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Amritpal Singh used Canada registered number, WhatsApp calling to evade arrest, says Punjab Police, NIA exposes ISI links

OpIndia Staff
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Amritpal Singh used Canada registered number, WhatsApp calling to evade arrest, says Punjab Police, NIA exposes ISI links

A couple of days after the arrest of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh from Moga, the Punjab Police on Tuesday submitted a detailed report to the center revealing that the pro-Khalistani separatist leader was using a foreign registered number to be in touch with his close aides. The Police also stated that he used the feature of WhatsApp calling to communicate with his colleagues.

According to the Dainik Bhasker reports, the Ministry of Home Affairs sought a detailed report from the Punjab police regarding the arrest of Amritpal Singh. The police were also asked to submit the record of action taken in the case since Singh went absconding in March. The Police said that Singh was in constant touch with his colleagues since March and that he had been using a Canada-registered number to stay secure from police call-tracing action.

“Without inserting any SIM in his mobile, Amritpal was running it by feeding the code of Canada’s number in WhatsApp so that the police could not trace him,” the police stated in the report.

The National Investigation Agency team (NIA) also has submitted its report to the Ministry regarding the Amritpal Singh case. The NIA in its report is said to have exposed Amritpal Singh’s connections with the ISI. The reports stated that Singh had established robust connections with Pakistani, and other foreign terrorists and that he was getting funds from another country.

While more than 400 persons have been detained so far in connection with the case of Amritpal Singh, MHA is interested in engaging those individuals who have been working behind the scenes to assist Amritpal Singh. The MHA has also inquired about the police’s operations in addition to this.

Amritpal Singh was arrested on April 23

In a major breakthrough amid the continuing manhunt, ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh was arrested by Punjab Police from the Moga district of Punjab on April 23. Two more aides of the fugitive radical preacher and Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh were arrested at Mohali in Punjab, in a joint operation by Punjab and Delhi Police on April 18.

On April 15, Punjab Police arrested his close aide Joga Singh from Sirhind in the Fatehgarh Sahib district. Another close aid of the pro khalistani leader, Papalpreet Singh was arrested on April 10, in an operation conducted by Punjab Police and its counter-intelligence unit.

Earlier on Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah when asked about Amritpal Singh’s arrest, had said, “It may happen sometime. Earlier he used to roam freely, but now he cannot carry on with his activities.”

The radical leader had been declared a “fugitive” while he was on a run earlier in March. He has been on the run since March 18, the day Punjab Police launched a massive manhunt for him. The crackdown came almost over three weeks after Amritpal’s supporters stormed Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23, demanding the release of one of his aides, Lovepreet Toofan.

SC issues notice to Delhi Police over petition filed by wrestlers against WFI president: A complete timeline of events

OpIndia Staff
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SC issues notice to Delhi Police over petition filed by wrestlers against WFI president: A complete timeline of events

A notice has been issued by the Supreme Court to the Delhi Police following a petition filed by wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, against Brij Bhushan, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, for alleged mental harassment.

On Monday, the wrestlers filed a writ petition seeking the registration of an FIR against the President of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually assaulting the women wrestlers.

On Monday, senior counsel Narender Hooda, who represents the wrestlers, mentioned the petition before a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. Because the petition was not on the initial list of listed things on Monday, the CJI directed Hooda to bring it up again on Tuesday. The petition is currently being heard on Tuesday at 10.30 am by a bench led by CJI Chandrachud.

The wrestlers’ appeal cites an unjustified delay in the registration of an FIR by Delhi Police against the WFI president and asks the Supreme Court to issue a directive to the police. “Clearly, the Delhi Police is under political pressure. If this was a regular case, the accused would have been arrested by now. The complainants include a minor, so a case under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) should also be registered,” advocate Hooda said.

