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ISIS terrorist Shamsud Din Jabbar behind New Orleans attack, was part of US army, sold firearms online: What we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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ISIS terrorist Shamsud Din Jabbar behind New Orleans attack, was part of US army, sold firearms online: What we know so far

On Wednesday (1st January) morning, a terrorist identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar deliberately ran his pickup truck over a crowd, killing at least 15 people and injuring 30 others.

The incident occurred in the French Quarter neighbourhood in New Orleans city of the United States. Jabbar was 42 years old and a US Army veteran.

Jabbar was neutralised by the police in a gunfight. The Ford pickup truck, used by him to orchestrate the terror attack, was equipped with an ISIS flag.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Shamsud Din Jabbar did not act alone. The authorities have recovered a handgun, AR-style rifle guns and multiple Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) including pipe bombs from his vehicle.

They have also seized similar explosives from other parts of the neighbourhood. Reportedly, three men and a woman were spotted in surveillance footage planting those IEDs.

Shamsud Din Jabbar was wearing a ballistic vest and helmet when he stepped out of his pickup truck and fired at the law enforcement authorities.

While speaking about the incident, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick stated, “This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil.”

The FBI also found videos uploaded by Jabbar on social media, wherein he expressed his allegiance to ISIS and desire to kill people. Although the said videos were uploaded several hours before the attack, no action was taken to stop him.

According to journalist Andy Ngo, Shamsud-Din Jabbar worked as an information technology specialist at one point in time. He used to sell firearms online from Houston city in Texas.

The ISIS terrorist joined the US army in 2007. He served in Human Resources and IT Department and was deployed to Afghanistan between 2009-2010. He left the US Army with the rank of staff sergeant in 2020.

According to reports, Shamsud Din Jabbar was arrested for theft in 2002. He was re-arrested in 2005 for driving with an invalid licence. Both those offences were classified as ‘misdemeanours’ and he was fined only $100.

It had only come to light that he was married twice. His second wife had even filed a motion for a restraining order against him.

In the aftermath of the terror attack, a college football game that was scheduled to be played at the nearby Superdome was postponed till Thursday (2nd January).

Khalistani terrorists killed in Pilibhit encounter were trained by Pakistan’s ISI, terror attack in Gurdaspur planned in Canada and the US

OpIndia Staff
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Khalistani terrorists killed in Pilibhit encounter were trained by Pakistan’s ISI, terror attack in Gurdaspur planned in Canada and the US

Three Khalistani terrorists killed in Pilibhit’s Puranpur are discovered to have links to Pakistan. The leader of their group, Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), is based in the country. The perpetrators fled to Uttar Pradesh after throwing a grenade at a checkpoint in Punjab. Such attacks are reportedly being carried out by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in exchange for Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. Similar to the slain drug-addicted terrorists, other young people are also falling victim to this growing problem. Moreover, the ISI and Pakistan are actively supplying weapons to the Punjab area.

According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, the terrorist attack on a checkpoint in Punjab’s Gurdaspur is part of a larger plan orchestrated in Canada and the United States. The report stated that three meetings were held in the two countries in 2023 to plan attacks on Indian police, supply weapons and train terrorists. Since these meetings, there has been a surge in attacks on checkpoints and police stations. Over the last two years, around 20 similar incidents have taken place in Punjab.

The Superintendent of Police (SP) Pilibhit disclosed that the KZF recruited these culprits to execute the assault for a mere Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. He noted that this terrorist organization functions directly from Pakistan, where its leader, Ranjit Neeta, is broadening his operations. Besides providing weaponry, the ISI is also offering terrorist training to Sikh youth at various locations within the country. Reports suggest that numerous training camps have been set up in Pakistan for this purpose. Furthermore, the ISI is even assisting Khalistani factions in their fundraising initiatives.

The acquisition of these funds is facilitated through activities such as extortion, ransom and drug trafficking. The ISI and multiple Pakistani agencies are actively involved in the distribution of drugs and weapons into Punjab. In the last two years, drones have been observed flying over the Punjab border on more than 200 occasions. Although the Border Security Force (BSF) frequently intercepts and destroys these drones, some manage to escape. These unmanned aerial vehicles are known to transport drugs and firearms. The weapons recovered from terrorists neutralized in Pilibhit are of foreign manufacture, raising suspicions that they were transported through the same route.

