embedded non-uniformed police officials who were the ones to instigate the violence and the stone-pelting. This was specifically done to instigate further violence.
On the 2nd of February, there was an email discussing the meeting of different Leftist organisations meeting at the NewsClick office in Delhi to discuss the protest.
In fact, in an email dated 22nd February 2022, a day before the Delhi anti-Hindu riots erupted, there was an email that there was a feverish rush to organise money for the protestors as well. As investigations show, a large amount of cash, received from Neville as well as raised through such ‘Hum Dekhenge’ contributions had ended up fanning the communal flares.
It is pertinent to note that while these emails may seem like just a ‘discussion’ between various people, it goes to show the close coordination and links between these individuals. When seen in the perspective of NewsClick getting money from China to create a specific pro-China, anti-India perspective, create anarchy and end democracy, create violence and also, the fact that NewsClick employee gave money directly to the anti-CAA rioters including Sharjeel Imam, the emails act as important evidence to understand the intent of the people involved. These emails are not the entire case in themselves, but one of the links that tie together other evidence like money trail, communication, being part of planning groups connected to Delhi Riots, giving money to protestors, witness statements etc.
Witness statements incriminating NewsClick and Prabir Pukayastha in Delhi anti-Hindu Riots and funding to Sharjeel Imam
The Delhi police included the testimonies of several protected witnesses, named ‘Gama’, ‘Gama2’ and ‘Gama3’ in its charge sheet.
It quoted ‘Gama’ as saying, “During the CAA protest, Purkayastha used to send the employees to take part and incite the Muslim community to do violent acts and rioting. He also used to give cash to employees to distribute among rioters…Prabir, Chakraborty and other members had extreme Marxist and Maoist ideologies… I came to know that these people were being funded by the Chinese Communist Party.”
Another witness ‘Gama2’ said that the NewsClick founder sent a man to Shaheen Bagh to give money to Islamic extremist Sharjeel Imam, currently behind bars for his role in anti-Hindu Delhi riots. “From this money, they should purchase weapons and other equipment to incite violence and rioting,” he added. ‘Gama2’ also testified that money was later routed to Naxals in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to spark violence.
“Articles and videos which showed the vaccine developed by India in a poor light and Chinese vaccines to be better,” he further added. One witness, ‘Gama3’ informed, “Funds (received by NewsClick) were used in funding CAA/NRC protest, farmers’ agitation, supporting Kashmiri separatists against abrogation of Article 370 and Maoists groups”.”
The clinching evidence against Prabir Purkayastha in Delhi anti-Hindu riots and the connection to Congress
The investigation reveals links between NewsClick, Congress and the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots which have hitherto remained unknown. The investigation reveals that NewsClick and people associated with it were not just spreading misinformation and ferrying money to terror accused like Sharjeel Imam and other Islamists, but were also actively a part of the WhatsApp groups which were made for the planning and execution of violence – like DPSG – Delhi Protest Solidarity Group.
The investigation reveals that Prabir Purkayastha was a part of the DPSG group through his employee Anand Mangnale, who was in parallel connected with Harsh Mandar.
the DPSG group is one of the groups which remains at the centre of the Delhi Riots investigation. It was a group created by Rahul Roy. The violence was primarily planned in groups like DPSG, MSJ Group, JCC Groups and others.
It was on the 26th of December 2019 that the DPSG group was formed. According to the Delhi Riots chargesheet No 59/2020 (the main conspiracy chargesheet), a meeting was held at ISI, Lodhi Colony attended by Harsh Mandar, Yogender Yadav, Umar Khalid, Nadeem Khan, Khalid Saifi, Sahil, Rahul Roy, Saba Dewan, Amrita Johri and others. Detailed discussion was held on the following points.
Formation of DPSG Group
Creation of different protest sites in Delhi.
Protest sites should be women-centric to avoid police clashes.
Protest sites to be set up in Muslim Majority Areas.
Collecting funds for sustenance of Protest sites.
Legal team for detainees.
Sending speakers/artists of diverse fields to different protest sites.
Regular meetings to take stock of the progress on the above points.
Who is Anand Mangnale, part of the DPSG group on behalf of NewsClick, and what is his connection to Congress: How he has been on OpIndia’s radar for a while
Anand Mangnale, who was a part of the DPSG group on behalf of NewsClick has been on OpIndia’s radar since 2019. To understand who he is and how he ties to Congress, George Soros and the entire nexus, we must go back to December 2019 when violence had erupted in JNU, as the first phase of Delhi’s anti-Hindu Riots. The violence in JNU was not exactly related to CAA, however, it was a part of the violent upheaval planned by the very same groups.
