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Special court judge OP Saini grants P Chidambaram and Karti anticipatory bail for the 22nd time in Aircel-Maxis case

OpIndia Staff
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Special court judge OP Saini grants P Chidambaram and Karti anticipatory bail for the 22nd time in Aircel-Maxis case

A special CBI court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail for a record 22nd time to former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram in both ED and CBI cases in Aircel–Maxis matter, reports ANI.

According to the reports, special Judge OP Saini granted relief to the father-son duo and directed them to join the probe in the cases. Currently, P Chidambaram is already in CBI custody in connection with the INX media case.

“In event of arrest, they should be released on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and one surety of like amount. The accused are directed to join the investigation,” the court said.

Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the CBI, had requested Special judge OP Saini to consider the Supreme Court’s order pronounced today which refused to grant Chidambaram pre-arrest bail in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the ED.

On August 23, the Delhi court had extended interim protection from arrest to former Union finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis cases for a record 21st time.

Earlier in the day, in a huge setback to former finance minister P Chidambaram, the Supreme Court had refused him anticipatory bail in the INX Media case. This means the Enforcement Directorate can take him into custody for interrogation at any time.

The Aircel-Maxis deal emerged during CBI’s probe into 2G spectrum case which subsequently lead to revealing that how Congress leader, P Chidambaram, who was the finance minister in 2006, had granted a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to a foreign firm when only the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was empowered to do it.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that in return for the approval, a payment of Rs 26 lakhs was made by Aircel Televentures Ltd to ASCPL, allegedly linked to Karti Chidambaram.

The CBI has named P Chidambaram, his son Karti and 16 others in relation to suspected criminal misconduct related to approvals of investment deals. The CBI had also accused the former Finance Minister as ‘willful lawbreaker’ in its charge sheet filed in July.

TikTok Celebrity ‘Shahrukh Khan’ and three others held for robbery in Greater Noida

OpIndia Staff
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TikTok Celebrity ‘Shahrukh Khan’ and three others held for robbery in Greater Noida

A TikTok celebrity named ‘Shahrukh Khan’ and three other accomplices were arrested in Greater Noida on Wednesday for robbing mobile phones, as per reports.

According to the reports, 23-year-old Shahrukh Khan, who has over 40,000 followers on video-sharing app TikTok, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police around 12.30 pm near Alpha 2 area while planning another robbery with his partners.

The police said that his partners were identified as Asif, Faizan and Mukesh. While Shahrukh, Asif and Faizan are residents of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, Mukesh hails from Bihar.

“Four stolen phones have been seized. The bike that the men used to steal the phones has also been seized,” police officer Sujeet Upadhyay said.

Shahrukh, along with three accomplices, was reportedly involved in at least six robberies in Gautam Buddh Nagar district. Shahrukh Khan had earlier worked as a chauffeur in Dubai, he had shot some of his TikTok videos there, the police said.

Reportedly, the Greater Noida Police were in search of an armed gang of robbers after a series of robbery incidents over the last few days in which commuters were looted of phones and cash. The police officers of Greater Noida’s Beta II police station received a tip-off about some robbers, following which informers were alerted and were put on a patrol.

According to the police, the four men worked as a gang in Noida. Two of them would come on a motorcycle and target victims, while the other two would just stay there to make sure the police do not chase them after the robbery.

Indian Express unearths new ‘star’ to peddle agenda on Jammu and Kashmir

Ashish Shukla
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Indian Express unearths new ‘star’ to peddle agenda on Jammu and Kashmir

Indian Express is going to length to find voices which could question the Centre on its fiat on Jammu & Kashmir, notably on ‘constitutional, human rights and its federal-character-under-assault’ grounds.

Conveniently kept out of view is terrorism, loss of tens of thousands of civilian/army lives and billions of tax-payers money which never reached the commoners of the troubled state.

