Home Blog Page 4036

Was Namaz read inside Badrinath temple premises? What did the police say? All you need to know about the controversy

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Was Namaz read inside Badrinath temple premises? What did the police say? All you need to know about the controversy

Earlier yesterday, reports of Namaz being offered on Bakrid at one of the holiest sites of Hinduism, Badrinath, created quite a flutter on social media websites, with users demanding a probe into the matter as to how non-Hindus were allowed to offer Namaz inside the premises of a hallowed Hindu shrine.

What was the controversy about?

The controversy that fuelled outrage on social media websites relates to rumours that claimed 15 labourers offered Namaz at the Badrinath Dham in the holy town on the occasion of the Bakri Eid on July 21 (Wednesday). Soon thereafter, the reports spread like wildfire on the internet, drawing flak from people on social media, who felt hurt that one of the foremost Hindu pilgrim shines was used by Muslims to offer namaz.

The raging controversy also came to the notice of Hindu organisations and members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal even met Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum, raising objections to Muslims performing Namaz in the holy town of Hindus and demanding a probe into the same.

They expressed displeasure saying that when Hindus devotees are not being allowed to visit the holy shrine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then how can Muslims be allowed to offer Namaz, that too at a place which is considered extremely sacred by the Hindus.

Police refutes claims of namaz being offered inside Badrinath temple

Meanwhile, the local police had already taken cognisance of the online outrage on July 21 when the rumours of temple premises being used to offer namaz started doing the rounds on the internet. They launched an investigation into the matter and later released a statement, refuting the allegations and asserting that namaz was not offered inside the premise of Badrinath Dham as being alleged in various media reports.

In its press release that was shared by the official Twitter account of Chamoli police yesterday, it urged the people to refrain from believing such unverified claims circulating on various social media platforms. The press note read that the Muslim labourers working as construction workers building a parking lot close to the temple offered Namaz inside a closed space without using loudspeakers and without the presence of any cleric or Maulvi.

They also followed the Covid protocol of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, it added.

As the controversy swelled despite their clarification a day before, the Chamoli police yesterday shared a video clip in which the Superintendent of Police, Chamoli, Shri Yashwant Singh Chouhan stated that the police have not found any evidence to substantiate the claims which did the rounds on social media. Confirming that the Namaz was not read in a public place, Chouhan said: “Chamoli police request all of you, please do not share any misleading news without verifying the facts”.

Reports of Muslim labourers flouting COVID norms

Besides the rumours that Muslim labourers offered namaz inside the temple premises, it was also alleged that they had defied COVID guidelines. A report published by Dainik Jagran claimed that a complaint was registered against the 15 labourers for flouting Covid norms. Chamoli police, however, clarified that the offering of the Namaz was a private affair, and the workers had adhered to all covid protocols while doing the same.

Though the police confirmed carrying out an investigation, there was no mention of any case being registered against the labourers. Chamoli police said that in case, during the investigation, it is revealed that Covid protocols were flouted, then appropriate action would be taken under the Disaster Management Act.

The facts of the matter: Namaz offered not inside the Badrinath shrine but at an enclosed parking, 700 metres away from the revered Hindu shrine

Contrary to the rumours that were floating on social media websites, the said labourers did not offer namaz inside the temple premises of Badrinath Dham. Instead, it was offered 700 metres away from the temple premises. An FIR has also been lodged in connection with the unlawful assembly of people during the pandemic.

As per social media user Alok Bhatt, who was also an advisor to former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, a parking facility is under construction at Sri Badrinath Ji, about 1 kilometre before the temple premises, near ISBT Hospital. It is a part of the project called “Astha Path” that was approved by the central government in 2018, to face-lift the temple premises in the holy town of Badrinath.

One contractor named Harendra Pawar was tasked with the responsibility of the completion of the project. Among the labourers employed, 15 Muslim workers working on the project offered namaz inside the 1st level of the parking facility, which is already completed.

SP Chamoli informed that parts of under-construction parking lot has been enclosed, in which the labourers currently stay. They had offered Namaz at the same enclosed space. There were no photographs of the Namaz and no formal arrangement was made, he added.