In 2019, the Left students of JNU were unhappy with a marginal hike in fees and had started protesting against the same in October. Though the decision was partially rolled back, the protests had not stopped and the Left students had refused to let classes function. The students opposing the fee hike had in December forcibly evicted the technical staff, made servers dysfunctional and indulged in rampant violence. They had also forcibly stopped other students from enrolling to the winter session.
At that time, messages from the WhatsApp group ‘Unity Against Left’ had been posted on social media. The message by one of the participants asked for action against those who support JNU. In reality, the WhatsApp group was of the Left students, who were using the name “Unity Against Left” to implicate ABVP students.
One of the chats posted by Barkha Dutt had Anand Mangnale posting a message for action against those who support JNU. OpIndia realised that it was Anand Mangale after which Barkha Dutt inadvertently shared the number from which the message came on the WhatsApp group on Twitter. A Google search of the same number revealed it was the same number Congress had used for a crowdfunding campaign.
Anand Mangnale has previously worked with JD(U)’s Prashant Kishore, who had earlier worked as a strategist for ex-Congress President Rahul Gandhi in 2016 ahead of Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections. OpIndia could not independently verify whether Mangnale was part of the team for Rahul Gandhi’s image makeover.
Throughout the conversations in this group, Anand pretended to be someone who belonged to ABVP – essentially – someone who was ‘against the Left’. However, he was someone who was connected to the Congress party and as we now know, NewsClick.
He had tried to mount a senseless defence at the time and also claimed that he had ‘infiltrated the group’ to ‘get info’ on what ABVP was doing to fan violence. However, it was revealed that Anand was actually added by the admin and therefore, it stands to reason that the group was not made by ABVP at all, but Left students pretending to be ‘anti-Left’ in order to blame ABVP for the violence created by them.
Congress at that time that the number belonged to a private vendor they had hired for Lok Sabha elections and it had discontinued. “The number belonged to a vendor and has nothing to do with INC,” Congress tweeted. However, Congress had used Anand’s number for ‘LetsVenture for Wish Kids’ crowdfunding and not really for an election campaign. Anand was, in fact, still very much part of crowdfunding for Congress and Congress leaders. He had tweeted seeking funding for Gourav Vallabh, Congress’ national spokesperson, in November 2019.
In fact, before his Congress connection had been reported, he had posted about being inside the JNU campus at the “T-point”.
In front of me @DelhiPolice was telling Students go back to hostels, students denied saying they aren't safe there. Together outside Sabarmati T point they are safe. While this was on one cop broke a tree branch & made a Lathi. Is this making sure students are safe?#JNUattackpic.twitter.com/2yz9xpnm8p
Only a day before, Sharjeel Imam had also posted about the T-point as well. Sharjeel Imam, one of the main conspirators of the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots had posted only a night before to say that around 8 PM, he and his associates donned helmets and started roaming near the hostel to ‘locate goondas’. He says that the police had control near the main gate. His statement of the police asking students to go back to hostels corroborates with what Imam writes in his post. So, Imam and Mangnale were at the Sabarmati Hostel t-point at around the same time.
Anand Mangnale had tweeted on the 5th of January. Sharjeel Imam had posted on the 4th of January. According to the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots chargesheets, it was on the 5th of January 2020 that a protest site had developed at Fruit Market, Seelampur, Delhi
The next appearance Anand Mangnale makes on OpIndia is in August 2023. OpIndia was investigating the hitjobs against Adani and had delved into an organisation called the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). In August 2023, OpIndia had reported that OCCRP could be planning another shakedown of the Adani Industries. Founded in 2006, OCCRP claims to have a network of journalists across 6 continents who specialise in reporting on organised crime and corruption. While it might seem like an independent, non-partisan organisation, OCCRP is funded by the likes of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF), the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation.
During our research, Opindia found that the South Asian (Regional) Editor of OCCRP was Anand Mangnale. We had also found that he was a partnerships and strategy consultant at the contentious left-propaganda outlet NewsClick
As per the information posted on the website of OCCRP, he has been working with the organisation since 2021. “Anand has worked on several investigations exposing corporate and government corruption, abuse of power, and government misinformation and fake news campaigns,” the profile bio read.
“Anand was a partnerships and strategy consultant with online news platform Newsclick.in, focusing on exposing corporate fraud and corruption.” it further added.
Articles written by Anand Manglale for NewsClick
We also found that Anand Mangnale wrote 15 articles for NewsClick between August 2017 and March 2020.
