The Delhi police have filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, accusing AAP leaders and workers of large conspiracy in the assault case involving its own Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
For the unversed, Maliwal was assaulted by Bibhav Kumar, the former personal assistant of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, at the latter’s residence on 13th May this year.
The Delhi police have claimed that how AAP threw its weight behind Kumar and abandoned its own MP indicated a larger conspiracy.
“Investigation has brought out the fact that the petitioner and the CM, Delhi, were together at the scene of the crime, i.e., the Delhi residence, immediately after the commission of the crime for a significant period of time,” the affidavit read.
“As such, the contrarian public stands taken by responsible public servants in the following days also needs to be examined in its correct perspective to decipher if there was a larger conspiracy behind the brutal assault on the complainant/victim at the hands of the petitioner,” it added.
The Delhi police pointed out that selective CCTV footage was leaked to the media, prior to recovery of recording devices.
In its affidavit, the police noted. “This act also needs to be examined to find out whether the crime was conspiratorial or otherwise. Therefore, there is still an apprehension that petitioner herein may influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidences and thus fails to qualify the triple test as laid down by this court.”
“The manner of brutal assault on the complainant, can be seen as mentioned in her complaint and corroborated by the MLC. The complainant victim has presided over DCW as Chairperson for sufficient time, and such an assault on her, and that too at the residence of the Chief Minister, casts aspersions on women’s safety in society,” it continued.
The Delhi police highlighted the ability of petitioner Bibhav Kumar to influence witnesses and tamper with the evidence. The Supreme Court had previously directed the police to respond to Kumar’s special petition leave. He was earlier denied bail by the Delhi High Court.
Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta had stated, “It cannot be ruled out that the witness may be influenced or evidence can be tempered. Therefore, the bail application is disposed of”.
The special investigation team (SIT) for Badlapur sexual assault against minors has registered an FIR against the school authorities, for not complying with the provisions of section 19 of the POCSO Act which mandates that every authority when they come to know about any such kind of sexual assault against minors are obligated to report this to police authorities for further action, said SIT.
The police were not informed by the school authorities and that is why the school authorities have been booked under section 21 of the POCSO Act which is punishment for violation of section 19 of the same Act, stated SIT.
The SIT recorded the statements of both the minor victims along their parents, added SIT.
Earlier amid the violent protests in Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognizance of the Badlapur incident. The matter was heard in the court on Thursday by a division bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan.
The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls at a school in Maharashtra’s Badlapur has sparked outrage. On August 17 police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls. This incident has created massive outrage among the people in Badlapur.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) has recommended the establishment of special branches or “mini-police stations” for women and children in every police station across the state.
This development came in the wake of an alleged delay in registering the crime by the police in Badlapur. Chairperson Susieben Shah shared a detailed plan in this regard during a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Shah stated that currently, police stations have Women’s Help Desks, Special Juvenile Police Units, and Child Welfare Police Officers. However, these units are not dedicated solely to addressing complaints from women and children, often leading to the unavailability of trained personnel when needed. Officers in these units are frequently assigned to other duties, causing delays in registering and investigating complaints.
The Crime Branch units in police stations are exclusively reserved for investigating crimes, ensuring that officers are not diverted to other duties and that their sole responsibility is to investigate and solve crimes efficiently.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Amidst the outrage over the comments recently made by Saint Ramgiri Maharaj on Prophet Muhammad during a sermon in Nashik’s Sinnar region, the Islamist mobs are holding protests in various states. In what seems to be a Nupur Sharma redux, the Islamist protestors are demanding Sar tan se juda [beheading] punishment for Ramgiri Maharaj. Meanwhile, multiple FIRs have been lodged against the Hindu saint.
You kept quiet during Nupur Sharma times… don't be silent this time.
— Sameet Thakkar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@thakkar_sameet) August 17, 2024
In one such protest, several Muslim men along with children are seen raising “Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek Saza, Sar tan se juda [“There is only one punishment for being disrespectful to Nabi (Prophet Muhammad]”. The Islamists online are inciting their co-religionists against Ramgiri Maharaj and hurling derogatory slurs against Ramgiri Maharaj. One such Islamist called Ramgiri Maharaj “piss drinker”.
