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Sambhal violence: 50 cartridges, 29 tear gas shells looted from police, Muslim mob planned to kill cop; read shocking details in FIR

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Sambhal violence: 50 cartridges, 29 tear gas shells looted from police, Muslim mob planned to kill cop; read shocking details in FIR

On 24th November, a Muslim crowd in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district rioted, injuring over two dozen police officers. The First Information Reports (FIRs) of this incident revealed how the mob targeted the police. While on one hand, the people associated with the perpetrators are playing the victim card, the FIR presented a different story. According to one such FIR, the throng surrounded the police officers and took their firearms after abusing them.

They had to back off in self-defence to prevent any loss of life. The FIR has been lodged by a sub-inspector posted in Kotwali Nagar, Sambhal in which he stated that he was posted near the disputed Jama Masjid along with his fellow constables. A group of 700-800 Muslims gathered about 100 meters away from the structure at around 8:45 in the morning. The crowd began raising slogans before turning violent. The boys began hurling stones and the cops became the target. The official complaint added that the mob was determined to drive out the police team that had arrived to survey the contested mosque.

According to the sub-inspector, it was illegal in the district for more than five persons to congregate. As a result, the police repeatedly advised the people to return home. However, the raging crowd remained unaffected by the appeals and kept pushing the policemen as they moved forward. The culprits continued to abuse the police personnel and threw stones at them during this period. According to the sub-inspector’s accusation, the Muslim radicals were targeting the police as part of a conspiracy.

After the stone pelting, 40-50 people from the crowd instigated the rioters to kill the cops. A few individuals even tried to snatch the official pistol of the complainant. When their attempt failed, they looted 10 9mm cartridges from the sub-inspector. Others in the crowd surrounded Constable Kapil Kumar and grabbed the bag that was dangling over his shoulder which had 29 tear gas shells. They took it with them. They then targeted a third cop. They then turned their attention to Constable Pankaj Kumar. The bag hanging on his shoulder was looted. It contained 25 blank cartridges and the same number of rubber bullets. They also targeted Constable Rajpal posted there and 15 cartridges were taken away from him too.

The enraged throng then attempted to murder him. The cops had to run towards the police station to save their lives. The mob announced that it would not allow the survey of Jama Masjid under any circumstances. The lives of the policemen were saved only after the arrival of additional forces. However, many of them have been injured in the violence and are undergoing treatment in hospital. On social media, a video of the father of a rioter who was killed in Sambhal is also becoming very popular. “I have no demands. I will take revenge by shooting the one who killed him,” he candidly challenged in front of the media. “The police shot him,” he replied when about who killed his son.

Rajasthan: Court accepts petition claiming that Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Hindu temple, summons Dargah committee, ASI and govt

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Court accepts petition claiming that Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Hindu temple, summons Dargah committee, ASI and govt

A court in Rajasthan Ajmer has agreed to hear a petition claiming that Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Hindu temple. The petition filed by Hindu Sena claiming that the mausoleum of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is Shiva temple has been accepted by a lower court in Ajmer.

Ajmer West Civil Judge (Senior Division) Manmohan Chandel decided to accept the petition filed by Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta, and the matter has been scheduled for hearing on 20 December. The court ordered summon notices to be issued to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the matter.

The Hindu Sena in September filed a petition at the Ajmer civil court demanding that the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah be declared ‘Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Virajman Temple’. The plea asserted that the Dargah was built on the site of a Shiva temple. The petition said that it is based on facts derived from authentic sources, and demanded that the Sufi shrine be removed from the premises.

Hindu Sena is also seeking direction to the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey at the site, on the lines of the Gyanvapi survey in Varanasi, and then the reconstruction of a Shiva temple at the site.

The petition says that Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti came to Ajmer with Mohammad Ghori, and that Ghori destroyed a large number of Hindu temples, including the Sankat Mochan Mahadev temple in Ajmer, after killing Prithviraj Chauhan. Hindu Sena claims that the design of the main entrance gate of the Ajmer shrine resembled a Hindu structure, and historical records suggested the existence of a Shiva temple at the site.

