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‘Murdered his mother, chopped off her organs’: Bombay HC upholds death sentence of man who cut his own mother into pieces, put her heart in a plate and ribs in a bottle

OpIndia Staff
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‘Murdered his mother, chopped off her organs’: Bombay HC upholds death sentence of man who cut his own mother into pieces, put her heart in a plate and ribs in a bottle

On Tuesday (1st October), the Bombay High Court upheld the conviction and death sentence of a Makadwala Vasahat, Kolhapur resident Sunil Rama Kuchkoravi who murdered his 60-year-old mother and mutilated her body. The culprit was awarded a death sentence in 2021. The Additional Sessions Judge had then convicted Sunil of the offence punishable under Section 302 of the IPC and sentenced him to be hanged till death. A fine of Rs.25,000/- was also imposed and in default, he was directed to undergo rigorous imprisonment for six months.

A division bench of the high court, comprising Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice PK Chavan, heard Sunil’s appeal against the Kolhapur Sessions Court’s death sentence verdict.

Notably, the body of the convict’s 60-year-old mother was found in the house, with her internal organs, including the liver, heart, ribs, and intestines, dispersed around the floor. Furthermore, the heart was placed on a plate in the kitchen, and the ribs were found in an oil bottle with chilli powder and salt. An 8-year-old girl residing in front of the victim’s house had first noticed the dead body lying in a pool of blood. The girl rushed to inform the convict’s brother Raju about it.

“Raju rushed to the spot of incident only to witness the horrendous crime, wherein his mother was lying on the floor naked, in a pool of blood and her body parts i.e. liver, intestine, heart, rib and breast were eviscerated outside. Trail of blood was found flowing till the adjoining house of the convict. He also noticed two knives and one Sattur (Chopper) stained with blood, lying on the spot. By that time, the police arrived at the scene of occurrence,” the court order states adding that Raju and other locals grabbed the convict and turned him over to the police.

Moreover, the convict’s Bermuda shorts, clothes, hands, and mouth were all smeared with blood. The prosecution said that the convict’s motivation for killing his mother was her refusal to give him her pension money, which he needed to support his alcohol addiction. The deceased victim used to receive Rs 4000 monthly pension of her husband. 

As per the prosecution, the Convict was accustomed to consuming liquor. He used to harass his wife. The wife could not tolerate harassment at the hands of the convict and, therefore, she deserted him with three daughters and a son and came to Mumbai.  Since the convict was alone, his mother provided him food and shelter. However, the convict used to beat his mother over not giving him the pension money.

Court highlights extreme barbarism and brutality, calls the convict a danger to other prisoners

The top court stated in its judgement that even if the convict were sentenced to life in prison, he would still represent a threat to his fellow inmates.

“Apart from the extreme brutality, cruelty and barbarism with which the convict had murdered his mother in a cold blooded manner, one cannot deny that his conduct was akin to cannibalism and, therefore, he could be a potential threat and danger to the inmates in the jail, in case, the sentence of life imprisonment is awarded. A person who could commit such a heinous crime by killing his mother, can do so with anyone else, including his own family. His social integration, therefore, is unquestionably foreclosed,” the court said.

The court also noted that the convict showed no signs of remorse when he appeared before the court via video conferencing. “During interaction with the convict through Video Conferencing, we do not find any remorse, penitence or repentance on his face. Normally, a deep regret should have come from him by a deep sense of guilt. He just feigned innocence contending that he does not remember anything,” the court order states.

Furthermore, the judgement stated that showing mercy to the man would be an abuse of the concept of mercy and a mockery of the criminal justice system.

Excerpt from the relevant court order

“Under the circumstances, showing mercy or leniency to such a person, would be misplacing the concept of mercy. That apart, showing leniency would be a mockery on the criminal justice system. Therefore, death penalty imposed by the trial Court, needs to be confirmed and accordingly stands confirmed. It is a well settled law that possibility of reformation and rehabilitation of the convict is an important factor which is to be taken into account as a mitigating circumstance before sentencing him to death,” the court said.

Pakistani family living illegally in India with fake Hindu identities: How ‘Sufi’ Mehdi Foundation facilitated illegal immigration, organised fake docs and paid the family

Rukma Rathore
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Pakistani family living illegally in India with fake Hindu identities: How ‘Sufi’ Mehdi Foundation facilitated illegal immigration, organised fake docs and paid the family

A 48-year-old Pakistan preacher named Rashid Ali Siddiqui, his wife Ayesha (38) and her parents Hanif Mohammed (73) and Rubina (61) were arrested on the outskirts of Bengaluru by the authorities on 29th September. They acquired fraudulent documents and adopted Hindu names. The accused had been living in Rajapura village under the aliases Shankar Sharma, Asha Rani, Ram Babu Sharma and Rani Sharma, respectively.

They came to Delhi in 2014 and then moved to Bengaluru in 2018. The family lived in Bangladesh’s Dhaka previously. Notably, the name of a Sufi organisation “Mehdi Foundation International” surfaced as the racket was exposed.

Siddiqui had fled to Bangladesh from Pakistan after Sufis were being hounded in the country. He served as a preacher in Bangladesh and the Mehdi Foundation covered his expenses there. He then encountered similar attacks in Bangladesh in 2014 after which he contacted a man named Parvez from the foundation who assisted him and his family to move to India illegally.

