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When AAP MLAs took the Delhi LG as hostage

Nirwa Mehta
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When AAP MLAs took the Delhi LG as hostage

Never a dull moment in Indian politics till Aam Aadmi Party is around. Enthused by their victory in Bawana bypolls in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal today decided to take on Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. 45 AAP MLAs camped at LG’s office on Wednesday demanding the LG clears the mohalla clinic files immediately.


Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal then got into action and pleaded how LG should not let Delhi people ‘suffer’ by ‘politicising’ the mohalla clinic issue.


Aam Aadmi Party Twitter warriors did not lose a chance to pounce on the opportunity and pleaded that mohalla clinics are essential to avoid a Gorakhpur-like tragedy.


Some more emotional tweets were thrown in.


And then, things escalated quickly when all 45 MLAs wrote a letter saying they’ll camp there in LG’s office till he passes the files for mohalla clinic.


Let us take a step back and try and understand the situation.

Satyendar Jain, against whom CBI has filed an FIR with regards to the money laundering case against him, is the health minister of AAP. It is under him the mohalla clinics come. Earlier today, it was reported that Enforcement Directorate may file a fresh money laundering case against him.

In February this year, the LG had given a nod to 300 mohalla clinics. Interestingly, in the same month, mohalla clinics came under scanner for alleged irregularities in running them. There are also reports where allegations were made about false entries of patients treated by the doctors to ensure good income. There are allegations of corruption and overcharging by these mohalla clinics from the government.

Let us not also forget that Delhi health minister Jain’s daughter, who is an architect by qualification, was made an “advisor” in mohalla clinics, which she quit after eyebrows were raised on the appointment.

Things get interesting here.

On 29th August, Health Minister Satyendar Jain received letter from the Special Secretary (Vigilance) raising questions about the mohalla clinic. However, instead of providing facts to refute the allegations, Jain decided to ‘assure’ that not a single ‘wrongdoing’ will be tolerated.

All 45 MLAs camping at LG’s office for the mohalla clinic, which is Jain’s department, days after CBI files an FIR against him in the money laundering case, raises more than a few eyebrows.

Patna HC upholds life imprisonment of ex-RJD MP Shahabuddin in double murder case

OpIndia Staff
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Patna HC upholds life imprisonment of ex-RJD MP Shahabuddin in double murder case

The Patna High Court on Wednesday upheld the life imprisonment of dreaded gangster and former RJD MP Mohammed Shahabuddin in a 2004 double murder case. This was a result of the bench of Justice KK Mandal and Justice Sanjay Kumar refusing to interfere into the matter and as a result upholding the special Siwan court’s order of 11th December 2015. Apart from Shahabuddin, three other accused named Rajkumar Sah, Sheikh Aslam and Arif Hussain were also convicted.

Shahabuddin is currently lodged in New Delhi’s Tihar jail after the Bihar government was instructed to do so by the Supreme Court, to ensure free and fair trial of his cases. This order was given as a result of a petition filed by wife of slain journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, and Chanda Babu.

This double murder case dates back to 16th August 2004 when Satish Raj and Girish Raj, sons of Siwan businessman Chandrakeshwar Prasad, Kalawati Devi, were abducted and brutally killed after being drenched in acid and later getting shot dead. The 3rd brother named Rajiv Roshan who had also been abducted, somehow managed to escape. But he being the sole eye-witness of the case was shot dead on June 16, 2014, three days before he was to appear in the court.

The reported motive behind the murder was that Shahabuddin was eyeing the deceased’s property and they in-turn had resisted. This had resulted in the abduction of the three brothers by Raj Kumar Sah, a close aide of Shahabuddin.

As a result of the crime, the accused were charged under sections 302 rfor murder, 364A for kidnapping for ransom, 201 for causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender and 120B regarding criminal conspiracy.

The lawyer of Shahabuddin had in his client’s defence  that his name was only added to the initial FIR about 5 years after its filing and claimed that they would now move to the Supreme Court to appeal against the decision. Shahabuddin currently is facing trial in about 40 cases.