This comes a day after several top Indian wrestlers resumed their protest at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Sunday, April 23, three months after the allegations were first made public. The protesting wrestlers had levelled an array of accusations against Singh and the federation, including money embezzlement, mental and sexual abuse, threats of death, and sexual exploitation.

Speaking about the matter, Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia said, “This time, all parties are welcome to join our protest, whether BJP, Congress, AAP, or any other party. We are not affiliated with any party.” He added that it is the flag of the country that is held high when the wrestlers win media and not of any party.

“We play and win for the country, not for any party. Not only one party but everyone congratulates us on our win. So, this time, we welcome all parties and countrymen to join our protest,” Punia added.

Talking about the protest, Punia said, “If today we don’t fight for the respect of our daughters and sisters, then we won’t be able to fight against anyone ever.”

It may be recalled that the wrestlers had initially launched a protest against the President of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in January this year and again resumed their sit-in protest in Jantar Mantar in Delhi in April 2023. In these few months, in stark contrast to his initial stance of asking politicians to refrain from joining the protest saying that they do not want it to be politicised, wrestler Bajrang Punia has now urged political parties to join the protests.

Notably, on January 19, when Communist Party’s Brinda Karat reached the site where wrestlers had sat on a protest over accusations against the federation chief and several coaches of sexually harassing multiple athletes, Punia had asked her to step down from the stage and not to make the issue political. This time, in contrast, Punia has welcomed people from all political parties, be it the BJP, the Congress, or the Aam Aadmi Party, to join the protest.

Here is a timeline of the Indian wrestlers’ protest against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh:

  • Three months ago on 18 January 2023, a controversy erupted between the president of the Wrestling Federation of India and some Indian wrestlers when the latter held a press conference and levelled an array of accusations against Singh and the federation, including money embezzlement, mental and sexual abuse, threats of death, and sexual exploitation.
  • The wrestlers demanded that the wrestling federation be dissolved and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh resign and be sent to jail.
  • Following the protests in January, Brij Bhushan Singh rejected allegations of dictatorship and sexual harassment raised by wrestlers on 18th January 2023. Brij Bhushan Singh has said,  “I am ready to face an FIR, or CBI inquiry and even face the highest legal authority in India. I will hang myself if the allegations are found to be true.”
  • On January 19, a group of elite wrestlers, including Ravi Dahiya, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Babita Phogat conducted an over-three-hour-long meeting with union sports minister Anurag Thakur in an effort to resolve the issue, but it proved to be inconclusive.
  • The wrestlers continued to express their displeasure by holding press conferences. They demanded a meeting with PM Modi.
  • On January 20, the Olympic Association, headed by PT Usha, established a seven-member committee to look into the matter and investigate the charges. The panel, led by legendary boxer MC Mary Kom, also included some eminent athletes such as wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, archer Dola Banerjee and Indian Weightlifting Federation president and IOA treasurer Sahdev Yadav. Wrestlers once again met with Anurag Thakur for the second round of talks.
  • The WFI chief termed the demonstration the “dharna of Shaheen Bagh” and declared Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh wouldn’t step down from his position. 
  • Following this, an Oversight Committee was formed by the government on January 23, with star boxer Mary Kom as its head. Yogeshwar Dutt, an Olympic medal-winning wrestler, former badminton player, and member of the Mission Olympic Cell, Rajesh Rajagopalan, a former CEO of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, and Radhica Sreeman, a former executive director (teams) of the Sports Authority of India, are the other members of the Oversight Committee.
  • The committee was tasked with investigating the allegations levelled against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and a one-month deadline was also set.
  • The sports minister assured the wrestlers that justice would be delivered to them.
  • On January 21, the first round of protests was called off.

After almost 55 days into the controversy, last month, it was announced that the sports minister’s oversight committee would soon submit its report to the ministry, however, till now the findings of the committee have not been made public. A report by the Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar had then quoted sources as saying that the committee tasked with conducting an investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled at the WFI president has not found evidence against him, however, OpIndia cannot confirm the authenticity of the information shared by Dainik Bhaskar.

