On Friday (20th January), former cricketer and AAP MP Harbhajan Singh said that he will be visiting the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and seek blessing from Lord Ram. Underlining his faith in Dharma and criticising the political parties declining the invitation to Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya, he said that if anyone has a problem with him visiting the temple they can do whatever they want. Harbhajan Singh emphasised that the temple being constructed now is a historic event and good fortune for all. He made these remarks in an interaction with ANI in Dubai.
When asked about political parties declining the invitation to Pran Pratishtha, Harbhajan Singh said, “Things said by political people is a different matter. But the right thing is that the temple is being consecrated. It is our good fortune that this temple is being built at this time – in our lifetime. So we all should go there and get the blessings. And I would like to say that irrespective of who goes there or not, I have faith in Lord Ram. I have a firm belief and I will go there.”
#WATCH | On opposition parties declining invitation to Ayodhya Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, former Cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh says, " It is our good fortune that this temple is being built at this time, so we all should go and get the blessings.… pic.twitter.com/YUAplDGMNk
The former cricketer added, “It is my stand irrespective of which party goes there or not. As an individual, I believe in Lord Ram. I will definitely go there. If Congress wants to go, they can go. If they do not want to go, they are also free to do that. The same applied to everyone else. And if anyone has a problem with me going to Ayodhya, they can do whatever they want. I am a strong believer in Bhagwan. Whatever things are happening in my life are all His Krupa. And therefore I will definitely go there and get blessings of Lord Ram.”
According to a report by ANI, Harbhajan Singh further said, “My good wishes to the people of the country. The Pran Pratishtha is going to take place. As many people as possible should join the event either in person or on television and seek blessings. It is a historic day. Lord Ram belongs to everyone. It is a big thing that the temple of Lord Ram is being constructed at his birthplace. Everyone should go.”
#WATCH | On Ayodhya Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, former Cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh says, " My greetings to people across the country…this is a historic day and Lord Ram is of everyone. A temple is being built on his birthplace, this is a big… pic.twitter.com/tOslDnP5rX
He added, “I will definitely visit the temple. I am a strict believer in religion and God. I visit every Mandir, Masjid and Gurudwara to seek blessings. I will visit the temple whenever I get a chance. There is no doubt about it. It is our fortune that the temple is being inaugurated during our lifetime. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose leadership the temple is being constructed.”
The idol of Ram Lalla was placed in the ‘Garbha Griha’ of the Ram Temple on Thursday amid joyous chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’. In a significant prelude to the upcoming ceremony, a special puja was held in the sanctum sanctorum before the idol was brought inside with the help of a crane on Wednesday night. The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya’s temple will take place on 22nd January. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals to mark the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ while a team of priests, led by Lakshmikant Dixit, will lead the main rituals.
Multiplex chain PVR INOX Ltd has decided to live-stream the historic Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Mandir on its cinema screens on January 22, 2024. PVR INOX has tied up with AajTak to broadcast the significant ceremony live across over 160 cinemas across over 70 cities in India.
The two-hour screening will take place from 11 AM to 1 PM on 22 January. The ticket price has been fixed at ₹100 plus applicable taxes for all categories of seats. Not just the screening of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, the ₹100 ticket also offers a complimentary popcorn and beverage combo.
Join us for a momentous occasion! Watch the live screening of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Inauguration at PVR and INOX on January 22nd, 2024.
Secure your seat for this monumental event and enjoy a complimentary popcorn combo with every ticket. *T&C applies.
Tickets for the screening can be booked through PVR INOX App, website and other ticketing platforms.
PVR INOX Co-CEO Gautam Dutta said, “Grand and historic occasions like this have to be experienced in a grand manner. The cinema screens will bring to life the emotions of a collective celebration across the country. It will be a privilege for us to be able to connect the devotees with this celebration in a truly unique manner.”
“We hope that we will be able to recreate the buzz of the temple, the auspicious chants, and the breath-taking visuals, bringing alive the magic of the most awaited moment in India’s contemporary history. Our commitment to providing a memorable and immersive cinematic experience extends beyond entertainment, and we look forward to sharing this historic moment with our patrons,” Dutta added.
