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Election affidavit complaints: Income Tax dept sends notices to Uddhav Thackeray and son, Sharad Pawar and daughter

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Election affidavit complaints: Income Tax dept sends notices to Uddhav Thackeray and son, Sharad Pawar and daughter

The Income Tax department has sent a notice to NCP chied Sharad Pawar. This notice has been sent to him seeking clarification on his election affidavits filed for the previous 3 elections. Apart from Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, son Aditya Thackeray and Sharad Pawar’s daughter, sitting MP Supriya Sule have also been served notices by the Income Tax Department.

Speaking on the issue, the NCP chief said: “I received notice from the Income Tax department about my poll affidavit. On the directions of Election Commission, the Income Tax has sent a notice on poll affidavits for 2009, 2014 and 2020. The IT Department has also asked Supriya Sule to give details of her last 3 poll affidavits. It looks like Income Tax has love and affection for some people.”

Shiv Sena and NCP respond to the CBDT investigation

A day after the Election Commission asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to probe allegations of discrepancies in the poll affidavits against NCP leader Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, the parties had shrugged off the investigation calling it a ‘routine exercise’.

Shiv Sena Minister Anil Parab stated, “It is a routine process to cross-check the information given in an affidavit with the income tax authority. Election Commission and Income Tax Department normally share the information, so there is nothing new in the issue.” He had prepared the election affidavits of both Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik too was not surprised with the development. Hailing it as a ‘routine exercise’, he stated that it was common for the central agency to verify information filed in the affidavit to the income tax returns of a candidate. Malik emphasised, “If there is a specific query, we will reply to it.”

EC asks CBDT to investigate complaint

On September 19, Election Commission asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to probe complaints received against the Thackeray’s and Sule, alleging furnishing of false information in their poll affidavit for the Lok Sabha/assembly polls.

It was reported that some serious discrepancies have emerged in the affidavits filed by the Thackeray father-son duo. The activist who had filed the complaint had cited contradictions in Uddhav Thackeray’s data in son Aditya Thackeray’s filing. 

West Bengal: Unavailibity of cold storage, inefficient policies blamed for loss to potato farmers in the state

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Unavailibity of cold storage, inefficient policies blamed for loss to potato farmers in the state

The State of West Bengal is reeling under an acute potato crisis due to a lack of availability of cold storage facilities. While the State produces 11.5 million tonnes of potatoes annually, there is a storage capacity of only 7 million tonnes.

State government controls rental prices of cold storage facilities

To add to the problem, the government controls the storage rental prices. Patit Paban Dey, the president of the West Bengal Cold Storage Association was quoted in an Economic Times report as saying, “While the storage rate per tonne in adjacent Bihar is ₹2400, here it is ₹1360 only and is much lower than in any other state… As the rate is controlled by the State government, we cannot change it. The government must re-set the rate.”

Dey further added that the initial investment for cold storage is around ₹8000 per tonne with an operational cost of ₹1250 per tonne per season. However, the rental amount is fixed at ₹1360 per tonne. As such, there is a significant decline in investment by potato traders in cold storage facilities in West Bengal.

Farmers forced to sell potatoes at low prices to traders

Due to the chronic shortage of cold storage capacity, farmers need to procure ‘bonds’ by paying an upfront fee for partial storage. Due to a lack of financial resources and cold storage facilities, several farmers are compelled to leave their harvest in the fields. They are also forced to sell their harvest at low prices to influential traders who profit when prices soar up. Speaking of this trend of hoarding and profiteering, a trader from Jalpaiguri stated, “This beneficiary group never likes any capacity augmentation that can spoil the profit chain.”

CMO refuses to clear 42,000 tonnes of potato stockpile

The West Bengal government had reportedly procured 42,000 tonnes of potatoes to ensure ‘fair price’ to the farmers, as per a report in Anandbazar Patrika. Another objective behind the move was to stabilise market prices in case of chronic shortage. Despite clearance from the Agriculture Department of the State and the rise of potato prices to ₹40/kg in the open markets, the Chief Minister’s Office has refused to budge. Had the government released the potato stock, it would not have to sell subsidised potatoes ( at ₹25/kg) via the stalls built under the ‘Sufal Bangla’ scheme.

