On Thursday, October 5, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court announced the punishments for convicts held guilty in the Tara Shahdeo religious conversion case. The CBI pronounced punishment of life imprisonment for her ex-husband Rakib-ul Hasan and ten years imprisonment for his mother Kaushar Rani. The then registrar of the High Court Mustaque Ahmed, accused of conspiring, has also been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
National shooter Tara Shahdeo was pressured to convert her religion by her ex-husband Rakib-ul Hasan aka Ranjit Kohli after they got married in 2014. In 2017, the CBI filed a chargesheet in the National Shooter Tara Shahdeo case.
Commenting on the issue, she said on October 5 that no woman should be assaulted or pressured to change her faith. “I want to thank the court and the CBI who served me justice. This justice is not just for me, every daughter in the country will gain trust that whoever does this to them will be punished. People who do this would be afraid to not treat someone like this. When my fight started, it was labelled as domestic violence. But my efforts were that this should not happen with any girl. People were hesitant to speak that word. After this judgment, they would come up against it openly,” she said.
#WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand: National Shooter Tara Shahdeo says, "I want to thank the court and the CBI who served me justice. This justice is not just for me, every daughter in the country will gain trust that whoever does this to them will be punished. People who do this would… pic.twitter.com/zBpgxOWocZ
Meanwhile the lawyer of convicted Rasqibul Hasan, Mukhtar Ahmed also confirmed the development and said, “There are three accused in this case. Ranjeet Singh Kohli, Mushtaq Ahmed and Kaushar Rani. Kaushar Rani has been punished for 10 years under section 376 with 120 B. Mushtaq Ahmed has been punished for 15 years and Ranjeet Singh Kohli has life imprisonment till death in custody.”
He also added that he would apply to the High Court seeking relief from the punishment. “We will appeal against that order before the High Court and certainly, we will get a relief from there… This is a matter of family dispute, it is not a big issue. It is not a big issue, he is a first offender, and they are a respectable person in the society. We don’t think there is anything serious against these people. We will go to the High Court,” he was quoted as saying.
#WATCH | National Shooter Tara Shahdeo forced conversion case | Ranchi, Jharkhand: Lawyer of convicted Rasqibul Hasan, Mukhtar Ahmed says, "There are three accused in this case. Ranjeet Singh Kohli, Mushtaq Ahmed and Kaushar Rani. Kaushar Rani has been punished for 10 years under… pic.twitter.com/lfZrjgQHL7
The declaration of the punishment by the CBI court comes days after it convicted all three principal accused in the Tara Sahadeo conversion case, namely, her ex-husband Rakib-ul Hasan and her mother-in-law Kaushar Rani and Mustaque Ahmad. The verdict that was pronounced on September 30, was in relation to the case filed by the national-level shooter against her estranged husband her mother-in-law and one other accusing them of engaging in multiple atrocities against her and attempting to convert her to Islam against her will.
Rakib-ul Hasan was found guilty under sections 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), 376 (2) (n) (physical relation on the promise of marriage), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 298 (wounding religious sentiments), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 496 (fraudulent marriage ceremony) of the Indian Penal Code.
Tara Shahdeo case
The case dates back to the year 2014 when the victim wedded Rakib-ul Hasan on 7 July, in accordance with Hindu customs. Rakib-ul Hasan had posed as Ranjit Kohli to trap the national-level shooter. However, on the second day of their union, Rakib-ul Hasan and Mustaque Ahmad, who served as the registrar of vigilance at the time, began pressuring the national-level shooter to become a Muslim and do Nikaah (Islamic marriage).
After discovering that her husband was a Muslim, the victim filed a complaint against Rakib-ul Hasan and his mother with the Hindpidhi police station on August 19, 2014, under sections 498A (subjecting a woman to cruelty by husband or his family for property) and 34 (committing any criminal act involving two or more persons with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
She alleged that her husband misrepresented his faith and misled her into marrying him. She also accused him of tormenting her for refusing to accept Islam. Mustaque Ahmad was stated as having conspired with the two to torture and force her to convert under duress. He was the previous Jharkhand High Court registrar (vigilance).
“Rakib convinced Tara to marry him by pretending to be a Hindu. After the solemnization of the marriage, he tried to forcibly convert her for a nikah ceremony. When she refused, Tara was confined to her home and subjected to atrocities for several days. The police eventually rescued her,” revealed her attorney who assisted the national agency in the case.
Khushar Rani meanwhile threatened the national shooter that if she failed to convert her religion to Islam, partners in her bed would keep changing.
Tara Shahdeo was sternly warned not to apply sindoor or else her hands would be broken. Multiple Muslim clerics were called to convert her. She suffered severe beatings when she refused. She was threatened with the murder of not just herself but even her family members if she disclosed the torture she was enduring to anyone. The culprits also made dowry demands from her.
Her oppression continued for a month before she decided to break free. There were cigarette marks on her body and she was hospitalized after she was saved. Rakib-ul Hasan confessed to physically assaulting her but denied compelling her to change her religion.
The CBI took up the investigation in 2015, following a Jharkhand High Court decision, and a case was filed in Delhi.
The CBI recorded her statement under section 164 (authorizes the Magistrate to record the statement of a person or his confession) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The prosecution presented up to 26 witnesses in court, and their cross-examination lasted for more than seven months.
In 2017, the CBI filed a chargesheet in the National Shooter Tara Shahdeo case, in which she was allegedly pressured to convert her religion by her husband.
On the basis of cruelty, a Ranchi family court granted her divorce on June 26, 2018.
In 2019, a CBI court in Ranchi framed charges against Raqibul Hassan alias Ranjit Kohli for allegedly giving false information about his religion while marrying national-level air rifle shooter Tara Shahdeo which subsequently ended in divorce. The court also framed charges against four others for allegedly helping Hassan.
Finally, after nine years of legal battle, the court on September 30, 2023, convicted Shahdeo’s husband Ranjit Kohli alias Raqibul Hasan, his mother Kaushar Rani and Mushtaq Ahmed and today it pronounced the quantum of punishment for the accused.
