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Eyes gouged out, genitals mutilated, tongue chopped off: Shiv Temple Pujari, who was missing in Bihar for 5 days, found dead

OpIndia Staff
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Eyes gouged out, genitals mutilated, tongue chopped off: Shiv Temple Pujari, who was missing in Bihar for 5 days, found dead

In a horrifying incident in Bihar’s Gopalganj, a priest (Pujari) of a Shiv Temple, who had been missing for the last five days, has been brutally murdered. The deceased victim has been identified as Manoj Kumar Sah. The matter pertains to Danapur village in the Manjhagarh police station area. The mutilated body of the victim, with his eyes gouged out, and tongue and genitals chopped off, was recovered in the bushes near a dairy shop on Saturday (December 16). The 32-year-old victim was also shot with a bullet near the neck.

Reports say that the victim’s brother Ashok Kumar Sah has been a village head, and is a local Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader (Mandal President). Ashok said that his brother went missing five days ago and that they had filed a missing persons complaint as well on December 11, however, the police did not take any concrete action despite giving assurance that they will find Manoj within hours. The victim’s family had raised suspicion that Manoj might have been abducted.

After the victim’s mutilated body was found, the infuriated villagers staged a protest accusing the police of inaction in the matter. The protestors even blocked National Highway 27. Subsequently, Sadar SDPO Pranjal arrived at the protest site and tried to pacify the agitated locals. Meanwhile, heavy police force was called in to control the situation. The police have said that an FIR has been registered in the killing of the temple priest and an investigation into the matter is underway.

Notably, the police have not made any arrests so far and the motive behind the brutal murder also remains undisclosed. However, the victim’s brother Ashok has said that attempts were being made by some people to grab the temple’s land. He added that whenever any program or event was organised at the temple, the people belonging to another community raised objections. Moreover, Ashok said that his brother, who had been taking care of the temple for the last five years, was quite disturbed as some land bought for the temple was grabbed by the accused who used it for farming. He added that his brother was also getting death threats for some time.

According to the CCTV footage recovered from the cameras installed in the Temple, the victim was last seen stepping out of the temple after locking the room at around 12:40 AM on December 10. Three youths, including Manoj, used to reside in the temple. Meanwhile, Gopalganj Police said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter.

The brutal murder of the Hindu priest has sparked outrage in the victim’s village as well as on social media. Taking to X, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called Manoj’s horrific murder an “ISIS style killing” saying that “jungle raj” prevails in Bihar now.

“Bihar now has Jungle Raj not Nitish Raj. ISIS style killing of Pujari in Gopalganj. Shot dead, eyes gouged out, private parts damaged. Who is safe in Bihar? Neither Sadhus. Neither cops and nor is the common man,” Poonawalla posted.

20-year-old Dalit woman gang-raped by two drivers in a moving bus on its way to Rajasthan from Uttar Pradesh; Arif arrested, Lalit at large

OpIndia Staff
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20-year-old Dalit woman gang-raped by two drivers in a moving bus on its way to Rajasthan from Uttar Pradesh; Arif arrested, Lalit at large

A startling incident has occurred in a moving bus going from UP to Rajasthan that is reminiscent of the notorious Nirbhaya case in Delhi. Two bus drivers named Mohammed Arif and Lalit are accused of gang-raping a 20-year-old Dalit woman who was travelling from Kanpur to Jaipur on the nights of 9th and 10th December. She had taken a bus on the evening of 9th December and was on her way to her uncle’s house. She was told to sit in the cabin because of the unavailability of seats.

The perpetrators exploited the situation to satisfy their vile cravings and sexually assaulted her in the moving vehicle. Mohammed Arif has been arrested and is presently under judicial custody while Lalit was able to evade capture, according to the Station House Officer of Kanota police station Bhagwan Sahay Meena. Authorities have launched a search operation to nab him.

The victim was in the closed cabin of the bus with few individuals. She sounded the alarm when the incident happened and alerted the other passengers who halted the bus and thrashed the culprits. Afterwards, Mohammed Arif was apprehended while Lalit managed to flee.