The ISI has broadened its operations to encompass seven states and 30 cities across India. This network not only covers Punjab but also includes districts with a notable Sikh demographic in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Funds are dispatched directly via hawala networks for actions that cannot be achieved through cross-border smuggling. Terrorists like Wadhwa Singh Babbar and Neeta are involved in these activities with the support of ISI. Several Khalistanis have also been killed in Pakistan. Punjab Police, Uttar Pradesh Police and intelligence agencies are on high alert regarding these developments.

Meanwhile, in the Pilibhit case, the local police are leaving no stone unturned in their investigation. The police have recently taken into custody a man named Sunny, who helped the terrorists in renting a room in Puranpur. Several other individuals have also been detained for questioning in connection with this case. It has come to the attention of the authorities that the three terrorists who were killed were drug addicts and had procured intoxicating capsules from a pharmacy in Puranpur. The police have visited the facility to conduct further inquiries.

On 23rd December 2024, three terrorists of the Khalistan Zindabad Force were eliminated in a police encounter. They had been involved in a grenade attack on a police checkpoint in Gurdaspur, Punjab, a few months earlier. The operation was carried out by a joint team of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab Police. The terrorists were identified as Gurvinder Singh, Virendra Singh also known as Ravi and Jaspreet Singh alias Pratap Singh.

Maharashtra: 11 Naxals surrender before CM Devendra Fadnavis at Gadchiroli police station, receive monetary aid for rehabilitation

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: 11 Naxals surrender before CM Devendra Fadnavis at Gadchiroli police station, receive monetary aid for rehabilitation

In a major victory, on Wednesday, 1st January, a total of 11 naxals including Tarakka Sidam surrendered before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at Gadchiroli Police headquarters. This happened during Fadnavis’ visit to the district. “This is a very important police station because Maoists dominated this area. Our police have established their outpost by demolishing the Maoist dominance. The area is being developed, a road is being developed which will connect us with Chhattisgarh. Mobile towers are also being installed,” he said.

While addressing the issue of Maoism last month, the CM had taken cognizance of the 33 Naxals that had been killed in the last year and said that the North Part of Gadchiroli district had become completely ‘Naxal-free’. Fadnavis also said that as many as 55 Naxals have been arrested and 33 have surrendered in the same period.

Speaking during the winter session in the state assembly earlier he said, “North Part of Gadchiroli district is completely Naxal-free. 33 Maoists have been killed, 55 Maoists have been arrested, 33 Maoists have surrendered, in the last year”. He further said that the government would continue its fight against Naxalism and fix a timeline of three years to crush the left-wing extremism.

“1500 youths of Gadchiroli have joined the police force, out of which 33 youths are Naxal victims, the main leader of Maoists Giridhar, and his wife have surrendered, Giridhar had recruited the cadre of South Gadchiroli, the government’s goal is to eliminate Naxalism in the coming 3 years,” he was quoted as saying.

“The threat of Naxalism is not limited to remote areas only. Many front organizations have been formed. They are trying to shake the faith in the Constitution through an ecosystem. Many of these organizations try to rescue the arrested Naxalites. They create a safe haunt for them,” he added.

In the given case, it is said that the 11 Naxals who have surrendered before Maharashtra CM will be offered monetary assistance from the state for rehabilitation. These were carrying a collective bounty of Rs 1.03 crore and were involved in attacking security personnel.

Notably, the most prominent among the surrendered Maoists was Dandkaranya Zonal Committee Member Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka. Tarakka had been involved in the Naxalism movement for the past 38 years. Maharashtra CM meanwhile also felicitated C-60 commandos and officers for bravery in anti-Naxal operations.

“Maharashtra will soon become free of Naxal menace given the rise in the number of Maoists laying down their arms and the movement failing to attract recruits,” he noted.