After the conviction order, Tara was quoted as saying, “I had full faith in the judiciary. I have got justice after a wait of nine years. Those who harmed me have been convicted. I thank all those who cooperated with me.”
The Delhi anti-Hindu riots which lasted from the 23rd of February 2020 to the 26th of February 2020 was perhaps one of the first cases of communal strife where the various interlinks between Pakistan, Indian Islamic terror organisations like PFI, Muslim and Leftist “activists” and so much more was established in clear terms. What was also established is the role of Indian and global media in changing the narrative from ‘what is’ to ‘what they want it to be’. We saw how craftily the truth was obfuscated to turn clearly planned and organised violence against Hindus into an ‘anti-Muslim pogrom’. While the conspiracy chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police provided ample evidence about how the anti-Hindu violence was planned and executed, more information is now emerging that gives another dimension to the violence and its genesis – the ISIS angle.
On 3rd October, NIA arrested three Jihadis connected to the ISIS Pune terror module. They were planning terror attacks against India. The prime accused – Shahanawaz, had a bounty of Rs 3 lakh on his head. According to the Delhi Police, the module planned to carry out terror attacks across India through instructions from foreign-based handlers. Shahnawaz alias Shafi Uzzama was arrested by the Delhi Police special cell from a hideout in the national capital.
The NIA has also recovered chemical substances from Shahnawaz and other incriminating material suspected to be used for IED fabrication. The NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh each for information about Shahnawaz and three other terror suspects namely Rizwan Abdul, Haji Ali, Abdulla Faiyaz Shaikh alias Diaperwala, and Talha Liyakat Khan. Reportedly, Shahnawaz, Abdulla, and Rizwan were radicalised into joining the ISIS mission over the Telegram app and planned to engineer violence and terror in the country.
Police said the accused are Shahnawaz Alam (31), a resident of Hazaribagh in Jharkhand; Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf (28) from Lucknow; and Mohammad Arshad Warsi from Garhwa district in Jharkhand. The latter was presently residing in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar. While Rizwan Ashraf was arrested from Lucknow, Shahnawaz was arrested from Jaitpur and Warsi from Moradabad. Iron pipes, chemicals, time devices, and pistol cartridges, among other items used to make explosives, were recovered from Shahnawaz’s possession.
Most interestingly, the authorities have released that Pakistan ISI and ISIS were handling the activities of the three terrorists now arrested. The police said that the three terrorists had sworn allegiance to ISIS and their Pakistani ISI handlers also had connections to ISIS. They added that ISIS operated from the background to ensure that they did not come to the notice of international agencies and law enforcement organisations.
These terrorists were heavily religiously indoctrinated and had tried to set up their base in Western and Southern India, where they had significant reach. Further, they had carried out test blasts and most importantly, they had arranged for local procurement of weapons so the suspicion would not fall on ISI or ISIS. “All three had a scientific bent of mind which helped them test bombs in forest areas to ensure success during final execution,” said the police. The three – including Arshad Warsi, were aiming to plant IEDs to ensure maximum damage and target important people. To this end, they also conducted extensive surveillance of the daily routines and routes of important targets.
Shahnawaz, who is the prime accused in this case, had come to Delhi in the year 2016. The police said that he would go to Shaheen Bagh and listen to speeches by the Radical Islamic group Hizb-ut-Tahrir. It was during his time in Shaheen Bagh that he swore allegiance to ISIS. Shahanawaz met Rizwan during this time and they became friends. Both of them were influenced by ISIS at this time. Interestingly, Arshad Warsi also came to Delhi in 2016 after completing his B-Tech from Aligarh Muslim University. He had crossed paths with Shahnawaz and become friends while they were attending one of the programs together. It is not clear what the program was, but since Warsi was settled in Jamia Nagar, one could possibly conclude that they met during the radical Islamic programs in Shaheen Bagh too.
It was Mohammad Arshad Warsi who facilitated the sheltering of Shahnavaz, a most-wanted terrorist with a reward of 3 lakh rupees on his head. Warsi was also involved in plotting terrorist attacks. Following the information revealed in the interrogation of Mohammad Arshad Warsi, the Delhi Police Special Cell managed to locate and arrest Shahnavaz.
For the purpose of this report, following are the operative parts that we need to keep in mind:
Arshad Warsi came to Delhi in 2016 and started staying at Jamia Nagar.
It was in 2016 that Shahnawaz came to Delhi and started attending radical Islamic programs in Shaheen Bagh.
Warsi met Shahnawaz in 2016 and they were already connected to ISIS in 2016.
They were planning IED attacks, to target high value targets and had even conducted surveillance of these targets.
They had Pakistani ISI handlers.
The handlers were also in touch with ISIS.
Shahnawaz was himself in touch with international ISIS contacts.
By extension, one can assume that Warsi was also in touch with ISIS contacts.
Even after NIA had announced a reward for Shahnawaz, Arshad Warsi had sheltered him, saving him from the police.
It was Arshad Warsi, after whose interrogation, Shahnawaz was arrested.
After the arrest and the revelations by Delhi Police Special Cell, it is evident that Arshad Warsi was an ISIS terrorist planning IED attacks in India along with the mastermind Shahnawaz, who he met in 2016.
Arshad Warsi – who he is and his connection to Delhi anti-Hindu riots
Hailing from Jharkhand, Mohammad Arshad Warsi holds a BTech degree from Aligarh Muslim University and is presently enrolled in a PhD program at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), where he specialises in ‘Islamic Principles in Management’.
Arshad Warsi, who is now arrested for being an ISIS terrorist and planning bomb blasts in Delhi along with other ISIS terrorists, was intricately involved in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots as well. In fact, Arshad Warsi along with Sharjeel Imam planted the seed of the violence which culminated in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots in 2020.
In the 2700-page chargesheet filed pertaining to FIR 59/2020, the Delhi Police dedicate almost 700 pages to the chronology of the conspiracy hatched for the Delhi anti-Hindu riots in 2020. In fact, the chargesheet displayed evidence that the conspiracy started right from the 5th of December 2019. It is in these crucial stages of planning that Arshad Warsi features along with Sharjeel Imam.
