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Bombay HC grants interim relief to Hansa Research from harassment by Mumbai police, issues notice to police on the petition filed by the company

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay HC grants interim relief to Hansa Research from harassment by Mumbai police, issues notice to police on the petition filed by the company

Along with the petition filed by Arnab Goswami two others in the Anvay Naik suicide case, a bench of Mumbai High Court also heard a petition filed by Hansa Research making some serious charges against Mumbai Police. The court issued a notice to Mumbai police to reply to the allegations made in the petition, and issued orders not to harass the company. The court asked the Mumbai police advocate Devdutt Kamat to take instructions from the court in this regard and come back later.

The Division bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice MS Karnik also granted interim relief to the company, saying that police will call their officials two days every week for questioning. while not commenting on the most other pleas and allegations made by the company, which will be dealt with when the court takes the petition for hearing.

The court assured Hansa Research that as they are the complainants in the TRP manipulation case and not an accused, nothing will happen to them. The court told Mumbai police that Hansa Research is the complainant in the case, and they can’t call them daily for questioning. The court also said that the police can’t keep the officials in police station from morning to evening, and asked them to keep some fixed time till the date court takes up the petition in the next hearing.

Although Hansa Research is the complainant in the case, the police claimed that they have evidence against the company. Advocate Devdutt Kamat, who was appearing for Mumbai police, claimed that the case papers which are with the court proves that there is evidence against them.

The High Court will hear the petition filed by Hansa Research on November 25, and asked the police not to harass the company till then.

In a sensational development in the TRP manipulation case, Hansa Research, the company that runs the Bar-O-meters of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council), had moved the Bombay High Court seeking transfer of the probe into the case from Mumbai Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying that it was being harassed by Mumbai police to give false statement against Republic TV.

The company had said that a team of Mumbai police crime branch led by Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze was threatening and intimidating the Hansa Officials, forcing them to say that the Hansa Research report shown by Republic TV, which names India Today and not Republic TV, is fake. The company has said that the they can’t say whether the document is genuine on not based on what is shown in TV, and they need the physical document. They have also said that the Republic has shown only some portions from their report, based on which the FIR was filed in the case naming India Today. But despite that the police is harassing them to declare that the document is fake, threatening and harassing petitioners with their arrest and indefinite detention and seizure of their mobile phones if they give the false statement.

It may be noted that Hansa Research had filed the case against one of its employee Vishal Bhandari, who had confessed to have received money to pay to BARC panel houses to watch India Today channel for 2 hours a day. However, in a controversial press conference by Param Bir Singh, he had said that Republic TV was named in the case, and didn’t mention the name of India Today. However, soon the original complaint of Hansa Research, and the FIR registered by Police in the case, had shown that India Today was named multiple times in the case, and Republic TV was not named.

Since then, Mumbai Police led by Param Bir Singh and Sachin Vaze have launched a series of attacks against Republic TV, trying to implicate in the case. Officials and journalists of the channel are daily summoned to the police station and questioned for hours, to know only one thing, the source of Hansa Research Repost which had exposed the lies of Param Bir Singh.

Niira Radia, who used to fix government ministries during Congress regime, booked for loan embezzlement to the tune of Rs 300 crores: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Niira Radia, who used to fix government ministries during Congress regime, booked for loan embezzlement to the tune of Rs 300 crores: Read details

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police has registered Niira Radia, her sister Karuna Menon and accomplices SK Narula and Yateesh Wahal in a loan embezzlement case, India Today has reported. They have been accused of siphoning, embezzlement and forgery involving a bank loan in the excess of Rs. 300 crore. The loan was taken for two hospital projects, Primamed Hospital in Gurugram and Vimhans Hospital in Delhi.

A complaint was filed in the matter by Delhi-based orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajeev K Sharma. He had played a key role in the establishment of the 417-bed Primamed Hospital in Gurugram and the 90-bed Vimhans Hospital in south Delhi. Sharma alleged that Niira Radia and others embezzled Rs. 312.50 through fictitious bank accounts in the name of well-known contractors.

