After his conviction and sentencing in a 2019 defamation case by a Gujarat court, India’s parliament disqualified Congress senior leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha on Friday. Following Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, the Indian opposition needed a PM candidate to counter the incumbent Narendra Modi. OpIndia managed to get their secret cameras inside that meeting and recorded the conversation that took place.
What follows below is the transcript of that conversation.
Mallikarjun Kharge– We have gathered here today because Rahul Gandhi ji is no longer with us
Sonia Gandhi– Areyyyyyy
Kharge– Oh Sorry Madam, I meant, he is no longer an MP and we need to find an alternative PM candidate for the united opposition
Arvind Kejriwal– PM candidate should be a well educated engineering graduate
KCR– I was the only one who was preparing for this day. I even changed my party’s name from TRS to BRS in preparation for this day, so I think the answer is obvious.
Uddhav Thackeray– Yes, the answer is obvious, I sacrificed my party and party symbol to show that I can be the next Manmohan Singh, surely I get the chance?
Akhilesh Yadav– Papa ka sapna that ki wo ek din PM banein, ab papa nahi rahe to kam se kam unke bete ko PM bana ke unki aatma ko shaanti dein?
Sharad Pawar– Beta Akhilesh tumhare papa ka sapna THA, mera sapna to abhi bhi HAI, aur tumhare papa se pehle ka sapna hai
Stalin– Pawar Sir, please no Hindi
Sharad Pawar– Abey Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, PM is PM in every language, don’t pretend like you don’t understand
Arvind Kejriwal– PM candidate should be a well educated engineering graduate
Tejashwi Yadav– Jab se papa bimaar hain, public sympathy hamare saath hai to hum….
Sharad Pawar– Arey tumhare aur Akhilesh ke papa, where is Supriya, wo batayegi apne papa ke baare me
Stalin– Please, no Hindi
Arvind Kejriwal– PM candidate should be a well educated engineering graduate.
Mamata Banerjee– Nobody here mentioned my name, everyone here is a communist!
Sitaram Yechury– Thats right Mamata, one place we still have the majority!
Arvind Kejriwal– PM candidate should be a well educated engineering graduate.
Pinarayi Vijayan– Anyone can be PM as long as they have a liberal policy towards gold smuggling.
Arvind Kejriwal– PM candidate should be a well educated engineering graduate.
Sonia Gandhi- So everyone wants to be a PM candidate, guess this meeting was useless. Anyway, we will revisit this after a few months. Ok, bye for now
Kharge– Bye Ma’am
KCR– Bye Ma’am
Uddhav– Bye Ma’am
Akhilesh– Bye Ma’am
Tejashvi– Bye Ma’am
Sharad Pawar– Bye Ma’am
Mamata Banerjee– Bye Ma’am
Sitaram Yechury– Bye Ma’am
Arvind Kejriwal– PM candidate should be a well educated engineering graduate
Stalin- Ma’am please speak in English, I don’t understand Hindi
France has become the most recent to join the list of countries that have outlawed the Chinese short video app TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese technology company Bytedance, on phones of govt officials over security issues. The public was informed of this recent government decision by French Civil Service Minister Stanislas Guerini, who is also in charge of Digital Transmission and Telecommunications.
Pour garantir la cybersécurité de nos administrations et de nos agents publics, le @gouvernementFR a décidé d’interdire les applications récréatives comme TikTok, sur les téléphones professionnels des fonctionnaires d’État. @jnbarrotpic.twitter.com/avxtpKZ6uu
He released a statement which read, “In order to guarantee the cybersecurity of our administrations and civil servants, the government has decided to ban recreational applications such as TikTok on the professional phones of civil servants.”
The statement said that in recent weeks, several of their European and international partners have adopted measures restricting or prohibiting the downloading and installation of the TikTok by the govt officials. ‘After an analysis of the issues, particularly security, the government has decided to prohibit henceforth the downloading and installation of recreational applications on professional telephones provided to public officials,’ it stated.
The statement states that recreational applications do not have sufficient levels of cybersecurity and data protection, and therefore they can constitute a risk if installed on government-issued devices.
Accordingly, minister Stanislas Guerini sent the directions to all the ministers and secretaries of the ministries to ensure the implementation of the decision. The prohibition comes into effect immediately and applies to all government officials. The Interministerial Digital Department will ensure the implementation of this instruction, in close collaboration with the National Agency for Information Systems Security.
