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Accused hailed and acquitted, victim shamed by Court and Church: A timeline of the Bishop Franco Mulakkal case

Dibakar Dutta
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Accused hailed and acquitted, victim shamed by Court and Church: A timeline of the Bishop Franco Mulakkal case

The Kerala nun rape case has been at the epicentre of the news once again after primary accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal was acquitted of all charges by a trial court on January 14 this year.

The Bishop, who headed the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, was accused of raping a nun on 13 occasions at the Missionaries of Jesus convent in Kottayam between 2014 and 2016. The victim had registered a complaint against him with Kuravilangad police on June 29, 2018.

For the first time in the history of Kerala, a group of nuns had defied their vows to protest against Church atrocities and the attempts by the police to hush up the incident.

Franco Mulakkal was charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (c)(a) sexual intercourse by a person in authority), 376(2)(k) (sexual intercourse by exhorting authority), 377 (unnatural sex) and 506 (criminal intimidation). 

Bishop Franco Mulakkal was interrogated for 7 hours at Thrippunithura. He was eventually arrested on September 22, 2018, and remanded to judicial custody. Here is a timeline of the events that unfolded in the sensational case.

Grand welcome for rape accused in Jalandhar

On October 17, 2018, Bishop Franco Mulakkal was welcomed like a hero at Jalandhar after he was granted conditional bail by the Kerala High Court. The rape accused Bishop was showered with rose petals and also garlanded by his supporters as he reached the Bishop House around 5 pm.

The embracing of an accused, who was out on conditional bail had resulted in not only victim-shaming but also depicting the accused as an ‘innocent’. The resounding welcome given to Bishop Franco raised questions on the integrity of the Church apparatus and its intentions. Some social media users questioned the silence of so-called ‘feminists’ and ‘placard activists’ over the grand welcome given to the rape accused.

Targeted harassment of Sister Lucy by the Catholic Church

Sister Lucy Kalapura is one of the five nuns who took out protests against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal. In September 2018, she was removed from performing duties related to the Church for demanding the arrest of the rape accused.

While speaking to Times Now, sister Lucy Kalapura revealed that when she reached the convent, the Mother Superior informed her that she had to relieve herself from her duties of holding catechism classes, conducting prayers and other church-related duties.

The nun, disturbed by the church’s decision said that this was the price she was being made to pay for standing by the truth. Criticising the church authorities she said that instead of raising voice against the accused who has been involved in such a colossal sin, the authorities are instead, taking action against people who have dared to support to the victim.

Saddened by the church’s decision, sister Lucy said, “I have done no wrong nor said anything against the church. No reason has been given for the decision.” She added that she would be happy if the church clarified where she had erred.

Sister Lucy was expelled from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) in August 2019 on grounds of indiscipline and failure to provide a satisfactory explanation for her lifestyle ‘in violation of rules’. A few days later, Sister Lucy filed a complaint to the Vellamunda police in Kerala against a convent in Karakkamala at Mananthavady in Wayanad district. She had accused the convent of illegal confinement.

She had found that the gates of the convent locked from outside after which she called the police, who helped unlock the gates. The convent later forced her to withdraw two cases she had filed against it and tender an unconditional apology if she wanted to continue living there.

In December 2019, sister Lucy Kalappura published her autobiography in which she recounted sexual abuses and aberrations prevalent in convents. The nun, who belongs to the order of Franciscan Clarist Congregation in Kerala, was hounded for raising her voice against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal. She had narrated her life experiences and highlighted instances of sexual abuse and harassment of nuns in the book titled ‘Karthaavinte Naamathil (In The Name of The Lord)’.

The book revealed how Sister Lucy was a silent witness to many incidents where nuns had tried to give expression to their sexual desires. In the book, she revealed that many of the nuns had ‘unholy’ relationships with priests who were in authority and how the priests encouraged such relationships. Sister Lucy wrote about the abuse young nuns faced from priests and elder nuns. Further, she claimed that homosexuality was rampant among nuns and priests.

Mysterious death of Father Kuriakose who spoke out against Bishop Franco Mulakkal

On October 22, 2018, a 60-year-old priest named Father Kuriakose Kattutharaa was found dead in Bhogpur in Jalandhar. He was a vocal critic of rape accused Bishop Franco Mullakkal and had given a statement against him to the police. He worked as a priest and teacher at the Jalandhar diocese. Father Kuriakose’s untimely death fuelled suspicions of foul play in a group of priests.