On Sunday, April 23, several top Indian wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat returned to Jantar Mantar in Delhi to protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

It is notable that a complaint has also been lodged at Connaught Place Police Station by several female wrestlers on Friday this week against Singh accusing him of sexual harassment. The Delhi Police has not yet registered an FIR in the matter. 

A complaint has also been submitted to the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), taking to Twitter DCW chief Swati Maliwal informed that a notice has been issued to the police.

On Monday, the wrestlers, eventually, knocked the doors of the Supreme Court, seeking the registration of an FIR against the President of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually assaulting the women wrestlers.

India’s meteoric rise could transform world as China’s image tarnished

ANI
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India’s meteoric rise could transform world as China’s image tarnished

India is seen as a reliable partner while China’s image has been tarnished, with many considering Beijing to be unpredictable, reported German publication Der Spiegel. 

During the coronavirus pandemic, the government imposed extremely strict lockdowns, which unsettled many. Moreover, President Xi Jinping has proclaimed himself the country’s eternal leader and has also continued to maintain friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reported Der Spiegel. In response, a huge number of companies are suddenly rushing to find alternatives to their factories in China. 

“I’ve never received so many senior representatives from German companies as I have in the last six months,” says Rajesh Nath, from the Indian branch of the influential German trade association VDMA, which represents the machinery and equipment manufacturing sector. 

New Delhi is watching the world’s shifting balance of power with heads of state and senior company executives from across the globe wooing India. 

Meanwhile, India has established a multibillion-dollar subsidy program to attract companies interested in producing things like semiconductors, batteries and mobile phones in India – a plan that has been praised even by critical economists. 

Today, the Indian economy has left the British in the dust. The country’s steel factories are among the largest in the world, and more than 50 per cent of all children in the world will receive at least one vaccine produced in India during their lifetime. 

India has a vibrant film industry (Bollywood) and has also produced an extremely successful diaspora. Sons of Indian middle-class families are in control at both Google and Microsoft, while a third, Ajay Banga, is set to be confirmed as president of the World Bank in the coming weeks, reported Der Spiegel. 

Also, India’s rise is good news for the West. Within several years, the country is likely to become the world’s third-largest economy behind the US and China, essentially becoming a third economic anchor in a multipolar world. 

In recent years, India has grown ever closer to the West, though it doesn’t necessarily share all of the West’s values, however, India also isn’t a country harbouring dreams of annexing islands and shares American and European concerns about Chinese dominance in Asia, reported Der Spiegel. 

India is already home to strong IT and pharmaceutical industries. According to forecasts from JP Morgan in the US, some 25 per cent of all Apple smartphones will be produced in India just two years from now. 

The Taiwanese firm Foxconn has also recently announced the construction of a new mega-factory in the country. “Made in China” is morphing into “Made in India,” reported Der Spiegel. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sees digitalization as a means of achieving one of his most important goals: the elimination of poverty and the government has made significant progress toward that target: More than 400 million Indians have escaped poverty in the last 20 years. 

PM Modi is even using his current G-20 presidency to further his narrative of India’s rebirth. New high-speed trains are going from city to city. Around 80 new airports are to be built in the coming years, reported Der Spiegel. 

This year, the Indian economy is expected to continue on its growth path, with forecasts calling for an uptick of 6 percent. Among the world’s largest economies, only Saudi Arabia is forecast to experience stronger growth. And when India hosts this year’s G-20 summit in September, the eyes of the world will once again be trained on the country. 

India’s economic rise holds promise for the country and beyond. It is now the world’s most populace country and will likely soon become the third largest economy on the globe. For decades, economists have been predicting that India’s time would come. 
Even as the global economy is stumbling, India has remained stable. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is projecting that India will contribute 15 per cent of global growth in 2023, reported Der Spiegel. 