The statement by the minister stated that cybersecurity of the administrations and public servants constitutes a crucial issue, and the ministry is fully geared to tackle this issue.
In response to rising privacy and cybersecurity concerns, an increasing number of nations in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific have banned the popular video-sharing app from use on personal and/or government devices. Invoking ‘concerns’ about cybersecurity, privacy, and false information, Belgium temporarily banned TikTok on devices purchased or owned by the federal government.
TikTok is not permitted on government-issued smartphones in Canada. The authorities asserted that the app presents an ‘unacceptable’ risk to privacy and security. The future downloading of the application by government employees is likewise prohibited.
The Danish Defense Ministry ‘forbade personnel’ from installing TikTok on their work phones and instructed those who had already done so to remove it as soon as possible.
The three major institutions of the 27-member bloc, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the EU Council, have all banned TikTok on employee devices.
Following the ‘recommendations’ of government cybersecurity experts, New Zealand legislators and employees of the country’s Parliament are not allowed to have the app on their work phones. After the Justice Ministry of Norway issued a ‘warning’ that the app shouldn’t be put on government employees’ phones, the Norwegian parliament barred Tiktok on work devices.
Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok after the FBI warned that it posed a ‘national security risk.’ Chinese-made software, including other apps like Douyin and Xiaohongshu, are not permitted to be used on government equipment, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.
British authorities banned TikTok from mobile phones used by government ministers and civil servants as a ‘precautionary move’ on security grounds. The U.S. also notified government agencies to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems over ‘data security concerns.’
Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership banned TikTok and the game PUBG on the grounds of protecting young people from ‘being misled.’ TikTok has been temporarily banned four times in Pakistan due to worries over the app’s promotion of ‘immoral content.’
India imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok and many other Chinese apps, including PUBG Mobile, WeChat, Shein and AliExpress over ‘privacy and security’ concerns. More than 250 Chinese applications, including those for betting and lending loans, have already been blocked by the government because they possess content that is harmful to India’s sovereignty and integrity.
Despite the reservations raised by so many countries, Bytedance has maintained that it does not share any information with the Chinese government. The company claims that it is independently managed and refutes allegations that it collects more user data than other social media sites.
However, many governments are still wary of the platform and its connections to China.
Punjab police took to Twitter on Friday (March 24) to share the details of the FIR filed against fugitive Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh, who has been evading arrest for the past week, and several of his aides. The FIR, the details of which were made public, was filed on March 18, 2023. As can be seen from the details shared by the Punjab police, UAPA charges were not invoked in the FIR filed by them against Amritpal Singh and his aides.
The Punjab police also shared pictures of the weapons recovered from Amritpal Singh’s vehicle and his aides.
In the FIR, the Punjab police invoked IPC Sections 279 and 188. Additionally, sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against Amritpal Singh and his three aides. Notably, the stringent UAPA has not been invoked in the FIR filed against him on March 18, 2023.
The details of the sections and their maximum punishment are as follows:
Section 279 of IPC: Rash driving or riding on a public way- Whoever drives any vehicle, or rides, on any public way in a manner so rash or negligent as to endanger human life, or to be likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
Section 188 of IPC: Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant- Whoever, knowing that, by an order promulgated by a public servant lawfully empowered to promulgate such order, he is directed to abstain from a certain act, or to take certain order with certain property in his possession or under his management, disobeys such direction, shall, if such disobedience causes or tends to cause obstruction, annoyance or injury, or risk of obstruction, annoyance or injury, to any person lawfully employed, be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both.
The sections of the Arms Act imposed relate to various provisions regarding the manufacturing and possession of illegal firearms and ammunition, with a punishment of imprisonment for up to 3 years, 10 years and for life.
The second FIR was filed against Amritpal Singh’s aides and his wife under sections 212/216 of the IPC and 25/27/54/59 of the Arms Act.
Screenshot of FIR filed against Amritpal Singh and his aides.
In another tweet, the Punjab police informed about the arrest of Tajinder Singh Gill alias Gorkha Baba, the core team member of Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh and also a member of Anandpur Khalsa Fauj (AKF). The police further informed that arrested Tejinder Gill informed them that all members of the AKF were assigned belt numbers like AKF 3 and AKF 56 and were given martial and weapon training, including firing practice. “Further investigation is going on and forward-backward linkages are being established,” tweeted the police.
