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Grounds of arrest were not given in writing: SC cites technicality to hold NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha’s arrest invalid

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Grounds of arrest were not given in writing: SC cites technicality to hold NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha’s arrest invalid

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared invalid the arrest and subsequent remand of NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha by the Delhi police in connection with a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta ordered the release of NewsClick founders in the case.

The apex court ordered that Purkayastha be released, subject to him furnishing surety and bail bond.

The bench, in its verdict, took into note that a copy of the remand application and grounds of arrest were not provided to Purkayastha, which violated principles of natural justice.

Pronouncing the verdict, the top court said, “A copy of the remand application was not provided to the appellant. This vitiates the arrest of the appellant… Though we would have released him without surety, since the chargesheet has been filed, we release him with surety and a bail bond.”

Purkayastha has been in custody since October 2, 2023.

He has been lodged in Tihar jail under anti-terror law and has applied in a pending case seeking release on medical grounds.

Purkayastha had approached the apex court, challenging his arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over alleged Chinese funding to promote anti-national propaganda.

He challenged the Delhi High Court’s October 13, 2023, order upholding the trial court order remanding him to police custody. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.

Earlier, NewsClick’s human resources department head, Amit Chakravarty, had withdrawn from the Supreme Court his petition against his arrest.

A Delhi court had allowed Chakravarty to turn an approver in the case lodged against the news portal.

Purkayastha and Chakraborty were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on October 3 after it searched 30 locations connected with the online news portal and its journalists in a case filed under the UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.

They subsequently moved the High Court to challenge the arrest as well as the seven-day police custody and sought immediate release as interim relief.

The High Court had rejected their pleas and said it was of the view that “the fact that serious offences affecting stability, integrity, sovereignty and national security have been alleged against the petitioner, this Court is not inclined to pass any favourable orders.”

According to the FIR, a large amount of funding to the news portal allegedly came from China to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and cause disaffection against the country.

The probe agency also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group, – People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) – to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking on the Supreme Court order, Advocate Arshdeep Khurana told ANI, “The Supreme Court has held the arrest and the remand proceedings to be illegal and has directed the release of Purkayastha. We have been directed to furnish the bail bond before the trial court. This is a major and big relief because we have been maintaining from the beginning that the entire proceedings against him were illegal and the manner of arrest was illegal which has now been upheld by the Supreme Court.”

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

DubaiLeaks: How politicians, their children and Army generals have stashed millions in Dubai while Pakistan struggles for Roti and Bijli

OpIndia Staff
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DubaiLeaks: How politicians, their children and Army generals have stashed millions in Dubai while Pakistan struggles for Roti and Bijli

On 14th May, a global investigative journalism project titled ‘Dubai Unlocked’ exposed how Pakistani politicians, their children, and military generals acquired millions of dollars worth of properties in Dubai. The revelation came at a time when the hostile neighbour was facing economic hardships and political instability, with millions of citizens in poverty and food scarcity. The people of Pakistan are facing food and electricity shortages along with never-ending high inflation. Hashtag Dubaileaks treanded on social media discussing the report.

The investigation was initiated by the Centre for Advanced Defence Studies (C4ADS) and coordinated by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). It unveiled ownership details of luxury properties in Dubai. Though the findings were not limited to Pakistan and the total value of properties owned by Pakistanis was estimated at USD 11 billion, only 2.5% of the total exposure, it holds significance as the general people of Pakistan face extreme poverty while the politicians and military generals kept investing in real estate abroad.

Several prominent names from Pakistan surfaced during the investigation including the children of President Asif Ali Zardari, Hussain Nawaz Sharif, wife of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Sharjeel Memon and his family, Senator Faisal Vawda, Farah Gogi, Sher Afzal Marwat, and several Members of the National and Provincial Assemblies. The list also included names of late Gen Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, numerous retired generals, a police chief, an ambassador, and a scientist.

Source: occrp

Notably, President Zardari received a foreign property as a gift in 2014. He declared it in 2018 but before that gifted it to an unknown entity. Another notable case mentioned in the list was of Abdul Ghani Majid who is a business tycoon and co-accused in a fake accounts case with Zardari. Interestingly, he declared a property of Rs PKR 329 million in 2014 and mentioned that he gifted it to someone. At that time, Majid did not mention who was the recipient. During the investigation, it was found that Majid bought a penthouse in 2014 worth PKR 329 million and gifted it to Zardari who later gifted it to his daughter.

