Weeks after SP leader Moeed Khan and his driver Raju Khan were arrested in the gang-rape of a 12-year-old OBC girl in Ayodhya, the DNA reports have sent a match for Raju Khan, tightening the noose around the accused in the case.
Though Moeed Khan’s DNA has not been matched with foetus, he nonetheless remains under the scanner of probe agencies on account of the strong testimony of the victim.
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.
It is alleged that Samajwadi Party leader Moeed Khan and his servant Raju Khan gang-raped the minor girl a few months ago. They also recorded the video while committing the heinous crime, to blackmail the minor victim. By threatening to leak the obscene video, they continued sexually exploiting her for over 2 months. 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.
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.
A case of religious conversion has come to the fore from Ranchi, the state capital of Jharkhand. A woman has filed a complaint at the police station accusing her husband of religious conversion. The case pertains to Bariatu Sattar Colony in Ranchi.
Paulina Hemrom has accused her husband Feroze Alam of forcing her to convert her religion. The accused is also reported to have been using casteist words and harassing the victim. As per the reports, he has also thrown the woman out of the house.
The victim, while filing the complain,t mentioned that she married her husband Feroze Alam in the year 1992. She stated that she was the second wife and that the accused had promised her love and respect during the marriage but the situation changed post-marriage. Feroze had four wives at home and constantly harassed Paulina.
The victim woman stated that her accused husband had been involved in converting non-Muslim women. She said that Feroze had converted around twelve women. Paulina was also repeatedly pressured to convert her religion. She stated in the complaint that after her son died, she advocated for the rights of her daughter-in-law and grand kids. Feroze and his family members then assaulted Paulina and threw her out of the house.
Paulina has filed a police complaint against Feroze, his sisters Shahnaz Khatoon and Nikhat Parveen, as well as Rahnuma Khatoon. Paulina stated that she now seeks justice and does not want any other women to suffer in this way.
On Monday, the popular US-based satire website Babylon Bee sued the Government of California over the new laws brought up by the Democratic government to combat ‘misinformation’ and ‘deepfake’.
The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California states that in July of this year, Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted that a parody video of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris should be “illegal”. “The legislature heard the call and passed two laws that forbid political expression under the label of ‘materially deceptive content,” stated the complaint.
According to the complaint, one of California’s new regulations will obligate social media platforms to become “state snitches” and compel them “to field reports about user posts with ‘materially deceptive content’ and then remove or label them.”
“The second law (AB 2655) converts social media platforms into California state snitches by requiring them to field reports about user posts with “materially deceptive content” and then remove or label them. Newsom eventually signed the bills, proudly tweeting that the laws now outlawed the political parody video that upset him earlier. For Newsom, it was mission accomplished,” the complaint reads.
Alleging that Governor Gavin Newsom and the California government disregarded the First Amendment while framing the new laws and said: “Their laws regulating “materially deceptive content” forbid anyone from posting or reposting content that harms a candidate’s “reputation” or “electoral prospects,” “influences an election in California,” undermines “confidence in” an election’s “outcome,” and more.”
The complainants alleged that the government is using terms like reputation, electoral prospects etc, as code words allowing the government officials and political opponents to sue people and companies over the content they dislike. “These broad and vague laws will chill speech and debate that criticizes politicians and their platforms,” the complaint reads.
In addition to highlighting the history and relevance of satire and parody, The Bee stated that it intends to continue creating and publishing digitally created or modified satire and parody content on its own website, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube about politicians like Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, presidential and vice presidential candidates for office “who appear on the ballot in California, other candidates who appear on the ballot in California, elected officials saying or doing something in connection to an election in California, and ballots, voting machines, and voting sites related to an election in California.”
Criticising the ‘Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024’, Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillion said that one of the provisions of the law specifically targets satirists including writers at the Babylon Bee. Dillion emphasised that adding explicit disclaimers to let readers know that this is parody content would stifle the essence of the joke. He added that the new law is problematic in both ways as, if parody content is required to include disclaimers, then it would make the content devoid of its intended comic essence and if they do not add disclaimers, the company would face legal penalties.
