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Canada: Not just Brampton, Khalistanis attack Hindus in Surrey too, police target Hindus instead of arresting Khalistanis

OpIndia Staff
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Canada: Not just Brampton, Khalistanis attack Hindus in Surrey too, police target Hindus instead of arresting Khalistanis

On 3rd November, following the attack on the Hindu Sabha Temple and devotees in Brampton, Canada, by Khalistani elements, a group of Khalistanis attacked a Hindus in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The Khalistanis who arrived at the Hindu temple to protest have been identified as associated with the Gurdwara where Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was chief. Nijjar was killed in June 2023. The Khalistanis raised slogans in remembrance of Nijjar and called on Hindus to “go back to their country.”

In a video shared by investigative journalist Mocha Bezirgan, Khalistani protesters were seen making inflammatory statements, such as calling India “a land of gangs” while accusing Hindu Canadians of “treason” for supporting India. The Khalistanis claimed that Hindu Canadians lack allegiance to Canada, citing events like the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to portray themselves as victims of historical violence and openly denouncing Hindus as “terrorists.”

One of the Hindu worshippers present at the temple during the attack spoke to Bezirgan. He said, “We are here simply to protect our place of worship. We came to Canada to live in peace, but our children are being threatened, and our temple has been defaced. This is not the Canada we imagined.”

On the other hand, the Khalistanis claimed they were not attacking the Hindu community but rather the Indian consulate. Despite this claim, protest chants continued to defame Hindu culture and symbolically challenge India itself. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa was organising a consular camp at the location to help local residents, same as the consular camps at Brampton and Vancouver.

Journalist Sameer Kaushal shared videos of Surrey Police restraining Hindus instead of arresting Khalistanis. He wrote, “Surrey Police Service is at its best. Though there are still a few weeks left for them to become the official police of jurisdiction, the way they are controlling the situation, one day they will leave the Minneapolis Police Service behind.”

In another video, Kaushal mentioned that the entrance of the temple was blocked by the police. President Satish Kumar said that he would not allow the Surrey Police Service to enter the temple in the future.

In yet another video, police were seen pinning down Hindus outside the temple.

Earlier in the day, before Surrey, Khalistanis attacked a Hindu temple and Hindus in Brampton. Following the attack, the Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice claimed victimhood. Despite their claims, footage captures them defacing temple property and harassing worshippers. This incident has drawn condemnation from Canadian politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as the divisive rhetoric and violence worsen. However, PM Trudeau and other Canadian leaders failed to call out Khalistani groups for attacking Hindu devotees.

Khalistani goons attack Hindu temple in Canada’s Brampton as police watches, Trudeau and Poilievre both fail to condemn Khalistanis

Anurag
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Khalistani goons attack Hindu temple in Canada’s Brampton as police watches, Trudeau and Poilievre both fail to condemn Khalistanis

On 3rd November (local time), Khalistanis attacked Hindus at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Canada. The incident occurred after Hindu devotees protested against Khalistani elements raising anti-India slogans outside the temple to mark the anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots in Punjab, following the assassination of then-Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Following the attack, local Peel Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrived at the scene. However, rather than detaining the Khalistanis, some Peel Police officers reportedly attacked Hindu locals. Videos of the incident have since gone viral on social media platforms.

Senior correspondent of the National Telegraph, Daniel Bordman, along with other journalists and locals, shared several videos of the incident on social media. In a post on X, filmmaker Sangita Menon Iyer shared two videos of the attack. She wrote, “Unbelievable events at Hindu Sabha Temple, Brampton. Sharing as received. Mandir devotees are being targeted and harassed. This is deeply concerning & unacceptable.” She urged the Peel Police and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, to intervene.

Bordman shared a video explaining how the attack on Hindus started. He wrote, “You can see that violence was instigated by the Khalistani in the black vest as he approached the Hindu devotees and gave them a push, and then the rest of the Khalistanis attack with flags on wood.”

In another video shared by Bordman, a Peel Police officer is seen entering the crowd to go after Hindu devotees after pushing them back to protect the Khalistani elements. He wrote, “The RCMP start attacking Hindu worshippers on their own temple grounds in Surrey, BC. Watch as an RCMP officer goes into the crowd to go after Hindu devotees after pushing them back to protect the Khalistanis who came to harass the temple goers on Diwali. Punching Hindus in the head and beating them with batons caught on video.” Intially, Brodman mentioned that the police officers were from RCMP but he later clarified that they were Peel Police officers.

