According to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Punjab government spent Rs 14.63 lakh on the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) victory march, Dhanwad Punjab Yatra, in Amritsar on 13th March 2022. On 10th March 2022, the results of the Punjab assembly elections were declared in which the Aam Aadmi Party won 92 out of 117 seats in the state assembly and formed a government, following which the victory march was taken out by the party.
The expenses of the victory march include the costs born for honouring senior AAP leaders with gold-plated swords and arranging their accommodation in five-star hotels and decorating roads with flowers. Manik Goyal, an RTI activist, had filed the plea for details on the event’s expenses. The grand road show was headed by AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and CM-elect Bhagwant Mann. According to the RTI response, the Amritsar district administration received a total of 19 bills for the party’s victory march and paid Rs 14,63,129.
The RTI response revealed that The Taj Swarna, a five-star hotel, received a payment of 1,51,851 from the Amritsar district administration to cover four invoices. Besides, the district administration spent Rs 4,83,800 to decorate roadways with fresh flowers, Rs 75,000 to prepare the welcome gate, Rs 5,56,424 to arrange tents and chairs, Rs 54,500 on drummers, Rs 16,800 to purchase rose bouquets, Rs 18,000 to purchase phulkaris, Rs 34,000 to purchase four gold-plated swords, Rs 45,398 to install flex boards, Rs 17,500 to videographers and photographers, and Rs 9,856 to confectionary arrangements. All the expenses are done before Bhagwant Mann assumed the charges as the chief minister of the state.
Manik Goyal said that Bhagwant Mann was voted leader of the parliamentary party by newly elected MLAs on March 11, but he had yet to take the oath of office as chief minister when the AAP delved into the state exchequer to utilize cash for the party’s celebration rally. At the swearing-in event on March 16 at Khatkar Kalan in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district, Mann took the oath of office and confidentiality.
Mayank Goyal also informed that people were transported to Amritsar for the victory march using government buses, but the district administration did not respond to a question about the costs associated with their conveyance. Harpreet Singh Sudan, the deputy commissioner of Amritsar, declined to comment on the costs associated with the road show on March 13. He said, “I joined here in April and, therefore, I can’t comment on why and how this payment was made. It is the government’s prerogative to decide how, why, and where to pay. The authorities act on the government’s directions.”
Punjab’s finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that he will immediately look into this matter. Malvinder Singh Kang, the state’s top AAP spokesperson, was vague over the RTI response, nevertheless. He said, “I don’t know the authenticity of this information.”
It is notable that due to growing debt, slow development, and a load of freebies, Punjab’s economy has been in terrible circumstances for years. Ironically, the AAP government portrayed a bleak image of the state finances in a white paper it submitted to the assembly on June 25 and attributed the financial crisis to past administrations’ excessive spending and poor management.
Ahead of the much-awaited release of Laal Singh Chadha, a scene-by-scene copy of Tom Hanks’ classic Forrest Gump, Aamir Khan has been facing a lot of anger from Indian moviegoers who have been calling for a boycott of his latest film. Aamir Khan, whose last big-budget offering ‘Thugs of Hindostan’ ended up being one of the biggest ever flops in the history of Indian cinema seems to be feeling the effects of these boycott calls.
When asked about hashtags like ‘Boycott Bollywood’ and ‘Boycott Laal Singh Chaddha’ trending on Twitter, the actor said he feels sad about it. He also said that the ‘trolls’ make it sound like he does not love his country but that is absolutely ‘untrue’. Even though in the past Aamir Khan had told viewers openly not to watch his films, this time, the boycott calls seems to be affecting him and his PR drive during the past few days reflects that.
The reason why most moviegoers plan to boycott any Aamir movie varies from person to person, some want to boycott him over his mockery of Hindu Gods in PK, some want to boycott his movies because of his opposition to Sardar Sarovar Dam which provided water to the most drought-stricken areas of Gujarat, some want to boycott him for blaming current PM Narendra Modi for 2002 Gujarat riots, while some just can’t stand the sanctimoniousness.