Bassi Assistant Commissioner of Police Phoolchand Meena informed, “Around 7:30 pm on 9th December, a girl was travelling from Kanpur to Jaipur, to her uncle’s home. She boarded a bus and since she didn’t get any seat, she was made to sit in the cabin. During the journey, when other passengers in the cabin left, the drivers raped her.”

The official added, “When the passengers sitting outside grew suspicious, they opened the cabin door. Passengers beat up the drivers but one of them managed to escape. One of the drivers Mohammed Arif has been arrested and the other one Lalit is still absconding. A search is underway for him.

Gujarat: Farooq Pathan of Kheda tries to behead a Hindu woman for refusing his proposal, case filed against the absconding accused

મેઘલસિંહ પરમાર
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Gujarat: Farooq Pathan of Kheda tries to behead a Hindu woman for refusing his proposal, case filed against the absconding accused

On Sunday (17th December), Gujarat police reported that a Hindu woman, in a village in the Kheda district, was subjected to a brutal assault by Farooq Pathan after she refused to engage in an affair with him. Accused Farooq Pathan tried to even behead the victim woman on Thursday (14th December). The victim is currently hospitalised at SVP Hospital in Ahmedabad, while the accused, Farooq Pathan is absconding. A police complaint has been filed, leading to the registration of a case. The police launched an investigation into this case.

The incident took place in Sanadara village within the Galateshwar taluka of Kheda. The 33-year-old victim, residing in this village, got married in 2010 to a man from a nearby village. However, due to a dispute with her husband, she has been residing at her father’s house for the last three years. She is the mother of an 8-year-old son.

According to her official complaint, the victim reported that Farooq Abbas Pathan, a resident of her village for the past two months, had been persistently stalking and pressuring her to engage in a romantic relationship. Despite her repeated refusals, Farooq continued to pursue her, insisting on initiating a love affair.

On Thursday (14th December), at approximately 7 AM, Farooq Pathan abruptly approached the victim, hurling verbal abuse at her, including caste-related insulting remarks. Armed with a knife, Farooq Pathan attacked the victim’s neck. The victim tried to save herself with her hands during the assault. Consequently, serious wounds were inflicted on her wrists by the sharp-edged weapon.

At the time of the attack, the victim was accompanied by her sister-in-law. Farooq Pathan also targeted the sister-in-law, attempting to cause physical harm to her, the victim’s son, and father. He then fled from there. The family members also rushed to the spot and moved the victim to the local hospital.

Subsequently, she was transferred to SVP Hospital in Ahmedabad, following a referral, where necessary procedures and operations were conducted. Currently, the victim is receiving medical treatment and remains hospitalised.

The Sewalia police have initiated legal proceedings by filing a case under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including sections 326 (voluntarily causing hurt by weapon), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 506(2) (criminal intimidation). Additionally, Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act and various sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked. A comprehensive investigation is underway. The accused, Farooq Pathan, remains unapprehended as of the time of writing this report. OpIndia has a copy of the First Information Report (FIR).

Farooq Pathan threatened to kill the victim’s son

Speaking to OpIndia about the incident, one of the victim’s family members said, “He tried to slit her throat, but her wrists received serious cut injuries as she tried to shield her neck with her hands. Her thumb had a narrow escape when he attacked for the second time with that knife.”

According to the family member, Farooq threatened to kidnap the victim’s son on his way to school and kill him, as well as the entire family. The family has now lodged a police complaint.

Hindu organisations also reached out to help

Hindu organisations also rushed to the aid of the victim’s family after learning about the incident. Bhavesh Kansara, a Bajrang Dal worker from Ahmedabad, told OpIndia, “We rushed to the hospital along with our workers when the incident was reported. We are discussing what to do next after getting the details from the family. Our only aim is that the family should get justice and there should be awareness among the people on this issue and Hindu daughters should avoid getting trapped.” He added that Farooq’s family had also approached the victim’s family and talked about a solution, but they have categorically refused.

Anti-India outfit ‘The People’s Forum’, associated with NewsClick linked CCP stooge, saw 803% rise in funding

Dibakar Dutta
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Anti-India outfit ‘The People’s Forum’, associated with NewsClick linked CCP stooge, saw 803% rise in funding

The People’s Forum, financed by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stooge Neville Roy Singham, has witnessed a staggering rise in funding in 2022. The organisation has been at the helm of anti-India propaganda since 2019 in cahoots with communists, Kashmiri separatists and anti-Hindu activists.