Talking about the initiative, a spokesperson for AAJ TAK stated, “At AAJ TAK, our commitment to being at the forefront of historic moments remains unwavering. The collaboration with PVR INOX takes our mission to new heights, connecting millions in India during significant events like this. Whether it’s the Pran Pratistha in Ayodhya or other crucial moments, Aaj Tak continues to be the beacon for those seeking reliable coverage.”
The Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony will be broadcast live by DD News and DD National channels of Doordarshan. Other News Channels will carry the Doordarshan feed on their channels and web platforms including YouTube.
Doordarshan has installed 40 cameras at various locations in Ayodhya, including the Ram temple complex, to provide live coverage in 4K technology. Live visuals will also be shown from Ram ki Paidi near Saryu ghat and the Jatayu statue at Kuber Tila.
Apart from TV channels, the ceremony will be shown on big screens in big and small towns across the city. Various organisations have organised such screenings. Railways will screen the event on the TVs installed at the railway stations. The event will also be screened on big billboards at Times Square in New York. It will also be broadcast at Indian embassies and consulates worldwide.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries will attend the ceremony on January 22. The Ram Mandir complex will be open to the general public from January 23 onwards. The seven-day Pran Pratishtha ritual started on 16th January, with separate rituals taking place each day. The Ram Lalla idol was placed in the Sanctum-Sanctorum on 18th January.
On the one hand, Hindus worldwide are looking forward to Monday’s (22nd January 2024) Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony), which will take place at the birthplace of Lord Ram in Dharmanagari Ayodhya. However, the actions and statements of I.N.D.I. Alliance parties are hurting the faith of Ram devotees every day.
Recently, the Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, the younger brother of Samajwadi Party patriarch late Mulayam Singh Yadav who was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was underway in the year 1990, made an audacious comment in which he defended the brutal killing of Karsevaks at Ayodhya on 30th October and 2nd November 1990 on the orders of his brother.
Shivpal Singh Yadav in his statement, offered ‘preserving the disputed structure’ as an excuse for the brutal open fire order passed by his brother and the Samajwadi Party patriarch then, which led to the death of countless Karsevaks. However, neither he nor any other party leader provided any explanation for the massacre committed by police in Sandpur, a village in Basti district which lies about 26 km from Ram Janmbhoomi.
Approximately a week before 30th October 1990, the police had entered the Sandpur village looking for Ram devotees and shot four residents. Ram Chander Yadav and Satyawan Singh passed away instantly followed by Jairaj Yadav while Mahendra Singh’s hands still bear bullet wounds. Members of all communities including general, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes as well as other backward class (OBC) women, children and elderly were brutally beaten after police opened fire on them. Their homes were pillaged.
The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against forty villagers and serious sections were invoked against them and they were thrown in jail. Among them were the individuals who had to carry out the final ceremonies for family members murdered by police gunshots. The dead bodies weren’t allowed to enter the hamlet.
Pleas for justice were made at every door but to no avail. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Human rights are sought today even in response to the deaths of violent gangsters and terrorists. Action against authorities is also demanded. What makes this unique is that, despite months of pleading with the purported constitutional protectors, the complaint letters of the villagers went unanswered. Shivpal Singh Yadav is being questioned by all of the victims of Sandpur village about the fact that there was no court stay and no contested structure. Why, therefore, did the cops murder their family members?
OpIndia reviewed the 23rd October 1990 filed FIR. Let’s analyze the official complaint that was submitted the day following the massacre.
Police were the complainants and the 40 accused belonged to all castes
The complainant in this FIR is Ram Chander Rai, who was in command of the Dubaulia police station at the time. He named 40 locals from Sandpur, Hengapur, Tedhwa and other villages in the complaint recorded on 22nd October 1990. In addition to seven criminal acts, all of the persons were reported under FIR No. 132/1990 under Sections 147, 149, 307, 332, 333, 353, 224, 225, and 336 of the Indian Penal Code. The matter known as Government versus Rajkaran Singh is still pending before the Basti District Court.