The data further revealed that Mohsin Naqvi’s wife owns a 5-bedroom villa in Arabian Ranches in Dubai. She did not declare the said property in Naqvi’s Senate nomination papers. The villa was bought in 2017 for AED 4,347,888 (PKR 329 million), and was sold in April 2023 for AED 4,550,000 (PKR 344 million).

The report further mentioned properties owned by the Altaf Khanani network. Notably, the US has sanctioned it in a money laundering case. Khanani’s family members own multiple properties in Dubai. Three of the family members are under sanctions. Another criminal named in the leaks is Hamid Mukhtar Shah, a physician sanctioned by the US for involvement in human trafficking. He also owns multiple properties in Dubai.

Indians topped the list of property owners followed by Pakistanis, but while Indians are mostly business owners, Pakistani names features criminals and govt officials

The report highlighted that the elites of Pakistan diverted large amounts of wealth to Dubai exacerbating the economic disparity back home. The data shows that Indians lead the ownership of properties in Dubai with 35,000 properties listed under the names of Indians and these properties are valued at USD 17 billion. Pakistanis are the second number and own 23,000 properties worth approximately USD 11 billion.

While almost all Indian names that appeared in the list are genuine, the political, military and criminal names from Pakistan have sparked a debate in the debt-ridden country. Speaking about Indians, two names catch the eyes, that are of Nirav Modi, accused of scamming banks, who owns three offices in Gold Tower worth USD 1,341,900 and drug-smuggler-turned-Khalistani terrorist Jasmeet Hakimzada who owns a villa at Garden Homes Frond O worth USD 8,175,800. Sandalwood smuggler Shahul Hameed Dawood’s name also on the list. 

Poverty, anarchy and grave injustice

The stark contrast is evident in the dire conditions faced by Pakistani citizens and the country’s elite highlighting a grave injustice. The politicians and military generals amassed wealth and invested in luxury properties abroad. On the other hand, millions of Pakistanis are living in extreme poverty, food scarcity and unprecedented inflation. The protests and uprising in the regions of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) are a reminder of how a hostile neighbour has failed to do good for its people.

The ‘Dubai Unlocked’ investigation exposed systematic corruption that fuelled economic disparity and societal unrest. A few privileged diverted national wealth to foreign havens while the masses struggled to put food on the plate. It stokes the flames of anarchy undermining any hope for a stable and prosperous Pakistan in nearby future. Pakistan survives on alms and loans received from other nations, while some chosen few keep getting rich.

DD News journalist says he was told to hide kalava on screen in 2006 during UPA regime, ‘fact-checker’ Zubair tries to prove him a ‘liar’ with a picture from 2013

OpIndia Staff
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DD News journalist says he was told to hide kalava on screen in 2006 during UPA regime, ‘fact-checker’ Zubair tries to prove him a ‘liar’ with a picture from 2013

In his endeavour to demonise and disparage anyone who is even slightly on the other side of the political spectrum, Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News and self-identified fact-checker, is constantly lowering his own standards by conducting far more ludicrous ‘fact-checks’ and disseminating even more dangerous lies on a daily basis.

Today (May 15), AltNews’ Zubair, once again, rushed to X (formally Twitter) to ‘fact-check’ DD news anchor and journalist Ashok Shrivatav after a clip went viral wherein he shared the blatant anti-Hindu bias of the Congress party. However, in his effort to prove the senior journalist a ‘liar’, Zubair ended up making a fool of himself.

On May 14, Tuesday, a video went viral on X (formally Twitter), wherein senior journalist Ashok Shrivastav, working with a state-owned Doordarshan news channel, was heard reiterating how the Congress has never shied away from exhibiting its anti-Hindu policies and unapologetic Muslim appeasement. In a brief 0.38-second clip, the journalist recounted his one particular day at work when the UPA was at the helm of affairs.

He said, “One day, in the year 2006-2007, a top Doordarshan official summoned me and because I wear a Kalava around my wrist, he told me that my kalawa (sacred Hindu thread) must not be visible on the screen. I refused to remove my kalawa. It is my identity; it is a matter of pride for me, he added.

As soon as author Anand Ranganathan uploaded this video to highlight the inherent anti-Hindu bias of the Congress party, Altnews’ Zubair immediately went into Congress defence mode and took it upon himself to ‘fact-check’ the DD news journalist. He shared the clip where Ashok Shrivastav recounted his anecdote during the UPA regime and was clearly heard stating that what he experienced was somewhere in the years 2006-2007.

