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‘Be ready for something next’: Supreme Court rejects Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna’s second apology in misleading Patanjali ads case

OpIndia Staff
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‘Be ready for something next’: Supreme Court rejects Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna’s second apology in misleading Patanjali ads case

On Wednesday (10th April), the Supreme Court refused to accept Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurveda MD Acharya Balkrishna’s second apology in the misleading advertisements case. Patanjali and its MD along with Ramdev had filed affidavits expressing an “unconditional and unqualified apology” for airing the advertisements in breach of an undertaking given to the Court in November last year.

The bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanudding Amanullah stated that the reason for issuing the “apology on paper” was because their “back was against the wall”.

The Supreme Court directed Patanjali Ayurveda and its representative to be prepared for action in the contempt case, citing the company’s alleged publication of deceptive advertisements despite their undertaking that they would desist from doing so.

“The apology is on paper. Their back is against the wall. We decline to accept this, we consider it a deliberate violation of the undertaking, be ready for something next to rejection of affidavit,” Justice Hima Kohli said.

The Supreme Court bench deemed the conduct of Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna as deliberate disobedience. “We don’t accept it (apology), we decline to accept this. We consider it a wilful, deliberate disobedience of the undertaking,” the court said.

The Supreme Court stated that the message must go out to society after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi read aloud Baba Ramdev’s affidavit in which he expressed his “unconditional and unqualified” apology.
The “contemnors” sent the affidavits to the media first, the court further noted. The judge noted, “They clearly believe in publicity.”

When Patanjali’s lawyer Rohatgi said, “people make mistakes”, Justice Kohli replied, “Then they suffer. We don’t want to be so generous in this case.” “Why should we not treat your apology with the same disdain as shown to court undertaking? We are not convinced. Now going to turn down this apology,” Justice Kohli further added.

Last week the apex court had expressed dissatisfaction with the earlier affidavit filed by the company, as the affidavit claimed that the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954 was “archaic”.

During today’s hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Court that he had advised the lawyers to withdraw the first affidavit, as it was written in conditional terms and asked them to file an unconditional affidavit. He said he was curious to know what he missed in advising. 

The court replied that he had done what he could, but the affidavit was not convincing and it was only on paper.

Notably, the Supreme Court also said that Acharya Balkrishna and Baba Ramdev tried to evade personal appearance before the Court by making false claims of travel abroad, accusing them of furnishing false air tickets. The court stated that flight tickets had been attached with the affidavits to claim that they were travelling abroad, but the tickets were dated 31 March, when the affidavit was filed on 30 March.

When the concerned lawyer admitted that tickets were issued on a day after the affidavits were sworn, the court stated that the fact remains that on the date when the affidavits were sworn (March 30), there was no such ticket in existence. “Therefore, the assumption is that the respondents were trying to wriggle out of their personal appearance before the Court, which is most unacceptable,” the Court said.

Supreme Court slams Uttarakhand authorities

The Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority came under fire from the top court as well for failing to take action against Patanjali Ayurveda.

“State Licensing Authority has also filed a detailed affidavit trying to explain action taken regarding objectionable ads. We are appalled to note that except pushing file, nothing has been done. In 4-5 years, State Licensing Authority remained in deep slumber,” Justice Hima Kohli said.

The bench also rebuked the Uttarakhand government saying that they deliberately kept their eyes shut.

“The letter you cited said medicines are manufactured by the undersigned companies. It says advertisements are suggestive in nature, this is in teeth of the act. They waive their thumb under your nose and tell you that ad is suggestive and you accept it. They said aim is to have people connected with ayurveda. It is as if they were the first ones to have ayurveda medicines,” the court said.

This comes after Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court and tendered an unconditional apology in regard to misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurveda and said that they undertake to always uphold the majesty of law and justice.

In an affidavit filed before the top court, Baba Ramdev said, “I seek pardon for the aforesaid breach of the statement. I undertake to always uphold the majesty of Law and majesty of Justice.”

Baba Ramdev informed the top court that he sincerely regrets the lapse and he wished to assure that the same will not be repeated in future.

As reported earlier, he also undertook and ensured that the statement shall be complied with in letter and spirit and no such similar advertisements shall be issued. Baba Ramdev further tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology for the press conference held on November 22, 2023.

Acharya Balkrishna said that he undertakes to ensure that such offending advertisements shall not be issued in the future and he will be more vigilant ahead.

The court was dealing with an Indian Medical Association plea seeking to frame guidelines for prohibiting false and misleading advertisements in relation to allopathy and modern medicine.

IMA, a registered Society, has more than 3,30,000 medical doctors as its members all over the country.

The petition also raised the issue that the campaign of misguidance, misinformation and disparagement against the modern system of medicine.

IMA, in its plea, had sought to pass an order directing the Centre and others to immediately take strict and prompt action, in accordance with law, for the violation of the provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1945 and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 by the repeated acts of omission and commission of Respondent Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. including by publishing advertisements all over the country making illegal and prohibited claims.

