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After Soros backed OCCRP, FT targets Adani for alleged ‘coal scam’, Rahul Gandhi uses it to attack Modi when the transaction happened when his mom was super-PM

Amit Kelkar
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After Soros backed OCCRP, FT targets Adani for alleged ‘coal scam’, Rahul Gandhi uses it to attack Modi when the transaction happened when his mom was super-PM

Earlier today, senior Congress leader and former president Rahul Gandhi shot himself in the foot, yet again, when he attacked the Modi government over a recently published report in the Financial Times that accused the Adani Group of committing a ‘scam’ by selling low-grade coal as high-value fuel.

Tweeting in Hindi, the Gandhi scion said that a ‘big coal scam’ has come to light under the BJP government.

“Through this scam that has been going on for years, Modiji’s favourite friend Adani has looted thousands of crores of rupees by selling low-grade coal at three times the price, the price of which the common people have paid from their pockets by paying expensive electricity bills. Will the Prime Minister tell how many tempos were used to keep ED, CBI and IT quiet on this open corruption?” tweeted Gandhi, adding that the INDI government will investigate this mega scam and account for every penny looted from the public once it forms its government after June 4.

The Financial Times recently published an article titled “Adani suspected of fraud by selling low-grade coal as high-value fuel”, in what appears as a part of its concerted attempt to slander the Indian business conglomerate with allegations of committing a ‘scam’ involving the sale of coal from Indonesia to India. It is worth mentioning that there is no evidence furnished by the Financial Times to back its claim of ‘fraud’ committed by the Adani Group over the coal sale.

While Mr Gandhi seemed to lap up the FT allegations without conducting due diligence, the article says that the suspicions of wrongdoing stem from January 2014 dated invoices of an Indonesian shipment of coal said to contain 3,500 calories per kilogramme purchased by Adani. 

In other words, the Financial Times report says it was in January 2014, which was during the UPA-II era, when Manmohan Singh was the country’s Prime Minister, that the alleged scam took place. 

The relevant section from The Financial Times report on allegations of fraud against the Adani Group

Curiously, the transaction took place between the Adani Group and the Tamil Nadu Generation and the Distribution Company (Tangedco) when the former was accused of selling off 3,500 calories per kilogramme grade fuel as 6,000 calories per kilogramme fuel, among the most valuable grades. According to the report, the purported scam period was 2012-2016 and it took place in Tamil Nadu.

Alleged coal scam dated to January 2014, when MMS-led UPA-II was in power, and in Tamil Nadu, where AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa was CM

While the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government was at the centre in 2012 and in January 2014, Tamil Nadu was then governed by AIADMK and the chief minister of the state was J. Jayalalithaa. Ms Jayalalithaa ruled Tamil Nadu from 2011 to September 2014, and again from May 2015 to May 2016 with a brief hiatus when Paneerselvam was the chief minister. It is also notable to mention that the BJP was not in the government at the Centre in January 2014 or Tamil Nadu from 2012 to 2016, when the alleged scam about coal sales by the Adani Group had taken place. 

In his tweet, the Gandhi scion alleged that the scam occurred during the Modi government. However, Prime Minister Modi assumed office in June 2014, several months after the invoices for the sale of Indonesian coal were issued in January 2014. Modi’s historic election victory came after defeating the UPA-II government, which had been marred by numerous corruption scandals, policy paralysis, and chronic misgovernance.

Even as the latest report by the Financial Times does little to prove how the sale of Indonesian coal by the Adani Group to the Tamil Nadu company in January 2014 is a scam, let alone one under the watch of the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi’s spirited co-option of the controversy without delving into the details and the timeline of the incidents illustrates his aversion to facts and his chronic habit of shooting himself in the foot. 

The George Soros link to the FT report targeting Adani over alleged coal scam

Meanwhile, the FT report states that it obtained documents of the transaction between a ship carrying Indonesian coal and the Adani Group from an organisation named OCCRP. This organisation, OCCRP, or the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, is a foundation backed by global manipulator George Soros and has been one among a nexus of organisations that were involved in carrying out hitjobs against the Adani Group.

George Soros-backed OCCRP Foundation shared documents with FT against the Adani Group

OCCRP had in the past directed its efforts to target business groups in India, most notably the Adani Group. It hit the national headlines in August 2023 after media reports claimed it was planning an exposé on an unidentified corporate house in India over the investment of ‘overseas funds’.