Akhilesh Yadav unapologetic after RTI reveals favouritism in lucrative UP lifetime award

Nirwa Mehta
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Akhilesh Yadav unapologetic after RTI reveals favouritism in lucrative UP lifetime award

Samajwadi Chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today suggested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should also dole out the lucrative Yash Bharti awards conferred by the Uttar Pradesh government to people close to him if he feels like.


“You may also confer these awards to people close to you, we will not stop you”, said Yadav.

It takes tremendous amount of audacity to be completely unapologetic for such blatant favouritism. Earlier, an RTI had revealed officers, friends and family members close to Akhilesh were given Yash Bharti awards, which were initially started by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav back in 1994.

Amongst the winners of Yash Bharti awards during the Akhilesh Yadav government are

the TV anchor who covered the Saifai Mahotsav for the Akhilesh Yadav government; an officer at the Chief Minister’s Office who recommended his own name; a researcher who listed his two-month “field work” in Meghalaya as an achievement; self-styled founder of “the revolutionary ideology of manufacturing unique and handmade clothes based on jyotish and psychology;”

As many as 200 people were given the ‘lifetime’ award, during 2012 – 2017, of which 142 winners were directly or indirectly related to Samajwadi Party.

Officers and friends close to Akhilesh were awarded. Awards were also given on recommendation of his uncle Shivpal Yadav and other Samajwadi Party leaders. Archana Satish, one of the recipients of Yash Bharti awards, was compering the 2016 Yash Bharti Awards in October, 2016 when the “generous hearted” then CM Akhilesh Yadav, decided to confer her with the award too.

Started in 1994 by Mulayam Singh Yadav government, Mayawati had stopped these awards when she was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. However, the same were resumed by Akhilesh and in 2015, along with a bouquet, a shawl and Rs. 11 lakh cash, a monthly pension of Rs. 50,000 was started.

Following complaints regarding the arbitrary nature in which the awards were conferred, Yogi Adityanath government will be reviewing the awards since honouring underserving people lowers dignity of the award. Moreover, the Rs. 50,000 pension from the state government to the awardees has also been stopped by the Yogi Government.

ED likely to register a fresh money laundering case against AAP Minister Satyendra Jain

OpIndia Staff
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ED likely to register a fresh money laundering case against AAP Minister Satyendra Jain

Trouble doesn’t seem to be going away for controversial AAP Minister Satyendra Jain, after it was reported today that the Enforcement Directorate is likely to register a fresh money laundering case against him:


This development comes days after we reported how the CBI had filed an FIR against him and reached his residence for a search with regards to the ongoing money laundering case against him. This FIR had come after the CBI had registered a preliminary inquiry against Satyendra Jain in April.

As per Times Now the ED would register the case on the back of the CBI FIR and would be making that the predicate offence. Thus a fresh money laundering case would be registered for:

Acquiring assets not held in the individual’s name, or the assets for which money has not been properly accounted to the Income Tax authorities and has never been made part of the accounted and announced wealth of the individual

Also the ED would reportedly soon be starting that probe.

Satyendra Jain has been embroiled in money laundering cases since September of last year when he was issued summons in September after the companies in which he held substantial equities, were found to have link with Kolkata firms under investigation for Black Money.

According to reports, companies named Paryas Infosolutions, Indo Metallmpex, Akinchan Developers, Ideal Estate, and Manglayatan were involved in buying 200 acres of land during the 2010-14 period using hawala money. These plots were located around North-West Delhi near unauthorised dwellings, and were purchased in the hope that the price would increase whenever the colonies get regularised.

It has since been reported that Jain had held substantial shares in the companies named Prayas, Indo, and Akinchan. However, all his shares were transferred to his wife in 2015 after he had become a minister in the AAP government.