He revealed that all members of the AKF were assigned belt numbers like AKF 3, AKF 56 and were given martial and weapon training, including firing practice.
Further investigation is going on and forward-backward linkages are being established. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/5pBkl77v4C
Notably, as of now, a total of six FIRs have been filed against Amritpal Singh and his aides. Punjab inspector general Sukhchain Singh Gill addressed the media and warned against rumour-mongering. He said that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators. He also added that the law and order situation in the state was normal. “6 FIRs registered against his aides… Amritpal still absconding, he hasn’t been arrested,” he said.
“So far, 114 people have been arrested for attempting to disturb peace and harmony. As many as 78 of them were arrested on the first day, 34 on Day 2, and two others were arrested last night. Ten weapons have been recovered so far,” IGP Punjab, Sukhchain Singh Gill said.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand DGP has said that an alert has been issued in the Dehradun, Haridwar and Udhamsinghnagar districts of the state as a precaution in view of the possibility of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh entering the state. Intensive checking is being done on the borders of all 3 districts in other areas.
Several arrested leader of the Waris Punjab De has been shifted to Dibrugarh in Assam and are lodged in the central jail there.
MHA mulls ban on Amritpal Singh’s outfit ‘Waris Punjab De’ under UAPA
Notably, the Intelligence and security agencies are preparing a detailed dossier on the fugitive pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh, as the MHA is considering declaring ‘Waris Punjab De’ a banned organisation under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
According to security sources, the current crackdown on Amritpal and his supporters is being carried out by the Punjab Police with the assistance of Central forces and agencies based on information inputs obtained against him over time.
“But to ban an organisation, we need documentary evidence to nail him before the adjudicating authority. And for this a foolproof dossier is required,” said a senior security official.
Police suspect Amritpal Singh stayed in Haryana’s Shahbad area based on new CCTV footage
On Thursday, March 23, cops in pursuit of Amritpal Singh, have claimed to have recovered CCTV footage which showed the last location of the fugitive Khalistani leader in Haryana’s Shahbad area. The CCTV footage shows a man walking with an umbrella, who is suspected to be Amritpal Singh. The footage is from Sidhartha Colony in Shahbad Markanda, Kurukshetra.
As per media reports, police is suspecting that Amritpal crossed over to Haryana after escaping Punjab, where he took shelter in a lady’s house in Shahbad on the intervening night of March 19-20.
Police invoke NSA
The Punjab Police have said that a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against Amritpal Singh on March 18 and the strict National Security Act has been invoked.
Punjab HC raps up police over “intelligence failure” resulting in Amritpal Singh evading arrest
Meanwhile, during the hearing of the habeas corpus petition on Amritpal Singh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court pulled up the Punjab police over the “intelligence failure” that led to the pro-Khalistan preacher giving police the slip.
“When there was a threat to the security of the country, what was the government doing till now? They were roaming around with weapons. How did he manage to escape despite so many police? What are 80,000 police doing when the country’s security is in danger?” the High Court said.
The Punjab police, in turn, told the High Court that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against Amritpal Singh. Besides, a non-bailable warrant has also been issued against the Khalistani leader.
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that membership in an organisation that the Central government has deemed illegal is sufficient to qualify as an offence under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
As a result, Section 10(a)(i) of the UAPA, which had previously been read down by a division bench of the Court in 2011, was sustained by the bench comprising Justices MR Shah, CT Ravikumar, and Sanjay Karol.
While upholding Section 10(a)(i) of UAPA, the SC declared that membership of an unlawful association is enough to constitute an offence.
“Aim of UAPA is to prevent certain unlawful activities and prevent the same…at the cost of repetition, UAPA is to punish the person a member of an unlawful organisation in furtherance of the provisions of the UAPA…Thus Section 10(a)(i) is absolutely in consonance with Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(2) of the Constitution and thus in consonance with the objectives of the UAPA,” the Bench held.
Another question that appeared before the Court was whether provisions of Central legislation could be read down in a case where the same was not assailed, and without having heard the Central government. On this, the Court held,
“Enormous harm would be caused to State if they are not heard…and Centre should have made submissions to justify 10(1)(i) and what were the objects and purposes…in view of the above, Section 10(a)(i) should not have read down by this Court, especially when the constitutional validity of the Section was not in question.”