As per reports, the Agriculture Department has no explanation as to why the CMO had not cleared the stockpile of potatoes from the cold storage. The West Bengal government is losing out on extra ₹1.5 – ₹2 lac rupees everyday by buying 1000 sacs of potatoes each day from the open market and selling it at subsidised prices. The Agriculture Department is of the view that the release of the potato stock, possessed by the government, will help stabilise the market price.

‘Secular’ anti-CAA protesters knew their Islamist comrades were trying to incite violence but did not inform police, WhatsApp texts reveal

OpIndia Staff
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‘Secular’ anti-CAA protesters knew their Islamist comrades were trying to incite violence but did not inform police, WhatsApp texts reveal

In an unprecedented development, it has come to light that the violent protests that took place during the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots in February were pre-planned and not spontaneous, reported Times Now. Despite the motivated campaign of the left-liberal lobby to paint the government crackdown on rioters as a ‘witchhunt’, several screenshots of Whatsapp chats between riot-accused have come to the fore.

The WhatsApp conversations, which dates back to February 17, revealed that the Delhi riots were organised and facilitated through provocation and active mobilisation of the masses.

Details of the Whatsapp conversation

While advocating violence, one Shahzar Raza Khan stated, “Jamia has the credibility to do it nationwide. But, everywhere one Jamia girl/guy must be there to execute this.” Delhi Riots accused Saffora Zargar advised him to not disclose all plans in the Whatsapp group and instead focus on executing the plans.

Screengrab of the contentious Whatsapp chats (Photo Credits: Times Now)

Expressing fear about the repercussions, one Ovais Sultan Khan wrote, “Because of your fantasies, we the people of Seelampur and trans-Yamuna are in great trouble. All localities are worried. We still have wounds of ’92, 2006, and recent violence against us by the State where none of you stood with us. Very, very irresponsible behaviour.”

He further added, “I am not educated one. But, I would like to tell you that some local people have evidences of what you all were saying last night about your plans of road blockade – your proposal to incite violence.” Ovais cautioned, “So, don’t play with fire. This will not hurt you. It will hurt us badly. Our protests will remain non-violent.”

Screengrab of the contentious Whatsapp chats (Photo Credits: Times Now)

“Why had you distributed the packets of Red Mirchi powder to women for attacking police and paramilitary?”, a member of the group inquired. Another user emphasised, “The next phase of this movement will be confrontational and we will have to wait and see the outcomes.

“Who are those people creating trouble between protestors and the police?” Ovais asked.

Some screenshots of the same and questions thereof have also gone viral on the Internet.

Pinjra Tod mentioned in WhatsApp texts

An update in the group read, as reported by Times of India, “Pinja Tod said ‘kafan baandh ke aaye hain..aur jo hamare sath nahi, wo desh ka gaddar hai’ (we have come here with a shroud…and those who are not with us are traitors to the country) when the local women protesters asked them not to block the road.” It invited the reaction, “These sort of slogans?”

Another message against the Pinjra Tod members read, “‘Pinjra Tod walein marwa denge sabko. Hum iske khilaaf hain’. (The Pinja Tod people will put us in trouble. We are against all this) Guys we need to intervene with all our resources and normalise the situation anyhow. We need to de-escalate.”

There are several other texts that indicate that people within the anti-CAA movement were very acutely aware that a section of them were trying to foment violence and yet, they did not appear to have reported the matter to the Police for reasons best known to themselves.

Left-liberal lobby cries foul

Dismissing the allegations, Huzaifa Aamir Rashadi said, “All protests took place peacefully for two months. These chats are fabricated… If they were true, then, why did the cops took such a long time to expose it.” Huzaifa is the General Secretary of the Aligarh Muslim University Student Union (AMUSU).

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Dinesh Varshney claimed that the Court refused to accept the Whatsapp chats as evidence when placed before it by the Delhi Police. He further alleged that it is a conspiracy to defame the Anti-CAA movement.

However, BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya reiterated that the riots were orchestrated by the Left-Islamist nexus under the garb of peaceful Anti-CAA protests.