Elon Musk’s Tesla in talks with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries to set up EV manufacturing plant in India: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Elon Musk’s Tesla in talks with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries to set up EV manufacturing plant in India: Report

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing giant Tesla is reportedly looking to set up a joint venture with Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to establish an EV manufacturing arm in India. According to a report in The Hindu Business Line citing sources, the talks for a joint venture between Billionaires Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani are currently in the initial stages. This comes amid reports that Tesla is sending a team to India to look for suitable locations for their EV manufacturing plant.

A source aware of the development stated that the talks are in the initial stages and have been “ongoing for over a month”. The person added that the development doesn’t imply RIL’s entry into the automobile space. According to the report, the objective of the oil-to-telecom conglomerate is to “build capacities for electric vehicles in India”. 

Another highly placed source with knowledge of the matter said, “While the role of RIL hasn’t been crystalised yet, it is expected that the Indian conglomerate may play a significant hand in establishing the manufacturing facility and the allied ecosystem for Tesla in India.” 

So far, neither Reliance Industries nor Tesla has commented on reports of their talks for a joint venture. 

Last year, RIL, in collaboration with Ashok Leyland, launched India’s first hydrogen internal combustion engine-powered heavy-duty truck. The same year, RIL also unveiled removable and swappable batteries for EVs. 

Apart from an Electric vehicle manufacturing plant, Tesla might later also look at setting up battery plant following the ‘gigafactory’ model it has followed at its plants in California, Texas, Berlin, and Shanghai, where suppliers have set up shop next to or near the mother plant.” 

Notably, Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani are going to rivals in the telecom sector. Elon Musk’s other venture Starlink, the satellite internet service, is preparing to launch its operations in India, coming in direct competition against Jio telecom of Reliance. Starlink recently has also launched new satellites capable of direct-to-cell capabilities, where the satellites work as cellular telephony towers. This means means mobile phones can connect to the satellites directly, which will be particularly beneficial in areas outsidemobile network coverage.

Tesla begins site search for $3 billion Electric Vehicle Plant in India

Last week, on 3rd April, reports emerged that Tesla Inc. had initiated its search to identify sites for building its proposed $2 billion to $3 billion Electric car plant in India. Reportedly, the EV maker is slated to send its team to India by late April to scout sites. It was said that states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu are on high priority for the company, because of the existing automobile manufacturing ecosystems in these states.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk recently confirmed his slated entry in India. In an X (formerly Twitter) Spaces session with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, Musk said, “India is now the most populous country in the world, based on population. India should have electric cars just like every other country has electric cars. It’s a natural progression to provide Tesla electric vehicles in India.” 

While the company has been looking at multiple locations, the team’s special focus is on states that already have automobile manufacturing hubs as well as ports to facilitate export, the reports added. For this, states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu are on high priority for the company.

Now, as per sources, Maharashtra could emerge as the preferred location. A source cited above said, “Tesla plans to use the facility for domestic and export purposes, and hence, it may prefer a location suitable for port facilities.” 

Sources, however, added that Tesla’s talks of a joint venture with RIL are not exclusive and it may look for another domestic partner if ongoing talks don’t materialise.

Meanwhile, the Indian government had in March reduced import taxes on certain electric vehicles produced by automakers that commit to invest at least $500 million (Rs 4,150 crores) and start commercial production in the country within three years. The policy aims to position India as a global manufacturing hub for electric vehicles. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been eyeing the Indian market for years but New Delhi has maintained that the EV maker has to commit to local manufacturing. However, the latest decision by the Indian government could pave the way for US electric car maker to make a foray into the Indian automobile manufacturing market. 

Maharashtra: 5, including 4 from a family, die of suffocation while saving a cat in an abandoned well containing a slurry of biogas

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: 5, including 4 from a family, die of suffocation while saving a cat in an abandoned well containing a slurry of biogas

On Tuesday (9th April), 5 persons belonging to one family in the Vakadi village of Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district died after they jumped into an abandoned well where a slurry of biogas was dumped by a farmer. The five persons identified as Bablu Kale, Anil Kale, Manik Kale, Sandeep Kale, Vijay Kale, and Babasahed Gaikwad jumped into the well one behind another to save the life of a cat.

According to the reports, the victims entered the well in an attempt to save one another after one of them went inside to retrieve the fallen cat at about 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The abandoned well belonging to the family was filled with animal excretion which generated harmful chemicals resulting in impure air enough to breathe.

At around 5 pm, Bablu Kale (23) first got down in the well to save the cat, however, his relatives saw him drowning and struggling to survive. Then all his relatives including one neighbour jumped into the well one by one to save each other.

The villagers immediately reached the spot after they saw Kale’s family members struggling to survive in the abandoned well. They immediately moved to get people out of the pit. However, they could only save Vijay Kale (35) who now has been admitted to a local government hospital.

PI Dhananjay Jadhav commented on the case and said that the other remaining dead bodies were removed at around 12.30 am Wednesday. “Vijay Manik Kale (35), one of the victims who was pulled out of the well early and shifted to a government hospital, is now stable,” Jadhav added.

According to senior officials, the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation has deployed two big suction pumps to remove the slurry and reach the victims.

Officials stated that large earthmovers had been dispatched to the site to remove the slurry and other waste items from the abandoned well. At the same time, five ambulances were stationed at the scene.