They reportedly procure duplicate Aadhaar cards, passports and driving licences under a new identity as the ‘Sharma’ family. He delivered sermons on behalf of the Mehdi Foundation in Delhi.

Essentially, the Islamic preacher living illegally in India under a Hindu identity was facilitated by the Mehdi Foundation. The Foundation was also instrumental in obtaining illegal documents for the Pakistani family.

Siddiqui and his family then shifted to Bengaluru at the request of two locals, Wasim and Altaf when they asked him to preach in the city. He met the two in Nepal in 2018. He received payment from the Mehdi Foundation for his Islamic preaching on Alra TV, while Altaf handled the rent of his house.

Moreover, “Mehdi Foundation International Jashan-e-Younus” was displayed on the wall of Siddiqui’s residence.

What is Mehdi Foundation International?

Mehdi/Messiah Foundation International (MFI) formerly known as RAGS International was established by a Pakistani “spiritual” leader and author Ra Riaz Gohar Shahi who is a fifth-generation descendant of the Sufi Baba Gohar Ali Shah, in 1980. The organisation claims to be a syncretic culmination of prophecies in Christianity, Islam, Judaism and the Dharmic religions.

The founder of the foundation which facilitates illegal infiltration and arranges fake documents, Shahi, is portrayed as the messianic figure referred to as Mehdi, Messiah and Kalki Avatar in addition to the generic “Awaited One” prophesied by different faiths.

MFI was officially co-founded by Younus AlGohar, who met Shahi in 1983 and became his disciple, in 2022. He is the current head of the organisation. It also has a sister organisation named Kalki Avatar Foundation. Younus AlGohar apparently preaches religious harmony and peace and advocates against religious fanaticism. The website’s home page displays “Mehdi Foundation International: promotion of divine love and universal peace” and features symbols of several religions along with an image of Riaz Gohar Shahi.

“Mehdi/Messiah Foundation International and its sister organisation, Kalki Avatar Foundation, are interfaith, non-religious, spiritual organisations. Previously known as RAGS International (founded by His Divine Eminence Ra Riaz Gohar Shahi in 1980), MFI was formally established in 2002 by His Holiness Younus AlGohar under the guidance of His Divine Eminence,” the official website reads.

It states that members of the organisation come from a variety of religious backgrounds and “the bond of divine love and miraculous Doctrine of His Divine Eminence Lord Ra Riaz Gohar Shahi” is the resolute link between them which cuts across all religious and cultural barriers and unites the people. The website alleges that people from all walks of life work to create “widespread divine love and global peace” under the direction and guidance of the organisation.

The organisation describes itself as “a cool breeze” and “a candle of love amid stormy hatred and a torch of spirituality in the wilderness of materialism”. It further adds, “It does not surprise us when people become puzzled to see our members propagating divine love, respecting humanity, embracing the Jews, the Muslims, the Christians, the Hindus, the Sikhs and all other religions to be their spiritual brethren, but that is the Miraculous Goharian Doctrine.”

While the organisation claims that it does not associate with any religion, the organization promotes Sufism to “deradicalise” Muslims. It is crucial to keep in mind that Sufism has a very dark history in India. The most significant instance is the shocking rape case that occurred in Ajmer in 1992 in which caretakers of the renowned dargah (shrine) were involved.

The organisation was first established in London which is also its headquarters and has grown to include centres in Canada, USA, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, India, Greece, Thailand, Bangladesh and Nepal among other countries. Furthermore, there’s another website by the name of mehdifoundation.com which is accessible in multiple languages including Hindi and Urdu. It also promotes similar tropes as the one by the organisation.

MFI also runs a channel named Alra TV with nearly 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 96 thousand followers on Facebook. Notably, the channel also employed Rashid Ali Siddiqui as a preacher. Interestingly, on one hand, the organisation boasts of being secular and against extremism and on the other it seems to have a soft spot for Islamic tyrant Tipu Sultan who ruled over Mysore (Mysuru) and was responsible for the massacre of the people of the Hindu community.

Mehdi Foundation International Mysore posted a photograph of a yellow shirt with “Alra TV Youtube Spiritual Channel” displayed on it, in a 2019 Facebook post and wrote, “Alra TV Yellow t-shirts of MFI Mysore, Tipu Tigers,” in its caption with a smiling emoticon, insinuating the admiration for the Islamic zealot.

Notably, AlGohar was found guilty of benefit fraud in 2013. He pleaded guilty to 11 out of 12 charges of dishonesty under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and was ordered to pay a £6000 fine and perform 240 hours of community service.

Opposition to Mehdi Foundation International

The organisation has faced massive opposition and protests in multiple Muslim countries including Pakistan. Gohar Shahi and Younus AlGohar were the targets of numerous attempts on their life, one of which involved throwing a petrol bomb into AlGohar’s Manchester home, where the former stayed while on tour in the United Kingdom. In 2001, Shahi vanished from the public eye. Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam, Shahi’s second organization, was reportedly shut down and outlawed in Pakistan in 2011.