According to the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police, after CAB was tabled in both houses of the parliament on the 4th of December, on the 5th of December a group called Muslim Students of JNU (MSJ) was formed by Sharjeel Imam who was the main member of the group and its creation was also his brainchild.
The chats that have been procured by the Delhi police after a perusal of the phones confiscated from Sharjeel and other accused, it was revealed that Sharjeel Imam and Arshad Warsi (student of Jamia) were in constant touch and Sharjeel was also in touch with “radical communal group” Students of Jamia (SOJ).
On the 6th of December, pamphlets which were written by Sharjeel Imam himself were distributed in the Jama Masjid area by the MSJ group. This fact was revealed by the chats recovered between Sharjeel Imam and Arshad Warsi. The pamphlets were communal in nature and essentially aimed to incite hate in the Muslim community by invoking the Supreme Court decision in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
Some of the pamphlets read “Law of Allah above all else” and “The command of Allah is above every law”.
A sample of the conversation between Sharjeel Imam and Arshad Warsi on the 7th of December (produced verbatim from the screenshot of the WhatsApp conversation attached in the chargesheet):
Arshad: Hamne bhi babri ke hawale se kuch distribution kiye the. So wahin malum chala
Sharjeel: Parcha humne likha tha
Arshad: Alhamdulillah
Arshad: Sahi hai
Sharjeel: Aur 8000 copies baate aaj masajid main
Arshad: Mashallah. May Allah reward you all.
The chats from that time reveal far more – most importantly – that Sharjeel Imam was already planning violence and Arshad Warsi, the ISIS terrorist was working closely with him and was his close confidante.
On the 7th of December, Sharjeel Imam said that he would be joining the protests called by United Against Hate. This fact was revealed by his WhatsApp conversation with Arshad Warsi. While joining a protest is not wrong in itself, here is the clincher – on the 7th of December, Sharjeel Imam categorically said that he was planning something big in the next week and for that purpose, he would mobilise students from DU, AMU etc with the help of MSJ members.
Subsequently, Arshad Wars put up the minutes of the meeting that was held at the Tefla Dhaba between the core committee members of the MSJ group. The aim of the meeting was rather simple – to make the UAH rally a resounding success and also, to ensure that both Muslim and non-Muslim students turn up at the protest.
The aim of getting Muslim and non-Muslim students both was rather evident and is a recurring theme in the chargesheet – to ensure that the veil of secularism was maintained and it would not seem like only Muslims were protesting against the Bill. In fact, the farce of the exercise is evident since in one of the chats, it was said by the two that the aim of the MSJ was to ensure that Muslim students who wanted to coordinate and protest could come together and they did not want to be seen competing with other Muslim organisations like SIO.
It is important to note that it was the following week that the Jamia riots took place and violence broke out in several parts of Delhi and even Uttar Pradesh.
The violence began on the 15th of December when Muslim mobs rampaged through the national capital. Amanatullah Khan, a prominent MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party, and Delhi’s Sunni Waqf Board chief was spotted leading the riots in Jamia Nagar. Chants of ‘Hinduon se Azadi’ were raised in the same area that very day. Buses were also set on fire during those violent protests. On the same night, the Delhi Police cracked down on the Jamia Milia Islamia University and entered the campus to flush out the miscreants.
Two days later, massive riots broke out in Seelampur. Delhi turned into a war zone. A school bus was attacked and set on fire as well. The mob taunted the policemen to run after them following which stones were pelted.
Interestingly, on the 8th of December, an underground meeting had taken place where Sharjeel Imam, Yogendra Yadav and others were present.
It was in this meeting, that according to the chargesheet, a plan was hatched on how to implement the Chakka Jam. It was decided that it would be Sharjeel Imam who would organise and lead students from various universities and colleges in and around Delhi. It was, interestingly, also decided that organisations like United Against Hate and Swarajya Abhiyaan would help each other in every way possible. This has, according to the Chargehsheet, been revealed by a witness.
The fact that this meeting took place was also confirmed by the chats that were discovered between Sharjeel Imam and Arshad Warsi.
On the same day, a WhatsApp group was formed called the ‘CAB TEAM’. The core members of the team were following:
Yogendra Yadav
Umar Khalid
Sharjeel Imam
Nadeem Khan
Parvej Alam etc.
Thereafter, there was a spate of violence almost on a daily basis leading right up to the Delhi anti-Hindu riots 2020.
The 13th of December marked the first incident of violence in Delhi after Islamists and Leftists had gotten together in the name of their protest against CAA.
On the 13th of December, the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act took a communal turn in Delhi after ‘students’ of the controversial Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University resorted to mob violence against the police officials and shouted Islamic slogans “Allah-o-Akbar” during their protests. The video had even surfaced where Jamia Millia Islamia University students can be seen raising ‘Allaho Akbar’ and ‘Nara-e-Taqbeer’ slogans. They are also heard saying, “Ye shahar zagmagaega, nur-e-la-illaha se, Ye desh zagmagaega, nur-e-la-ilaha se.Nara-e-takbir, Allahu Akbar”. The ‘students’ of the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi were also seen abusing police with provocative words as they used tear gas to disperse the violent mob.
In another video that was shared by one of the radical Islamic groups called Tehzeeb Committee of Jamia Millia Islamia College, a ‘student’ can be seen making communal and provocative statements by claiming that ‘those who want to protect Muslims will have to protect Islam’. There were also several provocative statements that demanded Muslims to take to the streets. The “speech” was followed by a worrying slogan, “tera mera rishta kya, La ilahi illilah”. Similar statements were heard in Kashmir with respect to Pakistan by terrorists where they chanted “Pakistan se rishta kya, La ilahi illilah”.
As the police began to lathi-charge the students to calm down the situation, the protestors resorted to stone-pelting against these police officials.
According to the chargesheet, in this incident, 20 policemen were injured. The chargesheet says that this incident of violence was a direct result of the conspiracy being hatched since earlier in December and Sharjeel Imam, Asif Iqbal Tanha and others were directly involved. They also believe that Sharjeel’s spectacles were broken during the violence.