It must be mentioned the deceased had spoken out about the threats that he received by church officials for supporting the Missionaries of Jesus nun. He had stated, “The sisters had approached me complaining about Bishop Franco. They did not approach the Kerala police fearing the bishop. In fact, I fear what will happen to me for speaking out against him”

While speaking to Mathrubhumi news, the deceased’s brother Jose Kattuthara alleged that Father Kuriakose Kattutharaa was killed for giving a statement against Bishop Franco Mulakkal. During the investigation, the police had found blood pressure tablets and vomit on the bed of the deceased.

Systemic Intimidation of nuns and whistleblowers into silence

Besides Sister Lucy Kalappura, the Catholic Church had tried to silence whistleblowers and protesting nuns into silence. Sister Anupama, who spearheaded the protests against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, was heckled and asked to leave the funeral of Priest Kuriakose Kattutharaa on October 25, 2018. The funeral was conducted at the cemetery in St Mary’s Forane Church in Pallippuram in Cherthala.

At the funeral, loyalists of Bishop Franco Mulakkal protested against the presence of Sister Anupama and asked her to leave the cemetery. While reacting to the incident, Sister Anupama broke down in front of the journalists. The nun said that she was ‘deeply hurt’ by the protests.

“Father Kuriakose Kattuthara died while he was standing for the truth. He faced severe mental pressure. I am a member of this parish and I know him for many years. The father had been treating me like his daughter since I joined the convent. I don’t know why some people in my parish speaking against me. We will stand for truth whatever it takes,” remarked Sister Anupama.

On January 16, 2019, four out of the five nuns, who supported the rape survivor, were asked to leave the Kuravilangad convent and go to convents that were previously assigned to them. The letter accused the nuns of  ‘issuing malafide statements’, and spreading baseless stories to ‘tarnish the image’ of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation.

“This is nothing but a vindictive transfer and the game plan of the Church is to split us to different places. Come what may, we will not move from here and we will be with the victim,” Sister Anupama was quoted as saying.

She also added that the rape victim and supporting nuns had been subjected to continued mental pressure. She also expressed fear that the nuns might face the same fate as that of Father Kuriakose.

In November 2018, the Church had warned Father Augustine Vattoly, for protesting alongside the nun, who accused Bishop Franco of rape. The Syro Malabar Church prohibited him from organising and attending dharnas and warned him of action as per Church law. Father Vattoli is the convenor of the “Save Our Sisters”, a campaign seeking justice for the nun.

He had received a letter from Major Archepady of Ernakulam-Angamaly which told him that such action by the priest would “seriously injure the good of the Church in public and will cause scandal among the faithful”. The letter was sent on 11th November, days before the protests were held outside the state secretariat. The letter accused Father Vattoly of inciting sedition and hatred against the Church authorities.

Kerala govt transfered top cops investigating the rape case against Bishop Franco

On June 12, 2019, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led-Kerala government had transferred two police officers who were probing the nun rape case. Kottayam Superintendent of Police Harishankar and Vaikom Deputy SP Subash were issued marching orders by the State government, thereby raising serious questions about possible attempts to sabotage the investigation.

Harishankar and Subash were responsible for the arrest of the rape accused Bishop Franco following a serious interrogation. The two main investigating officials were transferred to low-key posts. The abrupt decision of the Kerala government shocked the rape victim and her supporters.

Sister Anupama, one of the five nuns who led the protests against Franco in August 2018, said that Bishop Franco’s political and financial influence was behind these transfers. “We are in a state of shock after learning about the transfers. This is worrisome,” she told the media.

“The trial in the case began only last month [May 10] and we fear DySP K Subash Kumar’s transfer will affect the case. There have been many attempts to silence some witnesses. His transfer at this stage raises many doubts,” remarked Sister Anupama.

Another nun accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of sexual abuse

In February 2020, a second nun had accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of sexual abuse. The second victim is also a witness in the ongoing rape case against the Christian priest. Although the victim had narrated her ordeal to the police in September 2018, she was afraid of registering a complaint about the matter. As a consequence, a second case wasn’t registered against the Bishop.

As per reports, the nun had alleged that the Bishop made sexual remarks and lewd comments in a telephonic conversation with her. She informed that in 2017, Mulakkal visited the convent and proceeded to grab and kiss her. The nun had also alleged that she was forced to display her body by the Bishop. The nun’s statement was recorded in the charge sheet against the Bishop. The nun informed that although she was not interested in the sexually explicit chat, she could not oppose the Bishop due to fear of expulsion from the Church.

“I had to contact the bishop over the phone for some official needs since 2015. But, shortly after the bishop started talks with sexual connotations over the phone, which was disgusting for me. He also talked about sexual acts and later started describing various body parts of me and the bishop. Between April and May 2017, I lived in a convent in Kerala. Franco came to the convent to conduct a probe about my conduct. His driver and Father Antony were with the bishop but they lived in separate rooms. Franco called me to his room and asked me for an explanation. While I was leaving, he hugged me and kissed me on my forehead,” she stated.