The newspaper doesn’t have a stance on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, that minorities were discriminated against in the state, that caste reservation was out of bounds; and that 106 Central Laws (Prevention of Corruption Act, Land Acquisition Act, Right to Education Act, National Commission for Minorities Act etc) were rendered lifeless by those who governed the Centre and Srinagar.

Where are people in Indian Express’ discourse? Do we hear from them on Jammu and Ladakh which has a bigger area and still bigger population than the Valley? Where are its investigating geniuses who hide from its readers that Kashmir Valley gets more financial allocation that what Jammu and Ladakh divisions, put together, are provided for? Why it escapes them that the per-capita subsidy to Jammu and Kashmir is 16 times more than West Bengal and 12 times more than Bihar?

In its’ Sunday’s edition on September 1, 2019, Indian Express has flushed out a Supreme Court lawyer Aman Hingorani who turned a doctoral research into a book (Unravelling the Kashmir Knot) and now has an entire page dedicated to his discourse to the crème da la crème of the Capital on the Constitutional heist which the Modi government has pulled off in Jammu and Kashmir. The newspaper takes Hingorani’s discourse on a page they pompously call “Explained”. The man himself is preening to his audience that at the end of his discourse, they would realize the futility of Centre’s move. (You dumbs, here I am to get you rid of your ignorance).

I am not sure if it was an interactive session or Hingorani’s monologue. But since Express claims the session was meant to benefit its’ readers, I as one of its most long-lasting consumer, have a few questions for Hingorani and I hope they are not inconvenient enough to be ducked by both the newspaper and the “star” it has peddled.

HINGORANI: The Accession terms were the same in J & K as it was for other princely states. But while other princely states merged their territory into India, Jammu and Kashmir refused to do so…

Question: Please avoid the misinformation that all other princely states had merged their territory into India. Junagadh and Hyderabad hadn’t. They were intransigent compared to a prostrated Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K. But while Junagadh and Hyderabad succumbed to India’s military pressure, J&K was allowed to dictate terms.

Now how did that happen? Was it because Junagadh and Hyderabad were managed by Sardar Patel while J & K was left to be Pt. Nehru’s toy? Your turn Mr Hingorani.

HINGORANI: Article 370 had been emptied long ago…It had never come in the way of New Delhi dealing with the state in the way it wanted to deal with the state.

Question: Article 370 was the stepping stone on which Article 35 and 1954 Presidential Order were later added. It allowed J & K to have a separate constitution, a state flag and autonomy over the internal region of Kashmir.  It allowed the state government to discriminate against Hindu and Sikhs who migrated at Partition; against Valmikis of Punjab whom they lured with the promise of citizenship but never delivered.

Article 370 makes a mockery of Article 14 which guarantees equality before the law and the principles of liberty. As we know, not everyone living in J & K could vote in the election to the state assembly. Further, Article 15 prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, sex, place of birth or race etc.

So Mr Hingorani, could you please revisit your position in light of the facts obscured in your discourse?

HINGORANI: Many states have restrictions on people buying land, what’s so special about it (Article 370)?

Question: Let me rephrase this question and see Mr Hingorani what’s your response: Which are other states where a woman if she marries outside her state, is denied rights over land? Ok, here’s a dollop of escape route I let you have: Just name one state.

HINGORANI: India can’t go to the United Nations and then say (Kashmir) is an internal issue…

Question: So Mr Hingorani, what did the United Nations do when Pakistan not only occupied a part of Kashmir but also later ceded 20% of the entire area, Gilgit-Baltistan etc, to China? What right Pakistan has on the area of Kashmir it has illegally occupied? What rights Pakistan has of ceding Kashmir to China which has no claim over the territory? Did they take the route of people’s referendum? Was there any instrument of accession signed that you are so fond of quoting? Hasn’t the United Nations become irrelevant on Kashmir? If it hasn’t, then why didn’t United Nations make any noise after India’s move this month: That wait, this matter is under us, and India can’t decide on its own on J & K?

