Home Blog Page 2365

Mohammed Akram, the notorious ‘Serial Kisser’ of Bihar, arrested by police: Reports

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Mohammed Akram, the notorious ‘Serial Kisser’ of Bihar, arrested by police: Reports

In a recent development, the Bihar Police have arrested Mohammed Akram, the man accused of forcibly kissing women on the streets of Bihar. Akram, who is said to be the ringleader of a gang involved in the molestation of multiple women and theft cases, was apprehended by the police along with his four accomplices in a raid conducted in the late hours of Sunday evening. The Police conducted the raid based on specific intelligence received about the hideout of Akram.

According to sources, the accused and his gang members have been active in the area for several months and have been targeting women who were walking alone on the streets. The gang would follow their victims and then forcibly kiss them. The gang was involved in cases of theft and small robberies as well.

On March 13, a video of the miscreant forcibly kissing a woman in the Jamui district of Bihar had gone viral on social media. Several media houses reported the incident which prompted the police to launch a search operation for the accused.

The victim was identified as a Class IV health worker, who was employed at the Sadar Hospital in Jamui since 2015. The disturbing incident had taken place at the premises of the hospital in broad daylight on March 10.

The victim woman while talking to the media said, “What have I done to him? When he preyed on me, I resisted and called the hospital staff. But, the man had escaped by then…The boundary wall is extremely small. I have requested the authorities to put up a barbed fence and protect the women who frequent the hospital.”

The police had received multiple complaints from the victims, and a special team was set up to track down the accused and his accomplices. After conducting a thorough investigation, the police were able to locate the hideout of the gang and raided it, leading to the arrest of the ringleader and several other members of the gang.

The gang was involved in the molestation of several women during the daytime and at night they would conduct small robberies. The police have also recovered several stolen items from the hideout of the gang.

The arrest of the accused has been welcomed by the local residents, who have expressed their gratitude to the police for their swift action. The police have also urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities or individuals to the authorities.

The accused is expected to be produced before a court soon, and the police are hoping that his arrest will serve as a warning to others involved in similar criminal activities.

Victoria Police initiates action against Khalistanis who attacked the Indian diaspora, after PM Modi raised the matter with Australian PM

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Victoria Police initiates action against Khalistanis who attacked the Indian diaspora, after PM Modi raised the matter with Australian PM

Two months after sword-wielding Khalistanis attacked the Indian community at Federation Square in Melbourne, the Victoria police woke up from their deep slumber and sought public help in identifying the attackers.

The targeted attack took place during the voting for the ‘Khalistan independence’ referendum, organised by the ‘Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)’ on January 29 this year. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned the attack.

“Police are appealing for public assistance as they continue to investigate an affray at the Khalistan Referendum at Federation Square on 29 Jan. Police have released images of six men they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries,” the Victoria Police said in a tweet.

In a statement on Monday (March 20), it sought public assistance for information on 6 Khalistanis, who were involved in the Federation Square attack.

“Police were in attendance at a Khalistan Referendum event at Federation Square on 29 January when two fights broke out, one at about 12.45pm and the other at about 4.30 pm,” they said.

“During the fight, flag poles were used by several men as weapons which caused physical injuries to multiple victims. Two victims, one with a laceration to their head and another with a hand injury, were treated at the scene by paramedics,” the Victoria police added.

“An Indian flag was also burnt by a group of men. In both incidents, police quickly responded to separate and disperse the crowd. OC spray was used in the second incident to separate the fighting men,” it emphasised.

The Victoria police claimed that two accused were arrested on January 29 itself and that efforts were underway to nab the other accused. “Investigators have released images of six men they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries,” they concluded.

The action by Victoria police comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns about attacks on the Indian diaspora and the Hindu community with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.

Targeted attacks by Khalistanis in Australia

Several Hindu temples have come under the attack of Khalistani elements in Australia this year, especially in Victoria state. These attacks are part of rising anti-Hindu violence in several countries in the world, including Canada, the UK, and Australia.