Bhatt also highlighted how it could be an attempt to malign the sacred Badrinath temple as no photos or videos of Namaz being allegedly offered inside the temple premises were shared. He further added that the rumours of a Maulvi being called to offer Namaz has already been rubbished by the Chamoli police.

Responding to the concern raised by some social media users regarding the demographic changes and influx of outside labourers, Bhatt said the issue is serious in nature and has been raised by him and others on many occasions and it needs to be dealt with at a society level.

Bhatt also shared a copy of the FIR that has been registered later for covid protocol violation against the contractor and some of his workers who were found gathering at a place and violating social distancing norms.

Badrinath Dham is considered one of the holiest places in the Hindu religion. One of the 108 Divya Desams, the Badrinath temple is part of Char Dham also referred to as “the four abodes”, consisting of the pilgrimage circuit of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. It is also a part of the Chota Char Dham, comprising of the pilgrimage circuit of Badrinath, Rameswaram, Dwarka and Puri. Badrinath temple was re-established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century as part of his mission to enliven Hinduism.

Covid-19 positive man boards flight in Indonesia in wife’s niqab, tries to pass off as a woman: Here is how he got caught

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Covid-19 positive man boards flight in Indonesia in wife’s niqab, tries to pass off as a woman: Here is how he got caught

A Coronavirus-positive man was detained for boarding a Citilink flight using the disguise of a woman in Indonesia. The flight was bound from the Indonesian capital of Jakarta to Ternate.

As per reports, the accused was identified by his initials ‘DW’. Since the man was diagnosed with the Wuhan Coronavirus, it implied that he couldn’t board the Citilink flight. As such, DW wore a full-face veil (niqab), boarded the flight using his wife’s passport and negative RT-PCR report. He was successful in fooling the airline and security authorities at the Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport. Although his plan looked full-proof, he made a crucial mistake on board the flight.

When he went to use the washroom, he was dressed in female attire. However, he came out in regular men’s clothes and raised the suspicion of the stewardess on the flight. She immediately notified the airport authorities, who were waiting to nab DW once the flight landed at Ternate. Accordingly, the accused was detained at the Ternate airport. On being tested for Covid-19, the results came as positive. The Ternate City Covid-19 Handling Task Force was summoned to escort DW to his house in protective gear. After the self-isolation period, the police have expressed their intent to arrest the man.

While speaking about the incident, Covid-19 task force head Muhammad Arif informed, “The airport immediately contacted the Ternate City Covid-19 Handling Task Force team to evacuate the man while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), and then taking him in an ambulance to his house (in Ternate City) to self-isolate, where he will be supervised by Task Force officers.” The development comes at a time when the country is witnessing a rapid increase in Coronavirus cases.

Rising Coronavirus cases in Indonesia

The situation is so grim that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has placed Indonesia under a Level 4 travel health notice. It implies that travel to Indonesia must be avoided, given that it has a very high level of Coronavirus cases. As of July 22, Indonesia has reported 5,61,384 active cases and a total of 72,000 fatalities. A slow vaccination programme has been cited as the leading cause of the spread of the Delta variant in the country. Since Indonesia is reporting close to 50000 cases each day, Garuda Indonesia that runs Citilink airlines has restricted travel between July 19-25.

Actor Sachiin Joshi wins a fraud and cheating case against Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty and their firm, says Karma caught up with him

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Actor Sachiin Joshi wins a fraud and cheating case against Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty and their firm, says Karma caught up with him

Actor and producer Sachiin Joshi has won a legal case against Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty and Satyug Gold- the company of which the couple were the ex-directors. The Bombay High Court has directed the company to hand over 1 kg gold to Joshi, along with Rs. 3,00,000 as a cost towards legal proceedings.

In January this year, Joshi had filed a case of fraud, cheating and other charges against Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra and few more officials of Satyug Gold Pvt Ltd (SGPL) including current directors Ganpati Chaudhary, Mohammed Saifi with the Khar Police Station in Mumbai.

Joshi who had purchased a five-year gold plan sold as ‘Satyug Gold Scheme’ was promised a certain fixed quantity of gold redeemable after the lock-in period. However, on the non-receipt of the gold after six years of investing, Joshi was forced to file a case against the celebrity couple who were not just the ex-directors of the company but had also promoted it extensively.   