X user Bhim ingh Gill shared photographs of police officers who attacked Hindu devotees.

The police officer who attacked Hindus has been identified based on a video shared by Peel Police on TikTok. The officer’s badge number is 4673, and his name is Aditya Pande.

In another video, police were seen attacking a Hindu man for throwing down a Khalistani flag. Bordman wrote, “Two-tier policing in Canada at its finest. You can burn the Canadian flag, you can stomp on an Israeli flag in front of a synagogue, you can rip up Indian flags while screaming threats at people. But if you step on a Khalistani flag, the cops will attack you.

The Canadian Organization For Hindu Heritage Education has condemned the attack on Hindu devotees. In a statement, they said, “We must blame and hold responsible the @PeelPolice and @patrickbrownont for the organized violent attacks on Hindus by #Khalistani thugs that occurred this afternoon at the Hindu Sabha Mandir. They disregarded the Oct. 30, 2024, urgent letter sent to them by the Hindu Federation requesting increased police protection for temples from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 due to Diwali festivities. We saw that proper police protection had not been arranged at the Hindu temple despite it being publicly known that a consular service was scheduled there today. Compare this to the @VancouverPD response—creating a buffer zone around a gurudwara. @ChiefNish has completely exposed the deep #Hinduphobia in his police force—this pattern of attacks on Hindu temples is happening on your watch. @JustinTrudeau also has no escape from blame for encouraging this criminal behavior and mindset. Violent attackers must be prosecuted, and a change in police attitude toward Hindus must take place.”

Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice has played victim card over the incident. In a letter issued by SFJ, its founder, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun accused Hindus of instigating the attack by chanting “Hindustan Zindabad” and “Modi Zindabad” in front of the Khalistani elements who were protesting outside the temple.

Source: SFJ

‘A line has been crossed’, says Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya

Canadian MP of Indian origin, Chandra Arya, expressed concerns over the attack and said that a red line has been crossed. In a post on X, he wrote, “A red line has been crossed by Canadian Khalistani extremists today. The attack by Khalistanis on the Hindu-Canadian devotees inside the premises of the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton shows how deep and brazen Khalistani violent extremism has become in Canada. I begin to feel that there is a small grain of truth in the reports that, in addition to the Canadian political apparatus, Khalistanis have effectively infiltrated our law enforcement agencies. No wonder that under ‘freedom of expression,’ Khalistani extremists are getting a free pass in Canada. As I have been saying for long, Hindu-Canadians, for the security and safety of our community, need to step up, assert their rights, and hold politicians accountable.”

Both PM Trudeau and opposition leader Poilievre fail to even name the Khalistanis that attacked a Hindu temple

While Arya openly condemned Khalistani elements for the attack, Canadian PM Trudeau and Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre completely failed to call out Khalistani elements. Both party leaders placed their vote bank appeasement politics above the safety of Canadian Hindus in their posts condemning the attack.

In a post, Trudeau wrote, “The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely. Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident.”

In a post, Poilievre wrote, “Completely unacceptable to see violence targeting worshippers at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today. All Canadians should be free to practice their faith in peace. Conservatives condemn this violence unequivocally. I will unite our people and end the chaos.”

Notably, Pannun recently instigated Sikh youth to attack Hindus in Punjab on Diwali and demanded that Hindu temples and Hindus refrain from bursting firecrackers during the festival. Since they could not act in India, their frustrations seem to have poured out in Canada.

Himanta Biswa Sarma warns against demographic change in Jharkhand, calls for Hindu unity to prevent land from being looted by Irfan and Ansari

OpIndia Staff
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Himanta Biswa Sarma warns against demographic change in Jharkhand, calls for Hindu unity to prevent land from being looted by Irfan and Ansari

On Friday (1st November), Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma raised alarms about the drastic demographic change in the election-bound State of Jharkhand and called for Hindu unity to reverse the trend.

While speaking at a public meeting in Sarath in Deoghar district, Sarma warned, “We will become extinct forever. Arfan, Irfan, Ansari, and Alamgir-Alam will loot the land of Nilamber-Pitamber, Sidhu-Kanhu, and Bhagwan Birsa Munda if we lose this election.”