Founded in 2006, OCCRP claims to have a network of journalists across 6 continents who specialise in reporting on organised crime and corruption. It is one of the many fronts for George Soros and his Open Society Foundations to influence civil society and ‘distort’ public perspectives across different nations.

A cursory glance at the ‘India’ page of the organisation reveals the organisation’s fixation with distorting public perception about PM Narendra Modi and presenting the Indian Prime Minister as a ‘demagogue’ and an electoral autocrat. The organisation was also seen fearmongering about the State of democracy in India and reiterating propaganda of dubious fact-checkers of Alt News about news agency, ANI.

Adani Group is a target of Western organisations and media outlets after Rahul Gandhi’s unsubstantiated allegations of crony capitalism

Intriguingly, the Adani Group has been a target of hitjobs by several Western organisations and media outfits, especially after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of favouring the Indian business conglomerate, often with empty rhetorics and no evidence. Last year, Hindenburg Research attacked the group, prompting a freefall in the stock price of its flagship company, Adani Enterprises. The stock price eventually recovered and is trading close to its lifetime high, a strong indicator of the Group’s robust balance sheet is robust  

Similarly, the Financial Times had in March 2023 published an article targeting the Adani Group, stating that the business conglomerate’s foreign direct investment came from offshore entities linked to the family. The group rubbished the allegations by the Financial Times stating that it was a “mendacious, deliberate effort to paint the Adani Group and the Adani family in the worst possible light.”

“Our statement to your reporter, that all the transactions about which the Financial Times inquired have been publicly disclosed, is accurate, and the story amply demonstrates that your reporters conveniently chose not to look in a meaningful way at those public disclosures or even at the related press releases (including ones that the Financial Times covered at the time),” the statement released by the Adani Group said.

British govt apologises to its citizens as report reveals how NHS infected them with HIV, Hepatitis contaminated blood, then covered up its mistake

Anurag
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British govt apologises to its citizens as report reveals how NHS infected them with HIV, Hepatitis contaminated blood, then covered up its mistake

On 20th May, during an address to the House of Commons, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued an official heartfelt apology for the UK NHS’s infected blood scandal. The scandal that began in the 1970s has been termed as one of the biggest injustices done to the people of the UK in British medical history.

The apology from the current PM of the UK came after a report revealed that the government of the United Kingdom purposefully covered up the scandal. The report also pointed out there were systemic failures that led to the infection of 30,000 people with HIV and hepatitis. Around 3,000 people lost their lives untimely as a result of receiving infection.

In his statement, Sunak said, “This is a day of shame for the British state. Today’s report shows a decades-long moral failure at the heart of our national life. I want to make a wholehearted and unequivocal apology.”

Timeline of the Infected Blood Scandal

The report into the infected blood scandal has been submitted by an inquiry panel chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff. The report provided detailed information on the 50 years of negligence in the decision-making process and deliberate concealment of the facts by the UK government. The scandal began in the 1970s and involved using contaminated blood products and transfusions. People suffering from haemophilia and those who underwent surgery and childbirth were the prime victims of the scandal.

1970s-1980s: The onset of the crisis

In the 1970s, the National Health Services (NHS) began using a new treatment for haemophilia that was called Factor VIII. For those who are unaware, haemophilia is a rare genetic condition in which blood fails to clot the way it usually does. People suffering from the disorder may bleed to death if not treated in time even after a small injury.

In Factor VIII treatment, the missing proteins required for blood clotting are replaced using blood products from pooled plasma donations. In this case, the plasma was imported from the United States and it came from high-risk donors including prisoners and drug addicts. These high-risk individuals were paid for the donated blood.

The UK authorities were well aware of the risks but they decided to continue importing these products. The infected blood in the pool led to thousands contracting hepatitis C and HIV.

1982-1986: Ignored warnings and slow response

It was as early as 1982 when warnings were issued about the risks of viral infections from blood products. However, NHS did not pay heed to the warnings and continued the use the imported blood products. It was only in 1985 that NHS started to heat-treat the blood products to eliminate HIV infection. There was also a notable delay in screening for hepatitis C making the UK one of the last developed countries to adopt comprehensive blood testing protocols before using the products derived from it for transfusions.

1987-1990s: Continued negligence and unfortunate cover-up

By this period, both the NHS and the government had recognised the risks but they did not act the way they should have been. There was a lack of openness and accountability on their side. Reports suggested that documents were destroyed and the public was kept in the dark from knowing what happened over decades in the US.

