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CBI takes former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh into its custody on charges of corruption

OpIndia Staff
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CBI takes former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh into its custody on charges of corruption

On Wednesday, 6th April 2022, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took Anil Deshmukh into its custody from Arthur road jail in Mumbai in connection with a corruption case.

CBI had sought permission from a special CBI court to arrest Anil Deshmukh. The court had allowed the central agency to take Anil Deshmukh into its custody. Anil Deshmukh moved the high court challenging the order of the special CBI court. A single-judge bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere recused herself from hearing his plea. A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court had ordered the superintendent of Arthur road jail in Mumbai to hand over Anil Deshmukh’s custody to the CBI. Anil Deshmukh had also challenged this order.

Last week, the special CBI court at the Mumbai sessions court had allowed the probe agency to take custody of Sachin Vaze, Sanjeev Palande, Kundan Shinde, and Anil Deshmukh in connection with the extortion case in which these four are accused of grossing a sum of Rs 100 crore per month. Accordingly, two assistants of Deshmukh – Palande, and Shinde – along with Sachin Vaze, were arrested by the CBI on Monday 4th April 2022. The three were produced before a special CBI court in Mumbai after their arrest and the court granted CBI to take the three accused into custody for seven days.

But the main accused in the case, Anil Deshmukh, was suddenly rushed to JJ Hospital after his health reportedly deteriorated. Deshmukh was discharged on 5th April 2022, following which he knocked on the doors of the high court to avoid his arrest by CBI. However, the premier investigative agency arrested the former Maharashtra Home Minister on Wednesday.

Deshmukh was booked under Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The ED had initiated a probe under money laundering charges against Anil Deshmukh who was in trouble due to a letter written by former Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh to the chief minister. Last year, the ED registered had a case against Deshmukh and arrested Deshmukh after 12 hours of interrogation. Since then he has been in Arthur road jail. On 29th December 29, 2021, the ED filed a supplementary charge sheet against Deshmukh and the other accused in a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Deshmukh has filed a plea for bail in the HC after the Mumbai sessions court rejected his bail application. It is scheduled to be heard next week.

Veteran singer Anuradha Paudwal seeks ban on loudspeakers Azaan, says even Muslim countries have banned it

OpIndia Staff
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Veteran singer Anuradha Paudwal seeks ban on loudspeakers Azaan, says even Muslim countries have banned it

On April 5, veteran singer Anuradha Paudwal expressed her views on the issue of playing Azaan on loudspeakers during an interview with Zee News. She said though she was not against any religion, things are unnecessarily exaggerated and promoted in India. She was referring to the practice of playing Azaan on loudspeakers in Mosques across the country. She added while travelling across the world, including Muslim nations, she noticed playing Azaan on loudspeakers is banned.

She said, “I have visited many places in the world. I have not seen anything like this happening except in India. I am not against any religion, but it is being forcibly encouraged here. They play Azaan on loudspeakers from Mosque. Other communities question if they can use loudspeakers why cannot others do the same.”

She further added, “I have travelled to Middle Eastern countries. There is a ban on loudspeakers. When Muslim countries are discouraging it, what is the need for such practices in India?” Paudwal said if the practice continues, people will start playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. “It will lead to disharmony, which is not good,” she said.

Teach the young generation about Indian culture

Speaking on Navratri and Ramnavmi, the singer said that the young generation should be aware of the Indian culture. It is the responsibility of the older generation to teach children about the culture of the country. They should know that Adi Shankaracharya is our religious leader. She pointed out how Christians know about Pope as their religious leader. “This is why we should know about our religion and culture. We should know about four Vedas, 18 Puranas and four Mathas that we have. These are the basics that we must know,” she said.

Sonu Nigam has raised the issue before

In 2017, popular singer Sonu Nigam had also raised the issue. In a now-deleted tweet, he had expressed his displeasure about the Azaan happening on loudspeaker every morning. In retaliation, he had to face abuses on social media platforms. The courts have on several occasions directed the authorities to remove loudspeakers from places of worship, but no concrete action has been taken.

Recently, an MNS leader was arrested by Mumbai Police for playing Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker without permission. Following his arrest, Mahendra Bhanushali said that the Mumbai police took away his speaker. “But I’d like to say, in the coming times, ‘Jai Shree Ram’ will be played on loudspeakers,” he said.

