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Sushant Singh death probe: Rhea Chakraborty’s judicial custody extended till October 6 by NDPS court

OpIndia Staff
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Sushant Singh death probe: Rhea Chakraborty’s judicial custody extended till October 6 by NDPS court

The special Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of actor Rhea Chakraborty till October 6 in connection with a drug case linked with her ex-boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Rhea was presented before the special judge GB Gurao, who extended her judicial custody, said special public prosecutor Atul Sarpande. The other accused arrested in the case will be brought before the court on Wednesday, he added.

Rhea Chakraborty files a bail application, alleging coercion by police for self-incriminating confessions

As per the statement released by Rhea Chakraborty’s lawyer Satish Maneshinde, Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty have now filed a bail application in the Bombay High Court. The 28-year-old in her bail plea had alleged that she had been pressurised into making self-incriminating confessions during her interrogations by the NCB. The actor had maintained that she has not committed any crime and has been falsely framed in the case.

Withdrawing her ‘self-incriminating confessions’, she called her arrest as “unwarranted, unjustified,” and termed it as arbitrary. She also said that she has faced death and rape threats and that there were no female officers present during her interrogation, which happened on September 6,7, and 8, with her arrest, coming on the last day.

Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by NCB on September 9 for her alleged role in drug case connected to Sushant Singh Rajput’s death probe

The actor was charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances(NDPS) Act by the Narcotics Control Bureau and arrested earlier this month for her alleged role in the drugs angle that emerged in the case following the death of Sushant on June 14. She was arrested on the grounds of testimonies from other accused in the case. She was confronted with her brother Showik, Sushant Singh Rajput’s manager Samuel Miranda and his house staff Dipesh Sawant to determine their roles in an alleged drug racket.

Rhea was charged under Section 8(c) (produce, manufacture, possess, sell, purchase, transport, warehouse, use, consume, import); 20(b)(ii) (punishment for contravention in relation to the cannabis plant and cannabis where such contravention relates to small quantity, involves quantity lesser than commercial quantity but greater than small quantity, involves commercial quantity); 22 (punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances); 27A (punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders); 28 (punishment for attempts to commit offences); and 29 (punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy) of the NDPS act.

The NCB has made more than a dozen arrests in the case, involving drug peddlers based out of Mumbai and Goa, for their alleged involvement in the drugs case linked with the death of Sushant Singh Rajput

ANI Editor rubbishes viral claim of the same person acting as a customer during demonetisation and farmer supporting agriculture Bills

OpIndia Staff
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ANI Editor rubbishes viral claim of the same person acting as a customer during demonetisation and farmer supporting agriculture Bills

Social Media is awash with a viral claim that news agency ANI interviewed the same person for the recently passed farm bills and the demonetisation that the Modi government had ordered in 2016. Photos of two similar-looking man were shared by the national social media co-ordinator of Congress Vinay Kumar Dokania to allege that ANI sought views from the same man who lauded demonetisation in 2016 for the recently passed farm bills.

INC social media co-ordinator shares a fake tweet of a farmer resembling a man ANI interviewed in 2016

A tweet posted by Vinay Kumar Dokania, National co-ordinator of the social media for the Indian National Congress, instantly went viral in which he has alleged that a farmer who was recently interviewed by ANI had earlier worked with the news agency in 2016 for praising PM Modi after he announced demonetisation and Digital India initiative.

Fake tweet by INC social media co-ordinator

The claim was vigorously denied by Smita Prakash, the Editor-in-chief of ANI, who claimed that the pictures belonged to two different individuals and that Dokania was lying.

However, the tweet’s reach was amplified when Abhishek Dutt, the Vice President of Delhi Congress quoted Dokania’s tweet, asking Smita Prakash if what the tweet asserted was true. The ANI Editor-in-chief responded that his colleague started the controversy with his fake tweet and his tweet amplified the fake tweet.

Dutt shot back that he will get it removed as soon as possible if the tweet was fake. However, despite explicit clarification from Smita Prakash, the tweet has not been removed at the time of writing this article. Instead, the tweet has been widely shared on Twitter by ANI detractors, accusing the channel of planting respondents.

