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Delhi HC refuses interim relief to TV Today Network in defamation and copyright infringement suit against Newslaundry

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC refuses interim relief to TV Today Network in defamation and copyright infringement suit against Newslaundry

In the defamation and copyright infringement complaint against Newslaundry, its management, and senior editorial staff, the Delhi High Court on Friday refused to award interim relief to TV Today Network, which operates the news networks India Today and Aaj Tak.

TV Today Network last year filed a complaint against Newslaundry and sought Rs 2 crore (Rs 2,00,00,100) in damages from them alleging that Newslaundry had commercially undermined its commercial items and defamed the network, its news anchors, management, and the staff. Newslaundry had uploaded several video clips from India Today and Aaj Tak channels, and TV Today had objected to the same. TV Today had made copyright claims on the videos posted on YouTube by Newslaundry and had filed a defamation suit on some articles based on those videos.

During the decision on the plea for interim relief, Justice Asha Menon stated that the issue is to be treated as a business dispute. She went on to say that neither the element of the balance of convenience nor the aspect of irreparable harm has been fulfilled to award the interim relief.

The court stated that, while there is a prima facie case to be considered, an interim injunction cannot be given at this time. According to the lawsuit, Newslaundry had posted various videos on its website and social media platforms in which it infringed on TV Today Network’s copyrights and made untrue, unfair, disparaging, and maliciously defamatory remarks about the news reporting, and news anchors of the channels it operates as well as management of the media group.

The articles which attracted the notice include one where Newslaundry journalist Ayush Tiwari had questioned why other India Today anchors had not been punished in the same manner as Rajdeep Sardesai. According to Tiwari, India Today labelled the article “vicious”. The other article was on Gaurav Sawant. The anchor had been called a “known culprit in the fake news department”, which the channel has disputed. 

Meanwhile, TV Today Network had sought an injunction prohibiting Newslaundry and its employees from infringing on the media organization’s copyrights and posting any libelous or commercial disparaging information about its news channels.

TV Today Network had also sought to remove the claimed information from the Newslaundry website, YouTube channel, and social media accounts. It also requested the suspension, banning, and termination of Newslaundry’s YouTube channel, as well as its Facebook and Instagram accounts.

According to the reports, the unpermitted and unlicensed use of the original cinematograph films and sound recordings of the Plaintiff company by the defendants was not protected by sec. 52 of the Copyright Act, 1957.

Subramanian Swamy to sue Akshay Kumar, Karma Media alleging ‘falsification’ of Ram Setu issue in their upcoming movie

OpIndia Staff
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Subramanian Swamy to sue Akshay Kumar, Karma Media alleging ‘falsification’ of Ram Setu issue in their upcoming movie

On Thursday, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar’s film Ram Setu got trapped into a controversy after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said that he would sue the actor and producer organization Karma Media for misleading the viewers through the film. He stated that the movie misrepresented the issue of Ram Setu in the movie.

“The suit for compensation has been finalized by my associate Satya Sabharwal Adv. I am suing Akshay Kumar, an actor he Karma Media for damages caused by falsification in the portrayal of the Ram Setu issue in their film for release”, MP Subramanian Swamy tweeted. He also added that the papers for the suit were ready and were prepared by his advocate associate.

Advocate Satya Sabharwal meanwhile confirmed the same and stated that the poster of the film had used Subramanian’s SC order. “A film based on Ram Setu has been produced by Karma Media, where Dr. Swamy’s SC Order has been used as a Poster. Will be filing a Suit”, she tweeted also attaching the controversial poster and the current petition.

The firebrand leader, known for courting controversies, expressed severe outrage over the issue and reiterated that the issue of Ram Setu has been misrepresented in the film. He added that the facts had been tampered with in the film that is yet to release. In a series of tweets, he also suggested that actor Akshay Kumar could be arrested in the case. “If Actor Akshay Kumar is a foreign citizen then we can ask he be arrested and evicted from his adopted country,” he noted.