He emphasised, “They have looted our daughters, our land, our government and our pride. We need to raise our voices against this. We must be one. Vote for NDA to give Jharkhand a new direction and realise the dream of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.”

Himanta Biswa Sarma continued, “He (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) did not create the State of Jharkhand for the likes of Arfan, Irfan, Ansari, and Alamgir-Alam but for people like you. Today, there is nothing in your hands.”

“Infilitrators are not only raping our Adivasi sisters but also dismembering their bodies into 50 pieces. This is the condition of Jharkhand now. Hindus created this land called Bharat and will make Bharat ‘Vishwaguru’ in the future,” he pointed out.

The Assam Chief Minister added, “This is our motive. Hindus will bring back the glory of Jharkhand. The only objective of this election is to preserve the Asmita (identity) of Jharkhand.”

The INDI Alliance later filed a complaint against Himanta Biswa Sarma with the Election Commission on Saturday (2nd November), accusing him of allegedly ‘stoking the flames of hatred and resentment.’

Canada violated international laws including Viena Convention by spying on Indian diplomats, asserts former India diplomats

ANI
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Canada violated international laws including Viena Convention by spying on Indian diplomats, asserts former India diplomats

In strong disapproval, former Indian diplomats have termed Canadian authorities’ surveillance of Indian diplomats posted there as atrocious, adding that they violated international law such as the Vienna Convention.

JK Tripathi, a former diplomat, told ANI, that, “No country has the power to do it…but the Canadian government has done it and this is the rarest of rare cases of violation of international law according to the Vienna Convention. They have even gone up to the extent of accusing the Union Home Minister of being the mastermind behind that and now they have put India among the list of 4 countries who are cyber threats to Canada….”

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) is established to define fundamental principles and terms governing how countries must treat each other’s diplomatic representatives.

A key principle of the Convention is diplomatic immunity. It grants diplomats exemption from certain laws and taxes in the host country where they are posted. It ensures that diplomats can fulfill their duties without fear, threat, or intimidation.

“…so in a way, India has been declared as an enemy state by Canada, which is very disturbing and serious,” said Tripathi.

Virendra Gupta, another former diplomat, said this action of Canada merited an extremely strong reaction from the Indian government.

“Merely criticising Canada is not enough…Canada has crossed all the limits of decency and normal diplomatic behaviour…,” Gupta told ANI.

According to Article 29 of the Convention, diplomats are not subject to arrest or detention. The host country must accord the diplomatic agent the appropriate level of respect and is responsible for undertaking all necessary measures to prevent any form of harm or violation to the diplomat’s person, liberty, or dignity.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday that India has lodged a formal protest with the Canadian government after revelations that its consular officials in Canada were subjected to audio and video surveillance. The MEA condemned these actions as “flagrant violations” of diplomatic and consular conventions.

During a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that some Indian consular officials were recently informed by the Canadian government about the ongoing surveillance. Jaiswal criticized Canada for attempting to justify its actions by citing technicalities, arguing that such justifications cannot excuse what he described as harassment and intimidation of Indian diplomatic personnel.

Also, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly protested against recent allegations made by the Canadian government against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s purported involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The MEA described these allegations as “absurd and baseless” and lodged a formal protest against Canada.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that a “diplomatic note” was handed to a representative of the Canadian High Commission on Friday, conveying India’s strong objections.

Tensions between India and Canada escalated after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged in Parliament last year that there were “credible allegations” of India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India has firmly denied all such allegations, labelling them as “absurd” and “motivated,” while accusing Canada of providing a haven for extremist and anti-India elements.

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

Anita Chaudhary murder case: Abida Parveen confesses to killing her with husband Gulamuddin, revealing financial motive and gruesome details

OpIndia Staff
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Anita Chaudhary murder case: Abida Parveen confesses to killing her with husband Gulamuddin, revealing financial motive and gruesome details

The murder case of a 50-year-old woman Anita Chaudhary in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, has taken unexpected twists and turns. The police have arrested a woman named Abida Parveen for the murder of Anita, while her husband, Gulamuddin, remains at large. Meanwhile, an audio conversation between the husband of the deceased woman and a woman who worked at her parlour has surfaced, which has further complicated the matter. A dozen individuals have been detained by the police for questioning.