Shahi claimed to have had a meeting with Jesus Christ in 1997. According to MFI, Shahi asserts to be the Messiah, the Mahdi, and the Kalki Avatar which is a major factor behind MFI’s opposition as such statements are considered blasphemy in the Abrahamic religions, especially Islam.

Mehdi Foundation International’s president (international), Amjad Gohar, who is a Pakistani national is currently seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. There are almost twelve blasphemy charges against him. “The teachings of religious harmony and peace are now not acceptable in Pakistan society as the clerics consider it as blasphemy. What we preach is very similar to the idea of India where it accepts and respects all religions,” he stated in an interview with The Indian Express.

“I have come to know about the arrests and we do not support those who break the law. But also, one has to understand that the members have fled Pakistan only when it became very hard for them to survive. I would request the Indian government not to deport them to Pakistan as they would be killed. They should allow them to live in India or help them till they find a country to stay,” he claimed while responding to the arrest of Rashid Ali Siddiqui and his family.

Conclusion

Mehdi Foundation International may profess to promote Sufism and religious tolerance, but it is impossible to ignore the reality that its members allowed a Pakistani family to enter India illegally, posing a serious threat to the security of the already vulnerable country which has been suffering terrorist attacks by the neighbouring Islamic Republic for decades. The organisation’s members not only enabled the Pakistanis to infiltrate India but even created fake documents and identities for them to stay in the country for a decade.

Interestingly, while the organisation claims to be syncretic, there seems to be no apparent evidence that they have supported Hindus from Pakistan, who are at the receiving end of true intolerance and have been ethnically cleansed for decades.

One has to wonder how many similar rackets are facilitated by the members of this organisation and others like MFI. These are important issues that need to be considered and addressed, and such criminal components need to be treated strictly by the law to ensure the safety and protection of the nation.

Muslim lawyers slammed by court for demanding FIR against CM Shinde for sharing stage with Ramgiri Maharaj, govt says 67 FIRs filed against seer: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim lawyers slammed by court for demanding FIR against CM Shinde for sharing stage with Ramgiri Maharaj, govt says 67 FIRs filed against seer: Here is what happened

On Monday, September 30, the Bombay High Court came down heavily at some Muslim advocates who approached the court with a plea demanding an FIR against Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde for sharing the stage with Hindu saint Ramgiri Maharaj. The judges ruled that no FIR would be filed against Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with Ramgiri Maharaj, stating that there must be evidence of malafide intent for such action. They also cautioned the Muslim lawyer to avoid politicising the issue.

The remarks came after the Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that a total of 67 FIRs had been registered against Ramgiri Maharaj for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad during an event held in Nashik district, Maharashtra, in August this year. Advocate General Dr Birendra Saraf, appearing for the Maharashtra government further told the court that the alleged ‘blasphemous’ content, which was shared online, is being taken down by the cyber crime police.

He submitted this while opposing a petition which sought the registration of an FIR against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with Ramgiri Maharaj after FIRs were registered against him.

The petition seeking the FIR against Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde was filed by advocate Mohammad Wasi Sayed and others, who claimed that since 2014, there has been “a significant increase in communal incidents, with state and Union governments allegedly preserving and promoting systematic Islamophobic practices, leading to mob lynchings, riots, and the marginalization of Muslims.”

Advocate Ejaz Naqvi, representing the petitioners, further argued that rather than taking action against Ramgiri Maharaj, Chief Minister Shinde appeared on stage with him and made a public statement affirming that saints would be protected in the state.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the Bombay High Court bench, comprising Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan, observed that petitions concerning the removal of the seer’s videos and the registration of FIRs for the alleged hate speech are already under consideration.

‘You are making the issue political’: Bombay HC slams Muslim lawyers for demanding FIR against CM Shinde for sharing stage with Ramgiri Maharaj

“We can’t stop them from giving speeches, but the police are taking action and registering FIRs wherever they can. Just because they (Eknath Shinde and Ramgiri) are sharing a stage, it does not mean that FIR should be registered. You have to show malafides. If there is a breach, there are FIRs being registered. You (Naqvi) are making the issue political. When you digress from the core issue, then this is what happens. Your core issue is to take down videos,” the bench said.

Saraf also opposed the plea, stating that FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj had already been registered, with a total of 67 FIRs filed as of September 19.

The bench remarked, “One cannot initiate proceedings like this,” emphasizing that the Chief Minister’s name should be removed from the list of respondents in the petition. Agreeing with this, the bench warned that costs could be imposed on the petitioners if not addressed.

The court directed advocate Naqvi to revise his prayers and remove all respondents except the cyber police and local police officials. The bench stated, “Police have a mechanism. They will deal with this.”

The petition is scheduled for further hearing on October 17.

When protestors including minors had raised ‘Sar tan se juda’ slogans against the Hindu seer

It may be recalled how in August this year, the alleged ‘blasphemous’ comments made by Ramgiri Maharaj triggered widespread outrage within the Islamist community, sparking massive protests across Maharashtra and other parts of the country. Protestors demanded the beheading of the Hindu saint, with several videos of these violent demonstrations going viral on social media. In these videos, protestors can be seen chanting slogans like ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ (beheading), further escalating tensions. In fact, even minors were seen shouting slogans for the beheading of Ramgiri Maharaj.