‘Dharampur Jamia Masjid is a den of terrorism’: Himachal Pradesh minority welfare group president SNA Gilani

OpIndia Staff
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‘Dharampur Jamia Masjid is a den of terrorism’: Himachal Pradesh minority welfare group president SNA Gilani

Addressing the media about the situation in Himachal Pradesh, the state president of the Himachal Pradesh Alpsankhyak Kalyan Parishad SNA Gilani held Muslim miscreants from other states responsible for disturbing the peace in the state. He accused the Muslims from different states of disturbing the social fabric of Himachal Pradesh by constructing mosques and graveyards.

Gilani, who has been the state president of the BJP Alpsankhyak Morcha in Himachal Pradesh and a member of the BJP Rashtrakari Samiti, expressed concern over the safety of Hindu women in Himachal Pradesh. He claimed that thousands of Hindu women have been taken to other states by such Muslim miscreants.

He described the Dharampur mosque located in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh as the headquarters of all the anti-Hindu activities taking place in the state. “There are several Army stations around Dharampur including Army Station Headquarter Kasauli, Army Station Dhiksai, Sapatu and Solan. There is also a CRPF centre in Dharampur. All these have a threat from the Dharampur Jamia mosque”, Gilani said.

“Hundreds of people (Muslims) from outside come to Dharampur mosque every Friday. None of them live in Dharampur. There is not a single permanent resident (Muslim) in Dharampur. Hardly, 3-4 families (Muslim) live in rented houses in Dharampur”, claimed Gilani asking people to visit Dharampur mosque on any Friday and witness Muslims from outside visiting the mosque in large numbers. He questioned the need for constructing such large mosques while the Muslim population in the state is minuscule.

He added that if the state government wanted to save the army centres in the state and ensure the safety of Hindu women then it should shut down the Dharampur Jamia mosque. He said that the state government should investigate if the Dharampur mosque was built after taking the necessary permission. If it is found that no permission was taken for building the mosque, then it should be demolished like the illegal mosque in Sanjauli was demolished.

Last year in October, a court in Himachal Pradesh had ordered the demolition of unauthorised parts of a mosque in Sanjauli. The court order came after local Hindus staged protests alleging that the mosque was constructed illegally. Recently there has been growing concern among the locals of Himachal Pradesh regarding several illegal mosques having come up in different towns in the state. People have been facing problems because Muslims from outside the state visit these illegal mosques in large numbers.

Unused funds, stampede, and mismanagement during Kumbh Mela under SP rule in 2013: A sharp contrast to Yogi’s digital Maha Kumbh

अर्पित त्रिपाठी
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Unused funds, stampede, and mismanagement during Kumbh Mela under SP rule in 2013: A sharp contrast to Yogi’s digital Maha Kumbh

The Maha Kumbh is starting in Prayagraj from Makar Sankranti (14th January 2024) and the CM Yogi Adityanath-led government of Uttar Pradesh is busy preparing for the grand celebration of the Hindu festival. From infrastructure to crowd management, work is going on at a fast pace. The Yogi government says that the Maha Kumbh of 2025 will be the most incredible and divine.

Now the opposition has a problem with this mega event as well. Samajwadi Party MP from Faizabad Awadhesh Kumar has said that organising Maha Kumbh is nothing new and it happened during his government as well. Awadhesh Kumar has claimed that there is a loot going on in this year’s Maha Kumbh.

Meanwhile, their leader Akhilesh Yadav is also constantly raising questions about the preparations for Maha Kumbh. He claims that the work of Maha Kumbh is incomplete. However, Akhilesh Yadav and his party leaders forget that exactly 12 years ago, Kumbh was organised in Prayagraj under his own government and its mismanagement was criticised all over the world.

Instead of criticizing the Yogi government now, Akhilesh Yadav could have set a model during his tenure as Chief Minister but he did not show any interest in Kumbh at that time. From the stampede during the Maha Kumbh to not spending adequate money and doing proper crowd management, hundreds of irregularities took place in his government. A CAG report exposed the rampant irregularities and mismanagement by the Samajwadi Party government.

Azam Khan was made a minister, 42 died in a stampede

For the 2013 Kumbh, the then CM Akhilesh Yadav could not find anyone other than Azam Khan. Azam Khan was made the chairman of the committee of the Kumbh Mela. Azam Khan probably had no interest in the Kumbh, the biggest gathering of Hindus, and during that time he was busy running his parallel government in Rampur and setting up Jauhar University.