Editor of blog ‘Muslims of India’ accuses Pinjra Tod of inciting violence

The Ovais Sultan Khan mentioned in the WhatsApp conversations appears to be the same Ovais Sultan Khan who had posted a message on Facebook from “Concerned citizens of Seelampur, Jafrabad and Trans-Yamuna” which accused Pinjra Tod of inciting violence. It is unclear why he did not seek help from law enforcement authorities to prevent the instigation of violence.

The post published on the social media platform at midnight on Sunday, the 23rd of February. It said that it was ‘very very irresponsible behaviour’ and the appeal was made on late Saturday night, the day the anti-CAA protesters blocked road No. 66, which connects Seelampur to Maujpur and Yamuna Vihar.

CM Yogi seeks suggestion from film personalities for the proposed Film City in Uttar Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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CM Yogi seeks suggestion from film personalities for the proposed Film City in Uttar Pradesh

Following Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s announcement last week of establishing the country’s biggest film city at Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, the UP government seems to already have started working on the project. According to a report of DNA India, CM Yogi has sought suggestions from a range of film personalities regarding the proposed film city.

According to reports, Additional Chief Secretary of the UP government Awanish Awasthi has written a letter to the recipients seeking suggestions for the establishment of the film city. Reportedly, several film personalities are to meet the Chief Minister today in Lucknow. Filmmakers Subhash Ghai, Om Raut (director of Tanhaji), Tamil actor Rajinikanth and his daughter Soundarya, singers Kailash Kher and Udit Narayan are among the names that are reportedly expected to give their suggestions to the CM.

CM Yogi interacted with several film personalities via video conferencing.

As per reports, 1000 acres of land has already been identified for the project. Of the 1000 acres, 780 acres are in the Sector 21 of the the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority area, and remaining are commercial plots.

UP govt looking to attract film makers from other states

The 2018 UP Film City Policy states that the film city will have its own police station and a separate wing will be formed under the police department specifically for the film city. In order to incentivise the production of movies in regional languages, Film Bandhu, the UP government nodal agency, had announced last year that an amount of Rs 50 lakh would be given to any Indian or overseas filmmaker for making a movie in English or in any regional language except a regional language of the state, in a proposal to attract filmmakers from other states.

CM Yogi’s decision of setting up a Film City was praised by several film personalities including actress Kangana Ranaut and singer Anup Jalota. Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar had meeting with CM Yogi few days ago reportedly for holding discussions on the proposed Film City

‘Remember Kamlesh Tiwari? The same will happen to you’: Asst Stores Officer Shakeel Ahmad threatens UP Minister Rajeshwar Singh

OpIndia Staff
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‘Remember Kamlesh Tiwari? The same will happen to you’: Asst Stores Officer Shakeel Ahmad threatens UP Minister Rajeshwar Singh

Seed Corporation Vice-Chairman and Minister Rajeshwar Singh has received a threat on his life. Singh alleged that Shakeel Ahmed, assistant store officer of Seed Development Corporation, threatened to kill him and said that he would suffer the same fate as Hindu leader Kamlesh Tiwari. Singh filed a complaint at Bakshi Talab police station, after which the Police filed FIR and initiated an investigation against Shakeel Ahmed.

As per the reports, on 19th September, Rajeshwar Singh went to inspect the warehouse of Seed Corporation in the BKT area. Assistant store officer Shakeel Ahmed was not present at the warehouse. Project Officer AK Rao called Shakeel eight times and asked him to report at the warehouse. Singh said in a statement that he was there for two and a half hours. After listening to several excuses, including he was on the way, the car has been punctured and even claiming he is in his office, Singh finally talked to Ahmed on the phone.

Ahmed threatened Singh would die like Kamlesh Tiwari

Singh alleged that Shakeel abused him on the phone. Ahmed warned him to stop his investigation in the warehouse records, or he will die like Kamlesh Tiwari. Singh alleged that Shakeel was confident nothing could happen to him. The minister said his team had found a scam of over Rs 56 crores so far in the seed reserves. He believes he will find a scam in BKT seed warehouse records as well.

Investigation against Ahmed

As per police, a case has been filed against Shakeel Ahmed under Sections 504, 506, and 507 of IPC. Once the police finish investigation, they will arrest Ahmed as per law.