Between January and March 2023, five separate Hindu temples in Australia were attacked and vandalised. Just last week, Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple in Brisbane’s Burbank suburb was vandalised with anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti defacing its walls by Khalistani elements.

On February 16, a Kali Mata temple in the northern suburbs of Melbourne received threats from Khalistani terrorists for organising a Bhajan program of Indian singer Kanhiya Mittal.

On January 23 this year, the Hare Krishna temple located at Albert Park in Melbourne city of Australia was attacked and desecrated by unidentified miscreants. The temple, which has served as the centre of the Bhakti Yoga movement in Melbourne, is run by ISKCON.

On January 17, 2023, Khalistani supporters vandalised the historic Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs in Melbourne. The miscreants wrote anti-Hindu and anti-India slogans on the walls near the temple during the vandalization.

‘Target Modi’, ‘Modi Hitler’, and ‘Hindustan Murdabad’, read the slogans painted on the temples’ walls during vandalization. Earlier on January 12, BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple in Melbourne, Australia, was desecrated by Khalistan supporters and damaged by painting anti-India graffiti on it. 

According to the reports, the walls of Melbourne’s iconic Swaminarayan temple in Mill Park’s northern suburbs were spray-painted with ‘Hindustan Murdabad,’ slogans.

Sidhu Moosewala death anniversary: ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans raised, mother praises Amritpal Singh

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Sidhu Moosewala death anniversary: ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans raised, mother praises Amritpal Singh

On March 19, thousands gathered for Sidhu Moosewala’s death anniversary despite Section 144 imposed in the state due to an ongoing manhunt for pro-Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh. Slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad‘, ‘Punjab Sarkar Murdabad’, ‘BJP Murdabad’ and others were raised during the event.

Addressing the attendees, Sidhu Moosewala’s father Balkaur Singh lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab Government over the interviews given by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi allegedly from inside the prison to ABP News. He said, “When I saw that sinner’s interview, it felt as if my son died again.”

“Who will take responsibility for allowing him to give an interview? He came on camera and said, ‘We killed Sidhu, we will kill Salman Khan’. Who is he?” said Balkaur. The crowd raised slogans of “Punjab Sarkar Murdabad”.

Accusing the state government of orchestrating the operation against Amritpal Singh to stop people from coming for the death anniversary of the slain controversial singer and leader, Moosewala’s father said, “Why the operation against Amritpal happened today? It is to suppress our voices. Don’t force us to come and sit outside the Assembly. We only want justice for our son.”

Praising Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for handling the law and order situation in the state, he said, “The Lok Sabha elections are coming. You will be compelled to give votes in the name of Yogi. You will say UP is clean. What has happened to us?” Pointing out the distressed law and order situation in Punjab, he claimed several politicians and activists were against Moosewala.

“They took away my son’s security and then boasted about it. He was killed,” said Balkaur. Notably, a day before Sidhu Moosewala was assassinated, Punjab Government took away the security assigned to several leaders and high-profile personalities, including Sidhu Moosewala. His name was used in the statement released by the Punjab Government.

Interestingly, though he praised the BJP-led government in UP, Balkaur Sidhu raised slogans against the BJP government at the centre. He said, “I am taking the centre’s name too. They are all together in it. No one can clap with one hand. My son used to give interviews fearlessly. He had called BJP’ modern Mughal’. My son was questioned when he joined Congress. They said, ‘Congress led the riots [against Sikhs], then why he joined them?’ He replied ‘” Riots happened in Gujarat as well. Babri Masjid was demolished. Why do you keep silent over that? I am not saying this was the right thing to say. But when he spoke the truth, agencies used to pick up what he said. They had his record. He would have created problems [for them] if he had reached on top. He was silenced. It was a well-planned assassination.”

Praising his son, Balkaur said, “He was not a bad person. He was a religious man. He never used drugs or got into alcoholism. Despite earning in crores, he lived a simple life.”