The revelation in the NewsClick-China funding chargesheet now confirms the stories of OpIndia right from December 2019 to August 2023. Anand Mangnale was connected with the Congress and was running crowdfunding campaigns for the party. He then started working with NewsClick. Thereafter, he joined the DPSG group, which was created on the 26th of December 2019. The DPSG group was one of the groups where the conspiracy to create violence was being hatched. All the main conspirators of the violence were present in the DPSG group – from Sharjeel Imam to Umar Khalid, Harsh Mandar and others. Mangnale joined the DPSG group while working with NewsClick and as we now know, at the behest of NewsClick (who was funding Sharjeel Imam from its Chinese money). Days after the DPSG group was created, in which Anand was present along with other conspirators of the Delhi Riots, in January 2020 violence erupted in JNU in which Mangnale was present inside the campus, despite NOT being a student of JNU. He had spoken exactly what Sharjeel Imam had about the JNU violence hours apart. According to OpIndia’s August 2023 report, Mangnale now works for a Soros-funded organisation called OCCRP which did hitjobs against Adani – something that was picked up by Rahul Gandhi to tarnish the image of India. Soros is the same man who had vowed to pull down Narendra Modi and had floated a 1 billion dollar fund for it.
Anand Mangnale, despite the evidence against him and being mentioned in the chargesheet, has denied the charges.
Third rate crime drama as chargesheet by @DelhiPolice Do your real jobs & duty. You aren’t there to do Government’s bidding. Constitution! Remember?
Ishrat Jahan – Another Congress leader involved in the Delhi Riots
Former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan was also deeply involved in the Delhi Riots – she was arrested on the 26th of February 2020 and was later given bail on humanitarian grounds by the court.
Following is how Ishrat Jahan was involved in the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots:
Ishrat Jahan attended a meeting organised by AAP leader Amanatullah Khan and at Alia Madrasa at Khureji in connection with the initiation of the protest. She along with Khalid Saifi was instrumental in the organisation of the 24/7 protest site at Khureji. On the 26th of February 2020, she said that the “revolution has reached the 2nd stage”.
On the 26th of February, Ishrat Jahan along with Khalid Saifi instigated people to attack police personnel and it was in this connection that FIR 44/20 was registered.
She was a part of the conspiracy hatched by JCC and other groups to instigate violence.
She delivered provocative speeches to instigate people against “other community” (Hindus) as well as the government of India.
As the main organiser of the protest site, she called other speakers to site like Sharjeel Imam, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Meeran Haider, Nadeem Khan etc to monitor the site and deliver speeches.
She was involved in raising funds from unaccounted and illegal means to be used in the protest.
She forced documents to hide her tracks.
Illegitimate funds were used to acquire weapons for the riots.
Her purpose was to create an Islamic state.
She was aware of the purpose, objective and process of the conspiracy.
At the Khureji protest site, women and children were used as a human shield and this was a part of the larger conspiracy hatched at DPSG.
She is connected to all other accused in the case like Amanatullah Khan, Khalid Saifi, Tasleem Ahmad, Natasha Narwal, Safoora Zargar and others.
There were 1097 calls and messages between Ishrat Jahan and Amanatullah Khan between 1st December 2019 and 26th February 2020.
There was a deposit of Rs 4 lakh found in her account from one Mahadev Vijay Kaste. Kaste said that, on the instruction of his boss Samir Abdul Sai where he was working as a driver and took a loan against gold worth Rs 4,31,700. The gold itself was given to him by his employer and he was asked by his employer to transfer Rs 4 lakh to Ishrat Jahan.
When interrogated, Samir Abdul Sai said that Imran Siddiqui was his business partner, who was a relative of Ishrat Jahan and also wanted to hide the track of the money because it was to be used for the protests.
Siddiqui confirmed the transfer of the money to Ishrat Jahan.
To hide the transfer of money, a fake agreement was drawn up between Siddiqui and Sai, however, the agreement does not have the signature of Siddiqui.
The date of the agreement is shown as 26th November 2019 but the entry by the Notary is made on 13th April 2020.
The partnership deed was prepared after Siddiqui was asked to join the investigation
Apart from this, cash of Rs 1,41,000 was deposited in Ishrat Jahan’s account and the same could not be explained by Jahan.
One witness, Peter, said that Ishrat Jahan had got illegal funds to organise the protest and acquire arms through Abdul Khalid. One country-made weapon was also recovered from JCL and arrested under FIR 44/20.
Rahul Gandhi, Congress and the mysterious, monetary relationship with China
Rahul Gandhi, Congress and China have a deep-rooted relationship that dates back several years, in fact, decades. On the 7th of August, 2008, an agreement was signed between the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress party and the Communist Party of China (CPC).