Previously, Akshay released the film’s poster, which elicited mixed reaction from the audience. While some are looking forward to the film’s premiere, others have expressed scepticism over movie doing justice to reality.

However, it has created a buzz among the masses owing to the religious subject of the movie, which aims to explore the mystery surrounding the bridge constructed by Lord Ram’s Vanar sena to enable their travel to Lanka. 

India Today Consulting Editor gives moving speech trying to defend Mamata Banerjee in SSC Scam, where her close aides have been arrested with illegal cash

OpIndia Staff
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India Today Consulting Editor gives moving speech trying to defend Mamata Banerjee in SSC Scam, where her close aides have been arrested with illegal cash

In a television panel debate, India Today Consulting Editor Jayanta Ghosal sought to defend West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by making a moving speech in which he stated that he is convinced that the CM was oblivious of the SSC scam under her minister Partha Chatterjee and the complicity of her Minister and party aides. Partha Chatterjee was sacked from the ministry and the party after ED recovered over Rs 50 in cash along with gold and jewellery from his ‘close aide’ Arpita Mukherjee, and it is believed that the illegal money is proceeds of the SSC recruitment scam in the education department when Chatterjee was the minister.

While talking to India Today anchor Rajdeep Sardesai during a panel discussion on the issue, Consulting Editor Jayanta Ghosal said, “I am completely convinced that Mamata Banerjee didn’t know.” Justifying his claim, he said, “Because I tried to understand, I was in Calcutta yesterday, I talked to her. She was so upset and she took the time to take action not because she was supporting Partha but because she was trying to understand what was happening,” Ghosal said.

Ghosal further said that Mamata Banerjee was shocked when she saw the images of the cash recovered by ED. “She didn’t know who Arpita Mukherjee was. No one in Trinamool knows who Arpita is. Partha has a personal relationship with Arpita Mukherjee,” Jayanta Ghosal said.

Rebutting the claims made by Jayanta Ghosal, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that Mamata Banerjee was well aware of who Arpita Mukherjee was and even showed some photographs and videos of Arpita attending TMC functions. Shehzad further said, “Either Mamata Banerjee was indulging in this corruption or she is so incompetent that she was ignorant of this kind of corruption.”

The SSC scam

It is worth noting that the Enforcement Directorate has uncovered another major corruption case in West Bengal, involving the state’s Commerce and Industries Minister and Mamata Banerjee’s companion, Partha Chatterjee, and his close associate Arpita Mukherjee.

The federal agency has recovered even more than Rs 50 crores in cash and Rs 4.31 crores in gold from multiple locations linked to Arpita Mukherjee, a close associate of arrested cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee, in raids conducted in connection with the ongoing investigation into the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam.

Partha Chatterjee served as the state’s education minister during the Mamata Banerjee government. Notably, on Monday (July 25), a special court remanded Trinamool Congress (TMC) Minister Partha Chatterjee and actress Arpita Mukherjee to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for ten days.

Arpita was arrested on July 23, this year, only hours after TMC Minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in the same case. While remanding the pair in the custody of the ED, the Court stated that the evidence presented to it by the central agency suggested that the offence was serious.

The reaction of Mamata Banerjee

Meanwhile, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, under whose nose the alleged multi-crore scam took place, has reacted to the involvement of her minister in the scam by stating ‘mistakes happen.’ Addressing a public gathering, the Trinamool Congress supremo further said that if found guilty, those who committed the mistake ‘should be subjected to punishment.’

Despite the seizure of an enormous amount of cash from the house of Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of Partha Chatterjee, TMC leader and minister in the Mamata government, the latter continued to call the action by the federal agency a political vendetta.

Addressing a programme of Kolkata-based firm Titagarh Wagons on July 27, Banerjee asserted that businessmen, along with Opposition leaders, were being “threatened by agencies at the behest of the ruling BJP” at the Centre.

