Al Qaeda-linked terrorist module’s head Dr. Ishtiaq who was caught from Ranchi in Jharkhand was preparing a suicide squad and had chosen a hilly area to execute his nefarious plan where he intended to bring his fellow terrorists and train them for the attacks. These shocking revelations were made by him and other accused in front of Delhi Police. According to media reports, Delhi Police’s Special Cell had recently reached Ranchi with Ishtiaq, Inamul Ansari, Shahbaz Ansari, Motiur Rahman and Altaf to know the extent of their preparation for executing their plans.
The terrorists told the authorities that they used to visit Nakata forest near Chanho village in Ranchi. This dense forest has no habitation around it and hence the activities happening inside the thick woods go unnoticed which is why it was considered the most suitable place to train terrorists. The perpetrators informed the cops that they were to be trained there to become suicide bombers along with learning how to handle weapons. They were following the orders of Dr. Ishtiaq who was responsible for their training. All of them wanted to bring Islamic rule to India.
Ishtiaq was the leader of the radical group. Some of these terrorists were reportedly sent to Rajasthan for similar training. The authorities also carried out searches in a madarsa. Jharkhand Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) carried out raids on 22nd August and arrested Ishtiaq and his associates. They are members of the Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) module. The development transpired based on a tip from Delhi Police.
Ishtiaq had expanded his terrorist module to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. He had purchased weapons from Lakhisarai in Bihar. Raids were executed in Rajasthan. AK 47 rifle, .38 bore revolver, 6 live cartridges, 30 live cartridges of .32 bore, 30 cartridges of AK 47, dummy INSAS (Indian Small Arms System), air rifle, iron elbow pipe, hand grenade and other things were seized from there.
The killing of robber Mangesh Yadav by Special Task Force (STF) during an encounter in Uttar Pradesh has sparked heated political controversy. Mangesh Yadav was involved in a high-profile theft at Bharat Ji Saraf’s “Om Ornaments” jewellery shop in Sultanpur on the 28th of August, during which more than Rs1.5 crore in valuables were stolen.
Mangesh Yadav was a wanted criminal with a Rs 1 lakh bounty on his head and numerous robbery and theft cases against him. He was killed on the 5th of September, during an encounter with the UP Police’s Special Task Force (STF) in Mishirpur Puraina under Dehat Kotwali in Sultanpur. The police said they acted in self-defence during the encounter, however, the Samajwadi Party has raked up caste angle in the matter.
In a long rant on X, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the ruling BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has links with those involved in Sultanpur robbery. He claimed that due to these alleged links, the “main accused” Vipin Singh was made to surrender before the court in another case in Rae Bareilly two days after the robbery. He alleged that the main accused was made to surrender, and the other non-Yadav accused were shot in the leg just for show, while Mangesh Yadav was killed due to his caste.
“It seems that the ruling party had deep connections with the people involved in the Sultanpur robbery, that is why before the fake encounter, the ‘main accused’ was contacted and made to surrender and other people from the party were shot only on the legs for show and were killed on the basis of their ‘caste’,” Yadav said.
Expressing sympathy for the slain robber, Akhilesh Yadav said: “When the main accused has surrendered, all the looted goods should be returned and the government should pay compensation separately because the mental trauma caused by such incidents takes a lot of time to recover from, which leads to loss of business, which should be compensated by the government.”
Reiterating his fake encounter allegations against the Yogi government, Akhilesh said: “Fake encounters turn the protector into a predator. The solution is not fake encounters, but real law and order. BJP rule is the elixir of criminals. Till the public pressure and anger do not reach their peak, the work of sharing in the loot continues and when it seems that the public will surround them, then fake encounters are done as a superficial balm. The public understands how some people are saved and how others are trapped. Totally reprehensible!”
लगता है सुल्तानपुर की डकैती में शामिल लोगों से सत्ता पक्ष का गहरा संपर्क था, इसीलिए तो नक़ली एनकाउंटर से पहले ‘मुख्य आरोपी’ से संपर्क साधकर सरेंडर करा दिया गया और अन्य सपक्षीय लोगों के पैरों पर सिर्फ़ दिखावटी गोली मारी गयी और ‘जात’ देखकर जान ली गयी।
It has also been reported that a delegation of Samajwadi Party leaders led by Lal Bihari Yadav will visit the deceased robber Mangesh Yadav’s house to offer condolences. It appears to be an attempt to bolster Akhilesh Yadav’s position as a sole leader of the Yadav community even if that means siding with a criminal.