Smita vigorously refutes allegations of ANI planting respondents to show the government in a good light

As the tweet started doing the rounds on the microblogging website, users also raised questions over the journalistic ethics followed by ANI. One of the Twitter user, Vaibhav Vishal, went so far as to claim that the farmer did not appear like a farmer because he was wearing a brand new scarf, vest and all. Vishal suggested Smita question her team because the man did not jibe with his perceived image of a rural farmer.

However, Smita took a jibe at the Twitter user, apologising that a man did not fit his image of a starving emaciated farmer.

But the rap on the knuckles did not deter Vishal from brazening out his stand. Sharing the images of farmers interviewed by the ANI, Vishal pontificated that ANI should introspect as the farmers donning new kurtas and super white vests give an appearance of fabrication.

A war of words erupted after the fake tweet was shared by a veteran Army officer who sought an explanation or rebuttal from Smita Prakash about the fake allegations. A Twitter user responded to the tweet alleging that ANI is doing all it can for its masters but was caught red-handed. Mr Thapar replied saying that he could not understand how could people appear on TV debates as “a guest, sanctimonious, holier than thou, preach ethics and call out people for their duplicity”.

Taking cognisance of this oblique remark, Smita Prakash slammed the veteran officer, calling him a “copy paste artiste” who could not distinguish fact from fiction and accuse others without verification. Mr Thapar expressed his gratitude for the clarification issued by Ms Prakash but questioned her for her angst.

Smita responded, “Yes. You called me ‘sanctimonious’ and other such things in your tweet. I can give it back just as good as I get. Since you apparently wore a uniform you should appreciate an adversary who will not be bullied.”

However, Brig Sandy Thapar replied with another tweet, stating that his comment was on the general of state of affairs in the media and why did Smita Prakash took an “udta teer’. Mr Thapar further added that one should not take him for gullible fools who cannot make out affiliations/loyalties. He also said that channels being biased is acceptable but news agencies taking sides is “despicable”.

To this tweet, Smita sharply retorted, noting that his affiliations are crystal clear by reading his timeline and that she could very well discern that his disparaging remark was directed at her.

ANI gets attacked while news agency PTI gets free pass

While news agency ANI gets attacked time and again, mostly by propagandists who rush to accuse it of being a ‘propaganda’ outlet, they usually give another news agency, PTI, a free pass for misquoting leaders like PM Modi and even sharing fake images.

In August this year, PTI was found misquoting PM Modi on absolute number of coronavirus cases in India. Prior to that, in June, PTI interviewed Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong wherein he blamed India for the clash between the two countries at Galwan Valley. PTI received flak over the fact that its journalist did not bother to counter-question the Chinese ambassador on his dubious claims. People had also pointed out that the ‘interview’ came across as a press release by the Chinese Communist Party rather than a genuine interview.

Election affidavit complaints: Income Tax dept sends notices to Uddhav Thackeray and son, Sharad Pawar and daughter

OpIndia Staff
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Election affidavit complaints: Income Tax dept sends notices to Uddhav Thackeray and son, Sharad Pawar and daughter

The Income Tax department has sent a notice to NCP chied Sharad Pawar. This notice has been sent to him seeking clarification on his election affidavits filed for the previous 3 elections. Apart from Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, son Aditya Thackeray and Sharad Pawar’s daughter, sitting MP Supriya Sule have also been served notices by the Income Tax Department.

Speaking on the issue, the NCP chief said: “I received notice from the Income Tax department about my poll affidavit. On the directions of Election Commission, the Income Tax has sent a notice on poll affidavits for 2009, 2014 and 2020. The IT Department has also asked Supriya Sule to give details of her last 3 poll affidavits. It looks like Income Tax has love and affection for some people.”

Shiv Sena and NCP respond to the CBDT investigation

A day after the Election Commission asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to probe allegations of discrepancies in the poll affidavits against NCP leader Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, the parties had shrugged off the investigation calling it a ‘routine exercise’.

Shiv Sena Minister Anil Parab stated, “It is a routine process to cross-check the information given in an affidavit with the income tax authority. Election Commission and Income Tax Department normally share the information, so there is nothing new in the issue.” He had prepared the election affidavits of both Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik too was not surprised with the development. Hailing it as a ‘routine exercise’, he stated that it was common for the central agency to verify information filed in the affidavit to the income tax returns of a candidate. Malik emphasised, “If there is a specific query, we will reply to it.”