Death of Kamlesh Tiwari

Kamlesh Tiwari, a former Hindu Mahasabha leader, was assassinated at his Lucknow office by Ashfaq and Moinuddin from Surat in October 2019. Tiwari was arrested in 2017 for over his remarks against Prophet Muhammad. It was revealed by the Police that his remarks led to his murder in 2019.

Reading, UK: ‘Are you Taliban?’, Sikh taxi driver attacked by four white men in apparent hate crime

OpIndia Staff
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Reading, UK: ‘Are you Taliban?’, Sikh taxi driver attacked by four white men in apparent hate crime

Vaneet Singh, a Sikh Taxi Driver from Reading, has informed the Police that he was attacked by four white men on Sunday after he picked them up from a Grosvenor Casino in Berkshire. He has said that attempts were made to forcibly remove his Turban and he was asked whether he is a member of Islamic terrorist outfit Taliban.

One of them who wished to be dropped nearby attempted to force him into consuming some intoxicating substance, Vaneet Singh said. “After he got out, he came up to my window holding a black box of substance which I think was cannabis. He asked me to try it and I said it was against my religion and then he lifted up my face mask and forced it up to my nose. It left me feeling intoxicated,” he said.

One of the others asked him to stop the car so that he could urinate. “He got out and asked to drive the car and I refused. Then he started trying to pull my taxi plate off. I tried to call the police but the network was very poor. Back in the car, they slid their fingers inside my turban and tried to pull it off,” the taxi driver stated.

Vaneet Singh added, “They also kicked and punched me in the back through the seat and kept tightening my safety belt. They said, ‘Are you Taliban?’ I said, ‘No, I’m a Sikh’, and told them it was a religious symbol and asked them not to touch my turban.” After the got off, they kicked the car, leaving a dent on it.

Singh works as a taxi driver part-time to support his family. He is also a tabla player who offers lessons on playing the instrument. The night the attack occurred was his first day back at work. “I have neck pain and chest pain now and my body keeps vibrating. This was 100 per cent a racist attack. I am usually a friendly guy, always laughing but this has made me scared,” he said.

The Police are current investigating the matter. No arrests have yet been made.

For AltNews, Muslims cease to be Muslims if they do not hate Narendra Modi or the RSS

OpIndia Staff
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For AltNews, Muslims cease to be Muslims if they do not hate Narendra Modi or the RSS

For propaganda website AltNews, whose entire existence rests on vilifying the Modi government and painting the regime as anti-Muslim, it is difficult to reconcile with the fact that some Muslims might be BJP supporters and admirers of PM Modi.

When Muslims express their association with the BJP, RSS or any other party that is bracketed by liberals as parties with ‘Hindutva’ ideology, AltNews goes into overdrive. It denounces the Muslims who voice their support for PM Modi and his government and raising questions over their Muslimness by highlighting the fact they are associated with the RSS. Sometimes, they don’t even have to support the PM. The mere fact that as a Muslim they do not hate PM Modi with all their guts is sometimes enough to lose their Muslim credentials.

Recently, on PM Modi’s birthday, members of Muslim community celebrated the occasion at Nizamuddin, Delhi. The event was covered by news agency ANI. However, this did not sit well with the anti-Modi propaganda website AltNews which was quick to slam ANI for presenting an RSS-backed event as ‘Muslim community’ celebrations of PM Modi’s birthday.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS/BJP

This is not a one-off incident when AltNews has called into question the faith of the Muslims who extend their support to the BJP and the RSS. In yet another instance, AltNews had published an article in which it slammed media organisations for representing Muslim women associated with RSS-affiliated organisations as Muslims. Just because the demand of the Muslim women to construct a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya did not conform to AltNews stand on the issue, it decided to cast aspersions on the Muslimness of the women.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS

In yet another report published in August 2018, AltNews slammed ANI and News 18 for reporting RSS-affiliated Muslim organisation as “people in Lucknow” celebrating Bakrid by cutting a cake. AltNews was perturbed that some of the Muslims abhorred the custom of sacrificing a speechless animal and were exhorting others to shun the practice. This provided a reasonable opportunity to the leftist online rag to cast doubt over the Muslimness of the people by pointing out their association with the RSS.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS

In one of the reports published by AltNews, the so-called ‘fact-checker’, who is often found peddling fake news, Muslim women from Varanasi as quoted by ANI couldn’t be authentic Muslims because they belonged to an organisation founded by a staunch BJP supporter. By this rationale, AltNews implies that no true Muslim can be a supporter of the BJP or be associated with it or its affiliate organisation.