As per a report by the Washington Examiner, ‘The People’s Forum’ received a whopping $4.4 million (~₹36.53 crores) in 2022 while it could rake in only $4,86,900 (~₹4.04 crores) a year earlier.

The US news outlet reviewed the tax forms of the Singham-financed organisation and found that there has been an 803% increase in funds amassed by it in a year-long period.

Screengrab of the news report by The Washington Examiner

According to the Washington Examiner, The People’s Forum received about $4 million (~₹33.2 crores) in grants and contributions in 2022. A review of the organisation’s financial disclosures also revealed that it made $52000 (~₹43.18 lakhs) in investment and $3,31,000 (~₹2.74 crores) in program service revenue.

At the same time, its assets were valued at $18.5 million (~₹153 crores). As per the Washington Examiner, the assets of The People’s Forum saw a $4.9 million (~₹40.69 crores) rise in its valuation in 2022.

As per its tax forms, the organisation incurred an expenditure of $3.8 million (~₹31.55 crores) in 2022. Its office and studio space lease contracts were valued at $343,000 (~₹ 2.84 crores)

The People’s Forum gained IRS tax-exempt status, foreign policy experts share concern

“The flood of cash to the People’s Forum underscores how far-left organizations boosting China and other overseas interests have gained significant footing in the U.S. in recent years,” the Washington Examiner emphasised.

According to the US news outlet, the Neville Roy Singham-financed organisation gained IRS (Internal Revenue Service) tax-exempt status in 2017 i.e. it is not required to pay federal corporate tax on its income.

Given that it is registered as a ‘charity’, The People’s Forum is not obligated to report its donors to the public. Washington Examiner reached out to the general manager of the organisation, David Chung, via email but he did not comment on the matter.

While speaking about the development, Republican leader Elise Stefanik said, “I support immediately investigating the People’s Forum and organizations like it to determine what level of funding and coordination these pro-Hamas rallies have received from America’s adversaries.

Washington Examiner pointed out, “Foreign policy experts and members of Congress have recently raised concerns about the People’s Forum having tax-exempt status, particularly as it boosts Hamas.”

The People’s Forum and its anti-India agenda

OpIndia has found that ‘The People’s Forum’ has been peddling anti-India narratives since 2019. It has been organising teach-in sessions, seminars and movie screenings since 2019 to disseminate a distorted idea of Jammu and Kashmir to its global audience.

The Chinese Communist Party stooge-backed organisation has openly called for the secession of the integral part of the Indian territory and extended support to extremist elements, calling for ‘Azadi.’ ‘

The People’s Forum reiterated pro-Pakistani talking points about Kashmir, referring to the region as ‘Indian Occupied.’

In Sep 2019, the People’s Forum conducted a ‘teach-in session’ dubbed ‘Self-Determination and Solidarity in Kashmir.’ The anti-India event was sponsored by the likes of ‘Codepink’, founded by Neville Roy Singham’s wife Jodie Evans.

It has also held the screening of a propaganda film titled ‘Khoon Diy Baarav’ and promoted a book, written by ‘ISI operative’ Hafsa Kanjwal, and titled ‘Colonising Kashmir: State Building under Indian Occupation.’

“August 5 marks 4 years since India’s complete annexation of Kashmir—Author Hafsa Kanjwal & Mohamad Junaid will also discuss recent developments in the region,” The People’s Forum lamented the abrogation of Article 370.

The Neville Roy Singham-funded organisation was also seen disseminating the myth of the ‘Kerala Model’ in one of its events, organised on April 11, 2020.

A year later on August 7, 2021, ‘The People’s Forum’ held another event, promoting a book titled ‘Local Democracy and Development: The Kerala People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning’. Interestingly, the book is written by a Communist Party of India (Marxist) politician Thomas Isaac.

The uncanny obsession with Kerala did not end with praising the Communist Party of India’s make-believe governance model. ‘The People’s Forum’ appeared fascinated with Communist hardliners such as EMS Namboodiripad who infamously called Mahatma Gandhi a ‘Hindu fundamentalist.’

