Home Blog Page 602

Another digital arrest scam: Hyderabad family loses Rs 5.5 crore, kept under 24-hour digital surveillance for 17 days by fraudsters

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Another digital arrest scam: Hyderabad family loses Rs 5.5 crore, kept under 24-hour digital surveillance for 17 days by fraudsters

An alarming instance of cyber fraud occurred in Hyderabad, where a 67-year-old woman and her two daughters were placed under ‘digital arrest’ for 17 days by scammers acting as national agency investigators. The fraudsters posed as government investigators. The daughters were only permitted to leave the house to take examinations. Furthermore, the scammers compelled the victims to send 5.5 crore. The family later discovered they had been deceived via digital arrest.

Employees of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) filed a formal complaint and began an inquiry. The family’s troubles started on 13th November when a man masquerading as Rahul Kumar from the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) department called Bharati Bai Agarwal, a Basheerbagh resident. He then forwarded the call to two people, pretending to be CBI investigators, Saurav Sharma and Ajay Gupta before claiming that her Aadhaar-linked phone number was connected to drug and money laundering cases. The duo then told her to connect on Skype.

Bharati and her daughters were informed on Skype that they had been “digitally arrested” and were under surveillance via audio and video. The scammers used fictitious documents with the CBI (Central Bureau Of Investigation) and RBI (Reserve Bank of India) logos and forged footage of people in handcuffs to scare them into complying. The only ones allowed to leave the house for their exams were the daughters, who had to instantly reconnect on Skype upon return.

The family was forced to transfer money under the guise of confirming financial transactions after the scammers demanded their bank account information. When asked by bank officials about significant transactions, Bharati was told to give false justifications, including buying real estate or charity work. She made several transactions to transfer 5.5 crore. The woman learned she had been duped when she went to the Sultan Bazar CBI office on 8th December with the documentation the con artists provided her in an attempt to retrieve the money.

The scheme was shown to be a hoax after officials verified the documents were phony. Afterwards, the family complained to the TGCSB. A formal complaint was filed in accordance with Section 66D of the Information Technology Act of 2008, as well as various sections of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and banking laws. The case, which seems to be the product of a coordinated group impersonating national agency employees, is being investigated by TGCSB Inspector R Venkatesh. Police were working to find the money trail to catch the criminals.

Cybercriminals utilize a technique known as “digital arrest” to lock victims in their homes in order to swindle them. They instil fear among their targets while acting as law enforcement officers while using visual aids or artificial intelligence-generated voices by making audio or video calls. They try to gain the faith of users by using fake materials and documents and loot money from them.

UP: Meerut Police busts Christian conversion racket, Vineet Pastor and his family arrested, Hindu-turned-Christian accused was earning lakhs from the racket

OpIndia Staff
-
0
UP: Meerut Police busts Christian conversion racket, Vineet Pastor and his family arrested, Hindu-turned-Christian accused was earning lakhs from the racket

In the Partapur area of Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh, the police uncovered a massive Christian conversion racket on 8th December. The police rescued nearly 50 Hindus from a ‘medical camp cum prayer meeting’ called Masihi Prathana Sabha in the Shankar Colony. In this case, Meerut Police has arrested the accused Vineet Pastor and his accomplices under the stringent Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.

The police took action after activists of Hindu Raksha Dal and Bhartiya Kisan Manch reached the spot and found that the conversion of Hindus to Christianity was going on in the name of the camp. After that, a complaint was registered at the Kartapur Police Station by activist Sarvesh Upadhyay.

Subsequently, the police team arrived at the spot to verify the claims and found a makeshift church inside a rented house. Moreover, the police found around 50 Hindus carrying Bibles and partaking a Bible reading session headed by the accused pastor who himself is a convert from the Valmiki Hindu community. Vineet and his family are reported to have converted to Christianity nearly a decade ago and have been luring other Hindus to Christianity since then.

The police detained 15 people including Vinit, his wife Payal, cousins Pramod, Luv, Kunal, Satendra, Johnny Khekdi, Sheshnag, Anoin, Nitin, Sangeeta, Geeta and others. The FIR names Vineet Pastor as the main accused and states that he was organising such prayer meetings in various cities to lure Hindus into converting to Christianity by offering monetary benefits alongside miraculous cures for their diseases. According to locals, prayer meetings are held every Sunday at the house and are attended by a large number of people.

