Home Blog Page 1026

After Rahul Gandhi said he knows the system from inside since birth, Himanta Biswa Sarma asks him about mysterious deaths & other cases during Congress regimes

OpIndia Staff
-
0
After Rahul Gandhi said he knows the system from inside since birth, Himanta Biswa Sarma asks him about mysterious deaths & other cases during Congress regimes

Lal Bahadur Shastri, Subhash Chandra Bose, Madhavrao Scindia, Rajesh Pilot, nuclear scientist Homi Bhabha and the deaths of many such noted individuals have remained a mystery to this day with so many questions unanswered. As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently said that he has known the ‘system’ from the inside since his birth and that he knows how it works, whom it favours and attacks, Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on the 23rd of May questioned Rahul Gandhi if knows about the mysterious deaths, corruption, favours as well as protection given to certain individuals in the past Congress governments since he was privy to such “secrets”.

Taking to X, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote, “Yesterday on May 22, 2024 I heard Rahul Gandhi speak about how he knows about the secrets of the “system”. Let me just jog his memory on some incidents where we are still waiting to understand and unravel secrets of the system!”

In the first question, Sarma asked about who was behind the mysterious death of Lalit Narayan Sharma who served as former Union Railways Minister (1973 to 1975), after he had differences with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

“Former Union Railway Minister Sh Lalit Mishra was killed in a mysterious bomb blast after he had differences with Indira Gandhi. Who was behind the blast?” Sarma asked.

Notably, the former Railways Minister was killed in the January 1975 bomb blast in Bihar’s Samastipur minutes after he gave a speech at a broad gauge railway line inaugural event.

A grenade was hurled at the dais, severely injuring Mishra, who died at the hospital. The assassination was initially probed by the local police and Bihar CID until the CBI took over on the 10th of January 1975. After more than 40 years of adjudication, the Trial Court found four people guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment in December 2014. Three Anand Margis followers, Santoshanand, Sudevanand, and Gopalji, as well as lawyer Ranjan Dwivedi, were found guilty. It was alleged that the convicted persons intended to put pressure on PM Gandhi to free the jailed leader of the Anand Margis, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar.

However, Mishra’s family was not of the view that the convicted persons were not real culprits. Vaibhav Mishra, L.N. Mishra’s grandson and an advocate, said that the CBI changed its probe into his grandfather’s murder, allowing the real accused to go free. A 2005 book Mitrokhin Archive II authored by Christopher Andrews based on KGB intelligence files has stated that the Congress coffers during Indira Gandhi’s regime were filled by KGB and the principal fundraiser, Lalit Narayan Mishra knew he was accepting Soviet money. The Congress party, however, denied these claims calling it “sensationalism”.

Himanta Biswa Sarma raises questions over the death of former Bihar CM KB Sahay

In the second question, CM Sarma recalled the mysterious death of former Bihar CM and Congress leader Krishna Ballabh Sahay also known as the Iron Man of Bihar who waged a crusade to abolish the Zamindari system. He became the fourth Bihar CM in 1963. He is remembered for passing the first revolutionary legislation in the country to eliminate the Zamindari system.

“Bihar’s Former Chief Minister Shri KB Sahay, who abolished the Zamindari System, died in a mysterious car accident after he fell off with Indira Gandhi. Why his death wasn’t investigated?” asked in his post.

Notably, On 29th May 1974, Sahay died on the spot after his car hit the back of a truck near Sindur village of Hazaribagh when he was returning from Patna to Hazaribagh after being elected as a member of the state Legislative Assembly.

Bhopal Gas Tragedy and Warren Anderson’s escape

The next question raised by Assam CM Himant Biswa Sarma is about Warren Anderson, who was the CEO of Union Carbide Corporation in 1984 when the Bhopal gas tragedy killed thousands. “Who made the telephone call from Delhi to allow Warren Anderson to escape? Sarma asked.

Source: AsiaNet

Notably, Anderson was detained as soon as he arrived in Bhopal. However, after only a few hours of house arrest, Anderson posted bail and fled the country, never to return and face trial.

Moti Singh, the then-Bhopal collector, claimed that Anderson escaped by using a phone in the room where he was confined to contact people in the United States.

It is also said that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi allowed Anderson to flee on the basis of a quid pro quo arrangement for the release of his childhood friend, Adil Shahryar, who was serving a 35-year sentence in the USA. Rahul Gandhi should speak up if his father had any role in Anderson’s escape since he claims to have known the system from the inside since the day he was born.

Bofors scam and where did the illegal kickbacks go?

The next question Sarma raised for Rahul Gandhi to answer is about the infamous Bofors scandal. “Where the money looted from Bofors and other such deals have been hidden?” CM Sarma asked.

