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The battle for West Bengal: As Amit Shah raises the issue of atrocities on BJP Karyakartas, Mamata threatens ‘ukhaad ke phaink denge’

OpIndia Staff
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The battle for West Bengal: As Amit Shah raises the issue of atrocities on BJP Karyakartas, Mamata threatens ‘ukhaad ke phaink denge’

Home Minister Amit Shah is in West Bengal to give a kickstart to political programs in connection to the upcoming assembly elections in 2021. While Shah has raised the issue of atrocities on BJP Karyakartas in the state, Mamata Banerjee took a jibe on him and threatened to uproot BJP from West Bengal.

Violence and political killings are common

During his address to the public, Home Minister Amit Shah stated that violence and political killings had become the hallmark of the Mamata regime. He said, “Jis prakar ka daman ka chakra visheshtar Bhartiya Janata Party ke karyakartaon ke upar Mamata sarkaar ne chalaya hai main nishchit roop se dekh raha hun Mamata sarkaar ka Mrtiyughanta baj chukka hai. Aane wale dino mein yahan Bhartiya Janata Party ki 2/3 bahutmat ki sarkaar banane ja rahi hai. (The way Mamata government had indulged in atrocities against the workers of Bhartiya Janata Party, I am sure the end of Mamata regime has begun. In coming days, Bhartiya Janata Party will form government in Bengal with 2/3 majority.)”

He further appealed to the people of Bengal that as Bengal is a border state, its internal security is directly associated with the security of the country. To ensure the nation remains secure, the youth get job opportunities, and the poor people of Bengal come out of poverty; it is important to uproot the Mamata government. He urged people to give BJP a chance in Bengal and promised that BJP would take essential steps to bring the glory of ‘Sonar Bangla’.

Mamata Banerjee took jibe at Amit Shah

As per Times Now’s report, Mamata Banerjee took a jibe on Amit Shah. She has given a direct threat to Amit Shah and said, “Ukhad ke Faink Denge.” She further asked BJP not to lose political decency in the state. Banerjee said that the opposition parties are taking out political activities, including political rallies, which violate the pandemic law.

She had alleged that such actions by the opposition parties are organizing such events to aggravate the situation of Covid-19 in the state deliberately. She said that there is a ‘Lakshman Rekha’ between the state and the centre. The state has its own jurisdiction, and the centre has its own jurisdiction. She added that the centre does not have the right to interfere in the states’ matters or make baseless allegations. She said if she threatens BJP that “Ukhad ke faink denge” how will BJP respond.

Watch: The quarantine building in which Arnab Goswami is lodged after being sent to Judicial custody

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: The quarantine building in which Arnab Goswami is lodged after being sent to Judicial custody

Yesterday, on the 4th of November, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, was dragged, beaten and arrested by the Mumbai and Alibaug police. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, several police officers armed by assault rifles, led by encounter cop and erstwhile members of Shiv Sena, Sachin Vaze, barged into Arnab Goswami’s home and arrested him.

After that, he was taken to a police station in Alibaug and thereafter, produced in the Magistrate Court. The court, making scathing observations, sent Arnab Goswami to Judicial custody. This was seen as a victory by the lawyers since the Mumbai Police was asking for 14 days of police custody.

The observations made by the magistrate court are as follows:

  1. The 2018 suicide case was opened by the police without sanction from the court. 
  2. Chief Judicial Magistrate observed that there was no connection in the chain of suicide in the case in which Arnab was arrested, which was earlier closed in 2018 and now reopened, and Arnab Goswami’s role. 
  3. The CJM also observed that there is no ‘justifiable ground’ for the police custody sought as he pronounced the judgment. 

The quarantine centre in which Arnab Goswami is lodged after judicial custody

After the Magistrate Court in Alibaug granted Judicial custody of Arnab Goswami, he has been lodged in a quarantine centre in the area.