This, however, is not the first time that the Samajwadi Party has taken the side of criminals. In the recent Ayodhya rape case, Akhilesh Yadav demanded a DNA test of the accused in the case who raped a minor girl in Ayodhya. In this case, the Ayodhya administration had demolished the bakery of SP leader Moeed Khan, the main accused in the gang rape of a minor girl. Last year, when Ghulam Muhammad and Asad Ahmed, the son of gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed, both accused in the Umesh Pal murder were killed in a police encounter, Akhilesh Yadav came out in defence of the slain criminal called the encounters fake. This came even as CCTV footage of the incident clearly showed the slain duo chasing and attacking Umesh Pal with a pistol. Akhilesh Yadav has expressed his love for deceased gangster Mukhtar Ansari.
Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party has hit back at the Samajwadi Party saying that it supports and offers condolences to criminals like Mukhtar Ansari, and Mangesh Yadav among others.
“To what extent will the Samajwadi Party go in supporting criminals? Now, the Samajwadi Party visits the homes of criminals to offer condolences. First, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav goes to Mukhtar Ansari’s house to express sympathy, and now Mangesh Yadav…” BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi on Samajwadi Party leaders visiting Gangster Mangesh Yadav’s house.
Lucknow: BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi on Samajwadi Party leaders visiting Gangster Mangesh Yadav's house, says, "To what extent will the Samajwadi Party go in supporting criminals? Now, the Samajwadi Party visits the homes of criminals to offer condolences? First, SP chief… pic.twitter.com/HjU0BI00FQ
The robbery occurred in Thatheri market, Nagar Kotwali region of Sultanpur district. Bharat Ji Saraf runs a shop called Om Ornaments Jewellery Shop in the market. On the 28th of August, at 10 a.m., Bhartiji and her son opened their jewellery shop and began working, and people came to the shop as usual. Around 12 p.m., two customers were sitting in the shop.
Meanwhile, one of the accused entered the shop with a handkerchief covering his face and aimed his firearm at Bharatji and his son. The father and son sitting in the shop were astonished, as were both customers. Before they could react, another gang member appeared wearing a helmet and carrying a black bag. Subsequently, three additional miscreants entered the shop and ransacked it.
As the shop owner protested, one of the robbers placed the gun on his head while the other two pointed pistols towards the two customers inside the shop. Meanwhile, three others collected valuables from the shop. In the CCTV footage of the incident, the robbers looted jewellery worth Rs 1 crore 40 lakh within minutes and escaped on their bikes.
दिनदहाड़े सोना-चांदी लेकर फरार हुए बदमाश
उत्तर प्रदेश: सुल्तानपुर में सर्राफ ठठेरी बाजार में कुछ बदमाश दिनदहाड़े 5 करोड़ के सोना और चांदी लेकर फरार हो गए. पूरी घटना CCTV कैमरे में कैद हो गई. पुलिस मामले की जांच में जुटी है.#Uttarpradesh | #CCTV | #Sultanpurpic.twitter.com/511N5Vumvr
Reports say that there were a total of 12 robbers who divided themselves into 3 teams. The first team included Pushpendra, Tribhuvan and Sachin who had allegedly chalked out the plan of robbery. Among them, Tribhuvan also arranged a Bolero car. After the robbery, the miscreants fled to Rae Bareli with the jewellery in this bolero. The second group consisted of Vipin Singh, Vinay Shukla, Ajay Yadav, Arvind Yadav, Vivek Singh, and Durgesh Singh. They used to provide backup to the criminals who carried out robberies. The third group consisted of Furqan, Anuj Pratap, Arbaaz, Mangesh Yadav and Ankit Yadav who robbed the shop in broad daylight.
According to the UP Police, Yadav was one of the key suspects in the crime and a member of a bigger gang. Several other gang members had been caught earlier, but Yadav was killed after he allegedly opened fire on police.