EC asks CBDT to investigate complaint

On September 19, Election Commission asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to probe complaints received against the Thackeray’s and Sule, alleging furnishing of false information in their poll affidavit for the Lok Sabha/assembly polls.

It was reported that some serious discrepancies have emerged in the affidavits filed by the Thackeray father-son duo. The activist who had filed the complaint had cited contradictions in Uddhav Thackeray’s data in son Aditya Thackeray’s filing. 

West Bengal: Unavailibity of cold storage, inefficient policies blamed for loss to potato farmers in the state

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Unavailibity of cold storage, inefficient policies blamed for loss to potato farmers in the state

The State of West Bengal is reeling under an acute potato crisis due to a lack of availability of cold storage facilities. While the State produces 11.5 million tonnes of potatoes annually, there is a storage capacity of only 7 million tonnes.

State government controls rental prices of cold storage facilities

To add to the problem, the government controls the storage rental prices. Patit Paban Dey, the president of the West Bengal Cold Storage Association was quoted in an Economic Times report as saying, “While the storage rate per tonne in adjacent Bihar is ₹2400, here it is ₹1360 only and is much lower than in any other state… As the rate is controlled by the State government, we cannot change it. The government must re-set the rate.”

Dey further added that the initial investment for cold storage is around ₹8000 per tonne with an operational cost of ₹1250 per tonne per season. However, the rental amount is fixed at ₹1360 per tonne. As such, there is a significant decline in investment by potato traders in cold storage facilities in West Bengal.

Farmers forced to sell potatoes at low prices to traders

Due to the chronic shortage of cold storage capacity, farmers need to procure ‘bonds’ by paying an upfront fee for partial storage. Due to a lack of financial resources and cold storage facilities, several farmers are compelled to leave their harvest in the fields. They are also forced to sell their harvest at low prices to influential traders who profit when prices soar up. Speaking of this trend of hoarding and profiteering, a trader from Jalpaiguri stated, “This beneficiary group never likes any capacity augmentation that can spoil the profit chain.”

CMO refuses to clear 42,000 tonnes of potato stockpile

The West Bengal government had reportedly procured 42,000 tonnes of potatoes to ensure ‘fair price’ to the farmers, as per a report in Anandbazar Patrika. Another objective behind the move was to stabilise market prices in case of chronic shortage. Despite clearance from the Agriculture Department of the State and the rise of potato prices to ₹40/kg in the open markets, the Chief Minister’s Office has refused to budge. Had the government released the potato stock, it would not have to sell subsidised potatoes ( at ₹25/kg) via the stalls built under the ‘Sufal Bangla’ scheme.

As per reports, the Agriculture Department has no explanation as to why the CMO had not cleared the stockpile of potatoes from the cold storage. The West Bengal government is losing out on extra ₹1.5 – ₹2 lac rupees everyday by buying 1000 sacs of potatoes each day from the open market and selling it at subsidised prices. The Agriculture Department is of the view that the release of the potato stock, possessed by the government, will help stabilise the market price.

‘Secular’ anti-CAA protesters knew their Islamist comrades were trying to incite violence but did not inform police, WhatsApp texts reveal

OpIndia Staff
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‘Secular’ anti-CAA protesters knew their Islamist comrades were trying to incite violence but did not inform police, WhatsApp texts reveal

In an unprecedented development, it has come to light that the violent protests that took place during the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots in February were pre-planned and not spontaneous, reported Times Now. Despite the motivated campaign of the left-liberal lobby to paint the government crackdown on rioters as a ‘witchhunt’, several screenshots of Whatsapp chats between riot-accused have come to the fore.

The WhatsApp conversations, which dates back to February 17, revealed that the Delhi riots were organised and facilitated through provocation and active mobilisation of the masses.

Details of the Whatsapp conversation

While advocating violence, one Shahzar Raza Khan stated, “Jamia has the credibility to do it nationwide. But, everywhere one Jamia girl/guy must be there to execute this.” Delhi Riots accused Saffora Zargar advised him to not disclose all plans in the Whatsapp group and instead focus on executing the plans.

