On Friday (1st March), Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally in West Bengal’s Arambagh. In his speech, he criticised the ruling Trinamool Congress party (TMC) in the state and its other allies in the I.N.D.I. alliance including Congress. Pointing out the silence of opposition parties over the Sandeshkhali issue, PM Modi said that the opposition parties are behaving like Gandhi’s monkeys over this issue. He said that they have shut their eyes, ears, and mouths when it comes to reacting to this issue.
PM Narendra Modi said, “The country is seeing what Trinamool Congress has done with the sisters of Sandeshkhali. The whole country is angry. The soul of Raja Ram Mohan Roy must have been pained by what happened in Sandeshkhali…the party was protecting the TMC leader and the police had to arrest him yesterday after the BJP leaders exerted pressure on the government.”
TMC has betrayed West Bengal. The people are speaking in loud and clear voice – they want BJP. Addressing a massive rally in Arambagh. https://t.co/v09uhe7c1y
He added, “A Trinamool leader crossed all limits…when the mothers and the sisters of Sandeshkhali made their protest louder, sought help from Mamata didi, what did they get in return? Didi and the government did everything to shield the Trinamool leader.”
PM Narendra Modi said, “All the BJP leaders in the state fought a battle day and night. They fought a battle for the dignity of mothers and sisters. They endured the lathi charge. Faced difficulties. It was due to the pressure of the BJP and the power of the people of West Bengal that the West Bengal police yesterday had to arrest the accused (Sheikh Shahjahan). This criminal TMC leader was absconding for almost two months in the TMC regime in this state. There must be someone who would be saving him. Will you forgive such a party TMC? Will you not avenge the atrocities inflicted upon the mothers and sisters? Give a befitting reply to every impact by your votes.”
#WATCH | PM Modi attacks TMC on Sandeshkhali issue while addressing a public rally in West Bengal's Arambagh
He says, "…'Har chot ka jawab vote se dena hai'. Today, the people of West Bengal are asking their CM 'Didi'- is the vote of some people more important than atrocities… pic.twitter.com/5yjJWVgxx6
He added, “Today, the people of Bengal are asking the Chief Minister Didi – is the vote of some people more important than atrocities against women in Sandeshkhali? She should be ashamed of this. My friends from Bengal, I was astonished the most by looking at the other leaders in the I.N.D.I. alliance. Top leaders in the I.N.D.I. alliance have shut their eyes, ears, and mouths when it comes to talking about the Sandeshkhali issue – just like the three monkeys of Gandhi. Patna, Bengaluru, Mumbai – god knows where else they meet together. But tell me, have the leftist parties and Congress ever dared to ask the chief minister and the government of this state about the Sandeshkhali issue?”
He further said, “They did not even have a look at the victim sisters from Sandeshkhali. Do you remember what the national president of the Congress party said? He said, ‘Arey chhoddo, Bengal mein toh yeh sab chalta rheta hai’. Isn’t it an insult to Bengal, its culture and tradition?” (Meaning: Leave it. These things keep happening in Bengal.)
Prime Minister further said, “This is the truth of the I.N.D.I. Alliance bloc. They shield the corrupt, the dynasts and those who believe in appeasement politics. TMC has set a new model of corruption…have you seen the bundles of notes found in TMC leaders’ houses? Have you ever seen that much money even in movies?”
Notably, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday (27th February) while speaking at TV9 Bharatvarsh’s ‘What India Thinks Today’ conclave that such things keep happening in West Bengal and its not relevant for a national debate. He made these remarks when he was asked about what his and the Congress party’s stand is on the Sandeshkhali horror.
The Enforcement Directorate has seized Rs 580.78 crore in assets related to the Mahadev Online Betting app case, asserting that its activities are being operated from Dubai.
The ED’s action occurred as the agency conducted raids at 15 locations targeting individuals suspected of involvement in money laundering networks associated with Mahadev Online Book in Kolkata, Gurugram, Delhi, Indore, Mumbai, and Raipur.