Neville Roy Singham, NewsClick funding and the aftermath

On August 5 this year, The New York Times published a detailed article, revealing the ties of Neville Roy Singham with the Chinese government and his financial support to an Indian leftist propaganda outlet NewsClick.

The New York Times pointed out that Singham has been successful in disseminating Chinese government talking points under the pretext of ‘progressive advocacy’ in countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa and the United States.

During its investigation, the American newspaper found that Neville Roy Singham had financed an India-based leftist propaganda outlet named NewsClick. 

Screengrab of the article by The New York Times

“In New Delhi, corporate filings show, Mr. Singham’s network financed a news site, NewsClick, that sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points. “China’s history continues to inspire the working classes,” one video said,” noted The New York Times.

It was later revealed that Neville Roy Singham had close ties with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Prakash Karat. Emails exchanged between NewsClick owner Prabir Purkayastha and Neville Roy Singham show that the latter instructed the former on ways to report the India-China border dispute and China’s handling of COVID-19.

On 16th November this year, the Enforcement Directorate issued summons to Neville Roy Singham in China in the NewsClick-Chinese funding case.

Don’t underestimate the seriousness of the Indian Parliament security breach: PM Narendra Modi

OpIndia Staff
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Don’t underestimate the seriousness of the Indian Parliament security breach: PM Narendra Modi

PM Narendra Modi has said that the seriousness of the security breach of the Indian parliament should not be underestimated. He made these remarks in a recent interview with Dainik Jagran.

PM Narendra Modi said, “The seriousness of the incident that happened in Parliament should not be underestimated at all. The Speaker sir is taking necessary steps with full seriousness. He has implemented all necessary measures. The investigating agencies are investigating the matter strictly. We need to go deep into the matter to understand what are the elements and intentions behind this. Solutions should also be found with one mind. In such cases, everyone should avoid debate or resistance on such topics.”

The Delhi Police has so far arrested six persons for using smoke canisters and raising slogans after intruding into the Lok Sabha hall and Parliament premises on 13th December. Sagar Sharma and D Manoranjan had jumped into the Lok Sabha hall while Neelam Singh and Amol Shinde raised slogans after releasing smoke from canisters in the Parliament premises. All four accused were assisted by conspirators Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat.

The four accused were detained in Parliament itself. The main accused Lalit Jha surrendered before the Delhi Police the next day. The sixth accused, Mahesh Kumawat, was taken into custody on 16th December. All the six accused have been booked under the UAPA. Eight employees of Parliament have also been suspended for security lapses.

Police has since recovered burnt mobile phones of all the accused from Rajasthan, where the key accused Lalit Jha tried to destroy them. Further investigations into the case are underway as police tries to unravel the entire conspiracy.

UK: Islamists protest against Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma for not standing with Palestine, the MP had earlier invited Rahul Gandhi to British House of Commons

OpIndia Staff
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UK: Islamists protest against Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma for not standing with Palestine, the MP had earlier invited Rahul Gandhi to British House of Commons

On 16th December (local time), a pro-Palestinian mob chanted slogans against UK MP Virendra Sharma for not voting in favour of the Scottish National Party’s proposed amendment (h) in King’s Speech Motion for an Address calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The slogan, “Virendra Sharma Shame On You”, was raised outside the Southall Town Hall in England. The slogans were raised against other MPs as well.

There has been a campaign against MP Sharma because he voted against the amendment calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Notably, two amendments were tabled in King’s Speech Motion for an Address. One was proposed by the Labour Party (amendment r in the name of the Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer), while the other was proposed by SNP (amendment h in the name of Stephen Flynn, a SNP leader).

In the amendment (r), there was a call for adding text to the speech for condemning the Hamas terrorist attack and murder of civilians. It also called for the release of hostages and reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend its citizens from terrorism. Further, it called for a reaffirmation of the UK’s commitment to the rules-based international order, international humanitarian law and the jurisdiction of the ICC to address the conduct of all parties in Gaza and Hamas’s attacks in Israel. In the amendment, the call was basically made to support Israel’s right to defend itself while assisting the civilians living in Gaza. When the amendment went for a vote, Sharma voted in favour. The amendment was, however, defeated with 183 Ayes and 290 Noes.

