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Bombay High Court rejects application filed by Kunal Kamra and others, allows centre to notify Fact Check Unit

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay High Court rejects application filed by Kunal Kamra and others, allows centre to notify Fact Check Unit

On 13th March, the Bombay High Court allowed the Government of India to notify the Fact Check Unit (FCU). The court rejected the application filed by self-proclaimed stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and others challenging the constitutionality of the FCU under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023. Notably, the division bench comprising Justice GS Patel and Justice Neela Gokhale delivered a split verdict on the petition. A Single Judge Bench comprising Justice AS Chandurkar opined Kamra’s plea did not make a case for interim relief.

Kunal Kamra, the Editors Guild, the News Broadcast Digital Association, and the Association of Indian Magazine filed the plea seeking directions for when the judgment of the third judge is pronounced. The third judge hearing the matter, Justice AS Chandukar, stated Kamra’s plea did not make a case for the court to pass an order to the Central Government not to notify the FCU.

The government of India had amended the Act and added rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the IT Rules amendment 2023 that empowered the government to establish FCU. The unit aims to verify the genuineness of the content published about the government’s work on social media platforms. If false, fake, or misleading information is published, the amendment gives the government power to remove it from social media platforms. If the FCU passes an order to remove the content, the social media intermediary must either remove it or defend its stand to allow it in court.

The reconstituted bench of Justice Patel and Justice Gokhale pronounced the interim order after Justice Chandurkar opined that the petitions made no case for interim relief. The court said, “The third judge has rendered his opinion. Consequently, the majority view is that the interim applications for stay and continuation of the previous statement (by the Union not to notify the FCU) are rejected.”

The opinion of the third judge on the interim relief would be placed before the earlier division bench to pass appropriate orders in the matter. As the Bombay High Court has rejected the application for stay, the Central Government can go ahead with the notification of the FCU under the amended IT Rules that give the power to these units to identify and order to take down false, fake and misleading news on social media.

Earlier, Justice Patel had struck down the amendment rule. Still, Justice Gokhale ruled against the petitioners, including Kamra, the Editors Guild, the News Broadcast Digital Association and the Association of Indian Magazines. In their petition, they challenged the constitutionality of the FCU.

Senior Advocate Navroz Seervai appeared for Kunal Kamra and other petitioners. He argued that the Government of India had stated that FCU would only be notified once the final judgment came out, which would be possible after the third judge gave his opinion on the earlier verdict of the two-judge bench. He stated that as it was a split judgment, it established the ground for considering the importance of the current status quo.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Ministry of Information and Technology. He opposed the interim stay and argued that the court was dealing with a medium not restricted by geographical limitations. He stated that India and the entire world need help with fake news. Furthermore, he added that India was trying to tackle the problem with a minimalistic approach.

Live-in couples also covered under Uttar Pradesh Anti-Conversion Law: Allahabad High Court

OpIndia Staff
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Live-in couples also covered under Uttar Pradesh Anti-Conversion Law: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court, while rejecting a Hindu-Muslim couple’s plea for the protection of their life and liberty, ruled that the UP Conversion Law also applies to live-in couples.

Justice Renu Agarwal stated this while refusing protection to a Hindu man and Muslim woman who married earlier this year following Arya Samaj traditions. The petitioners did not change their religion. The Court stated that interfaith couples must apply for conversion as per the anti-conversion law.

The court ruled that registration of a religious conversion is essential not just for marriage purposes, but also for marriage-like relationships.

“Therefore, Conversion Act applies to relationships in the nature of marriage or live-in- relationship,” the Court said in its decision dated 5th March.

The court’s decision came in view of section 3(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. “No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage nor shall any person abet, convince or conspire such conversion,” section 3(1) of the UP anti-conversion Act states.

In this case, a 24-year-old Muslim woman married a 23-year-old Hindu man on 1st January. Their online application to register their marriage was pending. They approached the court for police protection because they were concerned that their life and liberty were in danger.

The state denied their request, noting that they had not applied for religious conversion. It was also asserted that a Muslim woman cannot marry a Hindu man in accordance with Arya Samaj’s rites under the Hindu Marriage Act.

While denying the petitioners’ request for relief, the court highlighted that the 2021 anti-conversion statute expressly states that religious conversion is required not only in circumstances of inter-faith marriages but also in a relationship of the form of marriage.