During this Kumbh, when Azam Khan was a minister, 42 people were killed in a stampede at the railway station of Prayagraj. This accident happened on February 10, 2013. This day was Mauni Amavasya and lakhs of devotees had come to Prayagraj to take a bath in the Ganga that day.

The report about this accident also came out later. One of the reasons for this accident was that the state government had not arranged for enough buses. After this accident, Azam Khan offered his resignation as a show of show but Akhilesh Yadav refused to accept it.

Two days after the accident, Akhilesh Yadav went to Prayagraj and after roaming around in the car, he went back. He did not even consider it necessary to take a bath here. Akhilesh Yadav, who is currently blaming the state government for not installing wires on the poles, was then appealing not to do politics on the accident.

60% of work was incomplete when Kumbh Mela was organised during Akhilesh Yadav’s tenure

The apathy towards Hindu devotees and irregularities in the fair’s organisation were not limited to this. When CAG audited this Kumbh, the real and shocking truth was revealed. The CAG report revealed that the date for completion of all the works for the 2013 Kumbh was initially set as 30 November 2012, but many of these works were not completed even before the fair began. Their dates were extended thrice in the meantime.

According to the CAG report, Akhilesh Yadav’s government could not complete 59% of the infrastructure work till the start of the fair i.e. 14 January 2013. That is, Akhilesh Yadav, who is currently making an issue of the wires not being installed on the poles, could not complete 60% of the work in his government till the start of the fair.

Even out of 111 road construction works, 65 were not completed even after the fair ended. Moreover, 4 projects worth ₹26 crores could not even be started. Despite all this, the Akhilesh government informed CAG in January 2013 that all the works were completed. CAG had put the government in the dock regarding this.

CAG also found in its investigation that out of the medicines, vehicles and other things that were to be supplied for Kumbh Mela, goods worth more than ₹2 crore had not reached even before the fair began. Many such works were done using Kumbh Mela’s money, which was not even related to it.

SP government gobbled up Centre-allocated fund

 A budget of ₹1152 crores was allocated for the 2013 Maha Kumbh. Out of this amount, ₹341 crores was given by the central government. This was to be spent for the infrastructure to be built during Kumbh and for other purchases. But this money was not spent completely. Out of this amount, ₹1017 crores was spent. That means an amount of ₹134 crores remained unspent.

In addition to this. the central government had given ₹800 crores separately to the Samajwadi Party for Kumbh. Akhilesh Yadav’s government did not spend a single penny of this amount for Kumbh works. The state government used this money for its own work.

The CAG report says that if we look at this calculation, the SP government spent only ₹10 crore or 1% of the budget from its own pocket. Because ₹1141 crore had already been given by the central government. Even after all this, there was a lot of misappropriation of the money that was spent. The level of misappropriation was such that bus and motorcycle numbers were given for the tractors working in the fair.

The CAG report shows that 30 workers were shown working at two places at the same time. They were also paid. In some places, crores of rupees were spent in the name of bridge repairs and at other places money was wasted on barricading. Overall,  massive corruption took place.

Only 5 divers were deployed to protect 12 crore people

The Akhilesh government not only displayed negligence in constructing infrastructure or spending money in the 2013 Kumbh but also showed gross negligence in the management of the devotees here. According to an estimate, about 12 crore people from India and abroad participated in this Kumbh. The CAG report itself shows that only 5 divers were appointed to handle these 12 crore devotees. Not taking the safety of people seriously in such a big event shows the Akhilesh government’s indifference towards Kumbh.

Yogi government to organise digital Maha Kumbh

While Akhilesh Yadav had turned the 2013 Kumbh into a monument of failures, the Yogi government has made preparations to organize the 2025 Kumbh as a digital Kumbh. The Yogi government has created a special app for this Maha Kumbh. This app will run in 11 languages. QR codes have been installed for every service in the Maha Kumbh.

Thousands of cameras have been installed in the entire fair area for the security of Maha Kumbh. An integrated command and control system has been created. AI has been used extensively in this system. Apart from this, drone surveillance will also be done here. The Maha Kumbh Mela area has been divided into 25 command centres.

