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‘Mein hoon na, Khela hobe’: TMC candidate Prasun Banerjee follows the footsteps of Mamata Banerjee, threatens central paramilitary forces

OpIndia Staff
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‘Mein hoon na, Khela hobe’: TMC candidate Prasun Banerjee follows the footsteps of Mamata Banerjee, threatens central paramilitary forces

On Sunday (17th March), a video of Trinamool Congress candidate (North Malda) Prasun Banerjee went viral on social media wherein he was heard threatening the central paramilitary forces.

“I am telling the BSF, central paramilitary forces…You stay within the law and we will also stay within the law. Elections should be peaceful, free and fair. If the central paramilitary forces intimidate you, then, I am Prasun Banerjee. Mein hoon na (I am there),” he had warned.

“The forces should be respected as long as you get respect and they are not infringing upon your democratic rights…Khela hobe,” the IPS officer turned TMC candidate cautioned.

While issuing veiled threats to the Election Commission, Prasun Banerjee said, “Just say Prasun Bandyopadhyay has come to play (Kheta esche). He is entering the booth within 30 mins…The election observer will understand everything”.

In the run-up to the 2021 West Bengal Vidhan Sabha elections, Mamata Banerjee claimed that the central security personnel had been working in cahoots with the BJP as a part of a sinister conspiracy to defeat the Trinamool Congress.

“Don’t listen to them. If they try to intimidate you, then, you must unite and chase them away with sickles, sticks and brooms,” the West Bengal CM recommended the people of Falakata in Alipurduar district to resort to violent means.

A few days later, she urged the women in Sitalkuchi in Coochbehar district to gherao the paramilitary forces.

“If the CRPF creates trouble, you, the women, gherao them totally. While one group will keep the forces gheraoed, another will go to cast your votes,” Mamata Banerjee claimed in April 2021.

She also accused the central forces of molesting women and obstructing electorates from exercising their right to vote. While acting on her advice, TMC goons attacked the CAPF in Sitalkuchi.

TMC candidate Prasun Banerjee seems to be following the footsteps of the party’s supremo ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The many controversies of Prasun Banerjee

Prasoon Banerjee is an ex-IPS officer who served as the Inspector General of Police of Raiganj range in West Bengal.

Despite more than 5 years remaining for the completion of his service, he tendered his resignation abruptly on 9th March this year.

A day later, he joined the TMC and was fielded as a candidate from Malda North. Soon after, his tweet from September 2015, objectifying women went viral on social media.

Screebgrab of the 2015 tweet by Prasun Banerjee

The tweet read, “Why men prefer women with sharp curves.” The controversial post also included a link to an article explaining men’s fantasies about women’s body types.

The development came at a time when Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides Shibu Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar had been under the scanner for the sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

Prasun Banerjee was slammed by netizens, with many comparing him to a ‘pervert’ incapable of providing safety to the women in his constituency.

Screengrab of the Twitter Profile of Prasun Banerjee

Following backlash on social media, the TMC candidate from Malda North quickly deactivated his account. Banerjee did not bother to cite any apology or reassure the residents of his constituency.

Niger suspends military agreement with US with immediate effect, country’s military rulers accuse US delegation of violating protocol

ANI
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Niger suspends military agreement with US with immediate effect, country’s military rulers accuse US delegation of violating protocol

In a blow to the US security presence in Niger, the latter has suspended its military agreement with the former “with immediate effect”, Al Jazeera reported quoting the Niger’s ruling military spokesman, Colonel Amadou Abdramane.

The agreement that allowed US military personnel and civilian defence staff to operate from Niger lost its existence a week after senior US officials, led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee and US Africa Command head General Michael Langley, visited the West African country earlier this week to discuss democratic transition.

The pact played a central role in the US military’s operations in Africa’s Sahel region and is home to a major airbase.

Speaking on local television, Abdramane said the US delegation did not follow diplomatic protocol, and that Niger was not informed about the composition of the delegation, the date of its arrival or the agenda, Al Jazeera reported.

“Niger regrets the intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and types of partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism,” Abdramane said.

The US military had some 650 personnel working in Niger in December, according to a White House report to Congress. The US military operates a major airbase in the Niger city of Agadez, some 920km (572 miles) from the capital of Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and other operations.

According to the Al Jazeera report, a drone base known as Air Base 201 near Agadez was built at a cost of more than USD 100 million. Since 2018 the base has been used to target ISIL (ISIS) fighters and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, in the Sahel region.

Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera correspondent Shihab Rattansi said the move is “a huge blow to the US”.