The court also remarked that there was no dispute to the petitioners’ relationship because their parents had not filed any police complaints. However, it dismissed the interfaith couple’s request for protection since they failed to register any religious conversion.

“In view of the discussions as above, it is not considered desirable that the relationship of the petitioners be protected in contravention of the statutory provisions of law passed by the legislature,” the court said.

Additionally, in the same order, the Court stated that no one has the right to interfere with the two adults’ personal liberty.

“In the relationship of marriage or in the nature of live-in- relationship there must be two consenting adults human beings. The concept of gotra, caste and religion is left a way back,” the court stated.

‘No state CM can refuse it, only Central govt has the right to make citizenship laws’: Amit Shah on Mamata, Stalin’s statements on CAA

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‘No state CM can refuse it, only Central govt has the right to make citizenship laws’: Amit Shah on Mamata, Stalin’s statements on CAA

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has questioned some Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states who have been opposing the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and claiming that they would not allow its implementation in their state. The Home Minister asserted that the CAA does not violate any provision of the constitution and only the central government is empowered to enact laws concerning citizenship and implement them.

In an interview with ANI, Amit Shah said that CAA has been brought by the Modi government and “it is impossible to repeal it”. He accused the opposition leaders of practicing “politics of appeasement”.

“Do you have the right that you can refuse its implementation? They also understand that they do not have the rights. In our Constitution, the right to make laws concerning citizenship has been given only to Parliament. This is a Central subject, not the state’s, both the law and its implementation,” Amit Shah said.

He asserted that all political parties would come on board and cooperate after the Lok Sabha election.

“Article 11 of our Constitution gives all the powers to make rules regarding citizenship to the Parliament. I think everyone will cooperate after the elections. They are spreading misinformation for appeasement politics,” he said.

The Centre notified the rules for implementation of CAA earlier this week. The bill was passed by Parliament in December 2019, the first year of the second successive term of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With the Centre notifying rules for CAA implementation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the law and said they will not implement it in their states. The Congress has slammed the Centre over the timing of implementation of CAA, saying the rules have been notified ahead of Lok Sabha polls expected to be held in April-May this year.

Asked about remarks from a Congress leader that CAA will be repealed if the INDIA alliance comes to power in 2024, Amit Shah targeted the opposition bloc and said they also know they will not come to power.

“CAA has been brought by the BJP government led by PM Modi. It is impossible to repeal CAA…It is a fully constitutional law,” he said.

Answering a query about remarks made by PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti concerning CAA, he said the Supreme Court has not stayed the law. He also targeted her over Article 370, saying that it was also challenged in court decades back but it continued to be used till it was repealed by the BJP-led government.

Amit Shah also challenged former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to make his stand clear on the implementation of CAA.

“I want to ask Uddhav Thackeray to make it clear whether CAA should be implemented or not. He wants minority votes and is doing appeasement politics,” he said

“All opposition parties including Asaduddin Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee are doing politics of lies. There is no question of timing. BJP said in its manifesto in 2019 that we will bring CAA and give citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan…In 2019, it was passed by both Houses but got delayed due to Covid…The opposition wants to do appeasement politics and wants to consolidate their vote bank. They have been exposed and the people of the country know that CAA is the law of this country. I have said 41 times that it would be implemented before the elections,” he added.

The Home Minister said there is no need for any section or any person to fear because there is no provision in CAA to take away anyone’s citizenship.

“CAA is only to give rights to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Christians and Parsi refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan…”

Answering a query, he said those who get citizenship under CAA will be added to the citizenship list like every common citizen of India. “They will have as many rights as you or I have. They can contest elections and become MP, MLA, CM and Ministers.”

“All those people who have entered India between August 15, 1947 and December 31, 2014 are welcome here. As per my knowledge, there are 85 per cent people who have relevant documents. We will find a solution for those who don’t have the documents. Even Muslims have the right to apply for citizenship in India under the rules of the Constitution,” he added.

Referring to Congress governments in the past, he said they have a history of not fulfilling their promises.

“The opposition has no other work, they even said that there was political benefit in surgical strikes and air strikes, so should we not take action against terrorism? They also said that the abrogation of Article 370 was also for our political benefit. We have been saying since 1950 that we will remove Article 370. Their history is that they do not do what they say, PM Modi’s history is that whatever BJP has said, whatever Narendra Modi has said is set in stone. Every guarantee given by PM Modi will be fulfilled,” he said.