Notably, the Bench also recognised the reliance placed on United States’ court judgments by the apex court in its 2011 judgments that read down the provision. The SC noted,
“This Court in Arup Bhuyan and in Raneef case has referred to US cases without relying on Indian case and differences…Thus this Court followed US decisions, which we are not agreeable with. We do not say for a moment that the United States Supreme Court decisions may not guide us…But Indian courts are required to consider differences in the nature of laws between two countries.”
Arup Bhuyan and Indra Das were exonerated in 2011 by a court bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra for violations of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA).
The top court had opined that the TADA court had relied on a purported confession statement and that conviction for merely belonging to an organisation that was prohibited by the Act could not stand.
In its 2011 ruling, the SC had observed that “In our opinion, Section 3(5) cannot be read literally otherwise it will violate Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution…Hence, mere membership of a banned organisation will not make a person a criminal unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence or creates public disorder by violence or incitement to violence.”
The Supreme Court stated in 2014 that a larger bench should consider the three cases since they involved more complicated issues. The result was the current reference.
The Union government and certain state governments argued that the top court’s interpretation of the UAPA decisions had effectively read down the aforementioned proviso by using the American Bill of Rights, making it more difficult to combat terrorism.
The Central Government contended that the Court could not read down the terms of an anti-terror statute without hearing its views and by relying on potential legal abuse. The Court’s reliance on the Bill of Rights was misplaced, given the top court’s earlier five-judge bench decision in Babulal Parate v. State of Maharashtra in which it was held that ” … American doctrine cannot be imported under our Constitution because the fundamental rights guaranteed under Art. 19 (1) of the Constitution are not absolute rights but, as pointed out in the State of Madras … are subject to the restrictions placed in the subsequent clauses of Art. 19. There is nothing in the American Constitution corresponding to cls. (2) to (6) of Art. 19 of our Constitution.”
For the Central government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had argued that it was inherently difficult to demonstrate formal participation in prohibited groups. The conditions listed were a deterrent and a precaution, he continued. The SG emphasised that under the current system, terrorist activities will go below the radar of security agencies provided it isn’t purportedly carried out in the name of banned or terrorist organisations.
Senior Advocate Sanjay Parikh argued that provisos could be read down in cases affecting fundamental rights like personal liberty even when they are not directly challenged. He was speaking on behalf of an intervenor-NGO.
He argued that as civil freedoms are protected by the Indian as well as US constitutions, it would be improper to invalidate the earlier ruling solely for its reliance on US court judgements.
On Thursday, March 23, Darbhanga Police in Bihar registered an FIR against four named and hundred unidentified accused persons after ‘Hindu Rashtra’ banners were found at some locations in Laheriasarai city in Bihar’s Darbhanga. Reportedly, two saffron flags with ‘Hindu Rashtra’ written on them in Hindi were seen near a Durga Temple in the Maulaganj locality of Laheriasarai. The images of the same soon went viral on social media with a section of people demanding police action in the matter.
District Magistrate Dr. Rajeev Roushan acted quickly after receiving the information and directed the concerned police station to remove the flags from that location. Following this, the alleged contentious flags were removed from the spot.
Taking to Twitter, Darbhanga Police informed about the action taken in the matter. “On March 23, an FIR was registered at Mohalla Maulaganj, Laheriasarai Police Station, Darbhanga District, against four identified accused and hundred unidentified persons for allegedly disturbing social and religious harmony by displaying offensive posters and banners on the occasion of Navratri, a Darbhanga Police press statement in Hindi read.
दिनांक 23.03.23 को दरभंगा जिला के लहेरियासराय थाना अंतर्गत मुहल्ला मौलागंज में कुछ असमाजिक तत्वों द्वारा नवरात्रि के अवसर पर आपत्तिजनक पोस्टर/बैनर लगाकर समाजिक एवं धार्मिक सदभाव बिगाड़ने को लेकर 4 नामजद अभियुक्त एवं 100 अज्ञात के विरुद्ध प्राथमिकी दर्ज की गई है।#Biharpolicepic.twitter.com/EIpBAc9EdU
The District Magistrate stated that the SSP has been directed to act after being made aware of the issue. ‘India is a democratic nation that upholds constitutional principles. The flags have already been taken down. People are being identified, and action is being taken,’ he added.
