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‘Take off your clothes, I want to see the injury marks’: Rajasthan magistrate booked for asking 18-year-old Dalit gang rape victim to strip

An 18-year-old Dalit gang rape victim has levelled a grave allegations against a magistrate in Hindaun city in Rajasthan’s Karauli district and charged him with asking her to remove her clothes in a closed room, on the pretext of examining her injuries. Now, a First Information Report has been registered against him at the Kotwalai police station in relation to the incident.

The accused, who is not named in the official report is the subject of an official complaint lodged under Section 354 along with other Indian Penal Code sections as well as the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The gang rape was reportedly committed on 19th March by some young accused, according to the authorities, after which the victim’s family went to court and a case was submitted at the Hindaun Sadar police station on 27th March following the court’s directions. She was brought by the police for a medical examination and on 30th March she appeared in the magistrate’s court to record her statement under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 164.

“After recording my statement, the magistrate asked me to take off my clothes,” stated the complaint. It further added that the magistrate asked, “I want to see the injury marks on your body,” to which she replied, “You are a man. I would have shown if there was a female magistrate instead.” However, he persisted, “I want to see the injury marks on your body.” Police officers and members of the victim’s family were reportedly instructed to wait outside the room by the magistrate.

The magistrate sent the victim out of the chamber when she refused to undress. She then told her mother and brother about the instance and went to the Hindaun City Superintendent of Police to submit a complaint against the magistrate and demand accountability. Afterward, the SP obtained the order to proceed with a complaint against the magistrate.

An investigation has been ordered by the Rajasthan High Court after it took notice of the case. Women’s groups and human rights organizations also voiced their concern. Ajay Chaudhary, the Vigilance Registrar of the Rajasthan High Court arrived in Hindaun City and questioned the magistrate for three hours in a closed room. Furthermore, he made calls to other judges and well-known lawyers of the court to gather details regarding the judge’s actions.

The deputy superintendent of the Karauli ST-SC cell, Mina Meena, has taken over the probe. He noted, “She refused to strip and after recording the statement in the court on March 30, she registered a complaint against the magistrate. The case was registered with Kotwali Police Station under charges of outraging modesty.” A senior cop informed, “The investigation is ongoing, and the survivor’s statement under Section 164 of the CrPC will be recorded before further action is taken.”

Union government revokes FCRA licenses of five prominent NGOs over charges including illegal religious conversions

On 30th March, the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled the Foreign Contribution Registration Act (FCRA) licence of five prominent non-governmental organisations (NGOs). These organisations are the CNI Synodical Board of Social Service (CNI-SBSS), Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS), Church Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) and Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFOI). MHA cancelled the license for their involvement in religious conversions and violations of foreign grants, among other reasons.

In September 2023, MHA granted a six-month extension on the FCRA license to several NGOs listed above. The cancellation of licences was reported on 2nd April 2024. As the licenses have been cancelled, these NGOs can only receive or utilise foreign funding once the certification is granted again.

After India’s independence, the National Council of Churches formed the NCC Relief Committee. Later, it became the Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA). Between April and June 2023, it received Rs 9,63,65,095 in foreign donations from countries including Germany, the United States and Sweden.

Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) was established in 1970. It is closely associated with the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI). It has received donations from countries such as the USA, France, and others. CNI-SBSS, established in 1970, is an affiliate of Delhi-based Churches of North India (CNI), whose FCRA was revoked in December 2023. CNI and its affiliates are facing a probe by the Enforcement Directorate.

Indo Global Social Service Society is another NGO that lost its FCRA licence. It received donations from countries including Germany, the UK and Singapore. The Evangelical Fellowship of India license was cancelled because it violated FCRA terms.

MHA has revoked the license of these NGOs for their alleged involvement in conversion activities. In the last year, MHA has revoked FCRA licenses of over 100 NGOs, including prominent names such as the Centre for Policy Research, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (led by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi), and Oxfam India. These organisations lost the FCRA licenses for alleged misuse of foreign grants. 

Reports claiming significant hikes in prices of medicines are false, misleading and malicious: Union health ministry

The government dismissed the media reports claiming that medicine prices will witness a significant hike by up to 12 per cent from April 2024 and called them false, misleading and malicious.