The development comes days after violence erupted in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh after a court ordered a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal over claims that it was a Hindu temple.

Syed Sarwar Chishti, the secretary of the Ajmer Dargah caretakers’ organization, Anjuman Syed Zadgan, called the petition a part of a larger conspiracy.

‘ISKCON a religious fundamentalist group’: Bangladesh govt to HC amidst ongoing persecution of Hindus, had earlier released Al-Qaeda inspired terror outfit chief

OpIndia Staff
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‘ISKCON a religious fundamentalist group’: Bangladesh govt to HC amidst ongoing persecution of Hindus, had earlier released Al-Qaeda inspired terror outfit chief

In yet another move exposing the Hinduphobic character of post-Hasina Bangladesh, an affidavit has been filed in the High Court calling ISKCON a “religious fundamentalist” group. Bangladesh government has said that it is “examining ISKCON”. In addition to calling ISKCON a “religious fundamentalist” group, Attorney General Muhammad Asaduzzaman accused ISKCON and its supporters of attempting to “destabilise” Bangladesh. Supreme Court lawyer Moniruzzaman is reported to have sought court directions to impose a state of emergency in Chattogram and Rangpur.

“There are attempts to destabilize the country…The government is addressing the situation by…..initiating dialogue with political parties on recent developments,” Asaduzzaman told a bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury, adding that the Muhammad Yunus-led government is scrutinising the religious organisation. Asaduzaman said this during a court hearing on ISKCON.

The High Court is reported to have directed the government to clarify its position on ISKCON by Thursday morning after reviewing the current law-and-order situation in the country. The court also directed that steps be taken to ensure the ISKCON issue does not deteriorate the law-and-order situation in Bangladesh.

This comes amidst widespread outrage over the arrest of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das on Monday over multiple charges, including sedition. On Tuesday, a massive protest erupted after Das was denied bail.

The Indian External Affairs Ministry urged the government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus, however, the Bangladeshi government ‘refuted’ India’s statement regarding the arrest of ISKCON priest Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das. Even as the Bangladeshi government is ‘refuting’ India’s concerns over rampant anti-Hindu violence and attacks on Hindu temples, such attacks continue unchecked.

Unabated persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh

It is notable to mention that the interim government in Bangladesh has opened a front against ISKCON, perhaps because it is a Hindu organisation and in the wake of the ongoing persecution of Hindus in the Muslim-majority nation. Ever since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, Hindus in Bangladesh have been at the receiving end of Islamic wrath, with their shops, temples, and houses attacked by fundamentalists who seek to purge the country of its non-Muslim minorities.

Earlier this week, ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader championing the cause of minority rights, was arrested after he participated in a protest calling for safeguards for the rights of minorities living in Bangladesh.

On Friday (22nd November), a frenzied Muslim mob attacked Hindus who were en route to the Mahiganj College ground in the Rangpur division of Bangladesh. The victims wanted to participate in a protest rally organised by the ‘Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jot’, seeking the implementation of 8 demands by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. Similar such attacks against Hindus have taken place in different parts of the country, underscoring threats faced by minorities in a country where Islamists appear to have established their stranglehold.

Muhammad Yunus-led government releases Al-Qaeda-inspired terror outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team chief Mufti Jashimuddin Rahmani

Even as the Yunus government is acting against the Hindu organisation, it had on 18th August, released the chief of the Al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist organisation Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) chief Mufti Jashimuddin Rahamani from Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail in Gazipur. Speaking to the media, Subrata Kumar Bala, senior jail superintendent of Kashimpur Jail said, “We released Rahmani around 1:15 pm on Sunday as he obtained bail in all cases filed against him.”