Those who got infected faced significant hurdles in obtaining compensation. They were pressured into signing waivers that prevented them from taking any legal action in the future.

2017: The turning point

It was 2017 when things started to change. Then-Prime Minister of the UK, Theresa May, announced an inquiry over the Infected Blood scandal. It has to be noted that political pressure and advocacy by victims like Jason Evans played a vital role in the initiation of the inquiry into the matter. Evans lost his father due to infections contracted via contaminated blood.

2018-2023: The inquiry

From 2018 to 2013 the inquiry in the matter was held by the committee chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff. For five years, the panel collected evidence from families, survivors and experts into the matter. There were two interim reports submitted on the matter. The first report was submitted in 2022 and the second one was submitted in 2023, in which the panel recommended compensation that led to interim payments of GBP 100,000 each to around 4,000 survivors and bereaved partners.

Findings and reactions

In inquiry revealed that there was a lack of condemnation from the authorities. They not only failed to protect the patients but also tried to cover up the matter. Sir Brian Langstaff highlighted the “institutional defensiveness” of the NHS, government, and medical community, which compounded the harm. He stated, “Patients were failed not once but repeatedly by those entrusted with their care. The infections happened because those in authority did not put patient safety first.”

The report revealed that the use of blood products from high-risk individuals was used despite the known dangers. There were delays in implementing safety measures and testing protocols. Furthermore, the report revealed that there was a pervasive culture of denial and lack of accountability.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also addressed the House of Commons and described the scandal as one of the gravest injustices to the people of the UK. He echoed the call for comprehensive compensation for the victims.

Independent Member of Parliament for North West Leicestershire, Andrew Bridgen, said, “Lessons have been learned. Action will be taken. The only real lesson that’s been learned has been learned by the public – that they can’t trust government to protect them from unsafe medicines.”

In his address, Prime Minister Sunak pledged that the government would pay “whatever it costs” in compensation to the victims. He added that the detailed plans about the compensations would be unveiled shortly. NHS England’s Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard issued an apology on behalf of the health service. She acknowledged the systemic failures and the long-lasting impact on patients and their families.

West Bengal: Police discover chopped body of Bangladeshi MP who went missing after coming to India, gold smuggling angle being probed

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Police discover chopped body of Bangladeshi MP who went missing after coming to India, gold smuggling angle being probed

The dead body of a Bangladeshi legislator named Anwarul Azim Anar, who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment, has been found by the police. The development was confirmed on Wednesday (22nd May), 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.

While speaking about the matter, Bangladeshi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan stated,”Quoting a DIG from India, our police said the body of Azim has been recovered in Kolkata. We are yet to have completely confirmed information about the matter. Our inspector general [IG] is looking into the details. I will inform the media once everything is confirmed.”

In the meantime, the Inspector General of Bangladesh police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is closely working with his Indian counterpart in Kolkata. He added that the possible involvement of gold smuggling is being probed by the police.

It must be mentioned that the deceased Anwarul Azim Anar came to India on 12th May and was staying at his friend’s house in Baranagar in North Kolkata. He went to meet someone on the following day and did not return.

Following his abrupt disappearance, his friend filed a complaint with the police. Reportedly, Anwarul Azim Anar had messaged his family members saying that he had left for New Delhi.

‘National security paramount’: SC cancels bail granted by Madras HC to 8 PFI members caught with photos of RSS leaders

OpIndia Staff
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‘National security paramount’: SC cancels bail granted by Madras HC to 8 PFI members caught with photos of RSS leaders

On 22nd May, the Supreme Court revoked the bail granted by the Madras High Court to eight men named Barakhatullah, Idris, Mohd Tahir, Khalid Mohammad, Syed Khaja, Mohinudeen, Yasar Arafat and Fayaz Ahmed. who had been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for belonging to the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) and plotting to carry out terrorist attacks around the nation.

The evidence used to convict the accused included documents that had been discovered in their possessions, including “pictures with markings” of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders and other Hindu organizations, implying that these individuals were on a “hit list.”

A vacation bench consisting of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal declared that the court could intervene and cancelled their bail due to the severity of the offense and the short amount of time they had spent behind bars which is just 1.5 years. The court ruled that any terrorist act, no matter how violent or non-violent, is subject to restrictions since national security is always of foremost significance. It stated that the respondents in this matter would not be released on bail in compliance with section 43D(5) of the UAPA Act.

