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Women law students move Delhi HC seeking entry to Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah

OpIndia Staff
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Women law students move Delhi HC seeking entry to Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah

A group of female law students have moved a plea in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Centre and other authorities to allow entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah in New Delhi.

According to the reports, the public interest litigation has been filed by advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra on behalf of a group of female students from Pune and sought the court to issue directions to the Centre, Delhi government, police and the trust managing the shrine, to frame guidelines for the entry of women into the dargah and declare the ban on entry of females as “unconstitutional”.

The petition is likely to come up for a hearing next week in the Delhi High Court. The petitioners have claimed that there is a notice put up outside the dargah clearly stating in English and Hindi that women are not allowed inside.

In their petition, the law students have claimed that they are yet to receive any response from any authorities despite making several representations to them, including the Delhi Police and hence decided to move to the high court.

In the petition, the petitioners have contended that the Supreme Court has allowed women of all ages to go to Sabarimala shrine in Kerala, while women in the heart of the national capital are being discriminated by prohibiting them from entering the dargah. According to the petition, the law students became aware of this ban on women’s entry to the dargah when they visited the shrine on November 27 to offer prayers.

The petitioners in their PIL have further added, “Nizamuddin Dargah by its very nature is a public place and prohibition of entry of anyone in a public place on the basis of gender is contrary to the framework of the Constitution of India.”

The debate over the right to worship has been gaining momentum in the country. The Supreme Court in its recent controversial judgement had allowed women of all ages to enter the shrine leading to a nation-wide debate on excessive judicial interference in religious matters. The Bombay High Court hearing a petition in 2016 had ordered to open the doors of the famous Haji Ali Dargah to allow women to enter the inner precincts (mazaar) of the shrine.

Hardik Patel’s aide gets bail in a 2017 case of attempt to murder of a BJP supporter

OpIndia Staff
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Hardik Patel’s aide gets bail in a 2017 case of attempt to murder of a BJP supporter

A sessions court in Surat granted bail to PAAS (Patidar Ananamat Andolan Samiti) leader Hardik Patel’s aide Alpesh Kathiriya in a December 2017 attempt to murder case of a BJP leader Kalpesh Devani. Devani had filed a case against him last year for allegedly attacking him with knives, iron pipes and sticks.

Devani had claimed he was attacked as he was actively campaigning for the BJP candidate. However, preliminary police investigation revealed that he was allegedly attacked for making an insulting video of Patidar community leaders which he later shared on social media. The PAAS leader is likely to be released on Monday.

Kathiriya is also one of the accused in the September 2015 sedition case filed by Ahmedabad Crime Branch against PAAS leaders. He was arrested in August 2018 by Ahmedabad Crime Branch when he was on his way for a symbolic fast. His arrest led to tension in Surat as mob took to burning a bus and vandalising a bus stand.

After he was denied bail by the city sessions court in connection with the sedition case, he was granted him bail in November. In July this year, Hardik Patel was convicted of causing a riot and sentenced to two years in jail. The Patidar Andolan in Gujarat had brought the state to a standstill in 2015 as widespread incidents of violence and clashes had caused intense law and order situations. A total of 9 people had died and the Army had to be deployed to maintain peace.

After sexual harassment charges, Odisha police to investigate same NGO for converting inmates to Christianity in WB

OpIndia Staff
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After sexual harassment charges, Odisha police to investigate same NGO for converting inmates to Christianity in WB

A team of Odisha Police will be visiting West Bengal to ascertain the accusations of religious conversion being carried out by an NGO at one of its shelter home in the West Bengal.

According to the reports, an NGO named ‘Good News India’, that wanted to bring the ‘Good News of Jesus’ and ‘connect with savages’, has been alleged to have indulged in sexual harassment of inmates at one of their shelter homes at Beltikiri in Dhenkanal district. The Odisha police had arrested three persons, including the Managing Director of the NGO, Fayaz Rahman in connection with the case.

Santosh Nayak, SP of Dhenkanal speaking to the media said that they have got some indication that religious conversion of inmates was being undertaken at the NGO’s shelter home at Salgadia in West Bengal. The district police have also sought permission from senior officials to visit West Bengal in this connection with the case.

The Odisha police had received information from Fayaz Rahman, who was in two-day police custody. The police have said that Fayaz has given information regarding the religious conversion of inmates at a West Bengal shelter home run by the NGO. Meanwhile, a local POCSO court has extended the custody of Rahman for another two days which had ended on Wednesday.