Sambhal violence: Muslim women were tasked with protecting rioters, neutralising police, pelting stones and bottles; arrested Ruqaiya, Farmana, Nazrana reveal shocking details

OpIndia Staff
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Sambhal violence: Muslim women were tasked with protecting rioters, neutralising police, pelting stones and bottles; arrested Ruqaiya, Farmana, Nazrana reveal shocking details

The layers of its conspiracy are gradually coming to light in the wake of the violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal area on 23rd November after four people died and several others including police personnel were wounded. During interrogation, the arrested individuals disclosed that Muslim women were also kept on standby to assist the rioters. Meanwhile, the state government declared that the losses and damages caused during the unrest would be recovered from the perpetrators. Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, on the other hand, called for an end to future mosque surveys.

According to media reports, interrogation of the stone-pelters and arrested women revealed that females from the Muslim community were kept ready for backup during the Sambhal violence. Glass bottles and stones were already collected as part of the conspiracy. Afterwards, the culprits attacked the police. The women were prepared to step forward and take the lead if the cops chased after the men.

There have also been reports that Muslim women were given multiple assignments. Their first responsibility was to stand in front of the cops and shield the rioters. They were tasked with hurling bottles, stones and other objects at police personnel as part of the second task. The participants in the violence, Rukaiya, Farmana and Nazrana have attested to the planning of a similar plot. They have also been subjected to in-person interrogation.

Notably, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s administration has made the decision to put the posters of the stone pelters on display in public areas and make them pay for damage to public property. The police and other departments are occupied with assessing the damage. Furthermore, they are also looking into the assets owned by the rioters. A total of 27 rioters have been arrested till now including 3 women and an equal number of minors. 74 stone pelters have been identified and the rest are under inquiry. It is now illegal to sell gasoline in the open in any place in the district.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind stands with the rioters, wants to stop future surveys

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has jumped into the matter and wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court demanding that no mosque be surveyed going forward. Calling the survey a threat to social unity, the body demanded that the Hindu side should adhere to “The Places of Worship Act.” Maulana Mahmood Madani issued an official letter on 26th November through the outfit’s secretary Noor Ahmed Farooqui.

Moreover, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has openly stood in support of the riot accused in the Sambhal violence and demanded the government to suspend the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and Deputy Superintendent of Police. It also held the administration responsible for the deaths during the chaos stoked by the members of the Muslim community.

Converting to Hinduism only to avail reservation without belief is fraud on Constitution, Hindus who convert to Christianity lose their castes: Supreme Court

OpIndia Staff
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Converting to Hinduism only to avail reservation without belief is fraud on Constitution, Hindus who convert to Christianity lose their castes: Supreme Court

On 26th November, the Supreme Court of India delivered a landmark judgment ruling that converting to a religion solely to claim reservation benefits without genuine belief in the adopted faith constitutes “fraud on the Constitution.” The apex court dismissed an appeal filed by C Selvarani, who was denied a Scheduled Caste (SC) certificate after she claimed to have reverted to Hinduism for the purpose of accessing reservation benefits in employment.

The Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice R Mahadevan upheld the 2023 judgment of the Madras High Court in the matter. The bench emphasised that such misuse of the system undermines the objectives of the reservation policies aimed at uplifting socially disadvantaged communities. Senior Advocate N S Nappinai represented Selvarani, while Advocate Aravindh S appeared for the respondents. OpIndia accessed the judgment copy.

Petitioner’s claimed Scheduled Caste status under Valluvan caste

According to the court documents, Selvarani applied for the position of Upper Division Clerk in Puducherry under the SC category. In her application, she claimed to belong to the Valluvan caste, which is recognised as Scheduled Caste under the Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964. In her petition, she argued that her family, including her father and brother, were historically treated as members of the said caste. She further claimed that she had received SC certificates in the past.

She also claimed that she follows Hindu practices and asserted that she reconverted to Hinduism, which entitled her to the benefits reserved for the SC community under the Valluvan caste. Notably, she claimed that her father was born Hindu in a Valluvan family. However, he later converted to Christianity before her birth. She contended that she embraced Hinduism and actively followed traditions, performed rituals, and visited Hindu temples. However, her claims were scrutinised in detail during investigations, and contradicting evidence was found.