AltNews questions Muslimness of those associated with RSS

For AltNews, Muslims cease to exist as Muslims if they do not oppose the BJP and the RSS. Any association of the Muslims with the aforesaid organisations automatically raises doubts over their adherence to Islam. According to AltNews, resistance and opposition to PM Modi, BJP and its affiliate organisations is the only measure of one’s Muslimness. Any Muslim who is found defying these conventions, his Muslimness is liable to be questioned by AltNews.

With its anti-Modi propaganda, AltNews seems to have assumed the role of authority to dish out the certificate of Muslimness to others. Those who conform to their propaganda against PM Modi and BJP are hailed as pious Muslims, others do not toe their propaganda are discredited and their Muslimness questioned, just because they did not share the deep-seated and intense hatred for PM Modi as harboured by the AltNews.

NCB summons KWAN Agency CEO. Did you know Anurag Kashyap aide and film producer Madhu Mantena co-founded KWAN as well as Phantom films

OpIndia Staff
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NCB summons KWAN Agency CEO. Did you know Anurag Kashyap aide and film producer Madhu Mantena co-founded KWAN as well as Phantom films

Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has opened a Pandora’s box for Bollywood with all the dirty secrets, which were kept hushed until now, tricking out of the closet. The Narcotics Control Bureau has now extended its probe into the drug usage in Bollywood to a talent agency called KWAN Talent Management Agency. According to reports, NCB has summoned KWAN Agency CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar and Jaya Saha for questioning.

NCB has also summoned Karishma Prakash who works with KWAN, asking her to join its investigation, along with Rhea Chakraborty’s manager- Shruti Modi.

Interrogation of KWAN’s head talent manager Jaya Saha leads to Deepika Padukone’s links

Earlier, KWAN’s head talent manager Jaya Saha’s name, who also handled Sushant Singh Rajput, has featured in NCB’s investigation. On Monday, Jaya Saha appeared before the NCB for questioning in the case.

During the five-hour-long questioning of Sushant Singh Rajput’s talent manager Jaya Saha, NCB got information about those playing an active role in the Bollywood drug nexus. It was during Jaya Saha’s interrogation that popular names like Shraddha Kapoor and Deepika Padukone surfaced and WhatsApp chats had been retrieved in which they allegedly spoke about procuring drugs.

Widening the investigation, NCB on Monday summoned Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash who also works at KWAN along with Jaya Saha. The agency also summoned KWAN Director Dhruv and called him for questioning today. He will arrive at the NCB office by afternoon.

KWAN Talent Management Agency and its interesting link with all those summoned by NCB

Interestingly, until now, all the big Bollywood names which have emerged in the NCB’s probe has links with KWAN Talent Management. A PR celebrity management company- KWAN Management works to clean the celebrities individual image in public. The talent management company was co-founded by film producer Madhu Mantena Varma. Varma was earlier married to fashion designer Masaba Gupta. Mantena was previously in a relationship with actress, Nandana Sen, the daughter of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, prior to marrying Masaba Gupta.

KWAN Agency co-founders connect with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap

Madhu Mentena Verma the first cousin of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s former mentor Ram Gopal Varma. Madhu Mentana Verma had also co-founded Phantom Films with Kashyap along with Vikas Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane.

Phantom Films was dissolved after October 2018 #MeToo allegations on Vikas Bahl where he was accused of sexually harassing an actress. Recently, Anurag Kashyap, too, was accused of sexually assaulting an actress, Payal Ghosh.

Salman Khan has major stakes in KWAN

Moreover, Bollywood star Salman Khan also shares partnership and ownership with this Kwan management company. In 2018, Bollywood talent manager and co-founder of Kwan, Anirban Das Blah, had been asked to quit after #MeToo allegations on him too, had surfaced, where four women accused him of sexual harassment.