A Muslim X user Alim alleged that “Kafir” [infidel] will help another Kafir and the only way to ‘punish’ Ramgiri Maharaj is “Sar tan se juda”. “Kanoon iska kuchh nhi krega ye saare Qafir-Qafir ka hi saath denge Iska ek hi rasta h gustakhe Nabi ki ek saza sar tan se juda sar tan se juda Allahu Akbar [sword emojis],” Alim posted in response to an inflammatory post against the Hindu sage.
Notably, a massive protest rally was taken out in Karnataka’s Kudachi. Other than Karnataka, protests were held in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara, Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha, Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and Mumbra and in Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh.
As reported earlier, on 22nd August, Madhya Pradesh police took strict action against Islamists who pelted stones and created a ruckus in Chhatarpur Kotwali police station on Wednesday afternoon while protesting against Ramgiri Maharaj. The police registered a case against 150 people involved in the ruckus after the orders were issued by CM Mohan Yadav. The FIR includes 50 named and 100 other people who pelted stones at the police station injuring two officers. MP CM Mohan Yadav took cognisance of the matter and directed the authorities to take stringent action against the unruly Islamists. Subsequently, accused Haji Shahzad Ali’s house in Mastan Sahab Colony of Chhatarpur city was demolished with the help of a bulldozer.
In Mumbra, the Muslim mob raised Sar tan se juda banners and inflammatory slogans against the Hindu saint.
Sar tan se juda: The Islamist way of silencing those quoting the uncomfortable truths from the ‘book’
This is not the first time that Islamists have unleashed the ‘Sar tan se juda’ terror against those making critical comments about Islam or Muslims. Last year, OpIndia reported how Islamists raised slogans of ‘sar tan se juda’ in Gir Somnath outside a police station, accusing Hindu rights activist Kajal Hindustani of giving an anti-Islamic speech during the Ram Navami procession. As reported back then, she talked about forced religious conversion where Hindu girls are lured into a relationship by Muslim men who usually hide their religious identity and eventually force them to convert their faith, demography changes in parts of India and several other issues.
Soon after, Islamists started posting video snippets, directing an Islamist mob against her, claiming that she was spreading hate and asking Hindus to pick up weapons against Muslims even as she only talked about self-defence against various Islamist threats.
In 2021, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan had called for the beheading of a Hindu priest through his verified Twitter account. Ever since lakhs of Muslims have called for the beheading of Dasna Devi Temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for his statements against Muhammad. Other than this, Muslim children were also seen raising Sar tan se juda slogans against the Hindu priest.
Back in 2015 and early 2016, lakhs of Muslims had taken to the streets in several cities of India, openly calling for the public beheading and murder of Kamlesh Tiwari. Muslims rioted in various states of the country and eventually, Tiwari was brutally killed in 2019 by two Muslim assailants Farid-ud-din Shaikh and Ashfak Shaikh, in his office-cum-residence in Lucknow. Kamlesh Tiwari was shot and had his throat slit in the most barbaric manner. There were multiple stab wounds on his body and his throat slit wide open with a sharp weapon.
In May 2022, after her remarks during a debate on Times Now, former spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party Nupur Sharma came under Islamists’ radar even as she quoted what is written in the Islamic text. During protests, Islamists raised ‘sar tan se juda‘ slogans. Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair played a vital role in instigating protests and dog-whistling Islamists against Sharma in India and abroad. As a result, the BJP removed her from the party. Islamists kill many Hindus, including Rajasthan’s Kanhaiyalal and Maharashtra’s Umesh Kohle, for supporting Nupur Sharma. To date, Sharma lives a restricted life with occasional public appearances while Taslim Ahmed Rehmani, whose statement against Bhagwan Shiv made her angry during the debate, is roaming free.
While these are a few major incidents, OpIndia has documented numerous incidents wherein Muslims raised Sar tan se juda slogans over imaginary ‘blasphemy’ and also for no reason whatsoever or rather to instil terror into the hearts of Hindus. An example of this was seen at Muharram this year when a Muslim mob raised Sar tan se juda slogans in Kanpur outside a Hanuman temple.