‘Our country is not free’, claimed Sidhu Moosewala’s mother

Addressing the attendees, Sidhu Moosewala’s mother, Charan Kaur, questioned if India was free or slave. She said, “I want to ask you only one thing. Is our country free or enslaved?” The crowd replied, “enslaved”, followed by slogans against the Punjab Government. ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans could be heard from the background. “Do not believe that we are free. We are still enslaved,” she said.

SS of pro-Khalistan accounts sharing video of slogans being raised at Sidhu Moosewala’s Barsi. Source: Twitter

While lashing out at the state government for letting Lawrence give an interview to a media channel, she praised Amritpal Singh. Kaur said, “On one hand, gangsters are signing death warrants while in prison. On the other hand, they [government] are trying to frame Amritpal Singh, who brought people closer to Sikhism and taught them to stay away from drugs.”

Questioning the timing of the operation against Amritpal Singh, she said, “Ajnala incident happened over 20 days ago, but they decided to take action yesterday. They are scratching our wounds.”

Sidhu Moosewala’s death anniversary was scheduled a month before the actual date keeping the weather in mind. His father announced it a few days back. An operation against Amritpal Singh was launched a day before the scheduled event. His father released a statement on March 18 accusing the government of suppressing their voices by launching an operation and suspending the internet a day before the death anniversary. Amritpal is still on the run on the third day of the manhunt.

UK: Khalistanis remove the Tricolour installed at Indian High Commission office, India registers objection with London authorities

OpIndia Staff
-
0
UK: Khalistanis remove the Tricolour installed at Indian High Commission office, India registers objection with London authorities

On Sunday (March 19) evening, pro-Khalistani elements barged into the Indian High Commission in London and removed the tricolour from the premises.

In a video that has now come to light, a mob of Khalistanis could be seen staging a protest outside the Indian High Commission. Amidst chants of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’, a man sporting an orange turban was seen scaling the walls of the building and pulling down the Indian flag.

He then waved the Khalistani flag jubilantly while Indian officials at the building seized the tricolour from the man. Some of the Khalistanis were also spotted holding a poster of ‘fugitive’ Amritpal Singh.

India has now sought an explanation from the top UK diplomat in the country over the lack of security outside the Indian High Commission in London.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has called upon the UK government to arrest and prosecute the pro-Khalistan elements, responsible for the incident. It has asked the UK government to ensure that such incidents do not repeat in the future.

“An explanation was demanded for the complete absence of British security that allowed these elements to enter the High Commission premises. India finds unacceptable the indifference of UK Government to security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK,” MEA said in a statement.

As per a report by CNN-News 18, the local police in London were alerted about the possibility of a Khalistani ambush at the Indian High Commission building but the authorities did not send a police team.

The pro-Khalistani elements, responsible for removing the Indian tricolour, are said to be students studying in local colleges.

Meanwhile, UK’s High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, tweeted, “I condemn the disgraceful acts today against the people and premises of the @HCI_London – totally unacceptable.”

India responds with a ‘bigger flag’

Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in London has replaced the earlier flag with a much bigger flag that now covers the entire balcony and wall.

This is not the first time that such an incident has come to light. In September 2019, the Indian High Commission in London witnessed an attack after protests over the abrogation of Article 370.

A 10,000-strong mob of British Pakistanis marched in London as part of the ‘Kashmir Freedom March’ and then launched attack at the building. Several windows and window panes were smashed by the attackers.

Akhilesh Yadav claims Samajwadi Party will defeat BJP on ‘all 80’ seats in UP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, had won only 5 in 2019

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Akhilesh Yadav claims Samajwadi Party will defeat BJP on ‘all 80’ seats in UP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, had won only 5 in 2019

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be “defeated” on all 80 seats in the state of Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls, reported news agency ANI. The party had won 5 out of 80 seats in 2019 general elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Yadav accused BJP of “not fulfilling” the promises that were made before the elections. Addressing a press conference here in Kolkata, the SP chief said, “We will defeat BJP on all 80 seats in UP. They do make promises when they need votes. The cost of living and unemployment has increased. They (BJP) have not fulfilled any promise that they made before the elections”. 