Earlier similar incidents

This is not just one kind of incident that has happened in Maharashtra. Recently, in the year 2023, 4 members including 3 from one family in Baramati died due to suffocation while cleaning a biogas plant in Khandaj village. The deceased had entered a British-era chamber that was filled with cow feces and urine. The chamber is located on the farm of Bhanudas Atole, one of the deceased.

The other deceased persons were identified as Prakash Sopan Atule, Pravin Bhanudas Atule, and Bapurao Lahuji Gavahne. Initially, Pravin Atule approached the Bio Gas tank located near their home to stir the cow dung slurry. However, after breathing the gas in the tank, he fell unconscious. As he did not return, his father, Bhanudas Atule, and other members entered the chamber one by one, passing out and falling into the pool of fluid that had gathered inside. They all perished from oxygen deprivation after inhaling gasoline inside the tank.

Earlier in November 2022, two workers died from suffocation while cleaning a sewage chamber at a private manufacturing factory of a multinational corporation (MNC) in Pune’s Ranjangaon industrial zone.

In October 2022, three workers died of apparent suffocation while cleaning the chamber of a sewage treatment plant (STP) at a private housing society in Wagholi, a suburb that has been integrated within the municipal limits of Pune.

In March 2022, four conservancy workers died from suffocation while cleaning a septic tank within a residential complex in Kadamvak Vasti near Loni Kalbhor, 14 kilometres from Pune.

5,000 guns and 500,000 rounds of ammunition seized from ships sending Iranian weapons to Houthis transferred to Ukraine: US

OpIndia Staff
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5,000 guns and 500,000 rounds of ammunition seized from ships sending Iranian weapons to Houthis transferred to Ukraine: US

Pentagon transferred thousands of machine guns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition that were seized from Iran to Ukraine, according to an announcement by the United States (US) Central command on 9th April which read, “On Apr. 4, 2024, the U.S. government transferred over 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7s and over 500,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces. This constitutes enough material to equip one UKR BDE with small-arms rifles. These weapons will help Ukraine defend against Russia’s invasion.”

The weapons were taken from four “stateless” vessels in the Arabian Sea by U.S. Central Command naval forces on their way from Iran to Yemen, where the Houthi movement is directly supported by sanctioned organizations, notably Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order on 1st December 2023, transferring title to the United States after the Department of Justice initiated a civil forfeiture action against the seized munitions.

The post noted, “These munitions were originally seized by U.S. Central Command and partner naval forces from four separate transiting stateless vessels between 22 May 2021 to 15 Feb 2023. The munitions were being transferred from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216. U.S. CENTCOM is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means including U.S. and U.N. sanctions and through interdictions.”

It is the most recent military support that President Joe Biden’s administration has given to Kyiv in its effort to reclaim land that Russia. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s unwillingness to hold a vote on $60 billion in the US Congress since 2023 in further security assistance has prevented Joe Biden from supplying Ukraine with more American weapons. The United States and its allies have been looking for new ways to arm Kyiv since the Ukrainian military is running low on weapons and ammunition, particularly heavy artillery shells.

The US Central Command highlighted, “Iran’s support for armed groups threatens international and regional security, our forces, diplomatic personnel, and citizens in the region, as well as those of our partners. We will continue to do whatever we can to shed light on and stop Iran’s destabilizing activities.”

Similar supplies of 1.1 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, taken from Iranian soldiers en route to Yemen, had been shipped by Washington to Ukraine in early October last year. On 12th March, the US revealed the first relief package worth US$300 million for Kyiv since December. The package included artillery shells, anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, however, cautioned that the funds would be exhausted in a few weeks. The US government was able to continue sending financial help despite the congressional impasse because that package was financed with money that the Pentagon saved on other expenditures.

US naval troops have been engaged in Operation Prosperity Guardian, a global security campaign spearheaded by the country, to put a halt to Houthi attacks in the main international trade lane. Additionally, several US strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen have been conducted.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming their actions are in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. This poses a danger to international security and a vital commerce route. The Houthis have attacked American and coalition warships as well as commercial ships in the Red Sea numerous times, primarily employing drones and missiles with Iranian-made parts and designs.

‘DMK and Congress deceived not only fishermen but also the entire nation’: PM Narendra Modi raises Katchatheevu island issue in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore

OpIndia Staff
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‘DMK and Congress deceived not only fishermen but also the entire nation’: PM Narendra Modi raises Katchatheevu island issue in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore

On Wednesday (10th April), Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally at Vellore in Tamil Nadu. In his address, he unleashed a fierce attack on the opposition parties Congress and DMK. He mentioned how Congress callously gave away the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka and meted injustice to fishermen. He also criticised the two parties for their dynastic politics.

Sharing the video of the speech on his X handle, the PM wrote, “Family-run Congress and DMK can never fulfill aspirations of Tamil Nadu’s youth. People are supportive of the NDA’s positive work.”

PM Modi said in his speech, “There are three main criteria to ‘succeed’ in DMK: 1). Family politics 2). Corruption 3). Anti-Tamil culture. For Tamil Nadu, it’s time to lead the journey of building a developed India. But DMK doesn’t want Tamil Nadu to open up, to move ahead, and to embrace development and prosperity. The entire DMK has become a ‘family company’. It is due to family politics of the DMK that the youth of Tamil Nadu is not getting any chance to prosper.”

