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Madhya Pradesh Government proposes conversion-regulation law, conversion by fraud to be punished with ₹1 lakh fine and 10 years of imprisonment

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Madhya Pradesh Government proposes conversion-regulation law, conversion by fraud to be punished with ₹1 lakh fine and 10 years of imprisonment

On Saturday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a meeting to discuss the proposed law aimed at preventing religious conversion using fraudulant means, aimed at checking the growing menace of grooming jihad. He stated that the law is a part of the government’s Beti Bachao Abhiyan and will be taken up in the Winter Session of the Assembly.

Under the new conversion-regulation law, a marriage solemnised for the sole purpose of conversion will be deemed null and void. All such cases will be probed by police officers, not below the rank of sub-inspectors. The offence will be non-bailable, cognizable and can be taken by Sessions Court. Moreover, the burden of proof will lie on the accused. Individuals, willing to convert to another religion, will have to make a declaration before the District Magistrate at least one month in advance.

Section 3 of the proposed law states, “no one can convert or attempt to convert either directly or otherwise anyone else from one religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage.” Individuals found violating the law can be imprisoned for 1-5 years and fined not less than ₹25,000. The quantum of punishment for the accused will increase if the victim is a minor or a member of the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.

A provision has been laid out to imprison such individuals from 2-10 years and fined up to ₹50,000. Similarly, attempts to hide one’s religion for fraudulently solemnising a marriage will be punishable by 3-10 years imprisonment and a fine of at least 50,000. At the same time, individuals found involved in mass conversions will be punished with ₹1 lakh fine and between 5-10 years imprisonment. A complaint can be lodged against the accused by the parents and blood relatives of the victim.

If a person wants to undergo religious conversion, he or she would need to make a declaration before a district magistrate at least a month in advance under the proposed law.

Uttar Pradesh government gets assent for anti-conversion law

Days after Yogi Adityanath government cleared the draft ordinance against unlawful religious conversions, the Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel also gave her assent to the ordinance. Soon after the approval by the Governor, the ordinance has come into force in the state. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 had been promulgated with the approval of the Governor, an official said.

The new anti-conversion law of the Uttar Pradesh government is aimed at preventing forced conversions under the pretext of love and marriage. “There were more than 100 incidents reported in which forceful religious conversion was being done. Also, it was reported religious conversions were going on in the state using deceitful means. So to make a law on this becomes an important matter of policy now,” UP Cabinet Minister Siddharth Nath Singh had earlier remarked. Under the new law, a jail term of 1-5 years is awarded to the accused (extended to 3-10 years in case of SC/STs) and a fine of ₹15,000 (₹25,000 in case of SC/STs). Moreover, the offender’s proven guilty for mass conversion will attract a jail term of 10 years.

‘Mandir Wahin Banayenge’: Watch the iconic speech by L.K. Advani vowing to rebuild temple at Ayodhya

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‘Mandir Wahin Banayenge’: Watch the iconic speech by L.K. Advani vowing to rebuild temple at Ayodhya

No one can forget the role of veteran leader L.K. Advani in the Ram Mandir movement. His iconic speeches from the famous Rath Yatra has been making rounds on the 28th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. In 1990, during the Rath Yatra, Advani replied to those including then-Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, who asked him to cancel his march towards Ayodhya and go back.

Advani said, “Log kehte hain ki aap adalat ka faisla kyun nahi maante? Adalat kya is baat ka faisla karegi ke yahan par Ram ka janm hua tha ke nahi hua tha? (People say, why don’t you respect the court’s verdict? Can the court decide whether Ram was born here or not?)

Urging the leaders to not stop the advancement of Rath, Advani said, “Aap se to itni hi asha hai ke beech mein mat pado. Raaste mein mat aao. Kyunki yeh jo Rath hai, Lokrath hai. Janata ka Rath hai. (We only wish that you do not try to interfere. Don’t come in our way. Because this Rath is the will of people and that of people).”