During the operation, the ED said it retrieved cash worth Rs 1.86 crore, valuables worth Rs 1.78 crore and also frozen and identified proceeds of crime worth Rs 580.78 crore. The searches also resulted in the seizure of a large amount of incriminating evidence, including digital data and the identification of assets.
The agency is investigating a case against “Mahadev Online Book”, which is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites to enrol new users, create user IDs and launder money through a layered web of Benami bank accounts.
The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by Chhattisgarh Police. Subsequently, other FIRs registered by Visakhapatnam Police and other states were also taken on record.
An ED investigation into the matter has revealed that “the operations of Mahadev Online Book are being run from Dubai and it operates by franchising ‘panel and branches’ to their known associates on a 70 per cent to 30 per cent profit ratio.”
“The main promoters of Mahadev Online Book are also partners and promoters in multiple such online betting books like ‘Reddy Anna’ and ‘Fairplay’. Large-scale hawala operations are done to syphon off the proceeds of betting proceeds to off-shore accounts,” said the agency.
In the course of further investigation, the ED successfully identified other major players involved with the promoters of Mahadev Online Book.
“It was found that one Hari Shankar Tibrewal, who hails from Kolkata but is currently residing in Dubai, is a huge hawala operator and has partnered with the promoters of Mahadev Online Book. ED conducted searches at his known premises and at the premises of his associates. The searches revealed that Hari Shankar Tibrewal owned and operated one of the illegal betting websites, such as SkyExchange.
“He, through his Dubai-based entities, was investing the betting proceeds in the Indian Stock market by way of the Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) route. He had also employed many of his associates as Director in various companies which were involved in layering of the betting proceeds by investing them in the stock market. He was also involved in large-scale hawala movement of the betting funds,” said the ED.
Accordingly, security holdings worth Rs 580.78 crore in the name of the entities beneficially owned by Hari Shankar Tibrewal have been frozen by ED under PMLA 2002.
Earlier in this case, movable properties totalling Rs 572.41 crore were seized and frozen during searches conducted under the PMLA, 2002. Two provisional attachment orders have been issued, attaching movable and immovable properties valued at Rs 142.86 crore.
Prosecution complaints dated October 20, 2023, and January 1 of this year have been filed in the case. Nine accused have already been apprehended in connection with the case. Thus, total attachment and freezing in the case stand at Rs 1,296.05 crore.
The move comes almost a month after the federal agency arrested two individuals, Nitin Tibrewal from Kolkata and Amit Agrawal from Raipur. Both accused were arrested in the second week of January.
Earlier, the ED had arrested alleged accused Asim Das, Bheem Singh Yadav, Chandrabhushan Verma, Anil Kumar Agrawal, Sunil Dammani, and Satish Chandrakar. The agency stated that the illicit funds generated by the app were used to bribe politicians and bureaucrats.
In November last year, the ED had also conducted searches against the money laundering networks linked with the alleged Mahadev Book Online Betting App, which led to the recovery of cash worth Rs 5.39 crore and a bank balance of Rs 15.59 crore.
Several celebrities and Bollywood actors have also been summoned by the agency for questioning regarding their connections with the online betting platform and the payment methods involved.
ED has filed two charge sheets in the Mahadev app case, including against the main promoters, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal. The two promoters were recently detained in Dubai based on an Interpol red notice, and ED is working on their deportation or extradition to India.
The first charge sheet alleges that Chandrakar spent around Rs 200 crore in cash for his wedding in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, in February 2023. The agency claims that private jets were hired to transport Chandrakar’s relatives, and celebrities were paid for performances. The projected proceeds of crime in this case are estimated at Rs 6,000 crore.
The agency filed the second charge sheet before a special court in Raipur on January 1 of this year.
The about 1,700-1,800 page fresh charge sheet specifically named five accused, including alleged cash courier Asim Das, police constable Bheem Singh Yadav, and Shubham Soni, a prominent executive linked to the app, among others.
Das and Yadav were arrested by the agency in November last year, just before the first phase of polling for the assembly polls in Chhattisgarh.