Zubair, to prove the DD journalist a ‘liar’, shared a picture from 2013, where Ashok Srivastav was seen wearing a Kalava around his wrist while hosting a TV debate. He captioned his post in Hindi, “If you lie, then lie in such a way that you are not easily caught.”

To his amusement, Zubair appeared completely ridiculous in his mad dash to criticise the DD News journalist. Here, Zubair needs to be questioned about his attempt at fact-checking because Ashok Shrivastav made it quite evident that the incident he described occurred somewhere in the years 2006–2007. Zubair, however, went on to share a picture of the anchor from 2013, to prove him a liar.

Shortly after the botched attempt by the Altnews cofounder to ‘fact-check’ the journalist from DD news, Ashok Shrivastav replied. First, he challenged Zubair to a discussion with him, but he then declared that, given his prior record, the self-described fact-checker would undoubtedly decline his offer.

Ashok Shrivastav recalled how he had invited Zubair for a debate on his program ‘Do Took’ after he had spread fake news about Ghaziabad’s Loni incident in 2021. Back then also, Zubair had not responded to his request, the DD news journalist wrote.

In support of his argument, Shrivastav also uploaded a screenshot of the WhatsApp messages he sent to Zubair in 2021, inviting him to a discussion. This was shortly after the co-founder of Altnews posted a doctored video purporting to show that an old Muslim man in Loni, Ghaziabad, had been beaten for not chanting Jai Shri Ram.

Zubair shared a manipulated video of an incident that happened in Loni, Ghaziabad in 2021 to fan communal tension

It may be recalled that in 2021, Zubair and several others, namely Rana Ayyub, The Wire, Salman Nizami, Maksoor Usmani, Sama Mohammad and Saba Naqvi had tried to fan communal tension by sharing a manipulated video to allege that an elderly Muslim man had been thrashed for refusing to chant Jai Shri Ram in Loni, Ghaziabad.

Zubair had tweeted, “An elderly man, Sufi Abdul Samad Saifi was attacked by five goons in Loni, Ghaziabad. He was threatened at the gunpoint, beaten, assaulted, and they forcefully chopped off his beard.” In a video shared by the ‘fact-checker’, the victim could be seen being thrashed with sticks by the culprit. His beard was also cut forcibly using a scissor.

The Ghaziabad Police had taken cognisance of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair fanning communal tension. Uttar Pradesh government had also filed an FIR on June 15 against Twitter for failing to flag the video with unverified claims as ‘manipulative’ and lack of action. Alt News co-founder Zubair, Rana Ayyub, The Wire, Salman Nizami, Maksoor Usmani, Sama Mohammad and Saba Naqvi have also been booked for spreading misleading and fake news.

The accused in the fake hate crime case had turned out to be Muslim and the crime was committed over personal animosity.

‘Mamata’s TMC govt is now serving Mullah, Madrasa, Mafia, no longer cares for Maa, Maati, Manush’: HM Amit Shah in North 24 Parganas, Bengal

ANI
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‘Mamata’s TMC govt is now serving Mullah, Madrasa, Mafia, no longer cares for Maa, Maati, Manush’: HM Amit Shah in North 24 Parganas, Bengal

In a blistering attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the ruling TMC supremo came to power on the promise of a government for “Maa, Maati, Manush” but was now catering to “Mullah, Madrasa and Mafia”.

Addressing a rally at Bongaon in the North 24 Parganas on Tuesday, the Union Home Minister said the TMC government provided a monthly honorarium to Imams but not a penny to priests and custodians of temples.

“The TMC came to power on the slogan of ‘Maa, Mati, Manush’. However, their focus has now shifted to ‘Mullah, Madrasa, Mafia’. The Imams here are paid an honorarium but the priests and keepers of temples get nothing. While there are no obstacles to Tazias (procession of Muslim mourners on Muharram), there are regular roadblocks to taking out immersion processions on Durga Puja and Kali Puja. Should this be allowed to continue,” Shah said.

Also gunning for the CM for spurning the invite to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, the Union Home Minister said, “Despite receiving a formal invitation, she did not attend the inauguration ceremony (at the Ram temple) to appease a certain vote bank. You (people) are not her vote bank, the infiltrators are. She is scared of rubbing her vote bank the wrong way.”