Delhi Court seeks reply of CBI on former Amnesty India head Aakar Patel’s plea against Look Out circular

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Court seeks reply of CBI on former Amnesty India head Aakar Patel’s plea against Look Out circular

On Wednesday, the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court sought the response of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the plea moved by Aakar Patel, former chief of Amnesty International India. Chief Metropolitan Pawan Kumar issued notice on Patel’s application and sought a response from CBI for removal and withdrawal of the Look Out Circular against Patel and seeking permission to travel to the US till May 30 to take up his assignments and lecture series.

Patel on April 6 was stopped at Bengaluru airport from boarding a flight to the USA. He took to Twitter to inform us that the CBI had put him on the exit control list because of the case against Amnesty International India regarding the FCRA violations. “Stopped from leaving India at Bangalore airport. I am on the exit control list. Got passport back through court order specifically for this trip to the US”, he tweeted this morning.

In February this year, the Enforcement Directorate had attached movable properties of Amnesty India worth Rs 17.66 crore in a money laundering case. During the investigations, ED had found that after the cancellation of the FCRA license by the Indian government, Amnesty International India Foundation Trust and Amnesty entities had adopted ‘new methods’ to receive money from abroad.

Earlier in November 2019, the CBI officers had raided Amnesty India offices in New Delhi and Bengaluru where it had come to the fore that the organization had allegedly violated the FCRA (Foreign Currency Regulation Act) provisions.

It was reported that activities carried out by Amnesty India were not commensurate with activities of a for-profit company. These activities by Amnesty India were allegedly either prohibited or were regulated under the FCRA. The CBI had said that Amnesty International (UK) invested approximately 10 crores as a fixed deposit (FD) in Amnesty India Private Limited, Bengaluru, by subscribing to the debt instruments, and debentures.

CBI had registered an FIR against Amnesty International India Foundation Trust and Amnesty International South Asia Foundation under sections of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and the Indian Penal Code (120-B which denotes criminal conspiracy). Based on CBI’s FIR, ED had also registered a money laundering case against the NGO. The matter will now be heard tomorrow at 10 am on Thursday.

Telangana: AIMIM Corporator Ghousuddin Mohammed booked for threatening and abusing cops on duty, had said police can’t enter the locality during Ramzan

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: AIMIM Corporator Ghousuddin Mohammed booked for threatening and abusing cops on duty, had said police can’t enter the locality during Ramzan

The Hyderabad police have registered a case against AIMIM leader and Bholakpur corporator Ghouseuddin Mohammed for abusing and threatening cops in the city for asking a shop owner to close down an eatery that was operating beyond permissible hours. The cops were asking the Muslim shopkeepers in Bholakpur to shut their shops after 12 AM, to which Ghousuddin objected. He claimed that shops are allowed to remain open in Old City, therefore it is should be allowed in Bholakpur too.

A video had gone viral on the internet, which shows AIMIM corporator Mohammed Ghousuddin threatening two police personnel on duty and abusing them in vile language after they asked one of the shop owners to shut down his shop. The incident occurred in the city’s Bholakpur area around 2:15 am on Tuesday.

Two constables from Musheerabad Police Station, who was on night patrol, tried to close down eateries operating beyond the time limit. The angry shopkeepers informed AIMIM corporator Mohammed Ghousuddin, who reached the spot and started abusing the cops.

“This is Ramzan month, this is our area. We (Muslims) will not tolerate this. Why did you come to this area? Had we not warned you not to enter this locality for the next one month,” Mohammed Ghousuddin was seen shouting at the cops.

The AIMIM leader called one of the constables “sau rupaye ka aadmi” (you are a man worth Rs.100) while the other policeman tried to explain that he was just following orders.

BJP MLA T Raja Singh took to Twitter to condemn the arrogance of the AIMIM leader. In his tweet, Raja Singh said, “A clear warning to Hyderabad city police not to enter his area for the next 30 days & abusing the officers on duty. Too much freedom leads to this. The video is from the Musheerabad area of Hyderabad city”.

He also asked the Hyderabad Police whether they could expect some action against such people. The incident has sparked massive outrage on social media, with netizens questioning the arrogance of the AIMIM leader to abuse and threaten cops.

Initially the police didn’t register a case, as reportedly the AIMIM leader had apologised over the incident. But later they filed a case after the video of the incident went viral on social media. Minister KT Rama Rao had also asked the police to “take stern action against the individuals who obstructed police officers on duty” in a tweet earlier today. He had added, “No such nonsense should be tolerated in Telangana irrespective of political affiliations”.