Screengrab of the contentious Whatsapp chats (Photo Credits: Times Now)

Expressing fear about the repercussions, one Ovais Sultan Khan wrote, “Because of your fantasies, we the people of Seelampur and trans-Yamuna are in great trouble. All localities are worried. We still have wounds of ’92, 2006, and recent violence against us by the State where none of you stood with us. Very, very irresponsible behaviour.”

He further added, “I am not educated one. But, I would like to tell you that some local people have evidences of what you all were saying last night about your plans of road blockade – your proposal to incite violence.” Ovais cautioned, “So, don’t play with fire. This will not hurt you. It will hurt us badly. Our protests will remain non-violent.”

Screengrab of the contentious Whatsapp chats (Photo Credits: Times Now)

“Why had you distributed the packets of Red Mirchi powder to women for attacking police and paramilitary?”, a member of the group inquired. Another user emphasised, “The next phase of this movement will be confrontational and we will have to wait and see the outcomes.

“Who are those people creating trouble between protestors and the police?” Ovais asked.

Some screenshots of the same and questions thereof have also gone viral on the Internet.

Pinjra Tod mentioned in WhatsApp texts

An update in the group read, as reported by Times of India, “Pinja Tod said ‘kafan baandh ke aaye hain..aur jo hamare sath nahi, wo desh ka gaddar hai’ (we have come here with a shroud…and those who are not with us are traitors to the country) when the local women protesters asked them not to block the road.” It invited the reaction, “These sort of slogans?”

Another message against the Pinjra Tod members read, “‘Pinjra Tod walein marwa denge sabko. Hum iske khilaaf hain’. (The Pinja Tod people will put us in trouble. We are against all this) Guys we need to intervene with all our resources and normalise the situation anyhow. We need to de-escalate.”

There are several other texts that indicate that people within the anti-CAA movement were very acutely aware that a section of them were trying to foment violence and yet, they did not appear to have reported the matter to the Police for reasons best known to themselves.

Left-liberal lobby cries foul

Dismissing the allegations, Huzaifa Aamir Rashadi said, “All protests took place peacefully for two months. These chats are fabricated… If they were true, then, why did the cops took such a long time to expose it.” Huzaifa is the General Secretary of the Aligarh Muslim University Student Union (AMUSU).

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Dinesh Varshney claimed that the Court refused to accept the Whatsapp chats as evidence when placed before it by the Delhi Police. He further alleged that it is a conspiracy to defame the Anti-CAA movement.

However, BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya reiterated that the riots were orchestrated by the Left-Islamist nexus under the garb of peaceful Anti-CAA protests.

Editor of blog ‘Muslims of India’ accuses Pinjra Tod of inciting violence

The Ovais Sultan Khan mentioned in the WhatsApp conversations appears to be the same Ovais Sultan Khan who had posted a message on Facebook from “Concerned citizens of Seelampur, Jafrabad and Trans-Yamuna” which accused Pinjra Tod of inciting violence. It is unclear why he did not seek help from law enforcement authorities to prevent the instigation of violence.

The post published on the social media platform at midnight on Sunday, the 23rd of February. It said that it was ‘very very irresponsible behaviour’ and the appeal was made on late Saturday night, the day the anti-CAA protesters blocked road No. 66, which connects Seelampur to Maujpur and Yamuna Vihar.

CM Yogi seeks suggestion from film personalities for the proposed Film City in Uttar Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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CM Yogi seeks suggestion from film personalities for the proposed Film City in Uttar Pradesh

Following Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s announcement last week of establishing the country’s biggest film city at Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, the UP government seems to already have started working on the project. According to a report of DNA India, CM Yogi has sought suggestions from a range of film personalities regarding the proposed film city.

According to reports, Additional Chief Secretary of the UP government Awanish Awasthi has written a letter to the recipients seeking suggestions for the establishment of the film city. Reportedly, several film personalities are to meet the Chief Minister today in Lucknow. Filmmakers Subhash Ghai, Om Raut (director of Tanhaji), Tamil actor Rajinikanth and his daughter Soundarya, singers Kailash Kher and Udit Narayan are among the names that are reportedly expected to give their suggestions to the CM.