Sharma further alleged that loan and equity money to the tune of Rs. 400 crores have been siphoned off while the condition of the Primamed Hospital has deteriorated. He called it an act of “brazen cheating” and claimed there is enough evidence to hold Niira Radia guilty. She is currently running two other hospitals, one in Mathura and another in Agra, both of which have been in the news for nonpayment of salaries and dues of Rs. 100 crores to vendors in addition to statutory dues.

The Radia Tapes scandal

Corporate-lobbyist Niira Radia shot to infamy over the Radia Tapes scandal which revealed a nexus between lobbyists and politicians. The scandal acquainted the country with how the narrative is set, Cabinet berths negotiated, the disgraceful nexus between journalists and politicians and the political impunity to brush aside the scam. Some of those who have had central roles in these tapes have suddenly disappeared from the face of Earth. Others who were in the thick of the controversy have rubbished the tapes as doctored and extenuated themselves from any wrongdoing.

CBI investigation into Hathras incident: After refusing Narco test, family of the victim now refuse to undergo polygraph test too

OpIndia Staff
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CBI investigation into Hathras incident: After refusing Narco test, family of the victim now refuse to undergo polygraph test too

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team investigating the death of the woman in the Bulgadhi village in Hathras has asked for a polygraph test to be done on the victim’s family members to arrive at the truth. The victim’s brother and mother were summoned by the premier agency in this regard but they have refused to undergo a test, suggest reports.

The victim’s brother has been questioned several times by the CBI after it was revealed that the main accused Sandeep was in constant touch via mobile phone used by the victim’s brother. The CBI had called for him for questioning, but he has reportedly denied taking a polygraph test. Nevertheless, the voice sample of the victim’s brother was taken, and it will be examined by the agency now.

The Hathras victim’s brother told media that the CBI had asked him to undergo a polygraph test which he refused, citing ignorance about the test. The victim’s brother said that the people lodged in the jail are at comfort while those outside the jail are being harassed by the authorities. He suggested the investigative agencies to interrogate the accused as to how they killed his sister.

The elder brother of the victim has alleged that the CBI wants to portray the entire case as a matter of love affair that had gone sideways. He has also claimed that the premier investigative agency confided in him that the case is on the verge of being solved.

Meanwhile, the sister-in-law of the victim has demanded a test of the DM of Hathras. She has asked why DM’s test is not being conducted.

CBI recreates crime scene

The CBI has been investigating the Hathras incident since October 12. It has intensified its probe after sharp remarks from the High Court. A team of 15 members, led by DSP Seema Pahuja reached the scene along with the forensic team at around 12 noon on Friday afternoon and recreated the crime scene.

The victim’s mother and brother were brought to the spot under the protection of CRPF. The team held the victim’s brother on the backyard of the field about 100 meters from the spot of the incident, while the other CBI team reached the farm with the victim’s mother. Following this, the victim’s mother was questioned.

For about 20 minutes, the mother was interrogated by the team of CBI after which the victim’s brother was brought for questioning. By individual interrogation, the agency was trying to arrive at the truth and reconcile with the distances that the allegedly contradictory statements from the witnesses in the case.

Hathras victim’s family’s numerous about-faces

One of the significant aspects of the Hathras case has been the continuously changing position of the family of the girl. Initially, the family of the victim had levelled only assault charge, and the rape allegation was added a week later. This had created much confusion about the case, as medical and forensic evidence available till now does not support the rape charge. Similarly, the stand of the family on the probe in the case also seems to be changing, especially the position taken by the victim’s brother. 

After it was reported that the case has been handed over to CBI by the state govt, the deceased’s brother said that the family didn’t seek it. As per the reports, the victim’s brother said that they did not demand CBI inquiry as SIT investigation is already underway. Now the family is demanding judicial investigation under the Supreme Court.

Kin of the Hathras victim deny undergoing narco test

The kin of the victim in Hathras have not just denied undergoing polygraph test. Earlier, they had also resolutely refused to take a narco test.

The SIT probe’s preliminary report has recommended the narco test of the victim’s family. However, the victim’s mother has rejected the recommendation, saying her family wouldn’t undergo the narco test. 

Even when the Aaj Tak reporter pressed the grieving mother that the narco test would unearth facts of the matter hitherto hidden, the mother responded, “We have no idea what narco test and therefore we don’t want to get it done.”