Notably, after the ‘Hindu Rashtra’ flags went viral on social media, Nazre Alam, who is the national president of a non-profit organisation named All India Muslim Bedari Karwan, wrote to the District Magistrate seeking action against those who allegedly attempted to disrupt the communal harmony in the area.
In his letter, Alam accused Bajrang Dal of placing Hindu Rashtra banners and also claimed that Hindus and Muslims have been peacefully residing in Darbhanga for centuries, however, if such banners will be put up to hurt the sentiments of the ‘other community’ then neither Bihar nor India will be able to progress. He also added that demanding Hindu Rashtra in a democratic country like India comes under the category of a criminal offence.
Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad activist Rajeev Prakash Madhukar said, “if somebody is opposing Hindu Rashtra banners then they are ‘moorkh’ (fools). When you can say Hindustan and we as Sanatanis (Hindus) in our Hindi language if say Hindu Rashtra what is the offence in it, what is there to oppose in it adding that some people are doing these things to promote their politics.”
The last date for linking the Aadhar Card with the Permanent Account Number (PAN) is March 31, 2023.
While the Indian government had initially set the deadline to March 31, 2022, it extended the last date by another year with a mandatory fine of ₹500 (till June 30, 2022) and ₹1000 (between July 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023).
Those who fail to avail of the opportunity by March 31 this year will have their PAN cards turned inoperative permanently. So, here are the simple steps one can follow to ensure Aadhar-PAN linkage before the last date.
Click on the ‘Link Aadhar’ option on the left-hand panel of the site.
Screengrab of the Income Tax Website
3. A new window will open, wherein you will be asked to fill in your PAN card and Aadhar card details.
4. If you have already linked your Aadhar and PAN card, then, you will be presented with the following message – Your PAN XXX is already linked to given Aadhaar YYY
Screengrab of the Income Tax Website
5. However, if your Aadhar and PAN Card are not linked, then, you will be presented with the following message – PAN not linked with Aadhar. Then, click on the ‘Link Aadhar’ hyperlink text and you will then be redirected to the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) website.
6. Click on ‘proceed‘ under ‘CHALLAN NO./ITNS 280’ and choose the ‘0021’ option under Tax Applicable. Select ‘500’ from the drop-down menu of ‘Other Receipts.’
Screengrab of the NSDL website, image via Clear Tax
Screengrab of the NSDL website
7. You will then be prompted to fill in your PAN CARD, Assessment Year and bank details before making the payment of ₹1000/-
8. Once payment is complete on the NSDL website, you are advised to wait 4-5 days before moving ahead with the next steps.
9. Repeat Step No.3 and you will receive the following message – Your payment details are verified. Please click on Continue to proceed with the submission of the Aadhar-PAN linking request.
10. You will be taken to a new window and prompted to fill in details such as PAN, Aadhar Number, Name as per Aadhar and mobile number. Click on ‘I agree to validate my Aadhar details’ to proceed.
11. Once this step is complete, you will receive a 6-digit one-time password (OTP) on your registered mobile number.
12. Fill in the details and then click on the ‘validate’ option. You will see a new window with the ‘success message.’
Screengrab of the Income Tax website, image via Clear Tax
According to the Income Tax Department website, non-resident Indians, non-citizens of India, individuals above 80 years or above during the previous year and those residing in Meghalaya, Assam and Jammu and Kashmir are exempted from the mandatory Aadhar-PAN linkage requirement.
During the current budget session, the issue of ‘Love Jihad’ was once again front and centre in both houses of the Maharashtra Assembly, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and MLCs calling for legislation to outlaw it.
Gopichand Padalkar, a BJP Legislative Council Council Member, proposed the adoption of an anti-conversion law in the Legislative Council (Upper House of Maharashtra Assembly) after raising concerns about forced conversions in rural Maharashtra and an increase in ‘Love Jihad’ instances. He urged the administration to treat the cases seriously and prevent conversions.
In response to the demand, Devendra Fadnavis, the Deputy Chief Minister, on Thursday, announced that information would be gathered from the various states that had already passed anti-conversion laws.