Pronouncing the verdict in Joshi’s favor, the court has directed Satyug Gold to hand over Joshi’s 1 kg gold to him and also pay him a sum of Rs 3 lakh as a cost towards legal proceedings.

According to the scheme launched by Raj Kundra, an investor who bought a certain sum of gold at the then current rates with full advance payment would be entitled to a Satyug Gold Card, redeemable in stages with attractive discounts. The discount rates were 15% after two years, 26% after three years, 30% after four years and 37% after five years.

Joshi had purchased One kg gold for nearly Rs 18.58 lakhs in March 2014 at the then prevailing rates. It would be redeemable on or after March 25, 2019 at the promised discount on presentation of the Satyug Gold Card to the SGPL. However, when Joshi attempted to redeem his one-kilo golden asset on the due date, he found that the SGPL office in Bandra Kurla Complex was shut.

During media interactions, Sachiin Joshi said, “My legal battle was merely a representation of many of the investors of Satyug Gold who have invested in the gold scheme at a discounted rate, only to never receive the gold.”

“I was asked to pay 25 lakh on an 18,57,870 lakh gold purchase after six years of my hard-earned money lying with a company. Imagine the state of the common man who must have invested believing a celebrity who endorsed a company as its Chairman!” he added. 

Insinuating that Kundra’s arrest was a result of bad karma, Joshi further said, “We got our 1 kg gold and 3 lakh of fine that they had to pay us for making us go through this legal process where they were at fault since the very beginning and yes about the cheque bounce case, we will win that too as it was stopped not bounced as we didn’t see any transparency in their dealings. I am glad karma finally caught up with Kundra.”

Joshi’s wife too had shared a cryptic message on her message saying, “Karma never misses your address” after Kundra’s arrest in the pornography case. 

Screenshot of Urvashi’s Instagram story

Joshi accused the celebrity couple of cheating

The actor cum producer had filed a case against the celebrity couple and the company in the first half of 2020 as well.

However, Shilpa Shetty had brushed off the allegations made against her and her businessman husband claiming they were “baseless”.

Shetty reacting to the controversy that broke out blamed Joshi for non-payment. “We have even deposited 1kg gold for which Sachiin Joshi is yet to pay the demurrage charges legally applicable. Not many know, we also have a cheque bouncing case in court against this serial defaulter,” she had told in an interview with IANS..

Chandigarh: Muthoot Finance regional manager’s house looted at gunpoint, thieves leave behind Rs 3 in temple

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Chandigarh: Muthoot Finance regional manager’s house looted at gunpoint, thieves leave behind Rs 3 in temple

The regional manager of Muthoot Finance Jaydev Goyal’s house was looted in broad daylight at gunpoint in Punjab’s Zirakpur district. Four thieves brandishing guns and swords barged into Goyal’s home on Thursday. 

Goyal, who had retired from the post of DGM of Union Bank and now working as a regional manager at Muthoot Finance, had already left for his office at the time of the incident. His 60-year-old wife Naresh Rani, 40-year-old son Kapil Goyal and a maid were present in the house when a group of four robbers entered his home one by one and held his family captive.

The four robbers arrived on two bikes around 11.30 am and after taking the family members and the maid hostage, searched the house for about two and a half hours. They fled after looting cash, silver and gold jewellery from the house.

The thieves who first disconnected the internet connection of the CCTVs installed held Goyal’s wife and maid captive at gunpoint. Goyal’s son Kapil was also intimidated using a sword. They threatened Goyal’s wife to hand over all the cash and jewellery or they would kill her son. They also snatched their mobile phones and kept them in the refrigerator. 

As per reports, the robbers looted 30 tolas of gold jewellery and silver utensils worth lakhs, Rs 20,000 cash and also stole god’s jewellery and cash kept as an offering from the temple. Incidentally, they left back Rs 3 in the temple in the house. 

Traumatized by the loot, Goyal’s family informed him immediately as soon as the accused fled on their bikes after a two and half hour search. Rushing home, Goyal immediately informed the police after which the SP (Rural), DSP and the SHO of Zirakpur police station reached the spot. 

A forensic team also arrived to collect fingerprints and carry out further investigation. Additionally, a manhunt has been launched to nab the perpetrators. 

