On Wednesday, a Delhi court acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case filed by former Union Minister MJ Akbar over her #Metoo allegations.
According to the reports, the Court observed that a man of social status can also be a sexual harasser and woman has the right to put her grievance even after decades.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey, delivering the judgement said sexual abuse takes away dignity and self-confidence. Hence, the right of reputation cannot be protected at the cost of the right to dignity, the Court held.
“The society must understand the impact of sexual abuse and harassment on its victims”, the Court said, adding the defendant had the rights under Article 21 that is guaranteed under the Constitution. She has full right to put up her case in any platform of her choice, the court said.
Court: Art 21 and the right to equality is guaranteed under the Constitution. She has full right to put up her case in any platform of her choice.#PriyaRamani@mjakbar#metoo
Further, the court also said that time has come for our society to understand that sometimes a victim may for years not speak up due to the mental trauma. The woman cannot be punished for raising her voice against sexual abuse, Justice Pandey noted.
The Court also accepted Ramani’s contention that MJ Akbar’s claim of a stellar reputation was demolished by Ghazala Wahab’s testimony, who was also allegedly sexually abused by Akbar.
Interestingly, in its order, the court also cited an instance of Valmiki Ramayan saying when Shri Laxman, when asked to describe Sita, mentions he never looked beyond her feet, to establish that reverence to women is essential in Indian ethos.
Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra represented MJ Akbar while Priya Ramani was represented by Senior Advocate Rebecca John.
MJ Akbar had filed a defamation case after Priya Ramani had accused him of sexual harassment in the wake of the #Metoo movement which had gathered considerable attention in 2019, to which the journalist pleaded not guilty. Following the allegations, he was forced to resign from the Union Cabinet on 17 October 2018.
Last week, Congress, in its bid to mount an attack against Amit Shah and in an attempt to tarnish the image of the BJP ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections resorted to lies to allege that the Union Home Minister sat on the hallowed chair of Bengali icon Rabindranath Tagore.
Speaking at Lok Sabha on February 8, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that Amit Shah sat on Tagore’s chair and disrespected the poet and revolutionary.
In his address, starting at 21.20. Chowdhury says, “The government belongs to every single one of us. BJP leader Amit Shah and JP Nadda went to Bengal ahead of the state elections. They visited Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan. They claimed he was born there. People are laughing at such erroneous claims. First read where Tagore was born and then visit such places. We are ashamed of this. They are leaders of the ruling party. Our Home Minister Amit Shah goes and sits on Rabindranath Tagore’s chair. Don’t know who asked you to go and sit on Tagore’s chair. This is a grave insult to Rabindranath Tagore. While visiting such places, you should bear in mind the local sensitivities and ethos of the place.”
Claims about Amit Shah sitting on a chair belonging to Rabindranath Tagore instantly went viral on the social media websites, with many users, mostly those sympathetic to the Congress party, enthusiastically disseminating the assertion that Shah sat on Tagore’s chair and disrespected the Bengali cultural icon.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah refutes allegations levelled by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah rubbished the allegations levelled by Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, stating that charges levelled against him are devoid of facts. A day after Chowdhury accused Shah of sitting on Tagore’s chair and disrespecting the Nobel laureate, the Union Home Minister said in the Lok Sabha that the Congress leader had presented “incorrect information” in the House.
“He isn’t aware of the facts. I am keeping the facts on record. The truth is that Jawaharlal Nehru sat on Rabindranath Tagore’s chair and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had tea on his sofa,” Amit Shah said, along with presenting photographs as evidence in the House.
Even the Vice Chancellor of the Visvabharti University, where Santiniketan is located, shot off a letter to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury informing him that his allegations are “patently untrue”.
Source: India Today
In his letter, the vice-chancellor wrote, “You have unfortunately been misinformed, as this is patently untrue. In the past, during their official visits to Uttarayan, a number of dignitaries, including the former Chancellors, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Madam Pratibha Patil, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Madam Shiekh Hasina, among others, have sat in that makeshift seat, which is actually just the edge of a window on which cushions are placed. This fact has been documented in photographs.”
The South American connection to Rabindranath Tagore’s hallowed armchair
There is a South American connection to Tagore’s armchair, which was used by the Congress party to portray BJP and Amit Shah in a bad light ahead of the West Bengal elections. The chair which is currently preserved at Santiniketan was gifted by Tagore’s Argentine admirer, Victoria Ocampo.
