At a time when Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should have been in isolation after his wife tested Covid-19 positive just five days ago, he was seen flouting the basic Covid-19 norm. In an unexpected event, Kejriwal on Monday was seen visiting the ITBP-run Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre in Chhatarpur.
Delhi: CM Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia & Health Minister Satyendar Jain visit the ITBP-run Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre, Radha Soami Beas, Chhatarpur. The centre begins operation today. pic.twitter.com/464NdZXqS9
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had visited the Covid centre for inspection along with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain.
Meanwhile, Sunita Kejriwal, wife of CM Arvind Kejriwal had tested positive for Covid-19 last week on April 20 and is being treated under home isolation currently.
Shortly after the news of Sunita Kejriwal testing Covid positive surfaced in the media, the chief minister announced that he will be isolating himself and urged people to stay at home during the six-day lockdown in Delhi which commenced last Monday.
दिल्ली में आज से लॉकडाउन शुरू हो चुका है। ये फ़ैसला आपके स्वास्थ्य और सुरक्षा के मद्देनज़र लिया गया है। कृपया इसमें सरकार का सहयोग करें, अपने घर पर ही रहें, संक्रमण से बचकर रहें।
Giving home quarantine a miss, Kejriwal himself tweeted and shared images of his visit to the Radha Soami Beas facility where he can be seen in close proximity with at least 10 others.
Visited the Radha Saomi facility this morning. 500 oxygen beds start today. More beds will be added in the next few days. We will also start 200 ICU beds here. Grateful to Babaji for helping us. Thank you Central govt for providing doctors and medical staff of ITBP. pic.twitter.com/23j4uNewsa
The Covid Care Centre with 500 beds was made operational from today which is intended to be increased to 7000 beds with 200 ICU beds.
Delhi government’s damage control
After being slammed by the Delhi High Court for utter mismanagement, the Delhi government is now busy doing some damage control.
After Kejriwal complained of an acute shortage of oxygen supply, the Court questioned the Delhi Government on its inability to take any steps to collect the oxygen allocated to them by the Centre. The Court remarked, “Every state is arranging its own tankers, if you’re not having your own tanks, arrange them. You will have to do it, get in touch with the Central govt officers. We are not here to facilitate contact between officers.”
Arvind Kejriwal is now putting out ads requesting individuals and organizations for cryogenic tankers to facilitate oxygen supply to the national capital.
Hospitals in Delhi came down hard against the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi High Court today over the bungled handling of the oxygen crisis in the wake of the resurgent coronavirus outbreak in the national capital. The hospitals alleged that the Delhi government has no understanding of the oxygen supply chain.
Senior advocate Sachin Dutta, representing Jaipur Golden Hospital in the Delhi High Court, today slammed the Arvind Kejriwal-led Government for the ongoing oxygen crisis in the national capital and accused them of disrupting the oxygen supply chain.
The Delhi High Court on Monday was hearing a plea highlighting the COVID-19 outbreak in Delhi and the issue of oxygen supply in the city.
“I got 3.6 MT. I was supposed to get at 5 pm. I’m normally in touch with my supplier. Supply chain is disrupted by Delhi government,” Dutta submitted.
Enormous sos calls were made. They arranged something from AIIMS but it was (some minutes) late. There is shortage and uncertainty. Delhi govt doens’t understand the Supply chain : Dutta
The Jaipur Golden Hospital’s counsel alleged that Delhi government’s mishandling of the crisis has disrupted the oxygen supply chain, causing inordinate delays for the hospitals to receive oxygen.
“Enormous SOS calls were made. They arranged something from the AIIMS but it was minutes late. There is shortage and uncertainty. Delhi government doesn’t understand the supply chain,” Dutta said.
Dutta also took a swipe at Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s remarks that hospitals in Delhi raised unnecessary oxygen-shortage alarms. “How long after patient dies should hospitals issue SOS?,” Dutta questioned sarcastically.
Dutta also prayed the High Court to keep Delhi Government away from his client’s oxygen supplier. Dutta said that his hospital’s supplier Inox should directly communicate with them instead of having to go through the Delhi government’s bureaucracy.
Another counsel, advocate Alok Aggarwal, representing the Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, also echoed similar sentiments. He said that the problems facing the hospitals in Delhi are that they are not aware of how much and when will they get oxygen. He said a wave of anxiety has swept across the hospitals because of a lack of clear communication from Delhi’s nodal officers.
Adv Alok Aggarwal for Maharaja Agrasen: Prob is we are not aware of how much we will get and when. It would reduce the anxiety of hospitals. We can report to nodal officers.
The lawyer appearing for Shanti Mukund hospital in Delhi said that his hospital’s oxygen supplies are already stretched thin, and they had to send the patients away because of lack of oxygen supply.