He said Congress leaders at the time of partition had said that people who had faced persecution can come.

“When you partition the country on the basis of religion, and those minorities (in those countries) who faced persecution, they are being converted, women of the minority section were being tortured and came to India. They came to our refuge; don’t they have a right to get our citizenship?”

“But due to appeasement politics, Congress never fulfilled its promise…I believe it is our moral and constitutional responsibility to give refuge to those who are persecuted on the basis of religion,” he said.

Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 enable persons eligible under CAA-2019 to apply for the grant of Indian citizenship and applications are to be submitted in a completely online mode for which a web portal has been provided by the government.

The Centre notified the rules for implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act on Monday.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees who had sought shelter in India before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution in three neighbouring countries–Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, of six minority communities there.

The CAA removes legal barriers to rehabilitation and citizenship and gives a dignified life to refugees “who have suffered for decades”. 

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

Nigeria: Islamic police in Kano arrests 11 for eating food during Ramzan, non-Muslims warned against undermining Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Nigeria: Islamic police in Kano arrests 11 for eating food during Ramzan, non-Muslims warned against undermining Islam

Nigeria’s Islamic police, called Hisbah, arrested 11 persons on 12th March for eating food during the Ramzan fast in the northeastern state of Kano.

As per reports, the Hisbah spokesman, Lawal Fagge, said that 10 men were arrested from near the busy markets and a female, groundnut vendor caught eating from her wares was also arrested following a tip from some onlookers.

“We got 11 persons on Tuesday including a lady selling groundnuts who was seen eating from her wares, and some persons alerted us,” Fagge reportedly said.

“The other 10 were men and were arrested across the city especially close to markets where a lot of activities happen,” he added.

The arrested accused were later released after vowing to abstain from food and drink.

The Islamic police ordered the families and relatives of the accused to observe the fast and monitor the accused.

Meanwhile, the Hisbah spokesman said that non-Muslims are exempt from the practice and would face arrest only if they sell food to Muslims during Ramzan.

The spokesperson for the Islamic police said, “We do not arrest non-Muslims because this does not concern them, and the only time they could be guilty of a crime is when we find out they cook food to sell to Muslims that are supposed to be fasting.”

According to local media, the director general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Abba Sai’Idu had warned non-Muslim residents against eating in public places during the Ramzan fast.

He had said that it is unlawful for Christians and other non-Muslims to eat openly or do anything publicly that would undermine the Islamic religion or put those fasting into temptation by their actions.

Hisbah’s patrolling has been increased across Kano to arrest any Muslim observed engaging in any practice that is not in accordance with the Islamic culture during the holy month.

Kano is a Muslim-majority city in Nigeria running on the Islamic law of Sharia.

Lok Sabha elections: Nitin Gadkari, Basvaraj Bommai, and Manohar Lal Khattar among BJP’s second list of 72 candidates

OpIndia Staff
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Lok Sabha elections: Nitin Gadkari, Basvaraj Bommai, and Manohar Lal Khattar among BJP’s second list of 72 candidates

On Wednesday (13th March), the Bharatiya Janata Party released its second list for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, announcing 72 more candidates. Notably, the list includes three former Chief Ministers namely Manohar Lal Khattar, Trivendra Singh Rawat, and Basvaraj Bommai. Four Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Anurag Thakur, Piyush Goyal, and Pralhad Joshi are also on the second list. 

Former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who resigned yesterday on 12th March will be contesting from the Karnal Lok Sabha seat. 

In Himachal Pradesh, Union Minister Anurag Thakur will contest from the Hamirpur constituency while Suresh Kashyap has been fielded from the Shimla seat. 

In Karnataka, the party has fielded Union Minister Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad. The party’s youth wing chief Tejaswi Surya will contest from the Bangalore South constituency and V Sommana from Tumkur. B Y Raghvendra, the son of former state chief minister B S Yediyurappa will contest from Shimoga. Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai has been given a ticket from the Haveri Lok Sabha seat, while PC Mohan will contest from Bangalore Central. 