In 1924, Tagore was on his way to Peru to attend the centenary celebrations of independence when he had to take a medical rest in Argentina’s Buenos Aires. Victoria came to know about Tagore’s stay and offered to take care of him. She reportedly mortgaged her jewellery to rent a beautiful mansion in San Isidro, a suburb of Buenos Aires, where she housed the Indian literary giant. The 63-year-old Tagore was revitalised by the charming 34-year-old Ocampo during his 58 days of recuperation at Buenos Aires.
When it was time for Tagore to leave, Ocampo gifted him an armchair to take to India from Buenos Aires. But there was one problem—the chair was too big to get into Tagore’s cabin in the ship. However, Ocampo was determined to not give up. Ocampo told the the captain of the ship to break the door of the cabin to accommodate the chair. She also got arranged a two-bed room cabin for Tagore through her contact.
‘Thinking of Him’ movie captures the special bond between Rabindranath Tagore and his Argentine muse Victoria Ocampo
This anecdote was also captured in a movie named ‘Thinking of Him’ which explores Rabindranath Tagore’s relationship with Argentinian feminist, writer and activist Victoria Ocampo.
Directed by Pablo Cesar, the movie attempts to recreate the fascinating Tagore-Ocampo encounters based on real-life incidents. Ocampo was an ardent admirer of Rabindranath Tagore, from whom she reportedly drew a spiritual awakening and literary inspiration. She was familiar with his writings and began to idolise him after she read the French translation of Gitanjali.
In an Argentine Daily, Ocampo later wrote an article titled “The joy of reading Rabindranath Tagore”. She was overawed by his intellect and serenity and felt like a shy child in front of him. She listened to him mostly and remained inhibited in his presence.
For Tagore, Ocampo was a muse for his Purabi poems in which he called her Bijoya (for Victoria) and dedicated the poems to her. The two shared a deeply emotional but platonic bond. Tagore lovingly addressed Ocampo as Bijoya. The two continued to exchange letters till Tagore’s death in 1941.
The United States President Joe Biden has reportedly refused to hold dialogue with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. As per reports, the White House yesterday said that President Biden was going to ‘recalibrate’ the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia. However, White House press secretary Jen Psaki reportedly said that the President would directly talk to the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud instead of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. “The President’s counterpart is King Salman”, said Psaki.
WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki says the Biden White House will “recalibrate our relationship” with Saudi Arabia.
“We’ve made clear from the beginning that we’re going to recalibrate our relationship with Saudi Arabia”, said Psaki. “Part of that is going back to engagement, counterpart to counterpart, the President’s counterpart if King Salman and I expect that in, appropriate time, he would have a conversation with him”, Psaki added. It is notable here that there existed a close relationship between the US government and the Saudi Crown Prince, who is the de facto ruler of the kingdom, during the Trump administration.
Former US President Donald Trump had a close relationship with the Saudi Crown Prince
The former US President Donald Trump shared close ties with the Saudi Crown Prince even after the US intelligence agencies concluded that Prince Mohammad bin Salman had personally ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Khashoggi, who was a columnist with the Washington Post, had criticised Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s policies in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier this month, President Biden had announced that the US would end all support for Saudi Arabia’s offensive operations in Yemen saying that the conflict had created a “humanitarian and strategic catastrophe”. However, he clarified that the US would continue to help and support Saudi Arabia.
Bengali actor Yash Dasgupta is rumoured to be joining the BJP ahead of Bengal Assembly elections. As per reports, he is believed to be joining the BJP at Gerua camp later in the day. The news come amid reports that TMC MP Nusrat Jahan, who is rumoured to be having a troubled marriage, is dating Dasgupta.
Jahan, who married businessman Nikhil Jain two years back has reportedly been having a rocky marriage. Recently it was reported that Nusrat and Yash went on a trip to Rajasthan. Earlier this week, at the premiere of her film ‘Dictionary’, Dasgupta and Nusrat had made an entry together. They were also reportedly spotted holding hands.
Dasgupta made his Bengali film debut in 2016 opposite another TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty. Chakraborty, Dasgupta and Jahan acted together in the film SOS Kolkata.
In January, when asked about the reports on her troubled marriage with Jain, Jahan had refused to comment on the same stating that it is her personal life and said that she will not reveal anything about it. Nusrat, however, has reportedly deleted all her pictures with her husband Jain from her social media account Instagram. On the other hand, she has been sharing her pictures with Yash Dasgupta on her Instagram account.