Also accusing the chief minister of spreading falsehoods over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), he said she was ‘misleading’ people on the central legislation that is aimed at granting asylum and permanent residency to immigrant minority settlers from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

“Mamata Banerjee is misleading the people saying the CAA could invite trouble for the people. I want to assure you all that the legislation is not aimed at bringing any harm to anyone. All bonafide citizens can go on leading their lives here with dignity. No power in the world can stop Hindu, Sikh, and Jain refugees from becoming citizens of the country,” he said.

Alleging that the ruling TMC was trying to turn infiltrators into Indian citizens while coming out in Opposition to the CAA, which is aimed at granting permanent residency to oppressed minorities, including the Matuas who crossed over from Bangladesh.

“I want to remind Mamata Banerjee that the central government, and not state governments, reserves the right to grant citizenship,” he added.

Assuring that the Matua community, which inhabits Bongaon and elsewhere in the North 24 Parganas, would be able to avail rights under the CAA if the BJP comes to power in Bengal, Shah added, “Four phases of polling have been completed. The elections to 380 seats in the Lok Sabha, including 18 in Bengal, are done and dusted. I can tell you today, that of the 380 seats for which polling has already happened, PM Modi has secured absolute majority, winning 270 seats. The battle for us now is to cross 400-plus seats.’

Warning CM Mamata that those involved in ‘scams’ wouldn’t be spared, the Union Home Minister said, “From ‘cut money’ culture to infiltration, from bomb blasts to Bhatija’s (CM’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee) goons harassing people, from ‘Syndicate Raj’ to utter lawlessness, Bengal is staring at a state of complete lawlessness. Only Narendra Modi-Ji can save the state from plunging further into the abyss. Those involved in the chit fund scam, teacher recruitment scam, municipal recruitment scam, ration scam, cow and coal smuggling should be ready to go to jail. No one will be spared,” he said.

Amit Shah was campaigning for BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur, who is pitted against the TMC’s Biswajit Das in his bid to secure a fresh term in the Lok Sabha from Bangaon.

Polling in Bengal is being conducted across all seven phases and the counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. 

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

Badaun, UP: Chadar seller Rahat booked for raping, threatening a Muslim widow who had gone to a dargah for Ziyarat

OpIndia Staff
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Badaun, UP: Chadar seller Rahat booked for raping, threatening a Muslim widow who had gone to a dargah for Ziyarat

A bedsheet (Chadar) vendor named Rahat has been booked in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district on charges of raping a widow who had gone to a Dargah for Ziyarat. The accused also threatened the victim that if she shared her ordeal with anyone, he would kill her.  

As per reports, the victim went to a Dargah named ‘Bade Sarkar’ with her daughter to do Ziyarat. The accused, Rahat, has a shop in the Dargah complex and sells ‘Chadar’ and sweets that are offered at Dargah. He is accused of raping new girls daily on the pretext of treatment. The complaint in this matter was submitted on Monday (13th May) after which Police registered an FIR. They have initiated an investigation to probe the allegations.

According to media reports, the victim filed a complaint at the Kotwali police station of Badaun district on Monday. In her complaint, the victim stated that she is a widow and is originally a resident of Bijnor district. She is the mother of a 6-year-old girl. She has been coming to the Badaun’s Bade Sarkar Dargah with her daughter for about a year. Within the premises of this shrine, a youth named Rahat has set up a shop. He sells Sinni (sweets offered at the shrine) and Chadar.

As per the complaint, around 15 days ago Rahat coaxed the victim and took her to his room where he raped her. When the victim protested against his advances, the accused hurled abuses at her and brutally assaulted her. When she cried for help, she was gagged and a cloth was stuffed in her mouth. After raping her, Rahat threatened the victim and said, “If you do not obey me in the future, I will kill you.” Describing herself as helpless, the victim has also mentioned that there is a threat to her life from the accused. 

The complaint further stated that Rahat calls new girls every day and rapes them on the pretext of Ziyarat and when the victims protest or cry for help, they are brutally assaulted. According to the victim, Rahat brazenly claims that he bribes the police. 

Describing herself as scared, the woman has appealed to the police for the safety of her daughter’s life and property. The police have filed a case against Rahat and are investigating the case. OpIndia has accessed the complaint copy.

The accused in the Badaun double murder case also used to visit this Dargah

It is pertinent to note that on 19th March 2024, 2 minor Hindu boys were brutally murdered by slitting their throats in the Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh. The deceased victim’s third brother was also injured in the barbaric attack. 