Hathras incident

On 14th September, a 19-year-old woman was strangulated, and later she succumbed to injuries on 29th September. Initially, charges of murder were pressed against the accused. However, later rape charged were also included.

The Hathras case had then become a ground for political drama and media propaganda. Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad, TMC leader Derek O’Brien, and several others have visited Hathras to meet the family in order to mount an attack against the Yogi Adityanath government in the state.

Software glitch that caused Republican votes to be counted for Democrats used in 47 Michigan counties, claims state GOP Chair, seeks examination of results

OpIndia Staff
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Software glitch that caused Republican votes to be counted for Democrats used in 47 Michigan counties, claims state GOP Chair, seeks examination of results

Michigan Republican Chair Laura Cox has claimed that glitch in the tabulating software caused votes poured in favour of Republicans to be counted for Democrats during the US Elections 2020. She said that the people of Michigan deserve a transparent election process. Joe Biden won the state with a comfortable margin.

Laura Cox said, “In Anterim County, ballots were counted for Democrats that were meant for Republicans causing a 6000 vote swing against our candidates. The counting clerk came forward and said that tabulating software glitched and caused a miscalculation of the votes. Since then, we have now discovered that 47 Counties used this same software in the same capacity.”

“Anterim County had to hand count all of the ballots and these counties that used this software need to closely examine their results for similar discrepancies. The people of Michigan deserve a transparent and open process,” Laura Cox added. Software glitches are not unheard of in the tabulation of results.

Technological issues had caused massive delays in reporting the results of the Iowa Caucus during the Democratic primaries. The Democratic Iowa Caucus had to suffer a massive loss of face after the app used for tabulation of results reported faulty data to the central headquarters, requiring an audit of the system from the ground-up to ensure the legitimacy of the results.

Temples are testimony of pride and knowledge, govt cannot use temple land for any purposes other than religious functions, says Madras HC

OpIndia Staff
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Temples are testimony of pride and knowledge, govt cannot use temple land for any purposes other than religious functions, says Madras HC

In a significant observation, the Madras High Court on Wednesday said that the state government cannot use temple land for any purpose other than for holding religious functions.

The Madras High Court, responding to grievances raised by devotees regarding the alienation of temple land of two temples in Tamil Nadu, emphasised that temple land can be utilised only for the beneficial purposes of the temple.

The High Court also observed that temples in Tamil Nadu are not only a source of identification of the ancient culture but also a testimony of pride and knowledge of the talent in the fields of arts, science and sculpture. The court also directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to identify and protect all temple lands from encroachers with an officer in charge filing periodical reports.

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department is one of the departments of the Government of Tamil Nadu that is responsible for managing and regulating the temple administration within the state.

The High Court order came at the backdrop several petitions filed by aggrieved devotees against the encroachment of lands of the Sakthi Muthamman temple near Neelankarai and the Kottai Mariamman temple in Salem. The petitions were filed after the Fisheries Department of the state developed a modern fish market, fish eatery and office building on some of the land belonging to the Sakthi Mathamman Temple. The department had done this disregarding the objections made by devotees.

Similarly, some land belonging to the Arulmighu Kottai Mariamman Thirukoil was transferred to the Regional Transport Department without following due procedure. Some of the temple’s land was also taken over by the Highways Department to construct a bridge.

Religious institutions should be maintained properly, HR&CE failed to take any steps: Madras HC

In his order, Justice R Mahadevan directed that the properties of religious institutions, particularly temples, have to be maintained properly. He added, however, the HR&CE Department, which is the custodian of the temple properties, failed to take any steps to protect the interests of temples, though the subject falls within its purview. Such a callous attitude on their part cannot be countenanced, the court slammed the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The Madras HC, ordering the removal of encroachments from temple lands, also asked the fisheries department that has constructed a building near Sri Sakthi Muthamman Temple in Neelankarai to enter into an agreement with the department to fix rent for the building.

Justice R Mahadevan also ordered the Commissioner, HR&CE Department to take action in reclaiming the lands by removing all the encroachments and maintain them.