It is pertinent to note that on the 18th of March 1986, India signed a Rs 1,437-crore contract with Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors for the delivery of 400 155 mm Howitzer guns to the Indian Army. A year later, on April 16, 1987, a Swedish radio station reported that the firm bribed nearly $9 million to key Indian politicians, Congress leaders and defence officials to get the deal. As OpIndia reported earlier, several documentary evidence hint at the alleged involvement of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her maternal family in the scam. Reports say that Rajiv Gandhi was aware of the alleged involvement and actively tried to cover it up even as the Army was of the view that Bofors could be arm-twisted into revealing the details of the real culprits.

Rahul Gandhi who led the infamous “Chowkidar Chor Hai” smear campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections only to apologise in the Supreme Court eventually should answer if knows anything about the alleged role of his father Rajiv Gandhi, mother Sonia Gandhi’s or any other person including his party leaders in the scam.

When ex-PM Manmohan Singh legitimised Pakistan’s India interference in Balochistan allegation in a joint statement with Pakistani counterpart in Sharm el-Sheikh

Before saying that the list of such unresolved mysteries is longer, CM Sarma in his fifth question asked about the 2009 joint statement wherein the then-PM Manmohan Singh ended up legitimising Pakistan’s accusations that India foments insurgency in Balochistan. “One whose instructions did Dr Manmohan Singh give a clean chit to Pakistan in Sharm-El-Sheikh?” Sarma asked.

On 16th July 2009, then PM Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani, met during a meeting in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh. Here, PM Singh agreed to make a mention of Balochistan. “Prime Minister Singh reiterated the need to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice. Prime Minister Gilani assured that Pakistan will do everything in its power in this regard….Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas,” the 2009 joint statement reads.

Pakistani PM Yousaf Raza Gilani and Indian PM Dr Manmohan Singh at Sharm el Sheikh in 2009 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

This was in sharp contrast to India’s usual stand on Balochistan-related issues. Earlier, India refrained from making any reference in joint statements since India has strongly denied any involvement in Balochistan liberation resistance.

Instead of snubbing Pakistan for providing a safe haven to Mumbai 26/11 attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and his Islamist terrorist organisation, PM Singh ended up allowing Pakistan to accuse India of fomenting insurgency in Balochistan. Pakistan managed to make India acknowledge its ‘involvement’ in Balochistan. PM Singh’s faux pas altered the Balochistan issue from a bleeding wound into one caused by alleged Indian meddling.

This, however, remains unclear to date as to what made PM Singh take a sudden shift from India’s stand as CM Sarma questioned did PM Singh received instructions from someone to give clean chit to India’s hostile neighbour. Since Rahul Gandhi claims to be an ‘insider’ knowing very well how the ‘system’ works, favours, protects and attacks someone, he should behave like the “JanNayak” he claims to be and speak up about the incidents discussed above and also about numerous scams he and other Congress leaders have allegedly been mired in.

Concluding his post, the BJP leader said that “the best way forward is to set up a Judicial Commission and investigate all the secrets Rahul was privy to, and that harmed national interests.”

This came after Congress prince Rahul Gandhi while speaking at Samvidhan Samman Sammelan on Wednesday said, “I have been sitting in the system since the day I was born. I understand the system from the inside. You cannot hide the system from me. How it works, whom it favours, how it favours, whom it protects, whom it attacks, I know everything because I come from inside the system. When my grandmother was the PM, my father was the PM, and when Manmohan Singh was the PM, I used to go to the PM’s house. So I know how the system works from the inside. I can tell you one thing, the system is aligned against the lower castes, severely and on every level…”

Pune Porsche accident: Marathi media circulates video of rap by Instagrammer claiming to be accused teenager taking pride in getting bail after killing 2 persons

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pune Porsche accident: Marathi media circulates video of rap by Instagrammer claiming to be accused teenager taking pride in getting bail after killing 2 persons

In the Pune Porsche hit-and-run case, a video clip has gone viral where apparently the accused teenager is seen singing a rap taking pride in killing two people with the promise to return to the streets soon. In the rap song, the singer talks about getting bail in just a day at the strength of his father’s money, saying he will show his ‘khel’ on the street again. However, after the video was aired by several Marathi news channels including ABP Majha, News 18 Marathi, TV9 Marathi and others claiming that it was by the accused teenager, it has been revealed that the rap was sung by an Instagram user mocking the system after the builder’s son got bail in 15 hours.