“By requiring them to put disclaimers to let you know that this is parody that you’re reading right now – which completely stifles and kills the joke. If we’re unable to publish satire without putting disclaimers all over it, and we’re going to face potential penalties if we don’t do that, then that’s a very serious issue too. So we’re fighting back in every way that we can against laws that clamp down on speech,” the Babylon Bee CEO told DailyWire.
Notably, the lawsuit is filed against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, and Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Soto.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk backed the Babylon Bee in its lawsuit against the state of California and said: “Great”.
The controversial AB 2655, AB2355 and AB 2839 laws
California has recently passed three new measures aimed at reducing the dissemination of ‘disinformation’ and ‘fraudulent’ electoral content. The laws (AB 2655, AB 2839, and AB 2355) claim to seek to bolster protections against digitally manipulated material in political communications and commercials. While the first two legislations do not specifically reference artificial intelligence (AI), the spread of AI deepfakes, mainly those associated with election material, was the impetus for their enactment.
Excerpt from AB 2655: Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act (Source: Digital Democracy)
In a nutshell, AB 2655 (Defending Democracy From Deepfake Deception Act of 2024) puts specific removal obligations on significant web platforms in the 120 days preceding up to an election, as well as transparency rules that go beyond that time frame. AB 2839 (Elections: Deceptive Media in Advertisements) in a broader way restricts the distribution of election communications containing certain materially deceptive content. AB 2355 (Political Reform Act of 1974: Political advertisements: Artificial Intelligence) requires disclaimers on AI-generated commercials published by political committees.
The Defending Democracy From Deepfake Deception Act of 2024 (Defending Democracy Act) requires large online platforms to implement “state-of-the-art” procedures for identifying and removing materially deceptive content, as well as provide disclaimers about the inauthenticity of such content during election periods.
The law explains “large online platform” as “a public-facing internet website, web application or digital application, including a social media platform as defined in Section 22675 of the Business and Professions Code, video sharing platform, advertising network, or search engine that had at least 1,000,000 California users during the preceding 12 months.”
Under the Business and Professions Code, Section 22675, any public online service or application that has users in California and facilitates social interaction by allowing users to create profiles, compile a list of their social connections, and share content is considered a social media platform. This classification, however, does not include services and applications that solely provide direct messaging or email facilities.
While on the face of it, the three new laws do not seem problematic and seem to be an effort to regulate misinformation, hate speech, and AI-generated deepfakes, especially in the context of election, however, as the lawsuit filed by The Bee asserts, the laws are designed in a manner that allows the government officials and the political opponents to use them against content they deem unfavourable.
California’s new laws force platforms to report or remove “materially deceptive” election-related content, such as AI-generated videos or altered photos, even if it is intended to be satirical and devoid of ‘malicious intent’. The most contentious law of the three, AB 2839, requires AI-generated parody content to contain a continuous disclaimer running across the whole video or image, significantly restricting the ability to engage in political satire. Is it so difficult for the democrats to comprehend that the purpose of satire is killed if it is revealed beforehand that the content is indeed satire? Evidently, the three new laws are deliberately crafted to stifle unfavourable voices, particularly in the wake of elections.
Excerpt from AB-2839 Elections: deceptive media in advertisements (Source: California Legislative Information)
In fact, the controversy has been ongoing since last year, over another similar law that was criticised as a violation of First Amendment rights. Notably, The Bee had filed a similar lawsuit against the state of California last year over the government’s law AB 587 requiring tech platforms to provide reporting on hate speech and misinformation. However, as the Babylon Bee and podcaster Tim Pool contend, these regulations give the government disproportionate power over online expression of views by requiring platforms to report on “misinformation” and “hate speech”, these concepts, however, are highly subjective and could be used for censorship.