Tightening the noose around gangsters in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has taken a stringent decision to equip the government officials with greater powers to deal with gangsters in the state. In its latest decision, the state government has conferred powers on deputy commissioner rank officers to order attachment of properties in cases lodged under the UP Gangster and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. This power earlier vested with the Commissioner of Police and District Magistrates but now with the state cabinet’s approval, the power can be exercised by deputy commissioner rank officials as well.
According to reports, the decision will be applicable only in Noida and Lucknow as the two Commissionerates of the state are located in these two areas. The UP Gangsters Act allows the concerned officers to attach any movable or immovable property if the officer has reason to believe that the property has been acquired by a gangster as a result of the commission of an offence triable under the Act. The concerned officer can attach the property even if the court has not yet taken cognisance of the matter.
Joint Commissioner of Police said that the decision will speed up the disposal of cases
Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP) (crime) Nilabja Chaudhary reportedly said that in Lucknow and Noida, only the police commissioner was authorised to order attachment of property but following the new order, cases will be disposed faster. “Now all ten Deputy Commissioners of Police in Lucknow will be able to dispose of such cases. In Noida, all seven DCPs will have the same authority. This will help to dispose of cases faster”, the JCP was quoted as saying. H added that in the last one year around 697 persons have been booked under the Gangsters Act and property worth Rs 90 crore has been recovered from their possession.
UP government has been taking action against gangsters in the state
The Uttar Pradesh government has been cracking down on gangsters operating in the state ever since it came to power in 2017. The government had attached and demolished the illegal properties of several gangsters in the state. Last year in August, the government had demolished two illegal buildings belonging to gangster-turned-politicians BSL MLA Mukhtar Ansari. Not only this, the government recovers the expenses incurred in the demolition of illegal constructions from the gangster concerned.
On February 17, Khalistani terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice’s (SFJ) Gurpatwant Singh Pannu came out in support of several so-called activists who were recently arrested for their participation in anti-India activities including Disha Ravi, Deep Sidhu, Nodeep Kaur, Nikita Jacob and others.
Screenshot from SFJ’s video in support of Disha Ravi, Deep Sidhu and others
He said that his organization had created a website in support of these activists. Pannu said that these activists, who have been charged with sedition, were carrying out their right to protest.
Poster in support of Disha Ravi, Shantanu Muluk, Nikita Jacob, Deep Sidhu and Nodeep kaur issued by terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice (Image: SFJ)
Creating a subtle connection to the liberation of Punjab from India as the ‘only solution’, Pannu said that the website Twitter4Farmer(dot)in would help in pressuring the foreign ambassadors of the United States, Canada, UK, Germany, Australia, Italy, Sweden and EU serving in India to ban PM Narendra Modi from visiting anywhere in the world. Pannu further urged the protesting farmers to join the email campaign.
The email format specifically mentions Disha Ravi
The poster issued by SFJ was seen on SFJ’s referendum website.
Screenshot of SFJ’s website with poster
The website launched in support of the arrested toolkit creators and rioters shows the poster and a link to send email to the ambassadors.
Screenshot of twitter4farmer website’s home page
In the support email format, the website launched by SFJ mentions Disha Ravi’s name specifically. It said, “Disha Ravi, a climate activist has been arrested and charged with sedition for formulation and sharing the “Toolkit”, a document floated by prominent Swedish environmentalist Great Thunberg.”
Support email mentions Disha Ravi’s name and toolkit that was shared by Greta Thunberg (Image: Screenshot from SFJ’s website.
When we dug further about the website, we found that it was registered on February 16, 2021.
The contact information was hidden, but the Registrant Organization was mentioned as Pannun Law Firm PC that has offices in New York and California. The said law firm belongs to the founder of terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu.
Pannu’s name mentioned on Pannun Law Firm that had registered the support website
The Greta Thunberg Toolkit row
On February 4, environment activist Greta Thunberg posted a toolkit and a tweet in support of farmer protests in India. The toolkit revealed international propaganda against India that has links to Khalistani terrorist organizations and pro-Khalistani outfits.
Delhi Police registered a case to investigate the links between the toolkit and January 26 riots in Delhi. During the investigation, Delhi Police found out that several people were involved in creating, editing, and distributing the toolkit. They arrested a 21-year-old woman Disha Ravi from Bengaluru for her alleged role in creating the toolkit. When Greta shared the toolkit Disha allegedly messaged her on WhatsApp and said her tweet could lead to a case against them under UAPA.