In the video, the Instagram user can be heard rapping, ‘karke betha main nashe in my Porsche, saamne aaya couple mere ab vo hain niche, sound so cliché, sorry gaadi chad di aap pe, 17 saak ki umar, pese khub mere baap pe, ek din mei mujhe mil gayi bail, phir se dikhaunga sadak pe khel’. This roughly translates to, ‘I was sitting in Porsche after drinking, a couple came in front and came below my car, sorry I drove over you, age is 17, my father has lots of money, got bail in a day, I will show game again on the streets’.

In the rap song, the singer said that he got bail in just 1 day on the strength of his father’s money after killing two persons, and threatened to return to the streets soon. The singer also used abusive language for the victims. Several Marathi news channels and media houses circulated it claiming that the accused teenager had sung the rap song after he was out on bail.

However, after the video emerged, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said that the video is fake. The family and the lawyer of the accused have also said that the 17-year-old didn’t sing the rap, and that the person seen in the video is someone else.

Moreover, it has been confirmed that the rap was actually sung by a person with the ID cringistaan2 on Instagram, and it was made as a parody after the builder’s son got bail. The Marathi news channels picked up the clip and carelessly circulated it claiming that the accused had sung the rap song after he was granted bail.

In the meanwhile, the accused teenager has been remanded to a juvenile home for 14 days after the Juvenile Justice Board revoked the bail that was granted in just 15 hours of his detention. The JJB will also consider whether to try him as an adult.

A speeding Porsche reportedly driven by a drunk minor son of a builder crashed into vehicles and killed two persons riding a two-wheeler on early Sunday morning in East Avenue, Kalyani Nagar, Pune. The locals caught the teenager and thrashed him, allegedly for trying to flee the scene. He was then handed over to the police. But he managed to secure bail in just 15 hours, triggering massive outrage on social media.

The bail conditions raised even more eyebrows, reiterating questions on the country’s criminal justice system. The accused was asked to work with a traffic police official for 2 weeks and attend psychiatric counselling sessions. The teenager was also been asked to write a 300-word essay on road accidents and create traffic awareness boards.

However, the bail was revoked and the juvenile was remanded for 14 days following the outrage. In the meanwhile, the juvenile’s builder father has been arrested by the police.

The rise of Digital Leisure as Online Gaming surpasses traditional entertainment

OpIndia Staff
-
0
The rise of Digital Leisure as Online Gaming surpasses traditional entertainment

In the past decade, the entertainment landscape has shifted dramatically. Online gaming has emerged as a significant contender, overshadowing traditional forms of entertainment such as watching television, going to the cinema, and playing physical board games. Whether engaging in massive online multiplayer games or playing card games like rummy on a dedicated rummy app, digital leisure redefines how people unwind and have fun. This transformation is driven by technology and changing consumer habits. In this article, we explore the rise of digital leisure, focusing on how online gaming has overtaken conventional entertainment and what this means for the future.

The Explosion of the Online Games Industry

Online games have become central to entertainment, with games like rummy and others prime examples. Unlike traditional media, online gaming offers interactive experiences that engage users in real time. Whether a multiplayer shooter or a strategy-based card game like rummy through dedicated rummy apps, these platforms provide interactivity that traditional entertainment forms cannot match.

The proliferation of mobile devices has also contributed to this shift. With a smartphone in nearly every pocket, rummy apps and similar platforms have brought gaming into the hands of millions. This accessibility has opened doors to a broader demographic, changing how people engage with entertainment.

Key Factors Driving the Growth of Online Gaming

Several factors contributed to the rapid rise of online gaming, creating a shift from traditional entertainment to digital leisure.

  • First, online gaming has become highly accessible due to smartphones. Over 700 million internet users and 560 million smartphone users in India alone indicate a significant potential for the growth of online gaming apps, such as the rummy apps.
  • Secondly, online gaming has fostered a social community. Players can interact, form alliances, and compete with others on various online gaming platforms. The social aspect is evident in popular games, where players form groups and play together on gaming platforms. This sense of community extends beyond gaming, with players participating in esports tournaments and other competitive events.
  • Thirdly, the diversity and innovation within the online games industry are drawing players in. According to the FICCI-EY report, over 450 million gamers are active in India, with 100 million playing daily. This diversity includes various game genres, from action-packed, adventurous games to card games. 

The Impact of Online Gaming Platforms

The growth of online gaming platforms has profoundly impacted the entertainment industry. These platforms have created new opportunities for players and developers alike. A key example is the popularity of rummy, which has seen a significant increase in players due to the ease of access provided by rummy apps. Online gaming platforms offer various games and regularly update their content to keep players engaged.

The Indian Online Games Industry

India’s online games industry has grown significantly, with a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 28-30 per cent from 2022 to 2025. The industry is set to reach ₹ 41,023.1 crore by 2025, showing a remarkable surge. The increasing popularity of online games’ drives this rapid growth.