“Some media reports have highlighted that medicine prices will witness a significant hike by up to 12 per cent from April 2024. These reports further claim that more than 500 medicines will be affected by this increase in price. Such reports are false, misleading and malicious”, an official statement said.

As per the provisions of Drug Price Control Orders (DPCO) 2013, drugs are categorised as scheduled and non-scheduled formulations. The formulations that are listed in Schedule I of DPCO 2013 are scheduled formulations and the formulations that are not specified in Schedule I of DPCO 2013 are non-schedule formulations.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals annually revises the ceiling prices of scheduled medicines based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).

The scheduled medicines included in the Schedule-I of the DPCO, 2013 are essential. During the calendar year 2023 over the corresponding period in 2022, the annual change in WPI with base year 2011-12 was (+) 0.00551 per cent as per data published by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Accordingly, the Authority in its meeting held on 20.03.2024 has approved the WPI increase @ (+) 0.00551 per cent for the scheduled medicines.

The ceiling prices on 923 medicines are effective as of date. Based on the above-mentioned WPI factor of (+) 0.00551 per cent, there will be no change in the prevailing ceiling prices for 782 medicines and the existing ceiling prices will continue to prevail up to March 31, 2025.

Fifty-four (54) medicines with ceiling prices ranging from Rs 90 to Rs 261 will have a miniscule increase of Rs. 0.01 (one paisa). As the permissible price increase is miniscule, the companies may or may not avail of this increase. Thus, in the year FY 2024-25, there will be almost no change in the ceiling price of medicines based on WPI.

The WPI increase is the maximum increase permissible as per the DPCO, 2013 and the manufacturers may or may not avail of this increase, keeping in view the market dynamics. The companies adjust their Maximum Retail Price (MRP) depending on the ceiling price of their medicines, as MRP (excluding GST) can be any price that is less than the ceiling price.


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

‘Arvind Kejriwal’s weight is constant since his arrival, his health is fine’: Tihar Jail refutes claims of illness made by AAP leaders

On Wednesday (3rd April), Tihar jail authorities issued a statement to share updates regarding the health parameters of Arvind Kejriwal, refuting claims by AAP leaders that the AAP leader’s sugar levels and weight have been fluctuating or dropping, causing concern.

The jail authorities noted that on his arrival in Tihar jail on 1st April 2024, two doctors had examined him. In the examination, all his vital health parameters were found to be normal. It further stated that his weight has been constant at 65 kg since he arrived at Tihar jail and his vitals are normal. 

The authorities also pointed out that in line with the Court order, the jailed AAP leader is being provided home-cooked food. 

The development comes after several AAP leaders claimed that Delhi CM and AAP National Convenor, currently in judicial custody, had lost approximately 4.5 kilograms of weight. The AAP leaders had also claimed that the sugar levels of Kejriwal who is a diabetic patient, were down.  

Alleging that Arvind Kejriwal’s health parameters were not well, AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed there are concerns about CM Arvind Kejriwal’s health in jail. 

He said, “There are reports that his (Arvind Kejriwal’s) sugar levels were down and he has lost 4.5 kg in the last 10-12 days. There are also reports that his security is in danger inside the jail. It is a matter of concern. It should be ensured that his health remains alright.”

Holding a press conference, Delhi Minister Atishi Marlena also claimed that the jailed AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, a “severe diabetes patient” lost 4.5 kg weight and his sugar level had fallen thrice, expressing concerns for his health and life. 

She went further to issue veiled threats stating that the country and God ‘will not forgive the BJP’ if something happens to him, alluding to so-called security and health threats to his life. 

She said, “Arvind Kejriwal is a severe diabetes patient but he never let his health issue come as a hindrance in the service of the country. Since the BJP-ruled central government arrested him there has been a serious challenge to his health condition, his sugar level fell thrice while he was in ED custody. He has lost 4.5 kg in the last 12 days. BJP can go to any extent to ruin Arvind Kejriwal and AAP and hence I am warning BJP that the entire nation is watching you and if something happens to him, neither this country nor even God will forgive the BJP.”

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on 21st March by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the now-defunct Delhi Liquor Policy. The trial court remanded Kejriwal to ED detention until 28th March. Later the court granted ED his custody till 1st April after which he was remanded to 15 days of judicial custody. On 1st April, he was transferred to Tihar Jail where he is currently detained. According to court orders, he is receiving several facilities from home including food. 