Another reason why many moviegoers plan to boycott Aamir Khan’s movies is his proximity to openly anti-India Turkey, hanging out with Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi (who repeatedly calls for ‘independence of Jammu & Kashmir’ from India), and Aamir’s meeting with people like Pakistani Maulana Tariq Jameel.
To counter these boycott calls by the common Indians, Aamir Khan’s PR has been trying to paint a more rosy image of the Bollywood stalwart, and one such attempt has come from the Bollywood website Koimoi.
Koimoi published an article titled, “Did Aamir Khan Meet Jamaat-E-Ul Terrorist Maulana Tariq Jameel & Pakistani Cricketer Shahid Afridi In Saudi Arabia? Rumours Busted!” on the 5th of August 2022, in which, instead of busting any rumours, they confirmed that Aamir Khan indeed met these anti-India people in Saudi Arabia.
While trying to disprove Aamir Khan’s meeting with Tariq Jameel, the article notes, “It is worth pointing out that multiple publications reported that Laal Singh Chaddha actor met them at mecca when he went for Hajj pilgrimage accompanied by his mother Zeenat Hussain in October 2012. The said photo was taken at that time. Former Pakistani music band Vital Signs’ member Junaid Jamshed was also present at that time.”
The article further confirms that Junaid Jamshed also shared the picture on his Facebook account with a caption that read: “Shahid Afridi and Aamir Khan with Maulana Tariq Jameel.”
Who is Tariq Jameel, whose photo with Aamir Khan is creating all the controversy
Tariq Jameel is a Pakistani Islamic television preacher and a Tablighi Jamaat member. It is important to note that Tablighi Jamaat is banned in Saudi Arabia after the custodian of the two holy Mosques called Tablighi Jamaat “one of the gates of terrorism”.
In a tweet on December 6, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs said, “His Excellency the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr.#Abdullatif Al_Alsheikh directed the mosques’ preachers and the mosques that held Friday prayer temporary to allocate the next Friday sermon 5/6/1443 H to warn against (the Tablighi and Da’wah group) which is called (Al Ahbab)”.
The tweet mentioned that the minister has directed that the sermon cover topics including declaration of “the misguidance, deviation, and danger of this group, and that it is one of the gates of terrorism, even if they claim otherwise”, to mention their prominent mistakes, to mention their danger to society and a statement that affiliation with partisan groups (including the Tablighi and Da’wah Group) is prohibited in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Tablighi Jamaat gained widespread prominence in India when its gathering in Delhi became one of the earliest hotspots of Coronavirus in the country. The Tablighi Jamaat event was not only attended by Indian Islamic clerics but also foreign nationals.
After emerging as a ‘superspreader’ of the Wuhan Coronavirus, the conduct of the members of the Tablighi Jamaat did not improve. While they were being transported from Nizamuddin for their treatment, they spat on roads during the bus ride. After being shifted to quarantine facilities in Delhi, they engaged in unruly behaviour with the staff and doctors. The occupants made unreasonable demands for food, misbehaved and abused staff members and spat all over and on persons working/attending to them, including doctors.
The controversial preacher Tariq Jameel, whom Aamir Khan met, had earlier blamed Muslim women when Coronavirus was running rampant in the country. At the peak of the Coronavirus crisis, he had said that when Muslim women and the youth indulge in shameless and immodest behaviour, then Allah inflicts pain and agony on humans.
Social media platforms are awash with snippets from an old video when villagers in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur chased away India Today journalist Rajdeep Sardesai over an allegedly planted interview.
In the video, which is from 2018, Sardesai visits Mandsaur 18 months after it witnessed violence during the agitation organised by farmers in June 2017 to report on the aftermath of the violent clashes and to ascertain if the government had addressed the ‘grievances’ raised by the victims.
The snippet of the video that is doing the rounds on the internet shows Rajdeep Sardesai asking an alleged victim if he has received compensation from the government, to which the respondent replies in the negative, sparking anger from the gathered people who shout he has been given Rs 1 crore as compensation by the MP government.
The clip is from Sardesai’s Mandsaur visit in November 2017, the complete video of which was uploaded on India Today’s official YouTube channel on 5 November 2017. At 30 minutes into the video, Sardesai is seen claiming that the moment the villagers heard an Aaj-Tak, India Today team is in the village, a virtual panchayat had gathered.