Senior Adv Viraj Datar for Shanti Mukand : I have 96 patients on oxygen support. I’m having to turn away patients. I’ve sent WhatsApp, calls. My buffer stock will also run out
“I have 96 patients on oxygen support. I’m having to turn away patients. I’ve sent WhatsApp, calls. My buffer stock will also run out,” Senior Advocate Viraj Datar for Shanti Mukund said.
NSA Ajit Doval’s call with US NSA Jake Sullivan jolted the entire US administration making them realise the urgency to be shown in sending raw materials to India for manufacturing its Covid-19 vaccines.
The call which seems to have brought about a change of heart, has also ignited a race amongst the US officials to extend unconditional support to India.
Tweets in this regard were made by some of the top officials of the US government.
US President Joe Biden expressed his determination to help India just as India assisted the US when the country’s health infrastructure was strained early in the pandemic.
Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need. https://t.co/SzWRj0eP3y
In April 2020, at the beginning of coronavirus pandemic, India had relaxed blanket ban on export of hydroxychloroquine which to countries that needed it, especially the US. Hydroxychloroquine at that time was administered to combat coronavirus as not much information was available for treatment of patients at that time. The then US President Donald Trump had said that America will not forget this gesture. However, America did forget.
The U.S. is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly deploy additional support and supplies during an alarming COVID-19 outbreak. As we provide assistance, we pray for the people of India—including its courageous healthcare workers.
Vice-President Kamala Harris informed that the US government is working closely with the Indian government to tackle the crisis at hand.
I’ve been in close touch with FS @HarshVShringla and Amb @SandhuTaranjitS in recent days. The American people stand in solidarity with our friends in India during these difficult times. We are rapidly providing therapeutics, ventilators, PPE, raw material for vaccines, and more. https://t.co/2izPobvN8k
Deputy State Secretary Wendy Sherman informed through her tweet that the US is sending ventilators, PPE and raw materials to India rapidly.
Extending support, Secretary Antony Blinken assured additional support to India’s health care heroes.
Our hearts go out to the Indian people in the midst of the horrific COVID-19 outbreak. We are working closely with our partners in the Indian government, and we will rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India and India’s health care heroes.
NSA Jake Sullivan expressed deep concerns and the will to ensure uninterrupted required medical supplies to India.
The U.S. is deeply concerned by the severe COVID outbreak in India. We are working around the clock to deploy more supplies and support to our friends and partners in India as they bravely battle this pandemic. More very soon.
Assuring immediate help US NSA Jake Sullivan to NSA Ajit Doval said, “United States has identified sources of specific raw material urgently required for Indian manufacture of Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available for India.”
An official statement issued by Sullivan read, “US has identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and PPE that will immediately be made available for India. US is also pursuing options to provide oxygen generation & related supplies on an urgent basis.”
NSA Jake Sullivan’s official statement on his call with NSA Doval
Embargo on raw materials
Justifying invocation of the Defence Production Act which led to the curtailment of exports on raw materials for making the Covid-19 vaccines, the State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said, “We have a special responsibility to the American people. It’s, of course, not only in our interest to see Americans vaccinated, it’s in the interests of the rest of the world to see Americans vaccinated.”
The Biden administration thereafter came under severe criticism from across the globe, including from members and supporters of the Democratic party, for holding back the unused surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India when the country is facing a health crisis.
Citizens were quick to remind the Biden administration of the help extended by India for supplying hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug being cited as many as a game-changer in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 when no other scientific solution was available to fight the deadly pandemic.
The Indian manufacturers started to face a shortage of supplies since early April. Adar Poonawalla, CEO and owner of Serum Institute of India, took to Twitter to appeal to US President Joe Biden to lift the embargo on the export of raw materials essential to the manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccine Covishield amidst the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic.
On April 16, 2021, Adar Poonawalla said that “if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details.”
Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details. ??
Wanting to protest himself, Poonawalla in an interview with India Today remarked, “I wish I could go there and protest in the US myself to say that you are holding back critical raw material that are required for Covaxin and so many vaccine manufacturers in India and other parts of the world.”
However, Poonawalla assured that the shortage and the struggle to procure raw material will not prolong because in a few months, they will be able to develop other suppliers.
India receives aid from across the globe
India has received help in kind from many countries which were once supported by India while dealing with the pandemic.
After criticizing the slowdown of the export of vaccines from India, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed solidarity with the people of India and said that they are preparing a “mission to support” to aid India’s fight against the pandemic.
The European Union (EU) has also pledged its support to India amid the second wave of coronavirus.