Soni, who had claimed to be the owner of the app, earlier issued a video statement and sent an affidavit to the ED claiming to have “proof” about kickbacks paid to politicians and their linked persons for allowing the app to run its illegal businesses without any legal action.
ED previously asserted that Mahadev app promoters paid approximately Rs 508 crore to former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel. These claims, made just before the state assembly polls, were denied by Baghel, who labelled them as attempts to malign his image. The Congress party termed it vendetta politics by the Centre.
Chandrakar and Uppal, originally from Bhilai town in Chhattisgarh, are associated with the Mahadev online betting app, which is accused of facilitating illegal betting websites.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 21st February this year, veteran Congress leader Jairam Ramesh informed that the ambitious foot pilgrimage of Rahul Gandhi, Bharat Nyay Jodo Yatra, would be stopped on account of the Congress scion’s visit to the United Kingdom.
He claimed that Rahul Gandhi was invited by the University of Cambridge and that the Congress scion would deliver two lectures at the prestigious institute.
“February 26th to March 1st will be break days to enable Rahul Gandhi to fulfil his long-standing commitment to deliver two special lectures at his alma mater Cambridge University (UK) on February 27th and February 28th and also to enable him to attend other important meetings in New Delhi,” Jairam Ramesh had claimed.
On Tuesday (27th February), entrepreneur Venkata “Serish” Gandikota posted an image of Rahul Gandhi walking alongside the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, Sam Pitroda, and Congres-friendly ‘journalist’ Shruti Kapila.
He tweeted (archive), “Rahul Gandhi and Sam Pitroda sighting – great to see them without all the security people and walking casually in Cambridge today.”
Two days later on Thursday (29th February), Congress loyalist Shantanu tweeted a picture of Rahul Gandhi standing in front of a podium and wrote, “First picture of Rahul Gandhi ji from his official visit to Cambridge University.”
He further claimed, “New Professor in town.” The archived version of the tweet can be accessed here.
Screengrab of the tweet by Shantanu
Through his tweet, Congress loyalist Shantanu suggested that Rahul Gandhi was indeed ‘invited’ to speak at the University of Cambridge.
The mystery surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s UK visit
Rahul Gandhi is no stranger to mysterious visits to foreign countries. Such trips are often scheduled by the Congress scion when the party needs him the most.
It thus comes as no surprise that he took a break from his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ to deliver ‘special lectures’ at the University of Cambridge.
However, the claim of being ‘invited’ by the esteemed varsity seemed hard to digest. For instance, the last time the university posted a tweet mentioning Rahul Gandhi was way back in May 2022.
However, this time, there was no update about him on the X (formerly Twitter) handle of the University of Cambridge or its associate colleges. OpIndia was able to find talks by other guests but not Congress scion Rahul Gandhi.
No evidence of any recent lecture by Rahul Gandhi at the University of Cambridge
The location of the purported lecture
On closely analysing the image of Rahul Gandhi shared by Congress loyalist Shantanu on X (formerly Twitter), social media users determined that the purported ‘special lecture’ took place at the Jesus College of the University of Cambridge.
While many mistook the place for the ‘cafeteria’ of the college, OpIndia was able to find that Rahul Gandhi ‘spoke’ at the Elena Hall (conference room) of the Jesus College. A 360-degree tour of the facility was also available on the website.
Image of Elena Hall as found on the website of the Jesus College
Conference hall available for hire for commercial purposes
Just as the ‘University of Cambridge’ and ‘Judge School of Business’ tweeted about Rahul Gandhi in May 2022 and February 2023 respectively, we expected a similar post from the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of Jesus College.
However, it returned ‘no results’ on searching with the keyword ‘Rahul Gandhi.’
Screengrab of the Twitter query
On further investigating the matter, we found that the Jesus College administration allows commercial activities in the form of presentations, meetings, events and even group dining at its large conference halls, breakout spaces and grounds.
It implies that anyone can book not just a small meeting room at the Jesus College of the University of Cambridge but multiple venues with en-suite accommodation.