FIR registered on 23rd October 1990. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Ramkaran Singh, Raghavendra Pratap Singh, Satya Prakash Singh, Raj Bahadur Singh, Arjun Singh, Shravan Kumar Singh, Surendra Kumar Singh, Subhash Singh, Mata Prasad Singh, Tirath Singh, Ram Naresh Singh, Gangaram, Dodhi, Bhukkur, Chandrabhan. Singh, Ram Shankar Srivastava, Bhunai, Giju, Radheshyam Yadav, Rajit, Nandu, Krishna Chander Singh, Kashinath Tiwari, Harivansh Singh, Haribhan, Surat Singh, Ram Sanware, Ram Surat Singh, Kole Singh, Shatrughan Singh and Jairaj Yadav along with others are named in it. Among them, Gangaraj, Dodhi, Bhukkur, Bhunai, Giju, Rajit, Nandu and Ram are from the scheduled caste community.
Police station in-charge was furious after hearing ‘Ram Mandir will be built there’
All of the blame had been assigned to the villagers in the formal complaint written by police station in-charge Ram Chandra Rai. He filed an FIR after learning that some persons had assembled at the home of “Vishva Hindu Parishad” (VHP) activist Ramkaran Singh in Sandpur village through an informant. Ramkaran Singh has been also charged with taking the boats from the riverbanks by force and bringing the karsevaks to Ayodhya. The police invaded the village around five in the morning based on this information. Ramkaran Singh reportedly announced, “Get everyone together. The construction of the temple will continue if the Hindus in every village share this zeal,” according to the police station in-charge.
Police station in-charge’s submission. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
The police have claimed in the FIR that the people were preparing to take a boat to Ayodhya. Ramkaran Singh who was heading the group declared that he would go to Ayodhya under all circumstances when he was halted. The situation was described by the police as a threat of a breach of peace. According to the police, they then detained Ramkaran Singh and a few other collaborators in accordance with sections 151/107/116. A registration with the Ram Janmbhoomi seal attached was discovered during their search which was seized by the police as well.
Police station in-charge’s second submission. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
According to the police, certain individuals managed to get away from them when they were apprehending the accused. Ramkaran Singh reportedly stated, “Call the villagers. The time has come to make a sacrifice for Ram Janmbhoomi,” as he was being escorted from the village. Around 2,000 villagers gathered with guns in their hands after they heard him, per the police. The villagers are charged with the complaint of hitting the police with sticks and stones and trying to take their weapons, based on police station in-charge Ram Chandra Rai.
Police station in-charge’s third submission. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Police station in-charge Ram Chander Rai further informed that additional force arrived amid the chaos after which the police opened fire on the villagers. Two villagers named Satyawan Singh and Ram Chander Yadav died on the spot due to bullet injuries. The FIR also mentioned that Jairaj Yadav was arrested while he was wounded. The police have also claimed that they had recovered a machete and cartridges from the deceased Satyawan Singh. The police station in-charge alleged that three of his personnel received serious injuries during the assault by the villagers.
Police made false allegations in their defence
On 23rd October 2018, the main accused Ramkaran Singh requested the then Law Minister of Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw the case. He, in his letter, then noted that the case was registered by the cops in their defence after the killings of the karsevaks. He added that only 23 people are still alive out of all the alleged perpetrators. The rest have died on different dates. The Law Minister was also told that the ones alive were not only financially broke but also unable to walk. The accused asserted that they had been falsely implicated and maintained that the case was registered out of political animosity.
Villagers requested to the Law Minister. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
BJP MP demanded withdrawal of case
Harish Dwivedi, Basti MP for the Bharatiya Janata Party has also stated that political rivalry is the only driving force behind this case. On 23rd October 2018, he urged that the lawsuit should be withdrawn in a letter to the Uttar Pradesh government’s Law Minister. He encouraged the latter to drop the case against the accused and called them BJP members who are actively involved in the party. The parliamentarian highlighted, “On 22nd October 1990, during the Ram Janmbhoomi movement, two people were killed in police firing on unarmed karsevaks. Even after this, concerning the dismissal of the false litigation brought against the karsevaks by the government,” as the letter’s subject.