Why Sar tan se juda should be treated as a precursor to a terrorist act
“Gustakh-e-Rasool ki Ek hi saza, sar tan se Juda, sar tan se Juda”, this murderous slogan has claimed many lives in the name of alleged ‘blasphemy’ not only in India where there are no ‘blasphemy laws’ but also in our hostile neighbour Pakistan. Much like their brethren in India, Islamists in Pakistan also get riled up over anything they perceive as insulting to their faith.
In February this year, it was reported that a mob of Islamic fanatics, led by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan members, thought that the colourful Arabic text on the white dress a woman wore was Quranic verses, and therefore she committed blasphemy, which is punishable by death in Pakistan. The mob surrounded the victim woman and raised Sar tan se juda slogans, fortunately, the woman was saved from getting lynched. In another such incident, Pakistani Islamists created a ruckus over a QR code on a bottle assuming that Allah was scribed on it.
In the latest incident, Pakistani Islamists are leading Sar tan se juda protests against Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa for releasing an Ahmadiyya man who faced ‘blasphemy’ charges and saying that everyone has the right to profess their religion.
In 2011, the governor of the Punjab province of Pakistan, Salman Taseer was murdered by his own guard Mumtaz Qadri who disagreed with Taseer’s opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Khadim Hussain Rizvi, a Maulana in Pakistan at the time hailed Qadri for assassinating Taseer and declared him a ‘Ghazi’. He led a procession with thousands of people in attendance, who raised provocative slogans against the former governor of Punjab, Pakistan, and hailed Qadri as a hero.
The procession, organised by the radical Barelvi terror outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), amplified the slogan among the masses of Pakistan in 2011 to shield Mumtaz Qadri. Two slogans were chiefly chanted during the procession. One was “Rasool Allah, Rasool Allah” and the other, “Gustakh-e-Rasool Ki Ek Hi Zaza, Sar Tan Se Juda, Sar Tan Se Juda.” Rizvi would ask the audience during the mass demonstrations, “Gustakh-e-Rasool ki Ek hi Saza?” The protestors would respond by chanting “Sar Tan Se Juda, Sar Tan Se Juda”. Qadri not only shot Taseer dead but later justified his crime as his ‘religious duty’.
This ‘Sar tan se juda’ slogan and the street veto of Islamists pose a direct threat to the Hindu and other non-Muslim communities and also challenge the authority of India’s justice system. This slogan should be seen as a precursor to a terror attack and a direct incitement to violence. Across the world, blasphemy attacks, such as the killing of Samuel Paty in France, are considered terror attacks and treated with utmost seriousness. While historically, the Indian leftists have behaved like Islamist cheerleaders for political gains the brutal attacks on communist leaders in Bangladesh by Islamists should raise an alarm for them. The Islamists have only one ideology which is to establish the supremacy of Islam wherever they live.
The condoning of such slogans, believing they are just a cathartic expression of a livid mob aggrieved over the purported insult of their prophet, is nothing but wishful thinking because chances are that some religious zealot in the crowd, egged on by the slogans, would be motivated to pick up the weapon and proceed to kill someone like Kanhaiya Lal.
In such a scenario, the state cannot assume a lasseiz-fair approach and allow the sloganeers to sow hatred and walk away with impunity. Instead, it should come down hard against such miscreants and set an example for others to discourage them from indulging in similar behaviour. Bulldozer action, slapping UAPA charges, and stripping away government benefits are some of the initial measures the government can take to tackle the menace of ‘Sar Tan Se Judaa’ chants. In most cases, Islamists use critical remarks made by certain individuals as seen in the case of Ramgiri Maharaj, to unleash riots and wreak havoc on Hindus and then play victim claiming that they are suffering “Zulm” of Hindutva people.
If the country does not want more Umesh Kolhe, Kanhaiyalal and Kamlesh Tiwari beheaded by Islamists, the government should ban the slogan altogether and criminalise its usage. The least this ban would do is send out a message to the Islamists that India is still a democratic Hindu-majority country and not some ‘Dar ul Islam’ they dream of.