“The HR&CE Department shall take steps to start construction by putting a compound wall to security and safety of the subject lands. Except for temple related purposes, the lands shall not be used for any other purposes. The officer authorised by the Commissioner, HR&CE Department shall maintain a proper register with respect to the financial aspects of the subject temples and its properties and file the same before the authority concerned at regular intervals,” the court said in its order.

Gulags soon? While Joe Biden preaches peace, his Democratic comrades make lists to punish Trump supporters during his presidency

K Bhattacharjee
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Gulags soon? While Joe Biden preaches peace, his Democratic comrades make lists to punish Trump supporters during his presidency

The Presidency of the United States still hangs very much in the balance as any outcome is likely to be challenged in the Courts. Democratic nominee Joe Biden certainly seems poised to win but sitting US President Donald Trump has made it very clear that the Supreme Court will be involved in the process. With uncertainty over the Presidency, chaos looms large over the horizon.

Thus, while Joe Biden is tweeting like a Buddhist Monk, his Democratic comrades appear to have made up their minds to launch a crusade against heretics. At a time when Biden is saying, “We are not enemies, we are Americans,” prominent members of the Democrat party and their elite support base are making lists of those they perceive to have helped Donald Trump so that they can be adequately punished.

The most prominent Democrat to have given voice to that idea is, perhaps, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She said on Twitter, “Is anyone archiving these Trump sycophants for when they try to downplay or deny their complicity in the future? I foresee decent probability of many deleted Tweets, writings, photos in the future”.

AOC tweets

It’s not clear what she means by ‘complicity’. Donald Trump is an elected President after all. AOC appears to give one the impression that ‘Trump sycophants’ are guilty of performing the duty they were either appointed or elected to perform. And it’s not clear who she means by ‘sycophants’. Is she referring to only those people who served in the Trump administration? Or does it include Trump supporters on social media as well?

AOC did receive a lot of criticism from people on social media for her insane remarks but that does not appear to have deterred her spirits. She responded, “Lol at the “party of personal responsibility” being upset at the idea of being responsible for their behavior over last four years”. AOC and her squad call themselves ‘Democratic Socialists’ but one gets the impression there might be gulags involved in a Democratic Socialist regime as well.

Enthusiastic supporters of AOC have come up with a plan to ensure that no ‘Trump sycophant’ goes unpunished. A ‘Trump Accountability Project’ (TAP) has been established to document the names of every administration staffer, campaign staffer bundler and lawyer who worked for US President Donald Trump. In the prevailing political climate in the USA, it’s hard not to see it as a hitlist for radical leftists.

The Trump Accountability Project

The objective of TAP is “to make sure anyone who took a paycheck to help Trump undermine America is held responsible for what they did.” If this gives readers the uneasy feeling that the whole thing could soon devolve into totalitarian nightmare, they have every reason to believe so. What’s astonishing is that no one is even pretending to hide their sinister agenda.

Jennifer Rubin, a prominent supporter of Joe Biden and Washington Post and MSNBC columnist, asserted that any Republican “now promoting rejection of an election or calling to not to follow the will of voters or making baseless allegations of fraud should never serve in office, join a corporate board, find a faculty position or be accepted into “polite” society. We have a list.” This is after Democrats en masse refused to recognise the results of the 2016 presidential elections and blamed Russia for Trump’s victory.

Jennifer Rubin tweet

But it appears clear that the TAP will not limit itself to Trump administration officials and will include everyone who voted for Donald Trump as well. In the run-up to the elections, harassment of Trump supporters was a familiar sight. One Trump supporter was even murdered by a far-left goon. Thus, even if Donald Trump eventually loses the elections, the war against Trumpians will certainly continue. In such a scenario, the chaos in the United States appears to be far from over.

The TAP will be directed against every Trump supporter

Democrats have justified widespread looting and rioting in the run up to the 2020 US Presidential Elections. It appears their crusade will certainly not end with a Joe Biden victory. The geriatric Democrat has campaigned on the promise to return normalcy to the United States but it appears almost certain that his Democratic comrades will make that job very difficult.

Will ‘Sleepy Joe’ be able to maintain a check on the radical leftists within his party? It remains to be seen. However, it is very likely that he will have to spend a significant amount of his time fighting the radical elements within his own party while combating Republicans simultaneously if he does wish to restore normalcy. However, given the uncertainty still looming large over election results, things could take a turn for the worse in the short-term.