Kanpur Violence: NSA invoked against prime accused Zafar Hayat Hashmi, Gangster Act against builder Vasi, Mukhtar, Aqeel and Shafiq

OpIndia Staff
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Kanpur Violence: NSA invoked against prime accused Zafar Hayat Hashmi, Gangster Act against builder Vasi, Mukhtar, Aqeel and Shafiq

In an update to the case of communal violence that occurred on June 3 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, the police have charged the main accused named Zafar Hayat Hashmi under the National Security Act (NSA). The action has also been taken against builder Vasi, Baba Biryani owner Mukhtar, Aqeel, and Shafiq under the Gangster Act.

This is days after Police Commissioner Vijay Meena collected all the evidence and sent them to Kanpur Nagar DM Visakh for imposing NSA on Hashmi. According to the reports, the Police have arrested around 60 persons for disturbing the communal atmosphere and peace in the city of Kanpur.

DM Visakh confirmed the update and said that action has been taken under the Gangster Act against 4 accused including Baba Biryani owner Mukhtar for crowdfunding the violence. “Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena had sent a proposal to impose NSA on the jailed Hayat Zafar Hashmi. The proposal has further been sent to the state government for approval”, he stated. “A notice regarding this will be served to Hashmi at Chitrakoot district jail, where he has been shifted from Kanpur jail, he added.

Earlier, the SIT who conducted a thorough investigation in the case had revealed that there was a detailed plan in connection to the violence in Kanpur, and every person involved in instigating violence had different responsibilities. They had fixed rates and had come up with a methodology to pay the rioters.

During the investigation, SIT found that those who were called for the violence were assured they would get free legal aid and their family would get financial support. The people were appointed by Mukhtar Baba, the owner of Baba Biryani. The assurance of legal and financial help was given by Haji Vasi. Afzal Hamza, who is the manager of Vasi, had formed a team to instigate violence. A sum of Rs 10 lakh was paid to the rioters in advance.

Riot planners wanted to encroach upon Chandreswar Hata land

Also amid the Court hearing, the Bekanganj Police Station in charge had stated that builder Haji Vasi, his manager Hamza, Mukhtar Baba, and his son Mehmood Umar wanted to encroach on Chandreshwar Hata. They had promised Rs 1 crore if the rioters managed to encroach Chandreshwar Hata.

Kanpur violence of June 3 happened on the pretext of alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad by former BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Islamists had called for a district-wide shutdown. After Friday prayers, thousands of Islamists joined the rally and began pelting stones at the police and the public.

Later, the police arrested over 40 rioters in the case and demolished unlawful properties possessed by primary accused Hayat Zafar Hashmi and his associates. The police also discovered damning communications on Hashmi’s phone and investigated his bank accounts to track down money received from Gulf nations to allegedly support the violence.

Jharkhand: Ship worth Rs 30 crores owned by Hemant Soren’s aide confiscated by ED in connection with illegal mining case

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Ship worth Rs 30 crores owned by Hemant Soren’s aide confiscated by ED in connection with illegal mining case

As part of its ongoing investigation into money laundering in connection with illegal mining and extortion in the state, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized a vessel worth Rs 30 crore that was being operated at the behest of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s MLA Pankaj Mishra. The agency estimates that the M.V. Infralink-III vessel would cost 30 crores.

The inland ship was transporting illegally mined stone chips and boulders from the Sukargarh Ghat in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj at the instruction of Rajesh Yadav alias Dahu Yadav, in collusion with Pankaj Mishra and others.

An FIR (first information report) has been filed with Mufassil police station in Sahibganj in connection with the seizure of the ship under the Bengal Ferries Act, 1885, and provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the vessel’s owner.

Two stone crushers that were being used illegally had already been seized by ED. Additionally, three trucks transporting boulders and stone chips that had been unlawfully mined without mining challans were seized by the agency. The unreported and concealed surplus illegally mined area is anticipated to be 37.5 million cubic feet. The ED estimates that the processing value of the chipped stone from mines is around Rs 45 crore.