The fair area of ​​Maha Kumbh is spread over several kilometres. Due to this, the devotees had to walk a lot. Now the Yogi government will change this situation. The Yogi government has made arrangements for shuttle buses, e-autos and e-rickshaws within the fair area in this Maha Kumbh. These will be available 24 hours for the convenience of the devotees, in addition, thousands of policemen have also been appointed.

IAS officer reinstated in 2021 after arrest and suspension to face trial in Jammu and Kashmir gun licence scam under anti-corruption laws

OpIndia Staff
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IAS officer reinstated in 2021 after arrest and suspension to face trial in Jammu and Kashmir gun licence scam under anti-corruption laws

On Tuesday, 31st December, the Central Government granted permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan for his alleged involvement in the issuance of arms licenses illegally in Jammu and Kashmir. The official order accessed by media, in this case, reveals that Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer currently serving as the Revenue Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, has been sanctioned for offences under anti-corruption laws.

As per the reports, the Deputy Solicitor General of India Vishal Sharma was informed by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions that approval for Ranjan’s prosecution in a 2018 CBI case had been accorded. According to a previous communication, the sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, was granted on November 28th, 2024. The charges include Section 5(2) of the Act, which pertains to criminal misconduct by public servants.

Notably, the CBI officials are investigating a large scam case involving the illegal issuance of arms licenses in Jammu and Kashmir. It is believed that over 2.74 lakh arms licenses were issued in the then-state between 2012 and 2016. As per the allegations, the licenses were issued by the district magistrates, deputy commissioners, and licensing authorities in exchange for bribes amounting to crores of rupees.

The officials disclosed that fraudulent and fake licenses were issued by district magistrates across eight districts in Jammu and Kashmir in exchange for monetary benefits. The eight districts where such practices continued for around 4 years included Kupwara, Baramulla, Shopian, Pulwama, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Rajouri, and Doda.

It was also revealed later that around 95% of these licenses granted illegally were given to individuals who were not residents of Jammu and Kashmir or posted in the jurisdictions of the issuing districts.

Reports suggest that the scam was initially exposed by the Rajasthan Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) in 2017. The investigation by the authorities then led to multiple arrests.

Following this, the CBI in the year 2018 formally registered the case after receiving clearance from the Jammu and Kashmir government and subsequent notification by the central government. The investigation was handed over to the CBI by the then-Governor NN Vohra after being initially handled by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Ranjan, along with retired officer Itrit Hussain Rafiqui, both of whom served as District Magistrates of Kupwara, were arrested by the CBI on March 1st, 2020. Following his arrest, Ranjan who was serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Regulatory Authority and Vice Chairman of the Jammu Development Authority, was suspended by the Jammu and Kashmir government. In February 2021, he was reinstated after a review committee recommended his service return and was subsequently posted as Additional Secretary in the Revenue Department.

The CBI investigation revealed Ranjan and Rafiqui’s involvement during their respective tenures as District Development Commissioners of Kupwara, from 2015 to 2016 and 2013 to 2015.

26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana to be extradited to India after US court order

OpIndia Staff
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26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana to be extradited to India after US court order

In a crucial development in the 26/11 attacks trial, jailed Pakistani-origin Canadian ‘businessman’ Tahawwur Rana is expected to be brought to India after a panel of judges from the US Court of Appeals ordered his extradition. The National Investigation Agency is investigating Rana’s involvement in the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008.

It is pertinent to recall that in August 2024, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit stated that Tahawwur Rana is “extraditable to India” under the extradition treaty between India and the US. The panel upheld the district court’s denial of Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s habeas corpus petition, which challenged a magistrate judge’s certification of Rana as extraditable to India for his suspected role in terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

According to NIA officials, the extradition process for Tahawwur Rana is now underway, Economic Times reported. Rana received an international arrest warrant, and the NIA submitted a charge sheet. During the court proceedings, US prosecutors contended that Rana was aware that his childhood friend Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley had links with LeT, and that by supporting Headley and providing him cover, Rana was supporting the Islamic terror outfit.