HINGORANI: Presidential Rule is an emergency provision. It is not meant for making far-reaching decisions…

Question: And you think 70 years spent in the quagmire still doesn’t confer an emergency-status to J & K. If the application of President’s Rule now is a travesty of justice, what would you say to the Presidential Order of 1954? Does our constitution bind the President not to take such a decision? If it doesn’t, what’s your gripe?

HINGORANI: Can you use emergency provisions to dismember and destroy the identity of a state?

Question:  You call it dismembering of state but not question the latter which had no time for Ladakh. You would call it the destruction of the identity of state but would make no mention that how come Kashmir Valley, with lesser population and lesser area, had 46 assembly seats to Jammu’s 37 in the state assembly. Isn’t it a stolen identity? Who did it? Didn’t it allow Muftis and Abdullahs perpetuity in power? Was it subversion or empowerment of democracy?

It’s important we interject when our newspapers peddle a one-sided warped discourse. It’s certainly not neutral or unbiased. It’s easy to hide behind the cloak that it’s a writer’s own personal view.  But when none of your editorials presents any piece which speaks for Kashmiri Pandits, minorities, deprivation of central laws or the welfare of SC-STs in J & K or even question why after 70 years a lot of Kashmiris haven’t improved, then it’s legitimate to ask: Who are you speaking for?

‘Live like a Muslim, stop this drama of Hinduism’: Pooja Singh harassed by husband Kamran and in-laws for not converting to Islam

OpIndia Staff
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‘Live like a Muslim, stop this drama of Hinduism’: Pooja Singh harassed by husband Kamran and in-laws for not converting to Islam

Pooja Singh, who married a Muslim man Kamran Ahmad Khan, has approached a court and filed an FIR against her husband, her father-in-law and wife of husband’s brother, says a report in Jagran. Singh who is from Sindri in Dhanbad, has alleged that her in-laws have been forcing her to convert to Islam, targeting her for being a Hindu.

Singh mentions that during her marriage with Kamran, she had explicitly put a condition in writing that she would be allowed to practice the Hindu religion without being coerced into converting into Islam. Singh added that two months after her marriage, her husband went to Delhi while she stayed back in Sindri. Then, her father-in-law Ali Ahmad Khan and wife of husband’s brother Sazia Imran Khan started criticising her over being a Hindu. They asked her to live like a Muslim.

They reportedly ordered Pooja to shun the ‘drama’ of Hinduism and embrace Islam. Singh says that one day her in-laws threw away her material when she about to go for a pooja. Singh laments that her husband remained a mute spectator and asked her to adhere to the orders of his parents.

Pooja was then allegedly beaten up by the family members of her in-laws, her jewellery taken away and she was thrown out of the house. After she came to her parent’s house, on September 1, 2019, family members of her in-laws came to her house and started flinging abuses at her. They said that if she wants to live a married life, she will have to convert to Islam.

After this incident, she went to the police to file a complaint, but the police adviced her to approach the court instead. Accordingly, a case was filed at a local court.

PM Modi raises the issue of extradition of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi raises the issue of extradition of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took up the issue of extradition of controversial radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad. Zakir Naik is a fugitive in India, who has escaped and has taken shelter in Malaysia.

Prime Minister Modi discussed the matter with Mohamad during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in Russia, said Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale while addressing media persons while briefing on the meeting.


In response to a question on the outcome of the meeting regarding India’s request to Malaysia for Naik’s extradition, Gokhale said that the two countries have decided that their officials will be in touch on the matter.

According to the report, sources said that the Malaysian Prime Minister responded positively after PM Modi raised the issue with him. They added that the matter will now be discussed by the officials of the two countries. The officials will discuss the process through which Naik cab be brought back to India at the earliest to face the law of the land.

Naik is wanted in India for serious charges related to terrorism after his name cropped in connection with a ghastly terror attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka on July 2016.

Radical Islamist Zakir Naik, a Mumbai-born 53-year-old who is the founder of the controversial ‘Peace TV’ has been living in Malaysia since 2017 after fleeing from India and the previous government there had granted permanent residency to him.