He said that the Rath has left Somnath to perform the Karseva at the Ram Janmabhoomi. “Mandir Wahin Banayenge. Usko kaun rokega. Kaun si sarkar rokne wali hai?” (We will build the temple on that spot. Who can stop this? Which government can stop this?),” Advani had said. The Rath left Somnath on 25th September 1990 and reached Ayodhya on 30th October 1990.

Bhavya Ram Mandir will be ready in two years

On December 6, 1992, the disputed structure at Ayodhya was demolished by the Karsevaks in an unplanned event. The land dispute case finally came to an end on November 9, 2019, when the Supreme Court of India gave the judgment in favour of Ramlalla Virajman and allowed the construction of Bhavya Ram Mandir. The construction of the temple was started in August 2020, and it is expected to complete in two years. 

From ‘Mandir Wahin Banayenge’ to ‘Mandir Wahin Bann Raha Hai’, we have come a long way.

Coronavirus: Air India Express in dock after crew member allowed to fly despite testing positive

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus: Air India Express in dock after crew member allowed to fly despite testing positive

In a shocking revelation, a 44-year-old female crew member of Air India Express was allowed to operate, despite having tested positive for the deadly Coronavirus infection, reported Hindustan Times.

On November 12, the said woman had undergone an RT-PCR test and the results of the test were reportedly available with the airlines around 50 minutes before her scheduled flight from IGI airport in Delhi on November 13. Hindustan Times reported that she was nevertheless allowed to operate throughout the day on the same sector. She even returned to her base station in Delhi by a return flight. The woman was quarantined only the following day.

Air India Express conceded that the crew member had tested positive and has now launched a probe in the case. Although the airlines did not inform whether the woman was symptomatic or asymptomatic, a spokesperson informed, “The said flight was a Delhi-Madurai flight, for which a pre-flight RT-PCR test is not mandatory. The head crew member was to operate the international sector the next day and hence had taken the test. However, she was quarantined from November 14 onwards and no other fellow crew members when tested were found infected. We will, however, surely investigate the matter.”

Allegations of data manipulation against Air India Express

Hindustan Times, cited sources, to allege that Air India Express officials tried to tamper with the report data of the infected crew member in their system. The source had claimed that the officials removed the information about the employee undergoing an RT-PCR test on November 12. As such, there would be no proof of the airline being privy to her condition, if the report wasn’t accessed. “Tampering already logged in data is illegal,” the source emphasised.

Violation of Coronavirus protocols, alleges aviation expert

Another source informed that crew members in domestic flights are allowed to operate, even if their test reports are awaited to avoid shortage of staff. The official stated that it was ‘unacceptable’ to allow an infected crew member to fly, just a days before her scheduled international flight on November 14. Aviation expert Vipul Saxena stated that such an exercise, on the part of the airlines, was a violation of Coronavirus protocols and that last-minute changes to scheduling for crew members was possible. “A detailed inquiry must be initiated to check the symptoms of the head crew member and also whether she was forced to take the flight,” he added.

Hong Kong bans Air India flight for fortnight

Hong Kong in November had banned Air India flights from arriving in the country after a few passengers onboard testing positive for coronavirus. The ban, fifth time since August this year, was in place till December 3. While scheduled flights remain suspended, the Air India has been allowed to operate special flights under the Vande Bharat mission with counris where it has Air Bubble pact in place.

Kumaraswamy attacks Congress, says lost goodwill and faith of the people by joining hands with it for power

OpIndia Staff
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Kumaraswamy attacks Congress, says lost goodwill and faith of the people by joining hands with it for power

Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday launched a scathing against the Congress party saying that he lost goodwill of people and his supporters by joining hands with Congress party.

Speaking at a press conference, Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister said that the goodwill he had earned during the last 12 years was destroyed by Congress leaders, especially Siddaramaiah.

“The goodwill that I had earned from the people of the state in 2006-07 (as CM) and which I had maintained for 12 years despite the big campaign against me for not transferring power to BJP, everything got destroyed by joining hands with the Congress,” HD Kumaraswamy said.