The accused pastor and his associates have been booked under Sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act. The police noticed Christian symbols on the walls and banners reading “Christ Prayer House” and seized several documents indicating a systematic bid to convert Hindus to Christianity. Police also recovered registers and forms to be filled for conversion from the house.

The bank account records of the main accused Vineet Pastor are also being investigated. During interrogation, he has admitted to carrying out conversions.

As per reports, Vineet was a Dentist working at a hospital. Over a decade ago, he left the job and started a private clinic. But his practice was not doing well. During that time, he came into contact with a church through a friend. 10 years ago, he along with his wife converted to Christianity and got involved in a lucrative conversion racket. He started converting Hindus to Christianity, earning large amounts in exchange. He used his medical background to organise free medical camps and lure people into Christianity.

Vineet’s wife Payal, mother Geeta, brother Johnny and sister-in-law Sangeeta were his partners in the effort, along with other people. He was paid huge amounts by Christian organisations for his efforts and soon became a millionaire. Apart from the makeshift church, Vineet Pastor also organised ‘medical camps’ at various places.

Love Jihad: Mohammad Arif in Barabanki and Shahbaz in Damoh lure Hindu girls away; one girl recovered from Delhi, another still missing

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Love Jihad: Mohammad Arif in Barabanki and Shahbaz in Damoh lure Hindu girls away; one girl recovered from Delhi, another still missing

Two separate cases of love jihad have come to light. The first case is from Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, where Shahbaz allegedly lured a Hindu minor girl and ran away with her to Delhi. Two more persons are reportedly involved in this case. The second case is from Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, where an 18-year-old Hindu girl’s father accused Mohammad Arif of abducting his daughter. Both the accused are absconding. Police in both states are conducting searches to locate them.

As per media reports, the incident in Madhya Pradesh took place in the rural police station area of Damoh district. Shahbaz trapped a minor Hindu girl in a love affair and promised her marriage. The two continued to communicate and meet. Around a month ago, Shahbaz allegedly coaxed the girl to accompany him to Delhi. Her family filed a missing person’s report with the police.

Later, the family discovered that Shahbaz was also missing from his home. They contacted Hindu organisations and sought their help. The Hindu organisations approached the police and demanded action on the matter. The police traced the girl’s location to Delhi. On 8th December, the minor girl was recovered from Delhi. However, Shahbaz managed to escape. During questioning, the girl revealed that two other individuals were also involved in taking her away. The search for all the suspects is underway.

Arif abducted a Hindu girl with a friend’s help

The second case occurred in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. According to media reports, a resident of the Asandra police station area filed a complaint alleging that his 18-year-old daughter used to attend computer classes in a nearby market. Mohammad Arif, a resident of Rampur village, began pursuing her at the coaching centre. He also attended the same centre and desired to befriend the girl. The parents of the victim accused another student at the institute of brainwashing their daughter.

After a few days of interaction, Arif allegedly lured the girl away on the evening of 6th December 2024. Despite extensive searches, the family was unable to locate her. The father of the girl filed a police complaint and accused Arif of abducting his daughter to force her to convert to Islam. An FIR has been registered in the case, and an investigation is underway. Arif is absconding, and efforts to apprehend him are ongoing.

Bangladesh finally admits to atrocities against Hindus, says 88 cases filed for violence against minorities, 70 arrested since fall of Hasina govt

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Bangladesh finally admits to atrocities against Hindus, says 88 cases filed for violence against minorities, 70 arrested since fall of Hasina govt

Days after claiming that the incidents of attacks against the Hindus in Bangladesh were ‘misleading’, the interim government in Bangladesh has acknowledged that around 88 incidents of atrocities against minorities, primarily Hindus, have taken place after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August this year.

Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary of Muhammad Yunus who is the head of the interim government confirmed the incidents and claimed that around 70 individuals directly involved in such had been arrested.

“A total of 88 cases have been filed in incidents related to minorities from August 5 to October 2. The number of cases and arrests is likely to increase as new incidents of violence have also been reported in (northeastern Sunamganj, (central) Gazipur, and other areas,” Alam told the reporters. He also added that in some of the cases, the victim might be belonging to the previous ruling party, the Awami League.

