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Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: CBI unveils some case records were “falsely created” and “altered” by police, says there was delay in collecting evidence

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: CBI unveils some case records were “falsely created” and “altered” by police, says there was delay in collecting evidence

On 25th September the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made shocking revelations into the rape and murder of a junior doctor in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkatta. The charges were made in the remand sheet submitted by the agency before the Court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sealdah. It unveiled that some of the records concerning the case were “falsely created” and “altered” at the Tala police station in Kolkata.

Furthermore, the CBI asked for the judicial custody of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, the former official-in-charge of the Tala police station. “During custodial interrogation of both the accused persons, new/additional facts have emerged to the effect that some false records pertaining to the instant case were created/altered in the police station,” the agency disclosed.  

Family members of the victim also made similar accusations about evidence manipulation and the delay in filing the first information report. The CBI requested judicial custody of the accused until 30th September. The number of calls that are undergoing verification has been exchanged, according to the agency, based on a review of the call data records (CDR) of both suspected parties.

The investigation agency informed the special court that the police station’s CCTV footage had also been confiscated. The CBI informed that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) will receive the seized CCTV material from the Tala police station for additional analysis. “Some things are beyond CBI investigation. There is no magic wand in our hand that we can do everything in a moment. We need time. We have extracted databases from their mobile phones and CCTV footage. We are still collecting evidence. It takes time that’s why we are praying for judicial custody till 30th September,” it prayed before the court.

The CBI asserted that there was an “unnecessary delay of two days” in the seizure of the main accused Sanjay Roy’s clothing and possessions, which might have led to substantial evidence against him. An autopsy report revealed that the trainee doctor had been murdered and sexually assaulted. Her body was discovered on 9th August in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. Roy was apprehended the following day of the gruesome incident after “his role in the commission of crime had already emerged.”

CBI arrested Mondal on 14th September and Ghosh who was already in judicial custody over corruption charges was taken into custody the next day. They have remained in jail ever since. The agency is currently looking into any potential criminal conspiracy involving Roy, Ghosh, and Mondal. The CBI’s motion was granted by the Sealdah court, which placed the duo under judicial custody until 30th September. Sanjay Roy has been identified as the only person accused of the horrific crime.

West Bengal BJP holds protest

The West Bengal unit of Bharat Janata Party organised an agitation and held a procession to Kalighat, which is close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s house. Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition, stated that a supreme court bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DYChandrachud expressed astonishment and alarm upon viewing the CBI report. He declared, “There has been tampering of evidence and it will come to light. All this will come out in the public domain.”

TMC leader courts controversy

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MLA Narayan Goswami’s recent statement led to a row as he stated, “We demand justice for our sister doctor, who was brutally murdered. The investigation must be swift, and the guilty punished. However, why should we not observe Durga Puja, which celebrates the triumph of goddess Durga over evil? Why should it be muted?” He charged that people who were not raised in Bengali culture were trying to ruin the celebration. “We should respond by celebrating in an even grander manner with more illumination.”

The remark created controversy since many people believe that the Durga Puja celebration should not be marked with pomp and splendour because of the rape and murder of the 31-year-old doctor. The head of the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja committee and BJP leader Sajal Ghosh criticized Goswami’s remarks. He expressed that the statement showed an “insensitive attitude” on the part of TMC leaders who don’t seem to care about the suffering of the people. He lashed out, “The TMC MLA calls for celebrating the festival like a vulture over a body. We will observe Durga Puja solemnly, pledging to seek justice for our Tilottoma.”

Notably, another TMC leader Atish Sarkar’s comments also resulted in a massive backlash earlier this month when he threatened protesters demonstrating against the rape and murder of the doctor. “Didi (Mamata Banerjee) has instructed us to hiss. Those of you who are abusing Didi, engaging in her character assassination, if we make obscene posters of your mothers and sisters and put them on your walls, you won’t be able to remove them. I will make a distorted picture of your mother and sister and hang it on the door of your house. You will not be able to leave your house. That day is going to come soon,” he threatened.

On 9th August, the victim doctor was discovered deceased in the college’s seminar hall. The results of an autopsy proved she had been murdered and raped. Doctors around the nation have gone on strike in protest of the incident, advocating for tighter legislation and policing to protect the safety of medical personnel. The incident has caused widespread indignation and protests. The investigation into the matter has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court which slammed the negligence and attitude of the state government. Meanwhile, the main accused named Sanjay Roy was arrested by the authorities.

Shahi Idgah Committee’s communal politics slammed by HC after opposition to Rani of Jhansi statue, claiming park is ‘Waqf’ land too: Lies, ‘Namaz’ and more

Nupur J Sharma
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Shahi Idgah Committee’s communal politics slammed by HC after opposition to Rani of Jhansi statue, claiming park is ‘Waqf’ land too: Lies, ‘Namaz’ and more

Another attempt by the Waqf board to illegally claim ownership of public property has been thwarted by the Delhi High Court. First, the High Court on Monday dismissed a petition by the Shahi Idgah Waqf Management Committee opposing the installation of a statue of Rani of Jhansi in the Shahi Idgah Park, claiming that the park too was Waqf property (PDF). The Waqf committee had petitioned the court to restrain the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) from ‘encroaching’ on Waqf property.