Goyal was thankful that the thieves did not cause much harm to his family through his son was slapped and his wife tied up by the robbers. His wife who is an asthma patient is still mortified by the incident. 

Sexist Tamil Nadu Congress offers saree and bangles to PM Modi, alluding he is not ‘man enough’ to run the country

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Sexist Tamil Nadu Congress offers saree and bangles to PM Modi, alluding he is not ‘man enough’ to run the country

The Tamil Nadu Congress displayed its blatant sexist bias and misogyny as its party workers protested, asking Prime Minister Modi to wear sarees and bangles, alluding that he is not ‘man enough’ to run the country on July 22.

As per reports, Tamil Nadu Congress had organised a protest march on Thursday against the Modi government over the Pegasus Spygate controversy. During the protests, the Congress workers resorted to sexist attacks by offering sarees and bangles to PM Modi.

The Congress workers insinuated that BJP and its party leaders are not ‘masculine enough’ to run the government. Congress workers were seen protesting with traditional thalis in their hands, loaded with an assortment of feminine items: new saree, bangles, jasmine garlands, and other things that are customarily gifted to brides.

This was a surprising display of the mentality of the senior leadership of Congress, a party which was once headed by Indira Gandhi, India’s first female Prime Minister and currently has Sonia Gandhi as the interim president.

Tip-off about porn racket in February, women lured with roles, Raj Kundra and his personal involvement: What led to his arrest and what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Tip-off about porn racket in February, women lured with roles, Raj Kundra and his personal involvement: What led to his arrest and what we know so far

On Monday, the British-Indian businessman and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty – Raj Kundra was arrested by the Mumbai Police on charges of creating pornographic films and publishing them through mobile apps.

According to the reports, Raj Kundra is accused of being a key conspirator in creating and published pornographic content online. The Mumbai Police officials investigating the porn film racket case involving Raj Kundra have alleged that he has made over 100 porn movies in the last one-and-a-half-year.

The Crime branch officials said they have recovered “huge data” of porn movies, running into terabytes (TB) during their raids at Raj Kundra’s office in Andheri West, Mumbai. The police have also seized the server and devices allegedly used to store this data. At least 70 adult movies have been recovered from the server.

The Mumbai officials alleged that Raj Kundra entered the porn industry in August 2019 and earned crores through them. The arrest of Raj Kundra comes months after Mumbai Police had initiated a coordinated probe into the porn film racket case. The case is under investigation since the beginning of this year.

Mumbai Police received tip-off in February, conducted coordinated probe to unearth porn racket

According to the reports, the Mumbai Police first received a tip-off on February 4, saying a porn movie was being shot at a bungalow in Madh Island. During the surprise raid on the bungalow that followed, the police found two persons in a state of undress being filmed in intimate poses.

The Mumbai Police had arrested five men from the spot, and a woman was rescued from the house that day. The latter was made a complainant in the case, which eventually led to the arrest of businessman and actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband, Raj Kundra, five months later on July 19.

According to the police, the five accused would lure aspiring actresses, especially those who came from rural areas of Maharashtra or Jharkhand, promising them roles in web series. On the day of the shoot, the accused would eventually inform the victims that the script had been changed. Later, they would force them to undress and shoot intimate scenes.

If any of them refused to indulge in such movies, the accused would threaten them with the bill for setting up the shooting. As these women came from humble backgrounds, most of these women would succumb to the pressure, the police had said. After forcefully shooting the pornographic content, the accused used to upload them on mobile applications like Hot Hit Movies and Hotshots.

The accused offered monthly subscriptions through these apps similar to mainstream OTT platforms and also earned revenue through paid advertisements on their social media platforms. In June 2020, the Apple Store and Google Play Store removed the apps after receiving complaints saying the apps were streaming pornographic material.

Adult movies were shot in a bungalow, sold films to foreign entities: Mumbai Police

During the probe, the Crime Branch found that these adult movies were shot in a day at rented bungalows on the outskirts of Mumbai, usually Madh Island. A staff of five to six people, who doubled up as directors, dialogue writers, web app developers and assistants, worked in making the films. As the accused uploaded the content regularly, these apps became especially popular, with some of them having more than a lakh subscribers.