SNP leaders called the other amendment for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. When the amendment went for voting, Sharma abstained. The motion was defeated by 293 Noes against 125 Ayes.

In a post on X, Sharma wrote, “I voted in Parliament for an end to the violence in Israel and Palestine and reaffirmed my commitment to ensuring humanitarian aid on scale reaches the people of Gaza. Despite online disinformation, you can see how I voted here, voting for amendment r.” He added the link to the amendment where he had voted in favour.

Virendra Sharma invited Rahul Gandhi to the British Parliament

In March 2023, Sharma organised an event for Rahul Gandhi in the British House of Commons. Gandhi was invited to talk about the Bharat Jodo Yatra. He said he was proud to have invented a broad range of leaders to discuss and share their views. He introduced Gandhi as, “Rahul Gandhi is no different, a political leader with a vision for the future, and as a key leader of Congress and an MP, he is part of the discussion about the future UK-India relationship. The public, the media, politicians, and academics should all be part of this conversation, and so I look forward to them all contributing to this discussion. The debate is not limited to a political future but must embrace the cultural, social and business ties that bind both countries, as the people are the living bridge,” before the discussion.

Sharma praised UP CM Yogi Adiyanath

In October 2023, biographer of UP Chief Minister, and author Shantanu Gupta was invited and awarded with Global Gandhi Awards 2023 in the House of Commons in Britain. The honour was awarded in the British Parliament in the International Conclave hosted by Business man Vijay Goel and social leader Nachiketa Joshi.

Shantanu also gifted his bestseller graphic novel – “Ajay to Yogi Adityanath” to British parliamentarian Virendra Sharma. MP Virendra Sharma wrote a heartwarming message for UP CM saying, “Hon Yogi Adityanath, I would like to congratulate you on achieving great success in UP. Bringing Peace to the State. Best Wishes, Virendra Sharma. Member of Parliament, UK. 21-Sep-2023….”

Israel-Hamas war and anti-Jew protests

On 7th October 2023, Hamas terrorists launched a massive terror attack on Israel, leading to the death of at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals. Following the attack, Israel launched a counter-attack on Hamas to wipe out the terror outfit from the face of the Earth. Initially, Israel hit Hamas locations in Gaza via air strikes. Later, a ground attack by Israeli forces was started to eliminate Hamas terrorists. Hamas is known for using civilians as human shields. When the Palestinians tried to flee the Gaza Strip after IDF urged them to evacuate to save themselves from Israeli air strikes, Hamas reportedly forcefully stopped the civilians. Furthermore, they established underground bunkers across the Gaza Strip, especially under hospitals and schools, as a countermeasure against Israeli forces, as they knew Israel would hesitate in attacking such establishments. The Israel-Hamas war entered its 71st day on 17th December 2023.

Notably, Harvard student associations released a joint statement in support of Palestine whitewashing the crimes committed by Hamas. They faced serious backlash, and Jewish billionaires who were funding these Universities or recruiting their students announced to cut off ties. Several student organisations pulled back from the statement following the backlash.

Sajjan Jindal of the JSW group booked in a rape case filed by an actress, FIR registered in Mumbai after court order

OpIndia Staff
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Sajjan Jindal of the JSW group booked in a rape case filed by an actress, FIR registered in Mumbai after court order

On Wednesday (13th December), a complaint of rape was filed against Sajjan Jindal, managing director of the JSW Group, by an actress at BKC police station in Mumbai. The complainant said that the crime took place in January 2022 in the penthouse of the head office of the company located in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

According to the complainant, the police did not book any case despite the complaint being lodged earlier in 2023. Now, this case is registered after the court ordered to book an FIR.

According to the victim woman’s statement, she initially encountered Jindal in October 2021 in Dubai, where they were both present in the VIP box of a stadium, enjoying an IPL match. Subsequently, they crossed paths in Jaipur during the wedding of MP Praful Patel’s son.