In the Badaun double murder case, the police had killed the main accused Sajid in an encounter on 20th March, while Javed, who was absconding and had a reward of Rs 25,000, was later apprehended from Bareilly. Both the murderers in this case are real brothers. As per the information gathered by OpIndia, it had come to light that the family members of the main accused used to take him to this Bade Sarkar Dargah since childhood. 

Back then, Sajid’s grandmother had also claimed that her grandson’s mental illness was treated after they had taken him to this dargah since his childhood days.  

His entire village had also described themselves as devotees of the Bade Sarkar dargah. It is located just a few minutes away from the place where both the minor Hindu boys were brutally killed. 

In the latest case, the victim has also admitted that she and many other women are getting ‘treatment’ at this dargah. 

With 300 we built Ram Mandir, with 400 we’ll build Mathura; take back PoJK: Assam CM Himanta Sarma pitches for Modi’s return for the 3rd term

ANI
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With 300 we built Ram Mandir, with 400 we’ll build Mathura; take back PoJK: Assam CM Himanta Sarma pitches for Modi’s return for the 3rd term

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that when the BJP got 300 seats, it built the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and now temples will be built at Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura and in place of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi after it gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls.

He also said that Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) will be included in India under the leadership of PM Modi.

He further said that during Congress’ rule, no discussions were held in Parliament regarding Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

“When the Congress government was in power, we were told that one Kashmir is in India and the other in Pakistan. It was never discussed in our Parliament that Pakistan has ‘Occupied Kashmir,’ it is actually ours. Right now, agitation is happening every day in PoK and people are protesting against Pakistan by holding the Indian tricolour in their hands. If Modi ji gets 400 seats, then PoK will also become India’s. It has already started,” Himanta added.

The Assam Chief Minister also asserted that the BJP government is working to give more strength to reservations.

“PM Modi himself comes from the OBC category. BJP has been in power for 10 years. Our government is working to give more strength to reservations. Congress wants to end SC, ST and OBC reservations and give reservations to Muslims which they have already started in Karnataka,” he added.

Earlier, highlighting the protests in the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday, reiterated that “it has been India and will always be,” adding that people in PoK must be comparing their situation with those living in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out the evident progress in the latter region.

The Pakistan Paramilitary rangers on Monday, unlawfully deployed in PoJK, gunned down several protestors leaving dozens and several others severely wounded.

The incident left several locals of the area injured, as locals in several thousand were out on the streets to raise their demands against taxes on electricity bills, cuts in subsidies and an end to the perks and privileges of the Prime Minister and President.

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

PM Modi, under whose leadership Indian economy rose from 10th to the 5th rank, has personal assets of just Rs 3 crores: Election affidavit reveals

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi, under whose leadership Indian economy rose from 10th to the 5th rank, has personal assets of just Rs 3 crores: Election affidavit reveals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi submitted his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, May 14, seeking the parliamentary seat from Varanasi. According to his election affidavit, the Prime Minister, whose administration saw the Indian economy rise from the tenth to the fifth rank, has personal assets of just Rs 3 crores.

According to PM Modi’s 2024 election affidavit, he has cash on hand of Rs 52,920 and moveable assets valued at Rs 3.02 crore. According to his 2024 affidavit, he does not own any property, a house, or a vehicle.

The affidavit further reveals that PM Modi’s taxable income increased from Rs 11 lakh in fiscal year 2018-19 to Rs 23.5 lakh in 2022-23. The Prime Minister also has a Fixed Deposit worth Rs 2,85,60,338 in SBI. The PM also has four gold rings worth Rs 2,67,750.

According to his electoral affidavit, the prime minister declared holdings of Rs 73,304 in the SBI’s Gandhinagar branch and Rs 7,000 in the Varanasi branch.

Additionally, the Indian Prime Minister has no outstanding loans or dues under his name. He has Rs 9.12 lakh saved in National Savings Certificates.

PM Modi submits nomination, eye at hat-trick victory

As he runs for a third term from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, PM Modi filed his candidature on May 14 in front of a number of NDA leaders, including chief ministers and union ministers. After a busy morning that included prayers at the city’s Kaal Bhairav temple and aarti on the banks of the Ganga at the Dashashwamedh ghat, Modi arrived at the district collectorate wearing a blue sadri and a white kurta-pajama.

The prime minister went straight to the Rudraksha Convention Centre to address the leaders and workers of his local party after filing his paperwork.