During the course of its investigation, the Mumbai Police focused on producers and others who assisted in the process of shooting. The Mumbai Police had arrested nine people, including producer Rowa Khan, small-time model and actor Gehana Vasisth.

Later, the crime branch started probing entities that bought such adult films. Upon the investigation, they came across a name called Umesh Kamat. The police arrested Umesh Kamat, who worked with UK-based Kenrin Pvt Ltd, a production company that owns the Hotshots app where some of these movies were uploaded. Umesh Kamat was a former personal assistant of Raj Kundra.

As Mumbai Police grilled Umesh Kamat and went through his call records, the Mumbai police found that Kenrin just owned the app, but Raj Kundra ran the operation through his Mumbai-based company Viaan Industries. The Mumbai Police filed a charge sheet filed in April, however, they did not name Kundra.

Umesh Kamat confessed that he uploaded at least eight “pornographic and obscene” videos shot by Gehna Vasisth on a social media app. The police suspect that Kundra has a stake in Kenrin.

The Mumbai Police subjected Kamat’s laptop to forensics which revealed more damning details about the involvement of Raj Kundra. The police team raided Kundra’s place on Monday and said they now have “incriminating evidence” to prove his involvement in the porn racket.

WhatsApp chats have revealed that Kundra had hatched a ‘Plan B’ for broadcasting pornographic films after app ban

According to a report by News18, the Whatsapp conversation of Raj Kundra have revealed that he had devised a backup plan to broadcast pornographic films after his Hotshots app was taken down by both Google and Apple store.

During the raids, the crime branch also recovered a server and 70 videos filmed by Kundra’s former assistant Umesh Kamat in association with other production houses. In total, Raj Kundra is believed to have produced more than 100 porn movies in the last few years.

The police have accessed a series of WhatsApp conversations allegedly belonging to Kundra, where he spoke about a standby plan of launching another OTT platform. The “Plan B” involved launching a new application to continue the illegal business of producing and circulating pornographic content.

The police have also analysed agreement papers, subscription details, emails, WhatsApp chats, etc. In one of the WhatsApp groups named “H ACCOUNTS”, he had discussed live revenue of Rs 1.85 lakh and movie sales of Rs 4.52 lakh, the police said. The police have accessed at least four screenshots of the WhatsApp chats in which Kundra was allegedly seen discussing his plans.

The screenshots read, “Plan B started max 2-3 weeks the new app will be live iOS and Android it’s a blessing”. During this conversation, a member named Rob Digital Marketing Hotshots asks Kundra, “until then, can we deactivate all the bold films and the Appeal again the Play store”.

In another screenshot, a member said to Kundra, “till BF (Bollyfame) is up, let’s find out a way to sustain HS (Hotshots).” Apparently, Kundra discussed of removing “extremely bold content” from the platform, for the time being, the Mumbai Police said.

On October 11, the members of the “H ACCOUNTS” WhatsApp group also discussed the live revenue of Rs 1.85 lakh and movie sales of Rs 4.52 lakh. Kundra and his brother-in-law Pradeep Bakshi appreciated the member.

The police have now sent the server for forensic analysis to know whether Raj Kundra used the servers to upload pornographic material to his UK-based shell company Kenrin. The police have asked the businessman to share his bank details. Meanwhile, Kundra’s bank accounts with deposits of around Rs.7.5 crore have been frozen by the police in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, the police have described Kundra as the “key conspirator” in the case that was registered on February 4 at the Malwani police station in suburban Mumbai. In all, 11 persons have been arrested so far in the case, the Mumbai police have said.

Raj Kundra has been booked under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays), besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.

‘No Holy Cow’: Ex-Dainik Bhaskar Editor defends IT raids, talks about the media house being involved in ‘illegal activity’, harassing govt

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘No Holy Cow’: Ex-Dainik Bhaskar Editor defends IT raids, talks about the media house being involved in ‘illegal activity’, harassing govt

Hours after the Income Tax (IT) Department raided the offices of Dainik Bhaskar, a former Editor of the Hindi daily has voiced his support for the media crackdown. Headquartered in Madhya Pradesh, Dainik Bhaskar is one of the leading dailies with over 60 editions in multiple languages.