“The EU together with its member states will do its utmost to support India in this difficult moment,” said Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India and Bhutan in a tweet.
India has also received backing from the UK government with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeting, “We stand side by side with India in the shared fight against COVID-19. Vital medical equipment is on its way from the UK to India to help stop the tragic loss of life from the virus and we’ll continue to work closely with the Indian government during this difficult time.”
We stand side by side with India in the shared fight against COVID-19. Vital medical equipment is on its way from the UK to India to help stop the tragic loss of life from the virus and we’ll continue to work closely with the Indian government during this difficult time.
France too has come forward to supply a significant supply of medical oxygen in the coming days to curb the acute shortage being faced by the country.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is shipping 80 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to India as the nation is running low on supplies.
“Embassy of India is proud to partner with Adani group and M/s Linde in shipping much-needed 80MT liquid oxygen to India. Our heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Health Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their help, support, and cooperation, the Indian mission in Riyadh tweeted.
Embassy of India is proud to partner with Adani group and M/s Linde in shipping much needed 80MT liquid oxygen to India. Our hearfelt thanks to Ministry of Health Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their help, support and cooperation.@MEAIndia@drausaf@SaudiMOH@HMOIndiapic.twitter.com/6j8NuGwtCB
— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) April 24, 2021
India fighting Covid
Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours India has recorded 219,272 discharges taking the overall recoveries to 14,304,382.
As per Ministry of Health data, more than 141 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered as of 8 am today.
One photograph that we saw splashed all over social media, Twitter, Facebook or even family groups on WhatsApp, was one that had an aerial view of a burning ghat in India by Reuters. Some shared it with ire, talking about the insensitivity of the journalist who clicked the photo, some to spread propaganda and a vast majority out of fear.
Sharing this picture on Twitter, Danish Siddiqui, the Pulitzer prize-winning chief photographer of Reuters in India, had written, “As India posted world record of COVID cases funeral pyres of people, who died due to the coronavirus disease were pictured at a crematorium ground in New Delhi, April 22, 2021”.
As India posted world record of COVID cases funeral pyres of people, who died due to the coronavirus disease were pictured at a crematorium ground in New Delhi, April 22, 2021. @Reuters#CovidIndiapic.twitter.com/bm5Qx5SEOm
Where there is death, there are going to be funeral pyres. But what really irked people about this photograph? The insensitivity of journalists clicking pictures while several were making their last journey was not lost on anyone. Dignity in death is certainly far more a precious right of any human being than the right to report. While COVID-19 is a crisis that must be reported, journalists who turn themselves into vultures and their profession into that of voyeurism often draw the criticism of their readers.
People all over the world died, and are still dying in large numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. But the vulturism and morbid obsession over their funeral pyres is somehow seen only in India, for white publications that could not really care to accord dignity to Indians, especially, to Hindus.
This picture was shared by Danish multiple times of Twitter. Thanking people for the compliments.
It is our DUTY to document what is happening around us, he said. Nothing ‘heroic’ about it.
Thanks for your kind words. I don't think there is anything HEROIC about it. As journalists, this is what we signed up for. It's our DUTY to document what is happening around us. https://t.co/zuNkyK8Mt4
On April 15th, Danish posted more pictures of the deluge. Thousands of deaths. Many out of breath.
Everyone needs to realise that India’s healthcare system is under tremendous pressure. We were never fully prepared for this pandemic. Situation could have been a little bit better if we had made public healthcare as a priority over the last few decades. pic.twitter.com/kk7Y9XSUDh
While many complimented Danish for his heroism, Reuters milked the images of Hindus being cremated to the hilt. Current on their home page, there are several articles that talk about the COVID-19 deluge in India, several with pictures of the burning pyres.
Reuters headlines on their home page
Reuters headlines on their home page
Reuters headlines on their home page
Reuters headlines on their home page
Reuters headlines on their home page
And another, nestled in an article slideshow.
Another picture of the cremation grounds
6 articles and 7 pictures in a span of two days, splashed across their current homepage. This morbid obsession that Reuters seems to harbour of watching Hindus burn is not related to telling people about the COVID-19 deluge, as one would expect Reuters to say. To write about the COVID-19 deluge and tell people just how alarming the situation is, one does not need to splash images of burning Hindus on their front page, all over their website and in multiple articles published. One needs to only talk about the truth, the cold, hard numbers, even those of death.
But Reuters would rather splash images of crematoriums, denying Hindus dignity in death. And why not? After all, the photographer for Reuters is an Indian and Indian vultures are feasting on the dead as well.
One recalls how Barkha Dutt has parked herself in front of crematoriums and often, reports from inside them. After reporting from inside the crematorium a few days ago, Barkha Dutt was parked outside it yet again yesterday. Proudly patting herself on the back and calling this the ideal way to report a humanitarian crisis.