This comes a day after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during his Bangladesh visit, held several high-profile engagements highlighting India’s support for Dhaka, while also raising New Delhi’s concerns over attacks against religious minorities and their places of worship. He highlighted the regrettable incidents of attacks against Hindus in Bangladesh and sought protection of minorities in the country.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Mohammad Jashim Uddin reaffirmed that the safety and security of the minorities in Bangladesh, regardless of their faith, religion, or ethnicity, was the interim government’s “priority.”

It is crucial to note that the interim government, a week ago, had claimed that the minority Hindu community was more protected in Bangladesh under the rule of the interim government than they were during the administration of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Alam then also claimed that Indian media was running an “industrial scale misinformation campaign” to spread false narratives about minorities being targeted in Bangladesh.

“Hindus are well protected here. They are more protected than they were during Sheikh Hasina’s regime. What we are witnessing here is an industrial scale misinformation campaign originating from India,” Alam was quoted as saying.

Days after this statement, the interim government again blamed India for highlighting the violence and mass killings, in a desperate attempt to deflect attention. Bangladesh’s regime, on 4th December, claimed that India’s “governing elite” was trying to turn the situation beyond the border into an “internal political issue” between the two nations. It subtly implied that the massacre of Hindus at the hands of the jihadis was not something that India, or anyone else, should be concerned about, suggesting it was not a matter of importance.

Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in August this year, the minority community in Bangladesh has been targeted and several temples have been destroyed in the area in a major crackdown on Hindus. OpIndia has recorded several such incidents, the details of which can be read here. Further, the arrest of three Hindu priests has sparked a major controversy with Hindus protesting across Bangladesh and India seeking justice for the community which is under evident attack.

India has been denying visas to Khalistanis from Canada unless they denounce their support for terrorism: Here is what Canadian media found and how Khalistanis are crying about it

OpIndia Staff
-
0
India has been denying visas to Khalistanis from Canada unless they denounce their support for terrorism: Here is what Canadian media found and how Khalistanis are crying about it

On 10th December, Canadian media revealed that India denied visas to pro-Khalistani Canadian citizens unless they explicitly denounce their support for terrorism. According to a Global News report, unless these pro-Khalistani Canadians pledge allegiance to India’s sovereignty, the chances of them getting a visa to visit India remain non-existent.

Several “prominent” Sikh Canadians were reportedly asked by Global News about their experiences when they applied for an Indian visa. They told the media house that the Indian consulate sent them a declaration to sign, renouncing Khalistan and affirming their respect for India as a condition for obtaining a visa.

Pro-Khalistani elements have cried foul over the condition laid down by the Indian government. They claimed that such practices by India amount to “foreign interference”. They argued that the visa policy India has formulated to ensure Khalistanis don’t enter the country pressures individuals into aligning with the “political agenda” of the Indian government. Most of these Khalistanis claimed that they need to visit their families in India, attend religious gatherings, and handle businesses. However, the visa conditions have barred them from visiting their “birth country”.

The ‘Khalistan letter’

According to a Global News report, in 2016, pro-Khalistani Canadian and former president of Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, Bikramjit Singh Sandhar, applied for a visa for India. The application was denied on the grounds of statements he made about Khalistan while serving as the president of the Gurdwara. Later, a letter was sent to him to sign, where he was supposed to renounce Khalistan and express “deep respect” for India. Sandhar told Global News that he refused to sign the letter and never got the visa.

Notably, Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Surrey is the same one where Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was serving as its chief before his murder in June 2023. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of killing Nijjar, an accusation India has categorically denied. The allegations and consistent support to Khalistanis by Canadian government led to strained diplomatic India-Canada relations.

Similar letters were reportedly sent to other pro-Khalistani Canadian Sikhs. In several cases, individuals who refused to sign the letter did not get visas to visit India, while those who signed the letter were granted entry, as per Global News.

India’s stand against Khalistani activities

Notably, India has consistently expressed concerns over the rising influence of Khalistani elements in Canada. The Khalistan movement’s activities in Canada have been a major concern that India has raised during diplomatic meetings, accusing authorities in Canada of failing to curb the rhetoric.

It appears that as Canadian authorities have failed to control pro-Khalistani elements on their soil, India has decided not to allow any pro-Khalistani to get a visa to visit India. This can be seen as a broader effort to undermine the Khalistan narrative that these elements have been trying to set abroad.