CM Yogi interacted with several film personalities via video conferencing.

As per reports, 1000 acres of land has already been identified for the project. Of the 1000 acres, 780 acres are in the Sector 21 of the the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority area, and remaining are commercial plots.

UP govt looking to attract film makers from other states

The 2018 UP Film City Policy states that the film city will have its own police station and a separate wing will be formed under the police department specifically for the film city. In order to incentivise the production of movies in regional languages, Film Bandhu, the UP government nodal agency, had announced last year that an amount of Rs 50 lakh would be given to any Indian or overseas filmmaker for making a movie in English or in any regional language except a regional language of the state, in a proposal to attract filmmakers from other states.

CM Yogi’s decision of setting up a Film City was praised by several film personalities including actress Kangana Ranaut and singer Anup Jalota. Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar had meeting with CM Yogi few days ago reportedly for holding discussions on the proposed Film City

‘Remember Kamlesh Tiwari? The same will happen to you’: Asst Stores Officer Shakeel Ahmad threatens UP Minister Rajeshwar Singh

OpIndia Staff
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‘Remember Kamlesh Tiwari? The same will happen to you’: Asst Stores Officer Shakeel Ahmad threatens UP Minister Rajeshwar Singh

Seed Corporation Vice-Chairman and Minister Rajeshwar Singh has received a threat on his life. Singh alleged that Shakeel Ahmed, assistant store officer of Seed Development Corporation, threatened to kill him and said that he would suffer the same fate as Hindu leader Kamlesh Tiwari. Singh filed a complaint at Bakshi Talab police station, after which the Police filed FIR and initiated an investigation against Shakeel Ahmed.

As per the reports, on 19th September, Rajeshwar Singh went to inspect the warehouse of Seed Corporation in the BKT area. Assistant store officer Shakeel Ahmed was not present at the warehouse. Project Officer AK Rao called Shakeel eight times and asked him to report at the warehouse. Singh said in a statement that he was there for two and a half hours. After listening to several excuses, including he was on the way, the car has been punctured and even claiming he is in his office, Singh finally talked to Ahmed on the phone.

Ahmed threatened Singh would die like Kamlesh Tiwari

Singh alleged that Shakeel abused him on the phone. Ahmed warned him to stop his investigation in the warehouse records, or he will die like Kamlesh Tiwari. Singh alleged that Shakeel was confident nothing could happen to him. The minister said his team had found a scam of over Rs 56 crores so far in the seed reserves. He believes he will find a scam in BKT seed warehouse records as well.

Investigation against Ahmed

As per police, a case has been filed against Shakeel Ahmed under Sections 504, 506, and 507 of IPC. Once the police finish investigation, they will arrest Ahmed as per law.

Death of Kamlesh Tiwari

Kamlesh Tiwari, a former Hindu Mahasabha leader, was assassinated at his Lucknow office by Ashfaq and Moinuddin from Surat in October 2019. Tiwari was arrested in 2017 for over his remarks against Prophet Muhammad. It was revealed by the Police that his remarks led to his murder in 2019.

Reading, UK: ‘Are you Taliban?’, Sikh taxi driver attacked by four white men in apparent hate crime

OpIndia Staff
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Reading, UK: ‘Are you Taliban?’, Sikh taxi driver attacked by four white men in apparent hate crime

Vaneet Singh, a Sikh Taxi Driver from Reading, has informed the Police that he was attacked by four white men on Sunday after he picked them up from a Grosvenor Casino in Berkshire. He has said that attempts were made to forcibly remove his Turban and he was asked whether he is a member of Islamic terrorist outfit Taliban.

One of them who wished to be dropped nearby attempted to force him into consuming some intoxicating substance, Vaneet Singh said. “After he got out, he came up to my window holding a black box of substance which I think was cannabis. He asked me to try it and I said it was against my religion and then he lifted up my face mask and forced it up to my nose. It left me feeling intoxicated,” he said.

One of the others asked him to stop the car so that he could urinate. “He got out and asked to drive the car and I refused. Then he started trying to pull my taxi plate off. I tried to call the police but the network was very poor. Back in the car, they slid their fingers inside my turban and tried to pull it off,” the taxi driver stated.