Referring to the video clippings of ‘Duban’- a ritual performed for conversion to Christianity, being telecasted on the electronic media, the SP said that the rituals shown in the video were not performed at any shelter home in Odisha. However, the police said that they have received an indication that it was instead performed by an NGO at Salgadia in West Bengal. The police confirmed that they are sending a team to the West Bengal to further investigate the case.

We had also reported earlier how Good News NGO seems to be a front for conversion. One look at their website and the conversion rhetoric was evident. In the webpage that spoke about Fayaz Rehman, there was even a portion where they had asserted the Good News does not let the children go after their 10th grade like other NGOs because they run the risk of “returning to Paganism”.

According to the police, the NGO, ‘Good News India’ has not been registered in Odisha. The SP said, “The NGO, was registered in West Bengal under the Bengal Society Registration Act. It had not been able to produce any document regarding its registration in Odisha.”

The Odisha police said they have verified the documents of the NGO regarding central registration for overseas funding. They have also checked other documents related to the utilisation certificate, the audit report and the filing of Income Tax returns.

Reportedly, the NGO receives overseas fund nearly Rs 15 crore to Rs 16 crore every year and spends the money for maintenance of shelter homes, construction of new homes and purchase of land to set up its infrastructure, the SP said.

The SP further said they have recorded the statement of the inmates of the shelter home in Dhenkanal in the presence of the District Magistrate as evidence. There is enough evidence that the children were subjected to sexual abuse at the shelter home in Odisha, he said.

While the sexual abuse in missionary-run organizations has been talked about in media outlets all over the world, we have reported extensively on the religious zeal of missionaries. While running charity and shelter homes for the express purpose of religious conversions may appear inexplicable to some, it is the normal course of action for evangelical organizations.

Not merely charity, as we have reported earlier, evangelicals also ask their followers to make acquaintances with the sole objective of religious conversion in mind. Evangelicals zealously believe that unless and until every group in the world has Christian representation, Judgment Day will not arrive. Hence, they dedicate the entirety of their resources to secure the conversion of people.

Sharad Yadav’s body shaming remarks insulting to all women, EC should take note: Vasundhara Raje

OpIndia Staff
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Sharad Yadav’s body shaming remarks insulting to all women, EC should take note: Vasundhara Raje

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Friday said that she felt insulted by the remarks of former JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav during election campaign regarding her body weight. After casting her vote in Jhalrapatan constituency of Jhalawar for the Rajasthan Assembly election, she told the media that she was hurt by the comments and it was an insult to all women.


The Lok Kranti Dal Chief, Yadav, while addressing an election rally in the poll-bound State had body-shamed Raje. “Vasundhara Raje should be given rest, she has grown tired now, she has become very fat, she was slim earlier”, Yadav had commented.

Raje had urged the Election Commission to take cognisance of the matter so that an example can be set for future.


Sharad Yadav had later given clarifications on his remarks.


Rajasthan and Telangana are today holding polls for their respective state assemblies.

Amritsar Tragedy: Dussehra event was held without permission, organisers showed gross neglect, says state probe

OpIndia Staff
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Amritsar Tragedy: Dussehra event was held without permission, organisers showed gross neglect, says state probe

Dussehra this year was marred by a tragic train accident in Amritsar where 60 people were killed. Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh had ordered a magisterial probe into the matter to investigate the circumstances which led to this incident.

A Press Release by Chief Minister Office on Thursday revealed a big lack of regulation and supervision, that were noted by the inquiry headed by Divisional Commissioner of Jalandhar, B Purushartha.

The magisterial probe has reported that the gateman of the railway crossing and the organisers of the event were accountable for various acts of negligence, leading to the accident. The probe said that accident could have been averted if police and the municipal corporation functionaries, had cleared rail tracks from spectators.

The probe report has pointed out that the organisers of the event, including councillor’s Vijay Madan’s son Mithu Madan, who is a close aide of the Navjot Sidhu, did not undertake proper safety measures and showed extreme negligence while managing crowd.

It was earlier reported that the event was organized by a local Congress politician, and had invited Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur as the chief guest. Subsequently, a video had surfaced that showcased the level of negligence that was undertaken by organizers.

“Madam, look here. These people don’t care about standing on tracks,” the event organizer was heard saying in the video. “Even if 500 trains pass by, over 5000 people will be standing on the tracks for you,” he was seen saying, apparently addressing the Navjot Kaur.