Indian Overseas Congress shares old images
With growing suspense around Rahul Gandhi’s yet another mysterious foreign visit, the Indian Overseas Congress took it upon itself to share old images and mislead the public into believing that the Congress MP got a grand welcome at the University of Cambridge.
In a tweet on Friday (1st March), the official handle of the ‘Indian Overseas Congress’, wrote, “Indian National Congress MP Rahul Gandhi ji at Cambridge University in conversation with Shruti Kapila.”
“It is indeed a moment of pride that an Indian leader has been invited to address and interact with the students in Cambridge University. We have the father of the Telecom revolution in India Sam Pitroda ji with Rahul Ji,” it further claimed.
Screengrab of the tweet by Indian Overseas Congress
The ‘Indian Overseas Congress’ shrewdly attempted to give the impression that Rahul Gandhi was recently invited by the University of Cambridge.
In order to substantiate its dubious claims, the X (formerly Twitter) handle posted images from May 2022 featuring Rahul Gandhi, Congress-friendly ‘journalist’ Shruti Kapila and Sam Pitroda.
The Indian Overseas Congress attached an image that read ‘India at 75’, clearly highlighting that the year in which the picture was clicked happened to be 2022.
OpIndia also found the complete recording of the event, which was held at the Corpus Christi College of the University of Cambridge on 22nd May 2022, on the official YouTube channel of the Indian National Congress.
When the bluff of the Indian Overseas Congress was called out on social media, it was quick to delete the tweet without citing any apology or clarification.
OpIndia writes to Jesus College
Having found the glaring inconsistencies in the claims made by Congress about Rahul Gandhi delivering ‘special lectures’ at the University of Cambridge, OpIndia wrote to the administration of Jesus College and asked the following questions:
When was the conference room booked and for how long?
Who were the organisers of the event?
Did the college administration invite Rahul Gandhi to speak at the event?
How many attendees were present at the event?
How much was paid by the organisers to book the Elena Hall?
Response of Jesus College busts claims by Congress
On Friday (1st March) evening, OpIndia received a response from a spokesperson of Jesus College of the University of Cambridge.
The official confirmed that the event organised at Elena Hall for Rahul Gandhi was a paid event and not organised by the college administration of the varsity.
“The event was an external, commercial booking. The College had no involvement in the organisation or financing of the event,” the spokesperson emphasised.
Screengrab of the email received from Jesus College
It must be mentioned that while Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, both of them are legally separate institutions.
Conclusion
As such, it becomes crystal clear that Rahul Gandhi was not invited by the University of Cambridge for any ‘special lecture.’
In fact, the Congress scion halted his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ for a paid event, conducted at a conference hall of a constituent college of the esteemed university.
It now makes sense why the Congress ecosystem has been rather tight-lipped over his ‘special talk’ at the University of Cambridge.
Congress shifts goalposts
Between 21st February and 1st March, the Congress party and its supporters have claimed different things about the alleged lecture of Rahul Gandhi.
Initially, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that Rahul Gandhi would deliver two special lectures at the University of Cambridge. Later, a picture of him ‘speaking’ at a private, paid event at Jesus College of the varsity was passed off as his ‘special lecture’ at the University of Cambridge.
Later, the narrative was shifted to claim Rahul Gandhi was invited to Jesus College as a ‘keynote speaker’ by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL. It was also alleged that he addressed students at the Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge.
When Rahul Gandhi visited the Judge Business School in Feb 2023, @CambridgeJBS posted about it on Twitter.
If a lecture was delivered by the Congress MP this time, why did the official handle of the Judge Business School not post any updates about it?
— Dibakar Dutta (দিবাকর দত্ত) (@dibakardutta_) March 1, 2024
OpIndia has reached out to Jesus College, CISL, the Judge Business School and the University of Cambridge. In the meantime, the Congress party has not furnished any photograph or video from Rahul Gandhi’s supposed address to the students at the Judge Business School.