Initially, the police said that there were 5 accused robbers, however, further investigation revealed the involvement of 12 persons. Consequently, the UP Police placed Rs 1 lakh bounty on the heads of the 12 accused and began searching for them. While the alleged gang leader Vipin Singh surrendered in Rae Bareilly, Sachin Singh, Pushpendra Singh and Tribhuvan alias Lala Harijan were arrested on Tuesday and sent to jail after treatment during an encounter at Godwa village in Nagar Kotwali. On Thursday (5th September), accused Mangesh Yadav, a resident of Angoraura in Jaunpur district, opened fire at the police, in retaliation, the UP STF officer Dharmendra Shahi shot Yadav dead. Police also seized approximately 15 kg of silver jewellery, Rs 38,500 in cash, a stolen bike, 3 illegal guns, 3 cartridges, and 6 shells from the miscreants.
Responding to Akhilesh Yadav’s “caste-based fake encounter” allegations, UP STF CO Dharmendra Shahi simply said: “I cannot say much on this. Everyone has their own opinion.”
8 robbery and theft cases against Mangesh Yadav
Notably, Mangesh Yadav had around 8 theft and robbery cases registered against him. In 2021, the district’s Karaundikala police station registered the first theft and recovery case against Mangesh Yadav. Six cases were filed against him until 2022. In 2023, action was taken against him under the Gangster Act by the Karaundikala Police Station. In 2024, bike theft was reported in Jaunpur. The stolen bike was allegedly used in the Sultanpur jewellery robbery. On the 28th of August 2024, his name appeared in the Sultanpur bullion robbery case. On Thursday morning, he was neutralised in a police encounter, thus, marking the end of his four-year criminal life.
While Mangesh Yadav has been killed, three others have been arrested and Vipin Singh has surrendered, Furqan, Anuj Pratap Singh, Arbaaz, Vinay Shukla, Ankit Yadav, Ajay Yadav, Arvind Yadav, Vivek Singh and Durgesh Pratap Singh are still absconding.
In yet another illustration of shocking pusillanimity and apathy towards crimes against women, a woman was raped on the roadside in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain with a bevvy of passersby watching over without even trying to rescue her. In fact, one man shot the video and posted it online.
The woman later filed an FIR against the culprit, leading to his arrest.
Om Prakash Mishra, Ujjain’s City Superintendent of Police (CSP), stated, “Yesterday (Thursday) around 3:30 pm, a woman came to the police station and reported being raped. A woman officer was immediately called, her statement was taken, and an FIR was registered after informing senior officers.”
The police reported that the woman identified a man named Lokesh as the suspect in her complaint. “A team was immediately assembled and sent to locate Lokesh. We apprehended him within two hours of filing the FIR,” said Mishra. Lokesh was taken to the police station and, during questioning, confessed to the crime.
The woman underwent a medical examination, and Lokesh was brought before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
Mishra stated, “Additionally, the woman’s statement was recorded in court today (Friday), where she confirmed the rape incident. A video of the crime, which was also received by the police, has been taken as evidence.”
The police allege that the accused “promised to marry the victim, gave her alcohol, and then raped her on Wednesday.”
Congress tries to politicise the Ujjain rape incident even as it observes reticence on the RG Kar Hospital incident and rape cases against SP leaders
The incident, nevertheless, has awakened the opposition Congress party from its deep slumber. State Congress president Jitu Patwari criticised the BJP, pointing out that while the party was protesting nationwide over the RG Kar rape-murder case, a woman was raped on a footpath in the Chief Minister’s constituency in Madhya Pradesh.
However, ironically, the Congress party itself is accused of being relatively soft on the RG Kar Hospital incident compared to other incidents reported elsewhere in the country, especially in the BJP-ruled state. Rahul Gandhi is yet to visit the RG Kar Hospital victim’s family even as they level serious allegations against the TMC-led West Bengal government, headed by Mamata Banerjee, one of the key allies of the INDI alliance.
Besides, the Congress party has also maintained radio silence on minor rape cases allegedly involving leaders of the Samajwadi Party, another key alliance partner in the INDI bloc. Earlier this week, the DNA sample of Nawab Singh Yadav, a former Samajwadi Party leader arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, matched with the sample taken from the survivor in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh.
Nawab Singh Yadav, who was previously an associate of Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, was arrested on August 12 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and POCSO Act. He was subsequently placed in 14-day judicial custody for the alleged rape of the minor.
Just hours before his arrest, the survivor contacted the police, reporting that she had been stripped and an attempt to assault her had been made.