Building where Arnab Goswami is lodged

Lodged in a room, Arnab Goswami has been lodged here for 14 days, per the magistrate.

However, after the High Court refused to grant interim relief to Arnab Goswami today, the hearing has been postponed to tomorrow, where the court will hear the plea of Goswami’s lawyers to grant him relief and release him from custody.

Hounding of Republic TV by Mumbai Police

In an interview given to the Editor of OpIndia Hindi, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar had criticised the action of Mumbai police against Republic TV. “What Mumbai Police is doing, no one will endorse this”, the Minister said. Mumbai police had falsely implicated Republic TV in the TRP scam on the basis of an FIR naming India Today. The police had also reportedly coerced witnesses into naming Republic TV in the TRP scam. Mumbai police had also sought details of all financial transactions of the channel ever since its inception. Now, the Mumbai police has opened another front against Arnab Goswami, which is the 2018 suicide case which was closed back then.

Madhya Pradesh: Police book Congress MLA Arif Masood for hurting religious sentiments, Municipal Corporation demolishes his Illegal building

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Police book Congress MLA Arif Masood for hurting religious sentiments, Municipal Corporation demolishes his Illegal building

On Thursday, Talaiya Police, Bhopal, filed an FIR against Congress MLA Arif Masood and others under Section 153 (hurting religious sentiments) of IPC. The case was filed against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments during a protest he had organized at Iqbal ground against French President Macron.

Complaint against Masood

The FIR was registered against Masood based on the complaint by Deepak Raghuvanshi of Dharma Sanskriti Samiti. During his protest rally, Masood had allegedly attacked the State and Centre governments and called them ‘Hinduwadi’ as the Centre has shown support to France in the fight against radical Islam. An effigy of the French President and the country’s flag was also burnt during that event.

Non-bailable warrants have been issued for Masood’s arrest. Inspector-General of Police (Bhopal Range) Upendra Jain said, “A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Congress MLA Masood and six others under Section 153A of IPC.”

Masood was arrested earlier

It is to be noted that he was arrested based on another complaint against him for staging the same protest. An FIR was registered against him and 2000 others for violating Covid-19 restrictions. He was released on bail on Saturday.

Illegal building of Masood demolished

As per the reports, the Municipal Corporation of Bhopal has demolished a college building belonging to Arif Masood on the bank of a pond. The corporation demolished around 12,000 square feet of unauthorised construction in the presence of a heavy police force. The High Court had stayed the construction of the main building in 2005. ANI quoted AK Sahani, Assistant Engineer, Building Permission Section, “The honourable district court had, in 2005, issued a stay on the main building here. The construction was done on 12,000 square feet without the permission of the municipal corporation.”

Masood claimed he has a constitutional right to protest

In a statement, Masood had claimed that he has the constitutional right to protest against anyone who speaks against his religion. Under his leadership, while raising chants of Islamic slogans such as ‘Naara-e-Takbeer’, Muslims in Bhopal protested against French President Emmanuel Macron for his alleged ‘Islamophobic’ act. Masood had said that thousands of Muslims had assembled at Iqbal Maidan on Thursday to protest against the French President for speaking ill against Prophet Muhammad.

French President Macron had supported Charlie Hebdo and criticized Islam for its regressive approach. Several protests and attacks had happened in France and other parts of the world against the said cartoons of Prophet Mohammad published by satire magazine Charlie Hebdo in France.

High Court adjourns the interim relief plea to tomorrow, journalist Arnab Goswami to spend another night in custody after being beaten and dragged

OpIndia Staff
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High Court adjourns the interim relief plea to tomorrow, journalist Arnab Goswami to spend another night in custody after being beaten and dragged

A division bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik on Thursday heard the habeas petition filed by Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami against his arrest and remand in 2018 abetment to suicide case. The court refused to grant interim protection to Goswami, saying that the same plea will be considered tomorrow.