The Shahi Idgah (Waqf) Managing Committee had moved a petition through its president Haji Shakir Dost Mohammad, seeking direction to not encroach upon Waqf property of the Shahi Idgah in Sadar Bazar, which, they claimed, also included the Idgah Park surrounding it.

Another petition in the High Court was filed by the Idgah committee challenging the order by the single judge on the 23rd of September where the Idgah Waqf Committee’s petition was dismissed.

Essentially, the Idgah Committee petition challenging the installation of the Maharani of Jhansi statue in the surrounding park was dismissed by the Delhi High Court single judge bench on the 23rd of September. The single judge, Justice Dharmesh Sharma passed an order saying that the committee had no locus standi and the ownership of the park belonged to DDA. Thereafter, the Idgah committee challenged this order in the High Court. A division bench of Chief Justice designate, Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela then passed scathing observations on the 25th of September against the Idgah Waqf committee for their assertions against Justice Dharmesh Sharma, calling the petition communal and scandalous.

What did the Shahi Idgah Waqf Management Committee say in its initial petition, dismissed by Judge Dharmesh Sharma

The Shahi Idgah Waqf Management Committee filed the petition through its President Haji Shakir Dost Mohammad. The petition wanted the court to restrict the “encroachment” by DDA and MCD into Waqf’s property and construction of any statue/structure inside the Shahi Idgah Park, which they claimed was a Waqf property.

Mohammad claimed that he had the locus standi to file the petition on the basis of Section 3(k) of the Waqf Act,
1995, which says.

Section 3(k) of the Waqf Act says:

“(k) “person interested in a 1[waqf]” means any person who is entitled to receive any pecuniary or other benefits from the 1[waqf] and includes—

(i) any person who has the right to [offer prayer‟ or to perform any religious right in a mosque, idgah, imambara, dargah [khanqah] peerkhana and karbala], maqbara, graveyard or any other religious institution connected with the [waqf] or to participate in any religious or charitable institution under the [waqf];…”

To bolster the claim that the Park was a Waqf property, Mohammad produced a purported notification published in 1970 which claimed that the Park was an ancient property built during the Mughal period. Mohammad further claimed that the property was being used to offer Namaz and could accommodate 50,000 ‘namazis’ at one time.

The Waqf Committee led by Mohammad claimed in their petition that they were “shocked” when in August 2024 a JCB entered the park to install a statue of Rani of Jhansi. Mohammad also made a representation to the Delhi Minority Commission. The Minority Commission had passed an order saying that the proposal to move the statue of Maharani of Jhansi to the Shahi Idgah Park would public sentiments and create a law and order situation, and therefore, the status quo should be maintained. Mohammad approached the court because the tenure of the previous minority commission was over and sought the court to instruct DDA and MCD not to install the statue.

What the petition by the Delhi Waqf Board (DWB) said

The Delhi Waqf Board (DWB) filed a short petition in which it said that a joint inspection of the Park was conducted by the DWB, DDA and MCD on the 13th of September 2024. During the inspection, the property was also measured. The DWB acknowledged that the measurements taken prove that the Park belonged to the DDA and not the Waqf.

Shahi Idgah Waqf Committee opposed the submission by the Delhi Waqf Board

The Shahi Idgah Waqf Management Committee led by Mohammad disputed the submission of the DWB stating that their submission in court and their submission to the Delhi Minority Commission were “diametrically opposite”.

According to the Shahi Idgah Committee, the DWB said to the minority commission that the Park too belonged to Waqf and that the property has been under continuous use and occupation by their religious community since the Mughal period, and that the property was acquired by Sunni Majlis-e-Auqaf, the predecessor of the DWB, without any interference from anyone, including the respondent authorities. The Idgah committee said that DWB had also challenged the ‘no objection certificate’ given by the DDA for the installation of the statue saying that the park directly faces the mosque where Namaz is offered by Muslims.

The MCD, in turn, urged that the Minority Commission had no right to pass an order to maintain the status quo at the Park.

The decision of the Delhi High Court single judge Dharmesh Sharma dismissing the claims by Waqf

The court in its judgement said that there was no dispute that the surrounding area of the mosque and the park belonged to the DDA and was not a waqf property. This was apparently from the fact that the DWB had conducted a physical inspection of the park along with DDA and MCD and the measurements had confirmed that the park was indeed not a part of the Waqf property.