HD Kumaraswamy, however, also clarified that he did want to blame his father former Prime Minister HD Devegowda as he understood and respects his lifelong commitment towards ‘secular’ identity. The former Chief Minister went on to add that he did not want to hurt his father once again in 2018 and joined hands with the Congress party he was against the idea JD(S) to ally with the BJP.

After hung assembly emerged in Karnataka after 2018 assembly polls, the Congress-JD(S) joined hands together in a post-poll alliance to form the government to keep BJP, which was the single largest party in the state, out of power. However, a year after the coalition government collapsed due to internal rebellion and resulted in the formation of a BJP government in the state

I would have been the Chief Minister if I had still aligned with the BJP

The JDS leader also spoke about the torturous time he had to undergo due to his alliance with the Congress party after 2018 assembly elections. HD Kumaraswamy said he would have still been the chief minister if the JD(S) was allied with the BJP.

“Why did I shed tears in just a month’s time after I became CM in 2018? I knew what all was going on. The BJP did not hurt me that way the Congress has to my reputation,” he added.

Kumaraswamy also remembered how both Siddaramaiah and former speaker Ramesh Kumar had said that what they will gain with Kumaraswamy as the CM. He also said he should not have joined hands with Congress that had repeatedly attacked the JD(S) calling it BJP’s “B team”, but because of party supremo HD Deve Gowda’s insistence he agreed to form the coalition government.

“It has now led to my party losing its strength…I fell to the trap, to emotional feelings of Deve Gowda because of which my party that had won 28-40 seats independently in the last three elections is suffering, ” he said.

The former Chief Minister maintained that joining with Congress was the reason for the downfall of his party and his personal goodwill.

Congress made Kumaraswamy cry

During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Kumaraswamy had cried publicly a few times because of the difficulties he faced while running coalition government with Congress. He regularly sulked over Congress-JDS alliance in Karnataka. I’m swallowing my pain, which is like swallowing poison, without sharing it”, Karnataka CM had once said in the context of heading a coalition government that lacks people’s mandate. Prior to that, HD Kumaraswamy wailed that he was working like a clerk and not like a CM due to Congress interference.

From vowing to reconstruct ‘Babri Masjid’ to casting aspersions on Supreme Court for Ayodhya verdict, Islamists trend #BabriYaadRahega

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From vowing to reconstruct ‘Babri Masjid’ to casting aspersions on Supreme Court for Ayodhya verdict, Islamists trend #BabriYaadRahega

Today is the 28th anniversary of Babri Demolition. On December 6, 1992, hundreds of Karsevaks brought down the disputed structure at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. On the anniversary of the unplanned demolition of the structure, Islamists are trending #BabriYaadRahegi and posting hateful comments about Hindus.

Popular Front of India (PFI), a radical Islamist outfit, has issued a poster in remembrance of the disputed structure. In the poster, it is written, “Babri will rise one day” and “Lest we forget.” The poster is being widely shared by PFI supports across India with the hashtag #BabriYaadRahegi.

Several other radical Islamists have shared similar hateful tweets on the social media platform. One user Seraj Ahmed called the Karsewaks terrorists and alleged that the Indian judicial system has failed to deliver justice.

While some called it a shame for Democratic country and said they would tell their children how Babri Masjid was demolished, others have called the Supreme Court’s decision to allow construction of Ram Mandir an ‘unjust judgment.’

A user has alleged that the intention was not to demolish a structure on Ram Janmbhoomi but the aim was to demolish a mosque. A student from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Afreen Fatima said that Babri was there, it is there and it will remain there. In January, she spoke against the verdict and called Afzal Guru innocent in one of her speeches at anti-CAA protests. Fatima was one of the popular faces of anti-CAA protests that led to the anti-Hindu riots in February 2020.