Non-bailable warrants were issued against Nikita Jacob and Shantanu who were absconding since police filed the case against them. Both Nikita and Shantanu had applied for transit bail in respective states’ high courts out of which Nikita was granted transit bail for 10 days. Police also uncovered a link between riots and one Pieter Friedrich who has links to terrorist organizations. He has been under investigation agencies’ scanner since 2006.
Delhi Police has further said that these three along with 67 others participated in a zoom call with Poetic Justice Foundation, a Canada-based Pro Khalistani organization. They discussed how they could allegedly provoke protesters for violence on January 26. The founder of PJF, Mo Dhaliwal, is an open supporter of Khalistanis and he has supported the idea of a separate nation for Sikhs named Khalistan on several occasions.
Sikhs For Justice’s role on January 26 Red Fort incident
Few days prior to the Republic Day celebrations, SFJ had announced a cash reward for hoisting Khalistani flag on Red Fort and India Gate. On Republic Day a large group of protesters broke down the barricades, took unauthorized routes and reached Red Fort. At the Red Fort, they hoisted two flags with the holy Sikh Symbol. During January 26 riots, over 350 police personnel were injured. Some of them are still fighting for their lives in ICU. Delhi Police has so far arrested Deep Sidhu and Iqbal Singh in Red Fort case.
Middle-aged stand-up ‘comedian’ Atul Khatri, who has long been criticised for his unfunny and cringeworthy jokes, recently protected his Twitter account after netizens dredged up his old tweets where he was seen insulting the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee with obscene remarks.
A raft of tweets was unearthed by keen-eyed social media users, who brought to light the disparaging comments Khatri had made in the past against the Trinamool Congress chief. In one of the tweets shared by the social media users, Khatri had referred to Mamata Banerjee as a bitch and dared her to arrest him.
In another instance, Khatri had tweeted: “Jab subah ki bhooli shaam ko wapas aajaye, usse bhooli nahin…usse TMC party ki Mamata kehnte hain..TMC in this means Teri Maa Ki…”
Khatri protects his account after his tweets insulting Mamata Banerjee go viral
Soon after netizens ferreted out his old tweets deriding the TMC chief, the ‘comedian’, possibly fearing retribution from the TMC, Khatri protected his Twitter account and limited access to it.
Source: Twitter
Besides being fearful of action by TMC goons, it is also pertinent to note that Khatri, known for his appalling sense of humour, has lately been a toast of the left-leaning intelligentsia, especially after his continued criticism of the Modi government.
With West Bengal assembly elections just around the corner, his tweets mocking and insulting Mamata Banerjee doesn’t jibe with his recent anti-Modi inclinations and desperate attempts made by liberals to once again get Banerjee at the helm of affairs in the state. This might have prompted him to quickly get into damage control mode by protecting his Twitter account and restricting the further dissemination of his derisive tweets.
It is also worth noting that TMC is rapidly losing ground in West Bengal after a host of its leaders have deserted the party and joined the opposition ranks.
Atul Khatri passes casteist slur against Rangoli Chandel
Mamata Banerjee is not the only against whom the middle-aged ‘comedian’ had made crude remarks through his Twitter account. Last year, he had shamelessly indulged in hurling casteist slur against Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut’s sister Rangoli Chandel by referring to her as ‘Chandaal’.
In a blatant act of casteism, Khatri referred Rangoli Chandel as ‘Chandaal’. Chandaal is a Scheduled Caste community who deals with the disposal of corpses and also performs last rites. Chandaal has been notified as Scheduled Caste in at least six states of the country.
At a time India is being hailed across the globe for stepping up to the save the world from the wrath of the Chinese pandemic by supplying affordable, easy to store vaccines, a concerted campaign has been initiated to discredit the country’s vaccine diplomacy. The left-liberal media and certain political leaders are now attempting to propagate misinformation about Indian-made vaccines in an attempt to embarrass the Modi government.
In a similar initiative on Tuesday, a section of the left-liberal media ecosystem, discredited politicians took to social media to claim that South Africa had asked the Serum Institute of India to take back 1 million vaccine doses it had supplied under a commercial deal. Earlier this month, South Africa had received 1 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute.