In Maharashtra, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will again be contesting from the Nagpur seat. Piyush Goyal will contest from Mumbai North. Pankja Munde has been fielded from Beed. Additionally, Anup Dhotre will fight the polls from the Akola seat, and Kapil Moreshwar Patil from Bhiwandi.

The party has announced candidates for two seats in Uttarakhand. Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat will be contesting from the Haridwar seat while Anil Baluni, the party’s National Chief Spokesperson, is set to contest from the Garhwal seat.

In Delhi, Harsh Malhotra will contest from East Delhi constituency, a seat which was held by former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir. Yogendra Chandolia will contest from North West Delhi. 

Meanwhile, Kalaben Delkar will contest from Dadar and Nagar Haveli. 

The list also includes names of candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat. Hashmukhbhai Somabhai Patel will contest from Ahmedabad East, Dhawal Patel from Valsad, Mukeshbhai Chandrakant Dalal from Surat, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt from Vadodara, Nimuben Bambhania from Bhavnagar, Bhikhaji Dudhaji Thakor from Sabarkantha and Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathwa from Chhota Udaipur. 

Six names have been announced from Haryana. Banto Kataria from Ambala, Ashok Tanwar from Sirsa, Chaudhary Dharambir Singh from Bhiwani-Mahendargah, Rao Inderjit Singh Yadav from Gurgaon, and Krishanpal Gurjar from Faridabad. 

In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has fielded Vivek ‘Bunty’ Sahu from the Chhindwara seat where he will face Congress leader Nakul Nath. Shankar Lalwani will contest from Indore. 

In Telangana, Godam Nagesh will contest from Adilabad, DK Aruna from Mahbubnagar, and Saida Reddy will contest from Nalgonda.

In Tripura, the party has fielded Maharani Kriti Singh Debbarma from Tripura East. 

Earlier, on 2nd March, the party had released its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. 

So far, Congress has announced candidates for 82 Lok Sabha seats while BJP has announced its candidates for 267 seats in two lists. 

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats. The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year. 

(With Inputs from ANI)

‘If I were not a minister, I would have chopped him into pieces’: DMK Minister Anbarasan threatens PM Modi

OpIndia Staff
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‘If I were not a minister, I would have chopped him into pieces’: DMK Minister Anbarasan threatens PM Modi

Tamil Nadu Minister TM Anbarasan has stirred up a major controversy following the circulation of a video in which he appears to make threatening remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at a public gathering, the DMK Minister can be heard saying, “I am maintaining silence and speaking softly because I am a Minister. If I were not a Minister, I would have torn him into pieces.”

TM Anbarasan serves as the Minister for Rural Industries, Cottage Industries, Small Industries, and the Slum Clearance Board in Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK government under Chief Minister M.K Stalin. These remarks allegedly came about last weekend, following a week after PM Narendra Modi’s large roadshow in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu.

“We’ve had many Prime Ministers, but never one who spoke like this,” Anbarasan is heard saying in the video in Tamil. “Modi threatens to eradicate us, but I want to remind him that DMK is no ordinary organization. It was forged through countless sacrifices and the shedding of much blood.”

He continues, “All those who vowed to destroy DMK have themselves been destroyed. This organization will continue to stand tall, keep that in mind.”

The DMK minister then expresses, “I would’ve dealt with him (Modi) differently,” implying a more aggressive approach.

“I am maintaining silence and speaking softly because I am a Minister. If I were not a Minister, I would have dealt with him (PM Modi) differently,” Anbarasan concludes in the video.

BJP hits back at DMK for its minister’s threatening remarks against PM Modi

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized the ruling DMK for the Minister’s threatening comments against the Prime Minister and has also aimed its criticism at the opposition INDI Alliance, of which the DMK is a part.

The viral video clip featuring the DMK Minister’s remarks against PM Modi was widely circulated by BJP leaders on various social media platforms as the saffron party launched its attack on the INDI Alliance regarding the alleged comments made by the Minister.

“INDI Alliance’s agenda couldn’t be clearer. They aim to eradicate Sanatan Dharma and anyone seen upholding it,” stated BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya, while sharing the purported video of the Minister’s remarks.

In response to the DMK Minister’s statements, BJP National Secretary Satya Kumar Yadav commented that this was “yet another low for the INDI Alliance,” indicating their resort to such blatant disrespect towards the Prime Minister as they anticipate an unfavourable outcome in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“The INDI Alliance is aware of the impending results of the LS Elections, hence their resorting to insulting PM Shri Narendra Modi ji. Such blatant disrespect towards the Honorable PM is unacceptable and warrants strong condemnation,” Yadav expressed.