Sardesai then goes on to talk to one of the alleged victims of the Mandsaur violence, who the India Today journalist claimed had lost his 17-year-old son in the clashes that broke out months ago. When Sardesai asks him if he has received any kind of help or compensation from the state government, the man says he has not received anything from the administration.
However, the man’s response sparks outrage among the village residents who had gathered on the occasion. Many of them angrily rebut the man’s claim, shouting at the top of their voices that he has received Rs 1 crore as compensation from the government. When Sardesai tries to ask a leading question to the alleged victim, the crowd goes berserk, encircling him and chasing him out of the place, all of which is captured in the video uploaded on India Today’s YouTube channel.
Report published in India Today said kin of Mandsaur victims were give Rs 1 crore ex-gratia
It is worth noting while the victim said he did not receive compensation from the government, a report published in India Today, Rajdeep Sardesai’s organisation, had reported in the aftermath of the Mandsaur violence that CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had met with the kin of the deceased and handed over Rs 1 crore each to them. Chouhan and his wife had reached Mandsaur on a special plane and first went to Badwan village to meet the relatives of Ghanshyam Dhakad and other farmers killed during the firing.
A farmers’ agitation demanding loan waivers and higher crop prices in Mandsaur took an ugly turn after protesters torched vehicles, targeted police stations and attacked government officials, following which five farmers were killed in police firing.
Even as Rajdeep Sardesai has to face embarrassment over his interview with one of the Mandsaur victims who seemingly lied about the compensation he had received from the government, this is not the first time that the India Today journalist had egg on his face.
Sunil Gavaskar shuts up Rajdeep Sardesai on Live TV
On December 14, 2021, during a debate on India Today where former Indian Captain Sunil Gavaskar was a panellist, he told Rajdeep it would not matter if Sardesai would not agree with him as he would not lose sleep over it. The debate was about the alleged rift between cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, that has been making rounds the whole day.
Towards the end of the debate, when anchor Rahul Kanwal asked Gavaskar what would he suggest to Jay Shah and Saurav Ganguly about handling the situation, he said it would be better if they both ignored it. He added that it could be just a rumour as there has been no official word over this by anyone. Both players have not said anything about it. Therefore, it would be better not to answer any controversy.
In his reply, Sardesai said that he did not agree with him. Gavaskar, with an ear-to-ear grin on his face, said, “Rajdeep if you don’t agree with me, it doesn’t matter. I won’t lose sleep over it.” Humiliated, yet again on Live TV, Rajdeep could not do anything but laugh over it.
Shehzad Poonawalla gives a befitting response to Rajdeep Sardesai over question on former CM Devendra Fadnavis becoming Deputy CM
Recently, during a news debate on Devendra Fadnavis’ appointment as Deputy Chief minister after serving as the chief minister of Maharashtra, Rajdeep Sardesai asked BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla if that would affect the former CM, to which Poonawalla reminded the India Today journalist how he was once the Editor-in-chief of CNN IBN, and now he is working as Consulting Editor of India Today, which has not affected his stature or respect.
Embarrassed with Shehzad’s acerbic observation, Rajdeep Sardesai was left with nothing but to acknowledge it with a sheepish smile.
‘I don’t take you seriously’, said Mukesh Ambani
In March 2017, India Today Conclave published a 6-minute interview of Rajdeep Sardesai with business tycoon Mukesh Ambani. Sardesai introduced him as the most powerful person in the country. When he asked Ambani how he felt when he introduced him the way he did, Ambani said, “I don’t believe that. I do not take you seriously.” Sardesai, humiliated by the ‘most powerful person’, could only say, “Are yeh kya baat hui (What are you saying).”
Former President Mukherjee scolded him for interrupting
In the same year, when former President Pranab Mukherjee completed his tenure, he gave an interview with Rajdeep Sardesai on the launch of his book. During the interview, Sardesai kept interrupting the former President. At first, he did not say anything but by the ninth minute, he had enough. He said, “Let me complete. You don’t have this habit. I am sorry to take you and remind you are interviewing the former President. Please have the necessary courtesy. Don’t interrupt.”
