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UP: Raees and his son Salman arrested for hoisting the Pakistani flag at their residence in Moradabad

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Raees and his son Salman arrested for hoisting the Pakistani flag at their residence in Moradabad

In the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, the police arrested a father-son duo Raees and Salman on Wednesday (September 27) for hoisting the Pakistani national flag on the rooftop of their house. The arrest came after locals informed the police about the incident in the Aliganj Budhanpur village under the Bhagatpur police station precinct.

Reportedly, accused Raees (45) and his son Salman (25) ran a garments shop and made a Pakistani flag using white and green fabric. Subsequently, they hoisted that flag at their residence. The locals, however, made a video of the incident and uploaded it on social media platforms.

As the video went viral on social media platforms including X, the police took note of the matter. Kuldeep Kumar, the in-charge of the Northeast Frontier Area (NEFA) outpost, was sent to the location to assess the situation. It was determined that a Pakistani flag was in fact flying atop the accused Raees’ residence. A case of sedition was registered against the accused on Wednesday leading to the arrest of Raees and his son Salman.

Taking to X (formerly, Twitter), Moradabad Police confirmed the arrest of the accused persons adding that further legal action is being undertaken. “In connection to the matter, a case has been registered at Bhagatpur police station and two accused have been arrested and sent to jail, other legal proceedings are underway,” Moradabad police posted.

Meanwhile, police station in-charge Mohit Chaudhary said that the accused duo is being questioned. The police are trying to find out the motive of the accused duo behind hoisting a Pakistani flag. Other than the police and Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) several other agencies are reported to be questioning the accused persons. SP Dehat Sandeep Kumar Meena informed that accused Raees and Salman will produced before the court on Thursday, September 28.

Manipur: Brutal murder of Meitei students sparks fresh protests in Imphal, 50 students injured as youngsters demand justice

OpIndia Staff
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Manipur: Brutal murder of Meitei students sparks fresh protests in Imphal, 50 students injured as youngsters demand justice

The horrific murder of two Meitei teenagers in Manipur, allegedly by Kuki militants, has sparked widespread protests in the state with several students staging a demonstration in Imphal. When the students had gathered to demand justice for the deceased Meitei students on Tuesday, nearly 50 of the protesting students sustained injuries in a police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) crackdown.

Amidst the severe crackdown and the declaration of a holiday for all schools, students across the five valley districts continued their protests. Several students suffered injuries on Wednesday (September 27) when authorities used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Reportedly, around 20 of the injured, mostly female students, were admitted to various hospitals in Imphal. The altercation took place when RAF attempted to prevent hundreds of students from marching towards the chief minister’s secretariat at Moirangkhom along NH-102 in Imphal. Nine injured female students were taken to local hospitals.

Meanwhile, medical students from JNIMS and Shija Academy of Health Sciences organised a demonstration calling for the arrest of those responsible for the murder of the two missing Meiteis. Students from youths. Various medical schools protested on the campus of their respective institutions, holding placards with slogans demanding justice for the two students. Protesting students also staged a rally in the streets near JNIMS Porompat.

Meanwhile, the district administration reimposed a curfew in the Imphal West area at 4 PM, shortening the relaxation period that had previously begun at 5 AM and ended at 9 PM. In the Imphal East district, a total curfew has been reinstated.

This comes after two Imphal residents, Hijam Linthoingami (17) and Phijam Hemjit (20), went missing on July 6, 2023, and two images confirming their deaths surfaced online. As previously reported, one of the photographs that went viral showed the two students seated on the ground, with two armed men visible in the background. Another picture that was circulating on social media showed the bodies of the two teenagers lying on grass.

Following the circulation of the images online, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh provided assurance to the public, affirming that prompt and resolute measures would be taken against individuals implicated in the abduction and tragic loss of the students. On September 26, it was announced that the state government had handed over the investigation regarding the disappearance of the two students to the CBI. On Wednesday, a CBI team led by the agency’s Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar, reached Imphal to investigate the case. 

Kerala: KTDFC unable to pay back Kolkata-based Ramakrishna Mission’s fixed deposit worth Rs 130 crores, RBI to cancel license

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: KTDFC unable to pay back Kolkata-based Ramakrishna Mission’s fixed deposit worth Rs 130 crores, RBI to cancel license

KTDFC, the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation, had secured a fixed investment of Rs 130 crore from the Kolkata-based Sri Ramakrishna Mission. However, despite the maturity deadline passing, KTDFC has been unable to repay the amount, as per reports. In response to this, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has conveyed its intention to revoke KTDFC’s non-banking license. This is communicated to the Kerala state government through a special envoy.