Evidence contradicting petitioner’s claims

Following her claims, an enquiry was conducted by the Village Administrative Officer. During the investigation, the officer found that soon after her birth, she was baptised and raised as a Christian. Church records confirmed that she was baptised. The officer also recorded statements from witnesses who saw her participating in Christian religious practices regularly. The officer further noted that her father had converted to Christianity before her birth. The findings contradicted her assertion that she was following Hindu traditions or reverting to the Valluvan caste.

In the judgment, the apex court noted that the petitioner failed to produce any concrete evidence that she reconverted to Hinduism. Furthermore, there was no record of a public declaration or a formal reconversion ceremony similar to those conducted by Arya Samaj for those who reconvert to Hinduism. Moreover, there was no proof of acceptance by the Valluvan caste community, which, according to the law, is a crucial requirement for reclaiming caste status after conversion.

The court stated: “In any case, upon conversion to Christianity, one loses her caste and cannot be identified by it. As the factum of reconversion is disputed, there must be more than a mere claim. No public declaration or ceremony for reconversion has been recorded, and there is compelling evidence that the appellant continues to profess Christianity.”

The Court’s stance on fraudulent conversions

The Supreme Court stated that religious conversions for the sole purpose of accessing reservation benefits undermine the integrity of the reservation system. The court held that persons seeking to benefit from caste-based reservation must demonstrate genuine adherence to the religion associated with their claimed caste.

The bench observed: “One converts to a different religion when genuinely inspired by its principles, tenets, and spiritual thoughts. However, if the purpose of conversion is largely to derive the benefits of reservation but not with any actual belief in the other religion, the same cannot be permitted, as the extension of benefits to people with such ulterior motives will only defeat the social ethos of the policy of reservation.”

The Court further noted that the purpose of reservation is to address historical injustice and promote social equity. Any fraudulent claims, like those made by the appellant, dilute the effectiveness of the reservation system and tend to deprive genuine beneficiaries.

Importance of reconversion and caste acceptance

The judgment in the matter emphasises that caste benefits cannot be reclaimed merely through declarations. Those who have converted to another religion are bound to provide compelling evidence that they accept their original caste after reconversion in letter and spirit. The court pointed out that Christianity, unlike Hinduism, does not have any caste distinctions. Hence, when a person converts from Hinduism to Christianity, the caste identity of that person is lost. Furthermore, if the person wants to reconvert to Hinduism, it should be properly validated by both rituals and community acceptance.

Referring to past judgments, the court stated: “A caste to which a Hindu belongs is essentially determined by birth. When a person is converted to Christianity or some other religion, the original caste remains under eclipse, and as soon as during his/her lifetime the person is reconverted to the original religion, the eclipse disappears, and the caste automatically revives. However, where it appears that the person reconverted to the old religion had been converted to Christianity since several generations, it may be difficult to apply the doctrine of eclipse to the revival of caste.”

Criticism of misuse of constitutional safeguards

The apex court strongly criticised the actions of the appellant and stated that granting SC benefits to her would constitute a misuse of constitutional provisions. The court said: “The conferment of Scheduled Caste communal status to the appellant, who is a Christian by religion but claims to still embrace Hinduism only for the purpose of availing reservation in employment, would go against the very object of reservation and would amount to fraud on the Constitution.”

The court further observed that the issuance of earlier SC certificates to Selvarani and her family appeared to have been done without any prior verification. The court ruled that the decision of the authorities to revoke these certificates was justified after thorough investigations revealed discrepancies in the claims made by Selvarani.

Final verdict

The Supreme Court upheld the findings of the authorities and the Madras High Court, concluding that the appellant failed to meet the criteria for SC status under the Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964. The court dismissed the appeal, setting a precedent for stricter scrutiny of claims under reservation policies to ensure their integrity.