Following the outrage over the incident, Hyderabad Police booked Mohammed Ghousuddin under sections 353 (obstructing a public servant from discharging duty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code in connection with the incident.

Pakistan political crisis: Imran Khan’s aide Fawad Chaudhry loses cool amid presser, calls reporter ‘Kiraye ke log’

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan political crisis: Imran Khan’s aide Fawad Chaudhry loses cool amid presser, calls reporter ‘Kiraye ke log’

Amid the ongoing political turmoil in the neighbouring country of Pakistan, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday indulged in a verbal fight with a journalist. The incident took place when PTI leader and former Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar was holding a press conference outside the Supreme Court.

Imran Khan’s close aide Chaudhry lost his cool as one of the journalists named Matiullah Jan asked the question about Farah Khan who is a close friend of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and has serious allegations of corruption levelled against her. She is accused of accepting bribes from officers for facilitating their transfers to postings of their choice. Fawad initially directed the journalist to ask the questions after the press briefing. “Let me talk. We’ll take questions and answers later”, he said arrogantly.

Jan however kept on asking questions about Farah Khan amid the press briefing and said that Chaudhry was making attempts to avoid the questions. “What do you have to say now that it has been established that there was no conspiracy? Why are you running away from the question”, he asked. Fawad then responded harshly saying that people like Matiullah Jan had taken money from someone to ask such questions. He blatantly called Jan ‘kiray ke log (people for hire)’, the video of which went viral over social media.

The situation intensified as the other journalists protested against Chaudhry’s comment and demanded an apology for calling the journalist a mule for hire. While Fawad denied apologizing, the journalists in Pakistan have called for a boycott and have decided not to attend any of the press briefs by PTI.

It is important to note that the National Assembly of Pakistan was dissolved by the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament on Sunday, who also dismissed the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. The Opposition claimed that no constitutional authority rested with the Deputy Speaker to throw out the no-confidence vote and that it was just a move by Imran Khan to retain power.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by Justice Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, is hearing the arguments from Khan’s lawyers and the Opposition since Monday.

PTC TV MD arrested on a harassment complaint days after his channel debunked Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s ‘Rs 6 lakh bridge’ claims

OpIndia Staff
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PTC TV MD arrested on a harassment complaint days after his channel debunked Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s ‘Rs 6 lakh bridge’ claims

Punjabi News and Entertainment channel PTC’s Managing Director Rabinder Narayan has been arrested by Punjab Police on Wednesday. Narayan was taken into custody over allegations of exploiting innocent girls after duping them for a beauty contest telecast on the channel.

The action from the Punjab Police reportedly came when a contestant from PTC’s Miss Punjab beauty pageant lodged a complaint against the channel. The complainant revealed that she was forcefully enclosed inside a room and harassed by one of the staff members at PTC during the Miss Punjab show. The contestant alleged that human trafficking was taking place in the garb of the beauty contest aired on the channel.

On Wednesday, PTC MD Rabinder Narayan was arrested from his Gurugram residence while an FIR against him was registered in Mohali. Reportedly, the Punjab Police is looking for another suspect in the case while officials have launched a deeper probe to identify the role of any bigger racket involved.

On the other hand, the PTC MD has alleged that the inquiry is an attack on the press. Narayan accused the Mann government of muzzling the voice of the press and has called it a politically motivated move. PTC channel spokesperson told reporters that the SIT formed to probe this case has already recorded the statement of Rabinder Singh Narayan.

PTC’s report on Bhagwant Mann’s bridge

On 31st March 2022, a video of newly sworn-in Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann made rounds on social media. In an interview alongside Arvind Kejriwal, Mann made hilarious claims about building a bridge in Punjab for just Rs 6 lakhs against a quotation of Rs 1.80 crores, during his tenure as MP. Local news channel PTC News decided to report the story by sending a reporter on-site to cover the bridge. PTC aired a satirical story exposing Mann’s claims where it was found that a concrete paver slab instead of a bridge was laid over the waterway in the Dirba village of Sangrur district.

As per a report published by PTC News, locals were seen outraging over the claims of Mann for the so-called bridge. pIn the televised report, people were seen talking to the media accusing Mann of lying and making sensational claims to extract political brownie points. They were also angry with the local AAP MLA Harpal Cheema, who is currently the finance minister in Bhagwant Mann’s cabinet.

