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Kerala nun rape case: Accused Franco Mulakkal tests positive for coronavirus after court issued non-bailable warrant

Ex-Bishop from Jalandhar Franco Mulakkal, who is facing charges of rape and sexual exploitation, has tested positive for Covid-19. The Kottayam court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him on Monday. Father Peter, PRO of Mulakkal, said that his health condition is bad.

Mulakkal’s counsel had informed the Kerala court on Monday, 6th July, that he cannot appear in court as he had to self-quarantine after coming in contact with a coronavirus infected person.

As per reports, Mulakkal had met his Jalandhar-based advocate on 29th June and 30th June. The advocate was later tested positive on 3rd July. After that, Mulakkal went in self-quarantine. His sample was tested that came negative on 6th July. He started showing symptoms later that week. The authorities retook his sample and found him Covid-19 positive yesterday.

Bail was cancelled, non bailable warrant was issued on July 13

On the 1st July hearing, his counsel had informed the court that he could not appear as Jalandhar is a containment zone. However, the prosecution submitted records of Jalandhar administration that showed the area in which Mulakkal lives to be out of the containment zone.

The prosecution claimed that the accused is trying to delay the trial, after which the Court cancelled his bail and asked police to produce him on 13th August. A petition was filed in the Kerala High Court on 7th July seeking orders to discharge Mulakkal from the sexual assault case against him. The court dismissed the petition and directed deposed Bishop to stand for trial in the Kerala nun rape case.

On July 13, the Kottayam court had cancelled Mulakkal’s bail and had issued a non-bailable warrant against him. The court has ordered to produce him on 13th August, but due to coronavirus guidelines, positive patients are not allowed to travel.

It is notable here that the non-bailable warrant was issued after Mulakkal failed to appear in 13 consecutive hearings.

In the complaint filed by the Kerala nun in June 2018, she alleged that then-Bishop Mulakkal sexually abused her between 2014 and 2016. The Special Investigation Team arrested him on the pretext of rape, unnatural sex, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation.

Congress govt used sedition law against its own minister: Sachin Pilot says he’s hurt but wont join BJP

Sachin Pilot has expressed disappointment at Ashok Gehlot-run Rajasthan government and said that the government has failed to try and fulfil the promise it made to the people who voted for them.

In an interview with India Today, Pilot said that he skipped the July 13 CLP meet held at Gehlot’s residence because his self respect was hurt. He said that the state police served him notice under sedition law, the law their party had promised to repeal. “If you remember the Congress party manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, we talked about repealing the draconian sedition laws. And here a Congress government was using it against its own minister,” he told India Today.

Refuting Gehlot’s allegations that Pilot is working with the BJP to topple his government, Pilot said, “I have worked hard to make Congress win in Rajasthan. Why will I work against my own party?” On being sacked by the party, Pilot said it is yet to sink in and he will take further decision after discussing with his followers.

He further clarified that he is not going to join the BJP. He also clarified that he has not met ex-Congress leader and now a BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia in past six months. There were rumours that Scindia might try to get Pilot into BJP fold. Scindia too quit Congress earlier this year after being sidelined by the party.

Pilot said that contrary to popular opinion, he did not hold grudge for not being made the Chief Minister of Rajasthan despite leading the party to victory. “It’s not about becoming the chief minister. I did stake claim for the post of chief minister after I had led the party to victory in 2018. I had valid reasons. I took charge of the party when we were reduced to 21 seats in a house of 200,” he said. However, he expressed disappointment that despite Gehlot’s poor performance in past elections of state and general elections, he was made the Chief Minister.

“He promised a handsome tally for Congress in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress candidate could not win even in Gehlot’s own booth. That’s his experience. Yet, I accepted Rahul Gandhi’s decision to make him the CM,” he said. He said that he became the deputy Chief Minister on insistence of Rahul Gandhi despite his original reluctance. “Rahul ji had asked Gehlot ji to make arrangement for an equitable distribution of power and work. Instead, the CM made it an agenda to corner and humiliate me and prevent me from delivering my commitments to my people,” he sad.

Pilot told India Today that after Rahul Gandhi quit as Congress President, Gehlot and his supporters in Congress “ganged up” against him and since then it has been a struggle for him to protect his self-respect. He further said that none of the Gandhi family members have reached out to him to address his grievances. “I did not have any communication with Congress president Sonia Gandhi ji and Rahul Gandhi ji. Priyanka Gandhi ji spoke to me over phone. It was a personal conversation. It did not lead to any resolution,” he said.