“Niger is the centre of US operations in west and north Africa, notably at its Air Base 201, the most expensive construction project ever undertaken by the US government. It’s there for war on terror operations but it’s really there also for great power projection against countries like Russia and China.”

Last October, Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup. But in December, the top US envoy for Africa, Phee, said the US was willing to restore aid and security ties if Niger met certain conditions.

The military said the delegation had accused Niger of partnering with Russia and Iran on “secret” deals, which the government denies. Officials also said the US had “threatened” action against Niger if the Niamey fails to cut ties with both countries.

The military government “forcefully denounces the condescending attitude accompanied by the threat of retaliation from the head of the American delegation towards the Nigerien government and people”, spokesman Abdramane added.

Niger has been under military rule since July 2023 when an elite guard force led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani detained President Mohamed Bazoum and declared Tchiani ruler.

Like the military rulers in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger has also kicked out French and other European forces. Both Mali and Burkina Faso have turned to Russia for support.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Uttar Pradesh: Professor Ehsan Ahmed does ‘ghar wapsi’ and embraces Sanatan Dharma, changes his name to Anit Pandit

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Professor Ehsan Ahmed does ‘ghar wapsi’ and embraces Sanatan Dharma, changes his name to Anit Pandit

On 14th March, a Muslim professor named Ehsan Ahmed did ‘ghar-wapsi‘ and returned to the fold of Sanatan Dharma in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district. Now, he will be known as Anil Pandit. The man is posted as an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at CMP Degree College and is associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He married a Hindu woman who is a lecturer at Inter College in the Ballia district of the state. The two married according to Hindu rituals and customs.

He is busy preparing official documents for his ‘ghar-wapsi’ at present. He has already submitted an application to the administrative authorities to amend his religious identity. Ehsan Ahmed stated in his application that he became a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 2020. He learned about the religion extensively and gained a profound understanding. He asserted that he noticed many positive aspects of Hinduism and as a result, he took the decision to revert to the faith out of his own free will.

He added that he became a Hindu without any pressure following deep consideration and of his own volition. He has also informed that his name has been changed from Ehsan Ahmed to Anil Pandit. He will be referred to by the new name officially after the certificate is issued.

Prayagraj Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Administration Pooja Mishra mentioned that the documents and applications filed by Ehsan Ahmed regarding his ‘ghar-wapsi’ have been received. All of the documents are being examined. Ehsan Ahmed will receive a certificate of conversion soon once the probe is completed. He will then be able to update the name on his paperwork.

According to media reports, Professor Ehsan Ahmed has done his studies at Allahabad University. He completed his Ph.D. and post-graduation course from there. Furthermore, he taught for a few days at university after his doctorate. He was thereafter recruited by Allahabad Degree College as a lecturer. Ehsan Ahmed was influenced by Hinduism for a long time. He is a devotee of Bajrang Bali (Lord Hanuman) and used to visit the temple often to offer prayers.

Boston University student from Andhra Pradesh found dead in a car in forest in Massachusetts, 9th such death of Indians in the USA

OpIndia Staff
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Boston University student from Andhra Pradesh found dead in a car in forest in Massachusetts, 9th such death of Indians in the USA

Massachusetts police have recovered the dead body of another Indian student murdered. The dead body of Paruchuri Abhijit, who hailed from Burripalem of district Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, was found in a car in a forest. This is the ninth murder of an Indian in the USA in recent times.

23-year-old Abhijit was an engineering student at Boston University and allegedly got killed by some thugs. He joined Boston University last year and was staying with his classmates in a rented house. Noticing Abhijit did not reach home after finishing his classwork on 11 March, his worried friends informed police and lodged a missing complaint.

The police traced his mobile signals and recovered the dead body in a car in the nearby forest.

It is believed that Paruchuri Abhijit was killed on 11th March by unidentified individuals on the University campus. His body was dumped inside a car and abandoned in the forest. The investigation into the matter is underway, and further details are yet to be revealed by the police.

After completing all the formalities in the US, the body was transported to Burripalem in Guntur district.

Multiple cases of unnatural deaths of Indians in the US

There have been a series of deaths of Indians in the United States. On 27th February, West Bengal’s Birbhum-based Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Amarnath Ghosh died in the US. He was reportedly taken to a hospital after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds while he was on an evening walk. He died at the hospital.

