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West Bengal: 3 Congress MLAs from Jharkhand nabbed in Howrah with huge amounts of cash

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: 3 Congress MLAs from Jharkhand nabbed in Howrah with huge amounts of cash

In a shocking development, West Bengal’s Howrah police have nabbed three Congress legislators from Jharkhand traveling in a car with huge amounts of cash. The police are yet to count the cash and have arranged for note-counting machines to get the total amount. The operation was carried out in Howrah on 30th July 2022. Besides cash, police have also recovered gold from the vehicle.

According to police sources, the three Congress MLAs have been identified as Rajesh Kachhaap (MLA from the Khijri constituency), Naman Bixal Kongari (MLA from the Kolebira constituency), and Irfan Ansari (MLA from the Jamtara constituency).

The cash recovery sequence in West Bengal seemingly does not stop at Arpita Mukherjee. According to a report by the Ananda Bazar Patrika, a search was conducted on a vehicle going from Kolkata to Jharkhand on Saturday afternoon and a large quantity of cash was recovered. According to police sources, it was reported by a secret informer that a lot of money was being carried in a car from Kolkata to Jharkhand. Accordingly, police were deployed along the route. A black car was stopped near Ranihati junction on National Highway 6 in Panchla in the afternoon. The number plate of the vehicle mentioned MLA Jamtara.

The vehicle, money, and the MLAs were taken to the Panchla police station. Howrah district rural superintendent of police Swati Bhangalia said the cash counting machines will be deployed to count the huge amount of money. The police are trying to find out where the money came from and where it was being taken. Police are currently interrogating the Congress MLAs in this case.

Yes Bank-DHFL scam: CBI seizes AugustaWestland helicopter from Pune premises of builder Avinash Bhosale

OpIndia Staff
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Yes Bank-DHFL scam: CBI seizes AugustaWestland helicopter from Pune premises of builder Avinash Bhosale

On 30th July 2022, CBI conducted a search operation on the premises owned by auto driver-turned-real estate baron Avinash Bhosale, who is an arrested accused in the Yes Bank-DHFL case. In its raid, the Central Bureau of Investigation seized an AugustaWestland helicopter from the builder. According to a report by the Indian Express, Avinash Bhosale is allegedly involved in a scam involving DHFL that caused a loss of Rs 34,615 crores to a consortium of 17 banks led by the Union Bank of India.

Besides, in a supplementary charge sheet submitted by the CBI in the Yes bank-DHFL case, Avinash Bhosle is accused of diverting Rs 300 crore from the funds he had received through different means while he got a loan of Rs 700 crore sanctioned from Yes bank through Rana Kapoor in 2018 to buy a property at 5 Strand in London, valued at GBP 100 million, which is approximately Rs 1000 crore. The news of the CBI seizing an AugustaWestland helicopter from his premises appeared as the central agency raided his various properties in Pune on 30th July 2022.

According to the CBI’s charge sheet, Bhosale’s firms got Rs 68.82 crore in advisory fees, Rs 183 crore in loans from DHFL, and another Rs 317.40 crore in Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) and interest/premium from Radius Group entities.

The charge sheet reads, “Investigation reveals that out of the said amount of Rs 569.22 crore, a significant amount of Rs 300 crore was diverted by accused Avinash Bhosale to acquire a property at 5 Strand London, valued at GBP 92.5 million (GBP100 million with taxes/fee, etc.) through an SPV namely M/s Flora Developments Ltd. floated in the UK. The purchase was financed through a loan of GBP 70 million sanctioned by accused Rana Kapoor/Yes Bank to the said Flora Developments Ltd in April 2018.”

According to the agency, their investigation indicated that accused Kapil Wadhawan, Dheeraj Wadhawan, Rana Kapoor, Sanjay Rajkumar Chhabariaa, Avinash N. Bhosale, and Satyan Gopaldas Tandon planned to fraud Yes Bank and DHFL.

The charge sheet further says, “Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan misappropriated the funds amounting to Rs 4,733 crore invested/provided as loan/investment by Yes Bank Ltd to M/s DHFL & M/s Belief Realtors Pvt. Ltd. in the year 2018 and dishonestly disbursed and diverted Rs 4,727 crore against receipt of the said Yes Bank funds to the companies of accused Kapoor, Chhabarias and Bhosale.” The funds were transferred as loans, ICD investments, or consultancy charges.