The arrest of Pankaj Mishra

On July 19, Pankaj Mishra, a close adviser to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, was arrested in connection with the money laundering case involving purported illicit mining near Ranchi. Mishra was apprehended after many hours of interrogation by ED officials. He was sent for another 6 days of remand on July 26.

On July 8, the ED raided 18 properties in Jharkhand purportedly associated with Pankaj Mishra and the latter’s suspected business connections in Sahebganj, Berhait, Rajmahal, and Mirza Chauki.

The agency reportedly confiscated Rs 11.88 crore in cash from 37 bank accounts connected to Pankaj Mishra. During the search, the ED also discovered five unlawfully operational stone crushers and five illicit pistol cartridges.

Previously, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed that politicians and officials were participating in the illicit mining activity that has been going on in Jharkhand, and they gained profit by leveraging their power. The agency discovered a trail of more than Rs 100 crores linked to illicit mining in the state.

‘Special 26’ drama: Theft at the residence of Partha Chatterjee, neighbours mistake it as another midnight ED raid

OpIndia Staff
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‘Special 26’ drama: Theft at the residence of Partha Chatterjee, neighbours mistake it as another midnight ED raid

Days after the arrest of former Partha Chatterjee in connection with the SSC scam case, a case of theft was reported at the residence of the former TMC Minister on Wednesday (July 27) night.

The incident took place in Baripur town in the South Parganas district of West Bengal. Reportedly, the thieves broke into Chatterjee’s residence after removing the door lock.

Reminiscent of the scenes from the movie ‘Special 26’, the neighbours of the ex-TMC leader reportedly mistook the thieves as Enforcement Directorate officials who were conducting a midnight raid.

ABP Ananda reported that the residents of the area often referred to the building as ‘Bagan Bari of Partha Chatterjee (Garden/ Summer house of Partha Chatterjee).

Eyewitnesses recounted how the unidentified men took away items in large gunny bags from the residence of Partha Chatterjee. As per reports, the accused also left a gas cylinder in front of the gate of the bungalow.

ABP Ananda reported that the thieves tried to intimidate the neighbours. Neighbour Jamal Ali Mollah informed that he saw 3-4 men come to the building via a car at about 1:30 am in the night.

“I saw three to four men scaling the boundary wall. They abused me and asked me to return to my house,” he emphasised. According to the building’s caretaker Abu Taher Sardar, the owner of the property is Sohini Chatterjee, the daughter of Partha Chatterjee.

He informed that the residence also bore the name plate of Sohini, and that she stayed in the United States. While claiming no knowledge about the theft, he remarked, “Had I known, I would have informed the owner.”

He also alleged that the ex-TMC leader and his wife ad last visited their Baripur residence years ago. On learning about the matter, the police rushed to the crime scene and seized the gas cylinder.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty has alleged that the theft episode was staged to tamper with evidence. He claimed, “It could be a move by Trinamool leaders to remove incriminating documents before the ED reaches there. The government should find out the culprits.”

ABP Ananda reported that the Communist Party workers staged a protest outside the Baripur residence of Partha Chatterjee. The situation escalated when TMC workers too reached the spot, thereby leading to a scuffle.

The Case against Partha Chatterjee

A day after the Enforcement Directorate recovered ₹21 crores in cash, jewellery and foreign currency to the tune of ₹50 lakhs each, the central agency arrested the ex-TMC heavyweight leader on July 23.

On the same day, ED conducted a raid on the properties of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee as part of an investigation in this case. 

Two days later, a special court remanded Trinamool Congress (TMC) Minister Partha Chatterjee to Enforcement Directorate custody till August 3 this year.

He had reportedly helped 10 relatives of his bodyguard to secure jobs in different East Medinipur schools using ‘concocted and fabricated papers.’ Following allegations of corruption and impropriety, Partha Chatterjee was ousted from the Trinamool Congress.