For example, the US-based Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs for Justice has been running a so-called referendum campaign in favour of Khalistan, a separate Sikh nation. If the Global News report is to be believed, anyone supporting the referendum has to sign the letter before getting a visa for India. Notably, many Canadian Sikh families have extended families, land, and businesses in India. They often visit the country to attend weddings and other religious events. However, with the restrictions in place, any Khalistani Sikh who has a history of working against India’s sovereignty will not be granted entry.

Khalistanis cry foul, but the truth emerges

Pro-Khalistani Sikhs who were denied entry have claimed that such actions by the Indian government are an attack on their freedom of speech. These elements, who regularly berate India, have cried foul over these visa restrictions. However, it is important to point out the irony of their indignation. These individuals often malign India, but when denied entry to the country, they claim victimhood.

India’s strategy appears to be straightforward: if you advocate for the fragmentation of the nation, you will not get a visa unless you explicitly disown the separatist stance. The policy is a perfect example of a tightrope walk between diplomacy and national security, as it exposes the complex dynamics that are at play when it comes to issues like the Khalistan movement on the sidelines of India-Canada relations.

As Khalistani supporters face the ramifications of India’s stance, the debate over national sovereignty versus diasporic activism is likely to continue. Amidst all this, visa denials are serving as a potent reminder that India has a zero-tolerance approach to separatism.

Bengaluru techie suicide case: Karnataka Police file FIR against wife, her mother, brother and uncle for abetment and criminal liability

ANI
-
0
Bengaluru techie suicide case: Karnataka Police file FIR against wife, her mother, brother and uncle for abetment and criminal liability

An FIR has been filed against 4 people in connection with the suicide of a 34-year-old deputy general manager of a private firm, Atul Subhash, who died by suicide, accusing his wife, her family members, and a judge of harassment, extortion, and corruption.

The FIR based on a complaint by Atul’s brother Bikas Kumar was lodged at the Marathahalli police station in Bengaluru. The FIR has been filed under section 108 (abetment of suicide) and section 3 (5) (establishes joint criminal liability when two or more people act with a common intention) of the BNS. The FIR is filed against the techie’s wife Nikita Singhania, his mother-in-law Nisha Singhania, wife’s brother Anurag Singhania and his wife’s uncle Sushil Singhania.

As per the complaint filed by the brother of Atul, the FIR mentions that Atul Subhash married Nikita Singhania in 2019 and had a child together. The complaint alleges that the four accused filed a false case against Atul Subhash after their divorce and insisted on paying Rs 3 crore for the settlement of the case.

The complaint also alleges that Atul Subhash’s wife had demanded Rs 30 lakh to allow him to visit his son who is now four years old. The complaint alleges that Atul had died by suicide as he was harrased mentally and physically. Based on the complaint, the case has been registered and an investigation is underway.

Speaking to ANI, the victim’s brother Bikas Kumar said, “Around 8 months after my brother’s wife separated from him, she filed a divorce case and framed many charges against my brother and our entire family under different acts and sections. Every law in India is for women, and not for men – my brother fought for this but he left us.”

Bikas Kumar said, that even in his suicide notes, Atul Subhash wrote—‘ If I win from the system, devote my mortal remains in Ganga otherwise in a gutter outside the court.”

“My brother did everything for her. Whatever has happened was unfortunate. If he had ever discussed it with me or our father – we would have helped him get out of this situation… I want to request the govt of India and the President – that justice must be done to my brother if he is with truth otherwise give me the proof to show that he is wrong. There should be a proper investigation against the judge who is named in my brother’s suicide,” said Bikas Kumar.

The deceased’s friend, Jackson also spoke to ANI and said, “There were like nine cases put by his wife and because of that he was going through tremendous stress. But in this particular video and notes that he has made, it doesn’t seem that he was depressed. It seems that he did it out of a sense of harassment that he was facing from the system.”

“So it was more like his way of telling the system that it is not helping men and there is a lot of bias. During COVID times he was taking care of his wife and a kid. His wife was also infected with COVID and she had a lot of issues. So he went ahead to procure medicines for her and she wasn’t taking them on time which created some friction that escalated into multiple issues and then she left him along with the baby and he could not see his son. One particular point that I got to know recently from him was that he got a maintenance order for his son who is barely four or five years old, 40,000 rupees per month,” said Jackson.

According to a statement released by the police, the victim was a resident of Uttar Pradesh who was living in Bengaluru. The police stated that the Hoysala Police Control Room received a call at 6:00 am on Monday about the suicide in a flat at Bengaluru’s Manjunatha Layout in the Delfinium Residency.