Refuting rumours that he demanded a post of Chief Minister, Pilot said all he wanted was a respectable working environment so promise of equitable work distribution was worked upon. “I repeat, it’s not about power, position or privilege. It’s about dignity and the freedom to work,” he said.

Comedians apologise to the Maharashtra CM, HM, Aaditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray for cracking jokes on Shivaji Maharaj

The last few days have been a different kind of rollercoaster ride for the stand up ‘comedians’ in India as a number of old videos where many were seen slandering cultural and historical icons of India surfaced and went viral. Three comedians have posted apology videos tagging CM of Maharashtra, HM, Aaditya Thackeray, Raj Thackeray and Nitin Raut. Though the apology trend started with Agrima Joshua, it does not feel like slowing down anytime soon.

The curious case of blaming BJP IT cell and apologising to Shiv Sena

Whenever a comedian gets abused on social media, the first one to get blamed is the ‘BJP IT cell’. It is a common trend seen in cases of Agrima Joshua, Sahil Shah, Aadar Malik and others. However, none of them apologised to the so-called fascist government, BJP and it’s allies or BJP followers. Till now, three comedians have posted apology videos online, promising that they will not repeat such actions. They also stated that they should not have joked on Shivaji Maharaj, to begin with.

Aadar Malik, the nephew of music composer Anu Malik, said in his message that the video that had surfaced is an eight-year-old video. It was taken out of context and out of time and he has “evolved” since then to a better comedian.

In his video message, Sahil Shah stated that the old video was not about Shivaji Maharaj in particular. Still, it was on chess in which he made a joke on Shivaji Maharaj. He claimed that he has deleted the video and will be cautious in the future not to make such jokes.

Agrima Joshua went a step ahead and specified Shiv Sena, MNS, NCP and Congress in her video message. Looking at the apologies, the comedians seem to be trying to convey that they had no idea that disregarding Hindu sentiments and slandering Hindu Gods may land them into trouble.

Joshua’s old tweets were also brought to the fore. The comedian was seen trying to convey that rape and acid attacks are ‘funny’.

Comedians deactivate Twitter accounts after old offensive tweets went viral

Comedian Rohan Joshi from AIB has deactivated his twitter account after his old tweets with vile, abusive and deeply offensive comments against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, the Pawar and Thackeray families and some other prominent personalities went viral. AIB group had earlier met the Archdiocese of Mumbai to unconditionally apologise for a video they had made.

The Agrima Joshua episode had opened a can of worms and social media users started searching and sharing old content and tweets by many such comedians who had made offensive, derogatory statements against religious groups, ethnicities and had mocked cultural sentiments.

Sahil Shah, Azim Bantawalla, Sanjay Rajoura, Adar Mallik, Neeti Palta, and many others have deactivated their twitter accounts fearing reprisal and police complaints.

It is notable here that Shivaji Maharaj is not just a cultural and historical icon for Indians, he is accorded a divine status by many, especially Maharashtrians. The offensive and crass statements, disguised as ‘comedy’ has generated a strong reaction among people.

It is, however, interesting that while the BJP and its leaders are usually the target of these leftist comedians who claim to be ‘speaking truth to power’ while sharing crass comments against BJP leaders, they are hurrying up to post apologies to the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

Muslim Congress leaders pressurise Maharashtra govt to allow Bakri Eid sacrifice even as Shiv Sena-led govt puts several restrictions on Ganesh Utsav

After Maharashtra government forcefully put up restrictions the Ganesh Utsav in the state, there are reports that several Muslim leaders, especially from his own Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance have been putting pressure on Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to immediately take necessary decisions to allow Bakri Eid festival which is falling on August 1.

Reportedly, ahead of the Islamic festival, the Muslim leaders have expressed their concerns to the government regarding the preparedness and arrangements of cattle mandis (makeshift market) in the city amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

To discuss a plan on how to organise the festival without violating the social distancing and lockdown norms, senior NCP leader Nawab Malick, Amin Patel, Samajwadi party president Abu Asim Azmi, Congress MLAs Zeeshan Siddiqui and Rais Shaikh met minister Aslam Shaikh.

Congress leaders pressurise Uddhav Thackeray to allow celebrations

Former minister and senior Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan also submitted a plea to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, state Congress chief and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat and NCP’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to allow the celebrations of Bakri Eid.

“As the government has come out with preparedness on the Ganesh festival, no decision has been taken on the Bakri Eid. Its high time that the government should immediately make a standard operating procedure (SOP) and issue guidelines on the sale and slaughtering of cattle. Festival of sacrifice is an important religious festival binding on every Muslim and hence I have written to chief minister and home minister Anil Deshmukh to immediately take a call on it,” said former minister Arif Naseem Khan.