Save Our Sisters (SOS) forum had informed that after the second nun gave the statement, the convent made a concerted attempt to silence her by not allowing her to leave the convent or talk to anyone outside.

“After the nun gave this statement, the convent tried to silence her by not allowing her to leave the convent or talk to anyone outside. It was only recently that we got to know about the treatment meted out to her by the convent authorities. That is why we decided to release the statement she gave the police in 2018. This is a statement that she has signed,” said SOS convenorRiju Kanjoorkaran.

Kerala Church put picture of rape accused Bishop on annual calendar

In December 2020, Kerala’s Syro-Malabar Church had published the photograph of rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal in their official calendar for 2021. This move was criticised by the followers of the Church, who burnt the copies of the calendar in protest.

As per reports, the Church had not only printed the photograph of Mulakkal on the annual calendar, they also specified his birthday on it. Following criticism from several quarters and burning of calendar copies in Thrissur and Kollam, the Syro-Malabar Church defended its move and claimed that charges against the accused were yet to be proven and that he continued to remain a Bishop.

Managing Editor of Catholica Sabha, Fr Akkamattathil Raphael, stated, “Mulakkal continues to be a Bishop. Only his administrative duties have been taken away. Sp along with birthdays of other Bishops, we mentioned his birthday too. That’s all. He faces some charges and a trial is progressing. Let the verdict come. Some people are needlessly trying to create a controversy against the Church.”

Screengrab of the contentious calendar

The decision of the Syro-Malabar Church was heavily criticised by the members of ‘Save Our Sisters Action Council’. The group, which protects nuns from persecution by the Church authorities, expressed their angst by burning copies of the contentious calendar outside the administrative buildings of the Church in Kollam and Thrissur.

Trial Court junked victim’s testimony, discussed victim’s “character”

On January 14, 2022, the Additional Sessions Court at Kottayam acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal in the nun rape case. Live Law reported that the trial Court discarded the testimony of the victim completely in contravention with the well-settled principles of law.

The Additional Sessions Court at Kottayam contended that the victim did not mention ‘rape’ or ‘penile penetration’ in her initial complaint and only alleged that Bishop Franco Mulakkal forced her to ‘share the bed with him.’ The Court lay emphasis on the fact that the victim did not explicitly mention about ‘rape’ in her confessions to the witnesses, without considering the societal stigma attached to it.

The nun had informed that she was not comfortable sharing details of the case in an unsecured environment with a Woman police officer. However, the trial court did not pay heed to her statement.

Although Section 56A of the Indian Evidence Act states that a woman’s past sexual experience is irrelevant to a rape case, the court discussed the ‘character intent’ of the victim to discredit her claims. The trial Court also discussed in detail the relationship of the nun with her cousin’s husband to judge the ‘character’ of the victim.

Shiv Sena’s ‘lagbhag mana’ moment as Congress subs alliance partner in Goa Assembly elections

OpIndia Staff
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Shiv Sena’s ‘lagbhag mana’ moment as Congress subs alliance partner in Goa Assembly elections

Congress has snubbed Shiv Sena, its alliance partner in Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government, and left the allies to fend for themselves in upcoming Goa assembly elections.

Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut while speaking to news agency ANI said that the party had discussions with Congress but nothing came out of it. He said that Shiv Sena and NCP, the other two allies in Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, tried to form similar alliance in Goa as well, but Congress believes it can form majority government in Goa on its own.

Congress had similarly snubbed Aam Aadmi Party ahead of 2019 general elections after Kejriwal had tried to woo the grand old party to forge an alliance.

Despite doing fielding of Congress quite a few times back in 2019, Congress had snubbed Aam Aadmi Party and refused to get into alliance with them. Kejriwal, with a very heavy heart, had said that Congress had almost said no (‘lagbhag mana kar diya hai’).

Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya faces eviction from his luxurious London home over unpaid loans

OpIndia Staff
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Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya faces eviction from his luxurious London home over unpaid loans

A UK court on Tuesday ruled against the fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya in a dispute with Swiss Bank UBS following which he now faces enforced eviction from his multi-million pound luxury home in London. He lives in the London home with his son Siddharth and mother Lalitha, who also face eviction. The luxury home is situated at 18/19 Cornwall Terrace overlooking the Regent’s Park.

Mallya had obtained mortgage on his house in London from UBS. His house is one of the most sought after locations in London. As per reports, he also owns a country home in Hertfordshire in North London and many other properties in UK and elsewhere.

On Tuesday, a sitting judge of Chancery Division of High Court turned down request by the lawyers of Mallya on stay on repayment of UBS loan. Mallya was unable to pay previous repayment in April 2020. However, due to COVID regulations, the UBS was not able to evict Mallya. Now, with Tuesday’s ruling the bank can repossess.