The ‘second phase’ of the ‘democratic’ attempts at stifling freedom of expression started in July this year when Governor Gavin Newsom published a post on X announcing that he would be signing a bill saying that electoral Ad parodies should be deemed “illegal”. In his post, Newsom shared a news article image which stated that X Corp owner and Trump supporter Elon Musk reposted the ‘manipulated’ Kamala Harris campaign ad posted by a conservative social media user, @MrReaganUSA, who is also challenging California’s three new laws. “Manipulating a voice in an “ad” like this one should be illegal. I’ll be signing a bill in a matter of weeks to make sure it is,” Newsom had posted on 29th July 2024.
Manipulating a voice in an “ad” like this one should be illegal.
To this, Elon Musk retorted: “I checked with renowned world authority, Professor Suggon Deeznutz, and he said parody is legal in America.” It is interesting that in just matter of a few months, parody and satire have become almost illegal in California.
I checked with renowned world authority, Professor Suggon Deeznutz, and he said parody is legal in America ?♂️ https://t.co/OCBewC3XYD
US and its past of censoring and ‘controlling’ speech while delivering sanctimonious sermons to India
The three new laws and last year’s censorship law AB 587 have been a continuation of the legacy of the Biden administration controlling speech in the country while conveniently colluding with select social media giants to curtail free speech and weaponize censorship. In August this year, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg admitted to assisting the Biden-Harris administration in weaponising political censorship to curtail free speech on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, during the COVID-19 pandemic. He revealed that the United States government, prodded by the White House, interfered in Meta’s content moderation process and coerced its management to censor ‘certain’ Covid-19-related information. On one hand, the Biden government preaches the sanctity of free expression (FoE) across the world, on the other, feels at ease twisting the arms of social media giants at home.
Similarly, X Corp published ‘Twitter Files’ exposing the deep entanglement between Twitter and various government agencies to control the narrative and suppress stories that served against the interests of the Democrat government as seen in the case of the Hunter Biden laptop story, which was wiped from Twitter and other social media platforms, apparently to save President Joe Biden’s government.
Ironically, the democrats love to portray themselves as the champions of democratic values, press freedom and freedom of speech for the common people, however, it take delight in stifling the same ‘legally’ when they are at the receiving end of criticising. This hypocrisy, however, is not confined to the periphery of the US, the Biden administration also loves to lecture countries like India on free speech and hate speech by relying on dubious reports by biased sources. It is tragic and funny at the same time that a parody/satire website like The Babylon Bee has to approach the court to protect its freedom of speech because the Democrats cannot handle criticism, especially when it is blended with humour. The next time, the US contemplates delivering sermons to India on free speech, it should first take a look at the deplorable state of free speech at home.
On 30th September, BM Parvathi, wife of the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, announced that she would return the 14 compensatory land sites that she had received from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The announcement was made in a letter sent to MUDA. The development came hours after the Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case against CM Siddaramaiah and others in the MUDA land scam.
In the letter, BM Parvathi wrote, “My husband, Siddaramaiah, the Chief Minister of the state, has upheld a strict code of ethics throughout his 40-year political career, remaining entirely free from any kind of blemish. I have lived my life committed to ensuring that nothing in my public or political life would cause him any embarrassment.”
In the letter, she emphasised that throughout her life, she never sought any personal wealth or property. Regarding the controversy over the 14 MUDA plots inherited by her brother, BM Parvathi claimed that no material possessions were more important than her husband’s honour, and to resolve the matter, she decided to return the plots.
The letter was shared by CM Siddaramaiah in a post on X in Kannada. He wrote, “My wife Parvathi has returned the plots of land that were given as compensation for land acquired by MUDA in Mysuru without going through formal procedures.” He claimed that the accusations made against him were fabricated and born out of “political malice”.
ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮುಡಾ ಭೂಸ್ವಾಧೀನ ನಡೆಸದೆ ವಶಕ್ಕೆ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದ ಜಮೀನಿಗೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ನೀಡಿದ್ದ ನಿವೇಶನಗಳನ್ನು ನನ್ನ ಪತ್ನಿ ಪಾರ್ವತಿ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ನನ್ನ ವಿರುದ್ದ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ದ್ವೇಷ ಸಾಧನೆಗಾಗಿ ವಿರೋಧ ಪಕ್ಷಗಳು ಸುಳ್ಳು ದೂರನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿ ನನ್ನ ಕುಟುಂಬವನ್ನು ವಿವಾದಕ್ಕೆ ಎಳೆದು ತಂದಿರುವುದು ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಜನತೆಗೂ ತಿಳಿದಿದೆ.
He further claimed to have stood against such “injustice” and acknowledged that his wife felt distressed over the situation. He wrote, “This deeply saddens me,” as according to him, Parvathi had remained out of public life for a long time and the controversy had caused her mental harassment.
He wrote, “My wife Parvati has returned the lands that were given in the form of compensation for the land that was seized without carrying out Muda land acquisition in Mysore. The people of the state also know that the opposition parties created a false complaint and dragged my family into the controversy to create political hatred against me. My stand was to fight without bowing down to this injustice. But my wife, who is upset with the political conspiracy going on against me, has taken a decision to return these plots, which has surprised me too. My wife, who never intervened in my four decades-long politics and was confined to her family, is a victim of the politics of hate against me and is suffering psychological torture. I am sorry. However, I respect my wife’s decision to return the plots.”
Background of MUDA Scam
On 10th July, a complaint was filed against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and nine others for allegedly forging documents to claim compensation from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Social activist Snehamayi Krishna has filed the complaint. It has accused Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathy, his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy Devaraj, who claimed to be a landowner, and his family of ‘wrongdoings’.
It is pertinent to note that earlier, CM Siddaramaiah rejected the BJP’s demand for a CBI probe in this matter. In his defence, he demanded Rs 62 from MUDA claiming that it “usurped” his family’s 3.16-acre land for a development project. However, the Chief Minister’s demand soon sparked an outrage among the Bengaluru farmers. They accused the administration of following separate rules for the Chief Minister and state farmers. Additionally, they have also started to demand higher compensation from MUDA for acquiring their land for key development projects.
Major developments in the alleged MUDA scam and the ongoing controversy explained
Evidently, a major controversy over the reported allotment of 14 pricey plots to CM Siddaramaiah’s family in Mysuru has rocked the state politics of Karnataka. The Bharatiya Janata Party has been demanding a CBI probe in this matter. It has alleged irregularities and a scam in the land acquisition and allotment of an alternate site.
According to the allegations, MUDA generally follows a 60:40 ratio in development projects meaning that it gives 40% of land back to the farmers in the same developed project. However, it is alleged that MUDA not only followed a 50:50 ratio in CM Siddaramaiah’s case but also allocated pricy plots at a different location.
BJP has alleged that Siddaramaiah helped himself with the allotment of 14 plots in the upscale Vijayanagar locality in Mysuru in exchange for giving up 3 acres 16 guntas of land on the city outskirts to Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). It has charged CM’s family with accepting Rs 35 crore worth of plots in place of earlier decided compensation of Rs 3 lakh.
Following the Karnataka High Court dismissed CM Siddaramaiah’s plea against the Governor’s nod to file a case against him, Lokayukt Police filed and FIR. Furthermore, ED has also filed a case under PMLA.
OpIndia’s detailed report on MUDA Scam can be checked here and here.
On Tuesday, 1st October, the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed Mohammed Bilal’s plea seeking quashing of an FIR filed under Section 153A IPC against him for uploading anti-Hindu content on his Instagram account. Bilal said that the offensive post that was posted from his Instagram account abusing Lord Rama and the Hindu religion was not posted by him but by someone else who ‘hacked’ his account. The Court dismissed the plea saying that the man’s defence that the post was uploaded by hacking his account could not be considered “at this stage”.
As per the legal reports, Section 153A of the IPC prohibits encouraging animosity between various groups on the basis of religion, race, place of birth, domicile, language, and other factors, as well as engaging in acts that are detrimental to the maintenance of harmony.