The Congress leader said that since the festival is due to be celebrated on August 1, the state government has not yet taken any decision in this regard, which has unnerved the Muslim community and leaders of various organisations. Khan called upon Thackeray to take a decision in the matter on priority which could enable the community to celebrate Eid al-Adha with due restrictions.

Meanwhile, Minister Aslam Shaikh said that the Muslim leaders and other organisations involved have already planned on how to safely celebrate the festival.

They have reportedly proposed that two or three mandis in every 24 wards will be created to avoid crowding for buying animals for slaughtering. It is also being mandatory for the goat seller and the buyer will wear PPE kits, one person will have to go to these mandis and select the animals without touching them.

There is also suggestion that there should be coupon system where 10 to 15 people will take prior appointment and come to buy goats.

Maharashtra government restricts Ganesh Utsav celebrations

The Maharashtra government-led by secular parties of Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress, have now decided to place severe restrictions on the celebrations of this years Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra.

The government has put in restrictions on the height of idols installed by Ganpati Mandals to only four feet during the coming Ganesh festival. The idols installed at home cannot be taller than two feet, said a notification issued by the Home Department.

The state government has also advised Ganesh Mandals to postpone immersion of idols.

The notification has also asked people to use metal or marble Ganesh idols at home and if at all clay idols are installed, they should be immersed at their homes or in nearby artificial ponds, the notification said.

The government has also asked the Mandals to consider immersion of idols during the Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi which falls in February or during the next year’s Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The processions of immersion of idols will not be allowed this year as they attract huge crowds.

The Maharashtra government’s notification has also said that Ganesh Mandals should accept only voluntary donations and advertisements should not aim to attract crowds but focus on health awareness and social messages.

The government has also banned cultural programmes and has asked them to organise health camps, blood donation camps to create awareness about infections such as coronavirus, malaria and dengue. The crowds during daily ‘aarti’ are barred and noise pollution norms must be followed.

The notification also said that the ‘Darshan’ facility should be provided online through Facebook or other media or through cable network and pandals should have sanitization and thermal screening facilities.

Trump attacks China again, says US holds it responsible for concealing the virus and unleashing it upon the world

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday again attacked China and accused the communist country of concealing the coronavirus and unleashing it upon the world.

While addressing media, Trump said, “Make no mistake, we hold China fully responsible for concealing the virus and unleashing it upon the world. They could’ve stopped it, they should’ve stopped it, would’ve been very easy to do it at source when it happened.”

He accused China of ripping off the US. “As a developing country, it got tremendous support from the United States and other countries. And they took advantage of that,” he said. He further added that he has ended preferential treatment for Hong Kong after the Chinese government enacted new law. “Hong Kong will now be treated the same as mainland China,” he said.

Responding to a question by a journalist, Donald Trump said he has no plans to speak to China President Xi Jinping. “No, I haven’t spoken to him (Chinese President) in a while and I have no plan to speak to him,” he said. He further said that the WHO has been a puppet of China.

Speaking on the Chinese technology, Trump said that they are untrustworthy. America had designated Chinese telecom companies Huawei and ZTE Corp as national security threats. “We confronted untrustworthy Chinese technology and telecom providers. We convinced many countries not to use Huawei because it’s a big security risk. Just today, the UK announced that they are not going to be using it,” Trump said.

Kerala racket smuggled 150 kgs of gold since September 2019: NIA

In a stunning revelation in the Kerala Smuggling case, the National Investigation Agency investigating the smuggling of the gold has found that the racket had managed to bring in 1.5 quintal (150 kgs) of gold in the country through diplomatic channels at Thiruvananthapuram airport since September 2019. The NIA had further disclosed that the smuggling of gold was not done for jewellery but funding terrorist activities in India.

On Monday, NIA remanded the suspects– Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, who worked for the UAE consulate, in the agency’s custody till July 21. The NIA has also found that the accused had forged UAE’s emblem to send the gold consignments.

Gold smuggling started in September 2019

“As per the preliminary investigation carried out by several agencies, the gang had been smuggling gold since September 2019. They had smuggled around 150 kgs of gold till date. The interrogation of the suspects will shed more light on their modus operandi and the other people involved,” said a source quoted by New Indian Express.

While the agency is yet to be sure if the diplomatic channel was the only means through which the accused smuggled in the gold, the authorities privy to the details of the smuggling case have revealed that the same racket had been involved in handling the gold consignments through the same route on June 24 and June 26 too.

The NIA on Monday deposed in the court that 9 and 18 kilos of gold were smuggled through the same route right before the seizure of 30 kgs of gold at Thiruvananthapuram airport. It also added that the smuggling started in 2019 and the accused used diplomatic channels to ship the gold to beat the artificial intelligence-based scanners at the airport.