In a significant milestone, recent official figures show that automobile ownership among India’s poorest households has increased significantly over the last decade.
According to data gathered from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and shared on X by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic advisory council member Shamika Ravi on 23rd August, vehicle ownership among the poorest households has increased from 6% to 40% in the last decade under the Modi government. This translates to a whopping increase of 566.67% in the percentage of the poorest in the country owning a vehicle.
The last 10 years have been economically remarkable for the poorest 20% of Indian population. Here’s one important marker: the proportion of poorest households that owned a vehicle (motorcycle/scooter,car/jeep)- 2011-12: 6% 2022-23: 40% State-wise growth is even more fascinating! pic.twitter.com/rsX7FEUBST
“The last 10 years have been economically remarkable for the poorest 20% of Indian population. Here’s one important marker: the proportion of poorest households that owned a vehicle (motorcycle/scooter,car/jeep)- 2011-12: 6% 2022-23: 40% State-wise growth is even more fascinating!,” Ravi posted.
While in 2011-12, only 6% of India’s poorest households owned a vehicle, which could be a motorbike, scooter, car, or jeep, by 2022-23, the figure had surged to 40%.
According to state-level data, Punjab saw the biggest rise, with 62.5% of the poorest households owning a vehicle in rural regions and 65.7% in urban areas.
West Bengal was at the bottom of the list, with only 9.6% of the poorest rural households and 15.2% in urban areas possessing a vehicle.
Notably, Bihar is the only state where rural households own more vehicles than urban ones. In Bihar, 19.1% of the poorest rural households own a vehicle, compared to 16.8% of the poorest urban households.
The data shared by Shamika Ravi demonstrates a substantial boost in the financial status particularly in terms of purchasing power for the poorest households. This has enabled these households to purchase motor vehicles. The increase in vehicle ownership among the lowest parts of the population signifies economic advancement or shifts in economic policies benefitting these households. Alongside this, improved access to credit plus shifts in consumer behaviour also added to the substantial growth in vehicle ownership among the poorest households.
India on Friday, August 23rd is celebrating ‘National Space Day’ as the landmark achievement of India’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3. This is a year after the spacecraft by ISRO successfully landed on the surface of the Moon on this day last year. Post-landing the spacecraft is indulged in investigation into the elemental composition of the Earth’s only natural satellite, its surface plasma environment, lunar seismicity, and thermophysical features.
PM Modi wished everyone on the occasion of the first ‘National Space Day’ lauding the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for making the country proud. “Greetings to everyone on the first National Space Day. We recall with great pride our nation’s achievements in the space sector. It is also a day to laud the contributions of our space scientists. Our Government has taken a series of futuristic decisions relating to this sector and we will do even more in the times to come,” PM Modi posted on X sharing a video.
Greetings to everyone on the first National Space Day. We recall with great pride our nation’s achievements in the space sector. It is also a day to laud the contributions of our space scientists. Our Government has taken a series of futuristic decisions relating to this sector… pic.twitter.com/E7QcNDSm4u
Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences also commented on the occasion and praised the Narendra Modi government for providing an enabling environment for space research. He indicated that India never had a lack of talent or willingness to think beyond science, but what was lacking was an enabling environment that was provided by the current leadership.
Singh further also mentioned that Chandrayaan 3 was a success and Chandrayaan 4 and 5 are soon to follow. He also stated that India is planning to send the first Indian to space through the Gaganyaan Mission by the year 2025.
Notably on the occasion of Independence Day, 15th August, PM Modi had highlighted the remarkable progress and vibrancy of India’s space sector. PM Modi emphasized the revolutionary reforms made in the industry, which have freed it from previous restraints and opened the door to private sector participation.
“Earlier our space sector was in shackles, but we have freed it. It is an opportunity for our young startups. Today we are seeing private satellites being launched. When intentions are right, we get the desired results,” PM Modi was quoted as saying.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology then supported the Prime Minister’s views, pointing out that the number of space start-ups has risen by 200 times in the last two years. This expansion is due to the Centre’s determination to open up the space industry to private enterprises and encourage public-private collaborations. “The space sector had very few StartUps initially but now it has around 300 StartUps, many with global potential,” Singh said.