One exciting aspect of India’s online games industry is its unicorn companies. Companies like DreamSports, Games 24×7, Gameskraft and MPL have become household names, demonstrating the industry’s significant impact. The popularity of strategic and skill-based games like rummy, a well-known card game, and the proliferation of rummy apps have played a role in this success.

Addressing Challenges and Ensuring Responsible Gaming

Despite the growth and popularity of the online games industry, challenges remain. The rapid expansion of digital leisure has raised concerns about gaming addiction and responsible gaming. Online gaming platforms must address these issues to ensure a sustainable and enjoyable gaming experience.

The Indian government has introduced regulations to manage the online games industry. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s proposed amendments to IT Rules 2021 aim to create a safer gaming environment. These regulations impact gaming platforms, emphasising the importance of responsible gaming practices.

The Future of Digital Leisure

The rise of digital leisure, driven by the online games industry, is reshaping the future of entertainment. As the gaming platforms evolve, traditional and digital entertainment boundaries blur even further. The growth of esports and the increasing popularity of online card games suggest this trend is here to stay.

Addressing challenges such as gaming addiction and promoting responsible gaming is essential to ensuring a positive future for digital leisure. Rummy apps and other online gaming platforms are pivotal in setting the standard for a sustainable gaming industry. As long as these platforms prioritise user safety and community building, the future of digital leisure looks promising.

Conclusion

As online gaming continues to surpass traditional entertainment forms, it is clear that digital leisure has become a dominant force in the entertainment industry. With its accessibility, social connectivity, and diverse experiences, online gaming has reshaped how we engage with entertainment and interact with others. From simple card games like rummy to complex multiplayer experiences, online games will continue to play a pivotal role in this expansion, offering engaging and accessible experiences for users. As we look to the future, the rise of digital leisure presents exciting opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and community building in the gaming industry and beyond.

US-Bangladesh citizen Akhtaruzzaman hired Amanullah & others to kill Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar in Kolkata, investigation reveals a gold smuggling angle

OpIndia Staff
-
0
US-Bangladesh citizen Akhtaruzzaman hired Amanullah & others to kill Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar in Kolkata, investigation reveals a gold smuggling angle

After Bangladeshi Member of Parliament Anwarul Azim Anar was found dead in Kolkata, it has been revealed that he was murdered by Bangladeshi-US citizen Akhtaruzzaman alias Shaheen. As per West Bengal police, Azim and Akhtaruzzaman were allegedly involved in gold smuggling based out of Kolkata. Anar was found dead in Kolkata, West Bengal, on 13th May, after he arrived in the city for medical treatment. Though it is believed that the murder might have links to their gold smuggling operations, neither the Indian investigating agencies nor the Bangladeshi agencies have confirmed the alleged connection.

Reportedly, there were disputes between Azim and Akhtaruzzaman over business matters, and Akhtaruzzaman decided to kill Azim. He then hired a man named Amanullah to carry out the murder who then engaged two others named Mustafizur and Faisal in the plan.

Police said Amanullah is a former leader of Purbo Banglar Communist Party, and he was in prison for 20 years in two murder cases.

Akhtaruzzaman also hired two others named Jihad and Siam, and these two men reached India from Bangladesh without any passports. Akhtaruzzaman rented an apartment in Kolkata for the accommodation of the team much before the murder as part of their plan. Akhtaruzzaman was paying Rs 1 lakh per month for the rented accommodation in Kolkata. On 30th April, Akhtaruzzaman visited Kolkata with Amanullah.

Following the murder, the accused chopped the body into pieces and packed them into suitcases. They handed over the suitcases to one of their Indian contacts for disposal. As of now, Amanullah and his two associates Mustafizur and Faisal have been arrested in the matter. They have confessed to the murder during the interrogation.

Anwarul Azim Anar was found dead in a rented apartment. During interrogation, Amanullah claimed that he could not specify the exact location where the body was dumped as the task was fulfilled by multiple people involved in the crime. He added that the suitcases changed hands before their final disposal, making it unclear which suitcase ended up at which location.

Amanullah told the police in Bangladesh that he agreed to do the job for Tk 5 crore (around ₹3.5).

Amanullah returned to Dhaka on 15th May and his accomplices returned soon after. Reportedly, Amanullah was promised that he would get 5 crore takas for the assassination. Amanullah was arrested on Tuesday night by police in Bangladesh, and on the basis of information given by him, Faisal and Mostafizur were arrested.