Media reports had also claimed that Navjot Kaur had fled from the scene after the mishap. She had denied the reports and has stated that she had left 15 minutes prior and had even stated that the organisers and herself cannot be blamed because neither had they made the people sit on tracks nor had they made the train mow them down. Navjot Kaur had also indirectly blamed the railways saying that the train did not slow down.

Navjot Singh Sidhu had labelled the accident as  ‘Parmatma ka Prakop’ (wrath of the almighty).

However, these allegations on Railways were rubbished by the probe of Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS), which said that error was committed by the public near the railway line.  It also added that the permissible speed limit in the area was 100kmph and train was running at 82kmph. The driver of the locomotive did attempt to apply brakes but the braking distance of the train was found to be 389 meters and braking was not possible. The report also held that the district administration and the organisers should have given prior details about the event to the railways.

The magisterial probe has backed the findings of CCRS that spectators had committed a big mistake by standing on tracks. It also slammed organizers for turning a blind eye towards safety measures. The probe said that Navjot Kaur was not a part of organizers, but the organisers had put the lives of people at risk by failing to take precautionary measures.

“While the spectators committed the mistake of watching this event from rail tracks, the organisers held this event without any permission and without undertaking required safety and security measures,” the report observed.

The probe also noticed that organizers failed to put a view cutter of 10-12 feet height separating Rail Tracks from Ground. It could have helped in preventing spectators from standing on tracks.

A 300-page report of magisterial probe into the accident was submitted to the Punjab home secretary recently. CM Amarinder Singh has promised a stern action against people accused of negligence.

Nirav Modi’s illegal Alibaug bungalow razed, Maharashtra government informs HC

OpIndia Staff
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Nirav Modi’s illegal Alibaug bungalow razed, Maharashtra government informs HC

Fugitive Nirav Modi’s bungalow at Alibaug beach has been razed by the state authorities. According to reports, the Raigad collector had issued an order to demolish illegal sea-facing bungalow of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi, the state government told the Bombay High court on Thursday.

The state government has yesterday filed an affidavit in the HC claiming that the illegal bungalow belonging to Modi on Alibaug has been razed on December 5 and demolition notices have been served to another 58 illegal properties in the area.

Though this action is not related to the Punjab National Bank fraud, in which Modi is the accused, it dates back to 2010, when he received the demolition notice. Modi was permitted 376 sq meters in Kihim, but he constructed on 1,071 sq meters instead, which was 674 sq meters more than the permitted area.

Earlier the government had written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has attached Nirav Modi’s bungalow as part of its probe into the PNB fraud, seeking permission for the demolition.

Government counsel advocate PB Kakade also told a bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice MS Karnik that it had served demolition notices to another 58 private properties in the area on December 4, as they were all constructed in violation of the state’s rules and coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms. The owners have been given a week’s time to raze all structures constructed illegally.

In an affidavit, the state submitted that the owners of around 61 such illegal private structures had managed to get stay orders on demolition from local civil courts.

However, it was planning to initiate legal action to get the stay orders lifted, the government submitted.

The bench took note of the state’s submissions and scheduled the matter for further hearing on December 20.

The High court was hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2009, by Sambhuraje Yuvakranti of Akhil Bhartiya Maratha Seva Sangh.

As per the plea, there are around 175 such private residences in CRZ areas in villages such as Varsoli, Sasvane, Kolgaon and Dokvade, among others, belonging to several “wealthy persons, including Modi, and several businessmen and film actors”.

The petition pointed out the failure of the State government and the Centre in taking action against illegal bungalows built in the coastal regulation zone.

The absconding diamond tycoon has been facing troubles as the ED and the CBI has been in relentless pursuit of Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi after the 13,000 crore PNB scam was unearthed. Interpol has issued red corner notices for Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Purvi Modi and Nishal Modi, Nirav’s sister and brother respectively.

In India too, the ED had in May moved the special court in Mumbai requesting permission for ‘immediate confiscation’ of about 7000 crores worth assets of designer diamond jeweller Nirav Modi under the recently annunciated ‘Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance’.

The department has since then attached several of Nirav Modi’s properties and bank accounts worth thousands of crores.

Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others are being probed under various criminal laws after the fraudulence surfaced, in the beginning, of this year following a complaint by the Punjab National Bank (PNB) that they allegedly cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of over Rs 13,000 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

As Vinod Dua finds another job, The Wire says he continues to be their consulting editor despite sexual harassment accusations

OpIndia Staff
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As Vinod Dua finds another job, The Wire says he continues to be their consulting editor despite sexual harassment accusations

Vinod Dua, media person accused of sexual harassment and stalking is now back doing shows, but it appears like he is no longer with the leftist propaganda website The Wire, but has been rehabilitated at a publication called HW News Network.