Today apart form the money laundering case, Jain somewhat suffered another “blow” after rebel AAP leader Kapil Mishra released a book named Bunty, Bubbly and Kejriwal which reportedly claims to explain the “scam” perpetrated by Satyendra Jain and his wife:

Sunanda Pushkar case: Delhi High Court raps Delhi Police for delay

OpIndia Staff
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Sunanda Pushkar case: Delhi High Court raps Delhi Police for delay

Hearing a plea filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, Delhi High Court today came down heavily on Delhi Police and demanded a report on Sunanda Pushkar’s murder probe within 2 weeks. Sunanda Pushkar was Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s wife and was found dead under mysterious circumstances in January, 2014. The report was also sought for in the last hearing, but wasn’t produced. “If you have anything new, then come within two weeks, and if you can’t, then we will look into it,” the court said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has claimed there was no delay in its probe. They said a technical investigation was not totally in their hands since the AIIMS and some foreign agencies were also involved.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had asked for a court monitored probe by multidisciplinary special investigation team led by the CBI to look into Pushkar’s death. Swamy had earlier sought Enforcement Directorate be a party in the Sunanda Pushkar murder probe case. In the petition, Swamy and co-petitioner advocate Ishkaran Bhandari pointed out that the DPH, in its status report said that their Economic Offence Wing (EOW) found that Sunanda’s death was related to the Indian Premier League (IPL) Cricket related issues and handed over files to the ED.

Swamy in his tweets, too, has alleged Pushkar was in know of illegal betting taking place during IPL.


Swamy also claimed various reports have suggested that Pushkar’s death was unnatural but delay in getting the scientific report was an attempt to sabotage the probe. Swamy and Advocate Bhandari have alleged that “inordinate delay” has been caused in the probe “which is a blot on the justice system”.

As of now, the bench said it was not fair to look into or monitor the investigation, but would “certainly like to know where the investigation stands as of today.”

In another blow to the opposition, CPM rules out any 2019 alliance involving the Congress

Hemant Bijapurkar
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In another blow to the opposition, CPM rules out any 2019 alliance involving the Congress

At the end of July when Nitish Kumar had decided to sever ties with the “Mahagathbandhan” and join the BJP, it was speculated that the opposition or what was left of it might get more united than before in order to somehow try and defeat the BJP.

In order to possibly portray that unity, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav had organised a “Desh Bachao, Bhajpa Bhagao” rally in Patna on 27th August. It soon was dampened before it began after it was reported that Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati had decided to skip the rally and instead send party leaders as their representatives. It was also later revealed that Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi too was going to skip the rally because of his trip to Norway.

Even though other opposition leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee attended the rally it itself was a solemn affair with alleged low attendance which reportedly led Lalu to tweet an allegedly morphed photo showing packed crowds to somehow try and portray the rally as success.

The opposition now has again been dealt another blow in the form of the CPM, after its General Secretary Sitaram Yechury ruled out any possibility of his party being part of the “Mahagathbandhan” of the opposition parties during the 2019 General elections. He decided to justify this decision by claiming that their party’s political-tactical line didn’t allow them to join hands for polls and as a result they also skipped Lalu’s rally on 27th August. This reason given is a bit odd as in the past as the Left Front in West Bengal led by the CPM had recently been involved in an alliance with the Congress.

Other reports quoted Yechury as saying that they won’t form any electoral alliance involving the Congress but would continue to attend meetings which are aimed at “saving the composite culture of India”.

Ram Rahim verdict: Haryana HC raps media for misreporting courtroom remarks

OpIndia Staff
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Ram Rahim verdict: Haryana HC raps media for misreporting courtroom remarks

Following the Dera Sacha Sauda chief’s conviction in 2002 rape case, his followers took to violence. Soon media reports emerged how the Haryana High Court judges reprimanded the state and central government for the escalated violence.

However, as usual, there is more to it than what was reported in the media. The bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court, which made these references, has said that it was quoted out of context by the media. The court said that the media should quote the judgement, not the discussion and observation from the courtroom. Justice Suryakant lashed out on media and said that the media has not behaved responsibly by quoting the observation of the bench and nobody has the right to misquote the observation in a different context.

The court also clarified that they had not uttered a word against the PM.