The RBI’s decision will cast a shadow over Kerala Bank too, given its substantial investments in KTDFC. This latest setback adds to the ongoing challenges faced by cooperative banks, which initially surfaced with the troubles at Karuvannur Bank in Thrissur. Additionally, the state finance department’s inability to ensure timely repayments has played a role in the punitive measures taken.

KTDFC’s deposits are backed by a state government guarantee, stipulating that if the corporation cannot fulfill its repayment obligations, the Kerala government is obligated to step in and cover the deposits. However, given KTDFC’s current inability to honor its commitments, the credibility of this state government guarantee has also been seriously undermined.

At the behest of the former Finance Minister, Thomas Isaac, Kerala Bank extended an unsecured loan of Rs 356 crore to KTDFC. Unfortunately, this loan subsequently deteriorated into a non-performing asset, and as a result, the outstanding amount, including interest, has now surged to a staggering Rs 900 crore. As KTDFC’s financial condition worsened, the RBI imposed restrictions preventing the corporation from accepting deposits.

Many have speculated that it is unlikely that the state government in Kerala will step up to pay KTDFC’s depositors because the Pinarayi Vijayan government itself is heavily in debt. It is currently seeking loans to even pay salaries and pensions.

KTDFC is currently in debt to its investors, with approximately Rs 490 crore held in fixed deposits that have matured. This issue came to the RBI’s attention when numerous investors, including Sri Ramakrishna Mission, voiced their concerns about KTDFC’s ongoing crisis. Consequently, the Reserve Bank issued a directive, instructing KTDFC to settle these deposits by April 2023.

On the other hand, officials at KTDFC contend that the prevailing predicament stems from KSRTC’s (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) inability to repay a loan of Rs 360 crore, which has since ballooned to Rs 900 crore, inclusive of accrued interest. KTDFC has also pressed the state government for the reimbursement of this sum. Despite numerous deliberations, the state Finance Department has yet to allocate the requested funds to KTDFC.

‘Summons was quashed by SC’: Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira arrested by Punjab police in drugs case, had slammed Raghav Chadha hours before arrest

OpIndia Staff
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‘Summons was quashed by SC’: Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira arrested by Punjab police in drugs case, had slammed Raghav Chadha hours before arrest

On 28th September, Boalth MLA and Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira was arrested by Punjab Police from his residence in Sector 5 Chandigarh. The Police arrested him in an old Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act case registered in Jalalabad of district Fazilka. Superintendent of Police (SP) Fazilka reached his residence on Thursday morning to arrest him.

Khaira published a video of the police action on his Facebook page. In the Facebook live, he accused Aam Aadmi Party-led state government of highhandedness in the action taken against him to settle political scores. For days, Khaira has questioned AAP leader Raghav Chadha over his lavish wedding with actress Parineeti Chopra.

In the Facebook Live, he was seen arguing with the Police. He also demanded to see the arrest warrants. A person in plain clothes identified himself as SP. Another police personnel told him he was DSP Jalalabad Acchru Ram Sharma. Khaira also asked in which case he was being arrested, to which Sharma informed him that it was the NDPS case.

Khaira said that summons in the particular case were already quashed by the Supreme Court, which raised questions about the action taken by the state police.

Furthermore, Khaira expressed his displeasure when the Police entered his bedroom in the morning. When the Police did not show him a warrant, he said when ED came to arrest him, they showed him warrants and completed paperwork. He added that there is a procedure to arrest a person, and the Police have to follow it. The Police did not clarify till the end where they were taking Khaira and if they were taking him to the court for remand or to a police station in Jalalabad.

Khaira bashed Raghav Chadha for lavish wedding

Hours before the arrest, Khaisa questioned Chadha over his lavish wedding. In a post on X, he said, “Will Raghav Chadha have the decency to clarify how he managed to gift a 4 Carat very expensive diamond ring to his newly wedded wife Parineeti Chopra (more than 10 times his declared income) while his income according to 2020-21 ITR is merely 2.44 Lacs? While she being a celebrity, gifted him with a ring of lesser value? What is the truth? Punjab BADLAV wants to know?”