The court pronounced, “Having regard to the gravity of the offence and the only 1.5 years spent in incarceration given the maximum punishment, we are inclined to interfere with HC order granting bail. Courts can interfere with orders granting personal liberty if the same is perverse. The appeals are thus allowed. Trial to be expedited and this order not be construed have not said anything on merits.” It added, “Prima facie a case has been made out in terms of the material placed before us by the agency.”

The Madras High Court’s ruling awarding bail to the eight defendants was being appealed by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to the court. While granting bail and overturning a special court judgment, the high court expressed the opinion that the special court erred in denying the eight men’s release because the papers gathered by the NIA did not clearly connect any of the men to the accused crimes. The top court had noted that the agency probably assumed that individuals are advocates for the illegal group when their actions are viewed through a “jaundiced eye”.

The NIA had informed the court that the appellants had been found in possession of many documents, including some “pictures with markings” of leaders of the RSS and other Hindu organizations. According to the NIA, PFI’s “vision document” disclosed that its goal was to seize political power and work toward establishing an Islamic kingdom in India by 2047. The agency asserted to have evidence that the Union government had acquired about the PFI’s plot to plan terrorist attacks in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and other Indian states, which is why the perpetrators were taken into custody in September of last year.

The NIA charged that these males had organized a plot to use its “hit squads” to carry out acts of terrorism against groups that they believed to be anti-Islamic. The “hit squads” were to attack, assault, maim, and kill these targets with the goal of causing terror and endangering India’s unity, integrity, security and sovereignty. The appellants filed an appeal with the High Court after a special court denied them bail in January of this year and it granted them bail leading to the petition before the apex court.

UP: Mohammad Sameer entraps and rapes his daughter’s Dalit friend, had already married thrice and has four children

राहुल पाण्डेय
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UP: Mohammad Sameer entraps and rapes his daughter’s Dalit friend, had already married thrice and has four children

A case of grooming jihad has come to light from the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh where a 22-year-old Dalit girl, studying in BA third year was trapped by her friend’s 45-year-old father in a romantic relationship. The accused has been identified as Mohammad Sameer. The incident transpired when she went to attend the wedding ceremony of her friend. He seduced the young woman and absconded with her on 11th May. However, the authorities eventually apprehended him on 21st May after she returned. Notably, he had already married and divorced two Muslim females after which he took a Hindu woman as his third wife 25 years ago and the couple has four children together.

The case pertains to the Dullahpur police station area of Ghazipur. On 17th May the victim’s father complained to the police which stated that his daughter is a BA third-year student. She travelled to the Jalalabad neighbourhood of Ghazipur in February of this year to attend her friend Sahiba’s wedding where she met her father and the two got acquainted. They shared their mobile numbers and he started using deceptive tactics and offered her inducements to lure her into his trap. He succeded in taking her away on 11th May. Afterwards, her family members searched for her but were unable to find her.

She was found in Ghazipur on 17th May, after a week. Her father revealed that the offender has four kids. He has been married thrice. He divorced her first two Muslim wives before marrying a Hindu in 1999. According to information accessed by OpIndia, Mohammad Sameer regularly called the Dalit girl after he met her at his daughter’s wedding. He then entered her residence when she was alone and raped her. He also promised her marriage and took her to Vapi in Gujarat on the 11th of May. She somehow managed to come to Ghazipur from there on 17th May.

She narrated her ordeal to her family members after which a First Information Report (FIR) was registered and the cops began looking for the perpetrator. He has been booked under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Section 376 (rape) was added following the girl’s statement. The police learned of Mohammad Sameer’s presence at his Ghazipur home on 21st May after which a raid was carried out and he was nabbed. He was sent to jail under judicial custody. Further investigation into the matter is underway. OpIndia has an FIR copy of the case.

West Bengal: Mamata govt continues its ‘Khela’ amid Lok Sabha elections, hounds BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari with police raids

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Mamata govt continues its ‘Khela’ amid Lok Sabha elections, hounds BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari with police raids

On Tuesday (21st May) afternoon, a large team of West Bengal police conducted raids at the rented house of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in Kolaghat in Purba Medinipur district.

The development comes ahead of the 6th phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Reportedly, a team of 70 cops landed at his residence under the pretext of finding an ‘absconding criminal’. They also conducted searches at his home.