Appearing on the behalf of Arnab Goswami, senior advocate Abad Ponda said the commencement of new investigation against Arnab Goswami and the reopening the case is contrary to well-settled principles of criminal law. Ponda submitted before the Bombay HC seeking interim relief for the journalist.

But Justice Shinde said there is also a petition by the original informant and they also need to be heard before passing an order.

However, Ponda said that Arnab Goswami was already behind bars and the investigation is completely illegal. Ponda pressed for interim bail and urges the bench to keep the matter at least tomorrow.

“The manner in which this is done is completely shocking to a prudent man. The investigation could not have taken place when the ‘A Summary’ is on record,” said Advocate Ponda.

Senior Supreme Court advocate Harish Salve also made submissions before the Bombay High Court on behalf of Arnab Goswami. Salve said this is an issue of liberty of a citizen and Arnab Goswami was a journalist. “Will heavens fall if he is given interim release? I don’t understand, with due respect,” he added.

“Please release this man as an ad-interim measure and hear the case in detail later,” Salve added.

Police re-opening investigation shows scant respect for the Magistrate, counsel representing Arnab Goswami

However, Justice Shinde said he will give reasons for not granting ad-interim relief and added that the bench will hear the petition on re-opening date.

Arnab’s counsel represented by Ponda said that the police re-opening investigation shows scant respect for the Magistrate. The police served only an intimation to the Magistrate on October 15, 2020, about reopening the case, Ponda submitted before the court saying that there was no permission to re-open the case.

The court has not granted them permission. It records “seen and filed” and there was no permission, added Ponda. “The question that arises does the “A” summery order remain today or not. If it remains, the case is dead, and the police cannot resurrect it,” said Ponda.

The counsel representing Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami said that the family of intervenor should have gone back to the Magistrate. “Before closure, you have to seek further investigation under Section 156(3). If after closure, they should seek further investigation under Section 173(8). Neither done in this case,” he added.

During his submissions, Ponda said that without a judicial order, further investigation could not be done and hence the arrest is illegal. He pointed out to the court that a stay of investigation can be ordered when it is illegal and affects liberty of a citizen.

After hearing the counsel, Justice Shinde asked if the informant is a necessary party to the petition. Ponda responded to it saying, “The limited relief I am seeking is only against the police and not against the informant”.

Senior counsel Harish Salve also responded to making the informant a party in the case and sought permission to add the informant orally.

Bombay High Court posted the petition for hearing tomorrow at 3 PM. The bench will consider the prayer for interim order for release.

Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami arrested, he files habeas corpus petition

After being manhandled at his residence by Raigad police cops who came to arrest him at his house yesterday in relation to a two-year-old closed case, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has filed a plea before the Bombay High Court challenging his arrest by the police. 

The plea in the Bombay High Court came after Mumbai Police had arbitrarily started re-investigation in the 2018 closed case of interior designer Anvay Naik’s suicide on the direction of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

In the plea filed by him before the Bombay High Court, Goswami said that his arrest was conducted in blatant violation of his fundamental rights to life and personal liberty and his dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. He had alleged that he was forced out of his residence by around 20 officials of Mumbai police and was dragged into the vehicle and his son was also assaulted.

In his plea, Goswami had sought an urgent interim stay on the re-investigation in the 2018 FIR lodged at Alibaug police station in which he was accused of abetment to suicide of Naik. He had asked the court to the issuance of a writ of Habeas Corpus directing Alibaug police to produce him in court claiming that his arrest and detention was illegal because the case was closed.

Earlier, Goswami was sent to a 14-day judicial custody by an Alibaug court, which had refused the Mumbai police plea seeking police custody of 14 days.

Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami arrested

Continuing their witch-hunt against Republic TV chief, the Mumbai Police on Wednesday arrested Arnab Goswami. The Mumbai Police reached Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s residence on Wednesday and physically manhandled him as they tried to detain him in a 2018 abetment to suicide case that was already closed.