The actress claimed that Jindal’s behaviour turned increasingly intimate and intrusive following their meeting in Mumbai. Despite her repeated rejections of his advances, she alleged that Jindal ultimately forced himself upon her.

She said in her complaint, “We had exchanged numbers and met in Mumbai because he had expressed interest in buying property from my brother who is a real estate consultant in Dubai. He started addressing me as ‘babe’ and ‘baby’, and described all the problems in his marriage when we first met alone, which made me very awkward.” She further mentioned that gestures such as hugs and flirtatious advances on his part contributed to her discomfort.

The complainant stated that in their subsequent text message exchanges, Jindal conveyed romantic feelings towards her, notwithstanding his marital status. She mentioned, “He also tried to kiss me and talked about getting physically intimate, which I shot down, saying that could happen only after we were married.”

According to her complaint, in January 2022, during a meeting at the company’s headquarters, Jindal escorted the actress to the penthouse. Despite her persistent protests and refusals, she claimed, that Jindal imposed himself on her. The complainant mentioned that despite the incident, she attempted to sustain a friendship with him. However, he ceased responding to her and eventually blocked her number. She said, “Before blocking my number in June 2022, he threatened me with dire consequences if I approached the police.”

In February 2023, she submitted a written complaint to the BKC police, but as per the actress, her repeated complaints were ignored. She said, “I approached the police on February 16, 2023. They barely scribbled down a rough statement. They didn’t even give me a copy of that statement. No FIR was filed. Finally, on December 5, 2023, I filed a writ petition against the police in Bombay High Court.” Consequently, she sought legal recourse and approached the Bombay High Court, which mandated the BKC police to officially register the complaint.

According to an official from the BKC police, the accused businessman has been charged under Sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, based on the actress’s statements. He stated that ongoing investigations are being conducted into the matter.

DCP Deekshitkumar Gedam said, “Mumbai Police is doing everything legally as per procedure. There wasn’t any delay from our side in filing the FIR. We take matters related to women’s safety very seriously. We are following the legal course of action in the matter.”

Parliament security breach: Police recovers burnt mobile phones of the accused from Rajasthan

OpIndia Staff
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Parliament security breach: Police recovers burnt mobile phones of the accused from Rajasthan

In the Parliament security breach case investigation, police has recovered burnt phone parts of all accused in Rajasthan’s Nagaur on Sunday (December 17). All the phones were with accused Lalit Jha, the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy. Jha was recently arrested from Rajasthan.

Phone parts of all the accused have been recovered, all the phones were found in burnt condition. Lalit Jha had the phones of all the accused, ANI reported citing Delhi Police sources. According to the police, Lalit Jha had destroyed five mobile phones before arriving in Delhi and was misleading the investigators during the questioning.

Before the security breach, the four accused had handed over their phones to Jha to prevent crucial investigation details from reaching the police, anticipating their arrest.

Meanwhile, the Special Cell of Delhi Police is monitoring the social media accounts of the accused persons including Lalit Jha. In one of his Instagram posts, accused Lalit Jha wrote, “What India needs is a bomb”, adding a message in Bengali, claiming that India needs a bomb today to “raise a strong voice against tyranny, injustice and anarchy.”

Lalit Jha’s Instagram posts suggest that he was inspired by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro who was responsible for the killing of thousands of people. In August this year, Jha posted Castro’s quote on “Tanashahi” (dictatorship).

It is interesting to note that one of the accused Sagar Sharma, who entered the Parliament and hurled the smoke canister, also posted similar content on his Facebook profile wherein he was eulogising Argentine Marxist leader Ernesto Che Guevara. Sharma was also following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and “infamous” journalist-turned-YouTuber Ravish Kumar on social media.

Other than Sagar Sharma, accused Manoranjan was also deeply influenced by communist ideology as evidenced by the communist literature recovered from his house during police searches. The police revealed that all the conspirators were associated with a social media page ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club.’

Meanwhile, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari has said that accused Lalit Jha has links with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly saidthat Jha is associated with TMC’s Youth Wing. “Lalit Jha is rank and file of Trinamool Yuva. He is a known face of Trinamool Congress youth wing,” the BJP MLA told reporters at Bagdogra airport adding that Jha’s pictures with TMC MLAs, councillors, and youth leaders have also surfaced.