Protests happened in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Pune, Thane, Mumbai, Chhatarpur, etc. However, the one that happened in the Mumbra region of Thane was taken cognizance of by the NCPCR as several minor children could be seen raising beheading slogans against the Hindu saint.

Haryana: High Courts asks Enforcement Directorate and police to arrest Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker if he doesn’t surrender in 24 hrs

ANI
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Haryana: High Courts asks Enforcement Directorate and police to arrest Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker if he doesn’t surrender in 24 hrs

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday directed the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and police to arrest Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker if he fails to surrender within 24 hours.

The Congress MLA is facing a money laundering case registered against him by the ED in 2023.

He is considered a close aide of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and is seeking re-election from the Samalkha constituency in the state assembly elections.

Haryana Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan said that a petition to take action against the MLA was filed in the High Court on Tuesday.

“Dharam Singh Chhoker is a sitting MLA from Samalkha and is contesting elections from there again. He has many criminal cases registered against him. Non-bailable warrants have also been issued, and ED action is pending against him. His anticipatory bail petition has been rejected, yet no action has been taken against him while he openly contests elections,” he told ANI.

“So because of all that, the court has ordered him to surrender or else be arrested by the police,” he said.

“The court also noted that his bail has been rejected and that action should be taken against him, which is why it ordered him to surrender or face arrest by tomorrow,” he added.

Voting for all 90 Assembly constituencies in Haryana will take place on October 5 from 7 am to 6 pm.

In 2023, ED investigated Chhoker and his son, Sikandar Singh Chhoker, after an FIR by Gurugram police alleged that both of them were involved in a real estate fraud.

Sikandar Singh Chhoker was arrested by the ED in March, 2024, for allegedly siphoning hundreds of crores of rupees and defrauding home buyers by booking fake construction expenditures in group entities. 

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

Uttar Pradesh: Hindu girl strangled to death by Shahenshah, Salman, Sarwar, and Javed, culprits arrested after encounter; victim killed over asking for marriage

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Hindu girl strangled to death by Shahenshah, Salman, Sarwar, and Javed, culprits arrested after encounter; victim killed over asking for marriage

Last month, on 21st September, the police recovered the body of an unidentified woman in an abandoned condition in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The victim was later identified as Priyanka. She had gone missing from her house since 31st May. Salman, Shahenshah, Javed, and Sarwar were named as the accused in the case. Shahenshah was initially arrested, and the others were nabbed by the authorities on 1st October by UP Police after an encounter.

The case pertains to the Kadipur police station area of ​​​​the Sultanpur district in Uttar Pradesh where the grandfather of the victim had registered a complaint to the authorities on 1st of June this year. The complainant stated that his granddaughter left the house on 31st May at around 10 pm to answer nature’s call but did not return home. The family searched extensively for their daughter but could not find her. The grandfather of the deceased suspected that someone might have lured her and taken her with him. The police then registered a First Information Report (FIR) on his complaint and started the investigation.

The probe was underway when an anonymous body was found in the Gosaiganj police station area of ​​Sultanpur. The post-mortem revealed that the deceased was strangulated to death and her name was unveiled to be Priyanka. The police then added murder charges to the disappearance case and Salman, Shahenshah, Sarwar and Javed were found to be involved in the crime, during the inquiry.

The police learned that the girl and Salman had a long relationship. Salman even took her to Mumbai once. She went to meet him again after their return. Sarwar, Shahenshah, and Javed made arrangements for the two to stay in Gosaiganj where she started to push Salaman for marriage.

The girl even threatened to send Salman and his three friends to jail after he refused. Afterwards, the four came up with a plan to get rid of Priyanka after she threatened them. They eventually murdered her and dumped the corpse in a deserted place in the Gosainganj police station region.

The cops then started searching for the perpetrators. Shahenshah was the first one to be caught and the authorities continued to hunt for the rest. On 1st October, the police received information that the three offenders were in the Akhandnagar police station area and raided the place. The criminals started shooting as soon as they spotted the cops. Salman, Sarwar, and Javed were injured in the retaliatory fire by the Police.

All of them were captured and brought to the hospital for treatment. Cartridges and illegal weapons were discovered on their person, and they are scheduled to be brought before the court. Further inquiry and legal action into the matter is now underway.

CBI says no evidence of forced religious conversion in Lavanya case: What she said about her missionary school in dying declaration and its evidentiary value

Anurag
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CBI says no evidence of forced religious conversion in Lavanya case: What she said about her missionary school in dying declaration and its evidentiary value

On 18th September, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) ruled out the angle of religious conversion in the tragic suicide of a 12th-standard student at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The findings were presented to the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in response to the petition filed by the main accused in the case, Sister Sagaya Mary. The CBI stated that Lavanya’s decision to end her life stemmed from stress due to administrative tasks she performed at her hostel and not because of pressure to convert to Christianity. However, in her dying declaration, Lavanya had said she was forced to convert to Christianity.

The case has been under public scrutiny since 2022 when the victim’s family accused the school authorities of forcing her to convert. An investigation into the matter was initiated, which was later transferred to the CBI. Several protests were held in the case. The CBI, in its final report to the court, stated the agency found no evidence supporting the religious conversion angle. The agency further emphasised that the mental stress Lavanya faced was due to her academic struggles and responsibilities at the school hostel, leading to her taking extreme steps.