A team of Mumbai Police arrested Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami after they physically assaulted and dragged him by grabbing his hair. In a shocking act, a large contingent of Mumbai Police was seen present at Goswami’s residence on Wednesday morning. In the below video, it can be seen how officials of the Mumbai Police were manhandling the Republic TV chief.

In May 2018, an FIR was filed against Arnab Goswami after an interior designer had committed suicide in Mumbai. In a suicide note, Anvay Naik claimed Goswami owed him a total of Rs 5.4 crore. However, Goswami was investigated and case was closed by court after a closure report was filed by the Police.

US Elections: Trump supporters stabbed in Washington DC allegedly by BLM protestors, violence erupts in other parts of the country

OpIndia Staff
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US Elections: Trump supporters stabbed in Washington DC allegedly by BLM protestors, violence erupts in other parts of the country

As the USA witnesses confusing and political blame games over the Presidential elections and vote counting, cases of violence related to supporters of both sides have been reported in several places. Several pro-Trump supporters have been injured after they clashed with Antifa and several other far-left groups across the county on Wednesday night.

The Washington DC police are hunting for three attackers after they stabbed pro-Trump supporters during a clash in the capital. The chairman of the Proud Boys and a prominent female Trump supporter have been injured after they were attacked by members allegedly associated with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Enrique Tarrio, chairman of the pro-Trump group ‘Proud Boys’ and activist Bevelyn Beatty were stabbed, allegedly by a BLM protestor after clashes erupted between the two groups during a rally in Washington DC.

Reportedly, Beatty said she had been stabbed in the back. Tarrio said he was slashed in the stomach when they were walking home from a bar, adding the injuries were “very serious, but not life-threatening.”

Peter Newsham, the chief of DC police, said that initial reports suggested the three attackers being supporters of Black Lives Matter are now not believed to be true. “After more extensive investigation with the victims of the crime, we don’t know who (the suspects) are affiliated with,” said Newsham.

The police added that one suspect is described as a black woman wearing black sweatpants with a white stripe, orange leggings and a dark gray coat, armed with a knife.

National Guard deployed after violence erupts in Portland

Riots had erupted in Portland on early Wednesday evening after some demonstrators smashed windows of downtown shops, and businesses. As protests in Portland turned into riots, Gov. Kate Brown activated the Oregon National Guard to respond to the unrest in Oregon’s capital city.

The police have arrested at least 10 people, including one person accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail towards security personnel. The Police said they also seized a rifle, ammunition, a knife, hammers and fireworks from some people arrested.

Reportedly, the demonstrations began at two separate places in the city and both events began as rallies and evolved into violent protests in the evening. Some 150 people present during the march left the area and began walking west. Some people in the crowd broke windows of a hotel and a church, among other buildings.

Protestors attack police in New York

A woman protestor has been arrested by the NYPD officials for attacking and abusing the police officer during a rally.

A video has gone viral on the internet in which one protestor can be seeing yelling and abusing at police personnel. Shockingly, the woman protestor spat on a police officer’s face and screamed “f*ck you, fascist”.

Trump supporters gather outside Maricopa, Arizona

More than 150 supporters of President Trump gathered outside the Maricopa County election officials on Wednesday and chanted “Count the vote”, as officials did just that under the protection of sheriff’s deputies.

Several pro-Trump supporters had also gathered at the parking lot at the Maricopa County election centre and chanted, “Fox News sucks” in anger over the network declaring Joe Biden as the winner in Arizona.

“We’re not going to let this election be stolen. Period,” said Rep. Paul Gosar, an Arizona Republican.

Meanwhile, from New York City to Seattle, thousands of demonstrators have begun demanding that every vote be tallied. These protests in the US came after Trump supporters and a section of social media users made serious allegations of election rigging through ballot votes in several swing states.