Vaneet Singh added, “They also kicked and punched me in the back through the seat and kept tightening my safety belt. They said, ‘Are you Taliban?’ I said, ‘No, I’m a Sikh’, and told them it was a religious symbol and asked them not to touch my turban.” After the got off, they kicked the car, leaving a dent on it.

Singh works as a taxi driver part-time to support his family. He is also a tabla player who offers lessons on playing the instrument. The night the attack occurred was his first day back at work. “I have neck pain and chest pain now and my body keeps vibrating. This was 100 per cent a racist attack. I am usually a friendly guy, always laughing but this has made me scared,” he said.

The Police are current investigating the matter. No arrests have yet been made.

For AltNews, Muslims cease to be Muslims if they do not hate Narendra Modi or the RSS

OpIndia Staff
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For AltNews, Muslims cease to be Muslims if they do not hate Narendra Modi or the RSS

For propaganda website AltNews, whose entire existence rests on vilifying the Modi government and painting the regime as anti-Muslim, it is difficult to reconcile with the fact that some Muslims might be BJP supporters and admirers of PM Modi.

When Muslims express their association with the BJP, RSS or any other party that is bracketed by liberals as parties with ‘Hindutva’ ideology, AltNews goes into overdrive. It denounces the Muslims who voice their support for PM Modi and his government and raising questions over their Muslimness by highlighting the fact they are associated with the RSS. Sometimes, they don’t even have to support the PM. The mere fact that as a Muslim they do not hate PM Modi with all their guts is sometimes enough to lose their Muslim credentials.

Recently, on PM Modi’s birthday, members of Muslim community celebrated the occasion at Nizamuddin, Delhi. The event was covered by news agency ANI. However, this did not sit well with the anti-Modi propaganda website AltNews which was quick to slam ANI for presenting an RSS-backed event as ‘Muslim community’ celebrations of PM Modi’s birthday.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS/BJP

This is not a one-off incident when AltNews has called into question the faith of the Muslims who extend their support to the BJP and the RSS. In yet another instance, AltNews had published an article in which it slammed media organisations for representing Muslim women associated with RSS-affiliated organisations as Muslims. Just because the demand of the Muslim women to construct a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya did not conform to AltNews stand on the issue, it decided to cast aspersions on the Muslimness of the women.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS

In yet another report published in August 2018, AltNews slammed ANI and News 18 for reporting RSS-affiliated Muslim organisation as “people in Lucknow” celebrating Bakrid by cutting a cake. AltNews was perturbed that some of the Muslims abhorred the custom of sacrificing a speechless animal and were exhorting others to shun the practice. This provided a reasonable opportunity to the leftist online rag to cast doubt over the Muslimness of the people by pointing out their association with the RSS.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS

In one of the reports published by AltNews, the so-called ‘fact-checker’, who is often found peddling fake news, Muslim women from Varanasi as quoted by ANI couldn’t be authentic Muslims because they belonged to an organisation founded by a staunch BJP supporter. By this rationale, AltNews implies that no true Muslim can be a supporter of the BJP or be associated with it or its affiliate organisation.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS

For AltNews, Muslims cease to exist as Muslims if they do not oppose the BJP and the RSS. Any association of the Muslims with the aforesaid organisations automatically raises doubts over their adherence to Islam. According to AltNews, resistance and opposition to PM Modi, BJP and its affiliate organisations is the only measure of one’s Muslimness. Any Muslim who is found defying these conventions, his Muslimness is liable to be questioned by AltNews.

With its anti-Modi propaganda, AltNews seems to have assumed the role of authority to dish out the certificate of Muslimness to others. Those who conform to their propaganda against PM Modi and BJP are hailed as pious Muslims, others do not toe their propaganda are discredited and their Muslimness questioned, just because they did not share the deep-seated and intense hatred for PM Modi as harboured by the AltNews.