It is also unclear what precise form the punishment for Trump supporters might take if Joe Biden decides to relinquish power to the radical leftists in the Democratic party. Phony Tribunals may be set to legitimise the whole process and imprisonment may not be a stretch too far. There have been occasions in the past when Bernie supporters have attempted to assassinate Republicans as well and the list being drawn up may serve as hitlists for leftist terrorists.

Forced to drink some liquid that choked him, hit with boots: Here is what happened after Mumbai Police arrested Arnab Goswami

OpIndia Staff
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Forced to drink some liquid that choked him, hit with boots: Here is what happened after Mumbai Police arrested Arnab Goswami

There are some shocking revelations that come to the fore after the lawyers of Arnab Goswami filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court asking for not only the FIR against him to be quashed but also to grant him interim protection and release him from judicial custody.

Arnab Goswami has filed for bail before the Bombay High Court along with his Habeas Corpus plea challenging his arrest on the morning of November 4 in connection in a 2018 suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik, that was revived by the Mumbai police without judicial consent, as is the law.

The bail application is being heard by a Bench of Justice SS Shinde and MS Karnik at 12 pm today.

Editor-in-chief of Republic TV, Arnab Goswami, in his bail plea for immediate release from the illegal detention and wrongful custody by the Maharashtra Police, Goswami also makes some startling revelations as to how he was beaten and tortured by the police.

Following is the tale of torture that has purportedly been inflicted on Arnab Goswami by the Mumbai Police after he was dragged out of his home and arrested.

1) Arnab suffered a 6-inch-deep gash on his left hand.

2) Serious injury to his spinal cord.

3) Hit by a heavy uniform police officer’s boot.

4) Not allowed to wear shoes.

5) Suffered vein injuries.

6) Not even given access to drinking water.

7) forced to consume certain liquid by the police officers guarding him and choked as a result thereof.

In this regard, Arnab Goswami’s habeas corpus application says:

“During the course of his arrest and while being transferred to Alibaug in a police van and in the custody of the police, the Petitioner suffered a 6-inch-deep gash on his left hand, a serious injury to his spinal cord, was hit by a heavy uniform police officer’s boot, was not allowed to wear shoes throughout, suffered vein injuries and was not even given access to drinking water. Additionally, the Petitioner was also forced to consume certain liquid by the police officers guarding him and choked as a result thereof.”

Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami files habeas corpus petition after his arrest

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.

Today is the third day of the hearing of the plea. Yesterday, the High Court had asked Arnab Goswami to file a separate bail application in the High court as well. Representing Arnab Goswami, Harish Salve in the Mumbai High Court had argued yesterday that the arrest of Arnab Goswami itself was illegal and that there was no ground to keep him in custody. He had also argued that the re-opening of the case itself is dubious since the case was closed and the Magistrate has also observed that the case was re-opened without the due permission.

“Merely on the allegation of harassment without there being any positive action proximate to the time of occurrence on the part of the accused which led or compelled the person to commit suicide, conviction in terms of Section 306 IPC is not sustainable”, Salve quoted, reiterating the Magistrates stand that even if Anvay Naik committed suicide due to financial losses, why did his mother end her life? We do not know the curious circumstances of the suicide. Nobody has established that there is illegal Commission, argued Salve furthering that under these circumstances, there is no need to keep Arnab in custody.

Referring to the earlier FIRs registered against Arnab Goswami, Salve said that there has been a specific pattern adopted by the Maharashtra govt to harass his client. Salve also made references to Hansa Research Group which made submissions in court that it is being harassed by the Mumbai Police forcing them to make false statements against Republic Media Network. 

The arguments made by Harish Salve in the matter yesterday can be read here.

It is to be kept in mind that the Alibaug Magistrate had granted judicial custody of Arnab Goswami after the police had demanded a 14-day police custody. The Magistrate had also observed that the arrest, prima facie, seemed illegal and there was no ground to grant police custody. She had also observed that there seems to be no connection between the suicide and the involvement of Arnab Goswami in the case.

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.