As reported earlier, Tahawwur Rana was convicted in the United States for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. He was imprisoned for more than 10 years for supporting terrorist groups and plotting Mumbai attacks. 

The panel held that the Non-Bis in Idem exception did not apply in Rana’s case because the Indian charges contained distinct elements from the crimes for which he was acquitted in the United States.

The US court relied on the text of the treaty, the State Department’s technical analysis, and persuasive case law of other circuits and held that the word “offence” refers to a charged crime, rather than underlying acts, and requires an analysis of the elements of each crime. 

In its ruling, the US court also held that India provided sufficient competent evidence to support the magistrate judge’s finding of probable cause that Rana committed the charged crimes. The three-judge panel included Milan D Smith, Bridget S Bade, and Sidney A Fitzwater. 

The US district court tried him on charges of supporting a terrorist organisation that carried out large-scale terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The jury convicted Rana of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organisation as well as conspiring to provide material support to a foiled plot to carry out terrorist attacks in Denmark. 

However, the jury acquitted him of conspiring to provide material support to terrorism-related activities to the attacks in India. Following his convictions, he served seven years in prison but after his compassionate release, India made the extradition request to the US so that he could be tried in India for his role in the Mumbai terror attacks. 

Rana had contested his extradition on grounds of Non-Bis in Idem (double jeopardy) exception in the India-US extradition treaty. Challenging his extradition proceedings before the Magistrate court, where it all initially began, he argued that India did not provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate probable cause that he committed the charged crimes.

However, the extradition court rejected his arguments and certified that he was extraditable. He then challenged it in district court (the habeas court), but this court also upheld the extradition court’s findings of facts and conclusions of law.

Rejecting his contentions on the grounds of exception in the India-US treaty, Judge Smith said, “Because the parties do not dispute that the crimes charged in India have elements independent from those under which Rana was prosecuted in the United States, the Treaty permits Rana’s extradition.” 

Was Sanjay Raut locked up and thrashed by Shiv Sena UBT workers? Read what a journalist claims to have transpired at the party meeting

OpIndia Staff
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Was Sanjay Raut locked up and thrashed by Shiv Sena UBT workers? Read what a journalist claims to have transpired at the party meeting

On 1st January, it was reported that Sanjay Raut was attacked by members of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) at Matoshree, the residence of Uddhav Thackeray in Bandra, Mumbai. According to reports, he was not only assaulted but also confined to a room by furious party workers. Furthermore, it is claimed that this incident took place in the presence of Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray during a recent meeting of the party.

A prominent Marathi journalist, Bhau Torsekar, recounted the entire event, which soon gained traction on social media and other portals. The event transpired during a recent meeting organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief to evaluate his party’s standing in Mumbai, where municipal elections are anticipated in the coming months. However, Raut engaged in a contentious exchange with party members, which subsequently turned into a troubling ordeal for him.

The meeting was also convened to reflect on the poor performance of the party in the recent state assembly election, during which Maha Vikas Aghadi headed by Congress managed to win less than 50 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti achieved a decisive victory with 230 seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) secured only 20 seats in the poll and other leaders asserted that the party has endured significant political hardships and severe loss as a result of the Rajya Sabha MP’s comments and outrageous positions which angered him and he tried to counter them.

This verbal confrontation then escalated into a physical altercation, with furious party workers attacking him. He was even confined to a room for several hours. Importantly, neither Sanjay Raut nor Uddhav Thackeray, nor any other prominent leader from the party, has publicly responded to or denied the allegations. Raut is notorious for using unparliamentary and offensive language and has repeatedly faced backlash for the same.

Madhya Pradesh: ED probe against former constable Saurabh Sharma intensifies, massive cash, gold and properties found

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: ED probe against former constable Saurabh Sharma intensifies, massive cash, gold and properties found

In the latest development in the ongoing investigation against Saurabh Sharma, a former constable in the Madhya Pradesh state transport department, the ED has found an amount of Rs 4 crore in the bank accounts of Saurabh Sharma and his family members. Besides, properties worth Rs 23 crores belonging to the former constable is also reportedly under the scanner of the agency.