During UPA1 in 2008, the Congress Party and the Communist Party of China (CPC) signed a deal in Beijing for exchanging high-level information and co-operation between them. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) also provided the two parties with the “opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”.
Interestingly, the MoU was signed by the then Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and on the Chinese side, it was signed by none other than Xi Jinping himself, who was then the Chinese vice-president and standing committee member of the CPC’s politburo. The MoU was signed in the presence of his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi.
Before the signing of the MoU, the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi had held a long meeting with Xi and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China to discuss issues of mutual interest.
In 2008, Sonia Gandhi visited Beijing along with Rahul, daughter Priyanka, son-in-law Robert Vadra and their two children to attend the opening of the Olympic Games. A year before, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had also led a delegation of the Congress party to China.
The 2008 MoU between CCP and Congress came at a time when the Left parties in India had expressed a lack of trust in the UPA-1 government led by Congress. The India Today report suggests that even as China was aware of the political landscape in India, Xi Jinping went ahead and signed the pact with Congress as the CCP wanted deeper ties with Congress, especially with the Gandhi family.
Not just the MoUs, but the close relationship between the Chinese leadership and the Congress party, especially Rahul Gandhi had also been highlighted just a few years ago during the Doklam stand-off when Rahul Gandhi was caught secretly meeting Chinese officials.
The Gandhi-scion, not once but twice, was caught meeting Chinese officials, raising suspicion among the policymakers regarding the intent of his secretive meeting with the Chinese.
The first meeting took place in 2017, when Rahul Gandhi had a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui, especially at a time when India and China were in the middle of a stand-off at Doklam. At first, the Congress party had denied such meetings and had termed news reports suggesting that the Gandhi-scion had indeed met Chinese officials as ‘fake news’.
However, the Congress party had to face massive embarrassment after the Chinese embassy had confirmed the meeting between the then Congress vice president and the Chinese envoy.
This meeting was especially suspicious, because the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, at that time were vehemently attacking the Indian government over their stand in the ongoing military standoff with China.
In 2018, Rahul Gandhi revealed details of the secret meeting with a couple of Chinese ministers during his trip to Kailash Mansarovar in September 2018. The meeting was kept secret initially but later Rahul Gandhi revealed the details of the meeting accidentally leading people to speculate even more as to why both the Congress party and China were trying to hide the meeting.
That is not all. Back in 2020, details about the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation’s (RGF) monetary operations emerged. OpIndia had previously published detailed pieces about the Chinese government’s financial contributions of more than Rs 1 crore to RGF between 2006 and afterwards.
Apart from his relationship with China, it is also true that Rahul Gandhi has time and again aligned his interests with those of George Soros and the entities funded by him. On 31 October 2022, a person named Salil Shetty joined Rahul Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Harthikote in Karnataka. Salil Shetty is the global vice president of Open Society Foundations founded by George Soros. Before becoming VP of Open Society Foundation, Shetty was secretary general of Amnesty International, another left-wing organisation known for its anti-India activities. In 2020, Salil Shetty was actively involved in the anti-CAA protests in various places across the country, including Bengaluru and Delhi.
In fact, there is also a convergence between OCCRP, Rahul Gandhi and Anand Mangnale, given that Anand works for OCCRP which did a hitjob against Adani and Rahul Gandhi has been beating the dead horse ever since.
Pertinently, George Soros in a statement had also mentioned that PM Modi will have to “answer for” the so-called revelations against Adani. “This will significantly weaken Modi’s stranglehold on India’s federal government and open the door to push for much-needed institutional reforms. I may be naive, but I expect a democratic revival in India,” George Soros said reading from a prepared statement in the video – a statement that aligns perfectly with Rahul Gandhi’s agenda.
There are several other links between Rahul Gandhi and George Soros which can be read here and here.
The questions that arise – Delhi Riots, NewsClick, China Funding, Rahul Gandhi and Congress
The revelations made in the NewsClick open up a pandora’s box as far as the Delhi anti-Hindu Riot is concerned and the role of the Congress party. While so far, the Congress party’s involvement in fanning violence was limited to Sonia Gandhi’s ‘aar ya paar’ speech before the violence erupted, Rahul Gandhi’s fear-mongering and Ishrat Jahan, with the mentioning of Anand Mangnale in the investigation, there are several other questions that arise.
Anand Mangnale was inside the JNU premises when violence broke out in January 2020. At that time, his number was used for Congress fundraising. At the same time, he was also speaking the language of Sharjeel Imam. Was Congress aware of Anand Mangnale’s involvement?