Earlier, the TMC Minister was ‘greeted’ with ‘chor chor’ chants outside AIIMS Bhubneshwar. Videos had emerged wherein the crowd gathered outside the hospital could be heard shouting ‘chor chor’ slogans as Partha Chatterjee was being wheeled into the hospital.

Mounds of cash have been found at multiple residences of Arpita Mukherjee, a ‘close friend’ of Partha Chaterjee.

How The Hindu tortured data to claim ‘consumer sentiment weaker in Rural areas’: Here is an analysis of 5 graphs they misrepresented

S. Sudhir Kumar
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How The Hindu tortured data to claim ‘consumer sentiment weaker in Rural areas’: Here is an analysis of 5 graphs they misrepresented

“Data Point” is a regular feature in The Hindu’s newspaper. As the name suggests, this section deals with data on a particular topic almost every day. At first glance of one such “Data Point” published on July 27th, 2022, it looked like there is a gloomy scenario in the country today. 

Graphs used by The Hindu

The choice of the headline – “Consumer sentiment weaker in rural areas” tells us the situation is bad in rural areas. The colour Red also gets prominence, giving you the impression that the situation is not quite good. Until you read the details of each of the graphs. You are then left stunned by the innovative interpretation by Team Hindu to make things look gloomy when they are the exact opposite!

Let’s proceed to study 5 of these graphs. 

Graph#1:

Graphs used by The Hindu

70% of Urban and 55% of rural folks were able to “save substantially for their future needs“, last year. 70% of Urban and 55% rural – these numbers are simply phenomenal by any standards. For the past 2 years, we are simply bombarded with articles on how bad the handling of the economy has been. You look at the response to this graph and your mind immediately begins to wonder if these numbers would have been possible if the handling of the economy was bad.

Graph#2:

Graphs used by The Hindu

A whopping 94% Urban and 88% of Rural people have said that their “current financial situation these days is better or about the same” compared to last year. Can you even begin to imagine the scale of this response? You look at the response to this graph – nearly 90% of those surveyed say their situation is actually better or the same –  and your mind immediately begins to wonder if these numbers would have been possible if the handling of the economy was bad?

Graph#3:

Graphs used by The Hindu

A whopping 90% Urban and 85% Rural folks are confident that they “will be able to systematically save, more or about the same as last year“. Not only have nearly 70% saved substantially last year (as seen in Graph#1), but nearly 90% of folks are confident of either saving better or the same as last year. Would this confidence have stemmed if the handling of the economy were bad? 

Graph#4:

Graphs used by The Hindu

We move on to Graph#5 because of the vagueness in the question of Graph#4 (which you can still see in the full graphic). Yet again, we see some positively astonishing numbers. The “ability to meet regular monthly expenses as compared to a year ago” has either improved or remained about the same for a whopping 84% Urban and 81% Rural folks! Would this have been really possible if the handling of the economy was bad in the last 2 years? 

Graph#5:

Graphs used by The Hindu

A whopping 96% of Urban and 94% of Rural folks are very confident that their situation will either be better or remain about the same one year from now. Would this confidence have stemmed if the handling of the economy were bad? 

The scale of numbers across the various questions put forth very clearly gives out a very positive picture of the economy. It is a generally accepted colour code to use Red for bad data and yellow/orange for neutral data. The Hindu has surreptitiously chosen to use Red for neutral responses, coupled with a gloomy headline, to give an utterly false impression to the viewer/reader. Unfortunately for them, once the reader gets to the details, he/she can easily see through these machinations. 

Karnataka: Section 144 imposed after the murder of one Mohammed Fazil, reports indicate the motive being Sunni Fazil loving a Shia girl

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Section 144 imposed after the murder of one Mohammed Fazil, reports indicate the motive being Sunni Fazil loving a Shia girl

On Thursday, a 23-year-old youth named identified as Mohammed Fazil was killed by a group of assailants on Krishnapura-MRPL road, Mangaluru, Karnataka. The incident happened late in the evening on the outskirts of Mangaluru after which Sec 144 CrPC was imposed in Surathkal, Mulki, Bajpe, and Panambur areas. The deceased was a resident of Mangalpete near Surathkal and owned a clothes shop.