The incident took place in the Kotwali Nagar area of Kannauj. Chaudhary Chandan Singh Mahavidyalaya of Samajwadi Party leader and former block chief Nawab Singh Yadav is in Adangapur village.
Before this, Samajwadi Party leader Moid Khan and his servant Raju Khan were accused of gangraping a minor girl from the Nishad community in Ayodhya. The bakery shop where this incident took place, Moid Khan’s establishment, has since been demolished using a bulldozer. Moid Khan is close to Samajwadi MP Awadhesh Prasad from Ayodhya. Many pictures of the two together have also surfaced. Moid Khan had also campaigned for Awadhesh Prasad in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
BJP Madhya Pradesh president V D Sharma responded by accusing the Congress of politicising the incident.
“The Congress is trying to exploit the incident because they have no real issues to challenge the Madhya Pradesh government,” he said. “The BJP government was the first to introduce a law that allows the death penalty for such crimes. The accused has been arrested, and the state government will ensure that strict action is taken against them.”
The PIL seeking direction to ban Netflix’s series “IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack” has been withdrawn from the Delhi High Court. The petitioner, through counsel, stated that Netflix’s addition of a disclaimer clarifies the real names of the terrorists involved in the hijacking and addresses the concerns raised in the PIL.
Recently, the PIL was moved by Surjit Singh Yadav, Chief of Hindu Sena, to seek a ban on Netflix’s series, namely “IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack.” The PIL alleged that the series distorts the actual identities of the terrorists involved in the hijacking.
The petitioner through Advocate Shashi Ranjan has approched the court against the television miniseries “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,” directed by Anubhav Sinha, citing inaccuracies in its portrayal of the 1999 hijacking of Indian Flight 814.
The disclaimer added in the show
The petition claimed that the miniseries erroneously assigns Hindu names such as “Bhola” and “Shankar”–names associated with Lord Shiva–to the real hijackers Ibrahim Akhtar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir.
This, according to the petitioner, distorts the identities of the hijackers, misrepresents historical events, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and offends the sentiments of the Hindu community. The petitioner seeks the court’s intervention to prevent further public misunderstanding and potential harm.
The plea mentioned that India’s Constitution, which upholds secularism and religious harmony in a multi-religious society, mandates mutual respect for all religions as a fundamental right.
It asserts that film producers, directors, and actors have a constitutional duty to avoid disturbing religious feelings and sentiments. Consequently, the Cinematograph Act, 1952 was enacted by Parliament to regulate feature films and ensure they adhere to these principles. The plea seeks the court’s intervention to address these concerns in the context of the miniseries “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.”
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has reportedly summoned Netflix’s content head in response to accusations on social media that the makers of “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack” deliberately altered the names of the hijackers to “Bhola” and “Shankar.”
According to the reports, Netflix India’s officials recently met with the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to address concerns about the series “IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack.” Following the meeting, Netflix has committed to reviewing the series and updating the disclaimer to include the real names of the hijackers. Additionally, Netflix assured that future content on their platform will be more sensitive to national sentiments.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Recently, many media portals reported about a new, innovative eye drop that will ‘cure’ presbyopia, a common eyesight disorder among persons who are above 40 years of age.
?India's #drugregulatorybody has approved a new treatment designed to eliminate the need for reading glasses for millions suffering from #presbyopia.
“India’s drug regulatory body has approved a new treatment designed to eliminate the need for reading glasses for millions suffering from presbyopia. Mumbai-based Entod Pharmaceuticals has developed ‘PresVu’ eye drops, aimed at treating this age related vision condition, which affects between 1.09 billion and 1.80 billion people worldwide”, read a post by Business Today.
Mirror Now ran a post that read, “Imagine a world where we no longer need to reach for our reading glasses every time we pick up a book, check our phone, or at a menu. For millions of people over 40, this could soon be a reality. However, Entod Pharmaceuticals has introduced PresVu, India’s first eye drop designed specifically to reduce dependence on reading glasses for those with presbyopia a common age-related condition that makes it difficult to focus on close objects.”
Post by Mirror Now
Many media portals ran the ‘news’ declaring that the new eye drops by Entod Pharmaceuticals will help persons with presbyopia get rid of glasses. Naturally, curiosity around the product was spiked and some news reports and social media posts even hailed it as a remarkable innovation.