The court observed citing a previous order regarding the same park:

To sum up, the aforesaid decision has also clarified that the parks/open ground surrounding the Shahi Idgah are the property of respondent No.1/DDA, and have been maintained by the Horticultural Division-II of the DDA, which is responsible for ensuring that the site is used by public visitors for recreational purposes. Furthermore, even the DWB does not authorize the use of the park for any purpose other than religious activities. The bottom line is that, since the parks/open ground adjoining the Shahi Idgah and located within the Idgah walls are the property of respondent No.1/DDA, it is solely the DDA’s responsibility to allocate portions of the said land for public use as it

The court astutely observed that the “real bone of contention seems to be the installation of the statue of Maharani of Jhansi” and the apprehension that it may lead to a “law and order situation”.

The court further observed that the petition by Mohammad, stating that their right to offer prayers was being infringed upon was baseless. The court said:

Even assuming for the sake of convenience that the petitioner/Committee has locus-standi to prefer the instant writ petition, this Court does not see as to how their right to offer prayers or to perform any religious rights is being endangered in any manner. It goes without saying that the status quo order passed by the Delhi Minority Commission was palpably without any jurisdiction.

Affirming that the petitioner (Mohammad) had no legal or fundamental right to oppose the maintenance of the park surrounding the Shahi Idgah mosque by DDA and the installation of the Maharani of Jhansi statue, the court found that the petition was without merit and cause.

The court further found that the Delhi Waqf Board lied before the Delhi Minority Commission. The court said:

“..evidently the facts stated in the aforesaid written submissions filed before the Delhi Minority Commission were neither based upon any physical inspection nor based on the correct measurements of the subject property, and there is nothing to discern that the respondent No.4/DWB has not placed the correct factual status of the property on record”.

Scathing oral observations by the High Court two-judge bench dismissing review petition

After the single-judge bench of the High Court dismissed the petition by the Shahi Idgah Waqf Management Committee on the 23rd of September, the committee filed a petition challenging the decision of Justice Dharmesh Sharma. A division bench of Chief Justice designate, Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela then passed scathing observations on the 25th of September against the Idgah Waqf committee for their assertions against Justice Dharmesh Sharma, calling the petition communal and scandalous.

The division bench, according to a LiveLaw report said, “Someone has clearly lost it….The person who’s doing it has got totally swayed. Just because someone has got emotionally swayed… My brother is pointing out, she’s a national hero. Let’s not divide history on communal grounds. The petition itself is divisive. Courts don’t get involved in communal politics. She’s a national hero, cutting across all religious lines. And you’re doing this on religious lines.”

The court further said, “In fact, I must say, the petitioner is doing communal politics and using the court in the process. Unfortunately it is so. And look at the wordings which have been used for the learned single judge. Withdraw these pleadings please and give us an apology letter…. This is scandalous. Absolutely scandalous…. Communal politics being played through court. She is a national hero. This is not fair what you people are doing“.

The court said that the pleading was ‘scandalous’ against the single judge and asserted that the judge may be right or wrong, but such ‘scandalous’ pleadings cannot be made by the lawyers.

The court said that the petitioners were using the court to do communal politics. “The intent, it seems, is to do communal politics through court…. Rani Lakshmibai has nothing to do with religion. In case the land belonged to you, you should have volunteered yourself.” “Courts cannot be used for this purpose. Do communal politics outside court. Don’t use courts in this process. And you are using courts in the process.”

The petitioner admitted that the assertions in the petition against the single judge were scandalous and agreed to withdraw the petition. “The learned senior counsel for the appellant admits that the aforesaid paragraphs are scandalous and shall be deleted forthwith. Let an application to the said effect be filed by tomorrow,” the bench ordered. 

Reportedly, the division bench has asked the petitioner to submit a letter of apology to the court and the next hearing would be held on 27th September 2024.

Conclusions

There are several facts and conclusions that emerge from the two orders passed by the High Court – the single judge order passed by Justice Dharmes Sharma and the division bench order passed by Chief Justice designate, Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela.

First and foremost, the Waqf committees – whether it’s the Shahi Idgah committee or the Delhi Waqf Board, are trying to expand their properties and ensure that even the areas surrounding mosques are declared Waqf land, simply because it was used during the Mughal period. Secondly, to do so, the Delhi Waqf Board made fallacious representations to the Delhi Minority Commission and lied in its submission. It is true that in front of the court, they backtracked and conceded that the park belonged to DDA, however, to the Delhi Minority Commission, their submissions were false, claiming Waqf ownership of the park. Another dangerous conclusion which can be drawn from this case is that the Delhi Minority Commission, which comes under the Delhi AAP government exceeded its brief by passing an order to maintain the status quo and instructing DDA to note instal the Maharani of Jhansi statue.

The Delhi Waqf Board’s chairman is AAP leader Amanatullah Khan who has been named in a scam related to Waqf properties. In September, Amanatullah Khan was arrested by the ED. In 2016, a case was lodged against Khan following a complaint from the sub-divisional magistrate (headquarters), revenue department, alleging that appointments to various “existing and non-existing posts” in the Waqf Board were “arbitrary and illegal”. 