NCP wants former CM Devendra Fadnavis to be made co-accused in the suicide case along with ‘BJP worker’ Arnab Goswami, Congress cheers

OpIndia Staff
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NCP wants former CM Devendra Fadnavis to be made co-accused in the suicide case along with ‘BJP worker’ Arnab Goswami, Congress cheers

The politics around Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s arrest in an old case is getting murkier by the day. After arresting Goswami in a closed case of 2018, the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government in Maharashtra is now dragging state opposition leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis’ name in the case. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which is a part of the state coalition government has demanded Fadnavis be made a co-accused in the 2018 case of suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik.

NCP calls Arnab Goswami a BJP worker

NCP Spokesperson Umesh Patil claimed that Naik’s family was pressurised to close the case by the Home Ministry which at that time was under BJP leader and then-CM Devendra Fadnavis. Referring to the allegations made by Naik’s wife and daughter in a press conference held yesterday, Patil said, “From the press conference of Naik’s family, it has become clear that pressure was put on them to sign papers related to the closure of the suicide case. Since at that time, the Home Ministry portfolio was with then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he should be made a co-accused in the case. The police officials who tried to pressure Naik family should also be made co-accused”.

He said that the NCP has sought investigation in the entire episode as the Naik family has alleged that they were made to sign papers in the office of a joint commissioner of police. He questioned as to why the accused (Arnab Goswami) was not arrested when he was specifically named in the suicide note of Naik.

Patil further attacked BJP for supporting Arnab Goswami and called Goswami a “BJP worker”. He said, “In Uttar Pradesh when a journalist wrote an article, she was charged under the Atrocities Act. BJP leaders and ministers never came forward to support her. Similarly, several journalists have been arrested in the country but BJP never took their side”.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik described Arnab Goswami’s arrest as “Part II of India’s Most Wanted Anchor”

Shiv Sena raised questions on the investigation in suicide case

Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe also raised questions on the investigation of the suicide case and demanded action against ‘guilty’ police officers. “There is a need for a proper investigation into the allegations made by the Naik family. It seems there was pressure to suppress the facts and prevent the arrest of the three accused. If the police officers were found guilty, action should also be taken against them”, Gorhe said.

Congress termed Arnab Goswami’s arrest as a true tribute to Naik

State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant described Arnab Goswami’s arrest as “true tribute to Anvay Naik” and accused the previous BJP-led government of suppressing the case for two years. “For two years, the Devendra Fadnavis-led government suppressed the case. Threats were given and pressure put on Nail family. Therefore, Congress demands that an investigation be conducted to find the other culprits in the case”, Sawant said. He alleged that special treatment was being given to Goswami as his statement was recorded in Mumbai and not in Alibaug. Sawant alleged that Naik family was threatened with dire consequences and was pressurised to withdraw the case.

Arnab Goswami dragged, beaten, arrested in a 2018 case that was closed earlier

After being manhandled at his residence by Raigad police cops who came to arrest him at his house yesterday in relation to a two-year old closed case, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has filed a plea before the Bombay High Court challenging his arrest by the police. Mumbai Police have started re-investigation in the 2018 closed case of interior designer Anvay Naik’s suicide on the direction of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. 

Apart from this, a fresh FIR was registered against him alleging that he had assaulted a female cop when he was being dragged out his house by Mumbai police. A similar FIR was registered against his wife, son and two others on the allegations of assaulting cops who came to arrest him.

90 per cent payment made to interior designer’s company: Arnab Goswami in his HC plea

Goswami has claimed in his petition that ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, the firm that owns and operates Republic TV, had paid 90% of the dues to deceased Anvay Naik’s company Concorde Designs Pvt. Ltd. (CDPL) over two years ago. He further said that ARG Outlier media Pvt Ltd made several attempts for complete and final settlement of all claims but the absence of shareholders or directors in CDPL rendered the attempts unsuccessful. He said that the entire amount due to CDPL was transferred to CDPL’s bank account in July 2019 but it was reverted because the account was inoperative.