On Friday, March 1, writer and founder of Ayodhya Foundation Meenakshi Sharan took to X to inform about the shocking demise of West Bengal’s Birbhum-based Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Amarnath Ghosh. She said that the talented dancer was shot dead in the USA where he was currently staying and pursuing his PhD.
Ghosh was reportedly taking an evening walk in the St Louis Academy neighbourhood on Tuesday, 27th February, when he was shot multiple times, Sharan said, sharing pictures of the young and talented Indian classical dancer. She also mentioned that the US officials are not providing his loved ones with any information or updates. She stated in her post on X that even his body hasn’t been given to his friends who have been trying to claim it.
The only child in the family, Amarnath Ghosh had lost his father at a very young age and lost his mother 3 years back.
Kuchipudi dancer par excellence, #AmarnathGhosh shot dead in St. Louis, Missouri!
Meanwhile, as per a report published by a local Bengali newspaper Sangbad Pratidin also confirmed that the dancer had been shot dead. It said that Amarnath’s family received a call informing them about his death after which they hurriedly left for America. Before leaving, Amarnath Ghosh’s family members, however, reported the phone call to the Siuri police station in Birbhum, West Bengal.
The Adani Group will invest Rs 75,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh, furthering its investments in the state, Pranav Adani, the director of Adani Enterprises Ltd. said on Friday.
Pranav Adani, while speaking at the inaugural session of the Regional Industry Conclave in Ujjain said that the Adani group intends to double its investments in the state.
He further said that a significant portion of this increased investment, totaling Rs 5,000 crore, will be allocated towards the construction of the Mahakal Expressway.
“I am delighted to announce that not only will the Adani Group continue investing in these diverse sectors but we will also more than double our investment in Madhya Pradesh, and contribute in our own humble way to the state’s all-round development. Our faith in your visionary leadership will see us investing close to Rs 75,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh. Of this, Rs 5,000 crore will be utilized to build the Mahakaal Expressway from this great city Ujjain, to Bhopal, through Indore,” he said.
Pranav Adani further lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the PM is working hard to take this nation to the pinnacle of glory.
“Madhya Pradesh is the heart of the country, and I have no hesitation in saying that the future belongs to Madhya Pradesh. Our successful Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is working hard to take this nation to the pinnacle of glory. It is clearly visible that under the leadership of Dr. Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh will play a significant role in fulfilling this commitment.”
He also said that the group will also invest another Rs 5,000 crore to set up a 4-million-tons-per-annum clinker unit in Chorgadi and two cement grinding units, in Dewas and Bhopal, with a combined capacity of 8-million-tons-per-annum.
“In the natural resources sector, we will invest over Rs 4,000 crore – and another Rs 600 crore to expand our presence in food processing, logistics and agri-logistics, and defence manufacturing,” he added.
Pranav Adani further said that the investment by the Adani Group in fuel distribution, which includes CGD, LNG, EV and BIO, will exceed Rs 2,100 crore, the bulk of which will be used to strengthen our city gas distribution network in 5 geographical areas: Bhind, Burhanpur, Anuppur, Tikamgarh and Alirajpur.
Adding further, he said that the Adani Group’s biggest investment will be in enhancing the state’s access to plentiful, reliable and affordable power. We will invest close to Rs 30,000 crore to ramp up the power generation capacity, at its Mahan Energen plant in Singrauli, from its current 1,200 megawatts to a massive 4,400 megawatts.
“We will also invest close to Rs 28,000 crore to set up 3410 MW capacity Pumped Storage Projects,” he added.
Pranav further claimed that the investment of nearly Rs 75,000 crore will generate over 15,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities in a wide variety of industrial sectors across Madhya Pradesh.
“Currently, our presence in Madhya Pradesh spans a wide range of sectors – from roads, cement and natural resources to thermal power, renewable energy and power transmission. Our cumulative investment in the state amounts to almost Rs 18,000 crore – and we have created almost 11,000 employment opportunities across the state,” he added.