On the day that the Delhi Riots started – 23rd February 2020 – Students of Jamia group – the radical Jihadi group that Sharjeel Imam and Arshad Warsi were earlier coordinating with posted this on Facebook:
On 25th February, after several Hindus had been murdered brutally by Jihadis and the Delhi anti-Hindu riots were raging, Students of Jamia posted this:
There is ample evidence mentioned in the chargesheets to prove that the planning of the Delhi anti-Hindu riots started right from 5th December 2019. The people who were intricately involved have also been mentioned. It is now evident that one of the main masterminds Sharjeel Imam was working closely with an ISIS terrorist. That ISIS terrorist and Sharjeel Imam were constantly in touch with radical groups like Students of Jamia, who clearly were inciting further violence and were also actively involved in the Delhi Riots. They were also involved in the propaganda that erupted after the anti-Hindu riots, blaming Hindus instead of the Islamists.
Right after the violence, Students of Jamia group were busy blaming Hindus for the violence that they themselves perpetuated along with other Jihadis, including an ISIS terrorist.
While the chargesheets were being reported and even during the investigation into the Delhi anti-Hindu riots, Arshad Warsi seemed like a smaller player whose role was limited to coordination with Jamia radicals and Sharjeel Imam. However, with the latest revelations, it is evident that Arshad Warsi was an ISIS terrorist who was involved in planning and coordinating the violence from the beginning.
Further, the latest revelations also pose an important question – if someone who seemed as innocuous as Arshad Warsi turned out to be a hardened ISIS terrorist planning a bomb attack, who else involved in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots has links to ISIS and Pakistan’s ISI? This element gives an entirely new dimension to the Delhi anti-Hindu riots since so far, the active role of ISIS in planning and executing the riots had not been revealed to such an extent. There have always been suspicions that jihadi elements like ISIS and ISI could be involved in some manner or the other, but, these suspicions were essentially limited to private discussions. This is perhaps the first link of the Delhi anti-Hindu riots with ISIS and it is imperative that the link be investigated thoroughly. In fact, logic dictates that since Arshad Warsi was so close to Sharjeel Imam, it is entirely possible that Imam knew about Warsi’s ISIS connection and had used it to plan the violence – a link that can possibly be revealed through investigation on how deep the ISIS link was in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots.
Not just Arshad Warsi – another ISIS link has emerged
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad, who is representing the Delhi Police in the case of the larger conspiracy in Delhi anti-Hindu riots, has come under attack in court by a lawyer who is an ISIS poster boy – Mahmood Pracha.
Mahmood Pracha, representing another accused in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots, levelled personal allegations against the SPP Amit Prasad. In his application to the court, Pracha claimed that he had a personal investigation conducted and in that, it was revealed that Amit Prasad had taken money in cash from the Delhi Police in an underhand manner.
Prasad contended that if this allegation was found to be correct, he was “not fit to continue as the SPP” in the present case. He also submitted that Pracha should place the material on record to substantiate his “false and grave allegations”, along with the affidavit of the private investigator.
The SPP further contended that Pracha had put a “question mark on his integrity” and the “prosecution cannot be browbeaten like this”. Prasad also contended that under the law, Pracha cannot represent Tasleem Ahmed as he himself was named in the statement of one witness. “Despite no objection by the accused to be represented by Sh. Mehmood Pracha, there is still a conflict of interest and violation of Bar Council Rules”, he contended.
The SPP had also contented that Mahmood Pracha has a conflict of interest and should not be allowed to represent the accused. The court remarked, “Accused submits that he wants to continue with Mr. Mehmood Pracha. Ld. Proxy Counsel for the accused, on instructions, submits that they do not wish to state anything about the submissions and court may pass any order”.
Interestingly, it was after SPP had demanded evidence from Pracha to back is grave allegations of corruption against him, did the counsel for the accused said in the court that they did not wish to make further submissions and that the court may pass any order.
It would, therefore, appear that Pracha had no evidence to claim that Prasad (SPP) had done any underhand dealing with the Delhi Police but had simply mentioned this in a court application to not only derail the investigation but also ensure that the larger conspiracy case investigation is thrown off its course with the SPP out of the way.
During the course of the hearing, SPP pointed out that even under the law Mehmood Pracha, Ld. Counsel for the accused cannot represent an accused in this case as he himself has been named in the statement of one witness namely ‘SMITH’ and there is a conflict of interest. He further submitted that despite no objection by the accused to be represented by Mehmood Pracha, there is still a conflict of interest and violation of Bar Council Rules.
Essentially, the SPP had pointed out that Mahmood Pracha has himself been named in the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots case by a witness “SMITH” and since he himself has been named, he can’t represent an accused in the Delhi Riots because that amounts to conflict of interest.
On page number 1927 of the 59/20 chargesheet, where the witness statements are listed, the statement of protected witness SMITH is mentioned clearly. He was interrogated on the 2nd of September 2020.
Protected Witness SMITH had said that the CAA/NRC act was passed by the government and thereafter, dharna pradarshan started. Dharna also started near his house (66 Foota Road). He used to remain there from 9.00 pm to 12.00 am. In his presence Umar Khalid and Mehmood Pracha gave speeches. Gulfisha, who was living in Jafrabad, was organizing the protest. She used to instigate local women of Seelampur/Jafrabad to come outside. They used to tell people if they would not have documents with them then they along with their families would be sent to detention centers. On the night of 15.01.2020, Devangana, Natasha, Sohail and Shadab along with other girls and 100-150 women carried out Dharna at Old Bus Stand, Madina Masjid. Yameen’s house at E1/13 was their office where their meeting used to happen.
On 23.01.2020, Umar Khalid gave a speech. Thereafter, Gulfisha, Devengana and Natasha brought Umar Khalid to their office. He also followed them and saw that Gulfisha, Natasha, Devengana, Sohail and Shadab along with other girls were also sitting there. Umar Khalid was saying that in the protest against CAA/NRC and to bring the Indian government down, they are ready even if riots occurred in Delhi; we have collected arms upon which all the persons stated that they are ready. Their motive was quite dangerous and he got scared after hearing this and came out from there. After two or three days, Gulfisha, Devangana, and Natasha were asking ladies to collect empty glass bottles, acid, patthar, chhuri, etc.