Sister Sagaya’s plea to quash chargesheet

In the first week of September 2024, Sister Sagaya Mary, the sole accused in the case, filed a petition before the court to quash the chargesheet against her. She argued that the charges filed by the CBI were baseless and that she was being falsely implicated in the case. She emphasised that the allegations stemmed from statements made by Lavanya, referring to minor incidents of scolding and administrative work.

The matter was transferred to the CBI in 2022 after the victim’s parents accused the school authorities of forcing her to perform domestic chores and convert to Christianity. In her petition, the accused argued that there was no prima facie evidence against her and that the allegations lacked substance.

Lavanya’s dying declaration: a crucial piece of evidence

Though the CBI has said in its report that there is no forced conversion angle in the case, Lavanya’s dying declaration has been a pivotal element. On 9th January 2022, she allegedly consumed pesticides after being subjected to prolonged mental and emotional distress. A video of the victim surfaced, recorded before her death, in which she alleged that she was pressured by the school authorities to convert to Christianity. In the video, she was seen speaking weakly but clearly. She stated that the school administration asked her to convert. When she refused, she was harassed and forced to perform demeaning tasks, such as cleaning toilets and cooking for others.

She named a school warden, Rachael Mary, in her video as one of the individuals involved in the alleged harassment. The video was widely shared on social media, leading to outrage. It became the central point in the legal proceedings.

On 19th January 2022, Lavanya succumbed to her injuries after spending several days in intensive care. Her family and several Hindu organisations have pointed to the dying declaration as evidence of the school’s attempts to convert her. However, the CBI’s report has cast doubt on the conversion angle. The agency has attributed her suicide to the academic and administrative pressure she faced.

The legal standing of a dying declaration: Section 32 of the Indian Evidence Act

To understand the importance of a dying declaration, we should look into both the Indian Evidence Act and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.

Under Section 32(1) of the Indian Evidence Act, of 1872, a dying declaration is a statement made by a person regarding the cause of their death or the circumstances leading to their death. Such declarations are admissible as evidence in court, even though they may not have been made under oath or subjected to cross-examination. The underlying principle is that a person on the verge of death is unlikely to lie, a concept known as “Nemo moriturus praesumitur mentiri,” meaning “a person who is about to die is presumed to speak the truth.”

In the case of Lavanya’s death, her dying declaration was made in the form of a video. That would typically be considered a strong piece of evidence in any criminal case. The courts have the authority to rely solely on a dying declaration to convict an accused if the court asserts that the statement was made voluntarily and truthfully.

Evidentiary value under Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023

Under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 (Indian Evidence Act 2023), the legal provisions surrounding dying declarations have been retained, aligning with the principles outlined in the 1872 Act. Sections 26 and 27 state that any statement made by a person as to the cause of their death or the circumstances of the transaction leading to their death is admissible as evidence. The statement is considered relevant whether or not the person making it was under the expectation of death.

However, for a dying declaration to be accepted, it must be credible, voluntary, and untainted by external influence. The courts examine the mental and physical state of the declarant at the time the statement was made.

Dying declaration and judicial precedents

In the past, Indian courts have consistently upheld the importance of such declarations. For example, in the case of Sham Shankar Kankaria v. State of Maharashtra, the Supreme Court ruled that a dying declaration could serve as the sole basis for a conviction if it is found to be reliable.

Conclusion

As the CBI has dismissed the forced conversion angle, there is now a renewed focus on Lavanya’s academic stress and the administrative tasks she was allegedly assigned. However, questions remain about how fully her dying declaration, which is a crucial piece of evidence, has been considered by the investigating agency. Under Indian law, a dying declaration holds significant evidentiary value and can, in many cases, serve as the sole basis for a conviction.

The CBI has provided an alternative narrative that focuses on administrative pressure. It is essential to reflect on whether the emotional weight and clarity of the victim’s final words were given the attention they deserved by the investigative agency. Her statement, recorded under distress but with direct allegations, sheds light on the perception she had of the events in her last days. Such declarations have shaped court judgments in the past, and any attempts to downplay them may lead to questions about the thoroughness of the investigation.

In the upcoming hearings, the court should reconcile the CBI’s findings with Lavanya’s own account. It will ensure that every piece of evidence is weighed with the seriousness it deserves. It will reflect the court’s responsibility in interpreting the voice of a young girl who no longer has the opportunity to speak for herself.

USA: Democrats against democracy – How the Democratic party has been subverting democratic processes

Vidyapati Gautam
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USA: Democrats against democracy – How the Democratic party has been subverting democratic processes

The Democrats claim to fight for the heart of American democracy. But the party gives short shrift to democracy within its own fold. The upcoming presidential election and the two that precede it establish this conclusively.

Joe Biden faced Donald Trump in the first presidential debate in late June. His performance left people questioning the president’s mental acuity. Democrats panicked that he would not only lose to Trump but hurt them in Congress, too. The White House variously said that he just had “a bad day”, “a cold”, a “jet lag” and would resume his campaigning soon.

The knives were out for Biden, however. Leading the palace coup were Representative Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former President Barack Obama and the megadonors.