Press release by Kwan Talent Management Agency

Almost immediately after Anirban Blah quit the company, Salman Khan’s own talent management company Uniworld Big Talent (UBT) picked up major stakes in Big Bang Media Venture, the holding company which owns Kwan. Salman Khan’s UBT became partners in Kwan. So, Salman Khan is the direct owner of Kwan Company as he has a major of stakes in this company.

Actor Salman Khan along with seven other celebrities including Karan Johar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Aditya Chopra, and Ekta Kapoor have been asked to appear before the Muzaffarpur District Court on October 7 in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

Interestingly, as many as four cases are pending against Salman Khan in the Rajasthan court. In 2018, the actor was convicted in the case and was sentenced five-years of jail. However, after spending two nights in jail, he was released on a bail.

NCB delves deeper into the drug angle in Sushant’s death case

The NCB has till date arrested over one and half dozen people in connection with the Sushant death case. Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, Sushant’s house manager Samuel Miranda and several others have been arrested by the NCB.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the probe agency said, the NCB is going to summon Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and fashion designer Simon Khambata this week in connection with an ongoing drugs probe. Sara Ali Khan’s name had come up in the questioning of Rhea Chakraborty, NCB had confirmed, whereas Shraddha Kapoor’s prospective summoning is a new development.

Rhea was arrested on 9th September and is currently lodged in Byculla jail. Rhea’s judicial custody ends today. The model-actress is expected to be produced in court, virtually.

Pakistan’s vicious narco-terrorism plan in India and its connection to Khalistan movement

Anurag
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Pakistan’s vicious narco-terrorism plan in India and its connection to Khalistan movement

In October 2019, PM Modi said, “When our neighbour could not succeed in its nefarious designs by sending terrorists and weapons, it hatched a conspiracy to smuggle drugs into our country to destroy our youth.” In 2018, Punjab CM Amrinder Singh, while talking about the drug problem in Punjab, said, “Pakistan has a long-term plan of destroying our youth. They are trying to demolish the youth along the border.” He was referring to seizures of hundreds of kilograms of drugs in Gujarat, and Jammu & Kashmir that was, according to him, were intended for Punjab.

Neither the drug problem in India nor Pakistan’s role in pushing drugs in India is new. Drug usage in border areas, especially Punjab, has increased exponentially in recent years. However, in the last few years, the instances and quantity of drugs being seized have increased exponentially. In the recent case of drug connection with Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director Rakesh Asthana said that they had found connections to international drug racket linked to Dubai and terror organizations. He stated, “Drugs were procured for rave parties, and the funds were used for narco-terrorism.”

What is narco-terrorism?

Narco-terrorism as a word was first used in the 1980s in the US when the drug smugglers in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, and other Central American started using the illegal trade as a profession. Their impact on the economy in the region was so deep that they virtually ran the parallel government. The US became the largest consumer of the produced drugs, and the country is still struggling with the problem.

According to Kshitij Prabha, Principal at Russell Square International College, Narco-terrorism can be defined as the nexus between narcotics and terrorism. Prabha published a paper ‘Narco-Terrorism and India’s Security’ during her tenure as Associated Fellow, IDSA, in which she discussed the role of neighbouring countries, specifically Pakistan, in pushing drugs in India. In her paper, she referred to the Golden Crescent, which is a “slice of the opium-producing area that cuts across Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan (Sanker Sen, Heroin Trafficking in the Golden Crescent).”

In 1999, Pakistan and Afghanistan produced around 6000 metric tons of drugs. It is a major security concern for India as it acts as a major source of funding for Pak-sponsored terrorism in India. It is much easier for the terror organizations to raise funds for terror activities in Indian territories using drug money as the price tag is almost a hundred times more compared to the production cost. Also, the price differs exponentially in international markets. For example, one kilogram of heroin from the Golden Crescent that costs around one lakh to produce may sell for anywhere between Rs 30 lakh to one crore depending on the market.