On 23rd January, 18-year-old Indian student Akul Dhawan froze to death after he was denied entry to a nightclub. Champaign County Coroner Stephen Thuney issued a statement detailing the official cause of Dhawan’s death. The release stated that the death was unintentional. “An autopsy was performed on Tuesday, 23rd January 2024, that confirmed the death of Dhawan was due to hypothermia. Acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to frigid temperatures significantly contributed to his death,” the press release stated.

Last year, a similar incident was reported after an Indian student identified as Janhavi Kandula was killed after being hit by a patrol car driven by police officer Kevin Dave in Seattle. Dave was driving at 74 mph (119 kph) on his way to a report of an overdose when he collided with Kandula at Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street. According to reports, her body was flung about 100 feet (30 meters) away. Reportedly, as per the latest update, it has come to the fore that Dave, who collided with Kandula, resulting in the latter’s death, will not face any criminal charges in the case due to ‘lack of evidence’.

On 5th February, a 23-year-old Indian student, Sameer Kamath, was found dead in Warren County in Indiana. He was a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering at Purdue University.

Shreyas Reddy, who was a student at the Linder School of Business, was also found dead in Cincinnati, Ohio. But, the cause of his death remains unknown.

Before him, Vivek Saini and Neel Acharya were also found dead in the same week. Notably, Neel Acharya was also a student at the Purdue University. His body was found at the campus on 30th January. Another Indian student, Vivek Saini, was brutally killed with repeated blows from a hammer by a homeless man inside a store in Lithonia, Georgia, US, on 29th January.

Also, on 7th February, a 41-year-old Indian-origin man named Vivek Taneja succumbed to his injuries after being grievously assaulted by an unidentified man in downtown Washington in the United States.

An Indian-origin family was found dead in their apartment in California in February this year. The family is comprised of four members, identified as Anand Sujith Henry, his wife Alice Priyanka, and their twin children, Noah and Neithan. San Mateo police confirmed the death of the family on 13th February.

Chhattisgarh: EOW registers FIR against ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel and others in Mahadev betting scam case

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: EOW registers FIR against ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel and others in Mahadev betting scam case

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Chhattisgarh has registered an FIR against former state Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and others in the Mahadev online betting scam case, officials said on Sunday (17th March). According to the officials, the FIR has been filed based on a report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). 

Notably, the ED has been probing the money-laundering angel in the Mahadev betting app case for more than a year. Earlier, the agency had stated that its probe had revealed the involvement of various high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh, the home state of two main promoters of the betting app. 

A senior EOW official said, “The ED has been investigating the case, and based on its report submitted to the state’s Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau, the FIR was registered against Baghel and others at the EOW police station here on March 4.”

He added that former CM Baghel, along with app promoters Ravi Uppal, Saurabh Chandrakar, Shubham Soni, Anil Kumar Agrawal, and 14 others, have been named as accused in the FIR. Meanwhile, some bureaucrats, police officials, officers on special duty (OSDs), and other unidentified private persons have also been accused in the case without being named.

The case has been registered under various sections of IPC including 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), and 471 (using as genuine a forged document), and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, the official added.

ED findings which led to the FIR against the Former CM and others

The ED had revealed in November 2023 that app promoters Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal paid bribes worth Rs 508 crore. The duo was detained in Dubai based on an Interpol red notice issued at the behest of the ED. Currently, they are in detention in a UAE facility and extradition requests have already been sent through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Subsequently, in January, the ED had named Baghel in its supplementary chargesheet related to allegations of receiving bribes amounting to approximately Rs 508 crore from the promoters of the Mahadev app from the UAE.

According to the ED, the projected proceeds of crime in this case are about Rs 6,000 crore. 

Earlier, during an investigation into this case, the ED revealed that several dummy accounts and fake bank entities were being used to invest nearly Rs 1,100 crore in the stock market.

So far, the agency has arrested nine accused and seized or frozen assets worth Rs 1764.5 crore in this case. Further, the ED has filed two chargesheets in the case in Raipur court, including against Chandrakar and Uppal. It had conducted multiple raids in connection with the case. 

Click here to read complete details about the Mahadev Betting App scam and how such betting companies evade taxes.

What does the FIR state

Citing ED’s report, the FIR stated that Mahadev Book App promoters Uppal, Chandrakar, Soni, and Agrawal created the platform for live online betting and indulged in betting through WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and other social media platforms.

As per the FIR, the promoters created different platforms and conducted illegal acts of online betting through panel operators/ branch operators. They kept 70 to 80 percent of the illegal earnings with them and distributed the rest of the money to panel operators/ branch operators, FIR states.