Delhi tonight. The loneliness of the COVID Cremation ground. And if you start tabulating those dying at hospitals en masse amid oxygen shortages … 25 Jaipur Golden, 25 Ganga Ram.. 22 Nashik… anyone counting our dead ? pic.twitter.com/M1piN6FzEe
Frankly, the crisis is truly unfolding in government officers of the chief minister who could not care less. Of babus who did nothing knowing that the second wave was afoot. The news is how hospitals are ill-equipped to handle a calamity this size. The news is asking why private hospitals did not ramp up their oxygen supply or why state governments did not set up the oxygen generation plants they were allocated money for. The real story is how people are scrambling for beds and the fear-mongering in the media that is backing up our healthcare system. Those who don’t need hospitalisation or oxygen support are desperately running for it as well, because of the feeding frenzy in the media, leaving little space for those who need it. Those who are ending up in the crematoriums.
But those stories are not as enticing as showing pictures of them burning Hindus. Tragedy porn sells and Reuters is perhaps ensuring that they simply not let a tragedy go to waste.
The sheer lack of empathy is clear not only from how they splashed images of burning pyres across their home page but also from what they chose to cover and what they did not.
Reuters diligently covered the Kumbh Mela amidst the rising COVID-19 pandemic.
But even as the pandemic rages on and Reuters writes stories on pictures of Hindus’ funeral pyres, and their chief photographer in India talks about the Kumbh Mela amidst the rising number of COVID-19 cases, for some extremely odd reason, Danish has not managed to click even one picture of the farmers protest that is raging on till date. Or if he has, the editors at Reuters think it is a story unworthy of being covered by Reuters. They believe that the unmasked protestors who could just as easily become superspreaders have a right to protest amidst a growing pandemic because propaganda must always reign supreme.
Even as the Delhi government imposed lockdown till May 3rd, a piece of news reported by Reuters, none of their reporters has managed to reach the Delhi and Haryana borders where the farmer’s protest is still raging on unabated. None of them has managed to click pictures of the ambulances and other supplies that are sporadically finding it difficult to cross borders due to the raging protest and the borders that are still blocked.
Reuters has still not managed to report how Yogendra Yadav claimed that the government is trying to use the pandemic as an excuse to end the farmers’ protests. They have not managed to report how amidst the growing pandemic and with India looking at 3 lakh cases per day, the so-called farmers have yet against declared that they will march from Punjab to Delhi.
In a span of a week, this is how Reuters covered PM Modi, religious rallies and the farmers protest.
On the 16th of April, Reuters wrote about India battling record COVID surge as rallies and HINDU festivals drew huge crowds.
Reuters article from 16th April 2021
On April 20th, Reuters wrote about Prime Minister Modi being “scorned” over “reckless rallies, religious gatherings”.
Article by Reuters on the 20th of April 2021
But guess what they wrote on the 15th of April, just one day before they scorned Hindus festivals? Indian farmers vowing to carry on protest despite “concerns” about Coronavirus. Notice the difference in tone?
Reuters article on 15th April 2020
And only weeks ago, in the run up to the brutal COVID second wave, Reuters had reported how poor farmers are vowing to garner more support because PM Modi can be ‘scorned’ for religious gatherings, but out of control, violent protestors must carry on.
Reuters article on 22nd February 2021
Punjab has seen over 74 deaths and 7,000 cases in the last 24 hours. Delhi has seen thousands of new cases and an acute oxygen shortage with the Chief Minister being rapped by the Delhi High Court.
This is the graph that shows the number of new cases in Delhi.
Source: Google News
Of course, none of this really matters to Reuters. The pandemic, the suffering, the death, none of it really does. What matters is that India is suffering and that gives it an excuse to humiliate us even further.
We all remember those headlines wondering how India has managed to tame COVID-19 surge after the first wave. We all remember how western media almost denied India’s success and almost prayed for more deaths so they could watch us burn. Now that they have the opportunity, what would be better than images of Indians.. nay.. Hindus actually, literally burning?
The Scientists at China’s maximum-security Wuhan Institute of Virology banded together with the Chinese Army officials to study animal viruses and the diseases caused by them—something that has been vehemently denied by Beijing—but a report recently published by The Mail affirms.
The documents in possession of The Mail reportedly reveal that a countrywide plan, at the behest of a state body, was launched 9 years ago to investigate the origins of the new viruses and uncover the “dark matter” of biology responsible for the spread of diseases.
The project was a ‘success’ as one of the scientists involved in this collaborative initiative, who also published the first genetic sequence of the Covid-19 virus in January last year, discovered 143 new diseases in the first three years of the project alone.