In its decision, a single-judge panel of Justice GS Ahluwalia stated, “The petitioner has admitted that an offensive post was uploaded on his Instagram account. Now, the only question for consideration is whether it was a deliberate act on the part of the petitioner or somebody else who uploaded the said post by hacking his Instagram account. It is a defense of the petitioner, which cannot be considered at this stage.”
Team OpIndia obtained the original complaint document in the case. The case against the accused identified as Mohammed Bilal was filed by complainant Sujan. The complainant in the case mentioned that one of the friends of Sujan showed him an Instagram post that was posted by Bilal. The post used abusive words for Lord Ram and Hindu culture. Later Sujan and his friend confronted Bilal over the post. However, Bilal instead of explaining the entire situation, abused the complainant and his friend.
The court stated that after reviewing the FIR, it became obvious that the complainant had asked the petitioner why the “offensive post” had been uploaded on his Instagram account.
“Instead of explaining that the abovementioned post was uploaded by someone else by hacking his account, the petitioner began abusing and humiliating the complainant and also hurt his religious feelings,” the judgment stated, adding that the petitioner’s behavior shows that his defense was not appropriate.
“This conduct of the petitioner indicates that the defense of uploading the offensive post on his Instagram account by somebody else is incorrect. Be that whatever it may be. Since uploading of an offensive post on his Instagram account has been admitted by the petitioner himself, therefore, he had no right to react in a manner in which it was done with the complainant. Whether allegations made in the FIR are correct or not cannot be considered at this stage,” the court said.
“The accused’s defense cannot be taken into account. Considering the fact that the FIR in question discloses the commission of a cognizable offense, no case is made out warranting interference,” the High Court stated, rejecting the petition.
The petitioner’s attorney stated that on August 15th, 2023, “some persons” hacked the petitioner’s Instagram account and uploaded an objectionable image, thereby hurting the feelings of another religion. He contended that on the same day, the petitioner filed a written complaint with the relevant police station, alleging that an unknown person had uploaded an inflammatory post to his Instagram account. On August 17th, 2023, the first complaint in the case was filed.
However, on the same day, an FIR was filed for an offense under IPC Sections 294 (obscene acts and songs), 153-A, 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
On Monday (30th September), the Uttar Pradesh police booked Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mehboob Ali for delivering a provocative speech during a public meeting.
Ali, an MLA from the Amroha constituency in UP, warned on Sunday (29th September) that the Muslim population is on the rise in India and that would bring an end to the BJP rule in the 2027 Vidhan Sabha election.
“The Mughals had ruled the country for 800 years. If even their rule can come to an end, how long will you (BJP) survive? You will definitely vanish and we will come to power,” he threatened.
''मुस्लिम आबादी बढ़ गयी है, अब तुम्हारा राज खत्म हो जाएगा''
उत्तर प्रदेश के अमरोहा से समाजवादी पार्टी के विधायक महबूब अली ने बिजनौर में एक जनसभा को संबोधित करते हुए दिया विवादित बयान।
सपा विधायक ने योगी सरकार को चेतावनी देते हुए कहा कि मुस्लिम आबादी बढ़ गई है, तुम्हारा राज… pic.twitter.com/ugAaRY8fzV
Ironically, the Samajwadi party leader made the provocative remarks during an event named ‘Samvidhan Maan Diwas.’ Mehboob Ali was thereafter booked by the Kotwali police.
The development was confirmed by Sub-inspector Sanjeev Kumar, who stated that a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Ali and SP (Bijnor) chief Zakir Hussain.
Until 2012, Mehboob Ali had 15 criminal cases against him including those related to robbery, kidnapping and attempt to murder. 4 years later, he was charged with the murder of a man named Shaukat Pasha.
The incident sparked tensions between the Malik and Turk Muslim communities, prompting the latter to boycott the Samajwadi party in 2017 Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha election.