Although the current Mahathir administration has barred the controversial Islamic preacher from delivering public speeches, it is yet to take any decision on sending him back to India.

The controversial Islamic preacher is also facing an inquiry set up by the government of Mahathir Mohamed, who had initially said he could not accept calls to deport the preacher to India as he would be “killed” there.

Who are you? What do you do?: SC shoots down Robert Vadra’s relative Tehseen Poonawalla’s plea on Kashmir

OpIndia Staff
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Who are you? What do you do?: SC shoots down Robert Vadra’s relative Tehseen Poonawalla’s plea on Kashmir

The Supreme Court today refused to entertain Robert Vadra’s relative Tehseen Poonawalla’s separate plea against communication blockade in Jammu & Kashmir. “What does he do? What are his antecedents? What is his link with J&K? Do you want us to ask all this?” CJI Ranjan Gogoi remarked. Poonawalla may now file an intervention plea.

A social activist and brother-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra, Poonawalla had filed a plea in the Supreme Court and raised the issue of lockdown in the state following abrogation of Article 370 as amounting to ‘suspension of Article 19 (freedom of speech) and 21 (personal liberty) of the Constitution.

The SC also issued notice to the Centre on Executive Editor of Kashmir Times, Anuradha Bhasin’s petition and refused to pass any order today. The apex court said that the final hearing will take place on September 16.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Anuradha Bhasin, had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court of India challenging the freedom of the press in the state. The petition sought to allow the journalists in J&K to practice their profession in a free environment as restrictions through a blanket ban on the internet and telecommunication services hampered them from executing their duties. Besides, the restrictions on the movement of reporters and photojournalists also come in the way of reporting fairly from the state, the journalist had claimed.

Senior lawyer Vrinda Grover appearing for Bhasin said that an additional affidavit has been filed before the Court yesterday that the media still cannot be operated there. “The situation is not good there, in my opinion,” she said.

The Supreme Court also allowed Iltija Iqbal to meet her mother Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar in private. The court, however, said that she can move in other parts of Srinagar and it would be subject to prior permission from authorities, if needed. CPI (M) leader Yousuf Tarigami will also be brought to AIIMS in New Delhi for better treatment.

Pakistanis just like to quote NDTV and Rahul Gandhi: Arnab Goswami tells a Pakistani panelist on his show

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistanis just like to quote NDTV and Rahul Gandhi: Arnab Goswami tells a Pakistani panelist on his show

Arnab Goswami has developed a penchant for taking potshots at the Lutyens cabal. Often, the Republic TV anchor makes snide remarks that lay the hypocrisy of the five-star journalists and ‘aman ki asha’ brigade bare. In a similar segment, during the course of the debate recently, Arnab took a potshot at NDTV, a channel whose promoters are being investigated for fraud and often toe the Pakistani line.


The debate on Republic TV Bharat was on the subject of Kashmir and how the youth of Kashmir joining the Indian Army by the thousands dampens the propaganda of Pakistan. The debate also touched upon various other subjects and aimed to bust the propaganda of Pakistan with regards to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

During the course of the debate, a Pakistani panellist referred to the reportage by NDTV in order to help her spread the Pakistani agenda further and counter the position of India in Kashmir.

Peeved at the mention, Arnab Goswami in his inimitable style, told the Pakistani panellist that he was not aware of any Indian news channel by the name of NDTV, the emphasis being on the word ‘Indian’.

He further lost his cool and said that Pakistani panellists and Pakistan in general loves to quote NDTV and Rahul Gandhi to further their propaganda.

He asked the Pakistani panellist if Pakistan only likes NDTV and Rahul Gandhi considering their keep repeating their propaganda several times.

After the abrogation of Article 370 which resulted in the full and complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir without any riders of conditions, Pakistan has been repeatedly using the anti-India narrative peddled by the likes of NDTV and Rahul Gandhi to undermind the position of India.