‘We can’t be mute spectators to communal tensions in the country’: NSA Ajit Doval at interfaith peace meeting with Sufi clerics

OpIndia Staff
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‘We can’t be mute spectators to communal tensions in the country’: NSA Ajit Doval at interfaith peace meeting with Sufi clerics

On Saturday, 30th July 2022, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attended an interfaith harmony meeting with Sufi clerics in New Delhi. Addressing this meeting he said that we Indians cannot be mute spectators to the communal tensions in the country. He said that we have to organize and raise our voices against some elements that are trying to create an atmosphere that’s vitiating the progress of India. The conference was held at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi.

According to a report by India Today, Ajit Doval said, “Some elements are trying to create an atmosphere that’s vitiating the progress of India. They’re creating acrimony and conflict in the name of religion and ideology. It is affecting the entire country while spilling over outside the country too.”

NSA Ajit Doval added, “We can’t be mute spectators. We have to organize and raise voices and improve on the mistakes. We’ve to make every sect of India feel that we are a country together, we are proud of it, and that every religion can be professed with freedom here.” Ajit Doval asserted that mere condemning radical forces is not enough and that society needs to go beyond just condemnation and actually work against these radical forces.

This meeting was hosted by the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council. Hazrat Syed Naseeruddin Chishty, the chairperson of the All India Sufi Sajjada Nasheen Council also addressed the meeting.

He said, “We condemn when an incident occurs. But it’s time to do something. The need of the hour is to rein in and ban radical organizations. Be it any radical organization, including the Popular Front of India (PFI), they should be banned if there is evidence against them.”

‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans are anti-Islamic: Hazrat Syed Naseeruddin Chishty

Chishty said, “Slogans like ‘Sir Tan Se Judaa’ are anti-Islamic. It is the Taliban’s view and we should fight against it on the ground instead of closed rooms. Be it PFI or other organizations, the Indian government should ban them.”

A resolution advocating for the outlawing of radical organizations was adopted at the meeting’s conclusion. The resolution read, ‘We strongly recommend that if there is evidence of spreading hatred between communities through any means against any individual or organization, action should be taken against it in accordance with the provisions of the law. Targeting any gods, deities, or prophets in a discussion or debate by anyone should be condemned and dealt with in accordance with the law’.

UP: Aligarh family writes to CM Yogi Adityanath seeking permission for euthanasia after being constantly harassed by miscreants

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Aligarh family writes to CM Yogi Adityanath seeking permission for euthanasia after being constantly harassed by miscreants

A family in the Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh has urged the state chief minister Yogi Adityanath to allow them euthanasia after 6 months of alleged harassment by the miscreants in their locality. Rajkumari Sharma, a resident of the village Barautha in Harduaganj of the Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh wrote a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath on 22nd July 2022.

In her letter, Rajkumari Sharma wrote that on 24th February 2022, a local influential family from the Dalit community kidnapped her 21-years-old younger son Mukesh (mentioned as Nikhil in the FIR) and kept him locked for four months and six days. She said that the kidnappers beat the youth brutally, drugged him, and even made him drink urine in this period of abduction.

On 30th June 2022, they threw him on the highway with his hands tied. According to reports, Mukesh was kidnapped because he and his family objected to the accused family who used to keep their cattle tied on the local road causing great trouble to pedestrians.

The woman complained to the chief minister that she had registered an FIR in the local police station and she had also urged the Senior Superintendent of Police in Aligarh district to help her in this matter, but she did not get any help. She also alleged the accused miscreants of eve-teasing herself and her daughter. She, thus, urged the chief minister to allow the family euthanasia at the residence of the chief minister on the upcoming independence day.

It is notable that Rajkumari Sharma registered an FIR on 11th April 2022 against Omveer, Aman, Sushila, Prem, Puneet, Omvati, Arjun, Suresh, and Bunty; all being members of the same family. In this FIR, she complained that, on 24th February 2022, she along with her family objected to the accused people for keeping their cattle tied by the road in the locality as this caused trouble to everyone passing by.