The recent findings by The Mail jibes with the longstanding accusations levelled by the United States that the Chinese Army had used the Wuhan Institute of Virology(WIV) for bequeathing the intractable coronavirus to the world.
The project included five team leaders, including Shi Zhengli, the WIV virologist who had earned the moniker ‘Batwoman’ for her passionate researches into bats and viruses. Curiously, Zhengli was honoured as ‘advanced worker of the Chinese Academy of Science(CAS) by Beijing in January 2021.
Zhengli was quick to dismiss the American allegations of collaboration between the Chinese military and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Denying the allegations, Zhengli had last month said: “I don’t know of any military work at the WIV. That info is incorrect.”
While Zhengli refuted the accusations of the Chinese military’s involvement at the WIV, the project included another team member—Cao Wuchun, a senior army officer and government advisor on bioterrorism. Wuchun is among those listed on project reports as a researcher from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences of the People’s Liberation Army and works in close collaboration with other military scientists. He is also the director of the Military Biosafety Expert Committee.
Wuchun, who studied at Cambridge University, is also on the advisory board of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. He was also the second-in-command of the military team that was rushed into Wuhan to combat the new virus and develop a vaccine, said the Daily Mail report.
The report also shed light on a project called the discovery of animal-delivered pathogens carried by wild animals, which investigated the evolution of organisms that could infect human beings. Launched in 2012 and financed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the project was led by Xu Jianguo, who preened himself at a conference in 2019 that ‘a giant network of infectious disease prevention and control is taking shape’.
Interestingly, Jianguo also presided over the first expert group probing the emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan. He denied human transmission initially, despite evidence to the contrary from hospitals across the city. He also insisted in mid-January that the epidemic was limited and would eventually fizzle out in the coming weeks.
In 2018, the findings by scientists published in international journals found four new pathogens and ten new bacteria while ‘more than 1,640 new viruses were discovered using metagenomics technology’. This research is based on extracting the genetic material from samples, such as those collected by Zhengli from bat faeces and blood in the cave networks of Southern China.
Such widespread sampling helped Zhengli make a revelation last year about RaTG13, the closest known relative to the new strain of coronavirus that causes Covid. And predictably, it was stored at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. It was later discovered that she had changed the name of the virus identified in a previous paper, in a bid to obscure its connection with three miners who died from a strange respiratory disease they caught while clearing bat faeces.
Prof Zhengli had also conceded that 8 more SARS viruses had been discovered from the mine. The institute took its database of virus samples offline in September 2019, just a few weeks before the COVID-19 epidemic broke out in Wuhan.
Chinese dissidents claim coronavirus was a ‘man-made’ virus at Wuhan Institute of Virology
In the last few years, under the leadership of Premier Xi Jinping, the Chinese military has scaled up its hiring of scientists, as a part of the country’s efforts to attain global supremacy. Lianchao Han, a dissident who used to work for the Chinese government, said Cao’s involvement raised doubts that military researchers who are experts in coronaviruses might also be involved in bio-defense operations.
In September 2020, Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan had revealed that the coronavirus was a man-made virus at a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan. She had contended that the coronavirus was made in a government-controlled laboratory in Wuhan and had asserted that she has scientific proof to back the claim.
Speaking at a British talk show, scientist Dr Li-Meng Yan said she was assigned to investigate “new pneumonia” in Wuhan when she discovered a cover-up operation by the Chinese government’s to publicly deny the virus pandemic despite being aware of its presence.
“This virus is not from nature,” said Yan, adding that the genome sequence had a human fingerprint. Dr Li-Meng, who was a scientist at the Hong Kong School of Public Health, had to flee the country because she feared retribution from the Chinese Communist Party.
Growing belligerence of China against nations demanding a probe into the origins of coronavirus
The US State Department also raised apprehensions over risky ‘gain of function’ experiments to manipulate coronaviruses at the Wuhan lab and alleged that researchers at the institute fell sick with coronavirus symptoms weeks before the outbreak ripped through the central Chinese city. The former US President Donald Trump too insisted that the virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
China was recently under the firing line of Britain, the US and 12 other countries for denying to share key data and samples after a joint team of World Health Organisation and Chinese scientists termed the possibility of a lab leak being the reason for the pandemic as ‘extremely unlikely’.
However, China has been increasingly combative in tackling the allegations levelled against it. It has sought to economically punish countries who demanded a fair and impartial probe into the origins of the coronavirus. Beijing has also been belligerent in its denial of the accusations that the virus originated from Wuhan, launching aggressive propaganda campaigns instead to allege that the virus emerged from outside China.