Akhtaruzzaman’s brother Shahiduzzaman, who is he mayor of Kotchandpur Municipality in Bangladesh, said that Akhtaruzzaman visited Bangladesh during Ramzam. He added that his brother and Anwarul Azim Anar had a good relationship.

Harun Or Rashid, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said, “We are closely working with the Indian police. We are receiving a lot of information we cannot divulge now for the sake of investigation.”

Akhtaruzzaman came to India on an American passport, fled to Nepal

As per the information of the intelligence agencies, Akhtaruzzaman, the mastermind of the murder, has fled to Nepal and is currently hiding in Kathmandu. He travelled from Kolkata to Delhi and from there fled to Nepal.

Daily Star quoted Gopal Biswas, one of Anar’s friends, stating that police suspect Akhtaruzzaman to be behind the murder. Akhtaruzzaman hails from an influential family. Gopal asserted that Akhtaruzzaman entered Kolkata using an American passport and carried out the murder with the help of seven Bangladeshis who escaped after the murder. He holds dual citizenship of USA and Bangladesh.

Involvement of woman in the murder

Investigators checked the CCTV footage during the investigation, and they found that two men and a woman entered the house with MP Anwarul Azim Anar. Later, except for the MP, all three left the rented house. Kolkata police said a taxi driver was also involved in dumping the body and was apprehended by the police.

Murder of Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar

On 22nd May, the dead body of a Bangladeshi legislator named Anwarul Azim Anar, who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment, was found by the police. The development was confirmed eight days after he went missing. Anwarul Azim Anar was a member of the ruling Awami League party in Bangladesh and served as a Parliamentarian from the Jhenaidah-4 constituency. According to the Kolkata police, the killing of the Bangladeshi legislator was pre-meditated. His dismembered body was recovered from an apartment, belonging to an excise duty official, in Sanjeeva Garden in Kolkata’s New Town area.

Amidst unrest in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir against the tyrannical Pakistan govt, Gilgit-Baltistan politician raises concern over sale of forest land to Punjab industrialists

ANI
-
0
Amidst unrest in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir against the tyrannical Pakistan govt, Gilgit-Baltistan politician raises concern over sale of forest land to Punjab industrialists

The opposition parliamentary members of the Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) assembly on Thursday raised their voices against the administrational misconduct of the PoGB ruling party. The assembly members blamed the ruling party for selling land pieces and guest houses built in the dense forest of the area to non-locals, especially from Punjab Province, Pamir Times reported.

During his interruption, an opposition parliamentarian said, “The general public has now raised its voice, now we cannot remain silent anymore. The movement of resistance has started and we will be standing alongside it. As we want to safeguard our lands. Today when anyone who holds power here announces that PoGB is suffering major economic losses, they will lease our lands to industrialists or non-native entities so that profit can be generated for 30 years. This would not be tolerated at all.”

“It is not a matter of 30 years, it is a matter of almost three generations and more. Tell us if PoGB is for sale, and we will return to our homes. Today, the condition has gotten worse and our jungles are not safe anymore,” he added.

While raising the issue of land leasing, the parliament member questioned the sale of guest houses to the industrialists of the Punjab Province.

“Why did the forest department in PoGB build the questioned guest houses? Was doing business in their domain? These guest houses were raised because of certain needs. And now these guest houses are being sold to industrialists of the Punjab Province and along with this our beautiful jungles are also being sold”, he said.

He also elaborated that, “in the dense forests of Skardu, we have heard that about 400 kennels of land is being sold to a businessmen of Punjab province. Our people in PoGB did not foster and protect that land for a wealthy businessman from Punjab province who would come and establish his business on that land. Please spare that land. Another piece of the forest, Whaid Park is being given to business owners, making promises that 50 per cent of the profit will be given to the government. Do you now think that any money made from these profits will reach the general people?”

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Bibhav Kumar biggest ‘Raajdaar’ of Arvind Kejriwal, entire Aam Aadmi Party afraid of him: Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal

ANI
-
0
Bibhav Kumar biggest ‘Raajdaar’ of Arvind Kejriwal, entire Aam Aadmi Party afraid of him: Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal

Calling Bibhav Kumar “raajdaar” (the one who keeps secret) of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Thursday alleged that the personal aide of Delhi CM Bibhav Kumar is not “ordinary personal assistance” adding that entire party is “afraid” of him.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Swati Maliwal asserted that Bibhav Kumar is a very “influential and powerful man” in the entire party.

“I have known Bibhav Kumar since 2006. Arvind Kejriwal ‘ke sabse bade raajdaar, sabse karibi aadmi iss waqt Bibhav Kumar hain.’ He is not an ordinary PA. If you see his house, his house is so luxurious, he has been given such a house, even no minister has got such a house in Delhi, so he is very influential and at present, he is a powerful man in the entire party and the entire party is afraid of him. Earlier also there was an assault case on him. There is a message at the party ‘agar Bibhav naraj hogya aapse toh fir aap khatam ho party main,” Maliwal said.