On learning about the matter, a furious Suvendu Adhikari left his election campaign rally and went to the Kolaghat thana to object to the police’s high-handedness.

While speaking to the media, he vowed to move the Calcutta High Court against the raid conducted by the cops at the behest of the ruling Trinamool Congress government.

Adhikari added that the judiciary has granted him protection against any action by the police. He also hit out at TMC MLA Abhishek Banerjee and party supremo Mamata Banerjee.

“Who will be responsible if the police plant some weapons at my home in my absence? The Election Commission must act such frivolous step by the police. I want to know why the raid was done and at the behest of whom. It is clear chief minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to victimise me,” he emphasised.

Adhikari recounted, “I was told the cops, the circle inspector Tamluk Champak Ranjan Chowdhury and officer-in-charge of Kolaghat police station Saurabh Sinha had entered the bedroom. I spoke with Sinha on the phone and asked if they had taken permission from the Calcutta High Court to raid my premises?”

“How can they search my room in my absence, without videography, without the presence of the media? What if they had planted fake currency notes, arms or drugs? Who would be responsible for that? I told them they could carry out their search only with a valid permission from the court and either in my presence or someone authorized by me,” he inquired.

Suvendu Adhikari assured to take action against Mamata Banerjee and the police. “Which state are we living in? Mamata Banerjee is deliberately targeting me and my family members. I am being victimized…I will complain to the Election Commission. I demand the EC suspend the Circle Inspector and the Officer-in-charge.”

Violence against BJP in Bengal

Earlier this month, goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party attacked the convoy of BJP MP Dilip Ghosh. As per reports, TMC goons pelted stones at his vehicle and also raised slogans against him.

The incident took place when Dilip Ghosh reached Rajganj bazar in Bardhaman to meet BJP workers who had received death threats from local TMC goons. It also came to light that BJP’s polling agent was beaten and not allowed entry into the booth by TMC workers.

When BJP MP Dilip Ghosh reached the spot, the TMC goons raised slogans of ‘Joy Bangla’ – a political slogan employed by Mamata Banerjee and her party to counter chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ during political events.

On 24th March, a mob of Trinamool Congress goons attacked several BJP workers in Mather Dighi village in Canning subdivision in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

The dead body of a BJP worker, with his hands tied, was discovered in a paddy field near his residence on 23rd March morning. The incident took place in Pingla village in Kharagpur subdivision in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. The deceased was identified as Shantanu Ghorai.

His father has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party of orchestrating the murder. While speaking about the matter to ABP Ananda, Shantanu’s father Chittaranjan remarked, “They were angry at him. He used to speak the truth openly. He had to give his life for being involved with the BJP.

He added that the TMC had previously intimidated Shantanu for speaking against TMC and supporting the BJP. The victim’s father continued, “They used to threaten the boy if they ran into him in the market or neighbourhood. They used to warn him about breaking his bones and killing him alive.”

OpIndia has earlier reported about 5 incidents of attacks on BJP workers, mostly by goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress party.

‘Misuse of SC/ST Act to protect land mafia’: Allahabad HC quashes criminal proceedings against Dehradun couple, says Act misused for personal vendetta

OpIndia Staff
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‘Misuse of SC/ST Act to protect land mafia’: Allahabad HC quashes criminal proceedings against Dehradun couple, says Act misused for personal vendetta

On 15th May, the Allahabad High Court quashed criminal proceedings under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against a couple. The single-judge bench led by Justice Prashant Kumar highlighted that the act was misused for personal vendetta. The court observed that the government official who filed the case against the couple, identified as Alka Sethi and her husband Dhruv Sethi, exploited the provisions of the Act. OpIndia accessed the judgment in the matter.

Case background and chronology

An appeal was filed by Alka Sethi and her husband Dhruv Sethi under Section 482 of the CrPC seeking to quash the proceedings against them based on a case filed in 2023. The FIR filed against the couple mentioned that they allegedly used caste-based abusive language against a government official identified as Vasudev who went to inspect their land on 18th August 2023. The complainant mentioned that the couple allegedly detained the official and threatened him.

The matter was related to land purchased by Sethis in Saharanpur on 2nd August 2016 from a person named Lokesh Mittal. There were some issues with the land record transfer and the name of the purchaser, Dhruv Sethi, was mutated in the land records. He filed an appeal in the SDM court in 2021 and got a decree in his favour for the demarcation of the land.