In his plea, Goswami denied having any direct involvement with the deceased interior designer and contended that his interaction with the deceased regarding the payments was strictly professional in nature. For the reasons provided in the plea, he further contended that a case of abetment of suicide under section 306 of the Indian Penal Code was not made out against him. 

“It is a settled principle of law that to attract ingredients of abetment, the intention of the accused to aid or instigate or abet the deceased to commit suicide is necessary. In the present case, by no stretch of imagination can it be said that there existed an intention to aid, instigate or abet the deceased to commit suicide on the part of the petitioner…”, the petition read. It was further contended in the petition, “Moreover, for the provisions of section 306 to be attached, the direct involvement of the accused in the abetment of suicide is necessary. In the present case, the petitioner did not have any direct involvement with the abetment. Merely because a person has been named in the suicide note, one cannot jump to the conclusion that he is an offender under section 306 of the IPC”.

After Mumbai police unilaterally re-opens 2018 case against Arnab Goswami, daughter of man who committed suicide approaches HC to re-investigate case

OpIndia Staff
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After Mumbai police unilaterally re-opens 2018 case against Arnab Goswami, daughter of man who committed suicide approaches HC to re-investigate case

Yesterday will go down in history as one of the darkest days when the Editor-in-chief of India’s largest media network- Republic TV was inhumanely assaulted, dragged and arrested after Mumbai police unilaterally re-opened an old 2018 closed case to harass Arnab Goswami. Now, suddenly after two years, it has dawned upon the daughter of the interior designer who had committed suicide in 2018, to have the case re-investigated.

According to reports, Adnya Naik, daughter of Anvay Naik has filed a plea in the Bombay High Court, for re-investigation of the “A” summary filed in connection with the FIR of her father’s suicide case. The Bombay HC Division Bench of Justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik is hearing the case along with Arnab Goswami’s habeas corpus plea since 3 pm today.

Arnab moves to Bombay HC challenging his arrest, calls it Maha govt’s vendetta

Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has petitioned the Bombay High Court challenging his “illegal arrest” in a 2018 case of abetment of suicide of an interior designer and sought quashing of the FIR lodged against him by Alibaug police in Maharashtra.

Goswami has sought the following:

  1. A writ of habeas corpus directing the Alibaug Police to produce him in court claiming that his arrest and detention was illegal as Naik’s case was closed.
  2. Directions to quash the FIR of 2018.
  3. Quash the memo based on which he was arrested.
  4. His immediate release from the illegal detention and wrongful custody.

Goswami has submitted in his plea that the FIR of 2018 was closed by the Mumbai Police in 2019 after the “A” summary report was filed and accepted by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Alibaug.

He added that the case was closed after a thorough investigation of the business transactions of ARG Outlier and after no material evidence was found against him or his network.

Goswami claims that the probe was re-opened “due to vendetta and personal animosity of the political dispensation in Maharashtra and the Commission of Mumbai Police based on the circulation of the video released by the wife of Anvay Naik by the State Government’s social media handles.”

Calling the assault on him and his family by the Mumbai police a blatant violation of his right to liberty and dignity, Arnab asserted that “an arrest at this stage, where there is no material or evidence available to make out a case under Section 306″.

The Bombay High Court is hearing this petition of Arnab Goswami along with Adnya Naik’s plea to re-investigate the case as well as the petition of Republic TV against Mumbai police trying to implicate in the TRP manipulation case by shielding the India Today channel, which was originally named in the complaint and the FIR in the TRP case.

The 2018 Abetment to Suicide Case

An FIR was filed against Arnab Goswami in 2018 in an alleged abetment to suicide case. An interior designer named Anvay Naik had committed suicide in his bungalow in Alibaug naming Goswami, and 2 other persons in his suicide note over some alleged non-payment of dues. Naik wrote that two persons named Feroz Shaikh and Niteish Sarda owed him Rs 5.4 crore. It was alleged that Goswami had not paid Naik Rs 83 lakh for a design project of a studio. The case was closed by the court after a closure report was filed by the police.