After filing his nomination, PM Modi took to social media X and said, “Filed my nomination papers as a candidate for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. It is an honour to serve the people of this historic seat. With the blessings of the people, there have been remarkable achievements over the last decade. This pace of work will get even faster in the times to come.”

“I am honoured by the presence of our valued NDA allies in Kashi today. Our alliance represents a commitment to national progress and fulfilling regional aspirations. We will work together for the progress of India in the years to come,” he further added.

Varanasi, the seat that PM Modi has won twice, will go to polls in the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections on June 1.

Swati, Silence, Sanjay: A desperate attempt to save Arvind Kejriwal in the assault gate and 10 unanswered questions

Sneha
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Swati, Silence, Sanjay: A desperate attempt to save Arvind Kejriwal in the assault gate and 10 unanswered questions

On Monday (13th May), the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal accused the Personal secretary of Arvind Kejriwal of assaulting her. The media reported that Swati Maliwal had stated to the police that Bibhav Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal’s PA, had assaulted her at the residence of the Chief Minister on his instruction, no less. Kumar was recently sacked by the Vigilance Department from the position of personal secretary over a 2007 case involving assault against a public servant.

What followed was rather inexplicable. There was radio silence. The media reported that Swati Maliwal had indeed reached the police station but left saying that she would submit a written complaint later. While the media speculated what might have happened, Swati Maliwal, her party and the Chief Minister – Arvind Kejriwal – maintained radio silence.

It was rather odd that after grave allegations of a woman Rajya Sabha leader being beaten up by the secretary to the Chief Minister, at the behest of the Chief Minister, there was simply no word. No spokesperson or the functionary of the party issued even a performative statement saying that they would investigate the allegations levelled by Swati Maliwal. Apart from records of 2 PCR calls by a woman claiming to be Swati Maliwal which came from inside the Chief Minister’s house and media reports, there was no trace of an incident as big as this one.

During the 24 hours of radio silence, several speculations surfaced. One of them was that Swati Maliwal was beaten up because Arvind Kejriwal wanted her to resign from her Rajya Sabha seat because he wanted to reward a senior lawyer who had been helping the party in the court. Another claimed that Swati was assaulted perhaps due to personal reasons. Yet another was that Swati Maliwal was never assaulted and that the entire drama was concocted to garner media attention. The last one, of course, seemed plausible given not only the silence but also the history of Swati Maliwal, Arvind Kejriwal and the party itself.

However, that speculation at least was put to rest when Sanjay Singh, accused in the liquor scam out on bail, held a press conference confirming the assault.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Singh added that Bibhav Kumar who is the Personal assistant of Delhi CM assaulted and misbehaved with her. He asserted that CM Kejriwal has taken cognisance of the matter and will take appropriate action against him. 

Describing yesterday’s attack on Swati Maliwal as condemnable, Sanjay Singh said, “Yesterday, a condemnable incident took place. Swati Maliwal had gone to Arvind Kejriwal’s residence to meet him. While she was waiting for him in the drawing room, Vaibhav Kumar allegedly misbehaved with her. The CM has taken cognisance of the matter, and he will take appropriate action.” 

Regarding Swati Maliwal, Sanjay Singh said that she is a senior leader of the party and everyone is with her. 

While the assault against Swati Maliwal inside the CM residence was confirmed by Sanjay Singh, the press conference led to far more questions than it answered, the primary one being – was the press conference held to shield Arvind Kejriwal?

The media reports on the matter mentioned that Swati Maliwal had alleged that she had been assaulted by Bibhav Kumar at the behest of Arvind Kejriwal. If that is the case, how was his name conspicuous by its absence in the press conference by Sanjay Singh?

In fact, in a video message on X on Tuesday, Swati Maliwal’s ex-husband, Naveen Jaihind, claimed that the former DCW chief’s life was in danger and urged her to come forward and speak out. “I am Naveen Jaihind. Since yesterday, I have been receiving numerous calls from journalists about what happened to Swati Maliwal at the Delhi Chief Minister’s residence. Firstly, I want to clarify that I am divorced from her and have had no contact with her for the past four years. Secondly, I want to assert that what happened to Swati was premeditated, and now she is being threatened. Anything could happen to her,” Naveen said. “The person who assaulted Swati wouldn’t dare act without someone else’s orders. I just watched Sanjay Singh’s press conference and I want to tell him to stop pretending because he knows everything. Swati should stand up and speak for herself. What are you afraid of? Speak up, we are all with you. Her life is in danger,” said Jaihind.