BJP MP appealed to the government to withdraw the case. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
No action on those who showered bullets
A then-Army Major filed a complaint regarding the police violence with the Indian Police Service (IPS) Subhash Chandra Gupta, the Basti Superintendent of Police on 22nd October 1990. Musafir Singh identified himself as a resident of the village Sandpur. He insisted that a murder case ought to be brought against the accused police officers. Ramkaran Singh remarked that despite this plea, no action was taken against the implicated cops. The Superintendent of Police Basti received multiple petitions on behalf of the deceased, however it went in vain. The bereaved relatives still possess proof of their entreaties.
A letter of complaint written by an Army Major against accused policemen in 1990. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Demand for action on everyone from SP to constable
The villagers continue to own the names of police officers against whom a murder case has been demanded. They were identified as Ram Chander Rai (then in-charge of police station Dubaulia), Dayashankar Singh (then in-charge of police station Canton), Sub-Inspector Sriram Arun alias Siyaram Arun, Sub-Inspector Surender Rai, Constable Radheshyam, Constable Ramnath Ojha, Constable Muralidhar Dubey, Constable Om Prakash Gaur, Constable Rama Nayan Yadav, Constable Brijanandan Singh, Constable Ashok Kumar, Constable Harishchandra and 12 other unknown constables who reportedly had rifles in their hands.
The now-deceased MLA Rana Krishna Kinkar Singh also called for action against these police officers in his capacity as a witness.
Action has been sought against these policemen. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
However, their requests had no impact whatsoever. Speaking with OpIndia, Rajkaran Singh stated that IPS Subhash Chandra Gupta, the then-Superintendent of Police Basti had ordered the killings. The locals hope that the Yogi government will prosecute all of the police officers who slaughtered innocent people and falsely accused them. Satya Prakash Singh has kept even the postmortem report of his brother Satyawan Singh in the hope of obtaining justice today or tomorrow.
However, the family of Ram Chander Yadav could not even see the face of the deceased for the last time due to the brutality of the police, therefore, his photograph doesn’t exist today.
Satyawan’s postmortem report is still preserved in the hope of justice. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Confiscated licensed weapons have not been returned to date
Rajkaran Singh stated that the police came to his village several times after the 22nd October incident. During this time the police not only looted women’s jewellery and money but also seized the licensed weapons of the innocent villagers. A petition dated 9th November 1990 by 69-year-old Jagdish Singh of village Sandpur is still present with the villagers in which he is pleading with the then District Magistrate of Basti district to return his licensed firearm which was taken away by the police.
Jagdish Singh, who claimed to be extremely ill in his plea in 1990 is no longer with us. His licensed weapon was not returned to him and no one knows about its whereabouts.
Jagdish died while requesting the return of his weapon. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Sold house, farm and jewellery to fight the lawsuit
The case registered under FIR number 132/90 is still going on in the court despite all the pleas of the villagers, former MLA Rana Krishna Kinkar and current MP Harish Dwivedi. Jairaj Yadav developed a drug addiction during his 33-year legal battle and ultimately passed away. Ramkaran Singh further asserted that over 23 defendants are still appearing in court on a regular basis. Many of them are suffering from ailments and have sold their fields and jewellery because of their dire financial circumstances.
The case is still ongoing in the District Court of Basti. (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
The villagers hope that the present government will not only liberate them from the injustice that has been going on for 33 years but will also take strict action against the policemen including the Superintendent of Police who were directly or indirectly involved in the instance of 22nd October, 1990. The accused parties in the case also believe that if they receive punishment in the name of Lord Ram then it will be noted in history somewhere in Ram Janmbhoomi.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday attended the 71st Plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in his capacity as a member of the Council and urged the Centre to bring out a new industrial policy for the Northeast so that the region can attract more private investors.
Speaking at the plenary meet, CM Sarma expressed his gratitude towards the current administration at the Centre, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking relentless measures for the socioeconomic growth and development of the Northeastern region.
He said the Northeastern region has embarked on a transformative journey owing to the continued focus it has received from the current government at the Centre.
The Chief Minister cited the example of the Multidimensional Poverty Index 2024 recently published by the NITI Aayog, which shows Assam’s multidimensional poverty registering a sharp decline from 36.97 per cent in 2013-14 to 14.47 per cent in 2022-23. The decline in the poverty rate pulled nearly 80 lakh people in the state out of poverty in the last nine years, he added.