Post-mortem and missing evidence

Reportedly, the post-mortem of Anita’s body is yet to be conducted, leaving the cause of death undetermined. Her mobile phone is also missing. Reports have surfaced suggesting the clothes in which the victim’s body was found were different from those she was last wearing in CCTV footage when she left in an auto-rickshaw. This raised further questions about the robbery narrative surrounding the incident, specifically regarding the change in clothes.

Jewellery, debt, and a gruesome murder plot

It is being said that Gulamuddin and his wife, Abida, murdered Anita to sell her jewellery and settle a debt of Rs 10.2 lakhs. Anita was reportedly drugged with a sedative-laced drink before being killed. Her body was then dismembered into six pieces using a meat cleaver and buried. The police arrested Abida, but the search for her husband, Gulamuddin, is still on.

Initial disappearance and search

The case is from the western area of Jodhpur, where Anita lived with her husband, Manmohan Chaudhary, on Sardarpara C Road. She ran a beauty parlour. She had a last conversation with her husband on 26 October, after which she went missing. Her phone was unreachable when her husband tried to get in touch with her. Despite extensive searches, she was not found, and eventually, a missing person report was filed the next day. The police began the search for Anita and checked CCTV footage, which showed her leaving in a taxi at 2:30 PM on the day of her disappearance.

Police traced the driver of the vehicle, and the driver confirmed that he had dropped her off at Gulamuddin’s house in Gangana.

Confessions and initial revelations

Forty-two-year-old Gulamuddin, alias Gul Mohammed, runs a shop called “Star Dry Clean” opposite Anita’s parlour. They had known each other for around 25 years. When police reached his house on 30 October, they found his wife Abida there. After initial hesitation during questioning, she eventually confessed to the crime and admitted that she and her husband had planned to kill Anita.

Financial motive behind the crime

Abida revealed that her husband, Gulamuddin, had a gambling addiction. He had recently purchased a house, which led to an accumulation of debt amounting to Rs 10.2 lakhs. Gulamuddin had often seen Anita wearing expensive jewellery, leading him to plot her murder with his wife’s help to acquire her valuables.

Execution of the murder

As planned, they invited Anita to their home, where they offered her a sedative-laced drink. Once Anita Chaudhary was unconscious, they killed her and stripped her of her jewellery. They then dismembered her body into six pieces using a meat cleaver, separating her limbs and head from the torso. They filled sacks with the body parts and buried them in a 10-foot pit outside their house.

Family’s efforts to locate Anita

Meanwhile, when Anita Chaudhary did not come back, her family started looking for her, leading to the police complaint and eventually her body being recovered.

Gruesome planning details

According to the police, Abida admitted that a 10-foot pit had already been dug outside their house using a JCB machine. They had also purchased a meat cleaver from the market to cut Anita’s body into pieces. To mask the odour of the decomposing body, they sprayed perfume over it.

Evidence recovered by the police

One of Anita’s rings was recovered from Abida’s possession by the police. Her mobile phone was disposed of by the accused, and the police are still looking for it. The police have intensified efforts to locate Gulamuddin. A case has been filed in the matter based on the complaint of Anita’s husband, naming Gulamuddin Farooqi, his wife Abida, and a person named Tayyab Ansari.

Family protests with community support

Anita’s family has not collected the body yet. The post-mortem remains pending. They are holding a sit-in protest at the Tejaji Temple. Members of Hindu organisations and community members have joined them in the protest. They are demanding a judicial inquiry by a retired High Court judge, a government job for the son of the deceased, and a compensation of Rs 1 crore from the government.

Viral audio recording complicates the case

An audio conversation between Anita’s husband, Manmohan, and Sunita (aka Suman Sen), who worked at Anita’s parlour, has also gone viral. In this recording, Sunita mentions an individual named Ansari, who is believed to be the accused Tayyab Ansari. Sunita expresses fear for her own life, mentioning several names. However, OpIndia has not verified this audio clip.

In the recording, Sunita reportedly told Manmohan that Tayyab Ansari could kill her. Before the body was discovered, Sunita told Manmohan, “Tayyab must have gotten rid of Didi (Anita). If I call Ansari, he’ll have me killed within four days.” The husband of the deceased confirmed the authenticity of the audio. The case continues to unfold with multiple twists.