The statistical report [pdf] released by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) reveals that there has been an increase in corruption cases by 26 percent in the state of Maharashtra since the beginning of 2021.
The report which cites data from January 01, 2021, to April 24, 2021, suggests that maximum arrests in corruption cases were made from the police department followed by officials of the revenue department.
In a shocking revelation, the bribery amount involving the police department is recorded to be Rs 11,58,100 followed by Municipal Corporations with Rs 10,05,500 and Revenue Department with Rs 9,45,400.
The total bribe amount involved in the 254 cases filed, amounts to Rs 61.89 lakh.
Statistics of new cases and arrests
As per the statistics, 254 new cases were registered by the ACB from early January till April 24 this year and 342 arrests of people involved in these cases have been made as compared to 201 new cases registered and 282 arrests made during the same period last year.
Of the 254 cases registered, 53 cases have been filed against the Revenue Department which has resulted in the arrest of 73 officials.
The report also reveals that 77 arrests have been made from the police department in connection to 50 cases of corruption, while 22 cases have been registered against various Municipal Corporations leading to arrests of 33 officials.
Maximum cases have been recorded from cities like Aurangabad (79) followed by Nashik (58), Pune (57), Thane (40) and Mumbai (32).
An ACB official revealed in a statement, “The police and Revenue departments have been among the top positions in corruption cases since past few years. Last year there were less cases registered because of the lockdown and once the lockdown was lifted, the cases again started rising. We appeal citizens not to fall into the demands made by corrupt government officials and come forward and lodge complaints with the ACB to ensure that corrupt officials are brought to book. We regularly take awareness campaigns for citizens to make them more aware about uprooting corruption.”
CBI files FIR against Anil Deshmukh
Meanwhile, an FIR has also been filed by the CBI against former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh on corruption charges.
Allegations of extortion and corruption were levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
The preliminary enquiry had been registered after the Bombay High Court ordered a CBI inquiry basis a PIL filed by Dr Jaishri Patil. Terming the case as ‘extraordinary and unprecedented, the Bombay High Court had also said that after the preliminary inquiry ordered by it, the CBI would be free to decide further course of action. Therefore, it allowed the CBI to file an FIR in the case if it did find evidence against Anil Deshmukh in the allegations leveled against him by Parambir Singh.
Ahead of the 7th phase of Vidhan Sabha elections in West Bengal, incident of bombing has surfaced from the Borderpara area in Tentulia in the Murshidabad constituency, reported Zee 24 ghanta. The attack took place late on Sunday (April 25) night.
As per reports, the unidentified goons targetted the BJP office in Tentulia and tore down party flags and banners. While speaking about the matter, a local (dressed in cyan T-shirt) said, ” The attack was carried out by the Trinamool Congress. There has been bombing in the area. The TMC goons have threatened us publicly.”
On being asked about the specific location where the bombing incident took place, another local responded, “The bombing took place right in our village, in front of my uncle’s house. The (goons) had initially captured my uncle. Around 25-30 miscreants had come to orchestrate the attack. This is what they have been doing for several nights now. They have taken away our sleep.”
Video Courtesy: Youtube/News 24 Ghanta)
“They are not allowing us to even cast our vote. The goons have been threatening the agents (of BJP),” he concluded. The first local said, “They tried to destroy the BJP party office but could not succeed due to our presence. But, they hurled bombs and left the place.” Owing to the fear that they might be obstructed or physically barred from exercising their right to vote, several women in Tentulia have decided to cast their vote early in the morning.
“I am going to vote early. Everyone is saying that a ruckus might break out later in the day,” a woman lamented. Following the bombing incident, an atmosphere of fear and anxiety has gripped the area. Voting for the 7th phase of polls is currently underway in 34 constituencies in West Bengal. These include 4, constituencies in Kolkata, 6 constituencies each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda, and 9 constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman.
Crude bombs hurled in Minakhan Vidhan Sabha assembly during 5th phase
Earlier during the 5th phase of polls, crude bombs were hurled at poll booth 114 in West Bengal’s Minakhan Assembly. The Trinamool Congress party had pinned the blame of the attack on the members of Peerzada Abbasuddin Siddique’s party Indian Secular Front. Besides, incidents of violence were also reported from outside polling booth 115 in Minakhan Assembly.
In a separate incident, BJP and TMC workers clashed after the BJP polling agent was allegedly assaulted in West Bengal’s North Bardhaman district. The Trinamool Congress alleged that at least 35 “outsiders” and “BJP goons” were ‘threatening’ TMC voters who were on their way to the polling booth in Nadia’s Kalyani.