Enraged at this, the accused then beat her elder son Nikhil. Her other two sons Alok and Prempal were taken to the local police station by the police and the station in charge ensured a compromise between the two parties.

At around 5:30 pm on the same day, the accused people came to the complainant’s house along with wooden sticks, metal rods, and belts and brutally beat the complainant and her children. She also accused the miscreants of molesting her and her daughter Narmada.

Rajkumari Sharma mentioned that she was saved because the people in the neighborhood intervened listening to the screams of the Sharma family. The attackers threatened her that they will kill Nikhil and Nikhil went missing on the same day.

Rajkumari Sharma also complained that the police staff in the Harduaganj police station refused to register her complaint and did not record the injuries she and her family members sustained in this attack. According to her, the police took weeks even to lodge a missing complaint about her abducted son.

Besides, Suresh – one of the accused – kept threatening her and told her that nothing will happen even if she books a complaint against the accused attackers because Suresh himself is a policeman. She has also mentioned that she belongs to a poor Brahmin family while the attackers are from a powerful and influential family that hails from a Dalit community.

Update: After this report was published, Aligarh Police informed on Twitter that the accused in the case have been arrested.

Responding to the OpIndia tweet posting the report, Aligarh Police tweeted that the matter is (one week) old, where the case was registered immediately and arrests were ensured. They further added that legal actions are going on in the matter.

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra, Rajasthan lead in outstanding dues to power companies, PM Modi urges states to clear dues without delay

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra, Rajasthan lead in outstanding dues to power companies, PM Modi urges states to clear dues without delay

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today urged the state governments to clear the outstanding dues to power generation and distribution companies, saying that unpaid dues have crippled the power companies. He made the comments while launching the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme of the power ministry, which aims to improve the quality, reliability and affordability of power supply to consumers through a financially sustainable and operationally efficient distribution sector.

In his speech, PM Modi gave a special emphasis on the unpaid dues in the power sector and said that several states are trying to hide the issue instead of trying to solve it. He said that states are trying to push the issue to the future, aggravating the issue even more. The power sector is in a great crisis in several states due to such an approach, the PM said.

He said that when power sector in a state weakens, it affects the power sector of the country as a whole, and it makes pushes the future of that state towards darkness. He said that the losses in the distribution sector is in double digits, while the same in developed nations is in single digits, that too negligible.  

The PM added that most of the time electricity companies have a crisis of funds, and they continue to use old transmission and distribution lines that cause high losses. As a result, the power becomes costlier for consumers. The PM said that while the generation companies are producing enough power, they also don’t have power, due to unpaid dues. Similarly, distribution companies have huge amounts due in various states.

PM Modi said that people will be shocked to hear that the states have outstanding dues of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. The states have to pay money to power generation companies for the power the states have already consumed, but now not paying price for the same. Additionally, several government departments and local bodies have dues to power distribution companies totalling more than Rs 60,000 crore.

Not just the dues of power used by themselves, but even the subsidies announced by various state governments to their citizens also remain unpaid. According to the prime minister, subsidy arrear at present stands at over Rs 75,000 crore.

Therefore, in total, around two and a half lakh crore rupees are trapped as unpaid dues, severely affecting the generation, transmission and distribution companies. Due to this, it has become difficult to invest for future requirements. ‘Are we going to force our future generations to live in darkness?’ the PM asked during his speech.

Saying that the private and public companies don’t get their dues, they will not grow and will not be able to produce power, the prime minister urged everyone to realise the gravity of the situation.

‘Everyone needs to wake up so that our country doesn’t fall into darkness. And therefore, I say, this is not a question of Rajneeti, but a question of Rashtraneeti and Rashtranirman, it is a question of protection of the entire system related to electricity,’ PM Modi said.

The power ministry also released data on power dues in this regard. The total dues of states and UTs towards the Gencos, excluding state-owned Gencos, are  Rs 1,01,442 crore, of which dues to dues to CPSEs alone are Rs 26,397 crore. The dues of various departments of state governments are Rs 62,931 crore, and the amount of subsidy yet to be received by distribution companies from state governments is Rs 76,337 crore. Therefore, the total outstanding due to power generation and distribution companies by state governments stand at Rs 2,40,710 crore.