Notably, the Government of India has clarified its stance on reservations for SC/ST community members who convert to Christianity or Islam. In September 2022, the then Union Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, stated in the Rajya Sabha that Dalits who had abandoned their faith and converted to Islam or Christianity would not be permitted to contest parliamentary or assembly elections from constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and would not be allowed to claim other reservation benefits.

However, in August 2022, the Supreme Court asked the Union Government to respond to a plea arguing that Dalit Hindus who had converted to Christianity or Islam should be given the same reservation benefits as those extended to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category. Reports suggested that the Government decided to set up a panel to ‘study the condition of Dalits who convert to Islam or Christianity.’

Lucknow: Amir hides his identity to trap a minor girl into a ‘love affair’, abducts and rapes her; arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Lucknow: Amir hides his identity to trap a minor girl into a ‘love affair’, abducts and rapes her; arrested

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday, 26th November arrested an individual identified as Amir for deliberately trapping a 13-year-old minor girl from Lucknow into a ‘love affair’, abducting and raping her. As reported by Dainik Bhaskar, the accused person abducted the minor studying in the 8th class on 18th November. He took her to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh where he kept her in a hotel room. The accused is believed to have raped the girl further before dropping her back to Lucknow.

As per the complaint filed by the family of the victim, the accused hid his original identity from the girl and kept watch on her while on her way to school. He then trapped the girl in a ‘love affair’ and forced her to be with him. On 18th November, he asked the girl to accompany her following which he raped her in Varanasi. On refusal, the girl faced severe threats from him. The accused then took the girl to Surat in Gujarat.

By this time, the police began an investigation based on the complaint filed by the family of the girl and traced the location of the accused in Surat. Amid this, the accused on 24th November made a plan to return to Lucknow. However, he was nabbed by the police on 26th November as he planned to drop the girl in Lucknow and flee from the spot.

ADCP Manish Singh stated that the accused used to work with his father and help him deliver cooking gas cylinders. “He used to deliver cylinders. This is how he came across the minor. He then began following her and forcing her to be with him. He has been arrested. Further probe in the case is underway,” he said.

Earlier this week, another similar case of Love Jihad was reported from the Moradabad region of Uttar Pradesh. A Muslim youth named Shariq had posed as Honey to trap a 20-year-old young woman from the Katghar police station area. He raped in the name of getting her a job and then forced her to embrace Islam. The accused was arrested and charged under the relevant sections of the law.

Also, last month in October, a man named Aalim Ahmed in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, was sentenced to life in prison for rape, fraud and forced conversion of a Hindu woman to Islam. The court along with the severe punishment had further imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh. As reported, a 20-year-old woman had filed a police complaint in May 2023 saying that accused Mohammed Aalim Ahmed, 25 had introduced himself as Anand Kumar. She stated that she met the accused in the year 2022 in her coaching classes. She also mentioned that the accused forced the woman to convert her religion to Islam and aborted her child during her pregnancy with him. Aalim was then arrested and charged with rape, criminal intimidation, and voluntarily causing harm.

In the given case, the accused has been arrested and investigations are underway. Further details are awaited.

Kota: Christian group induces a deaf-mute Hindu girl for conversion by promising her healing; the victim’s family rescues her from a Delhi-bound train

OpIndia Staff
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Kota: Christian group induces a deaf-mute Hindu girl for conversion by promising her healing; the victim’s family rescues her from a Delhi-bound train

In the Kota district of Rajasthan, an alleged attempt was made by Jehovah’s Witnesses group to convert a mute and deaf Hindu girl named Surabhi Mehta. The victim was recovered by her family with the help of Bhilwara police. The 23-year-old girl’s family said that she was brainwashed and was being taken from Indore to Delhi for conversion to Christianity. They have complained to the police. After a complaint was made to the IG, police recovered Surabh and two other girls. The victim came into contact with the followers of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Jaipur.

Surabhi’s family has alleged that the members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses outfit were instigating her to convert to Christianity by making claims that if she became Christian, she would be able to hear and speak in her next life. The victim’s family alleged that this outfit targets people with disabilities for conversion.