Notably barring political accusations of weight loss and health concerns, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal stands as a prominent undertrial detainee, treated as a high-security asset by the jail authorities. Consequently, stringent security protocols have been implemented. To allege any threat to the life of such a VIP detainee amounts to fear-mongering. Evidently, a quick response team has also been stationed near his 14X8 feet cell in Tihar’s jail number 2 in case of any emergency, prison officials told NDTV.

Umar Khalid bail plea: Defence refrains from mentioning crucial details of Khalid’s father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, an ex-SIMI member

On 3rd March, during the bail plea hearing of anti-Hindu Delhi Riots 2020 accused Umar Khalid in Delhi Sessions Court, the defence conveniently hid material information while mentioning the Welfare Party of India. Defence said that the chargesheet against Khalid mentioned he went to a meeting organised by the Welfare Party of India where he told Bangladeshis that they needed to protest against the law.

Defence argued no Bangladeshis “have been brought forth” and called it an imagination of the investigating team. Interestingly, the defence conveniently failed to inform the court that the Welfare Party of India is that of Umar Khalid’s father Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas. He is a former member of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which is a banned Islamist terrorist organisation.

Who is Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas?

Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas is the father of anti-Hindu Delhi Riots accused Umar Khalid. However, his introduction is not limited to being Khalid’s father. He is a former member of the Islamic terror outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The organisation was banned by the Government of India in 2001. He formed a ‘The Welfare Party of India’ political party to try his hands at Indian politics.

Ilyas is also a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). In May 2022, he constituted a legal committee under AIMPLB to review the details of the Gyanvapi mosque case and provide legal aid to the Intezamia Masjid Committee, the Muslim side in the Gyanvapi land dispute case.

In October 2021, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, accused Ilyas of hatching a conspiracy in favour of the Samajwadi Party (SP). He said, “The father of this man [Umar Khalid] came to meet the Samajwadi Party president, and he assured him not to worry as he is hatching a conspiracy for SP,” Yogi Adityanath said. This meeting took place on 2nd October. “Opposition can go to any extent. You must have seen who recently came to meet the Samajwadi Party president. It was the father of Umar Khalid who says Bharat tere tukde honge,” Yogi Adityanath charged the SP for crossing all limits.

Ilyas left SIMI in 1985, well before Khalid was born. In 2019, he contested the Lok Sabha Elections from West Bengal under the banner of the Welfare Party of India from the Jagnipur constituency. He is also a member of the Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

According to the reports, the agencies have been watching and warning the nexus between Maoists whose front organization Khalid is aligned with, and hardline Islamists allegedly represented by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Welfare Party of India, and banned outfit SIMI.

Boxer Vijender Singh leaves Congress to join BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls, says ‘wants to be part of development’

Boxer Vijender Singh on Wednesday (3rd April) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at its headquarters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Singh had joined the Congress party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and had contested the polls. He joined the BJP today in the presence of several senior BJP leaders in Delhi.

“I have joined the party to be a part of development. Earlier I was in Congress. But now I want development to happen in the nation and that is possible only under the rule of the BJP. I’ll say what is wrong is wrong. Congress has been lacking efforts and now that I am in BJP, I don’t want to comment on anything about Congress,” Singh said after joining the party.

Earlier on 30th March, Singh had made a one-line note on X, formerly known as Twitter, sparking a flurry of speculation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. “Wherever the public wants, I am ready,” he tweeted on 30th March. 

His name has been circulating for the past few days as the Congress party’s nominee from Mathura, where actor and incumbent MP Hema Malini is contesting again. Singh is from the Jat community, which has political power in a large number of seats in Haryana, his home state, as well as western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Vijender Singh joined the Congress in the year 2019 and contested unsuccessfully in the South Delhi constituency, where BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri defeated AAP’s Raghav Chadha and Congress’ Vijender Singh to secure his seat.

Notably, Singh was present at the wrestlers’ protest against Brij Bhushan Singh, the former president of the Wrestling Federation of India. The Olympic medal-winning boxer also participated in Rahul Gandhi’s recent Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Vijender Singh published another mysterious post in December 2023 that was seen as his departure to politics, writing ‘Rajneeti ko ram-ram bhai’.