The arrest of PTC MD Rabinder Narayan has come days after the channel exposed Bhagwant Mann’s wonderous claims over the bridge. It is to be noted that the PTC Television Network is owned by Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

‘India is deciding what is best for our national interest’: EAM Dr S Jaishankar speaks on Ukraine issue in LokSabha

OpIndia Staff
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‘India is deciding what is best for our national interest’: EAM Dr S Jaishankar speaks on Ukraine issue in LokSabha

On April 6, while replying to questions on India’s stand on Ukraine, External Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that India, first and foremost, is strongly against the conflict. “We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood & at the cost of innocent lives. In this day and age, dialogue and diplomacy are the right answers to any disputes.”

EAM Jaishankar was replying to the debate in Lok Sabha on Ukraine’s situation after Congress MP Manish Tiwari and RSP member NK Premachandran issued a notice under rule 193.

He further added that the conflict in Ukraine has significant consequences on the global economy, including that of India. “Like all countries, we too are assessing the implications and deciding what is best for our national interest.”

Speaking about the debate on Ukraine on Tuesday in the House, he said, “We strive to ensure that foreign policy is a subject of maximum consensus in the country. Certainly, that should be the case with a subject as important as Ukraine, and I was glad to see yesterday that was the case. I was also very pleased that four ministers spoke on this matter because these ministers went to the neighbouring countries, they participated in the evacuation operations, and they brought a ground perspective which was very important for the House to listen.”

Emphasising the importance of a nation’s approach to be guided by the national beliefs and values, he said, “Honorable members would all agree that India’s approach should be guided by our national beliefs and values, by our national interest, and by our national strategy. Let me dwell on each of these aspects before addressing some of the specific issues that were brought up by honourable members yesterday. What is India advocating in Ukraine? We are, first and foremost, strongly against conflict. We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives.”

He said India encouraged dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. “If India has chosen a side, it is the side of peace, and it is for an immediate end to violence. This is our principled stand and has consistently guided our position in international forums and debates, including in the UN,” the External Minister said.

Speaking on the civilian deaths in Bucha, Ukraine, he said India had expressed deep concerns about the reports. “We strongly condemn the killings that have taken place there. This is an extremely serious matter, and we support the call for an independent investigation,” he added.

He also pointed out that the political colour given to India’s stand on the Ukraine situation was unfortunate.

Tamil Nadu: BJP leader attacked by alleged goons of DMK ally in Cuddalore, victim’s shop also vandalised

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: BJP leader attacked by alleged goons of DMK ally in Cuddalore, victim’s shop also vandalised

On April 2, BJP’s OBC Morcha deputy leader Babu Rasappan was brutally attacked in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. As alleged by the victim, the attack was carried out by goons belonging to the VCK party, an ally of the DMK, on Saturday night.

Identified as Babu Rasappan, the victim was unloading some hay from his two-wheeler at his shop at the Vadalur Panruti Road in Cuddalore. When he heard skirmishes in a roadside shop when went to check but was brutally thrashed by 3-4 goons in return. Rasappan, who is undergoing treatment in a local hospital, has suffered serious wounds while one of his hands is almost amputated. According to the reports, the victim has accused workers of the radical Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party of the attack on him.

Tamil Nadu: BJP worker attacked in Cuddalore
BJP worker was admitted in hospital after the attack. Image: Neo Polito

Reportedly, the goons also vandalized the shop that belonged to the victim during an attack on him. Babu Rasappan who lies helpless on his hospital bed has recorded a statement wherein he said, “I went there but the three youths who were identifying themselves as the workers of the VCK party had started yelling at me. They said that they were looking for me as I am working for BJP. They attacked me till I got fainted.” Rasappan runs a modest family and has a son who is seven-months old.

Following the attack, Tamil Nadu BJP extended assistance to the victim’s family in his treatment. President of the Youth Development and Sports Unit, TN BJP, Amar Prasad Reddy has requested justice for Rasappan in a tweet directed to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.

Local BJP Units and party workers have started open crowdfunding to support the victim’s family for his treatment.