In a report published by Economic Times, it was claimed that South Africa wanted to return the one million COVID-19 vaccine doses it had received from Serum Institute of India. The report claimed that South Africa had decided to return the vaccine a week after the country said it would put on hold the use of AstraZeneca in its vaccination program after it showed reduced protection against the South African variant of the coronavirus.
ET report that claimed South Africa asked SII to take back COVID vaccines.
Citing the ET report, several media establishments aggressively reported that South Africa intends to return the vaccine doses it has procured from India as it did not have efficacy against the South African strain of the Wuhanvirus.
The report had stated that South Africa had paused the rollout of Indian-made AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine doses after preliminary trial data showed they offered minimal protection against mild to moderate illness from the country’s dominant COVID-19 variant.
The country was likely to administer Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines from Wednesday, the Reuters report said.
Report by Reuters
Similarly, the Indian ‘liberal’ media outlets, who often wait for an opportunity to discredit India’s achievements on the global stage, latched on to same claims to add that the vaccines Indian-made will be returned. The basis of such a report was to not only cause disrepute to India’s vaccine diplomacy initiatives but also create vaccine hesitancy back in the country.
The Hindu too reported with similar claims that Serum Institute of India has been asked take back the one million COVID-19 vaccine doses the company had sent in early February.
Report in The Hindu
The far-left propaganda website ‘The Wire’, which has a history of peddling lies against the country, put out a similar report saying that Indian vaccines would be sent back.
Report in The Wire
Strangely, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, who seems to have a complicated relationship with facts lately, also fell for the same misinformation.
Swamy’s tweet
Unsurprisingly, Pakistan was also there to celebrate India’s supposed ‘failure’ of the vaccine programme. Citing a Forbes report, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the ruling party in the terror-state ‘hoped’ that India did not put World at risk by supplying such vaccines. Spectacularly ignoring the reality that the desperately poor Islamic country has no means to vaccinate its own people and is waiting for the same SII-manufactured vaccines delivered to them through UN’s help so they can start vaccination in their country.
Tweet by Imran Khan’s PTI
Ironically, Pakistan is desperately waiting for the same vaccines made Serum Institute of India to be delivered to them for free, as a gesture of help to poor nations from UN and GAVI. Pakistan will get around 17 million doses of SII’s vaccine for its people under the UN’s COVAX program.
Did South Africa ask the Serum Institute to take back the vaccines?
Responding to media reports that claimed that SII had been asked to take back its vaccine, the South African government has refuted media reports categorically saying that no such proposals have been made to the SII.
It is important to note that South Africa had paused the rollout of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine doses this month after one of the trials had shown the SII vaccine offered lesser protection against the South African COVID-19 variant. Following that, the South African government had agreed to purchase a vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
As South African government procured J&J vaccine, it decided to share the excess vaccines from India with the African countries via the African Union (AU).
Speaking in the parliament, South Africa’s Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said, “I would like to clarify a few media reports that said we had returned the vaccines to India. We have not returned the AstraZeneca vaccines to India”.
Mkhize added the AstraZeneca doses that were purchased are now offered to the African Union platform, of which the SA is also part. He added that the AU would distribute to those countries who have already expressed interest in acquiring the stock.
He also stated, “I also wish to put it on record once again that the vaccines have not expired and that the expiry date of April was established through our quality control processes – a wrong impression was created that the vaccines have expired – this is simply not true”.
Earlier, there was a similar concerted campaign by left-wing trolls and Congress party workers against the Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccines, who had resorted to fear-mongering by questioning the ‘safety’ and ‘expiry’ of the vaccines. The habitual sceptics and anti-India propagandists had attempted to put out misleading narratives to undermine the country’s majestic achievement.
Delhi police Special Cell arrested another accused named Maninder Singh in the Red Fort violence case near Pitam Pura in Delhi yesterday. Maninder is a most wanted person in the case. The police recovered two swords from his house in Swaroop Nagar.
A most wanted person in Red Fort violence case, Maninder Singh (in pics), arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell yesterday in Delhi. Two swords recovered from his house.
(Pic 1 – screengrab from a video released by Delhi Police) (Pic 2 – accused’s pic released by Delhi Police) pic.twitter.com/8Ok8R9ey1Y
According to reports, Maninder Sigh told the police during investigation that he regularly visited Singhu border, where the ‘farmers’ were protesting. He said that he was highly motivated by speeches made by ‘farmers’ leaders’ there. Singh is reportedly a resident of Sindhi colony in Swaroop Nagar and works as a car AC mechanic.