Earlier in the day, issuing a piece of advice to Congress, Yadav said, “BJP should be defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Congress and several other parties should finalise their role”. 

“Congress should decide its role regarding elections. CMs of many states are trying for a coalition that will work together.Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is trying, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin is trying, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are also there. The name will be discussed later for the coalition,” Yadav told ANI. 

In 2017 Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections, the SP had gotten into an alliance with Congress. However, both the parties fared so badly that they were reduced to a collective 47 seats, a reduction of 177 seats from previous elections. Learning lesson from that disaster, the SP dumped Congress and joined hands with BSP in prepoll alliance in 2019 general elections in UP and contested from 76 out of 80 seats, leaving Rae Bareli and Amethi for the Gandhi family’s Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for Congress. However, Rahul Gandhi lost the family bastion of Amethi in 2019 to BJP’s Smriti Irani.

“For 2024, you may call it the third front or an alliance, but this is not the question. The main issue is inflation. The youth are roaming around without jobs. The farmers’ lives have been destroyed. They (BJP) is showing dreams…but when will the youth get jobs?” he while hinting about the Third Front alliance. 

The SP chief was speaking after participating in the party’s two-day national executive meeting in Kolkata. 

During the meeting, the party discussed the policies and strategies for the elections in three Hindi states due later this year and the Lok Sabha polls next year, ANI reported. Along with Akhilesh Yadav, party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, MP Jaya Bachchan, state unit chiefs from 20 states, and several other leaders also participated in the meeting. 

Notably, the Samajwadi Party’s national executive meeting was held in Kolkata after a gap of 11 years.

Amritpal Singh’s driver, uncle surrender even as police continues the chase to nab the pro-Khalistani fugitive

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Amritpal Singh’s driver, uncle surrender even as police continues the chase to nab the pro-Khalistani fugitive

On the intervening night of March 19 and March 20, pro-Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh’s uncle Harjit Singh and driver Harpreet Singh surrendered before the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Narendra Bhargav at 1:30 AM. At the time of the chase on March 18, Harjit Singh was allegedly driving the Mercedez car with Amritpal Singh. The car has also been recovered. Amritpal Singh, however, is still at large.

So far, 112 people associated with Amritpal Singh have been arrested. The police conducted flag marches and search operations across the state, looking for the separatist leader. In a statement, the Police said Singh was connected to the Pakistani agency ISI. His treasurer also received funds from Pakistan, the police said.

Four associates arrested by the police were shifted to Dibrugarh, Assam. They have been identified as Daljit Singh Kalsi, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh and ‘Pradhanmantri’ Bajeka. Out of these, Kalsi was one of the associates who regularly orchestrated Clubhouse discussions with Amritpal Singh to lure youth to his organisation.

Habeas corpus petition in High Court for Amritpal Singh’s release

A petition has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Amritpal Singh’s advocate claiming he has already been arrested and police were detaining him illegally. The petition urged the court to pass orders to release the separatist leader and produce him before the court.

Police alleged Amritpal escaped during the chase

On March 18, Punjab Police and central agencies launched a massive crackdown on Amritpal Singh. 78 of his associates were arrested during the first day of the operation. The police intercepted a three-SUV convoy of Amritpal Singh outside his paternal village. Two of the SUVs were stopped, and seven associates of Singh were arrested. Singh managed to escape, and the chase continued for around 25 KMs, after which he ditched the vehicle and escaped. His other car and phone were recovered on March 19. On the second day of the operation, 21 of his supporters were detained near Boaprai Kalan, Jalandhar, after they tried to stage a protest. Amritpal Singh was still on the run when this report was published.

Pro-Khalistan MP Simranjit Singh Mann’s Twitter account withheld in India following his fearmongering over the crackdown on Amritpal Singh

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pro-Khalistan MP Simranjit Singh Mann’s Twitter account withheld in India following his fearmongering over the crackdown on Amritpal Singh

On 19th March 2023, pro-Khalistan MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann’s Twitter account was withheld in India in response to a legal demand. Mann is the Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur.