The landmark judgement of November 9

On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court of India favored Ram Lalla Virajmaan and handed over the disputed land to the Hindus in its landmark judgment. The court had asked the central government to form a trust that will take over the construction of Bhavya Ram Mandir. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust was formed in February 2020. On August 5, Bhoomipujan was performed at Ram Janmabhoomi to begin the construction of the temple in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other leaders and saints. The construction of the temple is expected to complete in two years.

Karnataka: Two, including online food delivery agent Munir Naz, arrested by Mangaluru Police for pro-terrorist graffiti

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Two, including online food delivery agent Munir Naz, arrested by Mangaluru Police for pro-terrorist graffiti

The Mangaluru police have arrested two persons in connection with graffiti that was written in support of Islamic terrorist organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Taliban in different parts of the city last week.

According to the reports, the Mangaluru police have arrested two culprits identified as Mohammad Shaarik and Maz Munir Ahmed, both from Theerthahalli.

The 22-year-old Mohammed Shaarik (22) has completed B.Com and running a cloth shop in Theerthahalli. Another accused, Maz Munir Ahmed is currently studying B.Tech from a private college in Mangaluru. The accused Munir Ahmed worked as an online food delivery agent in Mangaluru, the police said.

Earlier, there were media reports that the Kadri police had nabbed a person named Nazeer Mohammad in connection with the case. Nazeer Mohammad was reported to an online food delivery agent as well. However, the police denied such arrest later.

Accused committed crime to gain publicity

Addressing the media, Mangaluru police commissioner Vikash Kumar said that the accused committed such a crime to gain publicity. He added that the two accused painted the graffiti at court road three weeks before they wrote on the walls at Bejai.

“The graffiti at court road was written in Urdu language but in English script, but the graffiti went unnoticed as people here could not understand the language. The two accused then decided to write at Bejai wall of an apartment to gain publicity,” he added.

The police commissioner said the accused were traced based on their networks. He added that both the accused will produce them to the court to seek police custody and further investigation will be conducted.

“We will also find out if they have any links to any organizations,” the commissioner said.

Graffiti hailing Islamic terror, threatening non-Muslims spotted in Mangaluru

In a horrific incident last week, two graffiti – one hailing radical Islamist terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Taliban and another threatening non-Muslims, were spotted at circuit road in Mangaluru, Karnataka.

On November 26, on the anniversary of the ghastly terror attacks in 2008, the first graffiti threatening to bring Lashkar-e-Toiba and Taliban’s help to eliminate ‘Sanghis’ and ‘Manuvadis’ was spotted by the locals.

The graffiti read, “Do not force us to invite Lashkar-e-Taiba and Taliban to Deal with Sanghis and Manvedis (Manuvadis)”. Further, in the corner, a hashtag is painted with the words “Lashkar Zindabad”. A case was registered subsequently at Kadri police station under section 153 and other sections related to causing destruction to public property.

Two days later, another disturbing graffiti was spotted in the city. The inscription was found outside an old police outpost in the court premises in Mangaluru, Karnataka.

“Gustak-e-Rasool ki ek hi saza, sar tan say juda (The only punishment for insulting Prophet Muhammad is beheading),” the graffiti read.

The graffiti incident in Mangaluru had caused a tense situation in the port city of Karnataka.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan objects to renaming of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology after RSS ideologue MS Golwalkar

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan objects to renaming of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology after RSS ideologue MS Golwalkar

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has objected to the decision of the union govt to rename the second campus of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) in Kerala after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar. The Chief Minister wrote to Dr. Harsh Vardhan expressing displeasure over the naming of the RGCB after the RSS ideologue. He said that it was a premier institution above political divides. Vijayan pointed out that the institution was being run by the state government and was handed over to the central government for its development to achieve international standards in research and development.

Although Vijayan objected to naming the institution after Golwalkar, he didn’t object to change of the name. The Kerala Chief Minister requested the Union Minister to consider his proposal favourably and name the institution after an eminent scientist. He said that this could keep up the reputation of the institution and avoid controversies in public domain.