She further asserted that after the assault case, she had not received any call from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

“Everything is a matter of investigation. I am very cooperative with the Delhi Police. I am not giving anyone the clean chit. Because the fact is I was in the drawing room and Arvind Kejriwal was at home and I was beaten up very badly. I was literally screaming very badly but no one came to help to out. It is also a fact that despite all this happening till date, I have not received any call from Arvind ji nor has he met me till now. Arvind Ji is protecting the accused…Instructions have been given to every person in the entire party to assassinate my character. I want a proper investigation. Delhi Police should do their investigation in a free and fair manner,” she said.

Following the assault allegations levelled by Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal against a former aide of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said that the silence of the AAP chief on this matter shows his stance about the issue of the safety of women.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal has accused party chief Arvind Kejriwal’s former personal secretary Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her at the Chief Minister’s residence.

Bibhav Kumar lodged a counter-complaint with the police on Friday, accusing Maliwal of gaining ‘unauthorised entry’ into the CM’s Civil Lines residence and ‘verbally abusing’ him.

A case was filed against Bibhav Kumar and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the case based on Maliwal’s complaint. Bibhav was arrested by the Delhi Police on Sunday, May 19, and is currently in police custody. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Do not test my patience, return and face the law’: HD Deve Gowda says he is warning grandson Prajwal Revanna who is facing sexual exploitation charges

ANI
-
0
‘Do not test my patience, return and face the law’: HD Deve Gowda says he is warning grandson Prajwal Revanna who is facing sexual exploitation charges

JDS patron and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has issued a stern warning to his grandson and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna to return to India from abroad and face the law in the obscene video case.

Prajwal Revanna is facing a probe by an SIT constituted by the Karnataka government over allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following a complaint by a woman who worked in his household.

In a letter posted on X, the former PM says he is not aware of where his grandson is but has warned him to return home and face the law.

“I have already said that he should be given the harshest punishment under the law if found guilty. I also cannot convince people that I was unaware of Prajwal’s activities. I cannot convince them that I have no desire to shield him. I cannot convince them that I am not aware of his movements and that I was not aware of his foreign trip. I believe in answering my conscience. I believe in God, and I know the almighty knows the truth,” the former PM wrote.

Deve Gowda also appealed to his grandson to return if he have any respect left for him.

At this juncture, I can only do one thing. I can issue a stern warning to Prajwal and ask him to return from wherever he is and surrender before the Police. He should subject himself to the legal process. This is not an appeal that I am making, it is a warning that I am issuing. If he does not heed this warning he will have to face my anger and the anger of all his family, If he has any respect left for me he has to return immediately,” he said

“I will ensure that there will be no interference in the enquiry against him from me or my family members,” the former PM added.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to cancel the Diplomatic Passport of JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing an SIT probe over the allegation of sexual harassment “along with prompt and concerted actions to secure his return to India.”

Siddaramaiah in his letter to the Prime Minister said that it is shameful that Prajwal Revanna fled the country on April 27, 2024, to Germany using his diplomatic passport shortly after news of his heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first FIR was filed against him.

“I write to you once again to draw attention to the grave series of incidents that Prajwal Revanna has been accused of committing. These incidents have not only shocked the conscience of the people of the State of Karnataka but have also caused a nationwide concern,” he said.

“It is shameful that Prajwal Revanna, a Member of Parliament from Hassan constituency, who is also contesting for re-election in the present general election, and who is the grandson of a former Prime Minister, fled the country on the 27th of April 2024 to Germany using his diplomatic passport bearing number 11135500 shortly after news of his heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first FIR was filed against him. He has abused his diplomatic privileges to flee the country and to escape criminal proceedings,” the Karnataka CM added.

Siddaramaiah expressed his concern that despite the issue of a Look Out Circular, a Blue Corner Notice, and two notices by the Investigating Officer, Prajwal Revanna has managed to remain in hiding to this day.

“The Government of Karnataka has taken prompt actions to meet the ends of justice by setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for investigation of the matter. The SIT is investigating the alleged crimes of Prajwal Revanna against women and is making efforts to secure the presence of the accused to face criminal charges,” he said.

“It is a matter of serious concern that the accused Prajwal Revanna has managed to remain in hiding to this day despite the issue of a Look Out Circular, a Blue Corner Notice, and two notices by the Investigating Officer under section 41A CrPC, The FIR against Prajwal Revanna contains charges like rape, sexual assault, disrobing women and forcibly video-graphing sexual acts to threaten the victims,” the Karnataka CM added.