Mallya family trust owned Rose Capital Ventures, which is based out of British Virgin Islands, mortgaged his London property in 2012 to UBS for a 5 year loan of 20.4 million pounds. In 2017, the loan had expired and Mallya was not able to pay the outstanding dues on it.

Mallya fled to London after he was accused in the Rs 9,000 crore fraud which led to the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines. In July 2021, London court declared him bankrupt. Prior to that in May 2020, he had lost the legal battle against his extradition to India. However, he has not yet returned to face trial. Mallya continues to be on bail.

Earlier in December 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had informed that banks have collected roughly Rs 13,109 crore from asset sales of defaulters such as fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, and erstwhile liquor baron Vijay Mallya. The assets were seized by the Enforcement Directorate in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

‘Antrix-Devas deal a fraud by Congress, of Congress, for Congress’: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

OpIndia Staff
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‘Antrix-Devas deal a fraud by Congress, of Congress, for Congress’: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

After the Supreme Court upheld the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order winding up Devas (Digitally Enhanced Video and Audio Services) Multimedia Private Limited, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a press conference to brief on the controversial Antrix-Devas issue of the UPA era and charged the Congress party of committing fraud against the country.

Hauling Congress over the coals, Sitharaman said the Antrix-Devas deal is a fraud by Congress, of Congress, for Congress.

Slamming the UPA govt over the 2005 “fraud” deal between Antrix and Devas which they took six years to cancel in 2011, the Finance Minister said, “Antrix appeared in agreement with Devas in 2005 during the UPA government. It was a fraud deal. Fraud on people of India. Fraud against the country. This fraudulent case is a characteristic of the UPA government and the case has become a big legal issue today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fighting in court to ensure justice.”

“In 2011, when the whole thing was cancelled, Devas went to international arbitration. The government of India never appointed an arbitrator, was reminded to appoint an arbitrator within 21 days, but the government did not appoint,” she said accusing Congress-led UPA of entering into a “fraud” and “scandalous” deal with Devas Multimedia by allocating S-band spectrum used by the defence for “pittance”.

“Master game players in this [Devas fraud] are the Congress; with this SC order [on Antrix-Devas issue] we’re able to see that. Now it should be Congress’ turn to answer how Cabinet was kept in dark. They should have no moral right to speak about crony capitalism”, Sitharaman added, further reminding how a couple of months before the cancellation of the agreement a sitting UPA minister was arrested in the scandal related to the deal.

Nirmala Sitharaman accuses Congress of fraud in entering into Antrix-Devas deal, cites SC judgment

Sitharaman said this kind of selling of primary endowments like wavelengths, satellites or spectrum band, giving it away to private parties and making money from private parties and making a deal out if it marks the feature of the Congress governments. This today. after nearly 10-11 years of struggle, we’ve had the Supreme Court come out with a comprehensive order. This is proof of how the Congress party, when in power, misuses its position, remarked the FM.

Further apprising how the Congress had tried to wash off its hands from the fraudulent deal, Nirmala Sitharaman said that in 2011 in an interview to a television channel, the telecom minister then, Kapil Sibal had said that the cabinet was not even aware of the details of the Antariksh Devas, adding that it was surprising considering ISRO comes under the PMO.

She also quoted the then PM Manmohan Singh as saying on February 24, 2011, that “there was no question of the PMO office to approve this deal. It never came to that level”.

Speaking about the extent of fraud involved in the agreement, Nirmala Sitharaman read out para 12.8 of the SC order which stated that a total investment of Rs 579 crore was brought in by Devas, but almost 85 per cent of the said amount was siphoned out of India partly towards the establishment of the subsidiary in the USA, partly towards business support services and partly towards litigation expenses. “You bring in the money and take it out to fight all the arbitration and call it bringing in investment to the country,” said the FM explaining how the “fraud” was masterminded.

She further read an excerpt from the SC judgement which read that the manner in which a misleading note was out to the cabinet and the manner in which the minutes of the DAG were manipulated highlighted by the Tribunal also shows that the affairs of the company were conducted in a fraudulent manner.

Confirming that the liquidation process (for Devas Multimedia) will begin soon, the FM informed that the arbitration tribunals have awarded USD 1.2 bn plus cost and interest on pleas by Devas shareholders against cancellation of Antrix deal.

“We are fighting in all courts to save taxpayers’ money which otherwise would have gone to pay for the scandalous Antrix-Devas deal”, added Nirmala Sitharaman during the press conference.