With Sachin Vaze and Riyaz Kazi sent to extended judicial custody by a special NIA court till May 05, the National Investigation Agency has also secured suspended Crime Branch Inspector Sunil Mane’s custody till April 28.
In a recent update, the NIA reportedly conducted raids at Locals Arms Office in Marol, Andheri where Mane was recently posted, and at his prior office Crime Branch Unit 11 in Kandivali, Mumbai suburbs.
#NewsAlert | NIA raids Mumbai cop Sunil Mane’s offices in Andheri. A red color car, reportedly owned by Mane has been seized by NIA.
The NIA also conducted a raid at a location in Borivali from where a red car allegedly belonging to Mane was seized. The vehicle has been handed over to forensics to trace any relevant evidence in connection to Mumbai businessman Mansukh Hiren’s death case.
Allegations on Mane
Police inspector Sunil Mane, who was arrested on Friday by the NIA was said to be present in the area at Thane where Hiren was murdered in a car on March 4 and his body dumped in a creek nearby as per technical evidence found against him.
The NIA is also in search of a SIM card used by Mane to make calls to Hiren on the 3rd and 4th of March. As per sources, Mane was present at a meeting between the suspended APIs and was reportedly involved in passing on SIM cards procured from Vaze to other officials who were involved in the case.
On Saturday, Mane was taken to the three spots at Thane including the Reti Bunder creek where Hiren’s body was found.
Mane’s involvement
NIA has also been scrutinizing Mane’s call details to establish who he was in touch with before and after the Antilia bomb-scare incident in February and Mansukh Hiren’s murder.
The investigation has incidentally revealed that the person who made the last call to Hiren around 8.30 pm on March 4, before he went missing, identified himself to be a crime branch officer from ‘Kandivali’. The call was made to get the victim out to Ghodbunder Road in Thane on the pretext of a meeting.
The conspiracy
As per NIA sources, Mane was under suspicion from the beginning of the investigation for his involvement in the case. Sources claim that Mane was a crucial part of the conspiracy hatched to eliminate Hiren.
It is said that he was present at the crime intelligence unit (CIU) office on March 3, when Vaze was trying to convince Hiren to take the blame for placing the explosives-laden Scorpio near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence Antilia. Vaze had promised the businessman to get him out on bail in a few days.
Upon Hiren’s refusal to take the blame, Sachin Vaze along with his associates hatched a plan to eliminate the 48-year-businessman from Thane.
An NIA officer added that Mane was also allegedly a part of the meeting which was held at Chakala in Andheri by Vaze and Vinayak Shinde – a former constable arrested in the Mansukh Hiren death case.
Mane, Maharashtra Police service officer from the 1995 batch, was in charge of Mumbai’s Crime Branch’s Unit 11 until he was recently transferred to the local arms division as a part of the clean-up drive undertaken by police commissioner Hemant Nagrale after Sachin Vaze’s arrest by the NIA.
When NIA began the probe, Mane was posted in Mumbai’s Crime Branch’s Unit 11, Kandivali.
Amidst the 7th phase of Vidhan Sabha polls in West Bengal, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) polling agent was caught sporting a cap bearing the face of CM Mamata Banerjee. The incident took place on Monday (April 26) at the polling booth in Baktarnagar High school in Paschim Bardhaman. It must be mentioned that sporting election symbols on polling day on vehicles, pamphlets, and other paraphernalia is a breach of the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission.
WB: Agnimitra Paul, BJP candidate from Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency in Paschim Bardhaman says that TMC polling agent was wearing a cap with CM’s photo on it, at polling booth in Baktarnagar High School.
As per reports, the accused TMC polling agent has been identified as one Nayan Chand. He was caught red-handed by Agnimitra Paul, the BJP candidate from the Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency. “Topi pade bosha royecha…Apni Presiding officer apni bolen ni je aita allowed na…Mamata Banerjee r topi padhe basha royeche (He is sitting with this cap… You are the Presiding officer. Did you not tell him that such a thing is not allowed? He is wearing the cap bearing Mamata Banerjee’s face),” she said.
Agnimitra Paul showcased the cap before the media. As seen in visuals, the cap bears the face of Mamata Banerjee. “Polling agents must know that you are not allowed to wear caps, head coverings that contain party symbols, logos, or the face of prominent leaders. TMC agent Nayan Chand was wearing this cap. Don’t they know the rules? TMC is after all a national party. Why didn’t Mamata Banerjee brief him about this? They are trying to influence people by pulling off these small tricks,” the BJP leader emphasised.