Criticising the DMK government in the state over the corruption allegations, PM Narendra Modi said, “The DMK party has ‘earned’ the ‘first copyright’ on corruption. It has been badly looting the state of Tamil Nadu. It has been revealed that sand smugglers have caused a loss of Rs. 4,600 crore to Tamil Nadu in just 2 years. You can imagine, how big a ‘game of loot’ is going on here.”

PM Modi reiterated the issue of the Katchatheevu island ceded by the Congress government to Sri Lanka. He said, “Congress and DMK have kept the people of Tamil Nadu in the dark. They callously gave away the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka and meted injustice to our fishermen. The NDA government has been continuously getting our fishermen released and getting them back home. DMK and Congress deceived not only fishermen but also the entire nation.”

Reflecting on the support garnered by the BJP in the southern state, he said, “Those sitting in Delhi don’t know that the land of Tamil Nadu is going to create a new history. The BJP is getting immense public support in Tamil Nadu. Today, the entire state is saying, ‘Phir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar’.”

Voting for all the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu will take place on 19th April. This will be the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and 102 constituencies across 21 states will vote in this phase.

Prosecution plays SQR Ilyas’ TheWire interview with Arfa Khanum Sherwani in court: How the interview attempted to influence judicial process in favour of Umar Khalid

Nupur J Sharma
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Prosecution plays SQR Ilyas’ TheWire interview with Arfa Khanum Sherwani in court: How the interview attempted to influence judicial process in favour of Umar Khalid

On 9th April, Delhi Karkardooma Court heard the prosecution’s arguments in Umar Khalid‘s bail matter. Umar Khalid is one of the accused in a larger conspiracy case in the anti-Hindu Delhi Riots 2020. During the hearing, the Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad read out WhatsApp chats between Umar Khalid and several others, like AltNews, Swara Bhaskar, Sushant Singh, Yogendra Yadav, Pooja Bhatt and others, arguing that Umar Khalid, if let out on bail, would influence the social media and media narrative to his favour, thereby influencing the proceedings.

During the hearing, Prasad played a specific interview in open court. The interview was of Umar Khalid’s father, SQR Ilyas, with TheWire’s Arfa Khanum Sherwani.

“I want to show you how they are playing around”, the SPP said. On a perusal of the interview, it becomes rather apparent how attempts are being made to influence the judicial process with lies and misinformation being peddled by those who wish to subvert justice in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots conspiracy case.

The interview in question was aired on the 17th of February 2024.

The interview starts with Arfa Khanum Sherwani setting the tone by calling Umar Khalid a brave young man and how he was jailed under UAPA for the conspiracy of the Delhi Riots.

She talks about how every time Umar Khalid’s bail petition is heard, the “nation” looks with hope towards the judiciary, however, every time they are disappointed since he is denied bail. In a loaded question, Arfa then asks SQR Ilyas, the former SIMI terrorist, whether he withdrew Umar Khalid’s bail petition from the Supreme Court and approached the lower court because he did not trust the highest court of the country.

The answer to this question by SQR Ilyas was laden with insinuations and lies. He says that from 2023, the bail petition of Umar Khalid was being heard in the Supreme Court and for ‘some reason or the other’, the hearing was delayed 14 times. However, he felt like every time his bail was heard, the “bench had been changed”. He further says that for the past 5-7 hearings, the same bench was hearing the case but the hearing was being adjourned every time. “We then felt after a consultation that there is a change in the atmosphere of the lower courts and therefore, instead of the Supreme Court, we should try getting bail from the lower court”, SQR says. After discussing the “changed circumstances” again, SQR says that the entire case against Umar Khalid is fabricated.

Before we discuss how SQR lies about Umar’s role in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots, it is necessary to unpack how his statements about the hearing in the Supreme Court are carefully crafted to pressure lower courts.

First and foremost, SQR mentions the 14 adjournments in the Supreme Court and insinuates that it was the Court itself that adjourned the matter for “some reason or the other”, thereby denying Umar Khalid the chance to be heard. However, the truth is far from it. 7 out of 14 times, it was Umar Khalid and his lawyer – Kapil Sibal – who had asked for the adjournment. This is a fact that is conveniently left out by Ilyas. His statement about the Supreme Court bench and the “changed environment in the lower court” is telling. OpIndia had explained earlier how the withdrawal of the SLP from the Supreme Court was a result of failed attempts at forum shopping by Kapil Sibal and other lawyers representing Umar Khalid. Umar Khalid did not want his bail petition heard by Justice Bela Trivedi. After failed attempts to forum shop, the SLP was withdrawn by Umar Khalid.

Further, one has to ask what “change in the atmosphere” was Ilyas talking about. Is he inferring that they believed that the Judge in the District Court would be “more likely” to provide bail to Umar Khalid? Or was this simply exerting pressure on the District Court, through this interview, that they were somehow morally mandated to provide bail to right a perceived legal wrong (which never really happened to begin with, except in the fantastical lies by Ilyas).