As per the reports, in a significant policy shift, the Indian government now permits 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the space sector, easing the production of satellite components and systems. The Union Budget included an additional Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund for space technology start-ups.
The ISRO meanwhile is celebrating India’s 1st National Space Day by organizing an event at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the live streaming of which is ongoing on the ISRO’s official YouTube channel.
Significance of the National Space Day
The launch of National Space Day commemorates India’s technological advances in space research and exploration. The success of Chandrayaan-3 not only established India as a major player in the global space sector but also represents ISRO scientists and engineers’ devotion and hard work.
This milestone demonstrates India’s potential to accomplish achievements in space exploration, with Chandrayaan-3 standing as a model of ingenuity, precision, and endurance. Furthermore, National Space Day has been founded to encourage the next generation of Indians to seek jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and contribute to India’s future space endeavors. The theme for India’s first National Space Day is ‘Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga’.
Chandrayaan 3: India’s landmark success
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) accomplished a historic achievement by successfully landing the Vikam Lander on the moon’s southern polar zone on August 23, 2023. India became the world’s first country to land on the moon’s southern pole region, and the fourth overall.
The Vikram Lander, supported by the Pragyaan Rover, touched down on the lunar surface, marking an important milestone in India’s space research ambitions.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission’s accomplishment demonstrates India’s expanding space technological capabilities and emphasizes the necessity of international collaboration in space exploration.
Post-landing the spacecraft is indulged in investigation into the elemental composition of the Earth’s only natural satellite, its surface plasma environment, lunar seismicity, and thermophysical features.
Chandrayaan 4, 5 to follow
Union Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed delivering a curtain raiser for the first National Space Day, “Chandrayaan 3 was a milestone, Chandrayaan 4 and 5 will follow.” He made the remarks while speaking with the media on the eve of National Space Day 2024 at the National Media Centre on 22nd August. He also stated that India is planning to send the first Indian to space through the Gaganyaan Mission by the year 2025.
He also pointed out that the number of space start-ups has risen by 200 times in the last two years. This expansion is due to the Centre’s determination to open up the space industry to private enterprises and encourage public-private collaborations.
On Thursday (22nd August), the Pakistani authorities drew the ire of German Minister Svenja Schulze while she was visiting the Prime Minister’s House to meet Shehbaz Sharif.
Schulze, who serves as the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development in Germany, was asked by the security personnel deployed at the residence of Sharif to have her handbag checked.
On top of that, she was asked to leave her bag with the security personnel. “It is protocol”, one of the staffers remarked.
Islamabad: Als Entwicklungsministerin Schulze zu ihrem Termin mit Pakistans Premier Sharif eintrifft, verlangen seine Sicherheitsleute, dass sie ihre Handtasche abgibt.
Schulze dreht um und geht zurück in Richtung Auto.
A miffed Svenja Schulze confronted them and was about to cancel the meeting altogether.
In a video that had surfaced on social media, the German Minister and other diplomats were seen turning their backs and walking swiftly towards their cars.
“Ok, thank you, bye bye”, a member of Schulze’s team was heard saying. The diplomatic snub made the embarrassed Pakistani security personnel to quickly give in to the demands of the German Minister.
She was allowed to take her bag inside without having it checked. It was only after the resolution of the incident that the meeting between Svenja Schulze and the Pakistani Prime Minister went as per schedule. Senior officials from both sides were part of the meeting.
The Assam government said that 47,928 illegal immigrants were detected in the state during the period between 1971 and 2014 and out of them 43 per cent are Hindus.
The Foreigners’ Tribunals of the state declared these people as foreigners during this period.
Replying to a written question of AGP MLA Ponakan Baruah, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma who also holds the Home Department portfolio said that from 1971 to 2014 the Foreigners’ Tribunals declared 47928 persons as foreigners and out of them 20,613 are Hindus and 27,309 are Muslims and six belonged to other religions.
According to the state government data, out of a total of 20,613 Hindus declared as illegal immigrants by the Foreigners’ Tribunals, 8,139 are from Cachar district, 2884 from Guwahati city, 1574 from Lakhimpur district, 1038 from Dibrugarh district.