The two-day Investor Summit, named the Regional Industry Conclave, kicked off today in the city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
This initiative spans across 20 districts of the state, including Bhopal, Ujjain, and Indore. 56 projects are expected to attract investments exceeding Rs 74,000 crore, creating employment opportunities for over 17,000 individuals.
At present, investment proposals totaling Rs 74,711 crore have been agreed upon by 35 companies participating in the Industry Conclave. This figure is expected to rise further during the conclave. Over 800 investors are slated to attend the event, with 30 foreign delegates also joining. Rather than solely targeting major industrialists for MOU signings, the government is emphasising the actualization of as many projects as possible. Accordingly, priority is being given to companies and individual investors prepared to invest immediately.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Thailand has replaced its Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Pimchanok Vonkorpon Pitfield, after strong objections by India to her remarks on New Delhi’s rice procurement programme.
As per sources, India lodged a protest over remarks by the Thai envoy to WTO where she accused India of using subsidised rice procured for public distribution systems to capture the export market.
“The Thai Ambassador has been replaced. She has ridiculed India’s public stockholding programme,” according to the source.
It has been also been learnt that Pitfield will be replaced by Thailand’s Foreign Secretary.
India has been seeking a solution to the issue of subsidy caps, calculated on prices fixed at the 1986-88 level, as it has breached the ceiling of 10 per cent of the value of production as the permitted level of support for procurement for its food programme.
As per the source, the facts of the Thai envoy to WTO were incorrect as she accused New Delhi of exporting 40 per cent of the rice procured for PDS.
Ministers and delegates from across the world gathered in Abu Dhabi for World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting that began on February 26, to discuss and deliberate upon global trade rules.
At the ongoing 13th ministerial conference of the WTO, India stressed that all policy options should be available for the WTO members to pursue for promoting digital industrialisation.
According to a Ministry of Commerce and Industry press release, India stressed that currently, a few firms based in developed countries dominate the global landscape of e-commerce.
India explained that there was a huge digital chasm between developed and developing countries, which makes it challenging to increase the participation of developing countries in global e-commerce.
Meanwhile, the closing session of WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) was extended to 5 pm (local time) on Friday, March 1. WTO Spokeswoman Ismaila Dieng said that the ministers continue to hold discussions on a package of agreements for adoption at MC13.
WTO, a global watchdog founded about three decades ago, now has 166 member countries, including India. This year, Timor-Leste and Comoros have been added as members of the WTO. The WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) was held in Switzerland’s Geneva from June 12-17, 2022. (ANI)
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Hours after an explosion was reported at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe, it has come to the fore that the reason for the explosion was not a cylinder blast but a bomb blast. BJP’s Tejaswi Surya uploaded a post on X saying that he talked to the owner of the cafe who confirmed that the blast had happened due to a bag that a ‘customer’ left at the cafe.
“Just spoke to Rameshwaram Café founder Sri Nagaraj about the blast in his restaurant. He informed me that the blast occurred because of a bag that was left by a customer and not any cylinder explosion. One of their employees is injured. It seems to be a clear case of a bomb blast,” Surya stated in the post.
Just spoke to Rameshwaram Café founder Sri Nagaraj about the blast in his restaurant.
He informed me that the blast occurred because of a bag that was left by a customer and not any cylinder explosion. One of their employees is injured.
Notably, a team of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad has arrived at The Rameshwaram Cafe in east Bengaluru, where an explosion took place at around 1.30 pm today. The incident took place at the popular restaurant during the lunch hour, when crowds from nearby offices generally line up.
#WATCH | A team of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad arrives at The Rameshwaram Cafe, where an explosion occurred in Bengaluru today pic.twitter.com/YfbudPTPWD
Earlier, the police claimed that the explosion had occurred due to a cylinder blast. However, now it has come to the fore that an unknown object kept inside a bag within the restaurant had exploded. A total of 5 persons are said to have attained injuries due to the blast and all of them including three staffers have been admitted to the hospital for treatment.
Police and fire personnel have reportedly rushed to the spot. The site of the explosion has been sealed by the police for investigation.