After these arguments, Ilyas goes on to cite another lie, misleading listeners, on the merits of the case. Ilyas says that the basis of the case against Umar Khalid is his Amravati speech at a program held by the Welfare Party (headed by Ilyas himself). He says that the FIR mentioned only a part of the speech, which the police said was taken from Republic TV. When asked, it was said that the portion cited (about Trump’s visit) was taken from a tweet by Amit Malviya. He essentially says that it is Umar Khalid’s lawyers who read out the full 20-minute speech in court and that no part of the speech was objectionable or related to the Delhi Riots.

There are multiple issues with this statement, which is crafted to mislead the court. Interestingly, the same argument was made in the district court by Umar Khalid’s lawyer Trideep Pais on 3rd April 2024.

First and foremost, Ilyasi claims that because the FIR (first information report) was based on a part of the speech, the FIR itself does not stand scrutiny. This point is simply bad in law. The FIR, as mentioned, is a FIRST information report – it is not a final statement of investigation. The investigation is carried out by the police after the FIR has been filed. The entire evidence against the accused is not meant to form a part of the FIR. Therefore, that the FIR did not contain the full speech of Umar Khalid does not invalidate the investigation which took place after the FIR was filed.

Further, Ilyas insinuates that the prosecution based their case only on the portion of the speech which was mentioned in the FIR and not the entire speech – which was eventually read out by the Defence in court.

This is again patently false.

In the first Supplementary Chargesheet filed by the police, the transcript of the entire 17-minute speech by Umar Khalid has been added – which is usual since the evidence is detailed in the chargesheet, not in the FIR itself. That speech almost in its entirety was about Shaheen Bagh, Muslims being under threat and how they need to teach the police and the government a lesson when Donald Trump visits India on the 24th. It is not lost on anyone that as mentioned by Umar Khalid, it was on the 24th that the riots peaked in Northeast Delhi.

Further, it is also pertinent to note that the Amravati speech is not the only charge against Umar Khalid – as claimed by SQY Ilyas.

In the chargesheet filed in FIR 114, the role of Umar Khalid in the conspiracy hatched is mentioned clearly. It says that Tahir Hussain was connected to Khalid Saifi of United Against Hate Group and through Saifi, he was also in touch with Umar Khalid. Khalid Saifi, it says, had arranged a meeting between Umar Khalid and Tahir Hussain on the 8th of January at Shaheen Bagh. In that meeting, it was decided to take ‘big action’ so the government gets shaken up on the issue of CAA and NRC and also, ensure that the international community takes notice of that action. 

In the chargesheet, it is also mentioned that Umar Khalid had told Tahir Hussain not to be concerned about the funding for the riots as Popular Front of India (PFI) would provide the funding as well as logistic support. It was categorically mentioned that the riots were to take place when President Donald Trump would visit India. 

In the chargesheet, as reported, here is a flowchart of the coordination between Umar Khalid, Pinjra Tod ‘activists’, Khalid Saifi and Tahir Hussain. 

In the chargesheet filed in FIR 114, the role of Umar Khalid in the conspiracy hatched is mentioned clearly. It says that Tahir Hussain was connected to Khalid Saifi of United Against Hate Group and through Saifi, he was also in touch with Umar Khalid. Khalid Saifi, it says, had arranged a meeting between Umar Khalid and Tahir Hussain on the 8th of January at Shaheen Bagh. In that meeting, it was decided to take ‘big action’ so the government gets shaken up on the issue of CAA and NRC and also, ensure that the international community takes notice of that action. 

In the chargesheet, it is also mentioned that Umar Khalid had told Tahir Hussain not to be concerned about the funding for the riots as the Popular Front of India (PFI) would provide the funding as well logistic support. It was categorically mentioned that the riots were to take place when President Donald Trump would visit India. 

In the chargesheet, as reported, here is a flowchart of the coordination between Umar Khalid, Pinjra Tod ‘activists’, Khalid Saifi and Tahir Hussain. 

From everything that is alleged in the chargesheet, it is clear that Umar Khalid was perhaps one of the masterminds who was also constantly in touch with Pinjra Tod activists who are also accused of grave sections. Khalid Saifi of UAH, who is also a close associate of Umar Khalid was coordinating with Tahir Hussain after their initial meeting in Shaheen Bagh on the 8th of January. Further, Tahir Hussain was coordinating with other rioters and instigators. 

The merits of the charges against Umar Khalid will be discussed at the trial stage and the stage of cross-examination. However, for Ilyasi to claim that the Amravati speech is the only evidence cited against Umar Khalid is a lie and a clear attempt to mislead the judicial process.

Further in the interview, Ilyasi says that the same bench which gave bail to Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal and Asif Iqbal Tanha denied bail to Umar Khalid. This was again the “argument of parity” made by Trideep Pais in the current district court proceedings. It is pertinent to mention that in the High Court order, it is specifically mentioned that the bail order to Devangana and others is not to be used as a precedent for other co-accused (which would include Umar Khalid). In the court, the SPP made the argument that when a bench says that the order is not to be used as a precedent, it essentially means that the order is contrary to the law and is being made as an exception therefore, no other court can be asked to adhere to an order that was ab initio against the law.