Bachchan refused to fall for his ‘trap’
In January 2016, during an interview with Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, Rajdeep questioned him about his views on the alleged intolerance in the country. Bachchan, who was clearly taken by surprise by the question as earlier it was mostly about his career, said he was not qualified to answer the question. He said, “You know Rajdeep, I don’t know how the journalists address this issue, but really I am not qualified to answer this question at all. I am the least educated as far as these issues are concerned.” When Sardesai asked him if he was being diplomatic, Bachchan said, “So you are agreeing that it is some sort of trap.”
Sardesai schooled by PM Modi
If that is not enough, he was even schooled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2007 when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. PM Modi was attending Hindustan Times Leadership Summit as a guest. Sardesai, who was interviewing him, asked if he was sorry about what had happened in 2002.
Then-CM Modi said, “A person who had got a chance to become anchor is trying to impose his propaganda while going out of the line from the topic for which I was called for in this Summit.” He questioned the organizers and asked them to decide how they wanted to move ahead with the interview.
“Ye Dalal hai, Ye Dalal hai”: Protesters heckle India Today journalist Rajdeep Sardesai
‘Journalist’ Rajdeep Sardesai had to face a massive embarrassment after protestors confronted him and referred to him as a ‘Dalal’ or a broker and accused him of being a part of the ‘Godi media’. In an undated video that had gone viral on social media, TV anchor Rajdeep Sardesai was seen in a heated argument with some farmer protestors, reportedly gathered in Delhi.
The term ‘Godi Media’ is widely used by pro-Congress media persons, left-wing trolls and opposition leaders against journalists and media houses who do not toe the Congress line.
Here is the video where Rajdeep Sardesai was left red-faced by the protestors, who shouted to him saying, “Ye Dalal hai. Ye Godi Media hai(he is a broker, he is Godi media)”.
No proof that the spyware application Pegasus was used to eavesdrop on the phones under examination was discovered by a Supreme Court-appointed group of experts. A report regarding the same is submitted to the top court and the technical analysis leading to the said conclusion will be an essential part of the report.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, a person who has significant details of the matter has provided this information without disclosing his name. He said that more than 100 gadgets were examined by the committee, which retired Supreme Court judge RV Raveendran led; and details of the findings are contained in a 600-page record that was submitted to the court about a week ago.
According to this person, the first question in the committee’s terms of reference was to determine whether the Pegasus suite of spyware was used on phones or other devices of the citizens of India to access stored data, eavesdrop on conversations, intercept information, and/or for any other purposes not explicitly stated herein. The submission in response to this question states that there is no evidence found so far to prove that the Pegasus app was installed on those devices to snoop on the targets.
The panel was tasked with identifying the individuals targeted by the spyware, the steps taken by the Indian government in response to the alleged unlawful intrusion, and if Pegasus was originally purchased by the Indian government with the intention of spying on Indian residents. If it is the latter, the panel was also required to ascertain under what rule or policy it was bought.
The person also said, “The rest of the questions fail to be relevant once the panel has concluded that there is no evidence that the spyware was used to snoop on the devices at all. The report indicated the findings were based on sophisticated tests conducted by the panel on the devices people voluntarily turned in.”
He added that the tools used by the committee included a tool made by Amnesty International, which was among the non-profits that examined Pegasus infections, and the program was also used in other countries for forensic analysis. The government also used its own tools and devices and over a 600-page document refers to the technical analysis and the methodology. After extensive analysis using those tools, the controversial app was not found in the submitted phones.
RV Raveendran, who headed the committee of experts, said, “This is a pending matter. This is not an independent inquiry and the matter is sub judice. The court will disclose the details in its own time.”
The matter has not yet been scheduled for hearing, but the court register predicts that it will be brought on August 12 before a bench that includes Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.
It is notable that the Pegasus snooping issue started on July 18, 2021, when a group of media networks and investigative reporters claimed that among the 50,000 phone numbers chosen for infection with the Pegasus malware were those of Indian ministers, legislators, activists, entrepreneurs, and journalists.
The malware is considered a combat weapon since it employs cutting-edge tactics to infiltrate a person’s smartphone and overhear calls, activate the mic or camera, and access any device information, including messages, images, and videos.