In another post, he wrote, “Omg just watch the dazzling cavalcades of today’s brand of Aam Aadmi’s like Arvind Kejriwal, Raghav Chadha, Bhagwant Mann & Co who once vowed not to take govt home car etc and vowed to end Vip culture but now not only have they broken their vows but are new Vvip’s of India!”

Supreme Court quashed summons against Khaira

In February 2023, Supreme Court had quashed summoning orders against Khaira by a Fazilka court in drugs seizure case. The court noted that the orders under Section 319 CrPC were passed after the accused in the case were convicted and sentenced. In December last year, the Constitutional Bench of the apex court noted that once the trial court passed an order in a sentence, it is not in its juridiction or order summons to additional accused under Section 319 CrPC.

Public transport like Metro rail and buses are capital-intensive, making them free of cost for political gains is not good: Hardeep Singh Puri

ANI
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Public transport like Metro rail and buses are capital-intensive, making them free of cost for political gains is not good: Hardeep Singh Puri

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, said on Wednesday that while certain political parties advocate for free public transport such as metro rail and buses, it is not economically viable to offer these services entirely cost-free to the public as these are capital-intensive schemes.

“All these facilities – Metro and electric buses, these have to be economically viable. I believe that economically viable schemes will have good service delivery and the citizens will be happy with it. There will be no problem,” Puri said in Indore.  

Attacking Opposition, Puri said that the philosophy of some political parties is that all such services should be made free.
“Some political parties believe in making such things free, but these are capital-intensive schemes. Like Vande Bharat trains, they are highly successful. Nine have been introduced by the Prime Minister two days ago. People don’t mind paying extra as they are getting first-class service,” he added. 

He further mentioned that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister Metro Rail came to the country. 

“Metro rail came to the country when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister and now 27 big cities have metro projects, he said. 
Puri further added that 870 km of metro network have been laid across the country, while the construction of another 936 km is underway.

Speaking on Centre’s upcoming plan to launch electric buses, he said, “Union government is also working on a plan to run 10,000 electric buses across the country and out of these, 500 buses will start running in the next few months.”

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

From Swachh Bharat to the promotion of Digital payments and Vocal For Local, here is what PM Modi appealed in his address at YouTube Fanfest India 2023

OpIndia Staff
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From Swachh Bharat to the promotion of Digital payments and Vocal For Local, here is what PM Modi appealed in his address at YouTube Fanfest India 2023

On Wednesday (27 September), PM Modi gave a video address to fellow YouTubers on the YouTube Fanfest India 2023 to mark the completion of 15 years on the video-sharing platform. During his address, PM Modi made an appeal to the YouTube community to join forces and empower mass movement with three key priorities – Swachh Bharat, promotion of Digital payments, and vocal for local. 

PM Modi began his address to fellow YouTubers by stating that he is also just like them and has been actively connecting with the country through the video-sharing platform for the last 15 years.

He highlighted that around 5,000 creators and aspiring creators are active on the platform who make content on gaming, technology, food or travel blogging, and influencing lifestyle.

PM Modi asserted that the creative community of YouTubers has the power to make a change and bring transformation in the lives of a vast population in our country. 

He noted that by coming together, the community can empower, strengthen, and easily teach crores of people on important matters. 

Stating that there are more than thousands of videos on his YouTube channel, he asserted, “The most satisfying for me has been when I talked to lakhs of students in our country through YouTube on subjects like exam stress, expectation management, and productivity.” 

YouTubers should join forces to lead Mass movement on three key issues

Afterward, PM Modi made an appeal to the creative community to join forces and lead the mass movement on three key issues to success.  

He stated that the first topic is cleanliness, Swachh Bharat has become a big campaign in the last nine years. Everyone contributed to it, children brought an emotional power to it. Celebrities gave it heights, people in all corners of the country turned it into a mission and YouTubers like you made cleanliness more cool, PM Modi added.

He added, “But we don’t have to stop. Till the time cleanliness does not become India’s identity, we won’t stop. Therefore, cleanliness must be a priority for each one of you.” 

Secondly, PM Modi emphasised the need to increase Digital payments. He noted that due to the success of UPI, India today has a 46 percent share in digital payments of the world. 

Appealing to the YouTube community, he said, “You should inspire more and more people of the country to make digital payments, and teach them to make digital payments in simple language through your videos.” 

To strengthen the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, PM Modi raised Vocal For Local as the third key issue during his YouTube address. 

He said, “In our country, so many products are made at the local level. The skill of our local artisans is amazing. You can promote them also through your work, and help in making India’s local turn global.” 