“We received a call about a cylinder blast in Rameshwaram cafe. Immediately, a fire engine was rushed to the spot. Initial suspicions are that it is a cylinder blast. However, it is being ascertained now that an unknown object kept in a bag exploded. It is a minor blast and we have shifted those injured to the hospital. The incident occurred between 1.30 and 2 pm. We are probing it from all angles,” a police officer was quoted as saying.
Shattered glass and furniture were seen strewn on the floor of the cafe, which is a big draw among residents. The area has now been secured by Police and Fire Brigade teams and the injured have been hospitalised.
The Rameshwaram Cafe is one of the popular hangouts and is usually extremely crowded during lunch hours. Further details are awaited.
A 32-year-old woman Sanghati Paul fatally stabbed her 30-year-old live-in partner Sarthak Das on 27th February in Kolkata. Afterward, she notified the incident to the authorities at the Nagerbazar police station. The shocking incident transpired at their rented apartment on Madhubani Road in Dum Dum’s Madhugarh.
The victim was taken to the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kamarhati after a police team responding to the report arrived at the location. He was pronounced “brought dead” there.
32 year old Sanghati Paul stabbed her 30 year old live-in partner Sarthak Das to death in Kolkata
The duo met online & started living together along with Sanghati's son from previous marriage.
Sarthak posted this pict just 2 days ago. Neighbours say they fought frequently pic.twitter.com/Rc4IExT7Cv
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) March 1, 2024
Police opened a murder case and sent the body of Sarthak Das for postmortem. Anupam Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South Zone, Barrackpore stated, “We arrested the woman and seized the murder weapon. She confessed to the crime. She will be produced in court on Thursday.”
In addition to being a photographer, the deceased worked as an app-cab driver on the side. The couple had begun living together after meeting on a social networking site a few years prior. They were living with Sanghati Paul’s son from her earlier marriage. A neighbour revealed, “They have been living in the rented flat for one-and-a-half years. The two would often have fights.”
Sarthak Das reportedly returned from a pre-wedding photo session in an inebriated state on the fateful night. An official from Nagerbazar Police Station disclosed, “The two had an argument, which snowballed into a scuffle. Paul, in a fit of rage, stabbed Das with a knife.”
It is unclear if the young boy witnessed the murder. On the night of the tragedy, he was sent to his grandparents as he was in a state of shock, as per reports.
On Thursday (29th February), the Mira Bhayandar Police arrested 8 illegal Rohingya immigrants from the coastal area of Uttan near Bhayandar. The 8 accused persons originally from Myanmar have been charged under the Foreigners Act as well as Passport Entry in India Rules for illegally entering the country.
As per the reports, the accused persons have been identified as Imam Hussain Abdul Kasim (25), Mohammad Johar Noor Mohammad (39), Amir Hussain Asad Ali (42), Ali Hussain Abdul Sobi (49), Noorul Amin Yusuf Ali (52), Kamal Hussain Noor Kamal (35), Mohammad Zakir Hussain Abu Alam (30) and Hamid Hussain Ali Akbar (55).
According to the reports, a team led by police sub-inspector Kunal Kurewad from the Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC) of the Uttan coastal police station, under the supervision of police inspector (crime) Rishikesh Paval got a tip-off. Based on the same, the team is said to have launched a search operation in the area to arrest the eight illegal immigrants.
The eight were reportedly arrested at the fishing jetty in Chowk village as they attempted to give a slip to the police team on Monday (26th February).
Notably, the immigrants were found speaking fluent Hindi. After failing to present genuine documentation authorizing their stay in the nation, the suspects were arrested and charged under the Indian Passport Act and the Foreigners Act.
The illegal immigrants, who were Rohingya Muslims, claimed to be refugees who had traveled to the coastal zone in quest of work as helpers on fishing boats, prompting the police to contact the Myanmar Embassy in New Delhi for information about the immigrants.