Uttar Pradesh: Asib kidnaps a Hindu girl from her house with the help of family members; cash and jewellery also missing

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Asib kidnaps a Hindu girl from her house with the help of family members; cash and jewellery also missing

In Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district, a 22-year-old Hindu girl reportedly went missing from her house. Following her disappearance, her family has accused a man named Asib of kidnapping her. It is alleged that Asib’s family members including his mother Chuhiya and brother Ghulam are part of this conspiracy. 

According to reports, the incident took place in the Naraini police station area of Banda district on Saturday (9th March 2024). Both the victim and the accused reside in the same village. Based on the complaint of the girl’s family, the Police have registered an FIR against five accused including Asib under IPC sections 366 and 120-B. Apart from arresting the accused Asib, efforts are being made to ensure the victim’s safety. 

The victim’s brother filed a complaint with the police on Sunday (March 10, 2024). The complaint states that at around 11:30 PM, the complainant’s 22-year-old sister left the house when their family members had gone to sleep. While leaving the house, the girl also took away Rs 1 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 2 lakh. The family members searched her extensively but they couldn’t find her.

The complaint further adds that the next day, the victim’s elder sister called her. The victim answered the phone and kept crying. She accused Asib of manipulating her and hatching a conspiracy to make her elope from the house. The complainant also accused Asib’s mother Chuhiya and his brothers Ijhar, Ghulam, and Munna of being involved in this conspiracy. 

The investigation of the case has been handed over to Sub Inspector Kamal Singh of Naraini police station. OpIndia has accessed the FIR copy. 

Speaking to OpIndia, the victim’s brother said that even after more than 3 days, they have no whereabouts of the victim. Accused Asib is a 12th fail and manages his livelihood as a painter. The victim had met Asib when she had gone somewhere with her sister. 

Describing his village as being dominated by Muslims, the victim’s brother revealed that nobody is helping them, and instead, many people are mocking them behind their backs.

No tractor, trolleys, and any kind of weapons allowed: Delhi Police grants NOC to SKM’s ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ at Ramlila Maidan with conditions

OpIndia Staff
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No tractor, trolleys, and any kind of weapons allowed: Delhi Police grants NOC to SKM’s ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ at Ramlila Maidan with conditions

Delhi Police have granted a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Sanyukt Kisan Morcha for holding a one-day Kisan Mahapanchayat at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Thursday (14th March). However, the farmer union will have to follow several conditions, as part of the agreement between the protesting SKM leaders and Delhi Police.   

Notably, SKM leaders P Krishna Prasad, Hanan Mollah, Prem Singh Gehlawat, and Ashish Mittal signed the agreement with Delhi Police on Monday night following which the Police allowed them to hold the Mahapanchayat with the following conditions. 

According to the agreement reached between the police and SKM leaders, a maximum of 5,000 people have been permitted to attend the mahapanchayat. It must conclude by 3 pm, and protesters will not be permitted to stay overnight in Delhi either before or after the mahapanchayat.

Further, no tractor and trolley are allowed for tomorrow’s event and the protestors can’t bring weapons of any kind. The program will strictly last only for three hours from 11 am to 2 pm, after which the protestors will have to head back. 

After the maha panchayat, the protestors are not allowed to take out marches. During the event, no instigating/intimidating speech will be allowed. In case anyone tries to give a provocative speech, the public address system will be switched off and speakers will be removed from the stage, as per the conditions.

While only 5,000 participants are allowed at tomorrow’s event, according to the SKM, more than 50,000 farmers from Punjab are expected to attend the event.

The farmer union added that preparations are in full swing to ensure the massive participation of farmers in the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’. In its official release, the Kisan Morcha noted that the Mahapanchayat will adopt a ‘Sankalp Patra’ or ‘letter of resolution’ to intensify the fight against the so-called “pro-corporate, communal, dictatorial policies of the Modi Government, to fight to save farming, food security, livelihood and the people from corporate loot.”

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have made proper arrangements for the event including adequate parking space and other basic amenities like water, toilets, and ambulances with the support of the municipal administration of Delhi. The traffic police have also issued a traffic advisory and a list of alternate routes to avoid traffic congestion. 