According to the FIR, the promoters and panel operators illegally collected around Rs 450 crore per month through the online betting app after the lockdown was imposed in 2020 (following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic). 

It adds that for transactions of illegally obtained money, bank accounts were opened based on fake documents by the promoters and panel operators of the Mahadev Book App, and hundreds of bank accounts were operated based on commission with the money obtained from betting. Through various bank accounts, the panel operators transferred illegal money to the promoters in the UAE. 

The FIR notes that a huge amount of money was spent by the app promoters for advertising betting websites. Additionally, annual star-studded events were also organised. By paying them illegal money obtained from betting, they also involved several Bollywood celebrities at these events. The ED had earlier summoned several Bollywood celebrities including Ranbir Kapoor in connection with the Mahadev betting scam case. 

The illegal money obtained from online betting by the app promoters has been invested in many companies, shell companies, stock market, and cryptocurrency, the FIR adds.

Further, the FIR says that a similar betting platform called Sky Exchange was being run by Hari Shankar Tibrewal. As per FIR, he was associated with the Mahadev Online Book and the ED has attached his assets worth around Rs 580 crore. 

According to the FIR, to prevent legal action against the illegal act of online betting, the promoters of the Mahadev Book App had given huge protection money to various police and administrative officers and influential political persons. They used Hawala operators for the arrangement and distribution of the protection money while police officers/employees were also used as couriers for the purpose. 

The FIR notes that various police, administrative officers, and influential political persons have misused their positions and acquired illegal assets in the form of “protection money”.

Rape case against JSW MD Sajjan Jindal false, filed with intention of framing him: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Rape case against JSW MD Sajjan Jindal false, filed with intention of framing him: Report

The rape case against Sajjan Jindal, Managing Director of the JSW Group, was false and the complainant tried to frame him, India Today has reported quoting Mumbai Police. As per the report by India Today, the Mumbai Police said the complainant filed the rape case against Jindal with the intention of framing the him in a false crime.

According to the investigation by the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) Police, Sajjan Jindal did not go to the hotel on the day that the woman said Jindal tried to molest her in that hotel. Police collected testimony from witnesses at the hotel before concluding their findings.

Reportedly, the complainant did not appear to record her statement either, despite the police repeatedly writing to the court. She wasted the court’s time, as per police officials.Notably, the complainant had earlier claimed that police did not register her complaint for a long time.

Concluding that the complainant tried to frame Sajjan Jindal under a false crime, Mumbai Police requested the magistrate court to grant a summary judgement of the case.

According to the complainant, the police did not book any case despite the complaint being lodged early in 2023. Later, the case was registered after the court ordered to book an FIR.

The complaint of rape was filed against Sajjan Jindal, managing director of the JSW Group, by an actress at BKC police station in Mumbai. The complainant said that the crime took place in January 2022 in the penthouse of the head office of the company located in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

According to her complaint, in January 2022, during a meeting at the company’s headquarters, Jindal escorted the actress to the penthouse. Despite her persistent protests and refusals, she claimed, that Jindal imposed himself on her. The complainant mentioned that despite the incident, she attempted to sustain a friendship with him. However, he ceased responding to her and eventually blocked her number. She said, “Before blocking my number in June 2022, he threatened me with dire consequences if I approached the police.”

Sajjan Jindal had denied the rape charges levelled against him at the time, and said he was committed to providing “full cooperation” throughout the investigation.

“Sajjan Jindal denies these false and baseless allegations. He is committed to providing full cooperation throughout the investigation. As the investigation is ongoing, we will refrain from commenting further at this stage. We kindly request you to respect the privacy of the family,” the group’s official release stated.

Uttar Pradesh: Special court orders FIR against ex-Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya for hurting Hindu sentiments

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Special court orders FIR against ex-Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya for hurting Hindu sentiments

On Sunday, 17th March, a special MP-MLA court in Lucknow directed the Wazirganj police station to register a First Information Report (FIR) against Swami Prasad Maurya, the former leader of the Samajwadi Party for hurting Hindu sentiments by disparaging the Goddess Lakshmi. The investigation into the ex-general secretary of the Samajwadi Party for his remarks to the media and on social media was ordered by Special Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ambrish Kumar Srivastava.

According to the complainant, Ragini Rastogi, Maurya’s statement that appeared in publications on 15th November of last year offended the feelings of millions of Hindus. Swami Prasad Maurya, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), mocked how could Goddess Lakshmi have four hands as people of all religions were born with two hands and two legs.at birth. The complainant asserted that he had insulted Hindu emotions on multiple occasions by expressing similar sentiments.