SC upholds liquidation of Devas Multimedia on grounds that it was incorporated with fraudulent intention

It may be noted that the Supreme Court bench Justices Hemant Gupta and V Ramasubramanian Monday, upheld the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order winding up Devas (Digitally Enhanced Video and Audio Services) Multimedia Private Limited, which in association with ISRO’s space arm Antrix Corporation aimed to deliver video, multimedia and information services via satellite to mobile receivers in vehicles and mobile phones across India.

The court stated that it is a case of “fraud of a huge magnitude which cannot be brushed under the carpet, as a private lis (suit)”. 

The National Company Law Tribunal had ordered the winding up of Devas on May 25, 2021, on a petition by Antrix. This was affirmed by NCLAT on September 8, 2021. It also appointed a provisional liquidator, saying Devas was incorporated with a fraudulent motive to collude with the then officials of Antrix Corporation.

A Supreme Court has junked the Devas’ case against the NCLAT. The bench also upheld the tribunal’s order from September last year making it the first case of winding up on a company on grounds of fraud.

The Antrix-Devas multimedia deal

Devas Multimedia and Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), struck an agreement in 2005 to provide multimedia services to mobile subscribers utilising the leased S-band satellite spectrum. The agreement was terminated in 2011 on the grounds that the broadband spectrum auction had been tainted by fraud, and the government required the S-band satellite spectrum for national security and other social reasons.

The scandal first surfaced when The Hindu revealed in 2011 that there were some inconsistencies in Antrix and Devas’ agreement. They presented the findings of a draught audit report, highlighting irregularities such as financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest, rule violations, and favouritism. This revelation came at the heel of the 2G spectrum scam which was condemned for the high level of corruption.

The government finally cancelled the deal on 17 February 2011. Devas then took Antrix and the Government to International Court for cancelling its contract by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2011.

Devas Multimedia filed a complaint with the International Chambers of Commerce to get the annulment overturned (ICC). Under the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), Mauritius investors in Devas Multimedia filed a claim under the India-Mauritius BIT, while Deutsche Telekom, a German business, filed a claim under the India-Germany BIT.

All these proceedings led to adverse awards given against India. India was ordered to pay a total of USD 1.29 billion in damages after losing all three cases.

This led to courts in France and Canada ordering attachment of India’s assets in these countries to recover the dues. Canada even started seizing the Airports Authority of India and Air India’s assets for recovery. These steps have severely dented India’s image abroad. Now that the Supreme Court has ordered the liquidation of Devas Multimedia company describing it as fraudulent, India will have to fight its cases again. 

In 2015, the Central Bureau of Investigation registered a First Investigation Report (FIR) against Devas and its officers under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. 

Congress’ involvement in the Antrix-Devas deal

When the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power in 2004, the game began just months after the new administration entered office. Dr M Chandrashekhar, a former ISRO employee, established a start-up company with the goal of defrauding the Indian government. The goal was to secure the S-band spectrum from the government, and investors came from the United States, Canada, France, and Germany.

Next year, Devas struck a partnership with Antrix Corporation to build two satellites and provide digital and multimedia services in India. The startup company requested an S-band spectrum in exchange for Rs 1,000 crore in multimedia services, and the Centre agreed to grant the company with S-band spectrum.

The same government, on the other side, requested Rs 12,500 crore for the S-band spectrum for its own firms, BSNL and MTNL. Meanwhile, the fledgling company did not begin work, and the Rs 1.75 lakh crore 2G telecom scandal surfaced in 2011. The Antrix-Devas transaction was quickly cancelled by the Manmohan Singh government, which was preoccupied with the 2G scandal.

Hearings in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration court commenced for Devas. Manmohan Singh’s government did not even send a lawyer to the arbitration court to defend India. The ICC chose a lawyer to represent India on its own, but bizarrely, the UPA government did not even furnish the lawyer with information on the case. Finally, the ICC arbitration court ordered the Indian government’s assets abroad to be attached in order to recover dues. Devas investors filed lawsuits in the United States, France, Germany, and Canada.

When the Modi government took up office in 2004, it quickly requested that the CBI and ED investigate the matter, and it dispatched its counsel to overseas courts.

Antrix Corporation sought the NCLT liquidate Devas Multimedia company on the Centre’s directives, claiming that it was set up with the intent to cheat the exchequer. NCLT ordered the company’s liquidation, which Devas challenged in court, but NCLAT affirmed the decision. Devas took its case to the Supreme Court, which dismissed it on Monday.

Videos of Kejriwal coughing incessantly during campaign trails trigger concerns after Delhi CM claimed recovery from COVID in 5 days

OpIndia Staff
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Videos of Kejriwal coughing incessantly during campaign trails trigger concerns after Delhi CM claimed recovery from COVID in 5 days

Following his announcement that he had recovered from Covid, many video recordings of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaking at public gatherings sans a mask and coughing persistently have gained attention. Throughout all of the clips, he can be seen coughing repeatedly while interacting with others.