In a Facebook post, LN Shital wrote, “Media is not a holy cow, which is somehow immune from being probed. The crackdown on the ‘Bhaskar group’ by the IT Department and ED (Enforcement Directorate) has been dubbed as an attack on independent media. It is being said that the government is miffed with the anti-establishment reportage of Dainik Bhaskar and wanted to intimidate other media houses. Those who say this must remember that no newspaper or media channel is a ‘holy cow’ with innate immunity.”

LN Shital emphasised that everyone is aware of the fact that several media houses run illegal businesses and therefore harass the government such that it ignores their activities. He alleged that Dainik Bhaskar has been at the forefront of such activities. Shital claimed that the media group acquired land from the government at cheap prices and repurpose the land for their own benefits. He added that Bhaskar has been building and selling duplex flats by collaborating with builders and merchants. According to the ex-Editor of Bhaskar, the group is now doing superlative work in provoking the masses against the government.

Screengrab of the Facebook post by LN Shital

“Media is an industry. Why can’t it be raided like other industries? But whenever such a thing happens, some cry that the government is carrying out an act of vengeance. How did a company (valued less than ₹100 crores in 1990) is valued at ₹1000 crore in 2021? This information is known to everyone. And it does not take much knowledge to understand… Bhaskar is the strongest, largest, and fastest-growing media group! It wields a lot of power. Its outreach extends way beyond, and even governments tremble at its might!! Then what are they afraid of?” he pointed out.

While speaking about the power assumed by the Dainik Bhaskar group, LN Shital said, “If it didn’t evade tax, then it can shake the Parliament with the help of the opposition. It can hire the most expensive lawyers and keep its point of view before the Supreme Court of India. It can manipulate its large reader base and determine election outcomes. When they have the power to do so much, what can IT Department or ED do to them?” According to his LinkedIn profile, LN Shital worked for 9 years at Dainik Bhaskar between 1992 and 1999.

TMC MP Santanu Sen suspended from Rajya Sabha for the Monsoon Session, had snatched and torn IT Minister’s statement

OpIndia Staff
-
0
TMC MP Santanu Sen suspended from Rajya Sabha for the Monsoon Session, had snatched and torn IT Minister’s statement

A day after Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Shantanu Sen snatched and tore IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s Pegasus statement on the floor of Rajya Sabha, he has been suspended from the upper house for the remaining period of the monsoon session.

According to the reports, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan moved a motion for Sen’s suspension on Friday. The motion was passed by a voice vote leading to his suspension.

After suspending TMC MP Santanu Sen from the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the monsoon session, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked him to leave the house.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, the presiding officer of the upper house, said that he was deeply distressed by the course of events in House on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, proceedings of the House hit a new low with papers being snatched from the Minister and torn into pieces. Such actions are a clear assault on our Parliamentary democracy,” RS Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said.

Meanwhile, the TMC members in Rajya Sabha protested against the decision of the house and claimed that the motion was brought without listing it in the day’s business.

TMC MP snatches paper from IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, tears it down

On Thursday, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen had snatched papers from Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and tore them to bits as he rose to address the Pegasus snoop gate controversy.

The TMC members, along with Congress and other opposition party members, had rushed into the well of the House as the minister was called to make a statement on the Pegasus snooping row. As they were protesting, Sen snatched the papers, tore them into pieces and threw them at the presiding officer’s chair.

Bombay High Court takes back its statement praising Stan Swamy after objections by NIA

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Bombay High Court takes back its statement praising Stan Swamy after objections by NIA

The Bombay High Court today withdrew its comments praising Stan Swamy after objections by the NIA. Justice SS Shinde said that he realises that NIA was hurt that he said something personally, and informed that he is taking those words back.

He said that the court always endeavours to be balanced. However, the judge justified the earlier comment saying that they are also human beings.

On July 19, the Bombay High Court had praised Stan Swamy following his demise. The court said that it has respect for works done by him. Justice Shinde had said that the graceful funeral service of Swamy had touched him. He had said, “I was informed about the timing of the funeral service. Such a wonderful person. The kind of services he has rendered to the society. We have respect for his work. Legally, whatever is there against him is a different matter…We normally don’t get time for TV, but we saw this funeral, and it was very graceful.”