Supreme Court to hear plea of Khalistani terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana to commute death sentence: Read details of the convict on death row for 28 years

Anurag
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Supreme Court to hear plea of Khalistani terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana to commute death sentence: Read details of the convict on death row for 28 years

On 4th November, the Supreme Court will take up a plea filed by Khalistani terrorist and Beant Singh assassination case convict, Balwant Singh Rajoana, seeking commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment. Rajoana has filed the petition for commutation on the grounds that the Government of India has taken an “inordinate delay” in deciding his mercy petition.

Rajoana was convicted of assassinating the then-Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh, in 1995. Rajoana is a former Punjab Police constable. He has been in prison for the past 28 years awaiting his execution. On 31st August 1995, Beant Singh and 16 others were killed in a blast outside the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. Rajoana was arrested and tried in the matter as one of the suspects. He was sentenced to death in 2007 by a special court. His mercy petition has been pending for more than 12 years.

In May 2023, the apex court refused to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment. The court had asked the Central Government to take a decision on his mercy petition “as and when it is deemed necessary”. Sixteen months later, the court, however, agreed to hear the matter afresh. The case will be heard by a three-judge bench led by Justice BR Gavai. The bench had asked the Centre and the Punjab Government to respond to his fresh petition for commutation of the death sentence on the grounds of delay in deciding his mercy petition, which was filed on 25th March 2012.

The Bench, comprising Justice BR Gavai, Justice PK Mishra, and Justice KV Vishwanathan, will hear the petition. In May last year, the apex court had said, “The stand of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to defer the decision on the mercy petition of the petitioner is also a decision for the reasons given thereunder. It actually amounts to a decision declining to grant the same for the present.” However, it had directed “that the competent authority, in due course of time, would again, as and when it is deemed necessary, may deal with the mercy petition, and take a further decision.”

In his fresh petition, Rajoana has argued, “About 01 year and 04 months have now elapsed since the disposal of the petitioner’s first writ petition, and a decision on his fate still hangs under a cloud of uncertainty, causing deep mental trauma and anxiety to the petitioner every single living day, which by itself is a sufficient ground for the exercise of this court’s Article 32 powers to allow the reliefs sought.”

Senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi is representing the convict. He contended that Rajoana has been in jail for over 28 years and on death row for 17 years; thus, he cannot be made to wait indefinitely on the grounds of national security. Earlier, he had argued that keeping him on death row while sitting over the mercy plea is a violation of Rajoana’s fundamental rights.

On the other hand, appearing for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj contended that the mercy petition filed by Rajoana cannot be considered as it was filed by SGPC and not by the convict himself. Furthermore, Natraj argued that the mercy petition of Rajoana cannot be decided until the appeals of other convicts are decided by the Supreme Court. Considering the circumstances, the MHA decided it would be appropriate not to take any decision on the mercy petition as it could potentially compromise national security and create a law and order situation.

Who is Balwant Singh Rajoana?

Balwant Singh Rajoana was a resident of Kalan village in Ludhiana district. He joined the Punjab Police as a constable on 1st October 1987. Rajoana was sympathetic to the views of the Khalistani terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International. He is one of the two assassins responsible for the killing of the then-Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh. Justifying the assassination, Rajoana blamed Beant Singh for the “extra-judicial” killings of Sikh youth.

Babbar Khalsa International’s terrorist Dilawar Singh Babbar acted as the suicide bomber who carried out the attack on Beant Singh. Rajoana was the one who attached the bombs to Dilawar’s body. He was also the backup bomber, prepared to attempt the assassination himself if Dilawar had failed.

On 22nd and 23rd January 1996, Rajoana recorded his confession under Section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code. He stated, “Judge Sahib, Beant Singh assumed himself [to be the] angel of peace after killing thousands of innocent people, compared himself with Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Ram Ji; thereafter, we had decided to kill Chief Minister Shri Beant Singh.”

He also expressed deep anguish over Operation Blue Star and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, angered that the agencies and police were given “full liberty” to “kill” young, innocent Sikhs. He claimed that these atrocities were committed by the Punjab CM at the behest of “agencies of Delhi.”