On 12th November, Swami Prasad Maurya triggered outrage after he issued demeaning comments against Goddess Lakshmi on the occasion of Diwali. He claimed, “If all children born in the world have two hands, two feet, two ears, and two eyes, how can Goddess Lakshmi have four hands? On the occasion of the festival of lights, while worshipping and honouring my wife, I want to emphasise that every child born in the world, regardless of religion, caste, race, colour, or country, is born with two hands, two feet, two ears, two eyes, a nose with two nostrils, and one head, stomach, and back,” in a tweet.

He added, “A child with four hands, eight hands, ten hands, twenty hands, or a thousand hands has never been born. So how can a four-handed Lakshmi be born? If you truly want to worship Goddess Lakshmi, honour and worship the women in your households who are the true embodiment of the goddess. They faithfully fulfil the responsibilities of nurturing and caring for the family’s well-being, prosperity, sustenance, and overall welfare.”

The controversial politician has a long record of uttering similar statements. He recently ridiculed Hindus and disparaged the Pran Pratishtha or consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya which was held on 22nd January in front of hundreds of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He denigrated the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Vishva Hindu Parishad, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in his speech before the Uttar Pradesh assembly.

Swami Prasad Maurya called Lord Ram “lifeless” during his vile tirade against the auspicious occasion and added that the ceremony was “unnecessary.”

He alleged, “They have taken a lot of credit for Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla. It appears as if there was no Lord Ram before the Bharatiya Janta Party government. On one hand, it is stated that millions of people worship Lord Ram and the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to hurt the sentiments of all those people by pretending as if they are the ones who brought Lord Ram. However, everyone knows that Lord Ram has been worshipped here for thousands of years and if that is the case then how does the question of Pran Pratishtha arise?”

‘Sexual violence in Sandeshkhali happening since CPIM era, BJP doing publicity’: Video of TMC MLA Firhad Hakim goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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‘Sexual violence in Sandeshkhali happening since CPIM era, BJP doing publicity’: Video of TMC MLA Firhad Hakim goes viral

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a video of Kolkata Mayor and Trinamool Congress MLA Firham Hakim doing whataboutery on the plight of sexual violence in Sandeshkhali village has surfaced on social media.

The video was shared on X (formerly) Twitter by BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya. In the video, Firhad Hakim was heard mocking the ordeal of women in Sandeshkhali. “Now, you know that one ‘khali’ is grabbing all headlines. What ‘Khali’? Ah, Sandeshkhali. It is everywhere.”

“Yes, some people have done injustice. Some people have forced themselves upon the women. Our party has made the mistake of intaking such people from the Communist Party of India (Marxist),” he attempted to conveniently shift the blame to his rival party.

“They (The police) have found 2 cases where women were called to the (party office) and sexually violated. I am telling you that this was there even during the CPIM era,” Firhad Hakim claimed.

“There was a CPIM goon here who raped Mamani Haldar and killed her. The body of the victim was found after 13 days. At that time, there was no TMC in power. It was the CPIM era,” the TMC leader resorted to whataboutery.

He further brazened out, “Many political parties, especially the BJP, are now going to Sandeshkhali and giving it publicity.” The video was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel of ‘The News Bangla’ on 4th March, 2024.

This is not the first time that a TMC leader has downplayed the atrocities unleashed against the women of Sandeshkhali village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

On 10th March, actress turned TMC candidate from Hooghly, Rachna Banerjee, claimed, “How do we know that those who are claiming to be victims are actually victims? I will have to first go and verify those (testimonies) and find whether such incidents (referring to sexual violence against Sandeshkhali women by TMC goons) have actually taken place.”

Sandeshkhali horror

On 8th February this year, hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali took to the streets to protest against land grabbing, non-payment of wages and sexual violence committed by Trinamool Congress goon Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

The women attacked Shahjahan’s illicitly obtained properties and set fire to a poultry farm owned by Shiba Prasad Hazra. They also surrounded the Sandeshkali police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the trio. The agitation in the village lasted for 3 days.

During that time, the TMC goons retaliated and the police acted as mute spectators. In several cases, the cops themselves resorted to harassment of the women. It had come to light that the residents were the subject of sexual violence by the TMC for a long time.

In a bid to pacify the angry villagers of Sandeshkhali, the TMC leadership suspended Uttam Sardar from the party for six years. The suspended TMC leader and Zilla Parishad member was subsequently arrested in the Sandeshkhali police station area on 10th February 2024.

On 17th February, the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. 