Several of the 50,000 phone numbers from other countries included in the media articles were later proven to be affected after separate investigations by respective nations and other organizations.
Days after an Islamic bride was allowed to enter a mosque for her marriage ceremony in Kozhikode, Kerala, the Paleri-Parakkadavu Mahal Committee announced on Friday that allowing the bride into the Mosque for marriage is not acceptable. The committee said that bride was allowed inside the Mosque by mistake and that no such conduct in the future will be tolerated.
Mahal Committee in Kerala refers to local Islamic organisation usually centred around a ‘jama masjid’ and ‘takes care’ of the local Muslim community. It also takes care of the administration of the local mosque.
The Parakkadav Juma Masjid in Kozhikode had permitted Kuttyadi native KS Umeer to get his daughter wedded on the premises around the Mosque. Umeer’s daughter Bahja Dalila got married to Fahad Qasim on July 30 after which the bride’s family asked the general secretary of the Mosque to allow Dalila inside the Mosque. According to the committee, the secretary granted the permission on his own, without consulting the senior authorities.
“Permission had been given for marriage outside the mosque. However, one of the office-bearers mistook it as the nod for the bride to be present inside the mosque. The person concerned has apologized for the mistake”, the committee was quoted. The Mahal Committee members also stated that the family of the bride had violated the norms, first by taking the daughter inside the Mosque and then clicking a series of photographs.
Holding the bride’s family responsible for the incident that took place after the wedding, the committee said that it would meet the concerned family to express displeasure over the incident. Reports mention that the committee will also create a thorough code of conduct for arranging weddings inside mosques and distribute it to mahal members.
The incident of a Mosque authority allowing a bride to enter inside the Mosque was lauded by many while Abdul Hameed Faizy, working secretary of Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), described it as a new aberration in Islam, which was established by Jama’at-e-Islami and Mujahids.
Unfolding the incident, the groom’s uncle named Sanoop CH also said that the decision announced by the Mahal committee was surprising. “We thought that allowing bride inside the Mosque was leading to progress in the community. We had taken every permission before the function. It would be great if the committee rethinks its decision and starts adopting meaningful changes that bring good to society”, he was quoted as saying.
According to Islamic belief, women are generally not allowed to enter mosques. Meanwhile, KS Umeer, the father of the bride, said that both the families wanted daughter Dalila to witness her marriage at the Mosque. “Bahaja’s wedding became the first ceremony in our locality, where the bride was able to witness the ceremony inside the Mosque. It is high time that we discarded such practices that have no place in Islam. The brides, including my daughter, have the right to witness their wedding”, he said.
Controversy erupted during India’s hockey match with Australia at the Commonwealth Games on Friday after the referee granted another penalty shoot to Australia after they missed their first shot, citing the clock malfunction. The Australian hockey team defeated India 3-0 in the penalty shootout, ending India’s bid for gold in the country’s national sport at the CWG games.
India put up a valiant effort to restrict Australia to 1-1 during the regulation time, with captain Savita Punia heroically saving two penalty corners with just a minute left for the final hooter, taking the game into penalty shooters.
During the penalty shootouts, Australia’s Malone missed her first attempt with a fine save from goalkeeper Savita. However, the authorities gave the Aussies a do-over, citing that the clock timer had not yet started. In the second chance, the Aussie penalty shooter scored a goal while the other two Aussies too scored the shots, which eventually led to their victory.
The team was distraught and the Indian coach condemned the incident. “I just don’t understand. Australia wasn’t complaining… I don’t think even many officials understood what had happened… it’s not an excuse but that didn’t help us for sure,” said India coach Janneke Schopman during the shootout drama.
However, the second attempt granted to the Australian hockey player did not sit well with netizens, who said the Indian team had to take the rap for the incompetence exhibited by the tournament organisers. They accused the International Hockey Federation of snatching the chance for the Indian team to win gold at the CWG games and denying India a chance to compete in the finals with such a pathetic display of management at an international level.
Social media slams referee, CWG and FIH over clock malfunction during Indian hockey team’s semi-final match against Australia
Virender Sehwag, a former India cricketer who does not mince words in expressing his opinions on social media, called out the biasedness of the authorities and said that such things wouldn’t happen if India became a superpower in hockey.