Earlier, section of media had reported that the HC has pulled up PM Modi and CM Khattar over Panchkula violence. The reports said,

While responding to Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain, who is representing the Centre, the court said ”He is the Prime Minister of India, is Haryana not a part of India? Why is it that Haryana and Punjab are treated like step children?”

However, the bench, on Tuesday clarified this was not even in the context it was quoted it and pulled up the section of media that misquoted the same without context.

People slam Hindustan Times for belittling PV Sindhu by calling her a choker

OpIndia Staff
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People slam Hindustan Times for belittling PV Sindhu by calling her a choker

Badminton star PV Sindhu made millions of Indians proud on Sunday after putting up a heroic performance at the World Badminton Championship and bagged the silver medal in a final match which literally went down to the wire which was called by many to be one of the best badminton matches they had seen.

The Hindustan Times though was not very happy with her performance and decided to outright belittle her achievement by calling her a choker:


This headline or the post itself was needless but HT had decided that this wan’t enough and had carried another article attacking her:


These unfair articles on PV Sindhu irked many twitter users who decided to blast the publication:


Even eminent sports persons and sport journalists basted HT:


 

 

Fact-Check: Was Congress spokesperson right in claiming that crop insurance is a ‘scam’ and a ‘sham’?

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-Check: Was Congress spokesperson right in claiming that crop insurance is a ‘scam’ and a ‘sham’?

Yesterday, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted how crop insurance is a “sham” and a “scam” since premium collected is Rs. 22,437 crore whereas the claims by farmers is Rs. 8,087.23 crore.

She immediately got schooled on how premium vs. claims work when it comes to insurance.


Some took digs at her educational degree as well.


Others took this opportunity to make a dig at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.


Whereas someone even nominated her for the Prime Minister’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign to save and educate the girl child.


Perhaps brushing up how insurance works may not be a bad idea for Ms. Chaturvedi.

After Sonia, Lalu Prasad Yadav snubs Arvind Kejriwal in rally as well as on social media

Nirwa Mehta
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After Sonia, Lalu Prasad Yadav snubs Arvind Kejriwal in rally as well as on social media

Remember this historic picture? The one where anti corruption crusader Arvind Kejriwal hugged the RJD supremo and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, convict in the Rs. 900 crore fodder scam?

Arvind Kejriwal had extended support to “mahagathbandhan” where he asked everyone to vote for the gathbandhan. Essentially that would mean voting for Lalu Yadav, only because he was against the BJP. Way to show your commitment towards fight against corruption by embracing a convict in corruption case.

Anyway, fast forward to 2017, the “mahagathbandhan” has disintegrated. On 26th July, Nitish Kumar quit as Bihar Chief Minister, few hours later staked claim to form the government, and on 27th July, swore in as the chief minister of Bihar.

Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar’s deputy chief minister and Lalu’s son, was upset at the whole thing as Bihar had a new government even before he could stake claim to form one. Tejashwi is also facing corruption charges as CBI has filed an FIR against him and his parents.

So, as a retaliation, RJD announced “BJP Hatao, Desh Bachao” rally on 27th August where he called all opposition parties to come together and fight against the BJP. From Mayawati to Akhilesh Yadav to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Congress President Sonia Gandhi were invited. All opposition, except Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, despite his very vocal dislike for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This is second time Kejriwal has been not even considered credible enough to be in opposition. Earlier, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, too, had gave Kejriwal a royal ignore while discussing Presidential candidate.

However, in an passive aggressive reaction, the next day Arvind Kejriwal retweeted Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav’s tweets, extending his support to the BJP Hatao cause.

But it seems like Lalu family hasn’t forgotten how Kejriwal had washed his hands off the hug. After Kejriwal drew criticism over hugging Lalu in that rally, Kejriwal had said how it wasn’t him who hugged Lalu, but the other way round. “We are against his record of corruption and we’ll always oppose it,” Kejriwal told his supporters after hugging Lalu. No wonder neither Lalu nor Tejashwi wished him on winning the Bawana bypolls.

Even his anti-Modi stance hasn’t helped Arvind Kejriwal get back into Lalu Yadav’s good books.

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