The head of the Lebanese terrorist organisation Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, died on 27th September in Israeli air strikes. His dead body was recovered on 29th September. The strike was approved by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu while he was attending a United Nations meet in New York. The dead body of the dreaded terrorist was recovered from his bunker in Beirut which was destroyed in the Israeli air strikes.
As per Reuters, while Hezbollah’s statement confirming Nasrallah’s death did not say how exactly he was killed nor when his funeral would be held, sources said that his body had no direct wounds and that the cause of death was blunt trauma from the force of the blast from Israeli strikes. Nasrallah and other leaders of Hezbollah were conducting a meeting in an underground bunker when Israel hit them, resulting in the death of Nasrallah along with other Hezbollah leaders.
The death of Hassan Nasrallah has reignited debate on the allegations levelled by Iran’s former President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that Israel’s Mossad infiltrated Iranian intelligence apparatus. In an interview with CNN Turk in 2021, Ahmadinejad claimed that the head of a key Iranian intelligence unit, established to thwart Israeli espionage efforts, was in fact an Israeli agent. The revelations, if found to be true, will raise serious questions about Iran’s intelligence vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of its security services.
Ahmadinejad served as President until 2013. During the interview, he alleged that by 2021, it became apparent that the person in charge of the intelligence unit tasked with countering Mossad’s operations was himself an operative for Israel. He further added that, in addition to the head of the unit, 20 other intelligence operatives in the division were found to be agents of the Israeli agency Mossad. He claimed that the level of infiltration made it possible for foreign agencies to carry out operations within Iran, including the 2018 theft of Iranian nuclear documents and the assassination of key nuclear scientists.
In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that a large number of Iran’s nuclear programme documents had been acquired by Israeli agents. He displayed the documents during a high-profile speech and alleged that they demonstrated Iran’s covert nuclear weapons programme. Later, the allegations were confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which verified that the documents were seized during an operation in Tehran. According to reports, Mossad agents broke into a warehouse in Tehran and took over 100,000 classified papers by breaking safes in a six-hour operation.
Translation of 2021 interview
Here is the translation of the 2021 interview from CNN Turk.
Before the Iranian presidential elections on June 18, the rejected candidate, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, continues to make statements. Most recently, it has been alleged that the highest-ranking official in the counterintelligence unit of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence is an Israeli agent.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, whose candidacy for the June 18 election was rejected, continues his remarks. In a recent interview, Ahmadinejad claimed that the head of the unit responsible for countering Israeli operations within the Ministry of Intelligence is an Israeli agent. He further stated that Israel’s influence extends to the highest levels of Iran’s government, particularly within the intelligence and security sectors.
Ahmadinejad also said that Israel can conduct complex operations within Iran, including stealing critical nuclear documents from highly sensitive units. He attributed this to the extensive influence of Israel within Iran’s administration and the continued silence surrounding the Israeli agent’s activities.
Last Thursday, Yossi Cohen, the director of Israel’s external intelligence agency Mossad, also revealed that they had obtained Iran’s secret nuclear documents over a two-year operation with a team of 20 Iranians, none of whom were Israeli or Jewish. Ahmadinejad’s statements followed Cohen’s revelations.
Ahmadinejad’s warning to Iran’s leadership
Ahmadinejad’s allegations echoed his long-standing criticism of the current regime in Iran. By claiming that Israeli agents infiltrated Iranian intelligence, his assertions added to growing concerns over the extent to which Israel has increased its penetrations of Iranian critical assets. In his interview, he suggested that Israel’s operations inside Iran are extensive and effective to the point that they pose a serious threat to the highest-ranking officials in the country.
Notably, apart from revelations that Mossad infiltrated Iranian intelligence, in 2021, former intelligence minister Ali Younesi admitted that Mossad had deep infiltration across government departments in Iran and that top officials feared for their safety.
Israel’s regional operations extend beyond Iran
According to reports, Mossad’s infiltration has not only exposed Iran’s internal vulnerabilities but also those of its proxy networks in Lebanon. Mossad’s influence in the region has been demonstrated through targeted operations against Hezbollah and the assassination of its key figures, including Hassan Nasrallah, who was recently killed in an air strike. The operation leading to Nasrallah’s death highlighted Mossad’s capabilities to operate beyond Israel’s borders. It is evident that Mossad has significant reach across the region, specifically in Iran and Lebanon.