Naveen clearly says that Sanjay Singh was putting on a show, that Bibhav would not assault Swati Maliwal without the explicit orders of the CM and that Swati Maliwal’s life was in danger, Signalling a larger conspiracy, he says that Sanjay Singh knows about whatever is at play here which led to Maliwal being assaulted and that he should stop pretending.

Essentially, the initial media reports get confirmation from the statement of Naveen.

Given that, one has to wonder if the press conference by Sanjay Singh was merely damage control to ensure that the entire blame of the assault goes to Bibhav Kumar, with Arvind Kejriwal coming out of the grave controversy unscathed.

So far, there is no confirmation, either from Swati Maliwal, the party or her former husband as to the motive of the assault. Naveen, her ex-husband, hinted at a larger conspiracy but also did not reveal what the exact motive of the assault was.

Given the circumstances, there are several questions that AAP and Arvind Kejriwal especially need to answer.

  1. After the initial PCR calls, why did Swati Maliwal not file a complaint immediately, given that she had gone to the police station? Was she being threatened?
  2. After the assault, why has Swati Maliwal not spoken up in public for over a day now? Does this prove that Maliwal is under threat, as claimed by her ex-husband?
  3. If Arvind Kejriwal was not involved in the assault, why did he not immediately issue a public statement stating that he would investigate the assault by his PA? Since he has been out on bail, Kejriwal has spoken in public rallies. Then why the silence when it comes to this case?
  4. If Arvind Kejriwal was not involved and was under some mysterious constraint to not hold a press conference, why did he not take to X at least to issue a statement? History proves that the CM is not above using X even for personal communication.
  5. Why did the Sanjay Singh press conference come after over 24 hours of radio silence? Was AAP strategising to save Arvind Kejriwal? Was the press conference supposed to ensure that only Bibhav Kumar was implicated in the assault gate and not Kejriwal?
  6. It is now established that the assault indeed did take place inside the CM house. Is it possible that a woman was being beaten up and assaulted inside the premises and nobody in the premises heard her screams for help? Is it possible that the CM himself was not aware?
  7. Where was Sunita Kejriwal when the assault took place? If she was inside the CM residence, did she try to save Swati Maliwal?
  8. Was Swati Maliwal assaulted because of the Rajya Sabha seat tussle, as speculated by the media or because she did not come out in support of Arvind Kejriwal after his arrest in the Liquor Scam?
  9. Does Swati Maliwal perhaps know some details of the scam because of which she kept silent? And did this become the reason for her assault?
  10. What is the larger conspiracy that Naveen Jaihind is referring to? Who is involved in this conspiracy and why?

It is pertinent to remember that Delhi goes to poll on the 25th of May. Arvind Kejriwal has been long grandstanding about his prospects in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. He recently claimed that if Delhi votes for him, he would not have to go back to jail. The Supreme Court has instructed Kejriwal to report back to jail on the 2nd of June. If Kejriwal, who constantly talks about the safety of women in Delhi, is implicated in the assault of his own Rajya Sabha leader who was the DWC chairperson, no less, his already bleak poll prospects would certainly be dampened further.

It would appear that Sanjay Singh’s shabby press conference after hours of silence and Arvind Kejriwal’s conspicuous absence is an attempt to save him from these grave allegations. The hope seems to be that their silence would help the story recede into oblivion ahead of the polls on the 25th. However, certain issues have ramifications beyond the election cycle and the assault of a woman leader inside the CM’s residence is certainly one of them. While questions remain unanswered so far, the only thing that appears to be clear is that this story is going nowhere and there are skeletons that the public is not privy to. It is not a question of IF but WHEN those skeletons would start tumbling out of the closely guarded AAP closet.

‘Countries that go to court to decide their elections are giving Gyan to India about how to conduct polls’: Dr S Jaishankar

ANI
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‘Countries that go to court to decide their elections are giving Gyan to India about how to conduct polls’: Dr S Jaishankar

 Slamming the Western media over the “negative” coverage of Indian elections, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the countries that “have to go to court for deciding election results” are giving “gyan” on conducting polls.

Taking a swipe, he said the Western countries “feel” they have influenced the world for the last 200 years, so they are not able to give up their “old habits so easily.”

The EAM was speaking at an interaction after the launch of the Bangla edition of his book ‘Why Bharat Matters’ in Kolkata on Tuesday.