Throughout these fallacious arguments, it is pertinent to note that no counter question was posed by TheWire anchor Arfa Khanum Sherwani.

This is the portion of the interview that was played in court by SPP Amit Prasad to demonstrate how SQR Ilyas, who is the father and lawyer of Umar Khalid, is using the media to make arguments in the case, in an attempt to influence not just the narrative but also the judicial process.

Further in the interview, Arfa and Ilyas keep pushing the usual tropes about Umar being targeted for being the voice of Muslims, dissenting and because of how ‘strong’ his voice was.

For this article, the tearjerking and sociological lies presented by Arfa Khanum Sherwani and SQR Ilyas have been left out. However, analysing the portion of the interview which was played in court gives a brief window into how the judicial narrative is being formed outside of the court by Umar Khalid’s battery of lawyers.

Essentially, the very arguments which were thrown out by the High Court and the predecessor district court are being repeated not just by the lawyer in the district court but also by SQR Ilyasi in his interview with TheWire. These statements are being made out of context to mislead the public opinion on the case repeatedly and lies are being perpetrated by media persons like Arfa Khanum Sherwani, wilfully, to affect the judicial process by the sheer force of public opinion.

Tamil Nadu: Fortune teller arrested after parrot predicts victory for PMK candidate from Cuddalore

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: Fortune teller arrested after parrot predicts victory for PMK candidate from Cuddalore

A fortune teller in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district was arrested on 9th April after his parrot predicted the victory of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) candidate for Lok Sabha polls. The fortune teller, identified as Selvaraj, shot to fame after PMK candidate from Cuddalore, Thankar Bachan requested him to predict his fortune.

The fortune teller predicted that Bachan would win the polls as the parrot had selected a card which had the image of Lord Azhagumuthu Iyyanar. Bachan had sought the blessings of Lord Iyyangar at a temple nearby before encountering the fortune teller.

Shortly after, the forest ranger arrested Selvaraj for illegal possession of the parrot. The official named J Ramesh said that parrots are categorized under scheduled II species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and keeping the bird in captivity is a crime.

The forest officials said that the fortune teller would be let off with a warning and a penalty, which may extend up to Rs 10,000. The development has left netizens shocked.

Mr Sinha wrote on X, “In Tamilnadu, a parrot owner is arrested after his parrot predicted the victory of NDA candidate & defeat of INDI alliance candidate. He’s charged with some wildlife protection act. Democracy under attack anyone? Dictatorship anyone?”

Andra Pradesh BJP vice president, Vishnu Vardhan Reddy accused the DMK government of fascism. He wrote, “Height of fascism in Tamil Nadu! A parrot owner has been arrested merely because his parrot predicted the win for a PMK candidate. @arivalayam is losing ground in Tamil Nadu, and the insecurity in their camp is evident!”

Another X user named Manju wrote, “Just now ⁦@arivalayam⁩ has found out that a parrot is kept in a cage to predict fortunes…#dmk running scared of a bird ? that said #Thankarbachan will win. #pmk”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi is campaigning in Tamil Nadu and has accused the Stalin government saying it has the first copyright in corruption. The PM also accused the government of dividing people over language.

Canada: Indian student Tejeshwar Kalia faces 14 years in jail for hitting robber with baseball bat in self-defence, police accused of misdescribing the incident

OpIndia Staff
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Canada: Indian student Tejeshwar Kalia faces 14 years in jail for hitting robber with baseball bat in self-defence, police accused of misdescribing the incident

In Canada, an Indian-origin student named Tejeshwar Kalia working as a clerk at a store has been booked with charges carrying a 14-year jail term for hitting a robber with a baseball bat in self-defence. The incident took place on 5th January this year at the Circle K convenience store on King Street in Peterborough.

In a shocking turn of events, the robber identified as Jonathan Handel, a Fentanyl addict who struck Tejeshwar repeatedly got the punishment of a mere 14 months in provincial jail on Thursday (4th April), while the 22-year-old student attending Sir Sanford Fleming College, who hit the robber in self-defence, remains before the courts facing up to 14 years in a federal prison.

A video of the incident has surfaced online, revealing that the incident occurred at 2:30 a.m. on the 5th of January, with the robber entering the store with a baseball bat hidden in a blue bag. Once at the counter, the video shows him pulling the bat from the bag and repeatedly striking Kalia in the back of the head.

Subsequently, a struggle for control of the bat follows. Kalia, another unknown client in the store, and Jonathan Handel get caught up in a physical scuffle before coming outside. The two men overpower the robber, and Kalia hits him with the baseball bat. The robber falls to the ground, Tejeshwar Kalia sits down with visible emotional stress, while the other man checks on the robber.

Reports say that the police in a press release on 9th January said that a “man came into the store demanding money and brandishing a baseball bat. A struggle ensued and the clerk was struck with the bat before grabbing the bat away from the suspect. The suspect then fled the store. The clerk followed the suspect out of the store and struck him several times with the baseball bat on the sidewalk.”