On the other hand, out of 27309 Muslims declared as illegal immigrants by the Foreigners’ Tribunals, 4182 are from Jorhat district, 3,897 from Guwahati city, 2,829 from Dibrugarh district, 2,100 from Hojai district, 2,096 from Sivasagar district, 2,083 from Nagaon district, 2,013 from Cachar district, 1,710 from Lakhimpur district, 1,172 from Morigaon district.
According to the Assam Accord, the midnight of 24 March 1971 is the cut-off date for the detection and deportation of illegal migrants.
Citing the 2011 census, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The Assamese-speaking people accounted for 48.38 per cent of the state’s total population of 3.12 crore and the Bengali-speaking people accounted for 28.92 per cent of the total population.”
On Baruah’s question, if the state government was aware of the fact that the number of people speaking non-Assamese languages is rising and creating a threat to the indigenous communities, Sarma said the dispensation is monitoring the situation.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The Assam government on Thursday tabled a bill in the state assembly that seeks to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.
Assam Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan introduced the Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, in the state assembly.
The objective of the proposal of the Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, is to replace bill for the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024 for the repeal of the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 and Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Rules, 1935.
As per the Bill, the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 is a pre-independence Act adopted by the British India Government for the then Province of Assam for Muslim religious and social arrangements. The registration of marriages and divorces is not mandatory and the machinery of registration is informal leaving a lot of scope for non-compliance of extant norms.
The Assam Minister Jogen Mohan said in the Statement of Object and Reasons of the Repealing Bill that there remains a scope of registering marriages of the intended person below 21 years (in case of male) and 18 years (in case of female) and hardly any monitoring made for implementation of this act throughout the state which attracts and invite huge amount of litigation in the criminal/civil court. There is a scope of misuse by both authorized licensees (Muslim marriage Registrars) as well as by citizens for underage/minor marriages and forcefully arranged marriages without the consent of the parties.
On August 21, the Assam cabinet approved the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024 to strengthen the institution of Muslim marriage, and authorize government machinery as the registering authority of marriages and divorce and prevent the menace of child marriage.
This new bill would likely be placed in the ongoing autumn session of the Assam assembly. It seeks to make it compulsory for all married couples to get their marriages and divorces registered. The marriages may be solemnized as per their ritual, usage and ceremony and declared as per provisions of the law.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that this bill is made in line of the Civil Code of Procedure for summon, notice etc. to ensure and find out the truth of the application of all related issues. This bill will benefit the common people and protect them from all odds and evils besides legal recognition of their marriage and divorce, the Chief Minister 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)
Punjab Police has secured the extradition of 2016 Nabha Jailbreak mastermind Ramanjit Singh alias Romy, from Hong Kong.
The latter was brought back to India by the team of the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police on Thursday, said the Information And Public Relations Department, Punjab.
“After tireless efforts by @PunjabPoliceInd, Romy, the key conspirator, is being brought back today to face justice. He was in touch with #ISI and other escaped prisoners, including Harminder Singh Mintu and Kashmir Singh Galwaddi of the Khalistan Liberation Force (#KLF),” informed Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav in a post on X.
Mastermind of 2016 Nabha Jailbreak, Ramanjit Singh @ Romy, Extradited to #India from #HongKong!
After tireless efforts by @PunjabPoliceInd, Romy, the key conspirator, is being brought back today to face justice. He was in touch with #ISI and other escaped prisoners, including… pic.twitter.com/h6kNx57kHG
The DGP’s post further reads, “We thank the Hong Kong authorities, the CBI, Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and all other central agencies as part of this international cooperation.”
Pertinently, the fugitive Ramanjit Singh alias Romi played a vital role in Nabha Jailbreak took place on November 27, 2016 at around 9am, in which, gangsters dressed as policemen, broke open the high security jail and freed six dreaded inmates and gangsters, namely Harminder Singh alias Mintu, Gurpreet Singh Sekhon, Amandeep Singh Dhotian, Kulpreet Singh alias Neeta Deol, Kashmir Singh alias Galwaddi and gangster Harjinder Singh alias Vicky Gonder, who were later neutralised by Punjab Police on January 26, 2018 in Rajasthan, while others were arrested.