He added, “Inspire others also, make an emotional appeal that we will buy the product that has the fragrance of our soil, which has the sweat of a labourer or artisan of our country. Whether it’s Khadi, handicrafts, handloom, or anything else. Awaken the nation, initiate a movement.” 

Apart from urging YouTubers to reinvigorate mass movement on the aforementioned three issues, PM Modi suggested, “Along with the identity that you have as a YouTuber, can you add an activity? Consider putting a question at the end of each episode or providing action points to do something. People can do the activity and share it with you. This way, your popularity will also grow, and people will not just listen but also engage in doing something.” 

Concluding his address, he did what all YouTubers do, appeal to subscribe to his channel, “I really enjoyed talking to all of you. What do you say at the end of your videos… I will also repeat it: Subscribe to my channel and hit the Bell Icon to receive all my updates.” 

Comedian Trevor Noah’s Bengaluru show cancelled due to bad sound system, audiences also complain about bad seating, bad AC and bad location

OpIndia Staff
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Comedian Trevor Noah’s Bengaluru show cancelled due to bad sound system, audiences also complain about bad seating, bad AC and bad location

South African comedian Trevor Noah’s show in Bengaluru on 27 September was cancelled due to a bad sound system. The comedy show, a part of the Off The Record world tour, was scheduled to be held Manpho Convention Centre near Manyata Tech Park in Nagavara in Northern Bengaluru.

The show was to begin at 7.30 PM, which started at around 8 PM, but at around 9 PM, Trevor Noah tweeted that the show had been cancelled. He said that due to technical reasons they are forced to both the shows.

“We tried everything but because the audience can’t hear the comedians on stage there’s literally no way to do a show,” he tweeted, indicating that there was a problem with the sound system which could not be fixed.

Trevor Noah assured that the ticket prices would be refunded, and apologised for the inconvenience and disappointment, which he said that has never happened to them before.

Trevor Noah told the audience that the sound guys couldn’t figure out how to fix the issue, and therefore he would not be able to perform. He said sorry for the situation and said that everyone would get their money back.

Apart from today’s show, the show scheduled for 28th September also has been cancelled, as the problems found in the venue can’t be fixed. Although Noah only talked about bad acoustics, the venue also has issues with bad seating, bad air conditioning, and bad access roads.

Several people who attended the show by purchasing tickets on Bookmyshow took to social media to complain that they could not hear anything. The audience said that the audio was terrible, and they were shouting ‘We can’t hear’.

People also complained about the selection of the venue, which is a flat auditorium without gallery seating, which means apart from not being able to hear, most people were also not able to see anything on the stage.

The crowd also complained about bad air-conditioning, as the auditorium became hot. People on social media slammed bookmyshow for bad planning.

However, the show faced even before it started, in the form of horrible traffic jams. There was massive traffic congestion at Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road, and people coming to the show were stuck in traffic for a long time. Some even tried to sell their tickets at a discount as they knew that they would not reach the venue on time.

The show was postponed by 30 minutes because most ticket holders were unable to reach the venue due to traffic congestion. However, when it did start, it had to be cancelled due to sound issues.

Trevor Noah’s Bengaluru shows were a part of his Off The Record Tour in India scheduled in 3 cities – Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Scientists remove the lid of the OSIRIS-REx Sample canister retrieved from near-Earth asteroid Bennu, find its ‘dust and debris’

OpIndia Staff
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Scientists remove the lid of the OSIRIS-REx Sample canister retrieved from near-Earth asteroid Bennu, find its ‘dust and debris’

On Tuesday (26 September), NASA scientists removed the initial lid from the canister, which was part of the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule that had touched down in the Utah desert just two days prior. Following its successful landing, the sample capsule retrieved from space was delivered to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on September 25.

Inside the canister, NASA scientists found black dust and debris of near-Earth asteroid Bennu on the avionics deck of the OSIRIS-REx sample canister. 

Notably, the Johnson Centre houses the world’s largest collection of astromaterials. According to the official statement by NASA, at the Johnson Centre, the curation experts will perform the intricate disassembly of the Touch and Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) to get down to the bulk sample within. 

The space agency added that these operations are taking place in a new laboratory that has been designed specifically for the OSIRIS-REx mission. The aluminium lid was removed inside a glovebox designed to enable working with the large piece of hardware.

After separating the TAGSAM from the canister, it will be inserted in a sealed transfer container to preserve a nitrogen environment for up to about two hours. The container will allow enough time for the team to insert the TAGSAM into another unique glovebox and this will speed up the disassembly process. 