The state of Tamil Nadu in which attacks and life threats to BJP workers are rampant saw a similar attack in 2020 where Indu Makkal Katchi founder Arjun Sampath was attacked by DMK and VCK cadres while he was on his way to pay tributes to Babasaheb Ambedkar. The extreme radical political outfit VCK was founded by Thol Thirumavalavan and remains a radical caste-based party with strong advocacy for Tamil Nationalism. It was formally known as the Dalit Panthers of India.

Gujarat: Suspended Congress leader organises ‘Havan’ to purify the party, accuses Bharatsinh Solanki of adultery

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Suspended Congress leader organises ‘Havan’ to purify the party, accuses Bharatsinh Solanki of adultery

On 5th April 2022, a Havan was organized in Ahmedabad by Vandana Patel who was recently suspended from the Congress party. The woman leader hosted this Havan to purify the Congress party by destroying the evil ideas and forces who while holding the higher posts in the organization had been working to weaken the party and take the public support away from the Congress party. The Havan was held on the fourth day of the ongoing Chaitra Navratri.

According to a report by GSTV, Vandana Patel said that some Congress leaders are adulterers. She said, “If I reveal a few things, it will be a stir. Some leaders have tarnished the image of Congress. After the party worker’s hard work, some leaders put up a losing candidate. A false audio clip of me was made.”

Making shocking allegations against Bharatsinh Solanki, she said, “I was suspended from the party because I supported Reshma Solanki. I did not resign. I have launched a front against Bharatsinh Solanki. He has consistently worked to damage the party. If someone should be suspended from the party, then it is Bharatsinh Solanki. He commits adultery with a girl who is of the age of his great-granddaughter.”

She added, “All the leaders of the party know everything. Jagdish Bhai (State Congress head Jagdish Thakur) also knows everything but is suppressed. I will raise this issue in front of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.”

Bharatsinh Solanki is son of Congress leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki. He was the proponent of the KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslims) votebank theory for Congress.

It is notable that Vandana Patel was suspended from the Gujarat State unit of the Congress party on 30th March 2022. The decision was taken after an audio clip went viral in which two leaders of Congress – Vandana Patel and Atul Patel – were heard talking to each other about the damage caused to the party due to the allegedly bad character of some of the party leaders in Gujarat. Atul Patel was also suspended with her. Now, after her suspension, Vandana Patel organized the Havan to purify the party and save it from the evil forces.

IMF paper hails Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, says Aadhar-based distribution saved people from sliding into extreme poverty

OpIndia Staff
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IMF paper hails Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, says Aadhar-based distribution saved people from sliding into extreme poverty

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday lauded India’s efforts for food distribution during the pandemic and said that the country averted the rise in extreme poverty during the period by assuring food security through Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY). The IMF further noted that extreme poverty in India is less than 1 percent and the same was maintained in the year 2020.

The IMF April 5 published a research paper presenting the estimates of poverty and consumption in India during the COVID-19 spread. According to the IMF paper titled ‘Pandemic, Poverty, and Inequality: Evidence from India’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s food security scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was critical in preventing an increase in extreme poverty levels in the country.

“The expansion of India’s food subsidy program rather than increasing cash transfers enabled India to provide free food as per the average monthly requirement to all those who were in need. This helped maintain extreme poverty at the low 0.8% level. Without any food subsidies, extreme poverty in the pandemic year would have increased by 1.05% (from 1.43 to 2.48 %)”, the paper read.

The report further mentioned that the food transfers were instrumental in ensuring that extreme poverty remained at that low level in the pandemic year 2020. The IMF also noted that the consumption growth was higher in the years leading up to the pandemic than before it. Also, post-food subsidy inequality at 0.294 is now very close to its lowest level of 0.284 observed in 1993/94, it said.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was announced by the government in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 spread to supply free food grains to migrants and the poor. The government had announced the distribution of 5 kg foodgrains per person per month, over and above the regular monthly NFSA foodgrains. It had also announced an additional supply of free-of-cost foodgrains to about 80 crore National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries.

The initiative was due to expire by the end of June 2020 but the government extended the PMGKAY up to November 2020. Recently, PM Modi on March 25 further announced the extension of the scheme till September 2022. PM Modi said more than 80 crore people in the country will benefit from the decision.

Meanwhile, the IMF noted that India’s efforts demonstrated the social safety net through the expansion of the food subsidy program. It claimed that the program absorbed a major part of the pandemic shock to the Indian economy by providing insurance to the poor and prevented an increase in the prevalence of extreme poverty in India.

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