Image Source: Twitter

Earlier, the Sangrur MP indulged in fearmongering over the recent crackdown by the Punjab police against Amritpal Singh – the leader of the controversial pro-Khalistan outfit Waris Punjab De. Simranjit Singh Mann tried to push the theory that the state police may execute the absconding 30-year-old Amritpal Singh in an encounter. He added that there will be a fierce reaction among the Sikh community all over the world if such an encounter takes place.

While speaking in a media interaction Simranjit Singh Mann said, “Amritpal Singh is declared a fugitive, and the center and state are wrong to do this. They need to produce him in front of the magistrate. If they fail to do so and if he gets killed in some encounter then it will create unrest among the Sikhs not only in the country but all over the world. As a responsible member of parliament, I want to tell the government that they should not have taken this step and they should not kill him.”

Crackdown against Amritpal Sigh

On March 18, Punjab Police launched a massive crackdown against pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh and his associates in Punjab. Security personnel from Central agencies, including CRPF in the state for the G20 summit, joined the operation with Punjab Police. The Police arrested 78 associates of Amritpal Singh during the operation. However, Singh was still on the run when this report was written. Punjab Police issued an advisory not to believe rumors on social media. Furthermore, internet services were shut in the state until March 19, 12 PM, and extended to March 20, 12 PM. Punjab Government imposed Section 144 in the state to ensure law and order.

Tarsem Singh, Amritpal Singh’s father, has stated that the family is currently unaware of Amritpal’s whereabouts and that he has been missing for some time. He claimed, that the Punjab Police searched their residence for three to four hours without uncovering anything illegal.

Punjab Police says Amritpal Singh is still absconding after reports claimed that he is caught and shifted to Dibrugarh

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Punjab Police says Amritpal Singh is still absconding after reports claimed that he is caught and shifted to Dibrugarh

Punjab Police on Sunday evening said that pro-Khalistani activist Amritpal Singh is still on the run despite the massive manhunt launched to nab him. Amritpal Singh is absconding since yesterday after the police launched a crackdown on his Waris Punjab De and arrested several members of the organisation.

“Punjab Police is acting within the law. Amritpal Singh is still absconding and not yet arrested,” IGP Sukhchain Gill said in a video message on Sunday late evening. He also requested all citizens to maintain peace and harmony and not panic. “Don’t believe the rumours and false news. Request all citizens to maintain peace and harmony and not panic,” he said.

The clarification by Punjab police after rumours that Amritpal Singh has been arrested and he has been shifted to Dibrugarh in Assam after the Punjab police confirmed that 4 arrested persons were moved to Dibrugarh by a special Indian Air Force plane. They have been lodged at the central jail in the eastern Assam town.

The police have refused to divulge the names of the persons shifted to Assam. Given this secrecy, and the fact that they were transported by an IAF aircraft accompanied by a large team of Punjab Police including top-level officials, many have speculated that Amritpal Singh could be one of the persons shifted.

Some portals have even published the names of the persons, citing sources. The portal New Indian has claimed that six persons have been airlifted to Assam, not four as informed by police. It also said that Amritpal Singh also has been arrested and he also could be in Dibrugarh. According to a report published by them, the Waris Punjab De chief was arrested following a sensational and clandestine operation between the central government and the state governments of Assam and Punjab.

It claims that Amritpal Singh along with six of his henchmen were taken to Assam. “The decision was taken keeping in mind the sensitivity of the situation as well as the security of the six persons arrested in the case,” the New Indian cited sources as saying.

As per the report, the six persons have been identified as Barjinder Singh, Ajay Pal Singh, Gurvir Singh, Savreet Singh, Gurpal Singh Pala and Amandeep Singh Joti. The portal also claimed that the six persons have confessed that they were working as carriers of drugs and arms.  