The current phase of unprecedented positive developments on multiple fronts, including economics, in the state can largely be attributed to the climate of general peace that has been prevalent for the past couple of years, the Chief Minister said, exuding confidence that the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the next financial year would register significant growth over the current level.
He referred to the measures the state government has taken to improve Assam’s standing in the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) rankings. The Chief Minister added that these and other measures have led to the creation of a conducive investment climate in the state, which has resulted in many big-ticket investments in the past few years.
Chief Minister Sarma said owing to the government’s focus on fulfilling the genuine hopes and aspirations of the various aggrieved communities, peace has returned to Assam after many decades, with zero casualties amongst security personnel and civilians last year.
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act is currently in force in only four districts, he said, exuding hope that the Centre would explore the possibility of repealing it entirely from the state. The Chief Minister said the resolution of border disputes between Assam and its neighbours is going in the right direction.
The Chief Minister added that there has been marked improvement in the crime scenario in the state, especially in “crime against women,” where a significant reduction in cases has been observed.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the various infrastructure development projects, particularly on the road infrastructure front, currently under various stages of development in the state.
The state government has also put special emphasis on the development of school infrastructure in the state, he stated, adding that a huge chunk of monetary resources allotted under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and PM-DevINE scheme are being spent on the improvement of secondary school infrastructure.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the measures being undertaken by Assam to attain self-sufficiency (Atmanirbharta) on many fronts, such as fish, egg and milk production.
The plenary, held at the State Convention Centre in Shillong, also saw the presence of Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, who is also the Chairman of the NEC; Union Minister for Development of the Northeastern Region (DoNER); G. Kishan Reddy; Union Minister of State for DoNER BL Verma, and the Governors and Chief Ministers of all the member states of the NEC.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister attended the 11th Meeting of the North East Space Application Centre (NESAC) Society held at the same venue, which saw the attendance of the Union Minister of Home Affairs, who is also the President of NESAC, DoNER Minister G. Kishan Reddy, NESAC Vice-President and ISRO Chairman S. Somnath.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Former litigant in the Ayodhya land dispute case, Iqbal Ansari on Friday asserted that he has been invited to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla at Ram Temple adding that he will be attending the ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22.
Kerala Sneham Ashram Priest Swami Sunil Das met former litigant in Ayodhya land dispute case Iqbal Ansari and invited him for Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
“Swami Sunil Das gave me a gift of the temple and I have accepted it…I am a resident of Ayodhya and respect every religion. I have been invited and I will attend (Ram Temple inauguration). We want Hindus and Muslims of the country to have a good bond and need the blessing of the people of Ayodhya,” Iqbal Ansari told ANI on Friday.
He further said that when the verdict on Ram Mandir came it was welcomed by the Muslim community of the nation.
“For the past 70 years, the case was in the Lower Court, High Court, and Supreme Court and on November 9, 2019, the verdict on Ram Mandir came the decision was welcomed by the Muslim community of the nation. After the decision, there was no Dharna, protest or any case,” he added.
Ex-Babri litigant said that four years have passed and there is an environment of peace.
“The Ram Temple is ready for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22. My message is that people who are coming to Ayodhya should follow the path of Lord Ram,” he added.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya’s temple will take place on January 22.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals to mark the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ while a team of priests, led by Lakshmikant Dixit, will lead the main rituals.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), headed by Chief Commissioner Rohit Kumar Singh, has initiated action against Amazon Seller Services, concerning the sale of sweets on www.amazon.in under the name ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad.’
As per an official statement of the Department of Consumer Affairs, the action has been initiated based on a representation made by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) alleging that Amazon is engaging in deceptive trade practices involving the sale of sweets under the guise of ‘Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’.
The products highlighted are Raghupati Ghee Ladoo, Khoya Khobi Ladoo, Ghee Bundi Ladoo, Desi Cow Milk Peda.
It has been observed that various sweets/food products are available for sale on the Amazon e-commerce platform (www.amazon.in) claiming it to be “Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad”.
It is notable that under Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules, 2020, enabling the sale of food products online that make false representations misleads consumers regarding the genuine characteristics of the product.