NCB summons KWAN Agency CEO. Did you know Anurag Kashyap aide and film producer Madhu Mantena co-founded KWAN as well as Phantom films

OpIndia Staff
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NCB summons KWAN Agency CEO. Did you know Anurag Kashyap aide and film producer Madhu Mantena co-founded KWAN as well as Phantom films

Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has opened a Pandora’s box for Bollywood with all the dirty secrets, which were kept hushed until now, tricking out of the closet. The Narcotics Control Bureau has now extended its probe into the drug usage in Bollywood to a talent agency called KWAN Talent Management Agency. According to reports, NCB has summoned KWAN Agency CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar and Jaya Saha for questioning.

NCB has also summoned Karishma Prakash who works with KWAN, asking her to join its investigation, along with Rhea Chakraborty’s manager- Shruti Modi.

Interrogation of KWAN’s head talent manager Jaya Saha leads to Deepika Padukone’s links

Earlier, KWAN’s head talent manager Jaya Saha’s name, who also handled Sushant Singh Rajput, has featured in NCB’s investigation. On Monday, Jaya Saha appeared before the NCB for questioning in the case.

During the five-hour-long questioning of Sushant Singh Rajput’s talent manager Jaya Saha, NCB got information about those playing an active role in the Bollywood drug nexus. It was during Jaya Saha’s interrogation that popular names like Shraddha Kapoor and Deepika Padukone surfaced and WhatsApp chats had been retrieved in which they allegedly spoke about procuring drugs.

Widening the investigation, NCB on Monday summoned Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash who also works at KWAN along with Jaya Saha. The agency also summoned KWAN Director Dhruv and called him for questioning today. He will arrive at the NCB office by afternoon.

KWAN Talent Management Agency and its interesting link with all those summoned by NCB

Interestingly, until now, all the big Bollywood names which have emerged in the NCB’s probe has links with KWAN Talent Management. A PR celebrity management company- KWAN Management works to clean the celebrities individual image in public. The talent management company was co-founded by film producer Madhu Mantena Varma. Varma was earlier married to fashion designer Masaba Gupta. Mantena was previously in a relationship with actress, Nandana Sen, the daughter of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, prior to marrying Masaba Gupta.

KWAN Agency co-founders connect with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap

Madhu Mentena Verma the first cousin of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s former mentor Ram Gopal Varma. Madhu Mentana Verma had also co-founded Phantom Films with Kashyap along with Vikas Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane.

Phantom Films was dissolved after October 2018 #MeToo allegations on Vikas Bahl where he was accused of sexually harassing an actress. Recently, Anurag Kashyap, too, was accused of sexually assaulting an actress, Payal Ghosh.

Salman Khan has major stakes in KWAN

Moreover, Bollywood star Salman Khan also shares partnership and ownership with this Kwan management company. In 2018, Bollywood talent manager and co-founder of Kwan, Anirban Das Blah, had been asked to quit after #MeToo allegations on him too, had surfaced, where four women accused him of sexual harassment.

Press release by Kwan Talent Management Agency

Almost immediately after Anirban Blah quit the company, Salman Khan’s own talent management company Uniworld Big Talent (UBT) picked up major stakes in Big Bang Media Venture, the holding company which owns Kwan. Salman Khan’s UBT became partners in Kwan. So, Salman Khan is the direct owner of Kwan Company as he has a major of stakes in this company.

Actor Salman Khan along with seven other celebrities including Karan Johar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Aditya Chopra, and Ekta Kapoor have been asked to appear before the Muzaffarpur District Court on October 7 in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

Interestingly, as many as four cases are pending against Salman Khan in the Rajasthan court. In 2018, the actor was convicted in the case and was sentenced five-years of jail. However, after spending two nights in jail, he was released on a bail.

NCB delves deeper into the drug angle in Sushant’s death case

The NCB has till date arrested over one and half dozen people in connection with the Sushant death case. Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, Sushant’s house manager Samuel Miranda and several others have been arrested by the NCB.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the probe agency said, the NCB is going to summon Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and fashion designer Simon Khambata this week in connection with an ongoing drugs probe. Sara Ali Khan’s name had come up in the questioning of Rhea Chakraborty, NCB had confirmed, whereas Shraddha Kapoor’s prospective summoning is a new development.

Rhea was arrested on 9th September and is currently lodged in Byculla jail. Rhea’s judicial custody ends today. The model-actress is expected to be produced in court, virtually.

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