He further urged PM Modi to consider this matter this utmost seriousness and take prompt and necessary actions.

“Therefore, I urge you to kindly consider this matter with utmost seriousness and take prompt and necessary actions to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna, under Section 10(3)(h) of the Passport Act, 1967 or under any other relevant law and secure his return to the country in the interest of the public,” he said.

According to the sources, the Ministry of External Affairs of India has received a letter from the Karnataka government for the cancellation of the diplomatic passport in respect of MP Prajwal Revanna. The request is being processed.

“Main resign nahi karungi…”: Swati Maliwal refuses to give up Rajya Sabha seat

ANI
-
0
“Main resign nahi karungi…”: Swati Maliwal refuses to give up Rajya Sabha seat

Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Thursday stated that even if someone wanted her Rajya Sabha seat she would have willingly given it and firmly asserted that “ab chaahe duniya ki koi bhi shakti lag jaye main resign nahi karungi” (even if any power puts pressure on me to resign I won’t do).

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Maliwal asserted that she is the youngest women Parliamentarian adding that she never showed any “desire” for any position.

“Agar meri Rajya Sabha ki seat unhe chahiye thi, woh pyaar se maangte toh main jaan de deti, MP toh bohot choti baat hain. (If they needed my Rajya Sabha seat, they would have asked for it, I would have given my life, it is such a small thing). If you see my whole career I never showed any desire for any position. In 2006, I left my engineering job and joined this when nobody used to know us. Only three people were there and I was one of them. I have been working since then. The way they have beaten me, ‘Ab chaahe duniya ki koi bhi shakti lag jaye main resign nahi karungi’ (I will not resign now). I have been told that this is the reason my character is being assassinated. I will not resign. I am the youngest women Parliamentarian right now and I will work very hard and will become an ideal,” Maliwal said.

When asked why you never realized that some of the members of the parties are becoming powerful, she said that everyone’s ego has increased.

“I have been with them since 2006. When we used to work at that time there was a very different environment. There was next level ‘Josh’ in each one of us. I lived in the slums for 7 years and we all used to work in this manner but when power comes, I think many things come with it and the biggest thing that comes is ego. Slowly and gradually when ego takes over your head, you probably cannot see what is true, what is false, what is right, what is wrong…I never thought that a girl would be beaten first and then she would be isolated with complete character assassination. I think everyone’s ego has increased a lot but I believe that everything begins from the top,” she said.

Earlier in January this year, Maliwal, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member, was elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed. Following the assault allegations levelled by Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal against a former aide of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said that the silence of the AAP chief on this matter shows his stance about the issue of the safety of women.

A case was filed against Bibhav Kumar and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the case based on Maliwal’s complaint. Bibhav was arrested by the Delhi Police on Sunday, May 19, and is currently in police custody.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Mob has no religion: Says Rajasthan HC’s Justice Farjand Ali while granting bail to 18 Islamists accused of attacking Hindu Shobha Yatra in Chittorgarh

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Mob has no religion: Says Rajasthan HC’s Justice Farjand Ali while granting bail to 18 Islamists accused of attacking Hindu Shobha Yatra in Chittorgarh

The Rajasthan High Court on 20th May commented on the challenges of identifying the offenders during communal disturbances and claimed that a mob has no religion. The remarks were passed while the court granted bail to eighteen accused who were part of a crowd that attacked participants in a Hindu religious procession on 19th March in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan which resulted in the death of one individual named Shyam Lal Chheepa (55) later that day, while several others were injured.

The court expressed that it was difficult to pinpoint who was to blame for the “eruption of affray” or who could have caused injuries after there had been a conflict between two communities and religious feelings might have been offended. According to Justice Farjand Ali, it can be extremely challenging to identify the guilty from the innocent during mob violence.

The court mentioned, “There is no religion of a mob. When a large group of people is alleged to have committed an offence, it becomes a very tedious task to make separation between the innocent and the real culprits. Generally, when some noise is erupted in a crowded area, several persons gather there, some out of curiosity and some out of fear and some people may presumably come to see what exactly is going on. In such a chaotic situation, sometimes the real culprits make their escape good, whereas the mere onlookers may be booked.” 

The accused were arrested on charges that it was a pre-mediated assault and they employed deadly weapons on innocent devotees. Section 302 of the Indian penal Code along with provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was invoked against them.

The defendants then petitioned the High Court for relief after a trial judge denied their request for release and were awarded bail. The court also noted that it was undetermined if the accusations would fall under the purview of the SC/ST Act, however, pronounced that the trial court should look into this. “At this stage, it would be unsafe to make any comment regarding the culpability of the appellants,” the court stated.