“Nancy made clear that they could do this the easy way or the hard way,” an insider told Politico. The “easy way” for Biden was to end his r-election bid. “She gave them three weeks of the easy way.” He seemed nonchalant. 

On Sunday, July 21, Obama called Biden after breakfast to inform him of the “hard way.” “Here’s the deal. We have Kamala’s approval to invoke the 25th Amendment (to the US Constitution),” he told Biden, according to veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. The clause allows the president to be replaced by the vice president, in this case Kamala Harris, if the latter and others deem him unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.

Simply put, Obama threatened Biden with sacking if he did not bow out of the race. Not sure of Harris’ prospects, Obama advised Biden against endorsing her and suggested that the delegates elect the candidate in “a mini primary” at August’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. Primaries aim to pick the best person capable of taking on the opposition.

Biden called it quits and swiftly endorsed Harris that same day. He was unfit to rerun for presidency, but could steer the ship of state for another six months! One phone call from Obama negated the will of 14 million primary voters and nearly 4,000 delegates pledged to Biden.

Kamala Harris had entered no primary and won no delegates. Earlier, the DNC had shut out Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips from challenging Biden in the primaries. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, a Democrat herself, pulled no punches in calling Biden’s defenestration what it was: “a coup.”

In 2020, Democrats somewhat mysteriously crowned Biden as their presidential nominee. He faced humbling setbacks during the early primaries, finishing fourth in Iowa, fifth in New Hampshire, and second in Nevada.

Ahead of the crucial South Carolina primary, Representative James Clyburn, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress and a key political figure in the state, endorsed him. Biden registered his first victory, a resounding one.

On the eve of Super Tuesday (03 March 2020), when 15 states and territories held their primaries, three Democrats — Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg and Tom Steyer — suddenly withdrew from the race. Soon afterward, Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bloomberg followed suit.

The contest essentially narrowed to a race between moderate Biden and progressive Bernie Sanders. Fearful that Sanders would lose by a landslide if nominated, they quickly retreated and rallied around Biden. The goal was to stop the fractious infighting and ensure Sanders’ defeat in the primaries. Obama approved of this move.

Obama nudged Klobuchar and Buttigieg into endorsing Biden. To “accelerate the endgame” of bringing primaries to an early close, Obama “at least had four long conversations” with Sanders before the Vermont senator dropped his bid and backed Biden. Obama did “thumb the scale” for his “friend.”

The COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down, completely upending campaign and voting procedures. While campaigns moved to the virtual world with candidates canvassing from their homes, polling adopted mass mail-in ballots. Having “fortified” the election, as TIME magazine essayist Molly Ball put it, Biden defeated Trump in November.

Nothing comes close to the 2016 Democratic primaries though. Obama persuaded his Vice President Biden to stay out of the fray for his former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “The President was not encouraging,” Biden later wrote in his memoir.

Clinton became the first female to lead a major party ticket. She shattered one glass ceiling; only one remained, being elected president. In her quest for the highest office, she manipulated rules at will.

DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz signed a pact with her campaign to keep the party financially afloat, ceding control of its operations. The agreement let Clinton exercise her hold over party’s finances, strategy, and all the money raised.

“Her campaign had the right of refusal of who would be the party communications director, and it would make final decisions on all the other staff,” wrote DNC interim chair Donna Brazile in her book Hacks.

“A candidate usually begins to wield more influence over the party only after being nominated. Not in Clinton’s case! She held sway over the DNC apparatus just four months after announcing her candidacy and nearly a year ahead of clinching the nomination. “…the agreement was not illegal, but it sure looked unethical,” Brazile wrote.

WikiLeaks exposed how Wasserman Schultz had sharply disparaged Sanders, Clinton’s challenger, and his campaign manager Jeff Weaver, despite her obligation to remain neutral during the primaries. Calling Weaver a “damn liar” and an “ASS,” she said the senator has “never been a member of the Democratic Party and does not know what we do.”

Wasserman Schultz was forced to resign. Brazile, an old party hand and longtime Clinton ally, replaced her. Brazile, for her part, lost her gig as contributor after WikiLeaks revealed that she had also leaked questions to Hillary’s campaign ahead of a CNN debate and a town hall during the primary.

Two of Clinton’s rivals, Sanders and Warren, accused the DNC of rigging the primary in her favour. Clinton campaign sponsored the infamous Steele Dossier, an ‘opposition research’ that falsely painted Trump as Putin’s puppet. She outspent Trump two-to-one, still lost to him, a political greenhorn.

All this in a party that swears by Democracy™, chides its opponents at home for undermining it, and slams other countries for democratic backsliding. Oh, the irony!

SP workers and Muslim “journalists” exonerate Moeed Khan after Raju Khan’s DNA matches with the rape victim’s foetus: How their “celebration” is premature

OpIndia Staff
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SP workers and Muslim “journalists” exonerate Moeed Khan after Raju Khan’s DNA matches with the rape victim’s foetus: How their “celebration” is premature

On Tuesday, 1st October, the Islamists attempted to give a clean chit to Samajwadi Party leader Moeed Khan who has been charged with raping a 12-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya. This is after the DNA reports in the case did not match the foetus of the victim. The DNA reports have sent a match for Raju Khan who is also accused in the case for gang-raping the girl.