Despite getting an order from the SDM court, the process of demarcation was delayed. He filed a complaint suggesting the local land mafia and some officials along with the police hatched a conspiracy to grab his land. After a long wait, the SDM court set the date for inspection on 18th August 2023.

On the date of inspection, the revenue officer called him at the police station and misguided him that the date of demarcation was postponed. However, the couple caught the revenue team red-handed doing demarcation in their absence. The couple recorded the whole incident which agitated the officials present at the scene.

Following the incident, the couple approached SDM court and District Court to file a complaint against Lekhpal Vasudev and others. However, after much persuasion, the complaint could not be filed. They came back to Dehradun, where they lived. On 19th August, they came to know that an FIR under the SC/ST Act was filed against them. The court mentioned in its order that the FIR against Sethis was filed to ensure no complaint was filed against the revenue officer and officials accompanying him.

The couple approached Allahabad High Court to get interim protection in the matter which was granted on 28th October 2023. On 27th November, a chargesheet was filed against Sethis and the trial court took cognizance of the matter issuing summons on 24th January 2024. On 15th May, the case against Sethis was quashed by the court.

Court’s observations

Justice Prashant Kumar observed that the entire case against Sehtis was initiated as a counterblast to the Sethis’ complaints about unauthorized land demarcation and corruption involving local officials and land mafias.

The court observed that there was no evidence against Sethis that they were aware of Vasudev’s caste or used caste-related language against him. The court emphasised that the SC/ST Act, which is designed to protect vulnerable communities, was being misused for personal vendettas and to protect corrupt officials. The court also observed that Sehtis provided video evidence of the incident that was not considered during the investigation.

Quashing the criminal proceedings and the chargesheet against the couple, the court directed the Director General of Police to investigate the conduct of the revenue officers, police personnel, and land mafias involved, ensuring the complaints lodged by the Sethis are properly investigated within four months.

Misuse of SC/ST Act

The judgment in the matter emphasised the misuse of the SC/ST Act for personal revenge. The court noted that the complaint was driven by ulterior motives, undermining the true intent of the legislation designed to protect marginalised communities from discrimination and atrocities.

Judge remarked that there is an increasing trend of misuse of the Act and emphasised the need for a balanced approach to ensuring that the law serves its intended purpose without being weaponized for personal vendettas.

‘Convert to Islam or I will make your photos viral’: Faizal threatens Hindu girl of using AI-generated images in Bareilly, booked

OpIndia Staff
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‘Convert to Islam or I will make your photos viral’: Faizal threatens Hindu girl of using AI-generated images in Bareilly, booked

A Hindu college student in the Bareilly region of Uttar Pradesh is receiving threats from Faizal and Ameen to convert to Islam and perform Nikah. The Hindu girl received pornographic films on her WhatsApp number. In addition, it has been reported that an obscene video of the student was created using an AI tool. On the 20th of May, the police filed an FIR on the complaint lodged by the victim’s father and launched an investigation.

This case pertains to the Bhojipura police station in the Bareilly area. In his complaint, the victim’s father mentioned that his daughter attends a local college for her studies. An unidentified number posted a “Hi” message on the victim’s WhatsApp on Tuesday, 7th May. The sender called and tried to speak forcibly when the student did not answer. I like you, the caller said during the conversation adding, “Convert to Islam. I will always keep you happy.”

The victim disconnected the phone upon hearing this. The Hindu student received a message from the same number once more on 19th May. The caller initiated a video call when the girl asked him to identify himself. He began sending her obscene texts and blue films when she did not pick up the phone. The accused threatened to abduct the girl from her home and also hurled abuses when she asked not to send such messages. Additionally, the caller threatened to kill the victim if she informed anyone about it.

The caller allegedly said, “I have the photo on your DP,” which alarmed the complainant’s daughter. I’m going to use an AI tool to create obscene photos and videos of you, and you will not be able to show your face anywhere.”   

The victim blocked the caller’s number after reading this and informed her family about the matter. The number turned out to be that of Faizal, who resides in the Bhojipura police station area of Bareilly when the complainant investigated it from his end. Subsequently, the victim’s father went to Faizal’s house to confront him and there he met Faizal’s father Ameen.