While Mangnale was working for NewsClick, he was also fundraising for Congress. What is Congress’ role in the NewsClick Chinese funding saga, if any?
Anand Mangnale joined the DPSG group in December 2019 at the behest of NewsClick- a group which was central in planning Delhi violence. At the same time, he was also fundraising for Congress. Was Congress aware of DPSG and the planning of Delhi violence?
Did Congress have other representatives in the DPSG group?
Chinese money was directly funnelled to Sharjeel Imam and other protestors through Neville Roy Singham and NewsClick. The money was given to Sharjeel Imam by Anand Mangnale. Anand Mangnale and Sharjeel Imam were in the same DPSG group. Was Congress aware of this?
While the NewsClick investigation confirms OpIndia’s suspicions, Congress has a lot to answer for about its role in fomenting violence targeted at Hindus during the Delhi anti-Hindu riots 202.
Earlier today, senior Congress leader and former president Rahul Gandhi shot himself in the foot, yet again, when he attacked the Modi government over a recently published report in the Financial Times that accused the Adani Group of committing a ‘scam’ by selling low-grade coal as high-value fuel.
Tweeting in Hindi, the Gandhi scion said that a ‘big coal scam’ has come to light under the BJP government.
“Through this scam that has been going on for years, Modiji’s favourite friend Adani has looted thousands of crores of rupees by selling low-grade coal at three times the price, the price of which the common people have paid from their pockets by paying expensive electricity bills. Will the Prime Minister tell how many tempos were used to keep ED, CBI and IT quiet on this open corruption?” tweeted Gandhi, adding that the INDI government will investigate this mega scam and account for every penny looted from the public once it forms its government after June 4.
भाजपा सरकार में भीषण कोयला घोटाला सामने आया है।
वर्षों से चल रहे इस घोटाले के ज़रिए मोदी जी के प्रिय मित्र अडानी ने लो-ग्रेड कोयले को तीन गुने दाम पर बेच कर हज़ारों करोड़ रुपए लूटे हैं, जिसकी कीमत आम जनता ने बिजली का महंगा बिल भर कर अपनी जेब से चुकाई है।
The Financial Times recently published an article titled “Adani suspected of fraud by selling low-grade coal as high-value fuel”, in what appears as a part of its concerted attempt to slander the Indian business conglomerate with allegations of committing a ‘scam’ involving the sale of coal from Indonesia to India. It is worth mentioning that there is no evidence furnished by the Financial Times to back its claim of ‘fraud’ committed by the Adani Group over the coal sale.
While Mr Gandhi seemed to lap up the FT allegations without conducting due diligence, the article says that the suspicions of wrongdoing stem from January 2014 dated invoices of an Indonesian shipment of coal said to contain 3,500 calories per kilogramme purchased by Adani.
In other words, the Financial Times report says it was in January 2014, which was during the UPA-II era, when Manmohan Singh was the country’s Prime Minister, that the alleged scam took place.
The relevant section from The Financial Times report on allegations of fraud against the Adani Group
Curiously, the transaction took place between the Adani Group and the Tamil Nadu Generation and the Distribution Company (Tangedco) when the former was accused of selling off 3,500 calories per kilogramme grade fuel as 6,000 calories per kilogramme fuel, among the most valuable grades. According to the report, the purported scam period was 2012-2016 and it took place in Tamil Nadu.
Alleged coal scam dated to January 2014, when MMS-led UPA-II was in power, and in Tamil Nadu, where AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa was CM
While the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government was at the centre in 2012 and in January 2014, Tamil Nadu was then governed by AIADMK and the chief minister of the state was J. Jayalalithaa. Ms Jayalalithaa ruled Tamil Nadu from 2011 to September 2014, and again from May 2015 to May 2016 with a brief hiatus when Paneerselvam was the chief minister. It is also notable to mention that the BJP was not in the government at the Centre in January 2014 or Tamil Nadu from 2012 to 2016, when the alleged scam about coal sales by the Adani Group had taken place.
In his tweet, the Gandhi scion alleged that the scam occurred during the Modi government. However, Prime Minister Modi assumed office in June 2014, several months after the invoices for the sale of Indonesian coal were issued in January 2014. Modi’s historic election victory came after defeating the UPA-II government, which had been marred by numerous corruption scandals, policy paralysis, and chronic misgovernance.
Even as the latest report by the Financial Times does little to prove how the sale of Indonesian coal by the Adani Group to the Tamil Nadu company in January 2014 is a scam, let alone one under the watch of the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi’s spirited co-option of the controversy without delving into the details and the timeline of the incidents illustrates his aversion to facts and his chronic habit of shooting himself in the foot.