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Harsh Vardhan had informed yesterday that the campus that will be a major knowledge centre and a hub for mid and high-level innovation will be renamed as ‘Shri Guruji Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar National Centre for Complex Disease in Cancer and Viral Infection’. Dr. Harsh Vardhan was addressing a curtain-raiser session of the sixth edition of Indian International Science Festival (IISF) scheduled for December 22-25 which was held online.

He said that the campus, planned to be developed in three phases, will strive to begin a state-of-the-art “Advanced Centre for Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics” and will offer cutting-edge technologies, therapies, clinical trials for cancer vaccines and immunotherapeutics. The campus will have facilities for therapies such as stem cell replacement, Gene therapy, molecular tumour, targeting and imaging. The Union Minister said that the second campus will also offer to investors, entrepreneurs, biotech and biopharma companies a state-of-the-art research facility incorporating a unique “test and prove” platform. Besides offering incubation facilities for startups, the campus will provide all pre-clinical, analytical, toxicological and biological assays to validate biotech or biological products.

Indian migrants constitute the largest high-skilled diaspora in OECD countries: Reports

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Indian migrants constitute the largest high-skilled diaspora in OECD countries: Reports

According to the latest data published by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), migrants from India represent the highly educated migrant group in 37 Member Nations of OECD. It is estimated that a total of 120 million migrants reside in these counties, with 30% of them possessing high education status (underwent vocational or academic training).

There are 3.12 million highly educated Indians, staying in OECD countries. “For India, which topped the list as of 2015/16 with more than three million highly educated migrants in the OECD, the share of those considered of high education status was nearly 65 per cent. China had a rate of 48.6 per cent highly educated migrants in the OECD – or 2.25 million,” the report stated.

OECD data reveals over 3 million highly skilled migrants from India

The report added, “Several countries experienced a spectacular progression, in terms of both their place in the ranking and their number of emigrants, in particular China, India, Poland, Romania and the Philippines.” The data revealed that a quarter of the 4.8 million migrants from India and 4.6 million migrants from China (in 2015-2016) had migrated since the year 2010-2011.

Screengrab of the OECD report

The OECD report further emphasised that Indians constitute the largest high-skilled diaspora in OECD countries. As per data, there are over 3 million tertiary-educated migrants from India, as compared to 2 million and 1.8 million from China and Philippines respectively. It stated, “OECD countries themselves have large numbers of high-skilled emigrants: approximately 1.4 and 1.7 million Germans and Britons, respectively, with university degrees, reside in other OECD countries.”

Indian diaspora sent remittances of $78.6 billion home

India continues to remain as the world’s highest recipient of remittance from abroad, with its diaspora sending back $78.6 billion in 2018. The 17.5 million-strong Indian diaspora, the largest in the world, makes 11.4% of the global remittance figure of $689 billion, reported Times of India.

According to the World Migration Report 2020, which was released on Wednesday by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), India has received $78.61 billion remittances in 2018, an increase of 14 per cent compared to 2015 in which India had received $68.91 billion. Remittances during 2010 were $53.48 billion, rising to $78.61 in 2018, an increase of nearly 47%.

Maharashtra government confirms that Anvay Naik murdered his own mother, Arnab Goswami moves HC against charge sheet: Here are the details

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Maharashtra government confirms that Anvay Naik murdered his own mother, Arnab Goswami moves HC against charge sheet: Here are the details

Just days after the Supreme Court of India had said that the abetment suicide case against Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami is prima facie not established, the Raigad police filed a charge sheet against Goswami and two others in the case yesterday. Importantly, it was filed hurriedly just before the Bombay High Court is scheduled to start hearing Arnab’s plea seeking to quash the against him. The HC will start hearing the matter on 10th December.

The charge sheet repeats the allegations made by Anvay Naik’s wife, that Goswami and two others deliberately withheld payments to Naik’s despite completing all work. It is notable that these allegations contradict the evidence produced in the case, where the three clients of Naik’s company had written letters to him informing that some payments were withheld due to defects/incompletion of allotted works.