In 2008, Singh became the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal. He earned bronze medals in both the 2009 World Championship and the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He received the Padma Shri Award in 2010 for his contributions to Indian sports. In 2012, his name surfaced in a drug scandal, however, he was later acquitted.

Delhi: Two minor daughters of meat exporter Haji Qureshi, brother of SP MLA Nasir Qureshi, suffocate to death after fire engulfs multi-storey residence

Two sisters suffocated to death in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar after a fire broke out at their multi-storey residence on Chameliyan Road on Tuesday (2nd April).

As per reports, the house belongs to meat exporter Haji Mohammad Salim Shabbo Qureshi, who is the brother of Nasir Qureshi, Samajwadi Party MLA from Moradabad Dehat seat. The deceased girls were the daughters of Nasir Qureshi’s brother.

According to police, eight people were trapped inside the building when dense smoke engulfed the building after an air conditioner compressor exploded.

According to a relative, while six of the victims were saved, the girls identified as 14-year-old Gulashna and 12-year-old Anaya were trapped inside a bathroom on the second floor, where they had locked themselves as dense smoke hindered rescue efforts.

The relative stated that they had returned from school in the afternoon and were sleeping in a room when the fire broke out. Reports say that during the incident, Salim Qureshi’s two sons Shariq and Khijr were not present in the house, meanwhile, Qureshi was in Dubai.

The relative added that the rescuers were able to enter the building with difficulty while wearing gas masks. The rescuers found the girls unconscious in the bathroom after smashing open the door. The victims were rushed to a hospital and declared dead by doctors, according to DCP (North) Manoj Kumar Meena.

A Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officer stated that “the building had glass windows and poor ventilation, which trapped the smoke.” He added, “Five fire tenders were pressed into service after we got information about the incident at 2.07 pm.”

According to a report, the fire in meat exporter Salim’s house began in the theatre on the bungalow’s ground level. As soon as the fire started, the house was brimmed with smoke from the centralised AC duct.

The minor girls locked themselves in the bathroom to avoid the smoke, but both drowned when the smoke got inside. On Tuesday, the FSL team arrived at the scene and collected evidence. Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into the matter.

3 Sri Lankan convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case leave India, were staying in special camp after release from jail

Muguran, Robert, and Jayakumar, three convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination case, were deported to Sri Lanka on Wednesday (3rd April) from Chennai airport. All three Sri Lankans were residing in the Trichy refugee camp. Previously, the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission awarded temporary travel credentials to the three convicts in the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

According to reports, they were deported to Sri Lanka following deportation orders issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

The Supreme Court had ordered to release them on 11th November 2022, accepting their petitions. Three more Indians, Perarivalan, Nalini, and Ravichandran, were also released following previous Supreme Court orders. They were originally awarded life sentences but the Supreme Court accepted their pleas for premature release from jail, saying that their behaviours were satisfactory in jail.

Accordingly, all surviving convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were released from various jails on 12 November 2022. However, the four freed Sri Lankan convicts were sent to a special camp on the Tiruchi Prison grounds, because they didn’t have valid documents to stay in India.

Following Santhan’s death on 28th February, Murugan petitioned the Court for travel permits from the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai. According to court rules, the trio was brought to the Deputy Commission on 13th March. Sri Lanka recently granted them temporary travel credentials, facilitating their journey to the island nation.

Notably, Murugan is the husband of Nalini, the Indian national who is also a convict in the case. Nalini accompanied Murugan to the airport to see him off.

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a woman suicide bomber of the banned LTTE in 1991 at nearby Sriperumbudur. Originally the convicts were awarded death sentences, but the same were commuted to life sentences, a move supported by Sonia Gandhi.

Another ‘Zakhm’ to I.N.D.I. Alliance, Mehbooba Mufti breaks away, blames Omar Abdullah for insulting PDP

In another jolt to the fledgling INDIA bloc, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti announced on Wednesday that they will pitch their candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The development came after National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah said that they would be contesting elections for all three seats in Kashmir.