Romi, who is a key member of the Shera Khuban/Vicky Gaunder gang, had provided logistical in the form of financial aid, weapons used in Nabha Jail break, fake IDs used to gain access in the jail and financial support to the gang members in the preparation to execute the jail break, besides, providing safe houses and hideouts to the prisoners, who had escaped from the jail.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that through relentless investigation and meticulous operations, a total of 26 accused of Nabha Jailbreak were arrested and chargesheeted, however, Ramanjit Singh alias Romy, who was the foreign handler was declared a proclaimed offender.
Mastermind of 2016 Nabha Jailbreak in Punjab Ramanjit Singh @ Romy has been extradited to India from Hong Kong today.
Romy was in touch with Pakistan ISI & other escaped prisoners, including Harminder Singh Mintu & Kashmir Singh Galwaddi of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). pic.twitter.com/ItZqSllm6J
The latter, who was also in touch with ISI and Harminder Singh Mintu and Kashmir Singh Galwaddi of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), emerged as the mastermind behind the jailbreak, he said.
“Our relentless pursuit of justice led to issuance of a Look Out Circular (LOC) and Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Romi. The extradition process was set in motion in 2018 as per the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) with the Government of Special Administrative Region (SAR) Hong Kong, where the case was robustly presented to the Department of Justice and the Courts of Hong Kong,” said the Punjab DGP, while adding that the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong issued the order for Romi’s surrender on August 6, 2024.
DGP Gaurav Yadav commended the strenuous efforts of the entire team of AGTF headed by ADGP Promod Ban for marking the culmination of an extraordinary international operation with the cooperation of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Government of India that demonstrated the resolve and competence of the Punjab Police.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
During PM Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Poland, the two countries decided to elevate the bilateral relationship to the level of a “strategic partnership”, and unveiled a 5-year program to implement the same. In the meeting between PM Modi and Polish PM Donald Tusk, both sides vowed to significantly expand the bilateral defence and security ties, and Tusk expressed Warsaw’s eagerness to be a key partner in New Delhi’s aim to boost domestic defence production and modernise its armed forces.
PM Modi arrived in Polish capital Warsaw on Wednesday, in the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Poland in nearly half a century. Apart from meeting PM Donald Tusk, he also held a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday. During the meeting of the two PM, the two countries decided to elevate the India-Poland relationship to strategic partnership.
The two PMs held talks in private and also in delegation level formats. The two leaders agreed that there were significant opportunities available for economic and business collaboration in sectors such as food processing, urban infrastructure, water, solid waste management, electric vehicles, green hydrogen, renewable energy, AI, mining and in clean technologies.
The leaders underscored the importance of deepening people-to-people ties and cultural relations. In this regard, they highlighted the unique bond established between the two countries based on the generosity of Maharaja of Jamnagar and the royal family of Kolhapur. Modi and Tusk also discussed important regional and global issues of mutual interest including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. They exchanged views on reform of United Nations and other international institutions, climate change action and threats posed by terrorism.
Following this decision, the two sides unveiled a five-year Action Plan for the period 2024-2028 in a range of areas including defence, trade, agri-tech, energy, green technologies, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and mining for cooperation.
The five-year action plan is as follows:
Political Dialogue and Security Cooperation
The two sides will maintain regular contacts between foreign ministers, and they will use both bilateral and multilateral fora for these interactions.
Both sides will consider supporting each other’s aspirations on a case-by-case basis to contribute to multilateral cooperation in the spirit of the United Nations Charter.
The two sides will ensure holding of annual political dialogue at the level of deputy minister in charge of foreign relations.
The two sides will encourage relevant institutions to hold regular consultations on security and defence cooperation to promote contact between defence industries, modernise military equipment, and address outstanding issues.
The two sides decided that the next round of the Joint Working Group for defence cooperation will take place in 2024.
Trade and Investment
Recognizing opportunities in high-tech, agriculture, agritech, food tech, energy, climate, green technologies, infrastructure, smart cities, defense, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and mining, the two sides will explore further cooperation in these sectors during next Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) meeting scheduled for the end of 2024.