For example, following the Pulwama terror attack, in an interview given to German media house Deutsche Welle (DW), NDTV’s Ravish Kumar had said that Indian TV channels are not reporting the conflict, but using the conflict to increase the prospect of the ruling party in the upcoming elections. And the Pakistani media had started to use this as a proof that India is pushing for a war with Pakistan. Ravish Kumar said that Indian media should concentrate on issues like unemployment, and not on Pakistan sponsored terrorism, because that may help BJP in the general elections. Indian media often act as activists, taking a side in various issues instead of plain reporting, but media should not take anti‑terror position as it may benefit BJP, he had stated.

After India’s decision to strip Article 370 and bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate UTs, Pakistan had repeatedly used the statements of Congress leaders to further its argument.

Pakistani analysts and strategists in their media debates had even named the Congress as a ‘sympathiser’ of Pakistan. Recently, Imran Khan had even copied Rahul Gandhi’s favourite lines against RSS and the BJP and had stated that the RSS and PM Modi are planning a Nazi-like imposition of Hindutva ideology in India.

It is notable here that barely 3 weeks ago, the Congress Working Committee had passed a resolution against the central government’s decision to strip article 370 and bifurcate the state. The CWC, chaired by Rahul Gandhi, had called the government’s decision unconstitutional and undemocratic. Recently, Pakistan had also used Rahul Gandhi’s statements in their representation to the UN to undermine India.

ED claims Karti Chidambaram negotiated with Roger Federer’s current coach on behalf of shell company to invest in shell company: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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ED claims Karti Chidambaram negotiated with Roger Federer’s current coach on behalf of shell company to invest in shell company: Reports

Trouble mounts for INX Media scam accused Karti Chidambaram as intelligence agencies have claimed that they are in possession of emails allegedly sent and received by Karti Chidambaram relating to investment decisions of a “shell company” Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited (ASCPL), reports Economic Times.

As per the report, the agencies claimed that the mails clearly demonstrate Karti was issuing instructions to CBN Reddy, one of the directors of the company, and his chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, who is also a co-accused in INX media regarding such decisions of the company.

Even though Karti has denied any kind of business involvement with the company, the two directors, Ravi Visvanathan and Padma Bhaskararaman have revealed before the ED that Karti was the “actual owner and controller” of the company.

Last year the ED had confronted Karti with a host of emails and documents relating to the company allegedly recovered from his computer. During the probe, one such email (October 3, 2014) was allegedly written by Karti Chidambaram to Croatian tennis player Ivan Ljubicic and his wife Aida Ljubicic for negotiating investment in a company to be set up in Monaco in partnership with ASCPL. Ljubicic is now tennis player Roger Federer’s coach.

“The purported email could refer to communication with Ivan Ljubicic, a famous tennis player who is currently Roger Federer’s coach. CBN Reddy and I have shared a passion for tennis. I have been involved in advising Reddy in potential tennis-related investments. I am aware of all tennis activities of his company (ASCPL),” Karti had said in response.

Reportedly, in this Monaco based company, former Tennis player Ivan Ljubicic has 40000 shares and Karti’s another London based company Totus Tennis Ltd. has 9500 shares. In this agreement, Totus Tennis is represented by Karti Chidambaram.

According to PGurus, the IT and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials’ in a joint raid had found an investment proposal of five million Euros from a computer in Karti’s company. As per the proposal unearthed from the computing device, Advantage Strategic Consulting Singapore Private Limited has proposed to invest Euro 5 Million in Hotel Mozart at Opatija in Croatia.

Hotel Mozart is a famous hotel in Croatia. Coincidentally, the major shareholder of this hotel is Ivan Ljubicic.

When quizzed over the recovery of confidential documents relating ASCPL from his computer, Karti told ED, “I am not involved in making decisions regarding ASCPL investments.” He said that since the directors of the company consulted him frequently for “friendly advice”.