The George Soros link to the FT report targeting Adani over alleged coal scam
Meanwhile, the FT report states that it obtained documents of the transaction between a ship carrying Indonesian coal and the Adani Group from an organisation named OCCRP. This organisation, OCCRP, or the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, is a foundation backed by global manipulator George Soros and has been one among a nexus of organisations that were involved in carrying out hitjobs against the Adani Group.
George Soros-backed OCCRP Foundation shared documents with FT against the Adani Group
OCCRP had in the past directed its efforts to target business groups in India, most notably the Adani Group. It hit the national headlines in August 2023 after media reports claimed it was planning an exposé on an unidentified corporate house in India over the investment of ‘overseas funds’.
Founded in 2006, OCCRP claims to have a network of journalists across 6 continents who specialise in reporting on organised crime and corruption. It is one of the many fronts for George Soros and his Open Society Foundations to influence civil society and ‘distort’ public perspectives across different nations.
A cursory glance at the ‘India’ page of the organisation reveals the organisation’s fixation with distorting public perception about PM Narendra Modi and presenting the Indian Prime Minister as a ‘demagogue’ and an electoral autocrat. The organisation was also seen fearmongering about the State of democracy in India and reiterating propaganda of dubious fact-checkers of Alt News about news agency, ANI.
Adani Group is a target of Western organisations and media outlets after Rahul Gandhi’s unsubstantiated allegations of crony capitalism
Intriguingly, the Adani Group has been a target of hitjobs by several Western organisations and media outfits, especially after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of favouring the Indian business conglomerate, often with empty rhetorics and no evidence. Last year, Hindenburg Research attacked the group, prompting a freefall in the stock price of its flagship company, Adani Enterprises. The stock price eventually recovered and is trading close to its lifetime high, a strong indicator of the Group’s robust balance sheet is robust
Similarly, the Financial Times had in March 2023 published an article targeting the Adani Group, stating that the business conglomerate’s foreign direct investment came from offshore entities linked to the family. The group rubbished the allegations by the Financial Times stating that it was a “mendacious, deliberate effort to paint the Adani Group and the Adani family in the worst possible light.”
“Our statement to your reporter, that all the transactions about which the Financial Times inquired have been publicly disclosed, is accurate, and the story amply demonstrates that your reporters conveniently chose not to look in a meaningful way at those public disclosures or even at the related press releases (including ones that the Financial Times covered at the time),” the statement released by the Adani Group said.
On 20th May, during an address to the House of Commons, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued an official heartfelt apology for the UK NHS’s infected blood scandal. The scandal that began in the 1970s has been termed as one of the biggest injustices done to the people of the UK in British medical history.
The apology from the current PM of the UK came after a report revealed that the government of the United Kingdom purposefully covered up the scandal. The report also pointed out there were systemic failures that led to the infection of 30,000 people with HIV and hepatitis. Around 3,000 people lost their lives untimely as a result of receiving infection.
On behalf of this and every Government stretching back to the 1970s, I am truly sorry. pic.twitter.com/eFQBPIvdBk
In his statement, Sunak said, “This is a day of shame for the British state. Today’s report shows a decades-long moral failure at the heart of our national life. I want to make a wholehearted and unequivocal apology.”
Timeline of the Infected Blood Scandal
The report into the infected blood scandal has been submitted by an inquiry panel chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff. The report provided detailed information on the 50 years of negligence in the decision-making process and deliberate concealment of the facts by the UK government. The scandal began in the 1970s and involved using contaminated blood products and transfusions. People suffering from haemophilia and those who underwent surgery and childbirth were the prime victims of the scandal.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks directly to victims and their families on the infected blood scandal. pic.twitter.com/zrwTpSquYq
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 20, 2024
1970s-1980s: The onset of the crisis
In the 1970s, the National Health Services (NHS) began using a new treatment for haemophilia that was called Factor VIII. For those who are unaware, haemophilia is a rare genetic condition in which blood fails to clot the way it usually does. People suffering from the disorder may bleed to death if not treated in time even after a small injury.
In Factor VIII treatment, the missing proteins required for blood clotting are replaced using blood products from pooled plasma donations. In this case, the plasma was imported from the United States and it came from high-risk donors including prisoners and drug addicts. These high-risk individuals were paid for the donated blood.
The UK authorities were well aware of the risks but they decided to continue importing these products. The infected blood in the pool led to thousands contracting hepatitis C and HIV.