The complainant, Hafiz Irshad Qureshi alleged that 33 people were recruited to the Board on a contractual basis in flagrant violation of established rules or regulations. He further alleged that some of those appointed to the board were related to Khan and most of them belonged to his constituency, Okhla. 

Four years later, in 2020, the ACB registered an FIR against him under Section 7 (public servant taking gratification) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.

The CBI had also booked AAP MLA from Okhla under the prevention of corruption act and other relevant sections of the IPC after a complaint was filed against him in 2016. Khan was also accused of corrupt actions and criminal offences including deliberate and criminal violation of rules, and regulations, and misuse of position. 

Reportedly, CBI had probed the matter and found substantial evidence against the AAP MLA, following which the CBI sought permission from LG to proceed against him in July 2022. 

Apart from Amanatullah Khan, Mehboob Alam, then CEO of Waqf Board was also charged by the premier agency with criminal violation of rules, misusing of position, and causing loss to the public exchequer and other relevant sections. 

According to the complaint, the CEO of the new Waqf board and over 30 staff members were appointed and employed in contravention of Section 24 of the Waqf Act, 1955 and Delhi Waqf Rules, 1977. The FIR by CBI stated that irregular and illegal appointment of officials had led to the loss of revenue of the Delhi Waqf Board, and the appointments were done by misusing their official positions as public servants. It was alleged that waqf board properties were leased to the tenants and the encroachers were allowed to possess the properties in contravention of lease rules leading to the loss of revenue/assets for the board.

It is, therefore, evident that while the petition was dismissed once and would likely be dismissed again, there is a systemic problem that needs to be investigated and addressed by the government.

Manipur govt takes U-turn on ‘900 armed Kuki militants’ claim, now says no clear intel on that aspect

OpIndia Staff
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Manipur govt takes U-turn on ‘900 armed Kuki militants’ claim, now says no clear intel on that aspect

Days after making the sensational claims that over 900 armed Kuki militants have crossed the border into Manipur, India from Myanmar, now the Manipur government has taken a U-turn. As per reports, after the Indian Army sought details to substantiate the claim, the Manipur CM’s office and Manipur Police DG have ‘clarified’ that the possibilities of that happening are ‘remote’ and there is nothing at present to worry about the alleged major cross border infiltration.

On September 20, security adviser Kuldip Singh in a press conference said the reports of 900 militants infiltrating for a major attack planned on September 28 should be treated as 100% certain.

In response to the presser, several groups of Kuki people had called for a shutdown in all Kuki-dominated areas, and had called the report baseless. They had added that the claim of ‘900 armed Kuki militants’ is a hoax to retrospectively justify violence against Kukis.

Manipur has witnessed rampant ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Meitei groups for more than a year now. The series of violence and sporadic ethnic conflicts that started in May 2023 have now entered their second year. It has killed over 220 people so far and internally displaced nearly 50,000 people.

‘Modi, Hindus Go Back’: BAPS Mandir defaced with anti-Hindu graffiti in Sacramento, California

OpIndia Staff
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‘Modi, Hindus Go Back’: BAPS Mandir defaced with anti-Hindu graffiti in Sacramento, California

On the night of the 25th of September the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California, was desecrated with anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti. This act of vandalism came just days after a similar incident occurred at the BAPS Mandir on Long Island, New York. It is being alleged that Khalistani extremists were behind this anti-Hindu hate crime.

Hateful slogans such as “Hindus go back”, “Modi=Hitler”, “Modi-Dr Jaishankar are terrorists”, “Modi Hindu Go Back”, and “F$%k Modi” were spray-painted on the Hindu temple in Sacramento, causing concern in the local Hindu community. The local Hindu community condemned this hate crime and sought action against those behind it.

In an official statement, Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) condemned the anti-Hindu hate crime and said that they are working with the local law enforcement authorities on this incident. In addition, BAPS informed that a prayer meeting was organised on Wednesday.

“Less than 10 days after the desecration of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, our Mandir (Hindu place of worship) in Sacramento, California was desecrated and vandalized with hateful messages. Our condemnation of hate remains resolute; our sadness has only deepened; and our prayers for all, including those with hate in their heart, have grown stronger. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento is home to a vibrant Hindu community engaged in numerous activities and projects to support the larger community.  We are and shall remain an integral part of this community’s fabric. BAPS is working with law enforcement authorities on this hate crime,” the statement issued by BAPS reads.  

Notably, the Hindu temples in the US have been continuously targeted by anti-Hindu and anti-India elements. On 16th September, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir located in Melville hamlet in the New York State of the United States was vandalised by extremists. In visuals that have surfaced on social media, it could be seen that the sacred Hindu temple was desecrated with disturbing slogans of ‘Fuck Modi’, ‘Modi is Terrorist’ and ‘Hindustan Murdabad.’ A noticeable gap was maintained between the words ‘Hindu’ and ‘stan’, thereby implying the ‘breasts of the Hindu’. 