Gold smuggling linked to funding terror activities

The NIA had added that an initial probe by the Ministry of Home Affairs had conducted an initial probe and found that the smuggled gold was used for funding terror activities.

Responding to the court’s query on how a smuggling incident can be linked funding terror activities, the counsel representing agency argued that illegal activity of such high-level sophistication is a threat to the nation’s financial stability. In contrast to hawala and counterfeit money, a single bid of gold smuggling can garner a huge amount.

According to the NIA, a detailed investigation is required as it concerns the India-UAE bilateral relationship. The UAE has also launched a probe into the matter.

One of the accused—Sandeep Nair deposed in the court that the consignment was addressed to a UAE diplomat named Rashid Al Sheimeili and raised questions over why was the diplomat not being interrogated in this regard.

Malappuram-based businessman K T Rameez arrested in the case

The high-profile case linking the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also saw the arrest of one KT Rameez, a Malappuram-based businessman, believed to be the lynchpin of the gold smuggling racket.

Rameez was nabbed from his residence at Vettathoor near Perinthalmanna in the early morning on July 12, and his arrest would further expedite the probe. Rameez is an investor and a distributor of smuggled gold in the state, and the customs officials expect that his custodial interrogation could provide further details of investors in the gold smuggling racket. They believe that Rameez may have details of other people involved in the coordination of the smuggling, along with the extent of the involvement of Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair.

Rameez is said to be an investor and a distributor of smuggled gold in the state and custom officials are hoping that his custodial interrogation could provide furthers details of investors in the gold smuggling racket and key personnel involved in coordinating the smuggling, and the extent of involvement of Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair.

Kerala gold smuggling case accused arrested from Bengaluru

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday detained two key accused in Kerala gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, from Bengaluru.

According to the reports, the two accused in the high-profile case linking the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were on the run for the last six days after the Customs Department had seized 30 kg of gold from the consignment that had arrived from the UAE, which was marked to the country’s consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

Did you know Farooq Abdullah’s daughter Sara Abdullah had a rough time convincing her family for marrying ‘Hindu’ boy Sachin Pilot: Read details

Since the time the political crisis in the Congress’ ruling state of Rajasthan has deepened, all eyes have been set on the party’s rebel leader Sachin Pilot. The young Turk, who had gone incommunicado for the last two days, was today sacked of his duties by the Congress party. Meanwhile, in the midst of all this, Sachin Pilot’s wife Sara Pilot also managed to garner some attention after it was reported that Sara attacked the state CM on Twitter.

Though later it was learnt that the news agency mistook a fake account to be a real account of Sara Pilot, the news surely made her a subject to a flurry of questions, making it difficult for her to escape the wrath of social media.

For the uninitiated, Sara Pilot, the daughter of the former CM of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah married Sachin Pilot in 2004. As history has it, marrying outside one’s community has never been easy for Muslim girls in India. Such was the case for Sarah Pilot. While Sachin belongs to a Rajasthani Gujjar family, Sara is a Kashmiri Muslim. Though it sorted itself out in due time, Sachin Pilot and Sara Abdullah had a turbulent experience when they first decided to get married.

Only Muslim men can marry outside their religion: Abdullahs on Sara marrying Sachin Pilot

Sara’s father Farooq Abdullah, brother Omar Abdullah and the rest of the clan boycotted their private Delhi wedding in 2004, because of inter-religious politics. Incidentally, Omar Abdullah himself married a Sikh girl; but objected to his sister marrying a Hindu boy.

The duo had met each other while pursuing higher education at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. After dating each other, the two decided to tie a knot in 2004 despite constant objections from Sara’s side of family.

For the Abdullahs, who are passing through a difficult phase after their National Conference lost in the state assembly elections, it was likely that the wedding would have kicked up a furore in Jammu and Kashmir. Concerned with the possibility of facing the wrath of the community on the issue of a Muslim girl marrying a Hindu boy, Sara’s family opposed their marriage. Abdullah’s party members issued a statement stating that “only Muslim men can marry outside their religion but a Muslim girl can only marry a Muslim.”

It was reported how a campaign on Sara marrying a ‘kafir’ begun in the Kashmir valley. There were speculations then that the family had disowned their daughter for being hellbent on marrying a Hindu boy. No member of either family had come forward to speak to media persons then.

Sara Pilot had once opened up the rough times on Simi Gariwal’s chat show. “I was a wreck half the time and Sachin had to pick up the pieces,” Sara confessed. On being asked as to how the Abdullahs were ultimately convinced, Sachin Pilot said simply: “That we were happy together.” Sachin and Sara who are now married for almost 16 years, have two sons, Aaran and Vehaan.