On #LoveJihaad and forced conversion in Maharashtra Legislative Council.. आदिवासींच्या धर्मांतरणाचे काही प्रकार लक्षात आले आहेत. मधल्या काळात फसवणुकीतून विवाह वाढले आहेत. यावर विविध राज्यातील कायद्यांची माहिती मागवून त्यावर अभ्यास करून प्रतिबंधासाठी कडक कायदे करण्यात येतील.… pic.twitter.com/9pgKm2zN1H
“This is very serious. So we have taken cognisance of the sentiments of the people. We are studying ‘Love Jihad’ type laws that have been passed by other states and an appropriate decision on bringing such a law in Maharashtra will be taken soon. This law will be within the constitutional framework,” he remarked.
He noted that there appears to be a strategy behind the instances that resemble such cases in the state. He informed that the state government has taken note of the 50 Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha rallies that have taken place across the state in demanding a law prohibiting ‘Love Jihad.’
He observed, “It is a fact that between 30,000 and 50,000 people have taken part in these morchas in various districts. We don’t think that there should be no interfaith marriages. They can do it, but this must not be done with the intention to cheat.”
Fadnavis made it clear that the women and child welfare department’s interfaith marriage-family coordination committee does not supersede any existing laws and that its sole purpose is to reunite families of girls like the late Shraddha Walkar, whose parents were unable to reach her.
“The interfaith marriage-family coordination committee will not supersede any existing law. It is only to establish contact between parents of girls and the girl if she is not at her home like it happened in the Shraddha Walkar case,” he stated.
He emphasised that she (Shraddha Walkar) most likely could have been saved if the police had acted quickly and her parents had been able to find her and added, “The parents were saying they only wanted to contact her one time and see if she was well or not.”
The new law against ‘love jihad,’ which was being actively considered, will fall within the bounds of the constitution, according to the deputy CM.
He also explained that a standard operating procedure (SOP) will soon be prepared for taking prompt action in cases where parents report their daughters have been duped in cases of ‘Love Jihad’ and can’t be contacted.
He further declared that the director general of police will be instructed to sensitise the police to deal with such matters.
“If the existing laws are not able to provide enough protection, then there is a need for a special law. The government is serious about this issue. If so many people are taking part in morchas, then there is a sentiment in the people and the government has taken note of it,” the BJP leader asserted.
Notably, many BJP-led governments, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Haryana, have constituted laws against ‘Love Jihad’ in their respective states to tackle the problem of forced and illegal conversions of Hindus at the hands of their Muslim partners.
With every passing day, new revelations are surfacing in the Umesh Pal murder case of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Umesh Pal was the key witness of the Raju Pal murder case and the Atiq Ahmed gang killed him on 24th February 2023. On 21st March 2023, Prayagraj police arrested five associates of the Atiq Ahmed gang, Mohammad Sajar being one of them. Now it has also come to light that the informer in Umesh Pal’s murder was none other than his childhood friend Mohammad Sajar.
In the Umesh Pal murder case, the police encountered two criminals. Several arrests have been made in the case so far. Police and SOG arrested five people from near Subedarganj on Tuesday, March 21, in connection with the murder conspiracy case. Among the arrested suspects are Atiq Ahmed’s household workers and others. The names of the arrested accused are Niyaz Ahmed, Mohammad Sajar, Kaish Ahmed, Rakesh Kumar, and Arshad Katra alias Arshad Khan. Mohammad Sajar turned out to be a shock to Umesh Pal’s family and close associates.
Sajar’s house is very close to Umesh Pal’s house in the Jayantipur area. They knew each other since childhood. Umesh Pal used to drive an auto two decades ago. At that time, Mohammad Sajar also used to drive an auto. They used to meet every day and had become close friends. After Raju Pal’s murder, Umesh Pal stopped appearing in public.
Umesh Pal was facing a threat to his life from the Atiq Ahmed gang as he was the key witness in the Raju Pal murder case. Umesh Pal’s all efforts to be alert of any possible attack failed because his old friend and neighbour Mohammad Sajar became an informer of the Atiq Ahmed gang.
Mohammad Sajar was often seen in a pan shop or a grocer’s shop in the Sulemsaray area. It is now revealed in the police investigation that he used to monitor Umesh Pal’s movements. On 24th February 2023, Mohammad Sajar gave Umesh Pal’s location to the shooters using the iPhone given by Asad Ahmed. The shootout was carried out after the information was provided by Mohammad Sajar. Everyone in Umesh Pal’s family is shocked and angry with his actions.