Attacks on Hindu Mandirs in the US

In January this year, Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward City in California state of the United States was desecrated with pro-Khalistani slogans. The temple was spray-painted with slogans such as ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ and ‘Modi is terrorist.’ 

In a statement, the temple administration said, “Jai Mata Di Bhakto’s. With deep regret, we would like to inform you (that) the Temple was vandalized last week. We have informed the police and they have classified it as a hate crime.

“A few other Hindu Temples in the area have also been vandalized (most likely by the same culprits). We pray for those who wish harm and hatred on others that Mata Rani cleans their souls and gives them happiness and eradicates hate from their hearts,” it added.

On 22nd December 2023, the Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark City of California, was defaced with pro-Khalistan, anti-Modi and anti-India slogans. The outer wall of the temple was defaced with slogans such as “Khalistan”, “Shaheed [Martyr] Bhindrawale”, “F$%k Modi Jindabad” and “Modi Is Terrorist”.

Similar attacks have taken place in the past, both in the United States and its neighbouring Canada, wherein Hindu temples have been attacked, vandalised and defaced with derogatory graffiti.

Delhi Police Special Cell’s IFSO unit busts “Digital Arrest” fraud, three arrested for using mule and fake bank accounts

ANI
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Delhi Police Special Cell’s IFSO unit busts “Digital Arrest” fraud, three arrested for using mule and fake bank accounts

Delhi Police Special Cell’s IFSO Unit have arrested three suspects for their alleged involvement in a module responsible for providing, handling, and using mule/fake bank accounts in connection in “Digital Arrest fraud”.

The accused were allegedly operating fake companies to siphon the proceeds of their crimes abroad.

On September 12, 2024, a complaint was filed at IFSO, Special Cell alleging that on the morning of September 9, 2024, she received a phone call wherein someone claimed to be an officer at the Customs Office, Mumbai Airport, Terminal 2. After confirming her identity, the caller informed her that customs officials had intercepted a parcel on September 6, 2024, containing 16 fake passports, 58 ATM cards, and 40 grams of MDMA, with her details listed as the sender. The caller further claimed that Mumbai Police had issued an arrest warrant against her, and she must surrender.

The fraudsters escalated the intimidation by asserting that a CBI investigation was underway and that her arrest was imminent. Till the pendency of physical arrest, she was put under “digital arrest” by keeping continuous surveillance through WhatsApp video calls. Over the course of these calls, different individuals posing as senior officers from the Mumbai Police, CBI and various law enforcement agencies, pressured her to transfer funds under the pretext of verifying her accounts to avoid money laundering charges. In total, she was defrauded of Rs55 lakhs. On the receipt of the complaint a case u/s 318(4)/308(2)/61(2)(4)/3(5) BNS & 66C/66D IT Act was registered and investigation taken up.

Through a detailed analysis of mobile numbers and bank accounts used by the suspects, investigators identified the proprietors of a fake company, Camellia Services Apartment LLP. With the aid of mobile and technical surveillance, the police traced and arrested three individuals: Prabhat Kumar, Rajesh Kumar (alias Raja), and Arjun Singh in Burari.

Prabhat and Rajesh were found to be the proprietors of Camellia Services Pvt. Ltd., which was used to funnel the defrauded funds. Passbooks, chequebooks, company banners, and other documents were seized. Arjun Singh had facilitated the opening of fraudulent bank accounts for the operation. During the investigation all the bank accounts wherein cheated amount was transferred. Out of the total cheated amount, Rs 20 Lacs were frozen in an HDFC bank account and an order to release the said amount to the victim has been obtained from the court.

The syndicate impersonated officials from the police, CBI, customs, and other government bodies. They would inform victims that parcels containing prohibited items had been intercepted, with their names listed as the sender. Initially, they threatened the victims with arrest and severe penalties, but later shifted to a more sympathetic tone, suggesting it could be a case of mistaken identity. To resolve the issue, they instructed victims to lodge a formal complaint and transfer their savings into specified accounts for “verification,” falsely promising that the funds would be refunded after the verification process.

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

Wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat misses anti-doping test, National Anti-Doping Agency issues notice: Here is what it means

OpIndia Staff
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Wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat misses anti-doping test, National Anti-Doping Agency issues notice: Here is what it means

Vinesh Phogat, who retired from wrestling in August after losing out on a gold medal after she was disqualified for being 100 gms overweight, seems to be in the eye of the storm yet again. On Wednesday, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) served a whereabouts notice to wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat for failing to be present at the location for her dope test.

National Anti Doping Agency, India is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India. NADA India implements the Anti-Doping Program in India and works closely with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA). The World Anti-Doping Agency is a foundation initiated by the International Olympic Committee.

Athletes registered with NADA’s Registered Testing Pool (RTP), including Vinesh, are required to provide details about their availability for doping tests and also disclose the location where they would be present for sample collection. The athlete’s failure to be present at the pre-decided location for the purpose of sample collection for the dope test invites a whereabouts notice.