This comes after BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar said that Lalit Jha had links with TMC’s Tapas Roy and shared some pictures of Jha with Roy. Taking to X on December 14, Majumdar wrote, “Lalit Jha, the mastermind of the attack on our Temple of Democracy, had been in close association with TMC’s Tapas Roy for a long time… Isn’t this proof enough for an investigation into the connivance of the leader?”

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview with Dainik Jagran called the security breach in Parliament a “serious issue” and urged that instead of debating over it, there is a need to find a solution. PM Modi also stressed that the government is making every effort to take the necessary actions since the gravity of the situation cannot be underestimated. The Prime Minister added that the investigating authorities are looking into the matter and will find out the motive behind the attack. 

This comes after accused Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan jumped into the Lok Sabha well on December 13 from the visitors’ gallery while the proceedings were going on and released yellow-coloured smoke from canisters.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, former adviser to Pope Francis, sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail for fraud

OpIndia Staff
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Cardinal Angelo Becciu, former adviser to Pope Francis, sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail for fraud

Former adviser to Pope Francis, Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu was found guilty of financial fraud and given a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence by a Vatican criminal court on 16th December. Cardinal Becciu was also handed a fine of €8,000. He is the highest-ranking Vatican official to be charged with such an offence. The 75-year-old was involved in a legal dispute, along with nine other individuals, linked to a real estate transaction in the London area that caused substantial economic damages to the Roman Catholic Church.

Once considered a papal contender, the charges against Angelo Becciu made him the first cardinal ever to be tried for financial crimes. During a two and a half year trial, his nine co-defendants were found not guilty on nearly fifty of the accusations against them whereas he was cleared of several more violations.

Cardinal Becciu claimed he had been directed to quit his high-ranking position within the Catholic Church in 2020 by the Pope following the publication of an Italian news magazine, L’Espresso, which revealed an inquiry into possible fraudulent transactions. “Until 6:02 p.m. on Thursday, I felt like a friend of the Pope, a faithful executor of his will. Then the Pope says he no longer has faith in me,” he informed in an interview at the time.

Giuseppe Pignatone, the president of the court, pronounced the decision and charged him with embezzlement, abuse of office and tampering with witnesses. Cardinal Becciu has refuted the accusations and his attorney declared that he is going to bring an appeal against the sentence. The verdict, according to prosecutor Alessandro Diddi, “showed we were correct.”

The trial centred on the 350 million euro investment made by the Vatican Secretariat of State to convert an old Harrods’ warehouse into deluxe residences. The government of the Vatican City was allegedly defrauded of tens of millions of euros in fees and commissions by Vatican monsignors and brokers, per the prosecution, and then demanded 15 million euros from it in exchange for giving up ownership of the structure.

While he was a senior official in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, the majority of the accusations focused on his “highly speculative” purchase of an opulent home at 60 Sloane Avenue in Chelsea, a wealthy neighbourhood of London. The property was later sold for a loss of at least €140 million ($152 million).

The Cardinal risked up to seven years in prison after being indicted with two charges of embezzlement stemming from the London transaction. Ultimately, he was adjudged culpable of theft stemming from the Vatican’s initial 200 million euro investment in 2014 into a fund that obtained a 45% stake in the London building. The tribunal found that making such a speculative transaction using church assets was forbidden under canon law.

Cardinal Becciu, who was the Vatican’s Substitute for General Affairs at the time and essentially the Pope’s chief of staff, approved the entire arrangement.

Prosecutors accused Cardinal Becciu of larceny after the first London probe yielded additional charges after he paid a Sardinian woman named Cecilia Marogna €575,000 ($627,000) for her intelligence services, and transferred €125,000 ($136,000) of Vatican money to a foundation in Sardinia. The money was reportedly misused by her to finance trips and the purchase of upscale items.The woman received a three years and nine months sentence.

Regarding the first charge, the Cardinal contended that the money was requested by the local bishop and was retained by the church to fund charitable endeavours. In response to the latter, he alleged that he believed the funds would be used to hire a security firm to broker the release of a nun who had been kidnapped in 2017 by al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in Mali.