Last year on 23rd December, the assets worth Rs 7.98 crore were recovered by the Special Police Establishment (SPE) of the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta from the premises of Saurabh Sharma. The investigating agencies are on the lookout for Sharma who is absconding. Summons were issued by the IT Department against Sharma, his associates Chetan Singh Gaud and Sharad Jaiswal requiring them to appear for interrogation. It is suspected that Sharma might already have fled the country. Sharma’s application for anticipatory bail has also been rejected.

Apart from a vehicle loaded with 11 crores in cash and 52 kgs of gold bullion that was allegedly linked to Sharma’s illegal network, the raids on Sharma’s residence have also seized luxury watches, bags, and other expensive items. These items are believed to be used for bribery in various government departments.

As per reports, in the 9 days since the investigation started, total assets worth over 90 crores owned by Sharma, his associates and his family members have been traced by the probing agencies. These include cash, gold, silver, vehicles, houses, bank FDs and investments.

Multiple raids have been carried out by the Enforcement Directorate at different locations linked with Sharma and his associates in Bhopal, Gwaliar and Jabalpur under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Besides the ED, the Income Tax Department and the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta SPE are also investigating the source of the illegal wealth amassed by Sharma and his associates. The assets seized by the agencies so far include Rs 10 crore cash, foreign currency, jewellery worth Rs 50 lakhs, vehicles worth Rs 2.21 crore.

Himachal Pradesh: Hotel manager dies after scuffle with policemen on new year night, locals demand justice

OpIndia Staff
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Himachal Pradesh: Hotel manager dies after scuffle with policemen on new year night, locals demand justice

Massive tensions erupted in the Dalhousie region of Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh after a violent clash between the police and a hotel manager led to the death of the latter on the evening of 31st December. The incident is said to have happened in the Nature Valley Hotel in Banikhet, Dalhousie after police allegedly uninvitedly entered the hotel premises. As per the reports, a minor altercation happened between the duo over an undisclosed issue leading to the death of the hotel manager.

After the incident that happened late at night, the employees and the staff of the hotel gathered on the premises and chanted slogans against the police. Later the authorities arrived at the spot and began an investigation by recording statements of the hotel staff members. Initial reports suggest that around 3 police personnel who allegedly visited the hotel premises uninvited are under probe.

Eyewitnesses of the incident claim that three police personnel arrived at the hotel following which a minor scuffle broke out between the hotel staff and the police. As the tensions escalated, two of the hotel employees including the hotel manager fell from a height from the hotel. While the manager died on the spot, the other employee suffered critical injuries. One of the police officers has also notably obtained injuries. The injured persons are being treated at the hospital.

The manager’s brother-in-law communicated to the media over the incident and has accused the police of murder. He revealed that the entire incident had been captured on the hotel’s CCTV cameras and that the police were investigating the case. “While the physical scuffle is not visible, loud noises can be heard in the footage. Our family would not cremate the body until justice is served,” he said adding that though the authorities are claiming that 3 police officers are being probed, no such official confirmation has yet been obtained.

The locals meanwhile stated that the hotel’s outer premises were covered with bloodstains indicating that a major mishap had taken place. They also said that the 3 police personnel named in the case left from the spot moments after two of the hotel staff members fell from the hotel’s height. The situation remains tense as demands for justice continue.

The hotel owner also commented on the matter and stated that he was not present during the incident but learned that three police personnel had arrived at the hotel in an Alto car. “The officers were singing and dancing and later got into an argument with the front office employee. The three had not been invited by any of our staff members, nor by hotel authorities. The hotel lacks night-vision cameras, but footage up to midnight was captured as the lights were on,” he said identifying a policeman in uniform in the footage and mentioning that the injured employee had been attacked in the face. The owner further emphasized that a fight had occurred at the hotel in his absence.

Notably, the police who had arrived at the site refrained from making any statements on the matter at present. Meanwhile, the enraged hotel staff and locals are protesting in the premises around the hotel demanding immediate action and the arrest of the police personnel involved. The investigating officers have assured investigation and said that strict action shall be taken against the personnel involved.

The enraged protesting locals have blocked Banikhet Chowk causing significant disruption within the area. Investigations are underway.

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