Charge sheet says Anvay Naik had killed his mother

The charge sheet mentions another important point, which has not discussed much in this high-profile case, that Anvay Naik had killed his mother before committing suicide. The charge sheet that Naik had decided to end his life after not getting payments from his clients. It says that as his mother Kumud Naik was a partner in his company, he thought that his mother will face troubles after he commits suicide. Hence, he had called his mother to the farmhouse where they were found dead. There, Anvay Naik tied his mother, and strangulated her with his both hands, according to the charge sheet. It says that after killing his mother, he wrote a suicide note naming Arnab Goswami, Firoz Sheikh and Nitesh Sarda. After that, he killed himself by hanging from the roof.

Disregarding the Supreme Court observation that mere non payment of due amount can’t be abetment of suicide unless the accused played any direct role, the charge sheet says that Arnab Goswami and the two others are held responsible to the death of Anvay Naik either directly or indirectly.

Arnab Goswami files plea against Charge Sheet

A day after the Raigad police filed the charge sheet against Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami and two others in the alleged abetment of suicide case of Anvay Naik, Goswami moved court requesting to not take cognizance of the same. Alleging that the entire case reeks with malafide on the party of the state govt, he filed the interim plea with Bombay High Court, seeking issue of direction to the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Raigad-Alibaug to not consider the charge sheet.

The journalist has also urged the Court to stay all further proceedings, including investigation in the matter. Arnab Goswami via his legal counsels submitted a strong and detailed Interim Application regarding the politically-driven Chargesheet filed against him at a time when his own applications were in pendency with the Bombay High Court and the same were served on the state government.

The petition highlights the press conference held by Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on 29th November, when the minister had publicly declared that a “strong chargesheet” would be filed against Arnab Goswami “soon”. The declaration came after the Supreme Court had observed that the FIR filed in the case is frivolous as the charge of abatement of suicide is not established by the FIR.

Goswami’s plea contends that “the Home Minister of Maharashtra was not only prejudging and publicly guiding the investigation in the case, but was also putting a timeline of progression to the case. It is thus clear that the entire investigation in the case is being puppeteered by a political machinery and is tainted and prescripted by the executive powers at play of the Respondents.”

Arnab Goswami has alleged that case is a malicious vendetta-driven action scripted by the Maharashtra Government and executed by Maharashtra Police in the Anaya Naik suicide case, which is now before the Bombay High Court. Apart from submitting elaborate details of the established malice guiding the political Chargesheet, Arnab Goswami’s application highlights the fact that the state government was already served an application and was fully aware of the matter pending in High Court while filing the charge sheet.

After filing the plea, a statement issued by Republic TV has said that the Maharashtra Government has shot itself in the foot by filing a chargesheet in a case where the top court scrutinised the matter and found no cause of action. “There is no scope for the State machinery to get away with this campaign of malice anymore. The judiciary is watching. And, the nation is taking note”, it said.

In the interim application before the Bombay High Court today, Arnab Goswami has submitted that there is a fresh cause of action owing to the events given the continued political witch-hunt by the Maharashtra State machinery and the wrongful and illegal filing of the charge sheet at the instance of the Home Minister while the matter was listed to be heard on 7 December.

The interim states that “the chargesheet came to be filed deliberately despite the said IA pending circulation and hearing.” Elaborating on the malice of the Maharashtra govt, it says, “The said IA in good faith was served upon the Respondent No 1 on 4th December, 2020 at 11:18 am. Shockingly, despite these applications being filed and served the Respondent No 2 filed a chargesheet in the case. The state after being served a copy of the said IA and being fully aware of the pendency of the matter, and further knowing that this Hon’ble Court was to decide a date on the matter as mischievously and maliciously filed a chargesheet disregarding the due process of law. This exposes the deep-rooted malafide intent with which the Respondents are functioning.”