Notably, the space agency is taking due diligence to not come into contact with the sample retrieved from asteroid Bennu and the hardware removal process will be done delicately taking necessary precautions to avoid risk of contamination. 

As per the space agency, scientists and engineers at Johnson will work together to complete the disassembly process. Subsequently, it will reveal the sample to the world in a special live broadcast event that will take place on 11 October at 11 a.m. ET. 

Earlier, NASA’s OSIRIS REx spacecraft retrieved the sample return capsule that contains a piece of near-Earth asteroid named Bennu. It landed near Salt Lake City at 8:25 PM IST on 24 September. Later, a recovery mission was launched to locate and retrieve the capsule. 

During the descending phase, the capsule estimatedly reached temperatures up to 2,760° Celsius. Resultantly, the recovery team waited for the capsule to cool down so that it could handle it safely. NASA scientists and engineers have been training for this procedure for months and have conducted several simulations of the capsule recovery. They also set up a clean room to handle the capsule.

The estimated weight of the sample is around 8.8 ounces (250 grams) of asteroid rocks and soil from asteroid Bennu. 

Regarding the sample, NASA said, “Pieces of 4.6bn-year-old space rock ‘act as a time capsule from the earliest days of our solar system.” It is believed that the sample could help scientists understand the ingredients that went into making planets including our own.

Notably, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security and Regolith Explorer. This seven-year mission planned to study what scientists have described as the most dangerous rock in the Solar System began in 2016 when it lifted off with an aim to collect samples from the Bennu asteroid. It then began orbiting Bennu in 2018 and the spacecraft later collected the sample in 2020 using a long sting vacuum and subsequently set off on its lengthy return trip to Earth in May 2021.

It’s NASA’s first time returning an asteroid sample from space. Earlier, Japan had collected around a teaspoonful of samples in two asteroid missions.

To know more details about the asteroid Bennu and the OSIRIS REx mission, click here. 

As per official information, Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid which means that it has a lot of carbon in it, perhaps 5-10% by mass. It is expected that Scientists could see a mix of rocky fragments in a range of sizes – from a few millimetres across down to dust-sized. The material will appear very dark, almost black, and very crumbly. 

Arab countries ask Pakistan not to send beggars disguised as pilgrims as 90% of beggars caught are Pakistanis: Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis

OpIndia Staff
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Arab countries ask Pakistan not to send beggars disguised as pilgrims as 90% of beggars caught are Pakistanis: Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis

Zeeshan Khanzada, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis reportedly provided some troubling figures regarding the indigent country’s foreign population in a recent Senate Standing Committee meeting on Foreign Pakistanis. He disclosed that a significant portion of overseas Pakistanis engage in begging which puts many of them in legal trouble, adding a massive stain to Pakistan’s already disgraceful record.

He asserted that several Pakistanis who indulged in international beggaring had run into legal issues. He divulged that 90% of the beggars caught abroad were from Pakistan. The ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and Iraq complained that their jails were overcrowded as a result of these arrests which also raised concerns about human trafficking.

He mentioned that many of the pickpockets nabbed inside the Masjid al-Haram in Saudi Arabia were Pakistanis and frequently used Umrah visas to visit the place for begging.

Reports also mention that the Arab countries have asked Pakistan to stop sending beggars disguised as pilgrims. Authorities in these countries have asked Pakistan to take back all the beggars, adding that 90% of the beggars caught in the countries are Pakistanis.

The subject of Pakistan’s relatively low presence among skilled employees in nations like Japan was brought up during the discussion by Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hasan. He stated that barely 200 Pakistanis had been deployed despite Japan’s request for 340,000 skilled personnel from diverse nations. This sparked reservations about the country’s workers being underutilised in international job markets.

About 1.5 million skilled employees from India and 91,000 from Nepal were sent to the east-Asian country. A competent workforce has also been sent there from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He highlighted that Pakistan has a workforce of about 500,000 engineers and Nepal has a population of 30 million. However, the latter has dispatched workers to Japan where many of them are learning the Japanese language.

Approximately 3 million Pakistanis are employed in Saudi Arabia and while the government is drafting a plan, the Gulf state is currently hiring proficient workers rather than unskilled labour, according to the senator. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is establishing skill centres in Pakistan due to the lack of skilled personnel. Around 200,000 Pakistanis are employed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which has offered to send 50,000 skilled workers to Pakistan.