“They (Western countries) do want to influence us because many of these countries feel that they have influenced this world for the last 70-80 years…Western countries actually feel that they influenced the world for the last 200 years. How do you expect for someone who has been in that position to give up those old habits so easily,” the EAM said at the event.

He said that the Western media want a certain “class of people” to rule the country and feel “disturbed” when the Indian electorate doesn’t feel the same way.

“Why these newspapers are so negative on India? Because they are seeing an India which is not in a sense compliant with their image of how India should be. They want people, ideology, or a way of life…they want that class of people to rule this country, and they are disturbed when the Indian population feels otherwise,” Jaishankar said.

He also emphasized that the Western media at times “openly endorsed candidates and political parties.”

“Western media in some cases have openly endorsed candidates and political parties, they don’t hide their preference. They are very smart, somebody is doing this domination game for 300 years, they learn a lot, anubhavi log hain, chatur log hain (they are experienced and clever people),” the EAM said.

Terming this as “mind game”, Jaishankar took a jibe at the West and said the countries who go to court to decide election results are giving lectures to India.

“They (newspapers) will reputationally damage you, somebody will bring out an index and put you down in that…Countries which have to go to court to decide the result of their election are giving us gyan about how to conduct the election. This is the mind game that is happening in the world,” he further said.

Further appreciating the turnout in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections despite extreme heat, Jaishankar said, “Even in this election, I am looking at the commentary. In this country, even in the hottest summer, look at the percentage of people who come to vote.”

Earlier too, Jaishankar criticized the Western media over its negative portrayal of Indian democracy,

“I get a lot of these noises from the Western press and if they criticize our democracy, it’s not because they lack information. It is because they think they are also political players in our election,” he said at a forum for nationalist thinkers in Hyderabad in April.

Citing an article questioning the timing of the Indian election during the heatwave, Jaishankar said, “Now I read that article and I wanted to say listen, in that heat, my lowest turnout is higher than your highest turnout in the best run.”

The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is being held across seven phases. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.

The first four phases were held on April 19, April 26, May 7, and 13. While, the remaining phases will take place on May 20, May 27, and June 1.

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

‘During UPA regime, top DD official told me that my Kalava shouldn’t be visible on screen’: DD News journalist exposes Congress’ anti-Hindu ideologies

OpIndia Staff
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‘During UPA regime, top DD official told me that my Kalava shouldn’t be visible on screen’: DD News journalist exposes Congress’ anti-Hindu ideologies

On May 14, Tuesday, a video went viral on X (formally Twitter), wherein senior journalist Ashok Shrivastav, working with a state-owned Doordarshan news channel, is heard reiterating how the Congress has never shied away from exhibiting its anti-Hindu policies and unapologetic Muslim appeasement. In a brief 0.38-second clip, the journalist recounts an anecdotal experience from the UPA administration that revealed the Congress party’s long-standing anti-Hindu sentiment, despite the party’s best efforts to portray itself as a pro-Hindu party before every election.

The clip was shared on X by author Anand Ranganathan on May 14.

In the clip, an anchor is heard asking journalist Ashok Shrivastav about the ideological stands of political parties before being asked to elaborate on the Congress party’s ideologies as an example. The DD news journalist recalls his one particular day at work when the UPA was at the helm of affairs. He said, “One day, in the year 2006-2007, a top Doordarshan official summoned me and because I wear a Kalava around my wrist, he told me that my kalawa (sacred Hindu thread) must not be visible on the screen. I refused to remove my kalawa. It is my identity; it is a matter of pride for me, he added.

Deepak Chaurasia exposes Rahul Gandhi’s hypocrisy on OBC representation in media

Notably, in a recent show on ‘India TV’, senior journalist Deepak Chaurasia, hailing from the OBC community, exposed the hypocrisy of the Congress leader on its poll plank by sharing an anecdotal incident. Chaurasia, who had a long stint in ‘Zee News’, revealed that despite being an ‘OBC journalist’, he had to endure hardships in the UPA era and was abruptly fired when he was the DD head in 2004.  

Senior DD journalist Ashok Shrivastava came out to back Chaurasia’s assertions. Taking to X, the veteran Journalist wrote, “Today, Deepak Chaurasiya publicly acknowledged that in 2004, as soon as the Congress government, led by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, came into power, he was removed from Doordarshan despite being an OBC journalist. I revealed this disclosure in my first book, #NarendraModiCensored.”

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