Kiran Majumdar Shaw, the founder-CEO of Biocon shared, “PresVu Eye drops that could eliminate the need for reading glasses approved – This is indeed promises to be a great innovation addressing a huge unmet need.”
Post by Kiran Majumdar Shaw
Entod Pharma’s CEO Nikhil K Masurkar had shared the news of the PresVu’s approval by the Subject Expert Committee of Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in April. He had added that the drops can eliminate the need for eyeglasses in persons with mild to intermediate presbyopia.
Govt sources say the company is making ‘unethical, unverified claims’
Days after the so-called ‘innovation’ of the eye drops claimed headlines all over the country, government sources have stated that the claims ade by the company Entod Pharmaceuticals are misleading and unethical.
ANI quoted government sources saying, “This is unethical and false representation of facts. The company has been asked for an explanation for the false representation of the drug regulator.”
So currently, even the claims of DCGI approval are under doubt.
As per ANI, many medical experts had called the company’s product as an ‘imperfect and temporary’ solution.
ANI quoted Dr Charu Mittal, Senior Consultant, Department of Opthalmology at Max Hospital, Saket, Delhi, as saying, “Pilocarpine eye drops have been used for the treatment of glaucoma since at least 75 years. They constrict your pupils causing a pinhole effect helping you to read. It is an imperfect and temporary solution for reading problems. Spectacles are the perfect solution.”
Dr Samir Sud, the co-founder and director of Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals stated ANI, “This drop, PresVu, claims to clear your near vision, or what we call presbyopia. This drop is nothing but pilocarpine in a different concentration. It constricts your pupils and due to the pinhole effect, we can see near and distance without glasses. But pilocarpine also has some complications. We don’t know how this drug will behave in the eye after it goes to the masses.”
Dr Tushar Grover, Associate Consultant, Department of Opthalmology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said, “The drops recently introduced for correction of presbyopia are essentially pilocarpine eye drops at a relatively lower concentration. The molecule by itself is not new and has been around for decades, used in the treatment of glaucoma.”
ENTOD Pharma denies false representation, blames media for misleading headlines
Meanwhile, ENTOD Pharmaceuticals has dismissed allegations that it made unethical or false presentation of facts to the media or public about its product, PresVu eye drops.
Nikkhil K Masurkar, CEO, Entod Pharmaceuticals, said in a statement late Thursday evening, “We at ENTOD Pharmaceuticals hereby declare that we have not made any of the unethical or false presentation of facts to the media or public when it comes to PresVu eye drops. All facts disclosed to the media are strictly on the basis of the approved indication for treatment of presbyopia in adults and the Phase 3 clinical trial data generated by us. “
The company further mentioned that the opinions and claims printed in news stories do not represent ENTOD Pharmaceuticals. “Some of the opinions and claims printed in news stories do not represent that of ENTOD Pharmaceuticals or any of its spokespeople. The widespread media interest in such a therapy has been unprecedented and has led to sensationalization of the story.”
Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut said on Friday that the release of her much-awaited film ‘Emergency’ has been postponed.
The actor-turned-MP said that the delay was because of pending certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Taking to X, she wrote, “With a heavy heart I announce that my directorial Emergency has been postponed, we are still waiting for the certification from censor board, new release date will be announced soon, thanks for your understanding and patience”
With a heavy heart I announce that my directorial Emergency has been postponed, we are still waiting for the certification from censor board, new release date will be announced soon, thanks for your understanding and patience ?
On September 1, trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared that the release of Kangana Ranaut-starrer ‘Emergency’ has been postponed.
“#BreakingNews… #Emergency postponed… Won’t release on 6 Sept 2024. #ZeeStudios #KanganaRanaut,” he wrote on Instagram.
The movie, in which Ranaut portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was initially slated for release on September 6.
The film, a biographical political thriller, delves into the life of Indira Gandhi, who imposed a 21-month emergency period from 1975 to 1977.
‘Emergency’ has been embroiled in controversies for some time now including facing backlash several Sikh groups.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said that it is unable to direct the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue the certificate as it would contradict the MP High Court order.
The Court has also asked the CBFC to take a decision by September 18.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 19.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises, the co-producer company of the ‘Emergency’, approached the Bombay High Court seeking the release of the film and a censor certificate.