The statement further stated that when the police went to search the place, the flat was locked from inside, and the lock was broken, following which they went inside and saw Atul hanging from a ceiling fan by the support of a nylon rope. The police stated that he was found dead upon arrival.

The police informed the incident to the brother of the deceased, Bikas Kumar, who later filed a complaint against Subhash’s wife, his mother-in-law, his brother-in-law, and his wife’s uncle, accusing them of filing a false complaint against Subhash and demanding Rs 3 crore money for the settlement, which led to his mental and physical harassment, following which he had to take the step.

In his suicide note, Subhash called for justice, stating, “Justice is Due” on every single page of the 24-page note. Along with his wife and her family members, Subhash also accused a family court judge in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur for not hearing him out, and an officer in the court, accusing him of taking bribes in front of the judge.

Subhash further described the instances that instigated him to take such a step. Subhash recorded a video describing his alleged harassment and asking his family members not to immerse his ashes till justice is served to him. His suicide note also had a message for his four-year-old son who he claimed had been kept estranged from him. The note also called for his parents to be given custody of his child.

The note and the link to the Video were sent to the WhatsApp group of an NGO, to which he was connected. Subhash alleged in his suicide note that his wife had filed nine cases against him, including murder, sexual misconduct, harassment for money, domestic violence, and dowry.


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

Prof Shamika Ravi, member of EAC-PM, slams Congress leader Pawan Khera for spreading fake news about her receiving money from Soros

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Prof Shamika Ravi, member of EAC-PM, slams Congress leader Pawan Khera for spreading fake news about her receiving money from Soros

Professor Shamika Ravi, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, and Secretary to the Government of India, has slammed Congress leader Pawan Khera for spreading false claims that she had received funds from international manipulator George Soros.

“The statement below is entirely incorrect. In 2006/7 The Open Society funded ISB (for work on financial inclusion) – where I was an assistant professor teaching & researching on the topic. No money came directly to any faculty member. 18 years later, I joined the EAC-PM. I have never been more proud of my work, my nation or my Prime Minister. Meanwhile, in 2020, George Soros declared his anti-India designs and guess who swarms towards him?” Shamika tweeted.

Earlier, Khera, rattled by BJP’s attack against the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, had tweeted that Prof. Shamika Ravi, PM’s advisor and secretary, Government of India, received a grant from the Open Society Foundation funded by George Soros.

BJP slams Congress over alleged links to George Soros

Following Congress’ repeated attempt to stall the parliament over a US court’s indictment of the Adani group, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi in Rajya Sabha raised the matter of foreign government-funded organisations ceaselessly targeting India. He mentioned how a group named Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has been publishing reports targeting the Adani group and India before every parliamentary session, indicating a targeted attack.

He cited the report by French media house Mediapart on OCCRP, which stated that while the organisation claims to be an independent, non-partisan organisation, it is actually funded by US government agencies and works to serve their interests. Trivedi said that the project has funding from foreign governments and the project has a focus on India. Apart from foreign governments, the project also has links with George Soros, the MP said.

Apart from the US and other governments, the group also receives funding from the Open Society Foundations (OSF) of George Soros, the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, all left-wing groups openly targeting nationalist governments worldwide.

French media outlet Mediapart upset with BJP for using their report, calls excerpts from their own report ‘Fake News’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
French media outlet Mediapart upset with BJP for using their report, calls excerpts from their own report ‘Fake News’

Leftist French media outlet Mediapart is reportedly upset with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for sharing their report linking OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) and the US government amid the ongoing row in Parliament over Adani Group and George Soros. The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which published a hit piece on the Adani Group last year, is now under the scanner over its funding from the US government agencies as per the Mediapart report.

The ruling party in India, BJP, shared parts of the Mediapart report, highlighting the collusion between OCCRP, US government officials, and the Indian opposition. However, BJP sharing parts of their report hasn’t gone down well with Mediapart.

Reacting to it, the leftist French media organisation responded on December 7, “Mediapart firmly condemns the instrumentalisation of its recently published investigative article about OCCRP by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in order to serve BJP’s political agenda and attack press freedom.”

The statement was issued by Mediapart Director and publisher Carine Fouteau. She further said that BJP wrongly exploited Mediapart’s article in order to spread fake news that they never published. However, it was never clarified what was the fake news that BJP spread.