India replaced China on April 14 as the world’s most populace nation. Close to every fifth person on the planet lives in India. India’s population is young, younger than China’s. Salaries are relatively low, and the nation’s potential is enormous. Many currently believe that India’s moment has finally arrived, and the country is gripped by optimism. 

Singapore-based political scientist Kishore Mahbubani recently said during an interview with Fareed Zakaria on CNN. Referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added: “I don’t know how Modi did it, but he’s woken up a sleeping giant.” 
The investment bankers from Morgan Stanley even announced recently that “India’s decade” is just starting.

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

Singapore to execute Tamil man for coordinating smuggling of 1 kg cannabis, 11 persons were hanged in 2022

OpIndia Staff
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Singapore to execute Tamil man for coordinating smuggling of 1 kg cannabis, 11 persons were hanged in 2022

A Singapore citizen named Tangaraju Suppaiah is set to be hanged on Wednesday, April 26, for the crime of ‘abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic’ 1 kg of cannabis from Malaysia to Singapore. This is the first case of the death penalty to be carried out after the city-state executed a mentally handicapped man for drug trafficking charges in September 2022.

46-year-old Tangaraju was not caught during the delivery. But the authorities stated that he was responsible for coordinating it. Two phone numbers used by a deliveryman were traced back to Tangaraju. Tangaraju had claimed that he had lost one phone and never owned the second number.

Tangaraju was held guilty by the court in 2018 for the 2017 offence. A recent appeal has upheld the initial verdict.

His sister Leela Suppaiah has stated that her brother has done nothing wrong and the court should re-examine the case from the beginning. Activists across the world have been saying that Singapore is set to hang Tangaraju on weak grounds, based on flimsy evidence.

Tangaraju also has faced a language problem during his hearing. Activists protesting against the death penalty have stated that he was denied proper and continuous access to an interpreter and he had to argue his last hearing by himself because his family could not afford a lawyer.

The authorities in Singapore deny these allegations, insisting that Tangaraju had requested an interpreter only during the court trial and that he was provided legal counsel throughout the case.

Singapore has one of the toughest laws in the world against drug cases.

Activists across the world criticise executions in Singapore

Amnesty International called the death penalty and scheduled execution of Tangaraju ‘extremely cruel’. Billionaire Richard Branson, who had also criticised the September 2022 execution of mentally disabled Nagaentthran Dharmalingam, stated in a blog post that the death penalty against Tangaraju is “shocking on multiple levels”.

Singapore hanged 11 persons in 2022 alone, all for drug-related offences. Despite an international outcry, the Singapore government insists that the death penalty helps reduce drug trafficking in the country.

“Very difficult to engage with neighbour who practices cross-border terrorism…”: Jaishankar on Pakistan

ANI
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“Very difficult to engage with neighbour who practices cross-border terrorism…”: Jaishankar on Pakistan

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday (local time) took a veiled dig at Pakistan and said that it is very difficult to engage with a neighbour, who practices cross-border terrorism against India. 

The External Affairs Minister made the above remarks while addressing a joint press briefing with the Foreign Minister of Panama, Janaina Tewaney Mencomo, in Panama City. The press briefing followed a discussion on several bilateral issues related to health and trade. Jaishankar said, “The bottom line on this issue is it is for us very difficult to engage with a neighbour who practices cross-border terrorism against us. We’ve always said that they have to deliver on the commitment not to encourage, sponsor and carry out cross-border terrorism. We continue to hope that one day we would reach that stage.”

EAM Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Panama. He arrived in Panama City on Monday and was received by Panama’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Vladimir Francos. 

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Jaishankar stated, “Arrived in Panama City. Thank Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs @VladimirFrancoS for the warm reception. Look forward to a packed bilateral and multilateral agenda.” 

EAM Jaishankar also attended the India-Latin America Business event and delivered a keynote address highlighting ten important reasons why the India-Panama business collaboration has strong prospects and merits-focused endeavours. 