Commuters are advised to check the traffic advisory in the wake of the Kisan Mahapanchayat to avoid inconvenience and getting stuck in traffic jams.

Ghaziabad: Suleman arrested for molesting an 8-year-old Hindu girl, charged under POCSO Act

OpIndia Staff
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Ghaziabad: Suleman arrested for molesting an 8-year-old Hindu girl, charged under POCSO Act

An instance of molestation of an 8-year-old Hindu girl has surfaced in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The accused is identified as 20-year-old Suleman who locked the little girl in a room. She was saved when her family members opened the door. The horrifying incident transpired on 9th March and the mother of the victim reported the incident to the authorities on 10th March after which they arrested the young man and sent him to prison.

The issue pertained to the Kaushambi police station area of Ghaziabad district where the child lives with her little brother and parents. The victim’s father told OpIndia that the perpetrator’s family was asking for the case to be withdrawn. He runs a retail store that provides for the needs of his family members. The official complaint submitted by the little girl’s family stated that Salman (Suleman) lives in a rented house in their neighbourhood. He had been molesting the child for a long time and she informed her family about his actions. However, they didn’t believe her initially.

The complaint further mentioned that the culprit locked the girl in his room on 9th March at approximately five o’clock in the evening. The incident was reported to their mother by her 5-year-old younger brother when he returned home. When the distressed woman reached the spot, she found that the door was locked. Afterwards, the door was opened and her daughter came out crying and disclosed that Suleman had misbehaved with her. Her family eventually submitted a case and demanded strict action against the offender.

Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Suleman under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 9m/10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the complaint of the victim’s mother. On 11th March the Ghaziabad police announced that the accused was nabbed. The police claimed that because this matter involved a young girl and two different communities, they acted promptly to resolve it. Now further investigation is underway. OpIndia has a copy of the FIR.

OpIndia got in touch with the girl’s father who expressed his satisfaction with the police response. The family informed us that Suleman’s family had reached out to them to withdraw the complaint, despite their recommendation to directly approach the court. We were also informed that Suleman is originally from the Uttar Pradesh district of Bijnor. He sells watches and mobile accessories among other things near Anand Vihar bus stand and railway station. Additionally, according to the girl’s family, Suleman was frequently intoxicated.

“To fulfil the promise to the public, I will contest LS elections”: Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh, who turned down BJP ticket, takes a U-turn; reportedly in talks with RJD

OpIndia Staff
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“To fulfil the promise to the public, I will contest LS elections”: Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh, who turned down BJP ticket, takes a U-turn; reportedly in talks with RJD

After turning down the BJP’s offer to contest Lok Sabha elections from West Bengal’s Asansol, Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh has announced that he will contest in the upcoming elections to fulfil the promise to his mother and the public at large. 

In a complete U-turn on taking the political plunge, the Bhojpuri star tweeted, “I will contest elections to fulfil the promise made to my society, people and mother. Your blessings and cooperation are expected. Jai Mata Di.” 

As per the News18 report, Singh is in talks with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) as the actor plans to contest from his home state Bihar. The report adds that he is holding negotiations with the regional party for the Ara Lok Sabha constituency ticket. 

Reportedly, Singh earlier held negotiations with the BJP to secure a ticket from his home state Bihar. However, on 2nd March, the saffron party announced his name in its initial list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha and fielded him from West Bengal’s Asansol.   

Following the announcement, he thanked the central leadership of BJP. 

However, the ‘Bengali Vs Bihari’ divide fuelled by TMC prompted him to ‘preemptively withdraw’ from the Lok Sabha fray. 

Subsequently, he shared a post from his official X account that he is withdrawing his candidature and wouldn’t be contesting the elections from Asansol. 

The tweet read, “I express my heartfelt gratitude to the top leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party. The party trusted me and declared me as the candidate from Asansol but due to some reason I will not be able to contest the elections from Asansol…” 

Nonetheless, his latest post announcing that he will contest the elections has led to speculations among certain sections of media regarding the supposed ambiguity in his post regarding the seat and political party from which he would be fighting in the upcoming polls. However, it is pertinent to note that Singh, also known as ‘Power Star’ in the Bhojpuri film industry, is a BJP leader who joined the saffron party in 2014.

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