Union govt starts process of eviction and sale of enemy properties worth over 1 lakh crore: Know what is enemy property & how they will be sold

Gopal Tiwari
-
0
Union govt starts process of eviction and sale of enemy properties worth over 1 lakh crore: Know what is enemy property & how they will be sold

In a recent notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that it has started the process of eviction and sale of enemy properties in the country. This includes the eviction and sale of immovable assets left behind by the people who took citizenship of Pakistan and China.

Presently, there are 12611 establishments identified as enemy properties in India. The total estimated value of these properties is more than 1 lakh crore. The enemy properties will be sold through e-auction on the e-auction platform of Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited, a PSU. The Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), an authority created under the Enemy Property Act, will conduct the process.

Earlier the union govt had sold movable enemy properties like shares and gold, and now immovable enemy properties are being sold.

What are enemy properties?

Enemy property refers to any property owned by individuals or entities that are considered “enemies” of the state. This usually includes individuals or entities who are citizens or residents of countries that are at war with India or have been deemed to be a threat to the security and sovereignty of India. Enemy property may include real estate, buildings, land, bank accounts, shares, and other assets. According to the enemy Property Act of 1968 (amended in 2017), the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) holds certain rights in regard to the enemy properties in India.

What does the latest notification say in this regard?

According to Home Ministry’s notification, the rules for disposing of enemy properties have changed. According to these rules, before selling any properties, the procedure for evicting hostile properties must now be started with the help of the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner responsible.

The notification further said that if an enemy property is less than Rs 1 crore in value, the custodian must first make a purchase offer to the occupant. If the resident rejects the offer, the enemy property must be sold in accordance with the rules. The CEPI will dispose of any enemy property valued at less than Rs 100 crore and more than Rs 1 crore by e-auction or any other method as defined by the central government and at the price set by the Enemy Property Disposal Committee.

The Home Ministry added that the CEPI shall utilize the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited’s e-auction platform for the e-auction of enemy properties. Officials in the home ministry have confirmed that so far, by selling the enemy properties, the government has obtained more than Rs. 3400 crores. The sold enemy property contains only movable assets like shares, gold, etc.

All enemy properties will be surveyed

Through the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE), the Home Ministry has launched a nationwide inspection of enemy properties in 20 states and 3 Union Territories. The prime motive of this survey is to identify, locate, and then monetize these properties. CEPI is primarily expected to identify these properties in this survey and DGDE will then assess the present condition of these properties to evaluate their prices.

A brief account of enemy properties in India

12,485 of the 12,611 enemy properties in India owned by the CEPI were earlier linked to Pakistani people, while 126 were related to Chinese nationals. The state of Uttar Pradesh has the highest concentration of enemy properties (6,255), followed by West Bengal (4,088 properties), Delhi (659), Goa (295), Maharashtra (208), Telangana (158), Gujarat (151), Tripura (105), Bihar (94), Madhya Pradesh (94), Chhattisgarh (78), and Haryana (71).

The following states also have enemy properties – 71 in Kerala, 69 in Uttarakhand, 67 in Tamil Nadu, 57 in Meghalaya, 29 in Assam, 24 in Karnataka, 22 in Rajasthan, 10 in Jharkhand, 4 in Daman and Diu, and 1 in each of Andhra Pradesh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Enemy Property Act

In India, the Enemy Property Act was first enacted in 1968, shortly after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. The purpose of the Act was to provide for the vesting of enemy property in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India. The Custodian is responsible for managing and administering enemy property on behalf of the government.

The Enemy Property Act has undergone several amendments over the years. The most significant of these was the amendment made in 2017. Following the claims of heirs of Raja Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, on his properties across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the Act was amended. This amendment denied the legal heirs their right over the enemy property. This amendment also expanded the scope of the Act to include not just the property of individuals who are from the enemy states, but also the property of their descendants or heirs who are citizens of India. The amendment also allowed the government to sell enemy property, which was previously prohibited.