After his visit to Panama, the EAM on April 25 will embark on a Colombia visit where he will be meeting several top representatives of the Government, business and civil society. His Colombia visit would be the first Foreign Ministerial level visit to the country, the Ministry of External Affairs said in its release. 

Jaishankar and Colombia’s counterpart Alvaro Leyva Duran will review the bilateral ties. Following his visit to Colombia, Jaishankar will head to the Dominican Republic, according to an MEA release. 

The visit to the Dominican Republic is the highest-level visit from India since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1999. Jaishankar’s visit takes place after the establishment of India’s resident Embassy in Santo Domingo in 2022. 

Besides calling on the country’s political leadership, EAM will be discussing with Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez. The two leaders will formally inaugurate the Indian resident mission. EAM is also expected to deliver a talk at the Dominican Republic Foreign Ministry.

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

Doordarshan completes 41 years of its colour telecast, netizens remember the golden days

OpIndia Staff
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Doordarshan completes 41 years of its colour telecast, netizens remember the golden days

On Tuesday (April 25), Indian public service broadcaster Doordarshan completed 41 years of its first test run of the colour telecast.

As per reports, it was primarily driven by the need to showcase the Asian Games, which were held between Noevember-December in New Delhi in 1982. It must be mentioned that Doordarshan was founded in 1959.

“Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram…This day of the year 1982 is important in the history of India. On this day, DD National began its colour telecast and ushered into a new era,” wrote Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur.

“Hearty congratulations not only to the people associated with DD but to every Indian on this special day. Today this channel is making an important contribution to nation-building through its authentic telecast,” he further added.

“This decision was taken due to the Asian Games being held in the country. Colour broadcasting skyrocketed the popularity of TV,” tweeted journalist Durga Sharma.

Bureaucrat Abhinav Saxena informed that Hindi films such as ‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’ and ‘Sadgati’, which were directed by Satyajit Ray, were shown in colour on Doordarshan.

“This was #Doordarshan‘s first telecast in colour in regular transmission, following the Government decision to introduce Colour TV,” he added.

Some netizens were lost in nostalgia.

“My father bought a color television in 1985. It was a Sony Trinitron. We were the only house in a colony of 4,000 flats that had a television. On Sundays our hall used to get filled with children from neighbourhood who came to watch the weekend Doordarshan film,” recounted Alpesh Patel.

As per reports, Doordarshan began its experimental broadcast in 1959 only with a makeshift studio and a small transmitter. It was only in 1965 that the first five-minute-long news bulletin was read.

Stone pelting in Malpura, Rajasthan: No communal angle, says police, here is what led to the unrest as 30 get detained, 21 injured

OpIndia Staff
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Stone pelting in Malpura, Rajasthan: No communal angle, says police, here is what led to the unrest as 30 get detained, 21 injured

On Monday, the Rajasthan Police issued prohibitory orders in the Malpura town of Rajasthan’s Tonk district after a massive clash erupted between the two communities on the day after the Eid. The police have detained around 30 individuals in the case and have said that the prohibitory orders will remain in place till April 26.

According to the reports, the clashes are said to have erupted over a petty issue. The Police stated that the violence happened in the Nagauri Mohalla area of Tonk after a group of people objected to speeding motorcycles on the road while a few children were playing. The matter escalated and within no time the members of both communities began pelting stones at each other.

People also are said to have used bamboo sticks to attack while continuing to pelt stones at each other. The police immediately reached the spot after being informed about the incident and tried to pacify the matter. However, the people continued to hurl stones amid the police presence, injuring a total of 15 people including a few police personnel.

Meanwhile, the report by Times Now Navbharat claims that around 21 people have been reported injured including 3 policemen. The injured persons were immediately shifted to the hospital where they are undergoing medical treatment. “Thirty people have been detained and the situation is completely under control,” confirmed Tonk Superintendent of Police Rajarshi Raj Verma.