Among the states, Maharashtra (₹21,656 crore), Tamil Nadu (₹20,990 crore), Andhra Pradesh (₹10,109 Crore), Telangana (₹7,388 Crore), and Rajasthan (₹5,043 Crore), top the list of overdue towards generation companies.

Similarly, Telangana (₹11,935 crore), Maharashtra (₹9,131 crore), Andhra Pradesh (₹9,116 crore), Tamil Nadu (₹3,677 crore) lead in dues to DISCOMs.

On the other hand, Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra and Chhattishgarh have huge amounts due towards subsidies.

The PM urged the states to clear the power dues as soon as possible. He said, “I request the states whose dues are pending, to clear them as soon as possible. Also, consider the reasons that even when the countrymen pay their electricity bills honestly, why do some states have arrears again and again?”

Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme

The PM launched the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme of the power ministry today while participating in the Grand Finale of the ‘Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya – Power @2047’ via video conferencing. He also dedicated and laid the foundation stone of various green energy projects of NTPC, and launched the National Solar rooftop portal.

The Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme is a Reforms-based and Results-linked Scheme with an outlay of Rs.3,03,758 crore over a period of five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. The Scheme aims to reduce the AT& C losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% and ACS-ARR gap to zero by 2024-25 by improving the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of all DISCOMs/ Power Departments, excluding Private Sector DISCOMs. DISCOMs and Power Departments would be able to access funds under the Scheme for various purposes aimed at reducing loss and improving efficiency.

The PM said that Energy and power sectors have a huge role to play in accelerating India’s progress in the next 25 years. The strength of the energy sector is also important for Ease of Doing Business and is equally important for Ease of Living. He said that the projects launched today are significant steps in the direction of green energy and energy security for the county.

Aslam Shaikh, Congress MLA who had signed mercy petition for Yakub Memon, under ED scanner for unauthorised construction of film studios: All you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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Aslam Shaikh, Congress MLA who had signed mercy petition for Yakub Memon, under ED scanner for unauthorised construction of film studios: All you need to know

Congress MLA from Maharashtra, Aslam Shaikh, has come under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Environment Ministry for illegally operating film studios in Madh Island.

Shaikh, a legislator from Malad West constituency, had served as the Textile, Fisheries Department & Ports Development Minister during the reign of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

As per reports, he had flouted Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules and gave permission for the unauthorised construction of more than 2 dozen film studios on Madh Island. The Enforcement Directorate took up the matter after complaints were received by Environment and Forest Ministries.

While speaking about the matter, BJP’s Kirit Somaiya remarked, “A senior Congress Minister in MVA government Aslam Shaikh was found involved in unauthorized construction of more than 2 dozen film studios on the sea shore in the CRZ no development zone. We have demanded a full-fledged investigation.”

He added that the total value of the unauthorised constructions would be more than ₹1000 crores.

Who is Aslam Shaikh?

On July 28, 2015, Aslam Shaikh along with other colleagues wrote a letter to then President of India Pranab Mukherjee, seeking clemency for convicted terrorist Yakub Memon. This was despite the fact that Memon was convicted over his involvement in the infamous 1993 bomb blast in Mumbai, a city where Shaikh was born.

Although his efforts could not save Memon from the noose, Aslam Shaikh was welcomed with open arms by the Shiv Sena-led-Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

In January 2021, Opindia reported how Muslims encroached upon Hindu properties in Mumbai’s Malwani area. The illegal encroachment has forced several Hindu families to flee for their safety. At that time, it came to light that the goons enjoyed political patronage from Aslam Shaikh.

Emboldened by his support, the Muslim hooligans encroached on Hindu lands and built madrassas and dargahs. The issue was raised by Mumbai BJP President Mangal Prabhat Lodha in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha 

Dalit Positive Movement, a Dalit and OBC Rights initiative, had even written to the National Commission for Protection of Children Rights (NCPCR), seeking immediate intervention in the forced drug and porn addiction of Dalit children by goons who were allegedly supported by Aslam Shaikh.

In November 2021, Maharashtra BJP leader Mohit Kamboj alleged that Aslam Shaikh is involved in drug trafficking through his accomplice Kashif Khan. Earlier in January this year, Shaikh courted controversy by inaugurating a sports complex named after Islamic tyrant Tipu Sultan in Mumbai.