84 years old Stan Swamy was under arrest by NIA in the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case, and died on July 5 in a Mumbai hospital due to health issues. After his death, a Bombay High Court bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar had asked the authorities conduct a probe into the death.

The court had made comments on Monday during the hearing of an appeal to allow ex-Xaviers College Principal Father Frazer Mascaren to join the mandatory Magisterial inquiry into Father Swamy’s death as next of kin. The court had also said that it had ensured that Swamy received all possible medical attention after his health had deteriorated.

The court mentioned that Mascaren didn’t have any complaint against the court and the hospital regarding treatment of Stan Swamy. “When the matter was heard, and the medical officer informed about the very, very sad news, you said you don’t have a grievance against the hospital or the court… Every time we have acceded to your request. It is very unfortunate. We never imagined that this would happen. So far as our court is concerned, we give patient hearing to every side,” the court had said regarding the death.

Afghanistan: Taliban killed over 100 civilians after the fall of Spin Boldak, US forces carry out strikes in Kandahar

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Afghanistan: Taliban killed over 100 civilians after the fall of Spin Boldak, US forces carry out strikes in Kandahar

The raging Afghanistan conflict has taken a turn for the worse as Taliban terrorists reportedly have killed more than 100 civilians, seemingly without any reason. The Afghan Ministry of Interior(MoI) confirmed the massacre that took place in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.

The Ministry also suspected Pakistani hand in the carnage that unfolded in Kandhar that resulted in the casualty of more than 100 civilians. 

“The brutal terrorists on the order of their Punjabi bosses (Pakistan) ambushed the homes of the innocent Afghans in certain areas of Spin Boldak, looted the homes and martyred 100 innocent people,” said Mirwais Stanekzai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior.

In addition to the tragic loss of more than 100 civilians, a member of Kandhar’s provincial council said that he lost his two sons after unidentified gunmen abducted them from their home a day before Eid and killed them. 

The Taliban, however, has denied their involvement in the barbaric killing of civilians. 

But the Afghan security agencies claim the carnage was Taliban’s handiwork. Personnel of Afghan forces say dead bodies are still strewn on the grounds in Spin Boldak. 

“They (Taliban) even resorted to the looting of the homes of civilians and govertment offices including the destruction of public infrastructure,” said Rohullah Ahmadzai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense. “They also assassinated the civilians,” he further added.

By some accounts, those killed include athletes, CS activists, business persons, vloggers & persons suspected of sympathising with the Afghan government. It is also worth noting that Pakistani agencies have long viewed the town where the massacre took place as fiercely against the Durand line and sympathising with Baluch & Achekzais next door.

The current chaos that has swept Afghanistan can be linked to the US government’s decision of pulling out all American troops stationed in the country by 11 September 2021. The withdrawal announcement has touched off a free-for-all crisis, where different terror groups, including the Taliban, are vying to wrench the control of the country from the official Afghan government. 

As a result, violence has erupted in many parts of the country as the Taliban seeks to establish its dominance and pushback the government forces. As a part of its offensive, the Talibani fighters are systematically attacking province after province, increasing their territorial hegemony. The Spin Boldak is one of the areas that is currently controlled by Taliban. It is also the same region where Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed while covering the conflict. 

US military carries strikes against Talibani terrorists in Kandahar

Meanwhile, the United States carried out overnight strikes in support of Afghan forces in the Kandahar province and to repel the advancing Talibani terrorists. The US military retains the authority to carry out strikes it deems suitable even as the forces are in their final steps of withdrawal. 

“In the last several days, we have acted through airstrikes to support the ANDSF,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, referring to Afghan government forces.

However, the frequency of strikes has evidently reduced. The US military has carried out six to seven strikes in the last thirty days, mostly using drones to strike the targets. 

The US has long provided air assistance to the Afghan forces on the ground to take on the Talibani terrorists. But many analysts believe, the hasty pullout of the US forces might benefit the Taliban as the Afghan’s fledgling air power has proven to be woefully incompetent in stopping the terrorists.

1...4,0354,0364,037...7,596Page 4,036 of 7,596