It should be noted that Kejriwal contracted Covid on January 4th and declared himself clear of the virus on January 9th, only 5 days after being diagnosed. If symptoms continue even after testing negative, the ICMR recommends isolation for at least a week or ten days. Videos showing him interacting with the people, coughing continuously, and campaigning in his own capacity in numerous states have swamped social media.

@kajukatla, a Twitter user, tweeted a video showing Kejriwal campaigning in Goa despite his ill health.

Another user named Nishant Azad (@azad_nishant) shared a video of CM Kejriwal on a stage with many people including Chief Ministerial candidate of Punjab Bhagwant Mann. He wrote “Wear a mask, Kejriwal ji. Kejriwal ji is seen coughing everywhere whether it is rally, interview or press conference. @ArvindKejriwal If your health is bad then rest at home why are you risking the lives of others even when the country is battling #Covid19.”

A Twitter user named Sunil Bishnoi (@SM_Bishnoi) wrote “Arvind Kejriwal has not fully recovered from Covid. Instead of being in home isolation, he is campaigning (physically) in Punjab. He was in quarantine for only 4 days. In today’s video, He is coughing in open without mask. Kejriwal is very careless, putting 1000s lives in danger.” He also shared a video of him with Bhagwant Mann interacting with the public in Punjab.

A Twitter handle @MeghBulletin tweeted a video of Kejriwal and wrote “Arvind Kejriwal seriously needs to get treated first … #COVID”

Arvind Kejriwal’s careless attitude against Covid

It’s worth noting that in the last month, Kejriwal has made repeated travels to poll-bound states like Goa and Punjab to campaign for his party. Opindia has extensively covered Arvind Kejriwal’s election campaign path leading up to the news that he was Covid-19 positive. The Delhi CM has spoken at various press conferences to express worry over the mounting COVID cases in Delhi. Meanwhile, throughout his rallies and press conferences, he himself was not observed adhering to the COVID safety protocol. He was observed without a mask engaging with everyone.

COVID-19 infection has been on the rise across the country, owing to the novel coronavirus variant Omicron. Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party’s head and Delhi’s chief minister, has been campaigning for elections nonstop, implying that he has willfully placed the lives of many people in danger in the ongoing pandemic.

‘True character of party exposed’: BJP slams Congress for endorsing Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan who had ‘warned Hindus’

OpIndia Staff
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‘True character of party exposed’: BJP slams Congress for endorsing Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan who had ‘warned Hindus’

Ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittihad-e-Millat Council today extended his support to the Congress in the state. Addressing the media, the Ittihad-e-Millat Council party chief said that he feels that only Congress can ensure the development of the Muslims.

In a press conference with UP Congress chief Ajay Lallu, Khan assured full support to the grand old party in the UP elections 2022. He said that only Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were ‘secular’ leaders and that Muslims would stand by the party in the state. This is after Khan had a meeting with Priyanka Vadra and declared that he would not contest from his party in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. The UP Congress tweeted the photograph of Khan and Priyanka Vadra and confirmed that Ittihad-e-Millat Council had extended its full support to the Congress.

BJP slams Congress for seeking support from hate-monger Maulana Tauqeer Razan Khan

The Bharatiya Janata Party meanwhile has slammed the Congress party for endorsing hate monger Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan who had warned Hindus. The BJP on Tuesday questioned the ‘secular credentials’ of the Congress for sharing the stage with a controversial Muslim cleric, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan.

BJP’s spokesperson Sambit Patra said that Maulana is the same person who was spewing venom against Hindus a few days ago. “Maulana had said that if law and order come in the hands of their soldiers, then Hindus will not even get a place to live in India. He had also said that the maps of India would be changed. This is the height of hatred”, Patra said.

He also hit out at the Congress stating that possibly the hatred speech by Maulana in Bareilly was pre-decided between the Congress and Ittihad-e-Millat Council chief at the meeting.

Taking to Twitter, BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla also claimed that Congress was hand-in-glove with Hindu hate-mongers and the party’s true character stood exposed. “Rahul Gandhi claims to be the biggest Hindu during elections! His party has embraced someone who warns of Hindu genocide! Tauqeer Raza was sharing the platform with Congress UP president and has been taken on board to replace Imran Masood?”, he said.

“Congress party always practices the politics of dividing, abusing and threatening Hindus, polarizing the Muslim vote bank and then taking their votes. The true character of Congress stands exposed today. Incite riots, provoke the vote bank, abuse Hindus and then earn votes. This is the strategy of the Congress party. Therefore, they have taken the support of Tauqeer Raza,” he added.