On 23.02.2020, he saw that Gulfisha, Devengana and Natasha along with many other women had blocked the road at Jafrabad Metro Station and they were asking to attack the police officials. After some time, Wazirabad, Ghaziabad and Seelampur Road, were all jammed and movement stopped. Local ladies pelted stones on people who were struck there due to which HinduMuslims riots started. Riots also started across Yamuna between Hindu and Muslims resulting in the killing of innocent people. They are very dangerous people and his name may be kept secret.
Protected Witness SMITH categorically mentioned that Advocate Mahmood Pracha was present with Umar Khalid on a regular basis when Muslims were being incited to go on a rampage. He was also the one giving speeches along with Umar Khalid, who is now in jail under UAPA charges connected to the Delhi Riots case.
It is pertinent to note that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were inextricably linked and according to the chargesheet, worked closely to orchestrate the violence. It was Sharjeel Imam who was in touch with Arshad Warsi – the ISIS terrorist.
Another ISIS angle that emerges from the testimony of SMITH is that Mahmood Pracha, who according to the witness was present with Umar Khalid and making speeches to incite Muslims, was also on the cover page of ISIS magazine – which they had launched in India after the Delhi violence.
was featured as the poster boy for a pro-ISIS media outlet and is accused of spreading communal hatred in the past.
As India went through communal turmoil during the anti-Hindu riots, a publication titled ‘Voice of Hind’ issued by Al-Qitaal Media Center and Junudul Khilafah al-Hind featured Mahmood Pracha on its cover page. The cover was titled “So, Muslims, where are you going?”. It was featured with the subtitle “A Call to the Muslims of India”. The magazine had praised slain terrorists in Kashmir. It also urged the Muslims to reject the idea of an Indian nation-state and fight for the ‘caliphate’ instead. It had claimed that Islam rejected the idea of nationalism.
One has to recall that similar messages about rejecting nationalism and secularism were made in the pamphlets that were made and distributed by Sharjeel Imam and Arshad Warsi.
The lawyer who was on the cover page of the first India-centric ISIS magazine and was named by witness SMITH as a part of the build-up to Delhi anti-Hindu riots is now representing an accused in the Delhi Riots. With the SPP pointing this out and demanding that the conflict of interest be resolved, Pracha resorted to raising unsubstantiated allegations against the SPP trying the larger conspiracy case – the case in which the witness statement against Pracha has been mentioned.
It is evident that there are several tentacles of ISIS in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots case – now, with the arrest of ISIS terrorist Arshad Warsi and the attack by Pracha on the SPP, it becomes imperative that the Delhi Police and NIA investigate the terror angle and the extent of ISIS’ involvement in the 2020 violence that left several Hindus dead.
The Bar Council of Kerala is marking 5th October as Protest Day against the brutal attack on Advocate BS Prakash at Nedumangad Court complex on 4th October. Advocate Prakash was reportedly assaulted by a man named Shajahan who had come as a witness in a case.
When the case was adjourned to another date, Shajahan proceeded to assault his lawyer Advocate Prakash. Shajahan was subsequently arrested by the Nedumangad Police.
The Kerala High Court Advocates Association called on all members on Thursday to assemble at the main portico of the Kerala High Court and mark the protest of the association against the brutal attack.
According to Asianet News, Advocate Prakash, 41, was attacked by a two-member gang. Shajahan hit Advocate Prakash on the head with a wire at around noon on 4th October (Wednesday) following which the victim was admitted to the district hospital. He got two stitches at the bottom of his head.
Incidents of attacks on lawyers in Kerala have become a common occurrence. On 30th September, a Kerala HC lawyer was reportedly assaulted by bouncers at a popular pub in Kochi named Watson’s. The lawyer then complained against the pub manager and bouncers following which an FIR was filed.
On 13 July, a sub-inspector K Saijau allegedly attacked an advocate and also insulted him. The cop was suspended.
ZA Islamia PG College in Bihar‘s Siwan district has issued a controversial order, stating that students of opposite genders cannot sit together or interact on the campus. The directive, issued by Principal Idrish Alam on 3rd October, has stirred a major debate in the region.
The order explicitly states, “Let it be notified that if male students and female students are seen together (sitting together/laughing) in the college premises, their enrolment will be canceled. This is a minority college established under Sections 29 and 30. The authority of all its management is vested in the Governing Body.”
The decision comes on the heels of a recent altercation between two female students, which was caught on video both in the classroom and on the street. In response to the controversy surrounding the order, Principal Idris Alam explained that it was issued to deter similar incidents but acknowledged that it should not have been framed in such a manner.
Critics, however, have likened the order to a draconian measure, questioning the college’s stance on students interacting with their peers within the same institution. Educationists and intellectuals have urged the college administration to focus on improving the academic environment and increasing student engagement rather than imposing such Taliban-style restrictive measures.
The controversial directive has caused an uproar among students and the public alike. While the college administration claims it aims to instill discipline, concerns are growing about the impact of such a decision on the overall educational atmosphere at ZA Islamia PG College.
Popular Bollywood singer Mika Singh has found himself to be the subject of the ire of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar because of his remark on a social media post by actress Jacqueline Fernandez. Jacqueline posted a photograph of herself with Hollywood actor Jean-Claude Van Damme on social media and in reply, Mika Singh wrote, “You are looking so beautiful. He is much better than Sukesh.”
Mika deleted his comment soon after it gained widespread attention, however, not before infuriating the Bollywood diva’s boyfriend who has now sent a legal notice to the ‘Gandii Baat’ singer and demanded an “unconditional apology” for trying “to malign and tarnish the reputation” of the convict.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s lawyer Anant Malik read the notification which stated, “Your statement has triggered extensive public discourse about our client’s character and personality, subjecting him to a de facto trial by media. This situation is exacerbating his existing distress and poses significant challenges due to relentless media scrutiny.”
It further continued, “Our client is a man of repute and enjoys goodwill in the Indian film industry, various business houses, and political circles. He holds goodwill and a reputation both nationally and at a global level. You yourself, being a member of the Bollywood industry are very well aware of the struggles one faces to build his/her name in this field. However, your comment has not only tarnished our client’s image but has also adversely affected his personal and professional life.”