Recently, Aslam Shaikh became the subject of ridicule online after he tried to pass off freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as Chandrashekhar Azad.

The Congress legislator, who had a good run under the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, is now under the watchful eyes of the law enforcement authorities.

Punjab: IMA seeks resignation of Health Minister after he forces the top surgeon to lie down on dirty hospital mattress

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: IMA seeks resignation of Health Minister after he forces the top surgeon to lie down on dirty hospital mattress

On Saturday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) sought the resignation of Punjab Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra after he forced the Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences to lie down on a dirty hospital mattress. The incident is said to have taken place on Friday, following which VC Raj Bahadur resigned and requested the Punjab Chief Minister to relieve him from services.

The IMA called for the immediate attention of the Punjab CM and said that the incident was humiliating. “There have been similar incidences causing humiliation and harassment to the medical community by many politicians. It causes anguish amongst the doctors. The dignity of Doctor and work done by such senior person must be respected. IMA Demands immediate unconditional apology and resignation from the Health Minister of Punjab for his misbehavior”, the medical body said in the letter.

A video footage of the event that emerged on social media showed Jouramajra placing a hand on the renowned surgeon’s shoulder while pointing to the “damaged and unclean condition” of the mattress inside Faridkot’s Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital’s skin department. He then appeared to be asking the VC to sleep on the very same mattress. In the video, Bahadur also stresses that he is not in charge of the facilities, prompting the AAP leader to emphasize that everything was in Minister’s hands.

Since the event became public, the AAP politician has faced criticism from several quarters. Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, head of the Punjab Congress, has also sought the minister’s resignation, while Shiromani Akali Dal chairman Sukhbir Singh Badal has condemned the minister’s ridiculous behavior.

Meanwhile, BJP’s Sunil Jakhar also condemned the incident and said, “It’s unacceptable for Health Minister to misbehave like that with anybody, let alone with a Vice-Chancellor. Dr Raj Bahadur isn’t just a doctor, but a renowned personality in the medical world. Had the former apologised yesterday, Dr Raj wouldn’t have resigned”. Reports mention that CM Bhagwant Mann has taken note of the incident and has spoken to Jouramajra. Mann will be meeting Bahadur next week.

D’Gama family in Goa tells excise dept they are exclusive owners of Silly Souls Goa Cafe and Bar, not Smriti Irani’s daughter as alleged by Congress

OpIndia Staff
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D’Gama family in Goa tells excise dept they are exclusive owners of Silly Souls Goa Cafe and Bar, not Smriti Irani’s daughter as alleged by Congress

Days after the Congress party attempted to malign Union Minister Smriti Irani and her family’s reputation by making scurrilous allegations against her 18-year-old daughter Zoish Irani of running an illegal bar in Goa, a local Goan family has claimed ‘exclusive’ ownership of the business. On Friday, July 29, owners Merlyn Anthony D’Gama and her son Dean D’Gama replied to a show cause notice issued by Excise Commissioner Narayan M Gad. In the reply, they stated that the property “is exclusively its business and involves no other person/ persons”.

The Goan family added that they “have not acted in contravention of any of the provisions of the Goa Excise Duty Act and Rules, 1964”. Merlyn D’Gama, the wife of Anthony D’Gama, and their son, in a written reply to the Excise department, said the allegations made in the complaint “are totally baseless and unsubstantiated”.

Notably, the licence of the Silly Souls Cafe and Bar, which was dragged into the controversy, was in name of Anthony D’Gama. Upon his demise in 2021, the licence would have passed on to his legal heir after the appropriate procedure. This year when Anthony D’Gama’s son applied for renewal of licence, he mentioned that the transfer of title shall be concluded in 6 months period. However, the Goa Excise commissioner sent him a show cause notice for the same.

The show cause notice was issued after a Goa ‘activist’ Aires Rodrigues filed an RTI application asking for information on the Excise License issued to Silly Souls Goa Cafe and Bar. After receiving the pertinent information, Rodrigues took to his website to issue a statement about the restaurant, claiming that an excise license was falsely issued to the restaurant and it indicates widespread corruption by the Irani family. After the complaint was filed, the excise department of Goa issued a show cause notice to the restaurant.