Penalty miss hua Australia se and the Umpire says, Sorry Clock start nahi hua. Such biasedness used to happen in cricket as well earlier till we became a superpower, Hockey mein bhi hum jald banenge and all clocks will start on time. Proud of our girls ??pic.twitter.com/mqxJfX0RDq
A social media user shared the picture of the referee and said she was playing as the 12th person against India’s 11 on-field.
12th player form Australia who hurt india which 11 onfield couldn't do it #cheating in hockey IND vs aus Make your clock start idiots?#cwg22pic.twitter.com/sQqwLgxpBi
Still another social media user was dejected over the mismanagement at the CWG games where the referee granted another penalty shoot to Australia because the clock did not start.
Nevertheless, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Saturday apologised for the clock controversy that took place during the Indian women’s team’s semifinal loss against Australia at the Commonwealth Games, saying it would “thoroughly review” the incident.
“The process in place for such situations is that the penalty shootout has to be retaken, which was done. This incident will be thoroughly reviewed by the FIH in order to avoid any similar issues in the future,” the statement added.
Days after the Delhi High Court directed Mint to remove a contentious piece of article targeting Gaurav Taneja and his family, the former pilot turned Youtuber took to Twitter to troll the financial newspaper.
In a tweet, he said, “You got me hate!! I got you flowers, Livemint. #Swaaha.” The tweet was accompanied by a video of Taneja dancing to the tune of ‘My Name Is Lakhan’. With a bouquet of flowers in hand, the Youtuber was seen cheering the ‘temporary removal’ of the article from the Mint’s website.
The case filed by Gaurav Taneja revolves around an article written by a journalist named Shephali Bhatt in the financial daily, claiming that the Youtuber was a child abuser. Bhatt had written an article titled, “Shouldn’t brands stop supporting sordid influencers?” ,in which she had criticized Taneja and his wife Ritu Rathee for piercing their elder daughter’s ears.
Before that, he had posted another tweet mocking Livemint after they deleted the article on him as per court orders. He posted the screenshot of the webpage showing that the article has been deleted, asking people to observe silence of 2 minutes to mourn the deleted article that defame him.
Following his tweets, his fans and followers could not keep their calm. Many of them applauded Taneja’s innovative and respectful way of trolling the newspaper.
“Mujhe cry aa raha hai -Livemint, right now,” wrote one user.
One Rajat stated, “For #livemint hating Hindus, Indian heritage, and people who are proud Santani is prime focus. Also, it’s interesting to see how the so called intellectuals have consumed fevicol on this issue.”
For #livemint hating Hindus, Indian heritage, and people who are proud Santani is prime focus. Also, it’s interesting to see how the so called intellectuals have consumed fevicol on this issue.
On Friday (August 5), the Delhi High Court directed YouTuber Gaurav Taneja to take down all the tweets and social media posts where he mentioned the journalist ‘Shephali Bhatt’. The Court disallowed permission to the YouTuber to tag the journalist or use the hashtag of her name in any of his future social media posts.
The much-awaited 2022-23 season of the English Premier League (EPL) kicked off last night as Arsenal faced Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Even though on the pitch Arsenal won comfortably by 2-0, they won’t be too comfortable with what went on around the game. Their midfield bulwark, Thomas Partey, was booed throughout the game and there was even a plane with the message that rapists should be kicked out of the game.
Partey is accused by his ex-girlfriend of raping her. She also shared that she was paid off to keep quiet about the whole incident. However, the crowd didn’t keep quiet about it as they booed Partey at every given opportunity.
As the match began, a plane carrying a large banner flew over Selhurst Park, calling for rapists to be kicked off the pitch. The banner was paid for by Arsenal fans with support from We Level Up, a group fighting for gender justice and bodily autonomy as part of a campaign to fight sexual violence, especially from Premier League footballers.
We’re not waiting any more. We’ve petitioned. We’ve written open letters. We’ve done meetings. We’ll be more direct.
It’s long overdue that Premier League clubs confront a culture of impunity, complicity and silence around rape in football.