Iranian intelligence in crisis
As Israel continues to conduct high-profile operations inside Iran, the debate within Iran about the competence of its intelligence services has found new momentum with Ahmadinejad’s revelations.
On Monday, 30th September, a man named Aalim Ahmed in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, was sentenced to life in prison for rape, fraud and forced conversion of a Hindu woman to Islam. The court along with the severe punishment also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The court also convicted Ahmed’s father of criminal intimidation and sentenced him to two years in prison in a case involving fraud, religious coercion, and rape.
As per the reports, a 20-year-old woman had filed a police complaint in May 2023 saying that accused Mohammed Aalim Ahmed, 25 had introduced himself as Anand Kumar. She stated that she met the accused in the year 2022 in her coaching classes. She also mentioned that the accused forced the woman to convert her religion to Islam and aborted her child during her pregnancy with him.
They married in a temple on March 13th, 2022. The assistant district government counsel, Digambar Patel, told the media that the victim met the accused on a train as they both traveled to the same coaching center. “In her testimonies to the police and magistrate, she said she was duped into believing Aalim was Anand. They married, and she eventually realized his true identity. Following this, she filed a complaint in 2023, and Aalim was detained,” he said.
Aalim has been arrested and charged with rape, criminal intimidation, and voluntarily causing harm. His father, Mohd Sabir, has also been charged with criminal intimidation under IPC section 504. During the trial, the court examined the possibility that some sources sponsored Aalim to pressure the woman into changing her religion and ruled that Aalim should remain in prison for his entire life.
The case was heard in Additional District Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar’s fast-track court. During the trial, the complainant first testified on July 31st, 2024, that Aalim introduced himself as Anand and tricked her. However, she later skipped the court hearings. After repeated summons and warrants, the police detained her and brought her to court, where she changed her story, saying, “I registered the FIR after right-wing groups put pressure on my parents.”
“The court relied on her earlier statements recorded under sections 161 and 164 of the CrPC, suspecting that she was under pressure from the accused. The court noted that she was living separately from her parents in a rented house and using an expensive phone, despite being unemployed. The possibility of foreign funding was also considered,” Patel said.
Employees from the hotel where the woman was reportedly raped several times testified in court that she often looked upset. These statements, together with additional evidence, led the court to convict Aalim under several sections of the IPC, including 376-2n (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing harm), and 504 (intentional insult). His father has also been sentenced to two years in prison for criminal intimidation.
On Monday (30th September), a frenzied Muslim mob laid siege to the Patiya police station in Chittagong district of Bangladesh, demanding that the cops hand over a Hindu boy accused of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad.
The mob, comprising mostly local madrassa students, also attacked an army vehicle after seeing a young boy in civilian clothes and mistaking him for the Hindu victim. An army official was injured in the onslaught.
A 22-year-old Hindu youth named Partha Biswas Pintu was arrested on Monday on charges of committing ‘blasphemy’. A police complaint to the effect was filed by one Kamrul Islam a day earlier, accusing Pintu of making objectionable remarks about Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.
Another Utshab Mandal incident barely averted in #Bangladesh today: #Islamists in Patia, #Chattogram wanted to lynch a #Hindu boy on the trumped-up charge of insulting the Prophet. As Army took him into custody and tried to drive away, the extremists attacked the army vehicle.… pic.twitter.com/5bcqSXGBly
On learning about the arrest of a Hindu youth, a mob of radical Muslims gathered outside the Patiya police station. They demanded the handover of Partha Biswas Pintu so that they could lynch him like Utsab Mandal.
However, the police refused to give in to their demands. The madrassa students and local Muslims then vandalised the waiting room of the police station. They also ambushed a car belonging to the Bangladesh Army and injured an official in the process.