Singh was seen in video clip swinging two swords at the Red Fort
Police said that Singh was spotted in a video swinging two swords at the Red Fort with the intent to motivate/radicalise and energise the violent anti-national elements indulging in brutal assault/attack on the police persons on duty using swords, Khandas, iron rods, barsaas, dandas, etc. and vandalising the Red Fort on January 26.
According to the statement of the Delhi police, Maninder Singh reportedly disclosed that he radicalised six persons of his neighbourhood in Swaroop Nagar area. All of these six persons participated in the tractor rally of the farmers riding upon bikes from Singhu border towards Mukarba Chowk on the Republic Day. Singh said that he himself was radicalised by Facebook posts of various groups.
Singh motivates violent protestors to cause mayhem at the Red Fort by performing sword-dance
Singh reportedly entered into the Red Fort along with his five associates and other unknown armed miscreants as per their plan. There Singh did sword dancing/swinging. As per the police, Singh’s sword dancing motivated violent protestors to cause mayhem at Red Fort by indulging in all sorts of violence against public servants including policeman on duty and damaging the Red Fort. Police said that Singh also runs a sword training school in an empty plot near his house. A video showing him swinging swords at the Red Fort has reportedly been found in hi phone. Photos showing his presence at the Singhu border have also been found.
Others arrested in relation to the Republic Day violence
Delhi police has arrested a number of people accused in the Republic Day violence including Khalistani supporter Deep Sidhu and Iqbal Singh. The police have announced rewards on the arrest of several other accused persons including Jagbir Singh, Buta Singh and Sukhdev Singh.
On February 16, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a statement announcing it has provisionally attached movable properties of Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT) worth approximately Rs 17.66 crores. Some properties of Amnesty India were attached earlier. The total attachment value now stands at over Rs.19 crore.
ED has provisionally attached movable properties worth Rs. 17.66 Crores in case of M/s Amnesty International India Pvt. Ltd. and others
The statement read, “ED has provisionally attached movable properties worth Rs. 17.66 Crores in case of M/s Amnesty International India Pvt. Ltd. and others.” The provisional order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach bank accounts of Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT) in the case against two entities of Amnesty International (India), the global human rights watchdog.
As reported by Firstpost, the ED stated that the said entities have acquired the money and layered the same in the form of various moveable properties. “The order involves attachment of movable properties worth of Rs 17.66 crore being proceeds of crime,” it added.
ED had registered case based on CBI’s FIR
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR against AIIPL, IAIT, Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) and Amnesty International South Asia Foundation (AISAF) 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 registered a money laundering case against the NGO.
Amnesty formed two entities to receive funds under the guise of FDI and export of services
ED said that during 2011-12 Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT) received foreign funds under FCRA from the Amnesty International UK. However, the permission was cancelled based on the adverse inputs from security agencies. The permission was denied several times based on the inputs.
During the investigation, ED found that after the cancellation of the FCRA license by the Indian government, Amnesty International India Foundation Trust and Amnesty entities adopted ‘new method’ to receive money from abroad. AIIPL and IAIT were formed in the year 2013-14 and 2012-13 respectively to escape FCRA route to carry out activities of the organisation under the guise of service expert and FDI.
As per ED, Amnesty International, UK sent Rs. 51.72 crore to AIIPL in the guise of FDI and export of services. “‘For export proceeds/advances to Amnesty International UK there was no documentary proof, such as invoices and copies of agreement between AIIPL and Amnesty International UK, has been furnished by AIIPL to the authorised dealer (AD) banks. ‘It is prima facie found that Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd and others have obtained foreign remittances to the tune of Rs 51.72 crore in the guise export of services and the FDI from Amnesty International (UK) whose source is the donations from individual donors,” ED said, as per reports.
Amnesty India had shut shop in September 2020
In September 2020, Amnesty India, that had links to British govt and Islamist organisations had shut its shop in India after ED froze all its bank accounts on September 10. In the Twitter thread the organisation posted, it has alleged that they have halted the operations in India “due to reprisal from Government of India.” In 2018, ED had raided its offices over FCRA violations. Former Amnesty India head Aakar Patel was also arrested in 2020 for his defamatory tweets against PM Modi and Ghanchi caste.
In a 2019 report, OpIndia had reported about the connections between Amnesty International India, the British government, and radical Islamists. You can read that report here.