Such practice falsely influences consumers to make purchase decisions they might not have otherwise taken, had the accurate attributes of the product been mentioned.
It may be mentioned that under Rule 4(3) of the Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules, 2020 no e-commerce entity shall adopt any unfair trade practice, whether in the course of business on its platform or otherwise
Further, ‘Misleading advertisement’ as defined under the Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 means an advertisement, which falsely describes such product or service; or gives a false guarantee to, or is likely to mislead the consumers as to the nature, substance, quantity or quality of such product or service.
Department of Consumer Affairs said that CCPA has sought a response from Amazon within seven days from the issuance of the notice, failing which necessary action may be initiated against them under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
In a jolt to the Congress in Gujarat, its senior member and three-time MLA from the Vijapur constituency, CJ Chavda resigned on Friday.
The move is seen as a prelude to Chavda’s joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He gave the reason for his resignation as the Congress’ approach towards Ram Mandir.
CJ Chavda handed over his resignation to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary at his residence in Gandhinagar.
“I have resigned from Congress. I have worked in the Congress for 25 years. The reason is that when the people of the whole country are joyous because of the Pran Pratishtha at Ram Mandir and there is a wave of joy among the people, instead of being a part of that wave of joy, the approach that this party (Congress) has shown is the reason for being upset.”
“We should support the works and policies of the two huge leaders of Gujarat PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. But I would not have been able to do that while being in Congress. Hence, I resigned,” he added.
With Chavda’s departure, the Congress party in the 182-member Gujarat assembly now stands at 15 members. His resignation triggers a by-poll for the Vijapur assembly seat, likely to coincide with the general elections scheduled for April/May.
Chavda, who has served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) twice, is a seasoned figure in the Congress party. He previously held the role of chief whip in the Assembly, representing the Gandhinagar North constituency.
In the 2022 elections, he shifted his political battleground to Vijapur, located in Mehsana district.
(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 Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Friday ordered the registration of an FIR and urged the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to take action against IAS officer Amarnath Talwade who is alleged to have “pressurised a subordinate officer into collecting money from retail liquor vendors” at the behest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP Government, which is facing serious corruption charges in the Delhi Excise Policy and Liquor Scam, is in for fresh troubles with an IAS officer found “pressurising a subordinate officer into collecting money from retail liquor vendors” at the behest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,” according to LG office sources.
The case pertains to the year 2015-16, when Talwade, during his stint as Senior General Manager of Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. (DSCSC), had allegedly pressurised the then Manager of DSCSC, PK Shahi (now retired), to “collect more money” from vendors by threatening him of “transfer.”
The action came after an audio clip of the two officers’ telephonic conversation surfaced which was later authenticated by the FSL as genuine and undoctored,” it said.
Talwade is currently stationed in Arunachal Pradesh.
The allegations are supported by an audio recording transcript that has been authenticated by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), as “genuine” and “undoctored,” establishing the “complicity of the officer.”
In the audio clip, “Talwade admitted to have received Rs five lakh from Shahi soon after he took charge of DSCSC”, according to LG office sources.
Talwade was posted in DSCSC from January 12, 2015, to April 29, 2016.
A complaint in this regard was filed by a Noida resident on March 21, 2023 who submitted a pen drive containing the audio clip to the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV).
The complainant alleged that the conversation between an IAS officer and an inspector pertained to “sharing of booty” in some excise matters.
After preliminary investigation, the DoV ascertained that the said IAS officer was Amarnath Talwade and the other subordinate officer was PK Shahi.
In the purported audio recording, Talwade is heard demanding 35 per cent (of the total collection), which he has committed to CM Kejriwal. To this, Shahi tells Talwade that he could arrange only 15 per cent due to two consecutive “dry months,” where collection was almost nil.
On the directions of the Chief Secretary, the DoV sent the audio clip to FSL Delhi, which on November 28, 2023, submitted its examination report, saying “there was no indication of any form of alteration in the audio recording”.
The matter was referred to the Law Department, GNCTD, which opined that it was a fit case for registration of the FIR as the information provided by the source was not “vague, cryptic or lacked essential details” and the information related to “commission of a cognizable offence”.