Rajoana was arrested by the Punjab police in December 1995. A special CBI court in Chandigarh sentenced him to death on 27th July 2007. Along with him, the court also sentenced Jagtar Singh Hawara to death, while Gurmit Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, and Shamsher Singh received life imprisonment. Later, Hawara’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2010 after he appealed the trial court’s verdict.

Did Balwant SIngh Rajoana challenge the death penalty?

Interestingly, Rajoana never engaged a lawyer during the trial. He stated, “Yes, I was involved in this murder. I have no repentance for my involvement. I and Bhai Dilawar Singh prepared this bomb.” On 10th August 2009, he requested the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to consider his death penalty case separately from that of the co-accused who had appealed the conviction. Rajoana considered the death sentence “for this act is justice” and a blessing. He refused to “bow before a worthless system.”

In a letter to the High Court, he wrote, “How can I say that I am innocent, and why should I engage any advocate when my conscience does not allow me to do so?”

What happened thereafter?

Balwant Singh Rajoana was scheduled to be executed on 31st March 2012. However, there was public resentment and anger over the death sentence, prompting then-CM of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal to attempt to halt it. On 28th March 2012, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) filed a mercy petition before the President of India. In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs stayed the execution.

Irked by the delay in a decision on the mercy petition, Rajoana went on hunger strike twice in Patiala Central Jail in 2016 and 2018. He ended his five-day hunger strike in 2018 after SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal assured him that his petition would be expedited.

What is the background of the latest Supreme Court order on mercy petition of Balwant Singh Rajoana?

On the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, the Government of India in September 2019 decided to recommend cases of eight Sikh prisoners for special remission and release under Article 161 of the Constitution of India, delegating this to the respective states. Article 161 empowers the Governor of a state to commute death sentences to life imprisonment.

The Central Government also recommended processing Rajoana’s case for commutation of his death sentence under Article 72 of the Constitution, which gives the President of India the power to commute a death sentence to life imprisonment. The Union Home Ministry sent correspondence to this effect to the respective states/UTs in September 2019. However, in December 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated in the Lok Sabha that no pardon had been granted to Rajoana, after Congress Member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu, the grandson of Beant Singh, questioned why “Rajoana was pardoned” during Question Hour.

In 2020, Balwant Singh Rajoana filed a Writ Petition (Criminal) seeking a directive for the expeditious disposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ proposal to commute his death sentence. Hearing this plea, the Supreme Court recently ordered that the mercy plea be decided within 14 days. Previously, in December last year, the court had questioned the Centre’s delay in forwarding a proposal regarding Rajoana’s death sentence to the President.

Digital Arrest: Enforcement Directorate issues fresh advisory against the scam, shares gang’s modus operandi

OpIndia Staff
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Digital Arrest: Enforcement Directorate issues fresh advisory against the scam, shares gang’s modus operandi

On Saturday, November 2, the Enforcement Directorate filed a fresh prosecution complaint in the rampant cybercrime called ‘Digital Arrest Scam’. ED registered a case in the scam after studying multiple police FIRs, and arrested eight persons named in its October 10 chargesheet.

The accused named in the ED chargesheet are Charan Raj C, Kiran S K, Shahi Kumar M, Sachin M, Tamilarasan, Prakash R, Ajith R, and Aravindan. Along with running the cyber scam, the accused also reportedly ran multiple shell companies. All the accused are currently in judicial custody.

Notably, ED’s fresh complaint came just a week after PM Narendra Modi warned about these cyber scams in the country during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address. During his address, PM Modi played a recorded example of a scam call to show how the scam is executed, and urged people to stay alert to such scams. The Prime Minister also emphasised that no genuine agency conducts inquiries over phone or video calls.

The case regarding this ‘Digital Arrest’ scam involves fraudulent transaction of money to the tune of ₹159 crore from various victims. The fraudsters obtained hundreds of SIM cards, allegedly linked to shell companies’ bank accounts, and also used these SIM cards to create fake WhatsApp accounts.

The ED also seized a lot of evidence, cheque books, and communication records, that indicates these individuals were part of a syndicate that laundered cybercrime proceeds from India.

What is Digital Arrest

‘Digital arrest’ is a method used by cybercriminals to confine victims to their houses to defraud them. The perpetrators create fear in the minds of internet users by making audio or video calls, often impersonating law enforcement agents with AI-generated voices or visual technology.