One of the most notable uses of drug money and drug trafficking routes in terror operations in India was the 1993 terrorist attacks in Mumbai in which the Dawood Ibrahim gang was involved. It was found that the explosives used in the terror attack were brought to India using the same routes that the Dawood gang used to smuggle people, arms, and contraband. According to a report in Times of India, a US Congressional report described D-company as a criminal syndicate operation comprised of over 5,000 members active mainly in Pakistan, India, and the United Arab Emirates. The report suggested that it has a strategic alliance with ISI and has relationships with Islamists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and al-Qaida.

Importance of tracking the drug-routes

India has been a victim of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for decades. There have been several instances where drugs originated from Pakistan have been seized in India. Pakistan’s government in collaboration with the ISI is using narcotics to fund terrorism in India. In 1994, during an interview, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan’s army chief and the head of its intelligence agency (ISI) proposed a detailed plan to use the heroin trade to fund military operations in 1991. Sharif added that though he disapproved of the “plan,” he had no source to verify if the ISI obeyed his orders or not. The neighboring country is also exploiting the religious sentiments of the Muslims in the bordering states of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. ISI often lures the economically backward Muslim population of these states for easy movement of drugs into different states of India that further helps in funding terrorism.

Siegfried O. Wolf in ‘Pakistan’s bigger plans of narco-terrorism’ said that in the last years, it had established smuggling networks across India, especially in the Kashmir Valley. The network helps in a steady supply of weapons and narcotics. After the major terrorist attacks in Uri and Pulwama, India increased security measures that resulted in the suspension of traditional smuggling routes. Pakistan shifted its concentration to other land-based trafficking routes via Punjab and Gujarat. Border Security forces have seized several consignments on the India-Pakistan border that contained both weapons and narcotics.

According to the World Drug Report of 2010, India had 871,000 heroin users and 674,000 opium users in 2009. By 2018, according to a survey conducted by Atul Ambekar et al. under the Ministry Of Social Justice And Empowerment, about 2.1% of the country’s population (2.26 crore individuals) used opioids. It is impossible to prevent drug usage without understanding the routes smugglers use to traffic drugs in the country. The easy availability of the drugs in these areas increases the drug usage exponentially. By understanding the routes, border security forces can significantly reduce the transport of drugs from Pakistan and other neighbouring countries to India.

Drug problem in Punjab and its connection to Khalistani Movement

N.S. Jamwal in ‘Management of land borders’ mentioned that during the peak of the Khalistan movement in Punjab, Sikh terrorists in Punjab made an “unholy alliance” with the drug traffickers. They used to get weapons from Pakistan with the help of drug traffickers. The traffickers arrested by the security forces confessed on many instances that the security forces on the other side allowed them to cross the border on the condition that they will deliver weapons to the terrorist organizations in India. Even after terrorism in Punjab was nabbed by the security forces, the use of drug traffickers to deliver weapons and funds to terror organizations is still in use.

Dr. Pushpita Das, Associate Fellow at the IDSA, in a report on Drug Trafficking in India, said that during the 1980s, the Lahore-Fazilka-Bhatinda-Delhi route became the most favoured route to send drugs in India, followed by the Attari-Wagah route. It has been alleged that the Samjhauta Express has been frequently used to transport illicit drugs from across the border.

Though the connection between Khalistan and drug trafficking via Pakistan can be traced back to more than four decades, there has been an increase in such cases in recent times. Here are some notable cases that help in exploring the connection between Pakistan’s ISI and Khalistan Movement.

532 KG heroin was seized on Attari Border, Amritsar in June 2019. It was being brought via trade route hidden in hundreds of rock salt bags. The main accused, Ranjeet Singh Rana, was arrested in May 2020 in Haryana. His location was revealed during interrogation Bikram Singh and Maninder Singh, who were accomplices of Hilal Ahmed Wagay, a close associate of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo. When Bikram was arrested, he was en route to deliver 29 lakh of drug money to Wagay.