Powers to the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI)

As per the Enemy Property Act of 1968, the Custodian of Enemy Property for India has extensive powers to manage and administer enemy property. The purpose of these powers is to ensure that enemy property is not used to fund activities that pose a threat to national security.

These include the power to – 1. Take over and manage the enemy property on behalf of the government. 2. Collect and receive all rents, profits, and income from the enemy property. 3. Sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of the enemy property as directed by the government. 4. Take legal action to protect and preserve the enemy property. 5. Pay all expenses related to the management and administration of enemy property.

The latest amendment to the Act in 2017 expanded the scope of the Custodian’s powers to include the power to sell enemy property, which was previously prohibited. The amendment also allowed the government to use the proceeds from the sale of enemy property for public welfare.

Public reactions in the past over action against enemy properties

The enemy properties linked to Pakistan are obviously connected to Muslims. It is notable that executing any action against such properties is a task to be carefully handled by the ministry of home affairs, because local Muslims connected to that property in some or another way may create some hindrance in the procedures to be followed. In one of the recent examples of such hindrances, protests in Chennai staged by the controversial Islamic organization Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) can be cited as a prominent one.

In January 2021, the officers from Custodian of Enemy Property for India, Mumbai, accompanied by revenue authorities and local police, arrived at Chennai to seal off the Thowheed Jamath headquarters, which is registered as the property of Pakistan under the Enemy Property Act 1968. The Thowheed Jamaat, whose building is registered as the property of Pakistan, had received several notices from the state authorities for violating the Enemy Property Act. Following no action from their end, officers from Custodian of Enemy Property for India, Mumbai, accompanied by revenue authorities and local police, sealed the office.

As the news spread, the office-bearers of TNTJ assembled near the premises from different parts of the city and protested against the action. The protest continued for nearly two hours causing a severe nuisance to the public.

Reportedly, the building was initially been granted to Abdul Rahman, the Vice President of TNTJ, for the purpose of running a lungi firm. However, Rahman has been using the building for serving as the headquarters of the TNTJ. In fact, Rahman only holds the power of attorney, since the actual property belongs to Tuba Khaleeli, who now lives in Pakistan.

At that time, Abdul Rahman, Vice President of TNTJ, said that the office of Thowheed Jamaath is located on the enemy property, and when the Union government decided to dispose of the enemy property, they started paying rent to the government. He added that the radical Islamic organization also thought of purchasing the land.

Rahul Gandhi questioned over ‘rape’ remark is not politics, but that’s how police is supposed to work, here is why

Raju Das
-
0
Rahul Gandhi questioned over ‘rape’ remark is not politics, but that’s how police is supposed to work, here is why

After Delhi Police sent a notice to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi seeking details of women who complained to him that they were raped, the Congress party has launched an attack on the Narendra Modi government. The Congress has alleged that the govt is rattled by Rahul Gandhi’s questions on the relationship between PM Modi and Gautam Adani.

Calling it “another proof of a government in panic,” the party said on 16 March that the notice was an effort by the govt to “weaken democracy, women empowerment, freedom of expression and role of the opposition.” The party repeated the allegations after a team of Delhi Police went to Rahul Gandhi’s house to talk to him over the matter.

The party alleged that the Delhi police is doing this on the orders of the central government. “Without Amit Shah’s order, it is not possible that police could show such audacity to enter the house of a national leader without any reason. Rahul Gandhi said that he has received the notice and he will reply to it but still, the police went to his house,” said Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.

While the Congress party is crying political vendetta, the fact remains that Rahul Gandhi alleged serious crimes against women, and the police have to take action for such crimes. It is notable that on 30 January in Srinagar during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said that several women had met him during the yatra and narrated the sexual harassment they had faced.

Rahul Gandhi also mentioned it in his already controversial speech at Cambridge university in the UK, where he said that when he was walking in his Bharat Jodo Yatra, two women who are sisters had approached him and told him that they were gang-raped by 5 men. He also said that when he offered to inform the police about it, they declined, saying that they will be shamed and they will never get married if he calls the cops.