However, CCTV footage shows that the suspect did not exit the store freely, but rather engaged in a life-or-death struggle with Kalia and a customer for control of the bat, which later moved out into the street. Contrary to the Police’s initial claims, Kalia did not follow him with the bat but instead took it away from the attacker outside the store and hit Handel twice.

The robber who attacked Tejeshwar Kalia gets 14 months jail term, Kalia gets 14 years sentence for self-defence

Notably, Jonathan Handel was sentenced on Thursday to 18 months in jail on a guilty plea to the heist, which was lowered to 14 months with time served at a 1.5-day reduction, giving him 425 days left to serve out of the original sentence of 545 days. Kalia, meanwhile, has received no relief despite being the victim rather than the perpetrator.

Speaking to Toronto Sun, Kalia said, “I saw it as me defending myself. I was afraid for my life.

During the court hearing on Thursday, in a victim impact statement read in court by a friend, Kalia stated that the baseball bat shots put him in panic mode at the time and have subsequently left him “grappling with physical and emotional stress.”

“I fell victim to a brutal robbery (in which) the assailant, wielding a baseball bat, viciously struck me three times: twice on the back of my head and once on my spine,” said Kalia who was treated in the hospital and has subsequently had two surgeries.

As a practising Hindu, Kalia said that he felt bad about his attacker Handel getting a 14-month prison term saying, “I was praying for him” adding that he only reacted to the situation on the night of the incident.

Meanwhile, Kalia’s counsel Jeff Ayotte on 6th April expressed confidence that when the video is shown during the jury trial, it will be clear that the police made false claims about the incident, and they will find that Tejeshwar Kalia hit the robber in an act of self-defence.

“For whatever reason, the video has been misdescribed by the Peterborough Police … but I am confident at the preliminary hearing, when the video will be shown publicly and at jury trial, 12 people are going to see this video and they are going to see what the police are telling them did not happen. We are fairly confident that a jury is going to find after seeing the video, and after hearing what Tej has to say, that he acted in self-defence, Ayotte said.

GoFundMe takes down fundraiser launched to help Kalia with his expenses

To fund Kalia’s legal and other expenses, his friends launched a crowdfunding campaign on ‘GoFundMe’ highlighting the young student’s innocence and obvious injustice in the matter. The fundraiser was launched to raise $25,000 and was well received with many Canadians lending support to the Indian-origin student. In just two days, the campaign raised $12,600 from around 200 donors. However, GoFundMe soon pulled the plug on the campaign.

Fundraiser started by Tejeshwar Kalia’s friend Deepak Sharma was taken down by GoFundMe

Peterborough Police Chief defends action against Kalia

While the police action and subsequent charging Kalia for hitting the robber in self-defence with charges carrying 14-year term has triggered outrage in Canada, the Peterborough Police has defended itself.

In a public statement on 10th January, Peterborough Police Chief Stu Betts said, “I would not normally release a message of this kind, but the commentary that has taken place following our media release today… is unfair to the men and women of my Organization – they are doing great work in our community. Yes, this case is unusual, but in a world where security cameras are everywhere, do you really think we would not have seized & reviewed the footage as part of the investigation and prior to laying charges? I encourage you to stop and think about things before determining what you think has happened, or that an injustice has taken place because I’m quite confident that not one person who has made a comment about this case has seen the video or has access to the actual facts.”

The Canadian netizens, however, were not convinced by the long explanation put up by Betts with many calling the police an “embarrassment” and demanding Betts’s resignation.

USA: 3-year-old girl whose body was found in a church in 2021 was tortured to death by her family during ‘exorcism’, documents reveal

OpIndia Staff
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USA: 3-year-old girl whose body was found in a church in 2021 was tortured to death by her family during ‘exorcism’, documents reveal

A 3-year-old girl died tragically after enduring torture during what her family described as an “exorcism” within a church in California, USA, with her body later discovered on the altar. According to documents from Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise, the child’s body bore numerous wounds inflicted as her mother, uncle, and grandfather allegedly seized her by the neck in an attempt to expel what they claimed was a demon.

On 24th September 2021, the dead body of Arely Naomi Proctor, the minor girl, was discovered within the premises of Iglesia Apostoles Profetas situated in downtown San Jose. After months following Arely’s death, Claudia, her brother Rene “Aaron” Hernandez Santos, and her father, Rene Trigueros Hernandez, were arrested on accusations related to the incident.

Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise mentioned in the court document, “While this assault was ongoing, Arely struggled to escape from her abusers. The victim repeatedly said ‘No!’ Arely also told her mother, Claudia Hernandez, “I love you” during the vicious ordeal.” All three accused in this case have pleaded not guilty to felony assault on the girl causing her death. Judge Hanley Chew is scheduled to make a ruling on 10th May regarding whether the case can proceed to trial.

The court filing mentions the details from the statements given by the accused Claudia during the interrogation. When questioned by authorities at the scene, Claudia, then 25 years old, initially reported that her daughter, Arely, had been screaming and crying the previous night. Claudia asserted to a police officer that her daughter was “possessed,” alleging that Arely appeared different.