Subsequently, the DoV proposed that the matter be referred to ACB for registration of an FIR and appropriate disciplinary action against Talwade and submitted the proposal for LG’s approval.
The LG, according to his approval, has also expressed displeasure over the delay in the case despite clinching evidence against the officer in the form of an audio recording.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today delivered an address at the inauguration of Boeing India Engineering & Tech Center in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
PM Modi spoke about the growth of the Indian economy and the many sectors driving this growth. The Prime Minister said that Bengaluru is a city which links aspirations with innovation and achievement.
“Bengaluru links India’s tech potential to global demand,” he said adding that Boeing’s new global technology campus will strengthen this very identity of Bengaluru.
Karnataka- "Mukhyamantri ji aisa hota rehta hai," says PM Narendra Modi to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah as people chant 'Modi-Modi' during the inauguration event of the new Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center campus in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/dHKutj5aLy
He said that the new center would give new strength to the global aviation sector. PM Modi reiterated that the Boeing campus empowers the idea of ‘Make In India, Make For The World’.
The Prime Minister also lauded the engineer marvels of India and how women and youth play a large role in the aviation sector.
"Aisa hote rahta hai" PM Modi trolls Siddaramaiah as people raise Modi Modi slogans ???pic.twitter.com/UV8xFY5gPh
Towards the end of his address, when the PM said that India has a stable government, the crowd burst into “Modi, Modi” chant.
PM Modi then took a pause, turned to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and said that this keep happening. “Mukhyamantri Ji aisa hota rehta hai (Mr CM, this keeps happening),” PM Modi said with a chuckle that lasted a good few seconds.
The Chief Minister, who was looking at PM Modi, appeared flushed attempting to hold back his laugh while also trying to hide his face from the camera.
The moment left the audience in splits and the clip of the video is now making the rounds on the internet.
Built with an investment of Rs 1,600 crores, the 43-acre campus is Boeing’s largest such investment outside the US.
Boeing’s new campus in India will become a cornerstone for partnership with the vibrant startup, private and government ecosystem in India, and will help develop next-generation products and services for the global aerospace and defence industry.
PM Modi also launched the Boeing Sukanya Program which aims to support the entry of more girl children from across India into the country’s growing aviation sector.
The program will provide opportunities for girls and women from across India to learn critical skills in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields and train for jobs in the aviation sector.
On Thursday (18th January), a Hyderabad court awarded death sentence to a man named Imran-ul-Haq for brutally murdering his wife Naseem Akhtar by stabbing her with scissors in her throat. The horrific murder was committed in January 2019 in the Bhavaninagar police station precinct in Hyderabad.
Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge CV S Sai Bhupathi also fined Imran Ul Haq Rs 10,000, according to a Hyderabad police press release. The authorities stated the case involved a brutal murder. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Zone) P Sai Chaitanya said that Imran-ul-Haq had also demanded Rs 30,000 from his wife to buy a car.
On January 6, 2019, Haq stabbed his wife in the throat with scissors, struck a hammer on her head, and inserted a screwdriver into her vagina before fleeing the scene. Based on a complaint, a case was filed under Section 302 and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Haq was arrested the police said.
As per the chargesheet, victim Naseem Akhtar gave birth to four daughters, which dismayed Imran, who married another woman in the hopes of having a son. However, he stayed with Naseem and tortured her for money. Meanwhile, Naseem’s family members used to give him money to avoid problems.
Imran became accustomed to this until Naseem stood firm, stating that her family were unable to give in every time he demanded money. This infuriated Imran. Following that, while the girls were visiting their grandparents, he grabbed a set of scissors, a hammer, and a screwdriver and assaulted Naseem.
Imran attacked his wife Naseem in the neck with scissors, gouged out her eyes, and shoved a screwdriver into her vagina before fleeing the crime scene. When Naseem’s brother heard her screams, he hurried to the scene, but Imran had already escaped before he could attend to his sister. Imran then went to his second wife’s home, changed his clothes, and was leaving when the Bhavaninagar police apprehended him.
During their investigation, the police found a note blaming Naseem’s family for forcing his hand, TNIE reported. The court convicted Imran based on numerous clues and eyewitness accounts.