The “Kick rapists off the pitch” campaign started when the premier league refused to suspend the premier league footballer, suspected to be Partey, despite multiple rape allegations. Even his football club Arsenal FC refused to take any action against Partey.
As far as the police, they clarified that they can not take any action since the relevant legislation had not yet come into effect at the time of the alleged offence, getting Partey away on a technicality.
In this instance, no further action was taken because the relevant legislation had not yet come into effect at the time of the alleged offence. This has been explained to the complainant who continues to be supported by officers.
— Barnet MPS | North West BCU (@MPSBarnet) August 3, 2022
Amidst all that drama, Arsenal won 2-0 away at Crystal Palace managed by former Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira. Gabriel Martinelli gave the gunners a deserved early lead before Palace fought back to make things anxious for Arteta’s side. However, their resistance was over once Marc Guehi inadvertently headed Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own goal late on.
Uttar Pradesh police have started taking strict action against Shrikant Tyagi, who was seen verbally insulting and assaulting a woman in Noida in a viral video. While a case was registered against Tyagi yesterday based on the video, he has been absconding and the police are looking for him. As part of the punitive action, police today reached his residence and seized his cars.
नोएडा के गालीबाज BJP नेता श्रीकांत त्यागी पर पुलिस एक्शन शुरू। 3 लग्जरी गाडियां जब्त। एक गाड़ी पर MLA लिखवाया हुआ था। श्रीकांत परिवार सहित फ्लैट से फरार, कई जगह पुलिस रेड जारी। #Noida#Uppic.twitter.com/nb0K5IYJQr
— Sachin Gupta | सचिन गुप्ता (@sachingupta787) August 6, 2022
Three luxury cars belonging to Tyagi have been seized by the Noida Police, and reportedly one of his cars has the word MLA written on it, even though he is not an MLA. While Tyagi himself and his family are absconding, his four associates have been detained for questioning.
On Friday, Noida Police booked Shrikant Tyagi, for verbally insulting and assaulting a lady after a disagreement regarding common area encroachment in a premium residential complex. The event was brought to light after a video reportedly portraying the dispute was shared on social media.
The video of the dispute was posted by Utkarsh Singh who works as a Deputy Editor at Times Now Navbharat. The Twitter post claimed that Shrikant Tyagi threatened the woman and that he was a National Executive Member of BJP Kisan Morcha. “Shrikant Tyagi- the National Executive Member Kisan Morcha and National Co-Coordinator – Yuva Kisan Samiti allegedly caught on camera for threatening a woman resident of Grand Omaxe sector 93B Noida”, he tweeted.
Shrikant Tyagi- the National Executive Member Kisan Morcha & National Co-Coordinator – Yuva Kisan Samiti allegedly caught on camera for threatening a woman resident of Grand Omaxe sector 93B #Noida. pic.twitter.com/QTwAgK94dd
However, Fatehpur Sikri MP and national president of BJP Kisan Morcha, Rajkumar Chahar released a video stating that Tyagi is not part of BJP’s Kisan Morcha. “In a video that has gone viral on social media, a man named Shrikant Tyagi can be seen misbehaving with a woman. I want to inform all of you that he neither is nor was a national executive member of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha. It is my wish that the government takes appropriate legal action against him”, the BJP MP said reiterating that Tyagi has no association with the Kisan Morcha.
Also, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) taking cognizance of the event said that Noida police has filed an FIR under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) against the accused who is absconding at present. “The accused is absconding at the moment, and Noida police have constituted a team to search for him and are intercepting all possible locations where the accused can be found. The police will take strict action in the present case”, ADCP said.
थाना फेस-2 नोएडा क्षेत्रांतर्गत श्रीकांत त्यागी नाम के व्यक्ति द्वारा उसी सोसायटी की महिला के साथ किए गए अभद्र व्यवहार की घटना का त्वरित संज्ञान लेते हुए FIR पंजीकृत की गई है। आरोपी को जल्द गिरफ्तार कर कठोर दंडात्मक कार्यवाही की जाएगी।
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE GAUTAM BUDDH NAGAR (@noidapolice) August 5, 2022
The video that has gone viral over social media shows Shrikant Tyagi abusing the woman over the common area encroachment in the Grand Omaxe sector 93B Noida. Reports mention that Tyagi had illegally grown eight palm trees over two years in the common complex area. He had plans to plant the hedges in August. However, some of the society members including the woman approached Tyagi. The matter went on escalating between the duo until other society members tried to control Tyagi from allegedly attacking the woman.