According to reports, Vinesh Phogat had disclosed that on the 9th of September, she would be in her home in Kharkhoda village, Sonepat, from where her sample would be collected by NADA. In its notice, NADA said that Vinesh Phogat failed to be present at the location for the purpose of the dope test.

The NADA notice stated: “This formal notice is to inform you of an apparent failure to comply with the whereabouts requirements of the Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), and to invite you to submit any comments before a final decision is made.”

After the notice is served, the athlete, in this case, Vinesh Phogat, must either acknowledge her failure to make herself available for the dope test or provide evidence that she was at the location for the required 60 minutes.

While NADA has served the notice to Phogat, according to an Indian Express report, action is unlikely in the case. For NADA to take action against an athlete, the athlete has to fail to make themselves available for the dope test 3 times in a span of 12 months. This appears to be Phogat’s first failure.

Vinesh retired from the sport following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics, where she made it to the final but was unable to compete in the gold-medal match due to being overweight. After her disqualification from the Olympics, Phogat received a “gold medal” from the Khap Panchayat in Haryana. Soon after, she got back to her politics and joined the “farmers protest” at the Shambhu border.

Recently, Vinesh and fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia joined the Congress party, and she is now running in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections from the Julana constituency, where she has been actively campaigning.

How the usual suspects had wrongly blamed the Modi government for Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification

Vinesh Phogat originally contested in the 53 kg category. But during the time she was off the mat for more than one-and-a-half years due to injuries and the protests against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Antim Panghal secured an  Olympic quota for India in the 53kg category. She then decided to switch to the lighter weight – 50 kg category – to ensure her place in the Olympics.

Despite not being against the rules, she was allowed to contest in qualifiers in both the 50 kg and 53 kg categories. She lost the qualifying match in the 53 kg category but won in 50kg. Therefore, she had to keep her weight below 50kg because she qualified for the 50 kg category in the Paris Olympics. But she has been struggling to maintain her weight below the allowed limit for several months now. Her weight was around 2.7 kg a day before the finals, and despite various efforts, including cutting hair, shortening clothes, and sitting in the sauna, the weight could not be brought below 50kg.

Therefore, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified on technical grounds, and the govt had no role to play in this.

Pertinently, weight category requirements are rigidly enforced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the relevant wrestling federations. Notably, the United World Wrestling (UWW) rules say, “If an athlete does not attend or fails the weigh-in, he/she will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last without rank.”

India’s solar PV module manufacturing capacity increases from 2.3 GW to 67 GW in 10 years under Make In India initiatives

ANI
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India’s solar PV module manufacturing capacity increases from 2.3 GW to 67 GW in 10 years under Make In India initiatives

India’s solar PV module manufacturing capacity has increased from 2.3 GW to 67 GW in the last 10 years because of measures taken under Make In India initiatives, the Ministry of Renewable said.

Furthermore, 48 GW of fully or partially integrated solar PV module manufacturing projects are currently under implementation under the solar PLI scheme, the ministry said as “Make in India” initiative of Government of India completes 10 years,

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi posted on X “India’s renewable energy sector has contributed immensely to the #10YearsOfMakeInIndia. From PLI to VGF, we are extending all possible support to our domestic industries. We are committed to establishing India as a major global player in the complete value chain of clean energy solutions.”

In a statement, the ministry said that one of the key focuses of the Government is to support and incentivize domestic manufacturing in the renewable energy sector.

“Several measures have been taken by the Union Government to promote the domestic manufacturing of renewable energy equipment, such as solar PV modules, cells, and upstream components like ingots, wafers, and polysilicon,” the statement read.

These efforts also include the manufacturing of wind turbines, electrolysers for green hydrogen production, and battery energy storage systems for utility-scale electricity storage applications.

Solar PV manufacturing remains a significant focus of the Government’s efforts, the ministry said.

“The Government is committed to making India self-reliant (Atmanirbhar) in solar PV manufacturing and establishing India as a major player in the global value chain. This commitment is demonstrated by the Rs. 24,000 crores outlay for the PLI Scheme for High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules and additional policy interventions, such as the imposition of basic customs duties and domestic content requirements,” the ministry said in the statement.

“Since 2014, India’s installed solar PV module manufacturing capacity has grown from 2.3 GW to approximately 67 GW, thanks to various measures under the “Make in India” initiative. This increase makes India capable of meeting domestic demand while also catering to exports,” it added.

The country has seen rapid growth in solar PV module production capacity, jumping from 8 GW in 2021 to 67 GW per year in the last 3.5 years alone.

“Furthermore, over 48 GW of fully or partially integrated solar PV module manufacturing projects are currently under implementation under the solar PLI scheme. Once completed, these projects will attract an investment of approximately Rs. 1.1 lakh crores and create direct employment for around 45,000 people,” the statement said.