Not too long ago, the #MeToo movement had shaken the very foundation of established media. Several people were accused of molestation as scores of women stepped forward to tell their harrowing tales. One of the people accused was media person Vinod Dua who at that time, worked with The Wire.

The filmmaker had accused him of stalking her and sexually harassing her in a harrowing tale. She said first, when he interviewed her, he cracked lewd, sexual jokes. Then, after he insulted her and she took a job elsewhere, he stalked her to the workplace and asked her to get in the car. While she thought he might just apologise, he forcefully kissed her instead.

Following the allegations of sexual harassment and stalking mounted against Vinod Dua, The Wire had issued a statement about an internal committee probing the allegations against him, however, as is the nature of The Wire, they allowed Dua to publish a video denigrating the entire #MeToo movement using The Wire platform.

He made ridiculous comments like calling the allegations against him ‘keechad’, and insinuating that the #MeToo movement was orchestrated to ensure that “real” issues are not spoken about, like criticising Narendra Modi.

Another woman had accused Vinod Dua of sexual harassment as well, however, after these multiple allegations, The Wire’s internal committee report, if there was one, was never made public.

On 17th November, Vinod Dua had also seemingly lashed out at The Wire. He had agreed with an article written by Justice Katju and said that character cannot be expected from today’s media owners and that they “don’t stand by one’s own colleagues”. One would imagine that this was Dua’s way of lashing out at his former employers at The Wire who did not support him publicly but rather, pulled his video down from their YouTube channel.


The reason for Dua’s exit from The Wire has not been made public. If at all there was an internal committee constituted, its findings have not been made public either. With Dua lashing out at The Wire, it is unclear whether Dua left The Wire because they “did not stand by him”, or the internal committee found Dua guilty of sexual harassment and hence, he was asked to exit.

The insincerity of The Wire is evident from the fact that they rehabilitated another journalist of theirs who was accused of rape. Among others, one woman had accused Akhil Kumar of The Wire of sexual assault and emotional harassment. She narrates two incidents. One, where Akhil removed his condom without informing her and she suffered infection after that. Second, where he forced himself on her, repeatedly bit her and pinned her down. She says that Akhil didn’t stop even after she repeatedly said no and broke down into tears. She also accused him of emotional traumatizing her.

After a few weeks of conspicuous absence, Akhil Kumar was back on The Wire. OpIndia had reached out to The Wire for an explanation but our emails have since been unanswered.

The Wire and its coterie had pretended to be the harbingers of women’s rights. However, it is intriguing how the Left’s double standards leave no cause untouched. The collective silence of the entire ecosystem on the shenanigans of The Wire and its journalists only goes to prove that the left will rehabilitate its own no matter what the price is.

UPDATE: Digital portal The News Laundry reached out to The Wire and this time, they did manage to respond. In a move which is even more shocking, after the accuser had asked The Wire to ensure that Dua was fired so a fair investigation can take place, and confirmed that Vinod Dua continues to be there Consulting Editor. In their response, they have stated that he is, however, free to work elsewhere as well. 

They have also asserted that the committee to probe the allegations was constituted in October and the investigation is still on. 

Trouble mounts for Sterling Biotech as ED attaches its assets worth 4700 crores

OpIndia Staff
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Trouble mounts for Sterling Biotech as ED attaches its assets worth 4700 crores

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday attached 4700 crores worth of assets belonging to the Sterling Biotech. The ED has been probing the alleged Rs 8,100-crore bank loan fraud case against the promoters of the Gujarat-based group.

The properties, located in places like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Delhi and others areas, included movable and immovable assets of Sterling Biotech, PMT Machines, Sterling Port and Sterling SEZ Infra.

Earlier we had reported that the Enforcement Directorate had moved to a special court seeking to get the owners of Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech group declared fugitive economic offenders under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018.

The central agency has filed a plea before a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), seeking to declare Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara, Dipti Sandesara and Hitesh Patel fugitives under Section 4 of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. ED seeks to attach their assets in India and abroad.

It’s worthy to note here that the ED had made similar pleas, under the new fugitive law, against Vijay Mallya and diamond jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi in separate bank loan money laundering probes.

Nitin Sandesara was apprehended by the Dubai police in August. He is reportedly known as a close aide of Congress leader Ahmed Patel.