Claudia recounted attempting to her daughter Arely vomit by inserting her fingers into the child’s mouth, but Arely bit her finger instead. Subsequently, Claudia and her brother Aaron transported Arely to the church around 7 a.m., where they claimed to have conducted a prayer ceremony. Their father, Rene, who served as the pastor of the church, joined them around 12:20 p.m. on the day of Arely’s death. Allegedly, the three relatives held Arely in a “superman” position, suspended above the floor. Claudia informed the police that despite her daughter expressing love for her, she maintained her belief that Arely was possessed by an evil spirit.

The court document mentions, “After Arely threw up, Claudia said they put her on the floor. Claudia said this is when Arely stopped breathing. Claudia said God made her understand that Arely was not coming back and was gone. This was the last time Claudia believed Arely to be alive.”

Following an examination by a medical expert, it was concluded that the girl’s cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation and smothering, leading to a series of severe injuries including brain swelling, blood in the lungs, neck injuries, and wounds within her mouth. When questioned by the police regarding her daughter’s death, Claudia confessed to believing she was responsible.

In October 2021, Claudia reached out to the police voluntarily and informed an officer that she had been engaging in daily conversations with God in the three weeks preceding Arely’s death. The court record says, “During this time, Claudia was praying for Arely, and God told her that he was going to take Arely [on 24th September]. God told Claudia this was happening because she was never meant to be a mother. Claudia did not previously tell anyone about these conversations.

Claudia was taken into custody and formally charged in January 2022 after authorities concluded that she suffocated and strangled Arely until the girl succumbed to asphyxiation. Arely’s uncle Aaron, aged 29 at the time, and grandfather Rene, aged 59 at the time, were apprehended and faced separate felony abuse charges in May 2022.

In the latest court submission, prosecutors asserted that they possess ample evidence to proceed with the trial of the three relatives in connection with Arely’s death. Claudia, Aaron, and Rene are scheduled to return to court on May 10 for the decision. All three are currently in jail.

‘Will work for farmers, women’: Vidhya Rani, daughter of sandalwood mafia Veerappan campaigns to contest LS polls from Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu

OpIndia Staff
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‘Will work for farmers, women’: Vidhya Rani, daughter of sandalwood mafia Veerappan campaigns to contest LS polls from Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu

Vidhya Rani, the daughter of one of India’s most notorious criminals, Veerappan decided to contest for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Krishnagiri constituency in Tamil Nadu. The Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate said that she draws inspiration from her father and that she would want to work for the betterment of the farmers and women.

“I have been given a chance by the party to serve the people of India where I am going to speak for the people of Krishnagiri. My focus would be to work for the betterment of farmers and to empower women. I will be there for the people as their spokesperson,” Rani said while speaking to ANI on 9th April.

“I want to attend to the needs of women and make them economically independent. I will be there as a spokesperson for the people and the public. When I am asked to support any of the parties, I will mostly follow the needs of the people. I will support any party that supports the wellness and growth of the people. If it is against the wellness of the people, I will be against it, be it any party,” she added.

The NTK, a Tamilian party founded in 2010 in response to the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983–2009), has yet to win a single seat in a state or Lok Sabha election. The party, which made its debut in the 2016 assembly elections, received 1.06 percent of the vote that year, rising to 6.89 percent in 2021.

Vidhya Veerappan, the 33-year-old woman who is a lawyer by profession says that she wants to work to protect the Tamil race just like her father worked to “protect” the forests. Notably, Vidhya joined the BJP in the year 2020, however, she said that she made the shift to the NKT party after watching ‘Koose Munisamy Veerappan’, a television series about her father.

She said that her admiration for Seeman, the chief of NKT went up multifold after hearing his perspective on her father in the documentary. “Seeman uncle could distinguish between the right and wrong things of my father. I see a lot of similarities between my father and Seeman. That adds strength to me. I was raised by society, not by my family. I believe contesting elections is one way of giving back to society,” she said.

As per the reports, Vidhya in her entire lifetime met her father just once when she was in the 3rd standard. “That was the first and last time I met him. We spoke for 30 minutes, and the conversation is still fresh in my mind. He held me and asked me to pursue medicine and serve the people,” she said.

The woman at present runs a school in Krishnagiri, the place where she has been living for the past 9 years.

Vidhya, who will face Congress candidate K Gopinath, C Narasimhan (BJP), and V Jayaprakash (AIADMK) in the April 19 Lok Sabha elections, said her campaign promises would include pushing for a railway station in Krishnagiri, better health facilities, and ensuring basic amenities for hilly residents.

Veerappan, who was killed by the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force (STF) in an encounter on October 18, 2004, was notorious for poaching elephants, smuggling sandalwood, kidnapping high-profile figures such as Kannada Thespian Raj Kumar and former minister Nagappa, and murdering police officers and others who crossed his path.

The bandit controlled an empire within the Sathyamangalam jungles, which stretched across the districts of Erode and Mysore in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, respectively.

26 candidates have filed papers for the Krishnagiri parliamentary constituency. The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Congress are running together for the seat. Congress has named three-time Hosur MLA K Gopinath as their alliance candidate.

The AIADMK candidate, the BJP’s NDA candidate, and 23 independents are among those competing for positions in Krishnagiri. All 39 seats in Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 19, with votes counted on June 4.

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