“There are no facts available supporting the conspiracy theory promoted by BJP,” said Mediapart’s publisher, without explaining what part of BJP sharing their own report amounts to a conspiracy theory.

Notably, on December 2, Mediapart published a report titled ‘The hidden links between a giant of investigative journalism and the US government’, where it delved into the overwhelming influence of the US government on the working of OCCRP.

Founded in 2007, OCCRP claims to have a network of journalists across 6 continents who ‘specialise in reporting on organised crime and corruption.’

Although it brands itself as an independent organisation, in reality, OCCRP receives a huge share of funding from the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The organisation had run a hit piece on Indian conglomerate Adani Group.

OCCRP and hit piece on Adani Group

In August 2023, OpIndia had predicted that the OCCRP was planning a shakedown of India’s financial markets, following the footsteps of US-based short seller ‘Hindenburg Research’.

We had revealed that OCCRP is funded by the likes of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF), the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation.

OSF even gave a grant of $8,00,000 (~ ₹6.61 crores) to the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project for ‘strengthening’ the organisation’s cross-border reporting and increasing the wider impact.

The ‘network of journalists’ published two hit pieces so far – one in August 2023 and another in May 2024. The baseless claims were junked by the Adani Group and also by the Mauritius-based fund ‘360 One.’

Even the Supreme Court of India had ruled that the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) report could not be used to cast doubt on the ongoing probe by SEBI.

‘Durgadi fort not Waqf property’: Kalyan Court rejects claims of a mosque inside the fort, says it houses a Durga temple

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Durgadi fort not Waqf property’: Kalyan Court rejects claims of a mosque inside the fort, says it houses a Durga temple

On Tuesday, 10th December, a 48-year-old long-standing fight over the historical Durgadi Fort in Maharashtra’s Kalyan district was dismissed by the Kalyan District and Sessions Court today as it declared that the fort houses a Durga Mata temple and not a Masjid. For several years, the Majlish-e-Mushavreen Majjid Trust had been claiming that the historical fort having significance since the times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj housed a Masjid and the property was ‘erroneously’ being claimed as a Hindu site. The Trust also stated that the fort was a Waqf property and that it belonged to the Waqf Board. However, Senior Division Judge A.S. Lanjewar dismissed claims by other religious groups seeking to transfer the case from the Welfare Court to the Waqf Board.

As per the reports, petitioner Dinesh Deshmukh who is the president of the Hindu Manch, shared the court’s decision with the media at Durgadi Fort saying that the case revolving around the fort had been ongoing for 50 years. “The two communities had been fighting over the claims of the fort. Initially heard in the Thane District Court, the case was later transferred to the Kalyan District and Sessions Court,” he said.

Deshmukh, meanwhile, also revealed that in the year 1971, the Thane District Collector declared the site to be a temple. Later, an application was filed, referring to the site as a Masjid. The application demanded inspection and inquiry into the matter. Advocate Bhausaheb Modak who represented the Hindu community’s case then highlighted a few features of the property such as windows in the temple, and a platform (chauthara) for placing Hindu idols. These details, as per Deshmukh, led the government to designate the site as a temple today.

Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) lauded the court decision and said that this was a massive win for the Hindu community. “The Kalyan District and Sessions Court has today given an important verdict that the historic Durgadi Fort of Kalyan is not a mosque but a temple of Goddess Durga. Shiv Sena welcomes this decision. The court has clarified that this fort is not the property of the Waqf Board. This is the fruit of blessings given by Mother Durga at Durgadi Fort,” the party said in an X post.

It also added that with this decision the long-standing struggle of the Hindus had ended. The party said that several leaders like Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thackeray, Dharamveer Anand Dighe, our respectable leader Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, etc had protested against the Majlish-e-Mushavreen Majjid Trust who claimed the fort as a Waqf property.

“Shiv Sena took the position that Durga fort has a temple of Durga. Many times Dharamveer Anand Dighe Saheb, and Eknathji Shinde Saheb sang the collective Aarti of the Goddess while raising bells and chanting along with Shiv Sainiks at the base of the fort. It was Balasaheb Thackeray who started the Navratri festival on Durgadi,” the party added.

“This decision is a victory for Hindutva and truth. This is the land that has been sanctified by the footsteps of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has visited this fort. The first armour of Hindu Swarajya was started by the Maharaja himself at Durgadi Fort in Kalyan,” it said glorifying the significance of the fort.