The notice further added, “It is further being made clear to you that such vilification is a deliberate, desperate act on your part to malign and tarnish the reputation of our client, and our client will not tolerate such behaviour. You are, therefore, put to notice that by your derogatory comment, you have committed a serious criminal offence of defamation and are therefore liable to be prosecuted, inter-alia, under the provisions of Sections 499/500 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.”
The scammer famously sends love letters to Jacqueline from behind bars and refers to her as “My bunny Rabbit” in a declaration of love for her. She reportedly grew attached to him and considers him her “dream man.” She wanted to marry him but was advised against the same by her co-stars, including actors like Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar.
Sukesh reportedly hired a private jet for the Bollywood star and pampered her with extravagant gifts such as limited edition fragrances, pricey bags and dresses. The Enforcement Directorate estimated that he had given gifts worth Rs 5.71 crore to her. The gifts included two Gucci gym outfits, several pairs of Louis Vuitton shoes, two Hermes bracelets, a Mini Cooper car, and multiple Rolex watches in addition to three Persian cats each costing Rs. 9 lakh, an Arabian horse valued at Rs. 52 lakh, a diamond set with 15 pairs of earrings, pricey crockery and designer bags from high-end brands like Gucci and Chanel. Furthermore, her relatives received loans totalling 173,000 US and 27,000 Australian dollars.
On Thursday, October 5th, the Enforcement Directorate raided 13 locations linked to West Bengal Food & Supplies Minister and TMC leader Rathin Ghosh. The raids were conducted in connection with the recruitment scam in Madhyamgram Municipality. It is notable that Rathin Ghosh is the former chairman of the Madhyamgram Municipality. ED teams raided premises linked to Ghosh in 13 locations including Kolkata and North 24 Parganas. The TMC minister’s home was also raided.
TMC MLA from Madhyamgram Rathin Ghosh is accused of involvement in a scam to recruit unqualified candidates for government jobs. The ED is investigating allegations that Ghosh and his accomplices accepted payments from job seekers in exchange for jobs.
In addition to raiding locations associated with Rathin Ghosh, the ED is currently raiding the home of Kamarhati Municipality Chairman Gopal Saha in Belghoria, North 24 Parganas district. The ED launched raids at the homes of Aparna Maulik, Chairman of the Baranagar Municipality, and Netai Dutta, Vice Chairman of the South Dum Dum Municipality. Apart from this, ED is raiding the house of the former Vice President of Dum Dum Municipality Panchu Roy in Nagerbazar. ED raid is also going on at the residence of Prashant Chaudhary, the former chairman of Titagarh Municipality of North 24 Parganas district.
#WATCH | West Bengal | Enforcement Directorate conducts raids at the residence of West Bengal Food & Supplies Minister and TMC leader Rathin Ghosh. More than 12 premises linked to Ghosh have been covered in the state, including North 24 Parganas district and Kolkata.
Reportedly, the ED teams at each raid location are comprised of 7 to 8 officials and CRPF personnel have also been deployed for their security.
According to an IANSreport, Ghosh’s name surfaced after ED officials seized incriminating documents from ABS Infozone. It is notable that ABS Inforzone is the agency outsourced by various municipalities in the state to carry out the recruitment examination process there, which revealed significant irregularities in recruitment procedures in Madhyamgram Municipality between 2014 and 2018.
ABS Infozone is owned by Ayan Sil, a private promoter who is already in judicial custody for his suspected involvement in a multi-crore cash-for-school-job fraud in West Bengal. While conducting raid and search operations at Sil’s apartment in March this year in connection with the school-job-scam case, ED officers for the first time obtained clues concerning the multi-crore urban civic bodies’ recruitment case.
According to estimates from the central agency, approximately 1,500 unlawful recruitments took place in 15 municipalities spread over districts such as North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, and Purulia.
On Wednesday, October 4, a Delhi court granted divorce to Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan from his estranged wife Aesha Mukerji ending eight years of their marriage. While approving the divorce of the Indian batsman, the Family Court in the Patiala House complex in Delhi, noted that Shikhar Dhawan’s wife had caused “mental agony” to the cricketer by forcing him to live separately from his only son for years.
[BREAKING] Delhi Court grants divorce to cricketer Shikhar Dhawan on grounds of cruelty by wife
Dhawan had tied the knot with Mukerji in 2012 and had a son with her named Zoravar. Mukerji was earlier married to an Australian businessman and has two daughters from the first marriage.
Judge Harish Kumar accepted Dhawan’s charges against his wife in the divorce petition. The court stated in its decision that Dhawan’s wife either did not contest the foregoing charges or did not defend herself.
“Hence, it stands proved that the wife backtracked from her assurance of setting up a matrimonial home in India after marriage and thus made him suffer a long distance marriage and suffer immense agony and anguish of living separately from his own son for years,” the judge observed since Dhawan’s testimony remained unchallenged.
Though the court refused to pass any order on permanent custody of the couple’s son, the judge granted mandatory visitation rights to Dhawan to meet his son for an appropriate duration in India and Australia. Dhawan was also allowed to chat with his son over video call.
Observations made by the court while granting Indian Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan divorce from his estranged wife Aesha Mukerji:
Dhawan for no fault of his own had been through immense agony and anguish: In his plea, Dhawan said that Aesha Mukerji had consented to live with him in India at the time of their marriage, but later declined since she was committed to her ex-husband and their two girls in Australia. She took their son with her, leaving Dhawan in India alone.
“He (Dhawan) for no fault of his own had been through immense agony and anguish of living separately from his own son for years. Even though the wife denied the allegation, submitting that she genuinely wanted to live in India with him, however, due to her commitment towards her daughters from her previous marriage requiring her to stay in Australia, she could not come to live in India and that he was well aware of her commitment, yet she did not choose to contest the claim,” the judge observed in the order.
Court accepts Dhawan’s allegation that he was compelled to make her co-owner of three properties that he had bought in Australia: In his petition, Dhawan alleged that his estranged wife demanded and acquired ownership of 99 per cent of Dhawan’s three Australian properties, along with joint ownership of two others, all of which he had purchased with his money.