Instead of acknowledging his son’s offence, Amen began mistreating the girl’s father and issued death threats. The victim has requested severe action against Faizal and his father Ameen in his complaint. In the FIR, Faizal and his father are mentioned by the police. In addition to sections 504, 506, and 354 (c) of the IPC, both of them have been charged under Section 67 of the IT Act. OpIndia has a copy of the FIR. Police are looking into the matter and taking necessary action.

As Jammu and Kashmir records high turnout during elections, watch how Shashi Tharoor admitted to Congress rigging J&K polls in 1987

OpIndia Staff
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As Jammu and Kashmir records high turnout during elections, watch how Shashi Tharoor admitted to Congress rigging J&K polls in 1987

Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an old video of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor admitting to his party rigging 1987 poll results in the erstwhile State has gone viral on social media.

In a video shared by popular political commentator Anand Ranganathan, Shashi Tharoor was seen conceding that fixing the elections in 1987 was a ‘big mistake’.

The contentious video clip is part of a 26-minute-long interview of journalist Tim Sebastian with Shashi Tharoor. It was published on the YouTube channel of DW News on 29th March 2017.

At about 22 minutes into the interview, Shashi Tharoor was heard saying, “I am proud of the fact that free and fair elections have been held despite an ongoing…”

Tim Sebastian intervened, “You had rigged elections. The interlocutors reported that.” The Congress MP from Kerala could not help but concede, “One election rigged in 1987, that’s what they’re referring to.”

On being further pressed about the matter, Shashi Tharoor emphasised, “There have been none since then and no one has suggested that.
There have been international observers, even the militant parties have not accused these elections of being wrong.”

He further added, “I am telling you that the elections of 87 were a huge mistake and they were rigged undoubtedly and undoubtedly this was certainly one of the mistakes that sparked off the disillusionment of some young people who then became militants.”

The 1987 Vidhan Sabha elections in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir were rigged jointly by Congress and its ally the National Conference (NC) to prevent the Muslim United Front (MUF) from coming to power.

The Congress-NC duo worked in tandem and altered the election results through manipulation of votes, and arbitrary arrests of Opposition political leaders. The fixed election is believed to have given rise to Islamic terrorism in the Kashmir Valley.

While speaking about the matter in April this year, People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone remarked, “It was said that guns came here because of Article 370. The reality is that the gun did not come because of Article 370, it came in 1987 after the rigged elections, while Article 370 was there from 1950 onwards“

The video clip of Shashi Tharoor’s acknowledgement of Congress’ sins has gone viral when the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing political stability, negligent insurgency and record turnout of voters. For instance, the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in the Kashmir Valley saw a voter turnout of 59% during the 5th phase of elections.

Karnataka: Government hospital doctor forced to treat patient using mobile phone’s torchlight due to power cut: BJP mocks Congress’ free electricity scheme

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Government hospital doctor forced to treat patient using mobile phone’s torchlight due to power cut: BJP mocks Congress’ free electricity scheme

A video from a Karnataka government hospital has surfaced on social media showing a doctor examining a patient in the dim light of a mobile phone’s torch during a power outage. According to reports, the incident occurred at a government hospital in Molakalmuru taluk, Chitradurga district, Karnataka. The lack of adequate healthcare facilities, such as an emergency power backup, prompted the BJP to launch a scathing attack on the Congress government. 

Taking a jibe at the Congress government’s ‘Gruha Jyoti’ scheme, the BJP state unit referred to the incident as ‘Darkness Bhagya‘ (destiny of darkness), a dig on the scheme’s name. Under the ‘Gruha Jyoti’ scheme, Congress claims to offer free electricity for up to 200 units to households. Citing the power outage example in the government hospital, the BJP asserted that the Congress government has failed in its ‘guarantee’ on the anniversary of Siddaramaiah’s government. 

The video footage shared by the BJP showcases that even the hospital’s medical store is relying on the mobile phone’s flashlight for visibility. The saffron party slammed the Congress-led state government for failing to provide essential services in hospitals and for not providing adequate electricity to state residents.

“One year guarantee ‘Darkness Bhagya’ It’s a gift from the Congress government in Karnataka, which is celebrating the completion of one year in the office! Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reached such a dire situation that even hospitals are not supplied with electricity. Treasury is empty, and there is no electricity! This is a ‘Chombu’ (round water pot) and ‘Chippu’ (coconut shell) government!”, the BJP said in Kannada in a post on X, as reported by India TV. 

According to media reports, the region has been grappling with power cuts for the past week, with the hospitals being no exception.

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