Furthermore, they said that on 19th November 2024, Surabhi left for Indore without informing her family. Upon enquiring, they learnt that she had gone to Indore to attend a conference organised by Yehovah’s Witnesses. It has been alleged that an attempt was made to take the victim to Delhi from Indore.

Surabhi’s family informed the police that their daughter was missing. After this, the police recovered Surbhi from the Indore-Delhi Express from Bhilwara station. The police also caught two other girls and interrogated them. Later, the police released the duo.

The victim’s family said that Surabhi is brainwashed to such an extent that despite many efforts, she does not go to temples and remains in touch with Jehovah’s Witnesses group.

Speaking to OpIndia, Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Renewal said, “Jehovah’s people contacted the girl through a friend. After this, they attracted her towards Christianity through online classes and sign language. Taking advantage of her being deaf and dumb, they lured her with the promise of speaking in the next life and pressured her to convert.”

In October last year, a blast at Yehovah’s Witnesses convention resulted in the death of several people while numerous others were injured, hours after the blast, a former member of this Christian outfit, Dominic Martin surrendered before the police claiming responsibility for the explosions. Describing his motive behind the blast, Martin said that the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses were “anti-national and seditious”.

“Their teaching is not right. They are teaching anti-national things. I told them that they should change their ways. Staying in a…but cursing and addressing people in that country in the worst…derogatory form is they do. They are telling a 4-year-old child that if somebody from another community gives you candy, you shouldn’t have it. From an early age, they are feeding such poison into the child,” he said back then.

You have voted for the lotus flower, will evict you from the village, kill you: Muslim hooliganism begins after I.N.D.I. Alliance wins in Jharkhand

OpIndia Staff
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You have voted for the lotus flower, will evict you from the village, kill you: Muslim hooliganism begins after I.N.D.I. Alliance wins in Jharkhand

Post-poll violence has gripped Jharkhand after the victory of the I.N.D.I. Alliance in the state assembly election where incidents of intimidating Bharatiya Janata Party supporters have come to the fore. Members of his own community in Sahibganj district are threatening to expel and murder a Muslim youth who supports the saffron party. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers attacked the residence of a BJP supporter in Madhupur. The attackers reportedly uprooted the party’s flag from the house and urinated on it.

The first case is from Ranga police station area of ​​​​Sahibganj district. Imam Mirza of Mohammadpur village lodged a police complaint on 24th November and stated that Mehboob Sheikh, Majharul Sheikh, Munna Sheikh, Mustafa Sheikh and Aashiq Sheikh of the same village along with Shamim Sheikh of Mohabbatpur hamlet began to harass him after the poll results were declared because he voted for the BJP. Mohammadpur village is in Barhait Assembly constituency from where Chief Minister-designate Hemant Soren was elected.

The victim mentioned that he also received death threats from the accused who warned, “We will exclude you from the village since you voted for the lotus flower. We will murder you and dispose of you in a way that leaves no trace of you behind. You will not be able to hurt me in the slightest. We have authority over everyone, including the Chief Minister and the police station in charge.”

Imam Mirza and his family were also assaulted by the JMM workers. BJP leader who contested against Hemant Soren, Gamliyel Hembrom charged that Imam Mirza and his family members were beaten and their place was attacked with stones over casting votes for the party. He also met with them and reported that two people have suffered injuries. Afterwards, he demanded strict action against the culprits from Sahibganj police.

Babulal Marandi, the president of the Jharkhand BJP and former chief minister also denounced the incident. He took to social media and voiced, “Closing your eyes won’t prevent danger, will have to see that which cannot be seen. After love jihad and land jihad, Jharkhand has now come under the grip of stone pelters. The situation is such that stones are being pelted, lathis are being used, houses are being demolished, people are being beaten up on the basis of their votes.”