The ED had also cornered Karti on emails sent by Bhaskararaman of bills and expenditure for ASCPL from Karti. Confronting him with documents recovered, ED had asked Karti to explain as to why vendors, customers, business associates, lawyers etc., routinely dealt with him for affairs of ASCPL and its subsidiaries.

Denying any involvement with ASCPL, Karti reportedly said that he “advised” them on investments on a “friendly basis”. The ED had also questioned Karti on how so many confidential documents of Advantage, including all its agreements, etc., were recovered from his computer/hard disc.

“I am aware broadly of their investments. They seek my advice often, particularly regarding the tennis sector,” said Karti.

Karti Chidambaram was also reportedly questioned over a joint venture involving the company and was shown an email written by Reddy to Bhaskararaman on December 2, 2014, which read “Will sign tomm. Request u to check that K’s name does not appear anywhere.

Denying any role in the joint venture or “hidden interest” in Reddy’s company, Karti told ED, “ASCPL is an independent company with distinct shareholders and directors.” Karti has said that he has no financial interest directly or indirectly in the company.

INX Media Scam case: P Chidambaram faces ED arrest as Supreme Court refuses anticipatory bail

OpIndia Staff
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INX Media Scam case: P Chidambaram faces ED arrest as Supreme Court refuses anticipatory bail

In a huge setback to former finance minister P Chidambaram, the Supreme Court on Thursday refused him anticipatory bail in the INX Media case. This means the Enforcement Directorate can take him into custody for interrogation. The ED can approach lower court for custody following which the ED can take him in for custodial interrogation.

The Supreme Court bench comprised of Justice R Bhanumati and Justice AS Bopanna pronounced the verdict on senior Congress leader Chidambaram’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court’s verdict denying him anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the ED.

“Granting anticipatory bail at the initial stage may frustrate the investigation. It’s not a fit case to grant anticipatory bail. Economic offences stand at the different footing and it has to be dealt with a different approach,” said a Supreme Court bench while rejecting Chidambaram’s plea seeking anticipatory bail.

The Supreme Court also said that P Chidambaram will not be shown materials collected by the ED at this stage. “The ED does not need to produce the transcripts of Chidambaram’s questioning in the court,” Supreme Court added

With the Supreme Court rejecting Chidambaram’s bail plea, the Enforcement Directorate is now free to arrest him in the INX Media case.

On August 29, the Supreme Court bench had reserved its order on the petition filed by former finance minister P Chidambaram against the August 20 judgement of the Delhi High Court that had refused him the pre-arrest bail in the INX media scam.

CBI had rounded up Chidambaram from his Jor Bagh residence in New Delhi after he dramatically conjured up at the AICC headquarters and addressed the media after remaining hidden for more than 24 hours. He was finally arrested from his residence on August 21, 2019. He has been in the CBI custody for 12 days now.

Chidambaram is being probed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate over alleged financial irregularities under his supervision while he was serving as India’s Finance Minister under UPA regime.

Swimming coach Surajit Ganguly caught molesting minor athlete in video, MoS Kiren Rijiju takes cognisance

OpIndia Staff
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Swimming coach Surajit Ganguly caught molesting minor athlete in video, MoS Kiren Rijiju takes cognisance

Video of a shocking incident surfaced on social media on 4th September 2019. In the video, swimming coach originally from West Bengal and currently residing in Mapusa, Goa, Surajit Ganguly could be seen brutally molesting a 15-year-old national level swimmer. Images from the disturbing video were shared by many to bring the issue to the authority’s notice.


Following widespread outrage, Kiren Rijiju has vowed strict action against the swimming coach who can be seen molesting the minor athlete.

Rijiju wrote, “I’ve taken a strong view of the incident. The Goa Swimming Association has terminated the contract of coach Surajit Ganguly. I’m asking the Swimming Federation of India to ensure that this coach is not employed anywhere in India. This applies to all Federations & disciplines”.


Kiren Rijiju, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) Youth Affairs & Sports also urged the police to take stringent action against the coach for the heinous act.

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