Scary visuals of the mob violence have now surfaced on social media. It has now come to light the Muslim mob attacked a total of 2 army vehicles. However, they managed to escape the scene.
Arrest of Hindu youth Partha Biswas Pintu, image via Dainik Azadi
Following the incident, a large team of police and army personnel was deployed in the area to prevent any untoward situation.
While speaking about the matter, Patiya Circle SP Ariful Islam remarked, “The crowd gathered outside the police station due to a Facebook post. We arrested the accused earlier in the morning and brought him to justice. The crowd became agitated without understanding the legal process. Additional police and army forces were later deployed, and the situation was brought under control.”
In the meantime, the Hindu youth was produced in a local court. The police sought his remand for further interrogation. The army official, who was attacked by the mob, sustained injuries to his hand and underwent treatment at the emergency department of Patia Upazila Health Complex.
Attack on Utsab Mandal
The present case is reminiscent of the attack on a Hindu boy named Utsab Mandal last month after he was accused of committing blasphemy by a Muslim mob.
Khulna’s Azam Khan Government Commerce College students took him to the office of Khulna Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner (South) on the evening of 4th September
As the word spread about the incident, a large mob gathered at the spot, demanding that the Hindu boy be handed over to them. The mob of 3000-5000 people surrounded the office, calling for instant justice.
Deputy Police Commissioner Tazul said police had assured the mob that a case would be filed against Utsab and that he would be brought to justice through legal means.
But the mob didn’t agree, and assaulted him, leaving him critically injured. Army and Navy personnel arrived at the scene to control the situation.
Despite the presence of police, army and navy forces, the mob managed to break into the DCP office and attacked Utsab Mandal who was held by the police.
It was assumed that he died after the brutal assault. However, ISPR later confirmed that Mandal was alive and out of danger.
Attack on Hindus in Bangladesh
There have been at least 205 attacks on Hindu temples, shops and businesses since the ouster of Sheikha Hasina as Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
OpIndia had reported how a Hindu boy named Utsab Mandal was almost lynched by a Muslim mob on accusations of ‘blasphemy’ in the Sonadanga residential area of Khulna city.
We previously exposed how Muslim students have forced as many as 60 Hindu teachers, professors and government officials to resign from their positions.
Human rights activist and exiled Bangladeshi blogger, Asad Noor, has recently revealed that the minority community is now being coerced into joining ‘Jamaat-e-Islami’.
On 6th September, a procession of Hindu devotees carrying the idol of Lord Ganesha came under attack in the Kadam Mubarak area in Chittagong city of Bangladesh.
An official of the ruling Communist Party of India (CPI) in Kerala has been charged with the sexual assault of a minor girl. The accused has been identified as Sebin Francis, who is holding the post of branch secretary of CPI in Chiranelur. He is a school teacher and the victim is his student. She is in 12th grade.
As per reports, accused Sebin Francis raped her several times since 2023 and threatened to kill her if she resisted. The authorities have arrested him on the night of 27th September. Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has also been invoked against him.
According to media reports, the incident transpired in the Kunnamkulam police station area where the perpetrator lives alone. He was married but stayed separately from his wife. He is employed in a private school. The girl reportedly visited his house for tuition and he sexually assaulted her repeatedly bySebin. He raped her in his house. The victim protested against his heinous actions but he silenced her by issuing death threats. She was distressed due to the regular sexual abuse and threats. She then confided in one of her relatives who immediately lodged a complaint with the police.
Afterwards, Sebin was apprehended by the cops. A police team under the command of House Officer UK Shajahan of Kunnamkulam Station carried out the arrest. The underage girl was counselled and sent for medical examination while the offender was also subjected to a medical analysis, produced in the court from where he was sent to judicial custody. Further action and investigation into the matter are underway. The party selected a new branch secretary in a committee meeting.
Meanwhile, cases have been submitted against two other branch secretaries of the party under the POCSO Act for molestation of minor boys in Kannur. They have been removed from their positions. C Ramesan has been nabbed while the cops are looking for P Anish.