“In Mumbai, I said, Farooq Abdullah is our best representative and he will take the call. Omar Abdullah should have discussed the same with me for greater interest, we were not going to fight over parliamentary elections,” Mufti told reporters in Srinagar.

“But the way Omar Abdullah said, PDP doesn’t exist and is nowhere, hurt us. The BJP broke my party completely but Omar’s statement made my workers disappointed. Now my workers are calling me and telling me that we should also pitch our candidates,” Mufti said.

“I’m disappointed with what Omar Abdullah said about the PDP,” she added. The former CM further confirmed that her party would now enter the contest on its own.

“All the agencies are after my workers, so I felt my workers were humiliated by Omar Abdullah’s statement,” the former Chief Minister alleged.

“We will pitch our candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Mufti told reporters.

Reacting to this, Omar Abdullah said, “…If she (PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti) has announced to field candidates for all 5 seats, it is her choice. We have fielded candidates for 3 seats in Kashmir based on her formula…”

“If she is fielding her own candidates, then perhaps she does not want any kind of alliance even for the assembly elections. We kept the door open; now if she has closed the door, then it is not our fault.,” he added.

The National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party are partners in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance formed to challenge the BJP in the general elections

The two regional parties are two important constituents of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, formed to restore special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory will be held in the first five phases on April 19 (Udhampur), April 26 (Jammu), May 7 (Anantnag-Rajouri), May 13 (Srinagar) and May 20 (Baramulla).

The counting of votes will be taken up on 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)

Delhi BJP sends defamation notice to AAP leader and Minister Atishi Marlena for her ‘join BJP or face arrest’ claim

On Wednesday (3rd April), the Delhi state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced that it had sent a defamation notice to senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi Marlena. The notice has been served in response to Atishi’s claims that the saffron party approached her through a “very close” person to either join the BJP or face arrest. Delhi BJP has demanded that Atishi should issue a public apology and retract her allegations or show evidence to back her claims. 

Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva charged AAP leaders as ‘habitual liers’ asserting that this time they won’t let her escape. 

Holding a press conference over the issue, the BJP leader said, “We’ve given a legal notice to (Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi ) to provide evidence. This time we won’t let her escape. She has to answer and provide evidence for what she is claiming. We asked her to apologise by the evening (Tuesday). She didn’t and so we have sent her a legal notice to which she will have to reply within 15 days.” 

As per reports, Delhi BJP media head Praveen Shankar Kapoor has sent the defamation notice. 

(Image Source – India TV)

On 2nd April, Delhi Minister Atishi claimed in her so-called “big expose” that BJP tried to poach her through her close associate and threatened that if she didn’t comply, ED would arrest her soon. Incidentally, she made the claims a day after Arvind Kejriwal threw Atishi Marlena and Saurabh Bharadwaj under the bus in relation with the ongoing probe in Delhi Liquor Policy scam. 

She had said, “My close associate told me that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP have decided to crush AAP and all its leaders. First, they arrested the top leadership of the party. First, Satyendra Jain was arrested, then Manish Sisodia was arrested, then Sanjay Singh was arrested, and now the chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, got arrested. Now, the BJP has decided to arrest four more leaders of AAP in the coming two months before the results of the Lok Sabha Elections. They will arrest me, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Durgesh Pathak and Raghav Chadha.”

It is pertinent to note that prior to her press conference pre-empting ED arrest, OpIndia had earlier reported that legal troubles were mounting for the AAP leader as she was the AAP Goa In-charge in 2022 when the party spent Rs 45 crores for campaigning which according to ED was ‘proceeds of crime’ generated from the Delhi Liquor policy scam case.  

Following the reports, claiming victimhood, she alleged that the ED could call her next for questioning or arrest her, pre-empting ED’s possible actions in the case to cast aspersions.

Nonetheless, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri asserted that BJP has no place for ‘political activists’ like Atishi. 

He said, “There is no vacancy in our party for a political activist like Atishi. There is a Yuva leader (Rahul Gandhi) who said that a BJP worker has said that after getting 400 seats, we will destroy the constitution. No one has given such a statement. I don’t think any worker of the BJP will go to Atishi and say such a thing at a time when the whole party is stuck in a liquor scam. Do we need to have a headache by getting them into our party?” 

Meanwhile, Atishi has not yet commented on the defamation notice.