The court accepted the allegation as Aesha did not contest it. According to the court, Aesha was unable to prove that she did not coerce Dhawan to make her an owner of the houses and that she also contributed funds to facilitate the acquisition of the same.
“The respondent was required to prove that properties were purchased out of her fund as well or her name was included out of love and affection. Thus, Dhawan’s allegation that she compelled him to make her owner to some extent in all three properties or that she pocketed sale proceeds thereof has got to be believed as true,” the court added.
Court accepts Aeysha compelled Dhawan to pay for her daughters from her previous marriage: The court also accepted Dhawan’s allegations that Aesha forced him to pay child support not only for their son Zoravar but also for her two daughters, for whom she had got child support from her first husband.
Recognizing Dhawan’s standing as a prominent international cricketer, the court asked him to approach the Union government for help in resolving visitation or custody issues with his son, particularly those involving his counterpart in Australia.
“Since petitioner is a reputed International Cricketer and has been a pride of the nation, subject to petitioner approaching the Union Government of India, it is requested to take up the issue of visitation/custody of the minor son with its counterpart in Australia to help him have regular visitation or chatting with his own son or his permanent custody,” the court observed.
The court ordered Mukerji to facilitate the child’s visits to India, including overnight stays with Dhawan and his family, during at least half of the school vacation periods within the academic calendar.
It may be noted that the couple had separated from each other in September 2021. The news of the batsman’s divorce had come as a shocker to his fans as the couple was very popular, often cited on social media as “couple goals”. The couple had then taken to their respective social media accounts to share several posts about their divorce.
Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau is constantly in the news for the wrong reasons these days. Whether it is about picking up a fight with India to support Khalistanis or honouring a Nazi soldier in the parliament, Trudeau has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Now, the Canadian PM is back in news and this time, for sticking his tongue out in House of Commons and winking.
CRINGE: Trudeau sticks his tongue out and winks at newly elected Speaker of the House of Commons. pic.twitter.com/pI6JlpTorS
The Liberal Party leader got too liberal as he took the liberty of making asinine gestures at the Speaker inside the House of Commons. Trudeau has since come under heavy criticism from Canadians and social media users across platforms after his video went viral on the internet.
Justin Trudeau can be seen sticking his tongue out and winking at the Speaker when the latter introduced the Prime Minister as “honourable Prime Minister”. Trudeau corrected the Speaker and said, “very honourable” and then winked. Trudeau also stuck his tongue out.
An X user said that Trudeau’s actions were questionable. “And Trudeau’s teeth look ground down. He really should give up the Coke. The tongue bit with the speaker of the house is kind of questionable too,” said the user @spiritualcat.
And Trudeau's teeth look ground down. He really should give up the Coke. The tongue bit with the speaker of the house is kind of questionable too.
— Catherine MacDonald-Robertson (@spiritualcat) October 5, 2023
Another X user shared a meme calling Trudeau’s actions “pure cringe” and another meme likening his behaviour to that at pride events.
Another internet user, George M Nicholas, wrote, “The tongue move is odd for man or woman regardless of position, on or off camera, in or out of Parliament, but even more so for a Prime Minister. What he does in private should stay there.”
This is not the first time that Trudeau has indulged in such questionable theatrics in the Parliament. In 2016, then Conservative MP for Banff-Airdrie said he had seen Trudeau sticking out his tongue.
“I rise reluctantly following question period today,” Blake Richards explained, “because I think all Canadians would expect our prime minister to always conduct himself with the highest level of dignity and I think to demonstrate the utmost respect for an institution such as the House of Commons. And that should happen whether the prime minister is on camera or off camera, Mr. Speaker.”
Richards said that he had witnessed the Prime Minister behave in a manner that was far below the dignity of his office that he holds on a number of occasions in the Parliament.
Moreover, in 2019, pictures of Trudeau wearing blackface makeup to a party at a private school where he was teaching in 2001 went viral.
Justin Trudeau was called out for being a racist when images of his from a past event went viral showing him wear brownface make-up at an “Arabian Nights”-themed event. (Source: TIME)
The images were taken at an “Arabian Nights”-themed event where Trudeau donned a turban and robes with his face, neck, and hands completely blackened. It was then revealed that Trudeau had a number of times donned blackface make-up at various events in the past.
Manindra Mani Tripathi, priest of a 100-year-old Ram Janaki temple of the Anapur royal family of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh was brutally murdered and his lifeless body was tossed in a field which is around 20 feet west of the holy place. The incident came to light on 2nd October. A cloth was shoved into his mouth and the attackers had bound his hands and ankles with a towel. He took care of the temple diligently for close to 25 years despite being disabled in both legs.
कितना दर्दनाक. ये दृश्य आपको अंदर तक झकझोर देगा. पुजारी मणिंद्र मणि त्रिपाठी की निर्मम हत्या कर दी गई. उनके दोनों हाथ-पैर बांधकर उनकी हत्या कर दी गई. पुजारी जी राम जानकी मंदिर में पुजारी थे. दिव्यांग थे. वो दोनों पैर से चल नहीं सकते थे. कातिल ने अंगौछे से हाथ-पैर बांधे, फिर गला… pic.twitter.com/jTFs1KUnAz
The temple is located within the Indrawas Kumari Memorial (IKM) PG College campus in Anapur under the jurisdiction of Nawabganj police station. The authorities were notified of this horrifying event in the morning which prompted a swift response from them. They arrived to discover the sacred idols scattered throughout the field and the lock on the temple smashed by force.
According to reports, robbery and a property dispute are intertwined in the murder mystery of the 48-year-old victim. The horrific instance and theft of idols from a temple are both being looked at by the police as possible outcomes of a dispute over 20 bighas of land in Bihar. Deputy Police Commissioner (DPC) Ganganagar Abhishek Bharti stayed in the area till late at night to probe the matter. CCTV footage from the vicinity is being scrutinised. The deceased’s phone number has been put on surveillance.
The postmortem report of the priest was delivered late on the night of 2nd October. Princess Anapur State informed that the autopsy result confirmed what circumstantial evidence suggested about the cause of death which was suffocation. He would have strangled and succumbed to death due to his hands, legs and mouth being tied. He passed away at about 2 a.m. on the fateful day. A panel of two doctors conducted the examination amid videography.