The response stated that on June 22, Merlyn and Dean, who holds the Power of Attorney on behalf of the family since August 20, 2021, had applied for the renewal of the liquor licence, which was in Anthony’s name. Anthony’s death certificate, issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Company, was annexed to the application. Dean was asked to give an undertaking that the license would be transferred within six months, it stated.

The reply further added that Dean had signed the renewal and application forms for the excise licence when his father was still alive. For the final renewal following the death of his father, “the term ‘late’ remained to be pre-fixed which is a bona fide mistake and is neither deliberate nor willful.” This was done due to “sheer inadvertence” and “sheer oversight and bona fide omission,” read the reply.

‘No, Absolutely nothing’, bar owner’s lawyer reacts when asked about the involvement of Smriti Irani’s family in the bar

Benny Nazareth, the Goan family’s lawyer said, “We are governed under the Portuguese Civil Code. Under the Code, the ownership of the property is jointly in the name of the husband and the wife in terms of Article 1117 (of the Portuguese Civil Code, 1867). But the administration is always in the name of the husband, in terms of the law. But when any spouse dies, the administration automatically goes to the other spouse. So, here the spouse automatically becomes the administrator of the estate. There is nothing further that needs to be done.”

The lawyer, when questioned if the restaurant had any connection with Smirti Irani or her family members, as concocted by the Congress party, asserted, “No, Absolutely nothing. The owners are the D’Gamas.”

The next hearing will be held on August 22.

Delhi HC asks Congress leaders to remove defamatory posts against Smriti Irani’s daughter

It may be recalled that on July 29, the Delhi High Court, which had summoned Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, and Netta D’souza in a civil suit filed by Union Minister Smriti Irani, asked the three Congress leaders to delete their tweets alleging that Union Minister Smriti Irani’s teenage daughter is running an illegal bar in Goa. The Delhi High Court warned that if the leaders failed to remove the tweets in the next 24 hours, Twitter will remove them.

Smriti Irani sends legal notice to Congress leaders

On July 24, Union Minister Smriti Irani issued a legal notice to Congress leaders for dragging her personal life into politics and casting aspersions on her 18-year-old daughter, Zoish Irani. In a notice addressed to Congress leaders Pawan Khera, Jairam Ramesh, Netta D’Souza and the party itself through its President Sonia Gandhi, Irani has sought them to cease and desist from the dissemination of defamatory, derogatory, false and misleading information and allegations on her daughter.

Irani, in her legal notice, has reiterated that her daughter Zoish was never involved in running any bar in Goa and that she had also never applied for any licence for ‘running’ any bar or for any business enterprise. Further, she has also not been served any show cause notice from the Excise Department of Goa till date.

Smriti Irani also filed a defamation suit against Pawan Khera, Jairam Ramesh, Netta D’Souza, seeking damages of over Rs 2 crore for baseless allegations against her and her daughter.

Prior to this, the Union Minister hauled Congress leaders over the coals and challenged them to show her daughter’s name in the show cause notice they had flashed in the press conference.

Addressing the media, Irani had said on Saturday, that the allegations against her daughter were levelled at the behest of the Congress leadership, i.e the Gandhi family, because she dared to hold a press conference and question Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi about the Rs 5,000 crore loot of the Indian treasury. 

Congress attempts to tarnish the reputation of Smriti Irani’s teenage daughter

It may be recalled that the Congress party leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, and Netta D’souza had launched an ad hominem attack on BJP leader Smriti Irani by making false allegations against her 18-year-old daughter Zoish Irani. The Congress leaders on Saturday, July 23 accused Zoish Irani, who had interned at Silly Soul restaurant and bar in Goa back in 2019, of attempting to get a fake bar license.

They alleged that the license was taken in June 2022, in the name of a man who had died in May 2021, 13 months prior to the license being taken. They further alleged that the restaurant had received two licenses, whereas a restaurant is allowed to get only one bar license according to Goa laws.

While making these false allegations, Congress’ Pawan Khera made insinuations about the upbringing of Zoish Irani.