On January 8, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan had provoked Muslims against Hindus in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. While addressing a crowd of 20 lakh Muslims, the radical Islamist had brazenly threatened Hindus in India that the day Muslims rage flares, they would have nowhere to escape.

“I see the anger within my Muslim youths and I am afraid that the day this anger bursts out, the day I lose control over them… I want to warn my Hindu brothers that I’m scared that the day my Muslim youths are forced to take the law into their hands, you will not find a place to hide anywhere in India”, he had said while displaying his extreme hate for the Hindus.

Congress’ old association with the Muslim cleric, had fought 2009 Lok Sabha elections together

It is important to note that Congress had allied with Maulana Tauqeer Raza also in 2009 despite his habits of issuing threats to anyone he thought was insulting Islam. The party had in 2009 announced that the All India Ittihad-e-Millat Council has agreed to support Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, and in return, the council would have a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress in 2012 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

It was reported that the Maulana belongs to the Barelvi sect which is close to Congress. At that time, Maulana had claimed that he was allying with Congress because he felt the need to strengthen the ‘secular forces’ in the country.

Bombay HC commutes death penalty of serial-killer sisters who killed 5 children to life imprisonment: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay HC commutes death penalty of serial-killer sisters who killed 5 children to life imprisonment: Details

The Bombay High Court commuted the death sentence of sisters Seema Gavit and Renuka Shinde to a life sentence citing the Maharashtra government’s inordinate delay and indifference in dealing with their mercy petition. The sisters were sentenced to death in 2001 for kidnapping 13 children and killing five of them between 1990 and October 1996.

The sisters, together with their mother Anjana, were charged with kidnapping 13 children in order to force them to beg between 1990 and 1996. The kids who refused to beg were slain. In 2001, the defendants were found guilty and punished. The death sentence was upheld by the Bombay High Court in 2004 and the Supreme Court in 2006.

In 2008, they petitioned the governor with a mercy plea, which was denied in 2012-13. Following this, they petitioned the President for pardon, which was likewise denied in 2014. The sisters eventually petitioned the High Court, claiming that the decision on their mercy appeal had been delayed and their death sentence must be commuted to that of life imprisonment.

The bench stated that the government authorities, notably the state government, had behaved rashly, delaying procedure while knowing the seriousness of the matter, and failing to carry out the women’s death sentences despite the President’s rejection of their mercy applications over seven years ago.

“Though the procedure for deciding mercy petitions mandates speed and expediency, the state machinery showed indifference and laxity at each stage,” the court observed.

The state apparatus, according to the bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Sarang Kotwal, displayed carelessness. “The position of law that an unexplained delay in disposal of mercy petitions may result in commuting the death sentence was already holding the field when mercy petitions by the petitioners were made,” the bench said.

The petitioners asserted that the executive, comprising the Governor of Maharashtra, the state government, the Union Home Ministry, and the President of India, is solely responsible for the delay in determining their mercy requests.

The Kolhapur sisters have remained in detention for nearly 25 years as of December 15, 2021, and have thus exercised their basic right under Article 21 through a petition before the judiciary.

SP leader Azam Khan who is in jail in fake birth certificate case to contest UP assembly elections from Rampur seat: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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SP leader Azam Khan who is in jail in fake birth certificate case to contest UP assembly elections from Rampur seat: Reports

Samajwadi party heavyweight Azam Khan, who has been lodged in jail since February 2020 in connection with a fake birth certificate case, will be reportedly fighting the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from the Rampur seat.

Khan’s son, Abdullah Azam, who was released from Sitapur Jail last week, will also be fighting the assembly polls on an SP ticket. Azam Khan is reportedly selected as the SP candidate from the district assembly seat while his son Abdullah Azam will contest from Swar Tanda(Suar).

Rampur is a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, especially Azam Khan, who has been elected 9 times from the said constituency. In 2017, when BJP swept Uttar Pradesh, Khan had managed to retain his Rampur seat by defeating Shiv Bahadur Saxena of BJP by 47,000 votes.

Khan’s son Abdullah Azam too had won the assembly elections in 2017 from the Swar Tanda or Suar seat, but his election was deemed invalid by the Allahabad High Court on the ground that he was underage to fight the 2017 Assembly polls. The father-son duo approached the Supreme Court but they got no reprieve from the apex court, which upheld the High Court’s decision.

It is worth noting that Abdullah Azam was released from Sitapur jail on Saturday last week. Khan has 43 cases lodged against him in Rampur and had got release orders in all the cases.

Azam Khan lodged in jail since February 2020, several cases filed against him

Azam Khan and his son have been lodged in jail since February 2020 in a case pertaining to a fake birth certificate produced by Khan’s son Abdullah Azam who had won from Suar assembly seat in 2017. Abdullah Azam was also detained in August 2019 from Mohammad Ali Jauhar University for hindering investigation as the premises were being raided to recover books stolen from a 250-year-old madrasa. The father-son duo is facing cases pertaining to land grabbing by the university.