Inspector Anoop Singh of Nawabganj noted that in 2021 the body of the sister-in-law of the priest also turned up in a similar manner with her hands and feet bound. Her family members had submitted a case of dowry death and his brother is behind bars. The priest also obtained 20 bighas of land which is presently disputed on his maternal grandfather’s property.
The princess voiced that the priest was a simple gentleman who was loved by everyone. “He came here when he was only 20 years old. Our royal family had put him on salary as a priest of the Ram Janaki temple because he was differently abled and a Pandit. The IKM College management also made arrangements for his meals and accommodation.”
“Who murdered him and why,” she asked and mentioned, “All of us are unable to comprehend this. He held no animosity against anyone here and there was no disagreement regarding the ownership of the land because the temple is owned by IKM College Society. He was like a tree for us.”
The DCP who rushed to the spot on the evening of 2nd October revealed that the motive behind the crime is unclear. “Police are examining the nearby CCTV footage. The occurrence transpired between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Sunday night. The entire CCTV archive from that time is being reviewed. The priest’s mobile was not functional for a week. A cell phone with a keypad and no SIM card was recovered from him. He was using someone else’s device. Both of the numbers have been placed under observation. The instance is going to be disclosed soon.”
Inspector Anoop Singh proclaimed that information about his lifeless body was received at 7 a.m. “The news was followed by immediate inquiry. The manner in which the crime was committed has not been unveiled yet. All samples and proof have currently been gathered from the premises. The issue is being probed by a police team. The school administration and villagers residing in the neighbourhood have also been questioned in connection with the case.”
Shivangi Sharan Singh remarked, “We have two temples. One temple is of Satti Chaura and the other is Ram Janaki temple. On 21st August of this year, there was a burglary attempt at the former place. The thieves had run away after hearing the sounds of the workers in the mansion. Three individuals had come to steal the precious Kaskut idols of Ram Janaki which are highly valuable along with that of Lord Laxman.”
She added, “They succeeded in removing them, however, could not leave with the statues which have now been taken out of their original place and require another consecration. A Bhandara (Hindu religious community feast) would take place and only after that worship is going to commence at the temple.” The perpetrators were reportedly able to take an eight-metal murti and a one-foot idol of Laddu Gopal (Baby Krishna).
Furthermore, they looted every piece of gold and silver from the temple. Notably, a robbery of the idol of lord Krishna on the same level took place in 2014 at a temple inside the Gaurishankar Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya in Shringverpur, however, no leads were found then.
The royal family is extremely hurt as a result of the gruesome instance. Their reputation and trust have been damaged. The princess has requested DCP Ganganagar to expose the entire conspiracy as soon as possible.
Durga Prasad Dhuria who runs a grocery store right in front of the temple in Anapur market conveyed that the priest had nothing to do with anyone and was preoccupied with God and himself. He never had any conflict with anybody and people treated him with love and respect. Bhupendra Nath Paday, lecturer of Zoology at IKM Degree College of Anapur State commented that the priest used to wake up at 4.30 in the morning and prayed till 7 a.m. He had no concern with anyone. His behaviour was good and had no enmity towards anyone. He neither passed any statements nor criticised anyone.”
On 14th August 2023, a similar incident came to light from Rajasthan’s Nagaur district where the corpse of a Hindu priest named Maharaj Mohandas was discovered. The 72-year-old was found lying on the floor of his ashram with his wrists and legs bound and his mouth muffled which prompted questions about possible foul play. He had spent the previous 14 years working there.
The 93-year-old priest Mahant Siyaram Das of Bhuriya Mahadev Baba Dham temple in Diggi village in Rajasthan’s Tonk was tragically killed on the 29th of the same month. His body was found the next morning when devotees arrived to offer their prayers in the temple. Mahant Gorakhnath Das suffered a similar fate in April of last year when robbers in Bihar’s Saran district stole thirteen idols of Hindu deities as well as the ornaments that adorned them.
Amid the ongoing diplomatic standoff between India and Canada over Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s baseless claims against India for killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar in British Columbia, reports emerged confirming that a man has been arrested for the vandalism of the Laxmi Narayan and Bhameshwari temples in Surrey, Canada. This is reportedly the first arrest the Canadian police have made since the temple desecration incident occurred in August this year.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Surrey, confirmed to Hindustan Times that a suspect was apprehended in connection with the August 12 and 14 incidents. The media house quoted the official as saying that the individual has been charged with two counts of mischief and will be asked to appear in court at a later date.
Though the temple targeted on August 14 could not be identified, on August 12, Khalistani terrorists in Canada attacked the Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, near the Canada-United States border.
The Khalistani terrorists had placed posters at the entrance of the temple, aiming to sow fear within the Hindu community. The poster advocated for a referendum pertaining to “the assassination of Hardeep Nijjar” and investigating India’s role in the terrorist’s assassination.
The news outlet “Australia Today” shared a video capturing the disturbing act of vandalism at the temple, which was carried out by Khalistani terrorists. In the video, two masked individuals can be observed affixing posters to the temple’s entrance.
The displayed poster announces the intention of Khalistanis to conduct a referendum about examining India’s involvement in what they called the “assassination of Hardeep Nijjar”. Featuring an image of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the poster commemorated him as a “martyr”.
Diplomatic standoff between India and Canada
Recently, Canada levelled baseless allegations against India for killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. This triggered a stern reaction from New Delhi, leading to a diplomatic standoff between the two countries. India staunchly denied the allegations, while Canada is yet to provide evidence to back its claims that Indian diplomats were hand-in-glove with the militants who assassinated Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani extremist designated as a terrorist by India.
Trudeau’s remark, however, underscores India’s position that, as a result of its appeasement policy, Canada has always rolled out the red carpet for Khalistani terrorists, resulting in them using Canadian soil for anti-India activities on numerous occasions.
Recently, we compiled a list of eight incidents this year in which Khalistani terrorists incited violence and carried out anti-India activities on Canadian soil, with the tactical assistance of Canadian authorities.