“Entire India is my ancestors’ property”: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Bihar election rally

OpIndia Staff
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“Entire India is my ancestors’ property”: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Bihar election rally

As the Bihar entered its third and final phase of assembly elections, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi made a controversial remark in an election rally. The controversial politician proclaimed India to be his ancestors’ propriety.

“I may not be from Bihar but entire India is Asaduddin Owaisi’ father’s proprietary. How? My father, your father, their fathers and their ancestors put their first steps in India. In this way, this country belongs to my ancestors. No one has the courage of calling me an intruder on my ancestors’ land,” Owaisi said.

Owaisi’s contentious remarks came on the eve of the final phase of the Bihar elections. AIMIM chief was addressing a rally in Bihar when he made the controversial remark that has now attracted criticism from several quarters.

History of Owaisi’s AIMIM and their atrocities against Hindus

While Owaisi insisted that his ancestors belong to India, it is equally important to note the antecedents of his forebears and their actions against Indians. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is the legacy of the Razakars, a Jihadist terror group that committed innumerable atrocities against Hindus in the Nizam’s kingdom before it was crushed by the Iron Man of India, Sardar Patel.

Founded in 1927 as the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the MIM was a pro-Nizam party that did not want the Nizam’s Hyderabad to be merged fully with the Union of India. Instead, in line with the Nizam’s wishes, the MIM wanted a ‘Muslim dominion’ rather complete integration with the Indian Union. It was either that or being a part of Pakistan.

To achieve its objective, the MIM floated the Razakars headed by one Qasim Rizvi. The Razakars were basically the Jihadist mob that the MIM used to perpetrate violence on the streets in order to ensure that the Nizam’s wishes were fulfilled. Rizvi, a student of the Aligarh Muslim University, was elected the President of the MIM in 1946 and it was he who led the Razakars when they perpetuated the most heinous crimes against Hindus in the region. The Razakars molested and raped women and children, slaughtered Hindus indiscriminately and engaged in the mutilation and massacre of Hindus.

Though Owaisi claimed that his forebears belonged to India, he was clever enough to reveal the colourful details of their past atrocities. It is perhaps this reign of terror and slaughter that Owaisi was referring to when he claimed India is his “forefathers’ property”.

AIMIM in the fray for the Bihar elections

Asaduddin Owaisi’s party is in the fray as a part of the Grand Democratic Secular Front (GDSF) that has four other parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). With Bihar elections, MIM is hoping to spoil the fun of other parties, most notably Congress and RJD, in the 243-member Assembly.

Chinese employees paid more than Pakistani counterparts in Lahore metro project: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese employees paid more than Pakistani counterparts in Lahore metro project: Reports

The Chinese employees working for Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project of the Punjab Mass Transit Authority in Lahore, are being paid higher salaries as compared to their Pakistani counterparts, reported The News International.

The large disparity between the wages of Chinese and Pakistani employees have lowered the morale of the local staff and can affect the operations of OLMT. It has been reported that the Pakistani employees are paid as per different grade system than the 200 odd Chinese employees. The News reported that Chinese workers are drawing salaries in Yuans while the Pakistani employees are paid in Pakistani Rupees (PKR).

The disparity in salaries of Chinese and Pakistani employees

Three top managerial positions at OLMT are held by Chinese officials. The salary of a Chinese Deputy CEO/CFO/Director is about 1,36,000 yuans (= 3.26 million PKR) under the L2 grading system. Similarly, a Chinese employee working as the DGM is paid 83,000 yuans (=1.9 million PKR) per month. However, the salary of their Pakistani counterpart is significantly lower. For the same position, Pakistani DGM (Equipment and Maintenance) Umer Chisti is paid 6,25,000 PKR while Salmanul Haq, another locally recruited DGM of Finance and Accounts, is paid 4,00,000 PKR.

Reportedly, Chinese origin employees were recruited through the GMG company for the post of GM (Operations and Management). They are being paid around 92,000 yuan (=2 million PKR) every month. Similarly, 7 Chinese officials recruited on the post of GM of the auxiliary Department of DGM (Operations and Management). They are paid around 89,000 yuan (~ 2 million PKR). At the same time, 7 Chinese-origin assistants to GM are paid 78,000 yuans every month. 5 Chinese managers are paid 68000 yuans (=1.63 million PKR) each while 6 Chinese engineers/deputy managers/chief dispatchers are paid 60,000 yuans every month (=1.43 million PKR).