In July 2019, there were reports that Pakistan based Khalistani terrorists are smuggling drugs in India to fuel terror-activities in Punjab. The report mentioned three instances linked to Paramjit Singh Panjwar, chief of Khalistan Commando Force, a terrorist organisation, based in Lahore since 1994. In May 2019, six Pakistani fishermen were arrested for smuggling 218 KG narcotics on Gujarat border. On 26th May the Maldivian police intercepted an Iranian boat with a Pakistani national and seized large quantity of drugs that were supposed to be delivered in India. On 10th July, based on Indian Intelligence’s inputs, Sri Lankan coast guard seized 50 KG heroin from a Pakistani boat.

According to a report of February 2020, the Khalistan Liberation Force leader Harmeet Singh “PHD” was killed in Pakistan over a rivalry between two groups as they wanted to have control over drug money. Singh was wanted in 17 cases by Indian security forces. The Hindu quoted an anonymous source who stated the recent increase in drug trafficking has resulted in the generation of huge money for the syndicates that they are using to push weapons for terror activities in India.

In July 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) designated nine individuals associated with Khalistani Movement as terrorists. Out of those ten individuals, Lakhbir Singh Rode and Paramjit Singh Panjwar were designated as terrorists for their involvement in drug trafficking and anti-India activities.

Is Khalistan Movement rising again in Punjab?

Though Punjab has not experienced surge in terror activities in the recent years, there is no doubt that from time to time Khalistani Movement shows its presence in the state. Since “Referendum 2020” was launched by Khalistani supporters that is supposed to happen in November 2020, there has been an increase in Khalistan-related activities in Punjab. In June 2020, on the 36th anniversary of operation Blue Star, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh said every Sikh wants Khalistan. Ahead on Independence day 2020, journalists across states received malicious calls demanding the creation of Urdustan and Khalistan. On 15th August, pro-Khalistani elements were arrested for hoisting Khalistani flags on government buildings. On 23rd August, a Khalistani sympathizer was arrested for praying in support of the Referendum 2020.

These activities need the money and the nexus between Khalistani groups, ISI and smugglers are raising easy drug money to support militancy in Punjab while destroying the youth with drug addiction.

NIA arrests two terrorists, including 2008 Bengaluru blast accused, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

OpIndia Staff
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NIA arrests two terrorists, including 2008 Bengaluru blast accused, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally arrested two terrorists named Shoaib and Gul Navas from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Monday evening. As per reports, Shoaib is a resident of Kannur in Kerala while Gul Navas is from UP. A special team of NIA had brought the two terrorists from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The special NIA team had taken them into custody with the help of Saudi authorities in Riyadh about 2 weeks ago.

As per reports, the Kerala native Shoaib is an accused in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case and had been absconding since then. The terrorists had red-corner notices against them. Shoaib is accused of links with the terrorist group Indian Mujahideen.

The other terrorist named Gul Navas is reportedly an active member of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba. He is an accused in the Delhi blast case.

The two terrorists were reportedly brought to India after a lookout notice was issued against them in Riyadh.

Terrorists interrogated by RAW and other agencies

As per reports, the two arrested terrorists were interrogated for hours by RAW officials and other agencies. Shoaib will be taken to Bengaluru, while Gul Navas will be taken to Delhi for further action.

While Shoaib was interrogated at the NIA headquarters at Kochi, Gul Nawas was interrogated at the IB headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram.

Shoaib was involved in Bengaluru blasts

As per a report in Manorama, Kannur native Shoaib was one of the earliest members of the Indian Mujahideen terrorist group. Thadiyantavide Naseer, the founder of the Indian Mujahideen. Naseer has been arrested and in jail. Shoaib had escaped to Pakistan in 2014. He is the last accused in the blasts to be arrested. He had reportedly married in Pakistan and was even running a business. He was a frequent visitor to Riyadh. After gathering information on Shoaib, the NIA had coordinated with the Riyadh authorities to nab Shoaib.

Recent arrests by NIA in Kerala and Bengal

On Friday, the NIA had arrested three Al Qaeda terrorists named Iyakub Biswas, Murshid Hasan and Musharraf Hussain from Kerala’s Ernakulam. 6 more Al Qaeda terrorists named Najmus Sakib, Abu Sufiyan, Mainul Mondal, Leu Yean Ahmed, Al Mamun Kamal, Atitur Rehman were arrested from Bengal’s Murshidabad.

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