According to the Police, Fazil was attacked with a lethal weapon by 4-5 unidentified miscreants. A report by Deccan Herald mentioned that preliminary investigations led by the Police revealed that the deceased was murdered because he was in love with a Shia woman whereas Mohammed Fazil practised Sunni Islam. The miscreants arrived in a car near the cloth shop owned by the deceased, killed him, and fled from the spot after the murder.

Mangaluru Police Commissioner, N Shashi Kumar, confirming the death said that the incident happened at around 8 pm on July 28. “There was an incident where a 23-year-old boy was brutally attacked by 4-5 people near Krishnapura Katipalla road, Surathkal. The boy was immediately shifted to a hospital and was declared dead”, he said.

He also added that the Police has filed the case based on a complaint of the eyewitness who was with the deceased during the incident. “A case of murder has been registered at the Surathkal Police Station. Keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation in important areas under Mangaluru city commissioner, we’ve imposed prohibitory orders u/s 144”, the Commissioner added.

Following the incident, the police appealed to the Muslim community to hold Friday prayers at home. Liquor shops have also been closed down on Friday and police are not permitting more than five persons in a group. “We have requested all Muslim leaders to perform their prayers at their homes, in the larger interest of the law and order of every locality”, Kumar said also requesting the citizens to not succumb to any rumours being spread by vested-interest groups.

To note, this is the second murder that has been reported in the state of Karnataka. Earlier, BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death by assailants who were on a bike in Bellari, Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, and attacked Nettaru with sharp weapons. Two accused named Zakir and Mohammed Shafiq have been arrested in Kerala. Reports mention that the two are linked to the Islamist terrorist organizations named SDPI and PFI.

While some of the reports claim that the murder of Mohammed Fazil was executed in retaliation for the murder of Nettaru, others have dismissed the claims and stated that it might be a result of a love affair.

The case has been registered under the relevant sections of the IPC and the Police are investigating the case to verify the motive behind the murder. The Police have also recovered the CCTV footage from the spot which has shocked the state. Further investigations are underway.

Jahangirpuri violence: Delhi court takes cognizance of charge sheet filed by Delhi Police, directs 37 accused to appear on August 6

OpIndia Staff
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Jahangirpuri violence: Delhi court takes cognizance of charge sheet filed by Delhi Police, directs 37 accused to appear on August 6

On Thursday, the Delhi Court took cognizance of the charge sheet filed by the Police in connection with the Jahangirpuri violence that was escalated by the Islamists during the Hanuman Jayanti processions earlier this year and issued summons to all the accused in the case. The Court has asked all the 37 accused to appear before the Court on August 6.

According to the reports, the summons was issued by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepika Singh who allowed the charge sheet in the Court. The Court said that the charge sheet contains enough evidence to believe that the Jahangirpuri violence was planned and that it was a sequel to the 2020 Delhi anti-CAA riots.

The Delhi Police on July 15 earlier had revealed the accused had incited the locals to pelt stones at the Hindus participating in the procession. The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police also filed a charge sheet in Rohini court in the case of violence that happened on April 16. The Police in the charge sheet mentioned that the three main accused in the case identified as Mohammed Ansar, Tabrez, and Sheikh Irshfil had made all the preparations to execute the violence.

They had collected the stones, and empty glass bottles and had placed them on the terraces of the nearby buildings. Stones and glass bottles were also placed at accused Irshfil’s terrace. The police while investigating the case recovered all of them and charged the persons involved with inciting the violence. The Police also revealed that the accused had planned the violence and had started preparations for it 6 days before the violence.

In the 2000 paged charge sheet, the Police further stated that it investigated the data of around 2300 phones and also went through 58 different clips to discover the links between the Jahangirpuri violence with the anti-CAA violence that had disrupted the peace and law and order in Delhi in the year 2019-20. Police confirmed that Jahangirpuri violence was the sequel of the 2019 riots.