Both, Moeed Khan and his driver Raju Khan are facing charges under various sections of the POCSO Act and the criminal laws for allegedly gang-raping a 12-year-old Other Backward Class (OBC) girl in Ayodhya and recording the incident to use as blackmail against her for more than two months. The victim’s pregnancy-related health problems brought the crime to light.

The filing of the First Information Report was delayed. Since 2012, the police station has been housed on Moeed Khan’s land. Arrests were made following public outcry and an investigation into the matter is currently underway. Amid this, several Islamists on social media attempted to give a clean chit to the SP leader saying that his DNA reports didn’t match the foetus. They claimed that the name of the SP leader was unnecessarily dragged in the case for politics when the real accused who raped the girl had been confirmed as Raju Khan.

“Do you remember the Ayodhya rape case? The same case in which Moeed Khan’s name was forcibly dragged and defamed. Yes, the same Moeed Khan whose bakery was crushed by the constitutional bulldozer. Now the news is that Moeed Khan’s DNA did not match with the girl. Rather, the DNA of Raju, who works at the bakery, has matched. Yes, the same Raju who had a love affair with the girl,” said ‘journalist’ Ali Sohrab, a claimed activist against ‘islamophobia’.

“Aditya Nath was going around the state propagating that Moeed Khan is a rapist. Now who will give an account of the open defamation of Muslims?” said Anishur Rahman. Another one indicated that all the media personnel who declared SP’s Moeed Khan as accused shall now apologize.

Wasim Akram Tyagi, a foul-mouthed Muslim fundamentalist who refers to himself as a ‘journalist’ on X, almost exonerated Moeed Khan because the DNA report of the foetus matched with his driver Raju Khan and not his. Perhaps, as per Tyagi, the proof of fatherhood is the single most important factor that establishes rape, possibly even in cases when rape has not led to impregnation.

A similar display of low IQ was exhibited by another Muslim fundamentalist masquerading as a journalist. Zakir Ali Tyagi shared an interview with Moeed Khan’s family members, who would obviously be vouching for his innocence, to claim that Khan was being framed in the matter and the DNA report only confirms it.

It is crucial to note that though the DNA reports have not found a match of the SP leader in the foetus of the victim, it does not make him less of an accused as the burden of proof in rape incidents may not mandatorily depend upon impregnation. Rape is any type of sexual assault that involves engaging in sexual activity with another person without their consent. It generally includes penetration (vaginal, anal, or oral) by force, threat, or coercion, or when the victim is incapacitated and unable to provide informed permission (due to drugs, intoxication, unconsciousness, etc). It is a serious breach of a person’s autonomy and dignity, and it is punishable by law in many countries.  

Victim’s testimony names both Moeed Khan and Raju Khan as gang-rape accused

Earlier, the testimony of the victim was also recorded in which she confirmed that she was gang raped by both the named accused persons. According to the minor victim, around 75 days ago, when she was returning home, Raju, a servant working in Moeed’s shop, lured the victim to his shop by offering her a toast. Since she had been going to the shop earlier as well, she trusted him and went there. It is alleged that both the accused took turns to rape her inside the shop and also recorded obscene video of the entire incident. By threatening to leak the video, they continued sexually exploiting the minor for over 2 months. As a result of continued sexual exploitation, the victim got pregnant. 

However, the family came to know about the crime when her health deteriorated and she became pregnant.

It is further alleged that the Bhadarsa Police Station didn’t file an FIR in this matter for more than 30 hours. It is also alleged that since 2012, this Police station had been running from the house of the accused SP leader Moeed Khan. The incident took place in the Pura Kalandar police station area of Ayodhya. The accused SP leader Khan had a bakery shop near the Bhadarsa Outpost. The minor victim lives with her mother.

The Islamists also whined about the bulldozer action that was taken against the bakery of the accused person, SP leader Moeed Khan. Islamists claimed that the action was unnecessarily initiated against the SP leader. However, the bakery was sealed by the food adulteration department and was found illegal. Hence, the demolition of the said illegal property was conducted.

On October 8, the charges against the accused will be framed, and the trial will begin. The bail applications of the accused are under consideration at the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. Both accused are currently in district jail, and their bail applications had previously been rejected by the local court.

12th pass, non-medicos became doctors and surgeons in Rajasthan: Media investigation reveals massive fraud in RMC registrations

OpIndia Staff
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12th pass, non-medicos became doctors and surgeons in Rajasthan: Media investigation reveals massive fraud in RMC registrations

In Rajasthan, an alleged scam has been unearthed wherein 12th or intermediate pass students became ‘doctors’ by using forged documents. Shockingly, the Rajasthan Medical Council (RMC) is also accused of involvement in this. A Dainik Bhaskar report says that fake doctors are being made in Rajasthan by registering with the Medical Council of the states of Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. The RMC did not even verify the degrees of people who passed the 12th standard.

98 such non-medicos became fake gynaecologists and surgeons in Rajasthan. The certificates, NOC, registration, and verification were done fraudulently. The listed candidates did not study medicine for a single day or even undertake an internship. While applying online, the fraudulent doctors uploaded fake copies of their registration certificates and NOCs from different state councils. Without checking, RMC created a fake verification email and attached it to the file.