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

BHU professor’s controversial paper on Covaxin adverse effects retracted by journal, Bharat Biotech slaps Rs 5 crore defamation on all authors

OpIndia Staff
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BHU professor’s controversial paper on Covaxin adverse effects retracted by journal, Bharat Biotech slaps Rs 5 crore defamation on all authors

On 24th September, the journal Drug Safety retracted a paper it had published in May 2024 regarding the safety of Covaxin, a homegrown COVID-19 vaccine made by Bharat Biotech. The note on Springer about the retraction of the article reads, “The Editor has retracted this article as he no longer has confidence in the conclusions as stated in the article. Post-publication review concluded that the reported adverse events of special interest (AESIs) were presented in a way that could lead to ambiguous or incorrect interpretations regarding the relationship with the BBV152 vaccine. Given these findings, the editor and the publisher have decided that this article should be removed on public health grounds.”

The authors, however, disagreed with the retraction. The retraction came almost two weeks after Bharat Biotech sued eleven BHU researchers who authored the paper along with Drug Safety, the journal of the International Society of Pharmacovigilance.

SS from Springer.

Journal’s editor, Nitin Joshi, who is based in Auckland, New Zealand, informed the authors about the journal’s intent to retract the paper on 28th August. Replying to him, one of the co-authors wrote, “This unilateral decision of yours to retract the paper not only risks defaming the authors but also sets a troubling precedent where academic journals may appear submissive to external pressures, including those imposed by industry and others.”

The retraction came almost two weeks after Bharat Biotech sued eleven BHU researchers who authored the paper along with the journal Drug Safety. The case was filed in the City Civil Court, Hyderabad. In its suit, Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) alleged that the claims made by the researchers and the journal created “shock, alarm and hesitancy” among the public over the efficacy of Covaxin and the company’s other products.

The company further stated that the study was “defamatory” and sought a permanent injunction against the research paper. The company sued the researchers involved in the study for Rs 5 crore in damages along with interest.

The petition, accessed by Times of India, noted that BBIL termed the study as poorly designed with a flawed methodology. It also noted that the statements made by the researchers had “irreversibly damaged” the reputation of the company, its products, and commercial interests.

BBIL urged the court to pass orders to take down the study and issue a permanent injunction to restrain the researchers from further publishing defamatory and flawed studies on Covaxin and BBIL.

Responding to the case filed against them, BHU researchers denied the allegations and termed the petition as an instance of a SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation). They claimed the sole objective of the petition was to muffle or stifle any type of criticism or research about the vaccine.

‘Incorrect, misleading and unacceptable’ – How ICMR reacted to flawed study by BHU researchers

On 20th May, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) strongly refuted the ‘study’ done by researchers at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) where it was suggested that over 30% of the people who received the made-in-India COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, experienced side effects. In its statement, ICMR not only labelled the study as “incorrect, misleading and unacceptable” but also demanded that it should be retracted by the publisher, Springer.

Flawed study raises concerns

The study titled “Long-Term Safety Analysis of the BBVl52 Coronavirus Vaccine in Adolescents and Adults: Findings from One Year Prospective Study in North India” stirred controversy as it reported several adverse effects from the vaccine. The side effects included nervous system disorders, skin disorders, menstrual abnormalities and hypothyroidism. The study was conducted by Dr Upinder Kaur and Dr Sankha Shubhra Chakrabarti of BHU. The sample size of the study was 1,024 Covaxin recipients and the information about the possible side effects was collected via telephonic conversation a year after the vaccination.

Methodological issues highlighted

ICMR, in its statement, pointed out that there were several methodological flaws in the study. For example, there was no control group of unvaccinated individuals which made it impossible to conclude that the side effects occurred due to the vaccination. Furthermore, the study did not provide any baseline information and background rates of observed events. Such information is crucial for assessing any changes in incidents after the vaccination was taken by the recipients.

Bharat Biotech defends Covaxin

The manufacturer of Covaxin, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, responded to the controversy and defended Covaxin. The company stressed that the study done on the vaccine should consider a broad range of data to avoid any bias. The company further added that the researchers should compare the data of vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals to get accurate results. Bharat Biotech highlighted that multiple peer-reviewed studies have confirmed Covaxin’s excellent safety profile.

The company said, “For such a study in safety to be effective, informative and to avoid investigator bias, the following data points are also required: AESI safety profile of the subjects before participation in the study; Comparison of safety profile of non-vaccinated subjects during the study; comparison of safety profile of subjects who received other vaccines during the study; all study participants should be followed during the study, instead of only a subset; several studies have been executed on the safety of COVAXIN, and published in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrating an excellent safety track record.”