They also claimed that their families were located in Jammu and Kashmir. The central government has lately suggested an urgent suspension of the free movement regime (FMR) to prevent Myanmar nationals from entering India without a visa. Meanwhile, the illegal immigrants were remanded in police custody after appearing before Thane’s district sessions court. Further investigations are underway.
It is important to note that the Mira Road region in Mumbai is Muslim dominant area and has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In June 2023, massive controversy erupted in the capital city of Maharashtra after one of the Muslim families living in a society on Mira Road, Mumbai brought two goats a day ahead of Bakrid (Bakra-eid, Eid-Ul-Adha). The society members happened to refuse the Muslim family to get the goats inside the society premises for slaughter and said that they wouldn’t allow any kind of slaughtering activity within the society premises. However, chaos erupted after the Muslim family claimed that they were harassed by the society members.
In the second crucial incident that was reported recently in January 2024, the Islamists attacked Hindus with stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo, leaving over a dozen people who participated in rallies to commemorate the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya injured.
In the incident reported from Mira Road, Mumbai, Islamists also disrespected the Hindu religion and hurt the Hindu religious sentiments by tearing flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman. Islamists are also said to have vomited over the flags causing disrespect to the Hindu faith.
Recently, OpIndia also recorded 15 brutal cases of forceful conversion and community crimes from the Mira Road region in the past year. Hindus, especially the women in the region are deliberately harassed, trapped in love affairs and then forced to convert their religion to Islam. OpIndia accounted for 15 such cases. The detailed analysis of these reports can be read here.
Hours after the Congress candidate from Karnataka, Syed Naseer Hussain, won the Rajya Sabha election on 28 February, a video of a mob of party supporters allegedly shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ went viral on social media. Now, forensic experts have also confirmed the same, according to a report in India Today. According to an investigation of the footage, pro-Pakistan slogans were indeed chanted in the Karnataka Assembly during celebrations of the Congress candidate’s victory in the Rajya Sabha.
Pro-Pakistan slogans were found to be present in both the audio as well as the video and the report which was turned in to the state government also claimed that the footage had not been distorted. The Karnataka police on 29th February had already apprehended Mohmad Shafi Naashipudi in connection with the case. Superintendent of Police for Haveri, Anshukumar stated, “The detained suspect was identified as Mohmad Shafiq Naashipudi.”
An individual was questioned by the Bengaluru police over the crime in the meantime. The interrogation ended with his release. The senior police official informed, “On February 27, a case was registered in the Vidhana Soudha police station related to the pro-Pakistan slogans raised in the Karnataka Assembly. In this case, a suspect, Mohmad Shafiq Naashipudi, has been detained by the Bengaluru police.”
The police had taken voice recordings of several people for forensic analysis. However, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said the forensic report was yet to come. He said, “as soon as the report comes, we will take strict action. Action has already been taken on seven people.”
On 28th February, a huge uproar broke out when the person, now identified as a shopkeeper from Byadagi raised pro-Pakistani slogans while cheering Congress politician Syed Naseer Hussain’s success in the Rajya Sabha election at the Vidhana Soudha. On 29th February, the forensic report was considered by the state cabinet. During the discussion, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah voiced his disapproval of the Vidhana Soudha security Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and questioned why so many persons were permitted entry into the building.
Regarding the matter, the Congress government came under fire from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Leading the ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ march on 29th February, the BJP MLAs demanded the removal of the Congress government for the state’s deplorable peace and order condition. R. Ashoka, the Leader of the Opposition, headed the group. Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah has called for a probe into the incident and threatened to take harsh measures if it turned out that the phrase “Pakistan Zindabad” had been uttered.
Notably, after the state unit of BJP flagged the issue, dubious ‘fact-checker’ Mohammed Zubair claimed otherwise and was supported by several Congress leaders including the son of President of the Indian National Congress Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka Minister of Information and Technology Priyank Kharge as well as party’s Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala among others. However, the local police acknowledged the allegations and started an inquiry which proved the authenticity of the controversial clip.
Congress on 26th February won three Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure one seat after one of its MLAs cross-voted in favour of the ruling party in the state.