He added, “A similar incident has come to light in village Mohammadpur, district Sahibganj, where Imam Mirza was beaten, threatened, mentally tortured only because he had expressed his faith in the Bharatiya Janata Party and voted for the lotus flower. As soon as the results came out, goons of JMM party started beating up BJP supported workers and voters, threatening to evict them from the village and declaring that they have everyone from Chief Minister to Police Station incharge under their influence and hence no one can punish them for their misdeeds.”

The second case is from the Madankata region of Jharkhand’s Madhupur assembly constituency where JMM candidate Hafizul Hasan emerged victorious after which a victory procession was taken out on 24th November. The party workers were accused of vandalism by Ganga Narayan Singh, the BJP candidate for the Madhupur Assembly seat in the Deoghar district. CCTV footage of the instance is also going viral on social media.

Some participants in the procession started a ruckus as soon as it passed BJP supporter Sanjay Gupta’s home. The perpetrators removed the party’s flag at his house, threw it away and later urinated on it. He was also thrashed for protesting. He was abused and they threatened to kill him. BJP Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey condemned this incident and asked for action against the offenders.

‘Incorrect and reckless reporting’: Adani Group refutes allegations against Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, says no charges for FCPA violation

OpIndia Staff
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‘Incorrect and reckless reporting’: Adani Group refutes allegations against Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, says no charges for FCPA violation

Amidst continuous attacks by the opposition parties over the indictment of Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani and over allegations of bribery in a New York district court, Adani Group refuted the misleading reporting done in media and by some political parties. Speaking on the allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the conglomerate said that the charges have been reportedly in an incorrect manner.

In a filing with the stock exchanges on Wednesday (27th November), Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) cited the news reporting on the alleged bribery and corruption charges against Adani Officials as ‘Incorrect’.

“Media articles which state that certain of our directors namely Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain have been charged with violation(s) of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment. Such statements are incorrect,” said the statement by Adani Green Energy Ltd. “Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain have not been charged with any violation of the FCPA in the counts set forth in the indictment of the US DOJ or civil complaint of the US SEC,” it added.

In a legal indictment, count refers to individual charges against a defendant. The filing states that the DoJ Indictment, which has five counts, does not have any mention of and has excluded Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani or Vneet Jaain in Count One: ”Conspiracy to Violate the FCPA’; neither does it have mention of these three names in Count Five: “Conspiracy to obstruct justice” The Count One of the indictment, which refers to the corruption and bribery charges, only involves Ranjit Gupta, Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal, Deepak Malhotra and Rupesh Agarwal of Azure Power and CDPQ (Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec – a Canadian institutional investor and Azure’s largest shareholder). No Adani official has been named by DoJ under this. However, flawed understanding of the DoJ indictment by various media—foreign as well as Indian— has led to incorrect and reckless reporting of Adani Directors of being charged with corruption and bribery under or of all five counts by the US DoJ and SEC.”

The statement says that Adani officials are named in charges only for Count 2: “Alleged securities fraud conspiracy”, Count 3:” Alleged wire fraud conspiracy”, and Count “Alleged securities fraud.”

The AGEL said that the US DoJ Indictment offers no evidence that bribes were paid by Adani executives to Indian government officials, the indictment and the complaint solely rest on claims that bribes were promised or discussed.  “All of this is based on likelihoods and hearsay from former employees of Azure Power and CDPQ places the US DoJ’s and US SEC’s action against Adani on dangerously shaky ground – both morally and legally,” it stated adding that the “ill-founded” US action and “reckless false reporting” have led to significant repercussions for the Indian conglomerate, such as international project cancellations, financial market impact and sudden examination from strategic partners, investors and the public. On the impact of the US DOJ indictment, the AGEL said that the Adani Group has suffered a loss of nearly US$55 Bn in its market capitalization across its 11 listed companies.

OpIndia reported earlier, how the opposition parties and their supportive ecosystem have constantly been attacking Gautam Adani and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the basis of bribery allegations levelled by a US attorney. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has even demanded the arrest of the Adani Group chairman. However, the indictment by the Department of Justice has accused Gautam Adani of bribing Indian government officials in various state governments between the years 2021 to 2022, of which not a single state was ruled by Modi’s Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). In fact, all the states mentioned in the indictment document were ruled by the anti-BJP parties at that time. 