1982-1986: Ignored warnings and slow response
It was as early as 1982 when warnings were issued about the risks of viral infections from blood products. However, NHS did not pay heed to the warnings and continued the use the imported blood products. It was only in 1985 that NHS started to heat-treat the blood products to eliminate HIV infection. There was also a notable delay in screening for hepatitis C making the UK one of the last developed countries to adopt comprehensive blood testing protocols before using the products derived from it for transfusions.
1987-1990s: Continued negligence and unfortunate cover-up
By this period, both the NHS and the government had recognised the risks but they did not act the way they should have been. There was a lack of openness and accountability on their side. Reports suggested that documents were destroyed and the public was kept in the dark from knowing what happened over decades in the US.
Those who got infected faced significant hurdles in obtaining compensation. They were pressured into signing waivers that prevented them from taking any legal action in the future.
2017: The turning point
It was 2017 when things started to change. Then-Prime Minister of the UK, Theresa May, announced an inquiry over the Infected Blood scandal. It has to be noted that political pressure and advocacy by victims like Jason Evans played a vital role in the initiation of the inquiry into the matter. Evans lost his father due to infections contracted via contaminated blood.
2018-2023: The inquiry
From 2018 to 2013 the inquiry in the matter was held by the committee chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff. For five years, the panel collected evidence from families, survivors and experts into the matter. There were two interim reports submitted on the matter. The first report was submitted in 2022 and the second one was submitted in 2023, in which the panel recommended compensation that led to interim payments of GBP 100,000 each to around 4,000 survivors and bereaved partners.
Findings and reactions
In inquiry revealed that there was a lack of condemnation from the authorities. They not only failed to protect the patients but also tried to cover up the matter. Sir Brian Langstaff highlighted the “institutional defensiveness” of the NHS, government, and medical community, which compounded the harm. He stated, “Patients were failed not once but repeatedly by those entrusted with their care. The infections happened because those in authority did not put patient safety first.”
The report revealed that the use of blood products from high-risk individuals was used despite the known dangers. There were delays in implementing safety measures and testing protocols. Furthermore, the report revealed that there was a pervasive culture of denial and lack of accountability.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also addressed the House of Commons and described the scandal as one of the gravest injustices to the people of the UK. He echoed the call for comprehensive compensation for the victims.
Politics has failed every single one of the victims of the infected blood scandal.
I will work with the government to ensure everyone affected receives the proper compensation they deserve.
Independent Member of Parliament for North West Leicestershire, Andrew Bridgen, said, “Lessons have been learned. Action will be taken. The only real lesson that’s been learned has been learned by the public – that they can’t trust government to protect them from unsafe medicines.”
"Lessons have been learned. Action will be taken. The only real lesson that's been learned has been learned by the public – that they can't trust government to protect them from unsafe medicines." In questions about the contaminated blood scandal (sparsely attended as usual with… pic.twitter.com/FLaqLTb5af
In his address, Prime Minister Sunak pledged that the government would pay “whatever it costs” in compensation to the victims. He added that the detailed plans about the compensations would be unveiled shortly. NHS England’s Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard issued an apology on behalf of the health service. She acknowledged the systemic failures and the long-lasting impact on patients and their families.
The dead body of a Bangladeshi legislator named Anwarul Azim Anar, who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment, has been found by the police. The development was confirmed on Wednesday (22nd May), eight days after he went missing.
Anwarul Azim Anar was a member of the ruling Awami League party in Bangladesh and served as a Parliamentarian from the Jhenaidah-4 constituency.
According to the Kolkata police, the killing of the Bangladeshi legislator was pre-meditated. His dismembered body was recovered from an apartment, belonging to an excise duty official, in Sanjeeva Garden in Kolkata’s New Town area.
Indian police recovered the body of Anwarul Azim Anar, Member of Parliament of Jhenaidah-4 Constituency of Bangladesh. His body was recovered from Sanjeeva Garden in Kolkata's Newtown area on Wednesday morning. Several intelligence agencies of the two countries initially… pic.twitter.com/lC0WpzWLx7
While speaking about the matter, Bangladeshi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan stated,”Quoting a DIG from India, our police said the body of Azim has been recovered in Kolkata. We are yet to have completely confirmed information about the matter. Our inspector general [IG] is looking into the details. I will inform the media once everything is confirmed.”
In the meantime, the Inspector General of Bangladesh police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is closely working with his Indian counterpart in Kolkata. He added that the possible involvement of gold smuggling is being probed by the police.
It must be mentioned that the deceased Anwarul Azim Anar came to India on 12th May and was staying at his friend’s house in Baranagar in North Kolkata. He went to meet someone on the following day and did not return.