Mali: Islamic terror outfit Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen gives ‘ultimatum’ to Christians to either give funds, fight for them, convert to Islam or flee their homes

OpIndia Staff
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Mali: Islamic terror outfit Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen gives ‘ultimatum’ to Christians to either give funds, fight for them, convert to Islam or flee their homes

In the West African country Mali, the Islamist terrorists have given an ‘ultimatum’ to the Christian inhabitants to either support their terror activities against the military power or leave their homes. The situation has worsened to the extent that there is a threat to the Christian community’s existence in the landlocked country. As per the “Open Doors” organisation that monitors Christian persecution, the Islamist terrorists had threatened the Christians residing in Central Mali to either support their terror activities through money and manpower, convert to Islam and shut down their churches or leave their houses.

The Islamist terrorists said to belong to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) summoned pastors in the Mopti region and gave them three options if they intended to continue staying in the region. The options are to provide men to fight against the army, Give the jihadists money to hire mercenaries, or convert to Islam and close their churches.

Notably, the Islamic terrorists in this region are collecting “Zakat” from Christians, Muslims and tribals. Speaking to Open Door, Pastor Yabaga Diarra said: “Because the jihadists conquered the land, they feel it belongs to them, so they are telling the Christians to pay them a Zakat tax which is an Islamic tithe. Muslims and non-Christian practitioners of tribal faiths are already paying it.”

The Islamist attack in Mali commenced in April 2012, when terrorists attacked government forces and seized control of northern Mali. They established an authoritative Sharia regime in the north, demolishing churches, other Christian properties, schools, and health facilities. According to the International Rescue Committee, over 7.1 million people in Mali currently require humanitarian aid, with nearly 400,000 of them being internally displaced. The Islamist terror groups have been killing civilians, government officials and UN peacekeeping forces as well. So far, the Mali military has failed to regain control of the region taken over by Islamic terrorists.

In 2023, the US State Department named domestic and transnational terrorist groups that attacked Mali. These Islamic terrorist groups included Al-Qaeda in the  Islamic Maghreb and its affiliates Ansar al-Dine, Macina Liberation Front, and al-Mourabitoune, which were united under the umbrella group JNIM (Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin/ “Support Group for Islam and Muslims”), as well as the Islamic State in the Sahel. These terrorists target individuals they “perceive as not adhering to their interpretation of Islam” and control large areas in the north and centre.

The Open Doors report says that the Islamic jihadists have been relentlessly destroying evidence of Christian presence in the territories they control. Christian foreign missionaries, particularly women, are the main targets of Islamic terrorists. Béatrice Stöckli, a Swiss Christian missionary in Timbuktu, was abducted by terrorists in 2016 and killed in 2020.

Among the many atrocities faced by the non-Muslim communities in the Jihadist-controlled region of Mali includes on-the-spot killing of Christian converts if their conversion is discovered or merely suspected, Christians are denied resources and prevented from accessing water and land to grow crops. In addition, the Islamic dress code, and Quranic and Arabic teaching were made compulsory in the school curriculum when Muslim leaders sought to open schools there.

Furthermore, in a bid to spread Islam, the Jihadi terror groups kidnap girls and sometimes even married women and then forcibly “marry” or “remarry” them to some of their members, resulting in a life of sexual slavery. Christian men and boys are subjected to brutal physical and sexual assault, compelled to join the armed groups and also forced to convert to Islam. The Mali Christians also face several restrictions in travelling for religious reasons, particularly outside of the capital city, Bamako.

Himachal Pradesh: Congress govt follows Yogi’s steps, orders street vendors, outlet owners selling food to display name

ANI
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Himachal Pradesh: Congress govt follows Yogi’s steps, orders street vendors, outlet owners selling food to display name

Himachal Pradesh Minister and Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday said that an order related to the mandatory display of outlet owner’s details has been issued during a joint meeting with the Public Works Urban Development and Municipal Corporation, adding that every shopkeeper and street vendor has to display their identification.

“We did a meeting with the UD (Urban Development) and the Municipal Corporation. To make sure that hygienic food is sold, a decision has been taken for all the street vendors… especially those selling edible items,” Vikramaditya told reporters on Wednesday.

He further said that the people had expressed their concerns and doubts over the hygiene of the food sold on the streets.

“People expressed their concerns and doubts, and considering this, we have decided to implement a similar policy to that in UP, in which it has been made mandatory that vendors have to display their names and IDs… Every shopkeeper and street vendor has to display their identification,” he added.

Earlier today, Vikramaditya Singh also announced the development through a Facebook post and said that the decision was taken during a joint meeting with the Public Works Urban Development and Municipal Corporation.

“In Himachal, every restaurant and fast food outlet will be required to display the owner’s ID to ensure that people face no difficulties. Instructions for this have been issued in the Urban Development and Municipal Corporation meeting held yesterday,” Singh wrote in a Facebook post.

This comes after, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday directed that the name and address of operators, proprietors, and managers should be mandatorily displayed at all food centres.

CM Yogi also directed that chefs and waiters should wear masks and gloves, besides making the installation of CCTV cameras in hotels and restaurants mandatory.


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

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