Maharashtra: ‘Priya Singh was intoxicated, hit Ashwajit’ – Senior bureaucrat’s family alleges the Instagram influencer is lying

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: ‘Priya Singh was intoxicated, hit Ashwajit’ – Senior bureaucrat’s family alleges the Instagram influencer is lying

On 16th December, Ashwajit Gaikwad’s family issued an official statement refuting allegations of his alleged girlfriend. Gaikwad has been accused of mowing down 26-year-old Priya Singh in Thane, Maharashtra with his SUV. As per the statement, when the incident happened, Singh was allegedly intoxicated, and Ashwajit was at a family get-together with his wife, kids, and friends.

The family stated that the incident occurred between 1:30 AM and 2 AM. On the other hand, Singh claimed the incident occurred around 4 AM. The statement reads that Singh was continuously messaging Ashwajit, wanting to meet him. She reached the Courtyard Hotel, where the family was having a party, and barged into it. “Yes, she did barge where Ashwajit was with his friends and family,” the family added.

The family further added that Priya Singh was intoxicated. She allegedly hit and abused Ashwajit and his friends as he was not “responding to her calls and texts at midnight”. The statement read, “Might be there was a past between the two, but Ashwajit maintains he and she were just friends. Now Ashwajit also claims that he has paid her money on several occasions; even if he was in a relationship with her then, they must have broken up recently.”

Explaining what happened at night, the statement read, “When she (Priya Singh) started hitting him and his friends, Ashwajit and his family fled from the spot in his car with his family, totally embarrassed! She then clung to his driver’s car, and the driver, too, wanted to leave as his boss had already left. But then, as soon as the driver sped, she fell off, and in the process, she hurt herself badly as it was a moving car which she clung on to.”

When the driver noticed that Singh fell, he immediately rushed her to the nearest hospital and completed all the formalities. The statement added, “When they thought they had informed the patient’s sister and handed her all her valuables, next comes that this madam, with all her injuries, has changed the hospital. God knows who got in touch with whom, and a local rival reached the spot and thought it was the best chance to get back to Gaikwad in all family rivalry.”

Furthermore, the family alleged that Ashwajit was nowhere in the frame when Singh fell from the car and injured herself, as shown by the CCTV footage accessed by the police. The family further pointed out that the incident described by Singh in her Instagram post and FIR were contradictory. They said, “In one, she blames Ashwajit, and in the other, it is said the driver dashed her.”

The statement noted, “Yes, whatever happened in the past is between the boy and the girl. If things don’t go right, or if the relationship goes kaput, why is the boy always to be blamed? Just because he is a son and nephew of a famous person, so what? Just because he is monetarily strong, does the girl have the right to do anything? …She claims Ashwajit bit her. Has that been mentioned in any report from the hospital?” They further questioned if Singh was tested for alcohol.

On the other hand, speaking to PTI, Singh claimed that she did not know that Ashwajit was married. She said, “When I came to know (that he was married), he told me that they (his wife and him) were not together anymore; they had separated. He said that he wanted to marry me. I was staying with him for a long time.” She added, “When I went to meet him that night, he was with his wife. I was in shock when I went to talk to him; he got aggressive. We fought.”

Influencer Priya Singh accused Bureaucrat’s son of mowing her down

On 15th December, social media influencer Priya Singh published a post on her Instagram account accusing Ashwajit Gaikwad, son of Anil Gaikwad, the Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, of allegedly mowing her down outside a hotel in Thane. In her post, she alleged that on 11th December, Ashwajit called her to meet at a hotel where he was at a function along with his friends. She alleged he behaved strangely, and when she tried to talk to him privately, he and his friends began hurling verbal abuses at the victim. When Priya asked her boyfriend to defend her, he allegedly slapped and tried to strangulate her.

As the situation started getting worse, she headed to retrieve her bag and phone from the SUV, but the perpetrators allegedly attempted to cause her serious harm by first driving the SUV into her back near a divider, then returning and driving it over her right leg before speeding away. She was admitted to the hospital by his driver, Sagar, who allegedly threatened her not to complain about it. The accused were booked under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 279 (rash driving on a public way) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by Kasarvadavali police. 

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