Scathing observations made by Magistrate court while rejecting Mumbai Police’s plea seeking custody of Arnab Goswami

Yesterday, while rejecting Mumbai Police’s plea seeking custody of Arnab Goswami, and instead, sending him to 14-day judicial custody, the magistrate court had made some scathing observations.

The court made the following 3 observations:

  1. The 2018 suicide case was opened by the police without sanction from the court.
  2. Chief Judicial Magistrate observed that there was no connection in the chain of suicide in the case in which Arnab was arrested, which was earlier closed in 2018 and now reopened, and Arnab Goswami’s role. 
  3. The CJM also observed that there is no ‘justifiable ground’ for the police custody sought as he pronounced the judgment. 

Arnab Goswami was arrested on Wednesday morning by a large team of police wielding AK-47 Assault rifles. The senior journalist was arrested after Mumbai police, at the behest of the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra, reopened a 2018 case which was earlier closed after police found no evidence against Arnab Goswami.

Arnab Goswami hounded by Maha Govt and Mumbai police

Arnab Goswami has come into the radar of the Maha Government ever since his channel pursued the Palghar lynching case and asked some uncomfortable questions to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state. No add salt to the injuries, Republic TV went after the Sushant Singh Rajput’s murder case, which probably also hit the wrong nerve of the state government led by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray which unleashed Mumbai police on the media network.

Thereafter, Mumbai police falsely implicated Republic TV in the TRP scam on the basis of an FIR naming India Today. The police had also reportedly coerced witnesses into naming Republic TV in the TRP scam. Mumbai police had also sought details of all financial transactions of the channel ever since its inception. Now, the Mumbai police has opened another front against Arnab Goswami, which is the 2018 suicide case which was closed back then.

Hyderabad church converting sponsored children by ‘providing religion’? NCPCR takes cognisance of complaint: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Hyderabad church converting sponsored children by ‘providing religion’? NCPCR takes cognisance of complaint: Read details

A “special agreement” signed between the Diocese of Nalgonda in Hyderabad and Joseph Chevalier Foundation of Canada has come to light, where it talks about ‘providing religion’ to the children sponsored by fund granted by the foundation. Legal activist group Legal Rights Observatory has lodged a complaint regarding the complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

Priyank Kanoogo, the Chairperson of NCPCR, informed on Twitter that they have received the complaint filed by LRO. The group said that it has sought an investigation to know how many kids have been provided religion by the Diocese.

The agreement in question was signed on 7th October 2008, between the Gatineau, Quebec, Canada based Mgr Joseph Chevalier Foundation and Hyderabad based Diocese of Nalgonda. It says that the agreement is required by the Canadian government to ensure that money spent abroad by Canadian foundations are done as per strict contractual arrangement between parties defining the specific reasons why the monies are given and the specific ways by which these money transfers are spent according to very strict procedures in India that can be verified and attested by third parties.

In a very condescending tone, the agreement states that traditional children in lower caste families are denied access to education in India. It says, “woman and specially the girl child are deprived of the education and historically evils are still perpetrated.”

It says that sponsoring education of a child means helping child of one of the lower castes. After that the agreement mentions that by way of sponsoring, accommodation, food, medicine, study, games and recreation, spiritual knowledge and religion are provided to them. The sponsoring programme is part of the pastoral plan of the diocese as a new way of being church.

While the provision for accommodation, food, study etc for a sponsored child is normal, what is controversial is the provision of religion, along with spiritual knowledge. Moreover, it says that this programme is part of the pastoral plan of the diocese as a new way of being church.

This language indicates that along with providing education for lower caste children, the diocese is also indulging in religious conversion of the children, or at least grooming towards accepting which is a violation of norms.