Khan had landed in a major land grabbing case after irregularities and allegations against his family’s Mohammad Ali Jauhar University surfaced in 2019. The University was raided by Rampur police following a complaint by the principal of Madrasa Aliya, wherein he stated that 9000 books and rare manuscripts from the Madrasa have been stolen.

It was first land-grabbing, then lion statues, followed by books and valuable manuscripts. He has also been booked for ‘stealing buffaloes’ and later the Rampur MP was also booked for electricity theft. The power supply to Azam Khan’s resort ‘Humsafar’ in Uttar Pradesh was cut after raids were conducted in the resort by the Uttar Pradesh electricity department.

Besides several other cases are also lodged against SP leader Azam Khan. In September 2019, Rampur Police in Uttar Pradesh had booked Azam Khan on allegations of ‘stealing goats’ following the complaint which was filed in October 2016.

I am willing to resign from MP post, but please give MLA ticket to my son: Rita Bahuguna Joshi to BJP leadership

OpIndia Staff
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I am willing to resign from MP post, but please give MLA ticket to my son: Rita Bahuguna Joshi to BJP leadership

Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Lok Sabha MP from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, proposed resigning as a Member of Parliament on Tuesday if the party agrees to nominate her son Mayank in the upcoming state assembly elections.

Her son Mayank Joshi, she says, has been working since 2009 and has asked for a ticket from Lucknow Cantt. She further stated that if the party decides to only issue one ticket per family, she will resign from her current Lok Sabha seat to campaign for Mayank.

She added that she has conveyed her request to the party’s national president, JP Nadda. “I will always continue working for the BJP anyway. The party can choose to accept or reject my proposal. I had already declared that I won’t contest elections, many years ago,” Joshi further added according to ANI.

The Lucknow Cantt seat, one of Uttar Pradesh’s 403 assembly seats, is located in the state’s capital city of Lucknow. Joshi has been a two-time MLA from the same seat, once on congress nomination in 2012 and then on BJPs nomination in 2017.

Joshi has reportedly approached top BJP officials, including Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP State President JP Nadda, for a ticket for her son.

Dr. Joshi previously served as a cabinet minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. In 2019, the BJP nominated her for the Allahabad parliamentary seat. She resigned as state minister after winning the general election. Dr. Joshi, an Allahabad Central University professor, was also a mayor. She afterwards joined the BJP.

For the approaching elections, all political parties are negotiating for the distribution of tickets. Elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases, commencing on February 7 and ending on March 7, with the ballots being counted on March 10.

Delhi HC grants bail to Tahir, Shahrukh, Faizal and 3 others who had brutally murdered Dilbar Negi during anti-Hindu riots

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC grants bail to Tahir, Shahrukh, Faizal and 3 others who had brutally murdered Dilbar Negi during anti-Hindu riots

On January 18, the Delhi High Court granted bail to six persons named Mohd Tahir, Shahrukh, Mohd Faizal, Mohd Shoaib, Rashid and Parvez in the Gokulpuri murder case related to the Delhi Riots of February 2020. The bail was granted by Justice Subramonium Prasad. The six were accused of vandalism and setting Anil Sweet Corner on fire “resulting in the death of 22-year-old Dilbar Negi”.

Advocate Amit Mahajan, appearing for the Delhi Police had vehemently opposed the grant of bail.

Dilbar Negi’s hands and feet were chopped off by the mob of rioters. Negi, who was working in the sweet shop, had come to Delhi looking for a job from his native state Uttarakhand just six months before the incident. As per the Police report, rioters pelted stones and set several shops on fire on February 24 near Shiv Vihar Tiraha. Two days after the riots, a mutilated and torched dead body was found in the said sweet shop that was one of the shops burnt down by the rioters.

The dead body was unrecognizable at the time when it was found. Later, the deceased was identified as 22-year-old Dilbar Singh Negi, who was one of the employees of the sweet shop. An FIR was registered by the Police under The FIR was registered under Section 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (Unlawful assembly), 302 (Murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence), 436 (Mischief by fire) and 427 (Mischief causing damage) of the Indian Penal Code against the accused at Gokulpuri Police Station.

The case was later transferred to SIT of Crime Branch. A charge sheet was filed in June 2020. Twelve people were named as accused by the investigation agencies in the case. The public eyewitnesses stated in their statements that the rioters pelted stones, chanted anti-Hindu slogans and torched several shops and houses. They also mentioned that the rioters entered a building and killed the deceased who was hiding in the building. His body was burnt along with the building.

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