The disparity in staff salary is also seen at lower levels of the project hierarchy. For instance, 43 Chinese-origin employees recruited for the post of technicians or train operators are paid 47,500 yuan (= 1.13 million PKR) each. 12 Chinese train crews/train dispatchers are being paid 57,000 yuan (=1.36 million PKR). At the same time, 3 Chinese depot dispatcher/assistant engineers are paid 52000 yuan (=1.24 million PKR).

However, locally recruited train operator Ateeq Ur Rehman is paid a mere 60,000 PKR. While Admin officer Hassan Zahid and Fleet officer Badar Riaz are paid 55,000 PKR, interpreter Mubasher Ali is paid 1,00,000 PKR. At the same time, equipment dispatcher Mushahid Saleem, supply chain executive Adeel Malik, track engineer Muhammad Ali are paid 80,000 PKR, 80000 PKR and 1,75,000 PKR. Several Pakistan-origin workers, recruited for the project, believe that the wide pay gap is affecting the operations of OLMT.

Low salary won’t have an impact on morale, claims Pakistan authorities

While speaking on the issue of salary disparity between Pakistani and Chinese employees, General Manager (Operations) Uzair Shah of Punjab Mass Transit Authority stated that the Chinese officials are in Pakistan to train their counterparts. He conceded that the Chinese employees are paid high wages and that too in the foreign currency of yuan. Shah informed that about 200 Chinese employees are working on the project, out of which 102 of them are recruited as drivers.

On being asked about the low morale of Pakistani workers, Shah dismissed the existence of any such thing. He claimed that comparisons cannot be drawn between the salaries of Pakistani and Chinese officials and that it has no bearing on the morale of the employees. While conceding that Chinese workers are here to train their Pakistani counterparts, the local staff said that the wide wage gap raises several questions.

Lawyer Vibhor Anand to stay in jail despite blaming Arnab Goswami’s Republic for his own tweets in Sushant Singh Rajput death case

OpIndia Staff
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Lawyer Vibhor Anand to stay in jail despite blaming Arnab Goswami’s Republic for his own tweets in Sushant Singh Rajput death case

Advocate Vibhor Anand, who had been tweeted incessantly about the Sushant Singh Rajput death case and claiming to have several highly placed sources will continue to remain in jail after a Mumbai sessions court extended the stay on the earlier bail order. Interestingly, while he claimed to have all these sources, during the hearing, he had blamed Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV.

According to the reports, the Delhi-based lawyer was granted bail earlier this week by a local court, however, the sessions court has now put a stay on the bail order.

Reportedly, the prosecution had sought the stay as it wanted time to appeal against the bail order before the Bombay HC. The court has now extended the stay till Monday.

Advocate Vibhor Anand was arrested by Mumbai Police on October 15. Vibhor Anand was arrested by Mumbai police on charges of spreading conspiracy theories on the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and making ‘false’ allegations against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The Delhi-based lawyer has been booked for offences punishable under Sections 509, 505(2), 500, 504 of IPC and Sec.67 of IT Act.

Anand was granted bail by a local court earlier

On Wednesday, Vibhor Anand was granted bail by the Mumbai session court, who was accused of posting objectionable tweets against CM Uddhav Thackeray and others.

While Vibhor used to earlier claim that his inputs were based on his ‘highly placed’ sources, during the hearing, Anand interestingly had told the court that he had been made to believe certain persons had committed the murders of the actor and Disha Salian after watching Republic TV and its anchor. Anand had told the court that as being an advocate, he watched various TV channels and particularly the channel known as ‘R Bharat’.

He came across with statements made by the anchor that Sushant Singh Rajput has been murdered only because of the murder of his former manager Disha Salian.

Last month, a Mumbai civil court had restrained Vibhor Anand and some other from dragging the name of actor Arbaaz Khan in the Sushant Singh Rajput case. This was done after the actor had filed a defamation suit for dragging his name in the case. Along with that, he had also sought to restrain them from posting or publishing any comment against him in this regard.

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