After large-scale protests and intervention of the Calcutta High Court, the primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on 29th February.

DMK received ₹509 crore in Electoral Bonds from Santiago Martin’s Future Gaming, shows new data released by Election Commission

OpIndia Staff
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DMK received ₹509 crore in Electoral Bonds from Santiago Martin’s Future Gaming, shows new data released by Election Commission

The Election Commission on Sunday, 17th March, published another set of data related to Electoral Bonds. Earlier on 14th March the ECI had released two sets of data received from SBI, one giving details of purchasers of electoral bonds, and the other giving details of bonds encashed by political parties. However, the two sets of the data were not linked, and it could not be ascertained who donated to which parties.

The data published by EC today is the details of Electoral Bonds received by the political parties up to 30 September 2023. These details were provided by the respective political parties in sealed envelopes to the Election Commission, who in turn had submitted the same to the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court registry has scanned and digitised the documents, and the same has been published by the ECI.

As per the data, BJP received ₹6987 crore in Electoral bonds till 30 September. The Trinamool Congress Party received ₹1397 crore, while the Congress party received ₹1334 crore.

Interestingly, while most of the parties have not named the donors, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has provided the names of donors from whom the party received electoral bonds. And as per this data, DMK received ₹509 crore from Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited, the top purchaser of Electoral Bonds.

The party received ₹60 crore in Electoral Bonds from Future Gaming in 2020-21, ₹249 crore in 2021-22, ₹160 crore in 2022-23 and ₹40 crore in 2023-24, totalling ₹5,09,00,00,000.

The company bought bonds worth ₹1368 crores, which means it gave a whopping 37% of its total political donations to DMK alone. Future Gaming and Hotel Services is owned by ‘lottery king’ Santiago Martin, who is named in several scams. The company is known to have close ties with DMK.

DMK received ₹656.5 crore from Electoral Bonds from 2019 to 2023, and out that ₹509 crore came from just one company, Future Gaming. This means, over 77% of donations through electoral bonds were received by DMK from the company facing ED probe.

The party also received ₹105 crore from Megha Infrastructure, the second largest purchaser of Electoral Bonds.

In the fresh data published by EC today, there are details of Electoral Bonds received by 521 political parties, submitted by the parties to the EC. However, the majority of the parties disclosed they didn’t receive any Electoral Bonds. In the data submitted by the State Bank of India, it was seen that 27 parties have encashed political bonds.

ECI also published the images of the sealed envelops submitted by the parties.

Noida Police arrest YouTuber Elvish Yadav in snake venom in rave party case

OpIndia Staff
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Noida Police arrest YouTuber Elvish Yadav in snake venom in rave party case

On 17th March, Nodia police arrested YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT winner Elvish Yadav in the snake poison case. Last year, an FIR was filed against Yadav by Sector 39 police. He was called for questioning on 17th March in the matter. The police arrested him after questioning, and he will be presented in court. The FIR against Yadav was filed on complaint of a functionary of Menaka Gandhi’s NGO People For Animals.

In a statement, DCP Noida Vidya Sagar Mishra said, “Noida Police arrests YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav. He will be presented in the Court today.”

The case against Elvish Yadav so far

Earlier, a major revelation emerged regarding the availability of snake venom at rave parties. Noida Police transferred the concerned samples of the evidence obtained from the rave party held in Noida to Jaipur FSL for investigation. In the FSL report, toxins from snakes of the Cobra Krait species were discovered to have been used at the parties.

Yadav was linked to a case in November last year involving the supply and ingestion of snake venom at a Noida rave party. The Drugs Department, the Forest Department, and the Noida Police jointly busted the event and arrested five people identified as Jaikaran, Rahul, Titunath, Narayan, and Ravinath. Some unmanned individuals are also named in the report.

The Noida police had recovered 9 snakes, including 5 cobras from the accused men. The reptiles were reportedly caught from different places and their venom was sold at exorbitant prices.

The Noida police filed an FIR against the social media influencer after his involvement came to light when they questioned the five arrested culprits.

Officials questioned Elvish about all of the recordings and images obtained throughout the investigation. However, the YouTuber disagreed with the charges made against him.

Elvish Yadav has made headlines for the wrong reasons in recent times. Apart from the case against him for using snake venom during rave parties, he was booked by Noida police for allegedly attacking another YouTuber Maxtern over an argument on social media. Maxtern had made some comments after Yadav’s photos and videos surfaced on social media where he was seen hugging and laughing with Hinduphobic self-proclaimed standup comedian Munawar Faruqui.

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