Police are continuing the investigation of the Umesh Pal murder case. The police of seven states are informed to arrest the absconding shooters. A reward of Rs 5 lakh has been announced for getting the absconding shooters.
This is not the first time that a friend has turned out to be a key conspirator in the murder of a victim. In the Umesh Kolhe murder case of Amravati in Maharashtra, the victim’s friend Dr. Yusuf Khan turned out to be a key conspirator in his murder. Dr. Yusuf Khan was a good friend of Umesh Kolhe who had helped him many times. Dr. Yusuf Khan was the admin of the WhatsApp group in which Umesh Kolhe had shared a post supporting former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma, which led to his murder.
Veterinary doctor Yusuf Khan and chemist Umesh Kolhe knew each other for the past several years, and they were good friends. Yusuf Khan often sought help from Umesh Kolhe who seldom disappointed his friend. He used to lend money to Yusuf Khan in hours of need. Umesh Kolhe had helped Dr. Yusuf Khan at the time of his sister’s wedding and his children’s admissions too. Despite such good relations, Dr. Yusuf Khan conspired to kill Umesh Kolhe. Now, Mohammad Sajar – friend of deceased Umesh Pal – turned out to be the key informer of the Atiq Ahmed gang that killed Umesh Pal.
After his conviction and sentencing in a 2019 defamation case by a Gujarat court, India’s parliament disqualified Congress senior leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha on Friday. While numerous Congress leaders and Gandhi supporters suggested that the disqualification can be staved off if Gandhi’s sentence is stayed or suspended, Kapil Sibal, a former Congress politician and Union law minister, stated otherwise. He said that as per law, Gandhi stood automatically disqualified with his conviction.
Speaking to NDTV, Sibal, who has represented several high-profile cases in the Supreme Court of India and is widely regarded as one of the most famous lawyers in India, stated that a mere suspension of his sentence would not suffice; his conviction also needed to be suspended or stayed. According to Sibal, if Rahul Gandhi’s conviction order is not sustained or stayed, Gandhi cannot continue as a member of Parliament.
“I don’t know what the order states…if it only suspends the sentence that’s not enough, there has to be a stay or a suspension on conviction. Only if there is a stay on conviction can he continue to be a member of the Lok Sabha.”
“…the law states that the moment you are convicted in any offence for two years, then your seat will stand vacant,” Sibal told a journalist who questioned him about the legality of the move after Rahul Gandhi’s conviction.
When asked if the Lok Sabha Secretariat must move or if it happens automatically, Sibal asserted that the law requires it, so it is only natural that the speaker of the Lok Sabha will move in accordance with the law.
Notably, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a letter on Friday that stated, “Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala, stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. 23 March 2023…”
Letter issued by LS Secretariat disqualifying Rahul Gandhi from membership of the lower house (Source: Shiv Aroor’s Twitter handle)
Gandhi, a scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, was convicted on Thursday (March 23) for over his remarks insulting the Modi surname. During an election rally in 2019, Rahul Gandhi alleged that everyone with the Modi surname, including Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Narendra Modi, are thieves. Following this, Gujarat BJP leader Surat Purnesh Modi filed a criminal defamation case against the Congress leader, accusing him of defaming the entire Modi community. The court, however, granted him bail immediately and suspended the sentence for a month.
Notably, the Representation of the People Act, of 1951 specifies the qualifications and the disqualifications of Members of Parliament and state legislatures. Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, contains provisions aimed at decriminalizing electoral politics. According to section 8(3) of this law, any MP or MLA convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of conviction.
In accordance with the law, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has disqualified Rahul Gandhi and declared his constituency vacant in response to the Surat court judgement. The Election Commission can now call a special election for the seat. Gandhi can also be asked to vacate his 12, Tughlaq Lane government bungalow in Delhi. Rahul Gandhi is occupying the residence since he was allotted the same after he became a member of Lok Sabha from Amethi in 2004.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout talks have given way to clashes between Imran Khan’s supporters and security forces, but the country’s spiralling economic crisis and skyrocketing inflation are the only things that haven’t changed in Pakistan’s news cycle.