A petition was filed in the Bombay High Court, claiming that the Censor Board had arbitrarily and illegally withheld the censor certificate of the film.
The MP High Court had directed the CBFC to consider the representations made by Sikh groups who had filed a petition before it.
After the Bombay High Court refused to order certification for the film ‘Emergency’, Kangana Ranaut said that she has become everyone’s favourite target and this is the price one pays for awakening the ‘sleeping nation.’
In a post on X, Kangana said on Wednesday, “Today I have become everyone’s favourite target, this is the price you pay for awakening this sleeping nation, they don’t know what I am talking about they have no clue why I am so concerned, because they want peace, they don’t want to take sides. They are cool, you know chilled!! Ha ha wish that poor soldier on the border had the same privilege of being cool, wish he didn’t have to take sides, and consider Pakistanis/Chinese his enemies. He is protecting you while you can lust over terrorists or anti- nationals.”
“Wish that young woman whose crime was only that she was alone on the road and was raped to pieces, she was probably a gentle and kind person who loved humanity but was her humanity reciprocated? Wish all the robbers and criminals were also having the same love and affection like this cool and sleeping generation but the truth of life is something else. Don’t worry they are coming for you if some of us also become cool like you all they will get you and then you will know the importance of uncool people,” she added.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 5th September, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) submitted its initial charge sheet regarding the two violent assaults that occurred at the Indian High Commission in London in March of last year. The agency has charged United Kingdom national Inderpal Singh Gaba in the conspiracy. He lives in Hounslow and was held by immigration officials at the Attari border in Amritsar approximately five months after arriving from London via Pakistan. He was captured on 25th April after he entered India to visit the Golden Temple. The chargesheet was filed in a special NIA court.
A NIA spokesperson informed, “Inderpal Singh Gaba, a UK national residing in Hounslow and originally hailing from New Delhi, has been charge-sheeted as one of the agitators who had participated actively in the anti-India protest, which took place on March 22 last year in front of Indian High Commission, London, as part of the Khalistani secessionist agenda. He was arrested by the NIA on April 25 this year after exhaustive investigations that established his role in the secessionist activity.”
He further stated, “In December 2023, he was earlier detained by the Immigration Authorities at the Attari border on arrival from London via Pakistan, based on the Look Out Circular opened against him. Investigations were then initiated against Inderpal and he was asked not to leave the country while the probe continued. During the investigation, the NIA seized his mobile phone and scrutinised the data, including several incriminating videos/photos of the incident, and eventually established his involvement in the incident.”
The spokesperson added, “Investigations have revealed that the attacks in London were conspired and perpetrated in retaliation to the action taken by Punjab police against Amritpal Singh, Chief of Waris Punjab De, with the objective of influencing the crackdown on the outfit and its leader. The violent attack on the High Commission was aimed at furthering and achieving the cause of Khalistan by secession in Punjab.”
On 22nd March 2023 around 2,000 pro-Khalistan elements broke into the Indian High Commission building in the capital city of Britain and tossed objects, including ink, to deface the building. Three days before the incident, a smaller mob had attacked the high commission, pulled down the Indian flag disrespectfully and injured some embassy officials in the process. The agency had travelled to London last year to probe the attacks with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police. Following the visit, the organisation unveiled a CCTV clip from the attack on 19th March and named at least 45 suspects.
Avtar Singh Khanda, a radical Sikh from Britain who passed away in a United Kingdom hospital in June 2023, was the mastermind behind the demonstrators. He was a close associate of Khalistani terrorist Jagtar Singh Tara. The assault was in retaliation for the police action against “Waris Punjab De” supremo Amritpal Singh on 18th March who was eventually arrested on 23rd April and later became a Lok Sabha MP from Khadoor Sahib. He is being held in a high-security facility in Dibrugarh, Assam, after being charged under the strict National Security Act (NSA).
On Thursday, September 5th, Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden pleaded guilty to around 9 charges in a federal tax evasion case. This move of son Biden is said to have surprised federal prosecutors as they planned to begin his trial.
Earlier, Hunter had refuted charges that he willfully avoided paying $1.4 million in income tax between 2016 and 2019. Biden, 54, first stated that he intended to enter a plea in which he would accept the allegations while maintaining his innocence. Still, prosecutors objected, and he just agreed to plead guilty simply.