Apologies, Tyagi is not a MLA, He is a BJP leader and “self styled MLA” Moves around with a MLA Stricker on his car, a resident tells me he is an extortionist
Tyagi in the video abused the woman, pushed her, and also made attempts to assassinate her character. The woman while unfolding the incident said that Tyagi was trying to encroach on the land that belongs to the society by plating trees and bushes in one particular area. “He abused me, used bad words for me and my family. He threatened me that if I try to remove the plants that he has planted, he’ll touch me”. Following the incident, the society members uprooted all the plants that he had planted with the intention to encroach on the society’s land.
The Society Board Members have also lodged a complaint against Tyagi at Noida Phase 2 police station. The Board said that Tyagi was furious after the board decided to transplant the palm trees and hedges to the appropriate area following the complaints from other society members. Reportedly, Tyagi has been sent a legal notice by the Noida authorities to remove the illegal construction led by him in the common area of Grand Omaxe. The authorities have given him 15 days of time
Nagma Khan and Narendra Saini who married each other in February this year have filed a complaint at Mathura Gate Police Station in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur against Nagma’s father for issuing death threats to the couple. The duo noted that Nagma’s father Islam Khan was against their marriage because his daughter married a Hindu man, and has been threatening them since then.
According to reports, the complaint was filed by the couple on July 28 after father Islam drove his auto-rickshaw over them intending to kill the couple. He hit their bike and forced them to run for their lives, the video of which is making rounds on social media. The father then fled from the spot as the crowd amassed to save the couple.
The incident is said to have happened on July 28 when Narendra was going to the hospital with Nagma who is three months pregnant. The woman and her husband in the viral video can be seen running for their life. “He attempted to kill us with his auto”, confirmed victim Narendra seeking protection.
#WATCH | Rajasthan: Father of a Muslim woman who married a Hindu man in Bharatpur,attempted to harm the couple with his autorickshaw
The Hindu man says, “He attempted to kill us with his auto.He was locked up but continued threatening us. We’re seeking protection”
The saga began when Nagma and Narendra who are residents of the Katra region in Bharatpur fell in love with each other after which they decided to marry. Their relationship was not accepted by the girl’s family as the man is a Hindu, so Nagma ran away with Narendra. The couple then got married on February 22 at Arya Samaj Mandir and later returned to Bharatpur.
Reports mention that Islam, Nagma’s father had also filed a complaint against Narendra claiming that he had kidnapped his daughter and forced her into marriage. The Police then arrested the duo. Amid investigation, the authorities recorded Nagma’s statement in which she denied the allegation put forth by her father against her husband. She stated that she loved Narendra and had willingly run away with him. After this, the Court also ordered the girl to stay with Narendra considering that the duo was adults and could take their own decisions.
According to the reports, Nagma’s family got furious over the Court’s decision and since then has been issuing death threats to the couple. After the case and taking into account the threats being issued by father Islam, Narendra and Nagma shifted to Mathura and stayed there for around two months during which Nagma got pregnant.
The couple eventually returned to Bharatpur and began living in a leased house in Bharatpur’s Ranjit Nagar. On Thursday, Islam attempted to crush his daughter and son-in-law to death as the duo was on their way to the hospital for Nagma’s routine check-up. The crowd gathered and the police also reached the spot. The father had by then fled from the locality.
#WATCH | Rajasthan: Father of a Muslim woman who married a Hindu man in Bharatpur,attempted to harm the couple with his autorickshaw
The Hindu man says, “He attempted to kill us with his auto.He was locked up but continued threatening us. We’re seeking protection”
The Police later took both the victims to the Police Station and Beena Mahawar, Additional District Magistrate Bharatpur confirmed that action under section 122 CrPC is already underway at the Court. “We’ve asked the SP and concerned SHO to look into the case and work for the couple’s safety. Necessary action will be taken”, she said.