It was found that none of the 98 fake doctors were found at the address mentioned in their RMC documents. The Bhaskar report has listed the fake doctors who fraudulently became gynaecologists etc by submitting fake documents and medical council certificates. The RMC reportedly attached fake emails of verification with the files.

In its sting operation, Bhaskar asked questions to Rajasthan Medical Council Registrar Dr Rajesh Sharma about the fake registration scam. Shockingly, Sharma admitted the fraud and gave an open offer of Rs 10 lakh bribe to the Bhaskar reporter. When asked about his official stand on the ongoing fraud, Sharma said that he just wanted to settle the matter and claimed that whoever may have orchestrated the scam, however, the government would blame him only and sack him. He then reportedly said that he would arrange Rs 10 lakh for the undercover Bhaskar reporter and they both can ‘settle’ the profits.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan’s Medical & Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar took cognizance of the alleged fraud and said that it is a serious matter and he would ensure an investigation into it. He further assured stringent action and said that if required, the RMC office would be sealed and the matter would be handed over to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Pakistani preacher Rashid, his wife and family lived in India for 10 years using fake Hindu identites under ‘Sharma’ name: Arrested in Bengaluru

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistani preacher Rashid, his wife and family lived in India for 10 years using fake Hindu identites under ‘Sharma’ name: Arrested in Bengaluru

On 29th September the authorities arrested four Pakistani nationals from the outskirts of Bengaluru. They have been residing in India for ten years under fake identities. The accused have been identified as Rashid Ali Siddiqui (48), his wife Ayesha (38) and her parents Hanif Mohammed (73) and Rubina (61). They stayed in Rajpura village under the aliases Shankar Sharma, Asha Rani, Ram Babu Sharma and Rani Sharma.

The raid was conducted in Jagani on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The action transpired based on information provided by intelligence personnel after two Pakistanis were nabbed at Chennai International Airport. The Pakistani nationals were apprehended when immigration officers discovered they were using forged passports when they landed at Chennai International Airport from Dhaka. An investigation indicated that they were Siddiqui’s relatives. A police enquiry led the authorities to Rashid Ali Siddiqui.

The couple reportedly travelled to Delhi in 2014 before relocating to Bengaluru. The family had previously resided in Dhaka, Bangladesh where Siddiqui and Ayesha were married.

The Siddiqui family was packing to leave the residence when a police squad showed up to take them into custody. When questioned, Siddiqui admitted that he had been residing in Bengaluru since 2018. He also showed the Indian passports and Aadhaar cards belonging to the family, which had Hindu names. Cops found “Mehdi Foundation International Jahsan-e-Younus” written on the walls of the house. They further discovered images of Islamic clerics as well.

How Siddiqui landed in India

As per an Indian Express report, Siddiqui confirmed that he and his family were from Pakistan, during questioning. His wife and her family were from Lahore and he was from Liaquatabad in Karachi. He disclosed that he was married virtually in 2011 while Ayesha was in Bangladesh with her parents. Siddiqui added that he had to move to Bangladesh due to the persecution of religious leaders in Pakistan. He worked as a preacher in Bangladesh and was financially supported by the Mehdi Foundation, according to the First Information Report.

However, Siddiqui faced attacks in Bangladesh in 2014. As a result, he made contact with Parvez from the Mehdi Foundation in India and relocated to the country illegally. Afterwards, Siddiqui, his wife, in-laws and relatives Mohammed Yasin alias Karthik Sharma and Zainabi Noor alias Neha Sharma travelled from Bangladesh to India through West Bengal’s Malda with the assistance of intermediaries.

He decided to go to Bengaluru when Wasim and Altaf, two locals, requested him to preach there in 2018 while he was visiting Nepal. The Mehdi Foundation compensated him for his Islam-preaching broadcasts on Alra TV, while Altaf handled the rent. Additionally, he sold food items and supplied oils to garages. His in-laws even opened bank accounts in Bengaluru. Siddiqui informed the police that he had been dispatched to Bengaluru to “promote religious teachings of his leader” by his “handlers” from Bangladesh.

What the police said

A police official informed, “Our Jigani Inspector investigated a matter and registered a case. Four people of a family were residing here illegally with the help of fraudulent documents. Now, a case has been registered and those four people are being interrogated. Based on the outcome of the interrogation, we will take further action.” According to the officers, the family obtained fake documents and spent the previous six years renting an apartment in Jigani.

A police official stated that they obtained duplicate driving licenses, passports, and Aadhaar cards under a false identity as the “Sharma” family while they were living in Delhi initially where Siddiqui delivered sermons on behalf of the Mehdi Foundation.

The cop added, “We have collected details about them and are investigating the case. They were supplying materials to a garage but that needs to be investigated.” According to the authorities, Siddiqui might be a member of a sleeper cell. “After coming here, I used to call my relatives in Pakistan,” he unveiled to the cops.

A case has been filed under sections 468 (forgery committed with the intent to deceive), 471 (using a forged document or electronic record as real) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as under the Passport Act. The racket surfaced recently when immigration officers apprehended Mohammed Yasin, his wife Zainab Noor, Altaf Ahmed and his wife Fathima Gohar, who had gone to Bangladesh to meet their religious leader and were returning via Chennai.

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