According to the latest reports coming out of the country, people in Karachi, Quetta, and Rawalpindi were left without cooking gas on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramazan. People complained that it abruptly stopped flowing into their stoves as soon as the Ramazan moon was visible.
The government affirmed that gas would be accessible to consumers for ‘sehri’ (the morning meal) and ‘iftar’ (meal at sundown to break the daily fast) but throughout the day, people from all around the country complained about low or no gas pressure.
Sui Southern, the company that supplies gas, officially announced the times for what it dubbed as ‘gas profiling’ throughout the month of Ramazan.
“For this purpose, to ensure better gas pressure, gas profiling will continue from 8 am to 2:30 pm,” Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) stated.
Despite the assurances that gas would be available for consumption during the meal timings, the company noted a shortfall in its system due to a yearly 8–9% depletion in the country’s gas reserves.
Lyari resident Saba Naveed was quoted by Dawn saying that her house has been without gas for almost four months. “When you switch on the stove, there is only a stale smell that comes out of it. There is no gas pressure at all.” She mentioned that her family has permanently shifted to using gas cylinders.
Saba highlighted that a 2.5 kg gas cylinder, which lasts for only two weeks, costs her Rs. 600 (PKR). She also conveyed her concerns about using a cylinder. “It is not just about the money, it is a real risk using a gas cylinder with three children, under the age of 10 around.”
Safdar Khooharo, an SSGC spokesman, informed that the company had not used load shedding anywhere in the country but noted that some areas may experience low pressure due in part to the simultaneous lighting of between 20 million and 20.5 million stoves before ‘sehri.’ Old gas pipes may therefore experience low pressure, he added.
There was no improvement in the situation at the Garrison City, according to Ali Abbas, a resident of Dhoke Ratta, who reported that despite complaints made by locals to the Sui Northern Rawalpindi office, no action was being taken.
He claimed that the low pressure was caused by the mushrooming of CNG filling stations on a nearby road, which were supplied with gas from the main line intended for home consumers.
Many Pakistanis in Rawalpindi had to buy coal to cook the Ramzan meals.
SNGPL stated that things will get better in the upcoming days and declared that the corporation was prioritising domestic customers in accordance with special federal government orders.
On the first day of Ramazan, several areas of Karachi lacked access to gas. Abdullah Zehri, a resident of Prison Road, commented, “We had no other option when we woke up and found no gas pressure to cook ‘sehri.'”
Low gas pressure was a problem in the Jinnah Road, Kasi Road, Jail Road, Jinnah Town, and Model Town regions of Quetta, while the complete suspension and unexpected load shedding occurred in places beyond the province capital on the first day of the Muslim holy month.
There have been allegations of load shedding and poor gas pressure in the towns of Bolan, Pishin, Ziarat, Mastung, Kalat, and Sibi.
One person dies in the stampede for free flour
On the first day of Ramazan, a stampede for free flour left one person dead and eight others hurt in Peshawar, when a wall where people were sitting on collapsed as crowds amassed for free flour. However, the reason behind the fall was unclear.
In the Charsadda area of northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where the incident occurred, nine people were trampled and rushed to a hospital where one person passed away, informed Muhammad Arif, the local police chief.
He notified that hundreds of people gathered at the local market for the handouts, one of the hundreds of distribution points set up by the government during Ramzan. Millions of low-income families across the country are registered under the scheme.
Years of financial mismanagement and political turmoil have destroyed Pakistan’s finances, which have been made worse by the global energy crisis and devastating floods that submerged a third of the nation last year.
To access a $6.5 billion IMF bailout and avoid defaulting, the South Asian country, which is heavily indebted, must enact strict tax and utility price rises.
The risk of the Pakistani economy entering a recession was estimated at 70% in the consensus forecast from a Bloomberg survey of 27 analysts, which was released on March 15. The Pakistani Rupee has depreciated by 55% since February 2022. The country’s GDP is to grow at 3.5% in 2023 against 6% in 2022.
Pakistan’s inflation has surged to 31.5% in Feb from 12.2% in Feb ’22, the highest annual rate in nearly 50 years, as food, beverage and transportation prices surged more than 45%. The State Bank of Pakistan increased its benchmark interest rate to 20% in March, making it the greatest in 25 years.
It is proving to be very difficult for Pakistan to recover from the economic chaos, the devastating aftermath of the catastrophic 2022 floods, and the worsening political mess in the country.