In most situations, the fraud starts with an apparently innocent phone call from a claimed courier firm, cellphone provider, telecom department, or bank. These calls can be either live or automated, urging the recipient to enter a number for more information. Once connected, the victim chats with someone professing to be a support agent, and the misery begins.

The fraudsters often have some personal information about the victim, such as Aadhaar (or the last four digits), PAN, or bank details. Using this information, they convince the victim that their Aadhaar, PAN, mobile number, or bank account has been linked to alleged illegal activities. The victim is then connected to individuals impersonating law enforcement officers from agencies like the police, customs, ED, or CBI, who conduct a fake interrogation over video conferencing and issue a bogus arrest warrant via call or WhatsApp.

A ‘Digital Arrest’ involves the virtual confinement of the victim, including restricted access to bank accounts and digital platforms, prevention of online activities, live monitoring through video calls, and periodic check-ins, all of which continue until the scammers extort money. The scam typically escalates by taking the victim to a fake virtual court via Skype while they are under ‘digital arrest.’ The victim is then persuaded to transfer their bank balance to another account for ‘verification,’ with promises that the funds will be returned within 30 minutes. Fake documents, including letters and receipts on counterfeit letterheads of various authorities, are issued to further deceive the victim.

Adani Power to stop supplying electricity to Bangladesh if dues not paid by 7 November, earlier 50% supply was cut

OpIndia Staff
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Adani Power to stop supplying electricity to Bangladesh if dues not paid by 7 November, earlier 50% supply was cut

The Adani Group has warned Bangladesh of a full power cut if outstanding dues aren’t cleared by November 7, 2024. Adani Power Jharkhand Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Power, has already halved its supply to Bangladesh, citing a debt of around $850 million owed by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

The reduction in supply from Adani’s Godda power plant in Jharkhand is significant, as it is a key energy source for Bangladesh, which is already dealing with power shortages. The plant, capable of producing 1,496 MW, currently supplies only about 700 MW, intensifying Bangladesh’s energy challenges​.

Earlier, Adani set a deadline for payment by October 31 and requested a $170 million letter of credit as payment security, which Bangladesh has struggled to fulfil due to dollar shortages. Despite BPDB’s attempts to arrange a payment guarantee through Krishi Bank, the proposed terms reportedly did not align with the power purchase agreement.

As a result, Adani Power Jharkhand Limited (APJL) cut down electricity supply to Bangladesh by more than 50% starting from 31st October. Before cutting down the electricity supply to Bangladesh, APJL asked the Power Development Board (PDB) of Bangladesh to clear outstanding payments by Wednesday (30th October). A letter sent by the company said, “PDB has neither provided LC (Letter of Credit) for an amount of $170.03 million from Bangladesh Krishi Bank nor cleared the outstanding amount of $846 million.”

On Friday, Adani Power supplied 724 megawatts (MW) of power to Bangladesh. This has caused a major power crisis in Bangladesh, as generation in power plants in Bangladesh has also come down due to fuel shortage. Now, if the company does not receive the pending dues, it will completely stop supplying power to Bangladesh.

Adani Power is in the process of connecting with the domestic grid, to supply power from the plant to neighbouring states after it stops supplying to Bangladesh.

The interim govt in Bangladesh is struggling with payments due to shortage of dollars. The government has been exploring ways to meet the financial obligations, including the possibility of issuing government bonds to fund these payments​.

“Was not at my best as captain, batter…”: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma after series whitewash against New Zealand

ANI
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“Was not at my best as captain, batter…”: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma after series whitewash against New Zealand

 Following his side’s whitewash series loss to New Zealand, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that not being at his best as a captain and batter in the series would “rankle him”.

Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips unleashed a spin web on Indian batter, spinning them towards history as NZ beat India by 25 runs and become the first visiting side to whitewash India in India in a series of three or more matches.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rohit said that the loss is indigestible and admitted that the team was outperformed by Kiwis, especially in batting.

“We made a lot of mistakes and we will have to accept it. We did not put enough runs on the board in the 1st innings (in Bengaluru and Pune) and we were behind in the game, here, we got a 30-run lead, we thought we were ahead, the target was achievable as well, we had to do better though. You want runs on the board as well, that is something that was there in my mind,” he added.