As per the reports, 3 months ago, Biden was found guilty in another case related to gun possession and drug usage. He then became the first criminally convicted son of a serving US president.
The last-minute reversal in the tax case was declared in a Los Angeles court on Thursday, just as jury selection was about to begin. Over 100 potential jurors had assembled to start the process of selecting the panel.
Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated that his client sought to avoid a trial for the sake of private interest, preventing his friends and family from testifying about something that occurred when he was addicted to drugs. “I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment,” Hunter said in a statement to the media.
Judge Mark Scarsi stated that by pleading guilty, Biden potentially faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in jail and a fine ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16th, a month after the White House election and a month before his father is scheduled to leave the office.
President Biden had already stated that he would not utilize executive power to pardon his son. The prosecution, representing the Biden administration’s justice department, claimed they were shocked by the proposed Alford plea (a guilty plea in criminal court, whereby a defendant does not admit to the criminal act and asserts innocence) and were hesitant to agree to the setup that allowed Hunter Biden to maintain his innocence. They stated that the prisoner was “not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him”.
Lead prosecutor Leo Wise commented on the case and claimed that Biden was not innocent and that the authorities had come to the court to deal with the trial. In court on Thursday, September 5th, after prosecutors finished reading the 56-page indictment against Biden, the judge pondered whether Biden had agreed that he had committed every element of every crime charged. “I do,” Biden answered.
Biden previously attempted to have the case dismissed, claiming that the Justice Department’s probe was politically motivated and that he was targeted because Republican senators were seeking to impeach his father. However, he accepted all the nine charges imposed against him, pleading guilty.
Hunter Biden meanwhile also claimed that David Weiss, the special counsel in the case, was appointed unlawfully. But these reasons were rejected by Judge Scarsi, who was chosen by former President Trump. Biden was charged with three felony tax offences and six misdemeanours in December. These included failing to file and pay his taxes, evading taxes, and submitting a fake return.
The indictment outlined Biden’s $7 million in profits from overseas business dealings between 2016 and 2019. According to the accusation, he spent roughly $5 million on everything but his taxes during that time. Those purchases included narcotics, escorts, opulent hotels, fancy automobiles, and apparel, which Biden falsely claimed were business costs.
President Biden avoided commenting on the issue on Thursday. Hunter’s tax evasion prosecution is his second federal criminal case this year.
In June, he was convicted of three felony charges stemming from his purchase of a revolver in 2018 while suffering from drug addiction, as well as lying about his drug use on a federal form to obtain the gun.
Actress, producer and Lok Sabha MP Kangana Ranaut has confirmed that her movie ‘Emergency’ has not been cleared by the censor board and won’t be released today.
With a heavy heart I announce that my directorial Emergency has been postponed, we are still waiting for the certification from censor board, new release date will be announced soon, thanks for your understanding and patience ?
“With a heavy heart, I announce that my directorial Emergency has been postponed, we are still waiting for the certification from censor board, new release date will be announced soon, thanks for your understanding and patience”, Kangana posted on X.
The movie ‘Emergency’, based on the life of Indira Gandhi, her tenure as the Prime Minister of India and the Emergency she imposed in the 1970s, was scheduled to release on September 6. The movie’s clearance from the censor board, was stalled amid objections by some Sikh groups.
Kangana Ranaut, a multiple national award-winning actress and the sitting MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, has been facing threats and condemnations from many Sikh groups and political parties over her comments on the farmer protests. The movie Emergency also touches upon the events leading to Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Operation Bluestar and her actions against the Khalistani terrorism in Punjab.
The Shiromani Gurudwara Pravandhak Committee had demanded the removal of Emergency’s trailer from all platforms, a public apology from Kangana and a ban on the film’s release, alleging that the movie hurts the sentiments of the Sikh community. They have also sent a legal notice to Kangana Ranaut.
Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kyiv and appealed for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, the ‘Financial Times’ accused India of selling ‘sensitive goods’ to Russia and aiding in the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.
In a dubious article titled ‘Russia built covert trade channel with India, leaks reveal’ and published on Wednesday (4th August), the notorious British newspaper alleged that Russia was sourcing ‘critical electronics’ from India using its large reserve of rupees generated from oil sales.