The representatives from Overseas Pakistanis briefed the committee that Pakistan inked a contract with Japan in 2019. The latter has confirmed that Pakistan’s workforce should receive language training.

Senator Sherry Rehman stressed the necessity for Pakistanis to improve their abilities and drew comparisons to Nepal which had been sending mountain shepherds to Pakistan which lacked experts in surveying and mountaineering. She voiced worry about the lack of comprehensive training programmes and the competency level of Pakistani workers.

Zeeshan Khanzada further conveyed to the committee that there are many Pakistanis residing abroad with Bangladesh and India outpacing them in terms of emigration. He added that the majority of beggars who are apprehended are his fellow countrymen and that many are being imprisoned for begging in the Islamic holy cities. He proclaimed that most of the people arrested for stealing wallets inside sacred sites are Pakistanis who enter on religious visas but end up begging.

He noted that many Pakistanis were employed in nations like the UAE and Qatar and that Pakistan had developed a skilled centre in Saudi Arabia. According to him, many Pakistanis were prepared for the workforce and were willing to pay high sums of money, up to 5 million rupees to land jobs abroad.

This meeting primarily concentrated on Pakistan’s emigration concerns, including discussions on the necessity to send skilled labour abroad and resolve different issues involving Pakistanis living abroad.

Notably, former Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif famously referred to the country as a beggar when he replied, “Beggars can’t be choosers,” in April of 2022 after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supremo and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi called him a “slave of America”.

He then reiterated the same in September of the same year when he announced, “Today when we go to any friendly country or make a phone call, they think that we have come to beg for money,” while speaking at a lawyers’ convention. “Where does Pakistan stand today after 75 years,” he asked and added, “Even smaller economies have surpassed Pakistan and we have been wandering for the past 75 years carrying a begging bowl.”

The South Asian country has been simultaneously and unsuccessfully battling severe economic crises, inflation bombs, political instability and terror attacks for quite some time now with no end to its mounting troubles in sight.

Home Ministry orders CBI probe into Arvind Kejriwal’s lavish Sheesh Mahal, all documents to be handed over by PWD by 3rd October

OpIndia Staff
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Home Ministry orders CBI probe into Arvind Kejriwal’s lavish Sheesh Mahal, all documents to be handed over by PWD by 3rd October

On Wednesday (27 September), the Union Home Ministry ordered a CBI enquiry to probe the irregularities in the lavish renovation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. Subsequently, the probe agency registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) in the matter. Now, it will investigate the matter.

According to a report in India Today, the CBI has directed the Public Works Department (PWD) under the Delhi government to hand over all documents by 3 October. The CBI will now enquire into all aspects related to the alleged irregularities that were revealed by an enquiry conducted by the Chief Secretary of Delhi. 

Based on the Chief Secretary’s report, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena wrote to the CBI to initiate a probe into the matter. Apparently, his five-page letter written to the CBI Director in May has prompted this enquiry. 

Earlier on 18 June, the Directorate of Vigilance issued show-cause notices to seven Public Works Department (PWD) officials in connection with the alleged expenditure on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence case. The official statement noted that they were given 15 days time to respond to the notice. 

Later, on 27 June, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India initiated what it said was a “special audit” into the alleged “administrative and financial” irregularities during the renovation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence, referred to as  ‘Sheesh Mahal’ in media reports. 

The CAG’s special audit move followed a recommendation by the Ministry of Home Affairs after having received a letter on 24 May 2023, from the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat. It had pointed out that gross financial irregularities, prima facie, were reported in the reconstruction of Kejriwal’s official residence. 

The LG, in his letter, underlined that these violations or “extravagant expenditure” took place at the behest of “Hon’ble CM Madam”, in an apparent reference to Kejriwal’s wife, during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is important to note that the resident of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is situated on 6, Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines. It was alleged that Rs 45 crores were spent on renovations that were undertaken at his official residence. 

According to media reports, 23 curtains were approved for installation at the residence of Delhi CM and AAP national convenor, with a total cost of Rs 97 lakhs. Imported from Vietnam, the marble used for the renovation of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence cost around Rs 3 crores. The flooring was done using ‘Deor Pearl Marble’, known for its superior quality. 

Additionally, Rs 21,60,000 was spent on the chemical adhesive used to fix the marble. The documents also reveal that a sum of Rs 40 lakhs was spent on installing six almirahs at the official residence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

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