Kerala Gold Smuggling Scam: Special court extends custody of Pinarayi Vijayan’s former secretary Sivasankar

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala Gold Smuggling Scam: Special court extends custody of Pinarayi Vijayan’s former secretary Sivasankar

In a huge setback to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a special court extended the Enforcement Directorate’s custody of former principal secretary to the Chief Minister – Sivasankar, who was arrested by the probing agency last week in connection with money laundering in the Kerala gold smuggling case.

According to the reports, the ED had filed a plea in the Special PMLA court in Kochi seeking seven more days custody of Sivasankar to interrogate him regarding the communication between him and Swapna Suresh, prime accused in the sensational gold smuggling case. Considering the ED plea, the court extended the custody of Sivasankar by six days.

On October 28, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s former Chief Secretary M Sivasankar in connection with the Gold Smuggling case that emerged in July this year.

The Enforcement Directorate, probing the money trail in the gold smuggling case, has alleged multiple offences against Sivasankar.

Sivasankar had intervened to clear the diplomatic baggage contained smuggled gold

During the investigation, his role was revealed in the smuggling of gold via diplomatic cargo to the UAE consulate in India. The ED had alleged that Sivasankar had intervened to clear the diplomatic baggage containing smuggled gold without examination by the Customs at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport. The arrest of IAS officer M Sivasankar is being seen as a massive setback to the CPI(M)-led Kerala government.

ED has also said that M Sivasankar had aided Swapna Suresh, who was an executive secretary at the UAE consulate and believed to have close relations with CM’s office. It was also mentioned that he had prompted CA Venugopal Iyer to open a joint bank locker with Suresh.

According to ED, Sivasankar was constantly monitoring the money in the bank locker. The agency further stated that he helped Swapna in laundering black money close to Rs 30 lakh. The CA allegedly kept him in the loop about every transaction in the account. The agency also alleged that he helped Swapna to convert black money to foreign currency and smuggle it to the UAE. CA Venugopal has been listed as a witness in the case.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency, Customs and the ED are conducting separate investigations into the seizure of gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore from a “diplomatic baggage” of UAE Consulate at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5.

The Kerala gold smuggling case

On 5th July 2020, the gold scam was exposed after the Customs Department seized 30 kg of gold from a diplomatic consignment addressed to the UAE consulate. The department arrested P Sarith Kumar, who had served as public relations officer of the consulate. He was at the airport to receive the luggage.

Later, the department arrested Swapna Suresh, and another accused, Sandip Nair, were arrested in their hideout in Bengaluru. Several top officials of the CM’s officer are under scanner in the scam

Maharashtra Human Rights Commission summons Raigad SP, asks for documents related to the arrest of Arnab Goswami

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra Human Rights Commission summons Raigad SP, asks for documents related to the arrest of Arnab Goswami

The Maharashtra Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has summoned Superintendent of Police Raigad to appear before the panel on Friday by 11 AM. As per reports, the Commission has ordered the SP to show cause regarding the arrest of Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and submit all material records before it. SP Raigad had ordered his arrest.

The commission has summoned SP after Advocate Aditya Mishra filed a petition at MHRC and reportedly informed that Goswami was treated inhumanly during the indiscriminate arrest. He had asked the commission to consider the petition on an urgent basis.

Arnab showed proof of assault to the doctors

Before Arnab Goswami was presented before the court, he had highlighted the injuries on his arm in front of the camera. He said that he had shown the injuries to the doctors. Goswami named Pradeep Patil, Sachin Vaze, and seven other policemen and said, “They surrounded me, held me by the scruff of my neck, pushed me.”

Arnab’s arrest videos

Arnab was arrested in connection to a re-opened case where he was accused of abetment of suicide. The court had dismissed the case against him. While a team of 40-50 police officers was present at his residence for his arrest, his family members, including his wife and son, were shoved by the police officials. Arnab had said on camera that he was assaulted during the arrest. Interestingly, though videos that had surfaced his arrest show how the police pushed and assaulted his family members during the arrest, an FIR was filed against Arnab, his wife and son, and two others for assaulting a lady officer on duty during the arrest.

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