As per the local reports, in the year 1975-76, an application was filed in the Thane District Court claiming that the Durgadi Fort was not a temple but a mosque. The Court case continued for two years before it got transferred to the Kalyan District and Sessions Court. During the period, the site was identified as an alleged Waqf property.

As per the local sources, the Muslims also carried out unauthorized construction at the fort by building a Mosque and painting it in white and green color. Not only this but the steps ‍ leading to the fort, trees, stones, and other structures were also painted green. Further, it was also alleged that Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation and senior Police officials failed to take any action against the unauthorized construction. Instead, they asked protesting Hindus to stop demonstrations.

Unauthorized construction on the fort (Image obtained by OpIndia)

The Muslim religious bodies then sought to transfer the case from the Kalyan District and Sessions Court to the Waqf Board.

Petitioner Dinesh Deshmukh stated that the court rejected this request, declaring that the Durgadi Fort is a Hindu temple of Goddess Durga. Advocates Bhikaji Salvi, Suresh Patwardhan, Jayesh Salvi, and Sachin Kulkarni represented the case on behalf of Hindus in the court.

Tahir Hussain joins AIMIM, to contest from Mustafabad in Delhi- Read how main accused in Ankit Sharma murder case wanted to “teach kafirs a lesson”

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Tahir Hussain joins AIMIM, to contest from Mustafabad in Delhi- Read how main accused in Ankit Sharma murder case wanted to “teach kafirs a lesson”

Ahead of the Delhi Assembly election scheduled in February next year, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi has fielded ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, accused in the larger conspiracy of the Delhi riots 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Ahead of the elections, Hussain joined AIMIM and now will be contesting the state elections from the Mustafabad seat.

The event was confirmed by Asaduddin Owaisi who shared an update on the X platform. “MCD Councillor Tahir Hussain joined AIMIM & will be our candidate from Mustafabad Assembly Constituency in the upcoming Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections. His family members & supporters met with me today & joined the party,” he said.

It is crucial to note that Tahir Hussain is a former AAP member and is accused of participating in, funding and orchestrating riots in Delhi in the year 2020. In March last year, the Karkardooma court in Delhi framed murder and conspiracy charges against Hussain and ten others for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma during the anti-Hindu Delhi riots on 25th February 2020. Ankit Sharma’s dead body was recovered from a drain in Delhi.

The court while charging Hussain said that he executed the riots to deliberately target the Hindus. “Tahir was continuously acting in a manner of supervising & motivating this mob. All these things were done to target Hindus. Every member of the mob assembled there participated in achieving the objective of targeting Hindus,” the court said.

The court also added that Hussain instigated the Muslim mob to target Hindus and not at all sparre them. The court also later highlighted that Ankit Sharma was killed only because he was a Hindu. Further in August, the Delhi Court framed additional charges against Hussain, his brother Shah Alam, and eight others for committing acts of vandalism and arson in various shops in the Moonga Nagar area during the violence that happened in the year 2020.

Recently in the month of September this year, detailed evidence was provided in the court that proved that the Delhi riots mobilized and instigated by Hussain and his associates were a result of a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched after the Citizenship Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament on December 4, 2019.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad, during his submissions, referred to the charge sheet filed in the case and contended that in this entire conspiracy, there were various organizations like Pinjra Tod, AAZMI, SIO, SFI, etc, through individuals that participated in protests and violent activities.

The prosecution referred to WhatsApp groups, chats, and witness statements to support their claims. He also referred to the statements of witnesses. The conspiracy aimed to disrupt the city by holding protests and chakka jaam (road blockages) in Muslim-majority areas, leading to violence against police and non-Muslims. As part of the conspiracy, 23 protest sites (against CAB) were created in Muslim-majority areas.

Notably, Hussain was arrested in April 2020, in connection with the North East Delhi riots 2020. The charge sheet was filed in September 2020, after the completion of the investigation. Subsequently, supplementary charge sheets were also filed, and the matter. Despite this, Hussain has been given a ticket from the Mustafabad region by the AIMIM.

The 2025 Delhi Legislative Assembly election for all 70 constituencies is expected to take place on or before February 2025. Hussain contesting from AIMIM will now be a challenge for the Aam Aadmi Party which seeks to secure a third term in the state.

1...601602603...7,602Page 602 of 7,602