(Video Courtesy: Youtube/News24 Ghanta)
BJP agent manhandled, forcibly pushed out of polling booth by TMC goons
In another incident, a BJP polling agent named Sankar Sarkar was harassed and manhandled by Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons in Bakhra village of Ratua in Malda. He was pushed out of Booth No. 91 after they claimed that he was not a voter. While recounting his ordeal, he said, “I am an agent at booth number 91. Members of TMC, who are residents of the village, told me that they won’t let me there as I’m not a voter there. They forcefully pushed me out. I was threatened by them.”
I am an agent at booth number 91. Members of TMC, who are residents of the village, told me that they won’t let me there as I’m not a voter there. They forcefully pushed me out. I was threatened by them: Sankar Sakar, BJP polling agent#WestBengalPollspic.twitter.com/qSXzhrTvhQ
A Trinamool Congress worker has however claimed that the BJP polling agent was not harassed. “He is not a voter here so we asked him to leave respectfully. Nobody threatened him,” the man claimed. Voting for the 7th phase of polls is currently underway in 34 constituencies in West Bengal. These include 4, constituencies in Kolkata, 6 constituencies each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda, and 9 constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman.
An RTI (Right To Information) application has revealed that Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government received almost Rs 35 crores under LG/CM Relief Fund from March 2020 to January 2021. The Kejriwal government spent over Rs 17 crores from the amount. However, it failed to provide information on funds it spent to control the Covid-19 pandemic from March 2020 to January 2021. It has to be noted that the Delhi Government has been accusing the central government of the surge and mismanagement of pandemic in the national capital.
Details of the RTI
RTI applications were filed by RTI activist Vivek Pandey. Speaking to OpIndia, Vivek informed that he filed two RTI applications with Delhi Government to get information on funds collected under CM/LG relief fund since March 2020 and how it was utilised.
Delhi Govt received 3477.62 lakh in Delhi LG/CM relief Funds Money spent from March 2020 to Jan 2021= 1727.54 lakh
Filed 2 #RTIs to get details of expenses but still after 5 months Delhi govt is not able to finalize it
He also asked the AAP-led Delhi Government if they had spent any money on controlling the Covid-19 pandemic during the period. The first RTI was filed in November 2020 and second was filed in February 2021.
Both RTIs had almost similar replies
Vivek shared the questions he had sent in both RTIs and screenshots of the replies he had received from the Delhi Government. In the first RTI application submitted on November 16, 2020, he asked the govt to provide details of the amount deposited in LG/CM relief funds from March 2020 till date. In the reply, it was mentioned that a total of Rs 34.69 crores were collected during that period.
RTI application by Vivek Pandey and reply by Delhi government in November 2020
On the question of how much the government had spent from the fund, it was mentioned that Rs 17.02 crores were spent to date. However, the government of Delhi was unable to provide the details of where they spent the money, stating the data was not finalized and reconciled yet. To the query on how much money was spent on Covid pandemic control, the reply came as NIL.
RTI application by Vivek Pandey and reply by Delhi government in February 2021
After waiting for three months, Vivek submitted another application hoping to get a better answer from Kejriwal’s Government. The only difference in the replies that Delhi Government provided was the difference in the amount they received (Rs 34.77 crores) and the amount they spent (Rs 17.27 crores). To the query, how much money they spend on Covid pandemic control was NIL.
Delhi Government should have used funds for preparations, said Vivek
Speaking to OpIndia, Vivek said that the Delhi Government had been consistently blaming the central government for the mismanagement of health infrastructure in the national capital amid a rising number of Covid cases. However, despite of having funds in hand, Kejriwal allegedly did nothing to control the pandemic. “He could have established oxygen plants or make some arrangements beforehand with the funds from CM Relief Fund,” said Vivek. Notably, Kejriwal Government tried to take credit for the relief work Central Government did after Delhi Government failed to manage the pandemic last year. Even during the second, they tried the same tactics but failed.
Out of proportion ad expenses of Delhi government
As per reports, Delhi Government has spent hundreds of crores on ads in print, television and online media in the last few months. With over Rs 150 crores spent just on ads in 2021, Delhi Government appears to have a different set of priorities. In March alone, the govt spent whooping Rs.92.48 crores on ads. A Twitter user said that he counted ads playing for 15 times within six hours on TV.
The covid situation in Delhi
On April 25, Delhi reported 22,933 new cases. So far, the state has recorded 10,27,715 Covid-19 cases, out of which 9,18,143 have recovered. There are 94,592 active cases in the state, and 14,248 people have lost their lives to Covid-19 related complications. 350 people died on April 25. The state has been reporting over a 30% positive rate from the last one week. There is also a consistent drop in the number of vaccinations administered in the state from the last two weeks. Since April 10, when the state had issued 1,05,918 vaccine shots, Delhi could not cross the 1 lakh/day mark. On some days, the state was struggling to administer even 50,000 shots.