After the ED had decided to tighten the noose on the Sandesara family in their alleged involvement in the massive bank fraud, names of Congress leader Ahmed Patel, his son, Faisal Patel, and his son-in-law, Irfan Siddiqui, had surfaced for their alleged involvement in the same.

Meanwhile, all the four promoters of Sterling group namely Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara, Dipti Sandesara and Hitesh Patel had fled the country fearing a criminal probe in this multi-crore fraud case. “The Directorate has sought confiscation of their properties in India and abroad,” said the agency.

ED is also in the process to issue Red Corner Notices against these four offenders. Extradition requests shall be sent shortly to bring back the accused to India to face the trial proceedings.

Dynasty entitlement: ED issues third summons to Rahul Gandhi’s brother in law Robert Vadra after he missed two

OpIndia Staff
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Dynasty entitlement: ED issues third summons to Rahul Gandhi’s brother in law Robert Vadra after he missed two

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued the third summons to Robert Vadra, Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s brother in law, in Bikaner land deal money laundering case after he failed to appear in first two summons, reports Times of India. In the previous summons issued last week, Vadra reportedly sent his representative when the summons was for his personal appearance.

The ED is investigating the money laundering charges on the basis of FIR registered by CBI in August last year to look into the allegations that a firm connected to Robert Vadra executed some land deals which violated various laws.

Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, a real estate firm Vadra is associated with, is accused of fraudulently acquiring land in Bikaner which was meant for rehabilitation of poor villagers. Skylight Hospitality has also been allegedly involved in similar transactions in Haryana and a probe was earlier recommended by the Justice SN Dhingra commission against Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleging that Hooda and some of his government officials have been involved in suspicious land deals with Skylight Hospitality. Skylight Hospitality is also under Income Tax scanner for alleged irregularities in financial transactions in their land deals in Rajasthan and Haryana.

Vadra was first issued summons by the ED in the first week of November followed by the second summons on 24th November, both of which he failed to appear in.

In September 2015, the Enforcement Directorate had registered a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), alleging that Sky Light Hospitality, owned by Robert Vadra, had bought a piece of land in Kolayat, Bikaner, on the cheap and sold it at an extremely high premium through illegal transactions.

In April this year, the ED attached land belonging to Jaiprakash Bagarawa, who is believed to be a close aide of Vadra in connection with the Bikaner land scam. As per reports, the agency has the powers to seek judicial custodial interrogation if the accused is wilfully avoiding joining the investigation.

 

Al-Qaeda terrorist Zakir Musa spotted disguised as a Sikh in Punjab, security increased

OpIndia Staff
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Al-Qaeda terrorist Zakir Musa spotted disguised as a Sikh in Punjab, security increased

Punjab has been put on high alert after intelligence agencies informed various security agencies that dreaded Al-Qaeda terrorist Zakir Musa has been spotted as a Sikh local wearing a turban near Ferozepur or Bathinda.

According to reports, the areas surrounding Bathinda and Ferozepur have been put under severe vigilance and army personnel have been deployed at the Bathinda Railway Station. The Punjab Police has sealed the Punjab and Rajasthan border besides placing barricades at various places to nab the former Hizbul commander.

The intelligence input said that Zakir Musa may have disguised himself as a Sikh to escape the security agencies. Meanwhile, the state police have arrested a suspected terrorist from Mamdot area and is being interrogated.

According to security agencies, a Pakistan phone number was traced at Basti Gulab Singh Wala village in Mamdot area of Ferozepur. Police had raided some houses in this village on Tuesday night after a mobile phone SIM card was found active in the area.

The Ferozepur police soon after receiving the information launched a massive combing operation in Mandot area. They have searched the Ghoda Chakkar forest area spreading over hundreds of acres at the Indo-Pak border. Police have sealed the Basti Gulab Singhwala village with barricades and intense checks on the vehicles passing along the roads are being done. The paramilitary forces have also been deployed to conduct the search operation.

Reportedly, Zakir Musa may have been arrived in Punjab not only to save his life from the onslaught of Indian security forces but also to revive Sikh terrorism in Punjab backed by Pakistan’s ISI.

Recently, Zakir Musa, Al Qaeda’s Kashmir cell head who succeeded Burhan Wani had released an audiotape threatening to “liberate” India from the rule of “cow-worshipping” PM Modi and Hindus. Musa, who is a former Hizbul Mujahideen militant, also warned the government warned the government against deporting Rohingya Muslims.

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