The two sides will strive to organize meetings of JCEC at least twice every five years, with the possibility of more frequent meetings, if necessary.
Both sides will work towards achieving balanced bilateral trade and addressing all issues to facilitate smooth trade and investment.
Both sides will enhance cooperation in economic security by focusing on increasing supply chain resilience and mitigating risks associated with trade dependencies.
Climate, Energy, Mining, Science and Technology
The two sides will expand their cooperation in sustainable and environmentally friendly technological solutions for the circular economy and waste-water management.
Acknowledging their historical reliance on domestic supplies for energy security, both sides will work together on advancing cleaner energy approaches and exploring cooperation in Clean Coal Technologies to minimize environmental impact.
Recognizing the crucial role of innovation and the growing importance of critical minerals, the two sides will collaborate on advanced mining systems, high-tech machinery, pioneering safety standards, and increase exchanges and cooperation in mining-related industries.
Both sides agreed to work on concluding a cooperation agreement to promote the safe, sustainable, and secure use of space and commercial space ecosystems. They also agreed to promote human and robotic exploration.
Poland recognizes India’s ambition to join the International Energy Agency.
Transport and Connectivity
The two sides will explore developing cooperation in the field of transport infrastructure.
The two sides will work to enhance connectivity between their countries and respective regions by discussing and pursuing further expansion of flight connections.
Terrorism
The two sides reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and emphasized that no country should provide a safe haven to those who finance, plan, support or commit terrorist acts. Both sides will make concerted efforts against all terrorists, including by designating individuals affiliated with groups that are listed by the UN Security Council 1267 sanctions committee.
Cyber Security
Recognizing the critical importance of cyber security for economic and social development, both sides will enhance close interaction and increased exchanges in ICT-related fields, with particular attention to international cooperation, legislative and regulatory solutions, judicial and police activities, deterrence, prevention and responses to cyber-attacks, awareness-building and educational programs, scientific and technological research and development, business and economic exchanges.
Health
Both sides underlines the vital role of strengthening collaboration in the field of health by exchanging and sharing information on areas of mutual interest, enhancing contacts among health experts, and supporting cooperation between health institutions in both countries.
People-to-People Ties and Cultural Cooperation
Both sides will work together to implement the Agreement on Social Security and they will make efforts to complete their respective internal legal procedures in this regard.
The two sides will strengthen cooperation between cultural institutions and organisations of the two countries. The two sides will strengthen exchanges between artists, language experts, scholars, and cultural institutions from both countries. They will also explore establishing cooperation and dialogue between their think tanks and experts.
The two sides will work together to strengthen cooperation in higher education and encourage universities from both sides to organise relevant activities. They will also encourage respective authorities to establish partnerships between academic institutions in both countries.
Both sides emphasized importance of education and linguistic and cultural exchange in building mutual understanding and fostering bilateral cultural ties. They also recognized the role of Hindi and Indian studies in Poland and Polish language and culture studies in India and agreed to work on an agreement between Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange and respective Indian agencies on teaching Polish language at various universities in India.
Both sides will continue to expand tourist flows in both directions by strengthening cooperation in tourism. This includes organizing tourism missions, arranging family trips for influencers and travel agencies, and participating in tourism fairs and roadshows in both countries.
To mark the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic Relations, both sides will hold cultural festivals in each-others countries organized by the diplomatic missions. Dates for such special events will be decided in mutual consultations.
Both sides will also promote a Student Exchange Programme and build mutual understanding with younger generation.
India-EU
Recognizing that the EU and India are key international partners with a significant role in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity, both sides will support the early conclusion of the ongoing India-EU trade and investment negotiations, the operationalization of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), and the implementation of the India-EU Connectivity Partnership to advance the India-EU Strategic Partnership in trade, new technologies, and security.
Way Forward
Both sides will ensure regular monitoring of the implementation of the Action Plan, with the annual political consultation as the primary mechanism for reviewing and updating the activities. The extension of the Action Plan for another five-year period will be adopted by the respective ministers in charge of foreign affairs.