The court further pointed out that it’s conceivable that the person’s demise was brought on by a heart attack rather than any injuries sustained during the assault. It asserted that the individual who passed away reportedly had a minor injury to his knee, which could not possibly be the reason for his death. The judge highlighted, “I have perused the postmortem report of deceased Shyam Lal Chheepa available on the case diary and it does not reveal any internal or external injuries except one simple abrasion of 1.5 cm. x 0.5 cm. on the right knee and the opinion for which is given as simple blunt. Any prudent person can presume that the same could not be the cause of death since no blood was oozing out. There is no opinion of the medical board regarding the cause of death. The viscera of the deceased have been preserved and sent for chemical examination. Probably the cause of death was a heart attack or Myocardial infarction.”

The court finally concluded, “This court would not like to comment on the niceties of the matter at this stage, however, in view of the deliberation and enunciation made in the above order and looking to the fact that the appellants are in judicial custody since long and early culmination of the trial is not a seeming fate, no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping them behind the bars, in the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, it is deemed appropriate to grant indulgence of bail to the appellants.”

The accused were ordered by the court to be released on bail if they were not wanted in any other case, as long as they could satisfy the learned trial court by providing a personal bond of Rs. 50,000 and two sureties of Rs. 25,000 each, and as long as they could appear before the court on all hearing dates and whenever they were called upon to do so.

‘Kejriwal was in the house when Bibhav was assaulting me, nobody came to help’: Swati Maliwal on podcast with Smita Prakash

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Kejriwal was in the house when Bibhav was assaulting me, nobody came to help’: Swati Maliwal on podcast with Smita Prakash

On 23rd May, News Agency ANI published an excerpt of the interview with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal where she described the ordeal of 13th May. In the Podcast with Smita Prakash, Swati said that she went to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s house on the morning of 13th May at 9 AM to meet him.

The staff directed her to the drawing room and told her that Kejriwal was at home. They informed her he would be coming out soon to meet her. Maliwal said, “Soon after that, his former personal secretary Bibhav Kumar came barging into the drawing room. I asked him what happened. I informed him that Arvind Ji was coming and again asked what happened.”

By the time she completed her sentence, Kumar allegedly slapped her. She added, “He slapped me 7-8 times with full force. When I tried to push him, he grabbed my foot and pulled me to the floor. Amidst all this, my head hit the centre table. I was on the floor when he started kicking me. I was screaming and seeking help but no one came out.”

When Smita asked how was it possible that no one came out to help her, she said, “What all happened was very strange. I was screaming aloud. The truth is no one came out to help me.”

Swati asserted that Bibhav alone could not act the way he did and someone would have instructed him to do so but that is a matter of investigation. “I am cooperating with the Delhi Police in the investigation. I am not giving clean chit to anyone. The fact is, I was in the drawing room. Arvind Ji was at home. And I was mercilessly assaulted. I was screaming for help but no one came.”

“I did not think what would happen to me. What would happen to my career? What these people would do to me? The only thing I was thinking is that what I have told every woman, is that you should stand with the truth and tell the world exactly what happened with you, then today, how can I step back from fighting.”

Swati Maliwal Assault Case

On 13th May, the for Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief, current Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal accused the former Personal secretary of Arvind Kejriwal of assaulting her. In her complaint, Maliwal has alleged that Kejriwal’s personal Secretary Bibhav Kumar slapped” her at least seven to eight times while she continued screaming and brutally dragged her while kicking her in her chest, stomach, and pelvis area. According to the Delhi Police FIR, Maliwal described the events of May 13 when she had gone to the Civil Lines residence of Chief Minister Kejriwal. The Delhi Police have arrested Kumar in this case. 

In Kumar’s remand application, Delhi Police submitted that the attack on the AAP MP could have been fatal.

The Police also mentioned in their remand request that Bibhav Kumar admitted to formatting his Apple iPhone 15, and the phone needs to be taken to Mumbai to recover the data, for which his police remand was needed. Notably, as per the Police, CCTV footage from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence during the period of assault on May 13 has turned out to be blank. It was also reported earlier that Delhi Police may add a destruction of evidence charge against Bibhav Kumar for deleting CCTV footage and formatting the phone. 

Meanwhile, as the entire Aam Aadmi Party, except DCW member Vandana Singh, has started a campaign against Maliwal calling her allegations “false” and labelling her a “traitor and a BJP agent”, she recently warned her party against using such tags for her stating that she will take Kejriwal and company to court for every lie spread against her.

1...1,0251,0261,027...7,609Page 1,026 of 7,609