Verma further added that to preserve peace and order, prohibitory orders have been put in place in Malpura till April 26. More police have also been deployed. District police and three Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC) companies have been stationed there.

The Police meanwhile has stated that the situation in the Malpura town of Rajasthan is under control and that people should not pay attention to the rumours. “The matter is under investigation and action will be taken as per law,” the police said.

Did you know? Jawaharlal Nehru’s father Motilal Nehru had defended men accused of abetting Sati

OpIndia Staff
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Did you know? Jawaharlal Nehru’s father Motilal Nehru had defended men accused of abetting Sati

Motilal Nehru (1861-1931), the father of former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had once defended 6 men who were accused of facilitating and abetting the burning of a woman on the cremation pyre of her husband (Sati Pratha).

As per a report by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) titled ‘Sati: How the fight to ban burning of widows in India was won,’ journalist Soutik Biswas informed that Motilal Nehru defended the 6 accused in a case in Uttar Pradesh in 1913.

“In a curious twist, Motilal Nehru, a lawyer-politician who joined the Indian National Congress and played a key role in the campaign for independence from British rule, appeared in court defending six upper-caste men in a case of Sati in 1913 in Uttar Pradesh,” the report read.

The accused men had claimed that the pyre caught fire on its own by the sanctity of the deceased widow. However, the judges refused to buy their theory and held them guilty of abetment of suicide. They also reprimanded the 6 accused for their baseless argument and sentenced two men to prison for a span of 4 years.

“The men said the pyre had “ignited miraculously through the sheer piety of the widow”. Judges rejected the theory of divine intervention, deplored the cover-up and held the men guilty of abetting suicide – two of them were sentenced to prison for four years,” the BBC report added.

It must be mentioned that Sati was abolished in 1829 through the implementation of the ‘Bengal Sati Regulation Act.’ However, the legislation was diluted in the following and those found aiding in the immolation of a widow began to be charged with abetment of suicide instead of murder.

It was later in 1987 that Motilal Nehru’s great-grandson Rajiv Gandhi implemented the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act [pdf], which outlawed the glorification of Sati, and re-introduced the death penalty for abetment.

Sati is an obsolete practice where a widow would immolate herself on her husband’s pyre. Though the cases were rare, and never a mainstream practice, it was more prevalent in Calcutta in East India and among the Rajputs of Northern India. Raja Ram Mohan Roy had led a crusade against the Sati system, polygamy, and child marriage.

Delhi-based NIA officer suspended by MHA on corruption charges

ANI
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Delhi-based NIA officer suspended by MHA on corruption charges

Ministry of Home Affairs has suspended a superintendent of police rank officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on charges of corruption, sources said on Tuesday.

The officer has been identified as Vishal Garg, who is deputed at the Delhi headquarters of the NIA. This is the second time since 2019 that Garg was placed under suspension on charges of corruption.

In 2019, Garg along with two other NIA officials- Nishant and Mithilesh- was placed under suspension for allegedly demanding Rs 2 crore from a Delhi-based businessman for not naming him in a terrorism funding case involving Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed. Nishant and Mithilesh were then posted with NIA’s intelligence and operations wing.

In 2020, the MHA reinstated Garg and gave a clean chit to two juniors. Garg was then transferred to New Delhi from Lucknow and made in-charge of training with “immediate effect”.

As per sources, the fresh suspension of Garg is linked to another charge of corruption.

The MHA’s action followed an examination of Garg’s probe report. MHA is the cadre controlling authority for IPS and NIA officers.

Garg was earlier the chief investigation officer of the 2007 Samjhauta and Ajmer blast cases that resulted in the acquittals of Swami Assemanand and others. The train blast in February 2007 had led to the death of 68 people, mostly Pakistanis.

Garg, from the Border Security Force, was among the first officers to be permanently inducted in the NIA, which was set up in the aftermath of the 26/11 attack.

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

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