So far the Police have charged 45 main conspirators and have arrested 37 in the case of violence in which eight police personnel and a civilian had sustained injuries. Mohammed Ansar, Tabrez, and Irshfil are the 3 main accused who have been arrested among 45. Around 8 of the accused including one of the prime accused Irshfil is on the run in the case. The Police said that they have launched a massive manhunt to nab all the accused on run and added that some of the accused are out on bail.

The Delhi Police July 15 also presented video evidence in court and said that it used a facial recognition system during the investigation to nab the 37 culprits. The charge sheet was filed under sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 332, 323, 427, 436, 307, 120B IPC read with 27 Arms Act.

From Kanhaiya Lal, Umesh Kohle to Praveen Nettaru: How neighbours and acquaintances of Hindu victims plotted their murder

Dibakar Dutta
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From Kanhaiya Lal, Umesh Kohle to Praveen Nettaru: How neighbours and acquaintances of Hindu victims plotted their murder

Days after the gruesome murder of Praveen Nettaru in Karnataka’s Dakshin Kannada district, it has now emerged that the father of one of the accused worked as a butcher at a chicken shop run by the BJP Yuva Morcha leader.

The Mangaluru police had earlier arrested two people, namely, Shafiq Ballere and Zaqir Savanuru, in connection to the case. Shafiq’s father Ibrahim worked as a butcher at the chicken shop of Praveen Nettaru.

The development was confirmed by India Today and Prajavani. While speaking about the matter, Ibrahim said, “I work at Praveen’s shop. My son and Praveen used to talk there. Praveen used to come to our house.”

Screengrab of the news report by Prajavani

He cried foul over the arrest of his son and claimed, “We have no idea why my son has been arrested. Just because we are Muslims, we are being targeted. Both Shafiq and Zakir aren’t like that.” Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death on July 26 this year.

The killers reportedly came on a bike in Bellari and attacked the BJP Yuva Morcha leader with sharp weapons. They also managed to flee the crime scene. The victim was returning home at the time of the attack. He was rushed to the hospital, but could not be saved.

Why Umesh Kolhe and Kanhaiya Lal’s story should concern Hindus?

His only mistake was that he had uploaded a Facebook post, extending his heartfelt support to Kanhaiya Lal, who was in turn butchered by one Riyaz and Ghaus for supporting ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

The brutal killing of Praveen Nettaru happens to be the latest case where the perpetrator and his family were known to the victim. Last month, it came to light that the photograph and location of Kanhaiya Lal were leaked and made viral by his neighbour Nazim.

The accused had earlier filed a complaint against Kanhaiya Lal over a Facebook post supporting Nupur Sharma.  Nazim and his co-religionists also conducted recce of his shop. Kanhaiya Lal’s appeal for security fell on deaf ears and the Udaipur police did not take any action, ultimately leading to his killing.

The tragedy that befell upon the family of Umesh Kolhe was also facilitated by his close friend of 16 years named Yusuf Khan. Like Kanhaiya Lal, Kolhe was hacked to death for supporting Nupur Sharma.

While prioritising his Faith over friendship, Yusuf provoked Islamists to kill his friend. According to police, Yusuf Khan had forwarded Umesh Kolhe’s message supporting Nupur Sharma in WhatsApp groups, instigating Islamists against him by saying that he was supporting someone accused of blasphemy.

“Khan instigated the other accused,” the police had said. Yusuf and Umesh Kolhe knew each other through their occupational links. Khan was a veterinary doctor while Kolhe was a medical store owner.

Eventually, they had become good friends over the years. Khan had even attended the funeral of Umesh Kolhe after the murder. The involvement of a person well known to the victim points toward a disturbing trend in violence by Islamists.

Hindus, who are vocal about their rights, must be wary of extremists in their close circle. Any callous move, coupled with failure to identify potential threats early on, can prove deadly.

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