Speaking on his batting struggles throughout the series, Rohit said that when it does not come off, it does not look great and felt disappointing. However, he was full of praise for youngsters Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant for showing how to bat on tough, spin-friendly pitches.

“You have got to be ahead and be proactive, we are playing on such pitches in the last 3-4 years, we know how to play (and play well). But this series, it did not come off and that is going to hurt. Also, I was not at my best with both bat and as a captain, that is something that will rankle me. But, we did not perform well collectively and that is the reason for these losses,” he concluded.

Chasing a target of 147 runs, India was five down at 29 runs. However, a fighting half-century by Rishabh Pant (64 in 57 balls, with nine fours and a six) kept India in the game. After his dismissal, India once again lost their footing in the game and was bundled out for 121 runs.

Ajaz (6/57) took a memorable six-wicket haul. Also, Phillips (3/42) was fine with the ball, taking timely and crucial wickets.

Earlier, Kiwis were bundled out for 174, thanks to a five-wicket haul from Jadeja (5/55) and some fine bowling from Ravichandran Ashwin (3/62). A fighting half-century from Will Young (51 in 100 balls, with two fours and a six) was NZ innings highlight. Kiwis took a 146 run lead over India, who made 263 in their first innings while replying to NZ’s first innings total of 235 runs.

In their first innings, India had taken a 28-run lead over New Zealand. India was 84/4 at one point, but a 96-run stand between Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant (60 in 59 balls, with eight four and two sixes) helped India recover. Gilll played a memorable knock of 90 in 146 balls, with seven fours and a six. A fine knock of Washington Sundar (38* in 36 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) pushed India towards a lead, taking them to 263.

Ajaz Patel (5/103) was the pick of the bowlers for Kiwis. Phillips, Ish Sodhi and Matt Henry took a wicket each.

Coming to the NZ first innings, Kiwis had won the toss and opted to bat first. Though spinners Jadeja (5/65) and Sundar (4/81) dominated the proceedings, half-centuries from Will Young (71 in 138 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Daryl Mitchell (82 in 129 balls, with three fours and three sixes) pushed NZ to 235. An 87-run stand between Young and Mitchell was what helped Kiwis get to a respectable score.

Brief Scores: India: 263 and 121: (Rishabh Pant 64, Washington Sundar 12, Ajaz Patel 6/57) lost to NZ: 235 and 174: (Will Young 51, Glenn Phillips 26, Ravindra Jadeja 5/55).

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

Kerala Police register FIR against Union Minister Suresh Gopi for allegedly misusing an ambulance

ANI
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Kerala Police register FIR against Union Minister Suresh Gopi for allegedly misusing an ambulance

Kerala Police has registered an FIR against Union Minister Suresh Gopi for allegedly misusing an ambulance by traveling on it to reach the Thrissur Pooram venue.

Thrissur East police registered the case under sections 279 of IPC and 179,288,192 of the Motor Vehicle Act.

The FIR states that Gopi travelled in an ambulance which should be used only for transporting patients.

The case was registered on the complaint of CPI district leader Sumesh KP.

Gopi traveled in the ambulance on the day when it was alleged that the Thrissur Pooram was deliberately disrupted.

The Opposition the Congress-led UDF had alleged that the disruption was made to favour Gopi who was then the BJP’s candidate from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.

The Thrissur Pooram row has sparked political debate within the state as the opposition claimed that police intervened in the rituals which led to a disruption.

The Kerala Police’s investigation is currently going on in the Pooram disruption allegation.

Suresh Gopi earlier demanded a CBI probe on the allegations made against him over the use of an ambulance to reach the festival site.

“This Pooram disruption is going to be a boomerang. Unlike Surendran’s (BJP state president) claim, I did not arrive at the scene in an ambulance. I arrived in a private car, the district president’s personal vehicle. If someone claims they saw me in an ambulance, they need to clarify whether it was a real sight or an illusion. To find the truth, Kerala’s police under Pinarayi will not suffice; a CBI investigation is necessary. I am prepared to face it. They should call in the CBI. Many, including former and current ministers in Kerala, fear being questioned,” Gopi had said.

However, he retracted this statement later, saying that he had to travel in the ambulance after his car was attacked by goons, getting his legs injured.

(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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