Financial Times, which has a sordid history of peddling anti-India propaganda, claimed that the purchases were kept ‘hidden’ from Western governments and used in its war effort with Ukraine.
The newspaper relied on documents, not accessible to the public, and cryptic ‘sources’ to make its outlandish claims. It alleged, “It (Russia) saw India as an alternative market to source crucial goods “previously supplied from unfriendly countries”.
The purchase of Russian oil has been the bone of contention between India and the United States in particular so much so that the Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economics of the Biden administration threatened India with ‘consequences.’
Unperturbed by the arm-twisting of the West, India prioritised its domestic energy needs and purchased oil from Russia nonetheless.
British newspaper forgets India is a sovereign country
Financial Times attempted to exploit this very fault line in the bilateral relations between the US and India by suggesting the use of ‘oil money’ by Russia to continue the war with Ukraine.
It claimed, “Russia and its Indian partners targeted dual-use technologies — goods with both civilian and military applications — that are subject to western export controls…Moscow even envisaged pumping investment into Russo-Indian electronics development and production facilities, according to the leaked files.”
The British newspaper conceded that it had no idea about the extent of purchases but insinuated that Russia’s relationship with India had “grown deeper in the specific categories of goods.”
Financial Times also failed to specify the names of these sensitive goods or ‘critical electronics’. It also reiterated some of the threats of ‘sanctions’ issued by the US, conveniently forgetting that India is the world’s 5th largest economy and a sovereign nation capable of making policy decisions that suit its interests.
Financial Times whines about India’s purchase of Russian oil
The Indian government has repeatedly clarified since 2022 that the ‘Russian oil purchases’ constituted only a fraction of the total oil imports.
The country’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said once, “We do buy some energy, which is necessary for our energy security. But I suspect looking at the figures. Our total purchases for the month will be less than what Europe does in an afternoon. So, you might want to think about it.”
Despite this, the ‘Financial Times’ was quick to allege that India gave a ‘lifeline’ to Russia following sanctions on it by the the West.
“While Modi has bemoaned the impact on developing economies of the invasion of Ukraine and urged the two sides to make peace, Delhi extended an economic lifeline to Russia after it was hit by western sanctions,” it claimed.
“India has been a major buyer of Russian crude oil and the two countries’ total trade reached an all-time high of $66bn in the 2023-24 financial year, a fivefold increase on the past year before the invasion. Some of the trade has been transacted in rupees, leaving Russia with a surplus of the currency…Russian groups have used rupees to trade gold and purchase goods to evade the sanctions, according to people involved in the trade and western officials,” it added.
Financial Times accuses India of aiding in war against Ukraine, claims don’t add up
In its report, the British newspaper claimed that in October 2022, Alexander Gaponov (Deputy Head of the Radio Electronics Division of Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry) devised plans to procure electronics for use in drones and missiles from India.
It claimed that Gaponov roped in an organisation with links to Russian security services to purchase ‘dual-use components’ from India using digital financial assets and Indian currency and avoid scrutiny from the West.
Citing leaked documents, ‘Financial Times’ alleged that a capital outlay of ₹100 billion was made to source parts meant for server, telecommunication, and other complex electronic equipment.”
It also alleged that Russia spent funds to strengthen electronics factories in India to ensure a steady supply of its critical resources.
Such claims are hard to believe given that Russia could have easily purchased such ‘sensitive goods’ from China, the arch-rival of the West, instead of ‘investing’ in India which has good ties with the United States and other Western nations.
Given the mass-scale manufacturing potential of China at a fraction of the cost, it is highly unlikely that Russia would depend on India to procure critical equipment for defence.
No ceasefire in sight as West continues to support the Russia-Ukraine war
The news report appears as a concerted attempt by ‘Financial Times’ to tarnish India’s image at a global scale by vilifying the nation as an abettor of war between Russia and Ukraine.
Interestingly, the United States and the West have been prolonging the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe by pumping in billions of dollars and strengthening the war chest of Ukraine through the supply of arms and ammunition.
So far, the US has spent €75 billion on supporting the Ukranian side while European nations have cumulatively spent €110 billion.
Graph depicting share of the aid money given to Ukraine by the US and Europe, image via IFW
An additional €93.3 billion worth of military aid is still in the pipeline.
While the warmongers in the West virtue signal India for securing its energy needs, they continue to keep the conflict simmering.