Following his abrupt disappearance, his friend filed a complaint with the police. Reportedly, Anwarul Azim Anar had messaged his family members saying that he had left for New Delhi.
On 22nd May, the Supreme Court revoked the bail granted by the Madras High Court to eight men named Barakhatullah, Idris, Mohd Tahir, Khalid Mohammad, Syed Khaja, Mohinudeen, Yasar Arafat and Fayaz Ahmed. who had been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for belonging to the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) and plotting to carry out terrorist attacks around the nation.
The evidence used to convict the accused included documents that had been discovered in their possessions, including “pictures with markings” of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders and other Hindu organizations, implying that these individuals were on a “hit list.”
A vacation bench consisting of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal declared that the court could intervene and cancelled their bail due to the severity of the offense and the short amount of time they had spent behind bars which is just 1.5 years. The court ruled that any terrorist act, no matter how violent or non-violent, is subject to restrictions since national security is always of foremost significance. It stated that the respondents in this matter would not be released on bail in compliance with section 43D(5) of the UAPA Act.
The court pronounced, “Having regard to the gravity of the offence and the only 1.5 years spent in incarceration given the maximum punishment, we are inclined to interfere with HC order granting bail. Courts can interfere with orders granting personal liberty if the same is perverse. The appeals are thus allowed. Trial to be expedited and this order not be construed have not said anything on merits.” It added, “Prima facie a case has been made out in terms of the material placed before us by the agency.”
The Madras High Court’s ruling awarding bail to the eight defendants was being appealed by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to the court. While granting bail and overturning a special court judgment, the high court expressed the opinion that the special court erred in denying the eight men’s release because the papers gathered by the NIA did not clearly connect any of the men to the accused crimes. The top court had noted that the agency probably assumed that individuals are advocates for the illegal group when their actions are viewed through a “jaundiced eye”.
The NIA had informed the court that the appellants had been found in possession of many documents, including some “pictures with markings” of leaders of the RSS and other Hindu organizations. According to the NIA, PFI’s “vision document” disclosed that its goal was to seize political power and work toward establishing an Islamic kingdom in India by 2047. The agency asserted to have evidence that the Union government had acquired about the PFI’s plot to plan terrorist attacks in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and other Indian states, which is why the perpetrators were taken into custody in September of last year.
The NIA charged that these males had organized a plot to use its “hit squads” to carry out acts of terrorism against groups that they believed to be anti-Islamic. The “hit squads” were to attack, assault, maim, and kill these targets with the goal of causing terror and endangering India’s unity, integrity, security and sovereignty. The appellants filed an appeal with the High Court after a special court denied them bail in January of this year and it granted them bail leading to the petition before the apex court.
A case of grooming jihad has come to light from the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh where a 22-year-old Dalit girl, studying in BA third year was trapped by her friend’s 45-year-old father in a romantic relationship. The accused has been identified as Mohammad Sameer. The incident transpired when she went to attend the wedding ceremony of her friend. He seduced the young woman and absconded with her on 11th May. However, the authorities eventually apprehended him on 21st May after she returned. Notably, he had already married and divorced two Muslim females after which he took a Hindu woman as his third wife 25 years ago and the couple has four children together.
The case pertains to the Dullahpur police station area of Ghazipur. On 17th May the victim’s father complained to the police which stated that his daughter is a BA third-year student. She travelled to the Jalalabad neighbourhood of Ghazipur in February of this year to attend her friend Sahiba’s wedding where she met her father and the two got acquainted. They shared their mobile numbers and he started using deceptive tactics and offered her inducements to lure her into his trap. He succeded in taking her away on 11th May. Afterwards, her family members searched for her but were unable to find her.
She was found in Ghazipur on 17th May, after a week. Her father revealed that the offender has four kids. He has been married thrice. He divorced her first two Muslim wives before marrying a Hindu in 1999. According to information accessed by OpIndia, Mohammad Sameer regularly called the Dalit girl after he met her at his daughter’s wedding. He then entered her residence when she was alone and raped her. He also promised her marriage and took her to Vapi in Gujarat on the 11th of May. She somehow managed to come to Ghazipur from there on 17th May.
She narrated her ordeal to her family members after which a First Information Report (FIR) was registered and the cops began looking for the perpetrator. He has been booked under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Section 376 (rape) was added following the girl’s statement. The police learned of Mohammad Sameer’s presence at his Ghazipur home on 21st May after which a raid was carried out and he was nabbed. He was sent to jail under judicial custody. Further investigation into the matter is underway. OpIndia has an FIR copy of the case.