Following this, taking cognizance of social media posts on Rahul Gandhi’s comments, the Delhi Police sent a questionary to him and asked him to give details about women who approached him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and alleged that they faced sexual harassment. The police asked him to give the details of those women so that action can be taken in those cases, and the victims can be provided security.

Delhi Police has also said that they already started an investigation after Rahul Gandhi made the comments, but couldn’t make any progress as they didn’t find any unreported rape cases. That is why they sent the questionnaire to Rahul Gandhi to give the detail of the women who talked to him saying that they were raped.

Talking about the investigation, Special CP (L&O) of Delhi Police Dr Sagar Preet Hooda said that as the Bharat Jodo Yara went through Delhi, the police had tried to find any information about any cases of sexual assault after Rahul Gandhi’s comments. But after they couldn’t find any information, they decided to ask the Congress leader about it.

He said that they are trying to gather information about the crimes from Rahul Gandhi, but he has not provided it yet. He added that police have requested Gandhi to provide to give the information at the earliest so that the probe can start immediately, and there is no loss of evidence and further abuse of the victims.

Right of police to launch a probe

What the Delhi Police is doing is part of the job of the police, to take action whenever there are reports of a crime. Moreover, it is not required for someone to lodge a complaint before the police can initiate action. The police have the right to start an investigation on their own after they learn about a criminal act in cases involving cognizable offences.

We have seen many times police taking action based on social media videos posted on social media platforms. Because the moment police learn about a crime, they have the duty and the authority to launch a probe, regardless of whether a formal complaint was filed or not.

Moreover, if the case is related to a cognizable crime, the police do not require a magistrate’s order to start an investigation, while a magistrate’s order is required for non-Cognizable offences. Rape is a Cognizable offence.

Section 156 of the Code of Criminal Procedure says that the officer in charge of the police may, without the prior permission of the Magistrate start the process of investigation in cases involving cognizable offences. If the police suspect that a cognizable offence has taken place, they can start an investigation even without any formal FIR. Moreover, the police officer of a particular police station can investigate the crime even if it was committed outside the jurisdiction of the police station.

The section further states that police have the statutory right to investigate and if a police officer is investigating a case, then the judiciary cannot give orders to stop the investigation. However, if police have not started a probe, the magistrate can issue orders to the police to start the investigation.

Section 156(2) further states that at any point during the investigation, the police can’t be questioned alleging that it is not empowered to investigate the case.

While the Delhi police have started action after the comments by Rahul Gandhi, they can’t proceed without his cooperation. This is because to launch any probe into the alleged rape crimes, the police must identify the victims, and Rahul Gandhi is the only person who knows the victims.

If the police can’t identify the victims, they can’t file formal FIRs, and can’t proceed further with the probes, or hand over the cases to the respective police stations of the places where the crimes took place.

It is notable that in general, a person is not legally bound to report a crime even if he has knowledge about it. Moreover, Rahul Gandhi didn’t witness the crimes, the victims told him about the alleged crimes, so he can’t be summoned as a witness. But as he has alleged that several women narrated their ordeals to him, as a responsible citizen he should help the police in ensuring justice for those women.

Legally bound to give information if rape victim is minor

It is also important to mention that if any of the victims that met Rahul Gandhi was a minor, then Rahul Gandhi has to give the details to the police. Not reporting a crime of sexual assault of a minor despite knowing about it is actually a punishable crime.

According to section 19(1) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), if any person has apprehension that an offence under the act is likely to be committed or has knowledge that such an offence has been committed, such a person has to provide such information to Special Juvenile Police Unit or the local police.

Section 21 of the act also states that non-reporting of a crime under POCSO can be punished with imprisonment for up to 6 months or a fine or both. According to a Supreme Court judgement last year, non-reporting of sexual assault against a minor child despite knowledge is a serious crime.

As at present, none of the victims that spoke Rahul Gandhi has been identified, it can’t be said at present whether this provision of POCSO will apply or not.

1...2,3642,3652,366...7,638Page 2,365 of 7,638