Speaking about the Adani indictment, former Attorney General and senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi said that neither in count 1 nor in count 5 is Gautam Adani or his nephew have been charged. Rohatgi said that count number 1 of the indictment is against certain other persons minus the two Adanis. It includes some of their officers and one foreign person. Furthermore, the senior counsel added that the indictment alleged that Adanis bribed Indian officials in Indian entities relating to the supply and purchase of power, however, it does not name any official or any department which the Adanis supposedly bribed.

“I have gone through this indictment by the US court. My assessment is that there are 5 charges or 5 counts. Neither in count 1 nor in count 5 is Mr. Adani or his nephew charged. Count number 1 of the indictment is against certain other persons minus the two Adanis. It includes some of their officers and one foreign person…The first allegation is that there is a conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act framed by the US Parliament in that the Adanis are not named, their officers may be named. There are 2 or 3 other counts relating to securities and bonds. In those 3 counts, the Adanis and others are named…This is a chargesheet alleging that these people, including Adanis have bribed Indian officials in Indian entities relating to the supply and purchase of power, but I do not find a single name or a single detail in the chargesheet as to who has been bribed, in what manner has he been bribed and the official belongs to such and such department. This charge sheet is completely silent, so I don’t know how one can respond to this kind of chargesheets,” Rohatgi said.

Delhi HC criticizes AAP govt’s health infrastructure saying it is insufficient and not functioning properly, renotifies PIL seeking to implement Ayushman Bharat

ANI
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Delhi HC criticizes AAP govt’s health infrastructure saying it is insufficient and not functioning properly, renotifies PIL seeking to implement Ayushman Bharat

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday renotified for tomorrow the hearing on a PIL filed by all seven BJP MPs, seeking directions to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Bench, led by Chief Justice Manmohan, criticized the Delhi government for its poor health infrastructure and the lack of funds to improve it.

The Court, in oral observations, criticized the Delhi government, stating that the health system is insufficient and not functioning properly. The court highlighted the lack of updated medical equipment, with many existing devices not working, and noted that CT scan facilities for needy patients are nearly unavailable.

The Bench renotified the matter for Thursday, noting that the petitioner had not provided a copy of the petition to the Delhi Government’s counsel.

All seven BJP MPs have moved the Delhi High Court, urging the court to direct the Government of NCT of Delhi and the Department of Health and Family Welfare to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The plea seeks a direction from the Delhi High Court for the Delhi Government to take all necessary steps to ensure that residents of Delhi are provided access to healthcare under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), on par with the residents of other Union Territories and States.

The plea states that the petitioners are seven elected representatives from the NCT of Delhi to the 17th Lok Sabha. In addition to their roles as lawmakers, the petitioners are also concerned residents of Delhi who are advocating for the beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in the region.

The petition states that the issue arises from a promise made by the Government of NCT of Delhi in the 2020-2021 Budget Speech to implement the AB-PMJAY. However, the petitioners contend that this commitment has been rendered ineffective due to the government’s failure to take the necessary actions. This inaction, the plea asserts, amounts to a violation of Articles 14 (Right to Equality) and 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) of the Constitution of India.

The plea further highlights that the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), launched on September 23, 2018, as part of the Central Government’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme, is the world’s largest health assurance initiative. It provides a health cover of Rs5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization through a network of Empanelled Health Care Providers (EHCP), targeting vulnerable households and families.

As of October 2024, thirty-three (33) States and Union Territories (UTs) have implemented AB-PMJAY, with the State of Odisha also considering its adoption, as reported in the news in September 2024. However, the NCT of Delhi remains the only Union Territory where this essential healthcare scheme has not been implemented, leaving underprivileged beneficiaries in Delhi uniquely deprived of access to this vital health coverage, the plea read.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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