Gujarat: Ahmedabad court rejects bail plea of Teesta Setalvad and RB Sreekumar, arrested for fabrication of evidence of Gujarat riots

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Ahmedabad court rejects bail plea of Teesta Setalvad and RB Sreekumar, arrested for fabrication of evidence of Gujarat riots

On 30th July 2022, a sessions court in Ahmedabad in Gujarat rejected the bail application filed by Teesta Setalvad and former IPS officer RB Sreekumar. They had filed this application after their arrest in the case of fabrication of evidence related to the 2002 riots case.

Additional Sessions Judge DD Thakkar denied Setalvad and Sreekumar’s bail applications on the day of his retirement, a few hours before his farewell program. The court withheld its decision last week after hearing arguments from attorneys for Setalvad, Sreekumar, and the prosecution. The judge said that the arrests were made after the Supreme Court order in Zakia Jafri case, and the SIT is investigating the allegations of fabrication of evidence by the accused.

Teesta Setalvad, R B Sreekumar and former Gujarat cop Sanjeev Bhatt were arrested by Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) police last month after Supreme Court had rejected a plea by Zakia Jafri, wife of deceased former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, seeking probe against Narendra Modi claiming a larger conspiracy into the Gujarat riots after the Godhra massacre. In the judgement, the Supreme Court said that Teesta Setalvad had exploited the emotions of Zakia Jafri. The court had also said R B Sreekumar and Sanjeev Bhatt had given false testimonies accusing CM Modi of conspiring to trigger the riots.

Following the Supreme Court order, the Gujarat Police had filed a case Teesta Setalvad, Sanjiv Bhatt and R B Sreekumar under sections 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged document or record as genuine), 194 (Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence), 211 (False charge of offence made with intent to injure), 218 (Public servant framing incorrect record), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the India Penal Code. With this, Setalvad and Sreekumar were arrested, while Bhatt was already in jail after his conviction in a custodial death case.

In the FIR, it was said that the accused had tried to create a sensation by making false claims about the Gujarat riots. The falsity of their claims had been fully exposed by the SIT after a thorough investigation, the FIR said. It added that the proceedings have been pursued for the last 16 years, including with the audacity to question the integrity of every functionary involved in the process of exposing the devious stratagem adopted to keep the pot boiling, obviously for ulterior design.

UP: Villagers led by head Shakina block roads for Kanwariyas, throw contaminated water and pelt stones; 6 arrested

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Villagers led by head Shakina block roads for Kanwariyas, throw contaminated water and pelt stones; 6 arrested

On Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested 6 people from Paragwa, Bareilly for harassing the Kanwariyas amid the ongoing Kanwar Yatra. It is alleged that the villagers led by the Gram Pradhan Shakina and her father-in-law Ishtiaq threw contaminated water on the Kanwariyas while they were passing through the village. The villagers also pelted stones at the pilgrims.

According to the reports, Rajendra the Gram Pradhan of the neighboring Lakhaura village, along with some other Kanwariyas were traveling on a tractor-trolley to a place named Kachla to collect water from the Ganga river. When this group passed through Paragwa village at around 5 in the evening, Ishtiaq, the father-in-law of the village head Shakina, blocked the way for the Kanwariyas. Describing it as an unconventional route, he asked the Kanwariyas to avoid the route and take some other route instead.

Ishtiaq also pressured the Kanwariyas to stop the DJ system and turned off the generator sound. Further, when Kanwariyas stepped ahead to move forward, some people accompanying Ishtiaq created a ruckus. They launched physical attacks on Kanwariyas and the women villagers to throw dirty water at the pilgrims. The women who were set on the roofs also pelted stones at the Kanwariyas. The pilgrim Kanwariyas also then revolted against the actions led by Shakina and her father-in-law.

On receiving information about the incident, the police reached the spot with heavy force. 6 people were taken into custody and interrogated. According to the police, the dispute has been resolved and further legal action is being taken. According to Bareilly’s ADM VK Singh, a police force has been deployed in the village for security and adequate arrangements have been made for the security of the kanwariyas.

The ongoing Kanwar Yatra 2022 is extremely special for the devotees of Lord Shiva as it is happening after a gap of two years. Lakhs of Kanwariyas all over India have been undertaking the arduous journey to collect water from the holy river Ganga and offer it to Lord Mahadev. However, there have been multiple instances where the Yatra has faced hateful attacks. Opindia has reported several such incidents which can be read here.

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