The petition further adds, “While being fully aware that the matter is in pendency of the Bombay High Court, in order to deliberately maliciously obfuscate the case filed before the court, the state police shockingly tried to manipulate the due process of law by filing a chargesheet less than 12 hours, of being served a copy of our praecipe proves the malafide, malicious capricious and intent of the state government of Maharashtra.”

Arnab Goswami also alleged that the Maharashtra govt has violated the observations of the apex court of the county. “In an utter violation of the observations of the highest court of the country about how no prima facie case has been established, within 8 days of the SC judgment, a chargesheet was hurriedly filed. The top court had said, “a prima facie evaluation of the FIR does not establish the ingredients of the offence of abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the IPC”. Republic TV said that the state government stands exposed on how the chargesheet is bereft of fact and a pure product of malice.

The interim application by Arnab Goswami is scathing as it speaks of how exactly 7 days after the declaration of the Home Minister of Maharashtra that a strong Chargesheet will be filed, the police followed the politically dictated script”. It says that “the direction of the investigation, the nature of accusations and the filing of a charge sheet are a result of political instruction and not a fair & impartial investigation as is mandated by the rule of law.”

Assam: FIR registered against ‘Ajmal Foundation’ run by AIUDF Chief for receiving funds from foreign Islamic organisations linked to terror funding

OpIndia Staff
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Assam: FIR registered against ‘Ajmal Foundation’ run by AIUDF Chief for receiving funds from foreign Islamic organisations linked to terror funding

A case has been registered against  ‘Ajmal Foundation’, run by All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal, at Dispur police station in Assam Friday. The case was filed following a complaint lodged by Satya Ranjan Bohra, who accused the NGO of receiving foreign funding and utilising it in suspicious activities, Guwahati CP M S Gupta was quoted by ANI as saying.

The complaint, lodged by Satya Ranjan Borah was based on the report of Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), a legal rights body.

“Ajmal Foundation, an organisation run by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, chief of AIUDF, being funded by some foreign agencies which are related to funding different terrorist groups and their terror activities as reported by an NGO Legal Rights Observatory. Considering the report, we want a proper investigation in this connection under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Ajmal Foundation has misused those foreign funds in several anti-national activities,” Borah alleged in the FIR.

Borah demanded that the AIUDF chief be arrested and awarded punishment for maintenance of national integrity, sovereignty, and social harmony. Borah suggested that some information provided in the FIR may be passed on to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for further investigation.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma backs allegations against AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal

Speaking on the issue, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told journalists that people always had the misconception that Ajmal spent from his pocket and did humanitarian work, which is far from reality.

“There was a time when he (Ajmal) used to receive Rs 70-75 crore from foreign agencies. With that, he ran a hospital and did some other work. An established institution, which exposed many cases of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) violations, has claimed that the sources, Ajmal received the funds from, are related to terrorism,” Sarma said, adding that he was hopeful the Central government would carry out a probe.

Ajmal Foundation receiving crores of rupees from foreign organisations known for terror funding

We reported earlier that legal activist group Legal Rights Observatory had accused Ajmal Foundation of receiving foreign funding to a tune of Rs 69.55 crore from various dubious sources which have been primarily engaged in terror financing and money laundering activities. LRO had stated that the NGO has spent only Rs 2.05 crore from the above amount its actual purpose of ‘education’ and the rest of the amount has been routed to AIUDF, an Islamist party run by Ajmal, to counter the nationalist parties in Assam.

Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) had also revealed the names of various Islamic terror groups based in Turkey, Palestine and the United Kingdom, which have been funding Ajmal Foundation.

LRO has written a letter to the Union Home Ministry stating that the Ajmal Foundation has violated the rule of the land and its FCRA license needs to be scrapped.

Meanwhile, Badruddin Ajmal Ajmal has refuted the charges. “The allegations, levelled against the foundation by a BJP-RSS NGO, are politically-motivated and a conspiracy to defame me. The Central government monitors the funds transactions,” said Ajmal.

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