Google to join hands with Prasar Bharati for edutainment series to help business owners amid Covid-19

Google has recently announced that it will invest $10 billion in India in the next four to five years. In a blog post, Google mentioned that it is partnering with Prasar Bharati to launch an edutainment series across its network that includes Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio. The series will be aimed and designed to help business owners adapt to the evolving challenges amid coronavirus pandemic using online tools.

The edutainment series by the state-owned broadcaster and Google will help the business owners to learn from different companies and plan for the long-term future. In the last few months, the Covid-19 pandemic has turned the world’s economy upside down. Many businesses are struggling to find the correct path to restart operations, while some are even on the verge of collapsing. Many companies worldwide have shut down their operations due to a lack of funding and overwhelming effects of the pandemic.

The series will concentrate on helping businesses to tap into the recovery mode that is just underway. Google will keep exploring new opportunities to support families, communities and small businesses using different means in the next few years in India under the Google for India Digitization Fund initiative. The aim is to build a healthier ecosystem for businesses to survive in such situations in the future.

In a recent statement, the World Health Organization has said that it is next to impossible for the world to go back to the old normal. It is evident that everyone has to adapt to new ways of doing business. An edutainment series dedicated to understanding and overcoming the pandemic’s challenges is going to help thousands, if not lakhs of small businesses across the country.

‘I swear by Kashmiri mothers and sisters that I will wear a suicide jacket to destroy a Temple built in Pakistan’: Pakistani man in viral video

Pakistani activist Rahat Austin shared a video on Tuesday where a Muslim man from Pakistan could be heard saying that he would carry out a suicide attack to destroy a Hindu Temple should one ever be built in the country. In the video, he can be heard swearing by Allah and the citizens of Kashmir that he would destroy the said Temple.

In the video, the Muslim man says, ‘I swear to Allah and Prophet of Islam that if any Hindu temple or worship place is build anywhere on this holy land of Pakistan. I swear by the Kashmiri mothers and sisters that I will be the first to wear a suicide jacket and attack that temple. I will try to ensure that the first attack to destroy the Temple is from me.’

In another video from Pakistan that had gone viral, a Muslim man could be heard saying that he has a message for his fellow Pakistanis. The camera then pans to the kids, one of who says, “Khan sahab, agar Islamabad mein mandir bana to yeh yaad rakhna, main un Hinduon ko chun chun ke marunga. Samajh gaye? Allah Hafiz. (Mr Imran Khan, if a temple is constructed in Islamabad, then remember, I will kill all Hindus one by one. Understand? Allah Hafiz.)”

Islamabad temple controversy

Islamists in Pakistan had recently opposed the construction of Shri Krishna temple in Islamabad, the country’s capital. A fatwa was also issued against its construction. Other than the fatwa, a petition was also filed in the Islamabad High Court against the construction of the temple. Later, the boundary wall which was constructed was demolished by an Islamist who has taken a vow that he will never let a Hindu temple be constructed there. Eventually, the Hindu Panchayat decided against constructing of the temple.

Hindus in Nepal protest against oppression of the Hindu community in Pakistan, burn Imran Khan’s effigy

Activists from the Hindu Community in Nepal protested outside the Pakistan Embassy in Kathmandu against the atrocities committed against Pakistani Hindus. The protesters carried placards and burnt an effigy of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. They demanded the construction of the Shri Krishna temple in Islamabad, which was halted after its boundary walls were demolished by rabid Islamic fanatics.

Vinay Yadav, the lead demonstrator of Rastriya Ekata Abhiyan, said, “We condemn the Pakistan government’s actions as it is violating the basic human rights of a citizen. By holing this protest, we demand Pakistan allow the continuation of the construction of Krishna temple.” Campaign coordinator Binoy Kumar said, “The Hindu minority in Pakistan is still being oppressed by the government.”

He added, “The government is committing another major crime by not allowing the construction of Hindu temples and monasteries.” Slogans such as “Stop the oppression of Hindus and “Temples and monasteries must be built in Islamabad” were raised by the protesters that had gathered.

Islamabad temple controversy

Islamists in Pakistan had recently opposed the construction of Shri Krishna temple in Islamabad, the country’s capital. A fatwa was also issued against its construction. Other than the fatwa, a petition was also filed in the Islamabad High Court against the construction of the temple. Later, the boundary wall which was constructed was demolished by an Islamist who has taken a vow that he will never let a Hindu temple be constructed there. Eventually, the Hindu Panchayat decided against constructing of the temple.