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Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater moves desperate bail plea after 130 days in custody on charges of domestic violence and choking a woman, rejected

OpIndia Staff
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Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater moves desperate bail plea after 130 days in custody on charges of domestic violence and choking a woman, rejected

On Tuesday (20th August), the Supreme Court in Brisbane denied bail to Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater for a second time this year as he faces 25 charges, including domestic violence. Justice Paul Freeburn rejected the bail application noting that there was an “unacceptable risk of further offending”.  

Michael Slater, former Australian cricketer turned commentator, is accused of assaulting and choking a woman during violence that continued for several months. He has been in custody since April this year. The Australian cricketer also faces charges of stalking the woman and sometimes sending her more than 100 text messages a day including sending her abusive and degrading messages.

The woman had filed a complaint at a local Police Station when she received a security camera notification on her phone and observed the Australian cricketer breaking into her home. Slater was arrested a short time later and has been in custody for over 130 days. His previous bail plea was denied in April. 

On Tuesday (20th August), Slater’s legal team made a desperate attempt to seek bail. His counsel, Barrister Greg McGuire submitted a new proposal before the Brisbane Supreme Court. 

He told the court that his client was willing to “leave the state completely” to seek treatment at a residential rehabilitation clinic in NSW. It also included conditions like restrictions on alcohol consumption and no-contact orders with the complainant.

He argued that the case would continue for a long time and Michael Slater faced the danger of spending too much time in custody. The court was informed that a potential criminal trial might not be scheduled until 2025. 

Slater’s counsel, McGuire said, “There is a very real danger he (Slater) will have spent too much time in custody by the time the matter is disposed of. The proposed conditions are he go to the Sydney clinic until they are satisfied with his ability to leave. He’s now faced the consequences of his behavior, spending 4.5 months in custody.” 

However, Justice Freeburn observed that the risk of further or continued offending cannot be ignored. While rejecting his bail plea, Justice Freeburn remarked, “It is difficult to be confident or even have a modest degree of confidence that Mr. Slater would comply with any bail conditions such as a no contact condition, even from Sydney.” 

It is pertinent to note that last time when his bail was rejected in April, Slater reportedly collapsed in the magistrate’s court. 

Back then, Justice Paul Freeburn, refused Slater’s bail citing his history of domestic violence and the persistence of the offenses.

Freeburn added that the 54-year-old had a history of mental health conditions and was diagnosed with ADHD, major depressive disorder, insomnia, alcohol use disorder, and borderline personality disorder.

He further said, “The offenses alleged are supported by some evidence and are sustained and persistent. The risk of further or continued offending cannot be ignored.”

Michael Slater’s matter will return to court on 20th September.

During his cricketing career, Michael Slater represented Australia in 74 Test matches between 1993 and 2001. He also played 42 One-Day Internationals before retiring from all cricket in 2004. He later became a television commentator. 

1992 Ajmer gangrape and blackmail case: ‘Khadims’ of Ajmer dargah, including ex-Congressman Nafis Chisti among 6 convicted by POCSO court

OpIndia Staff
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1992 Ajmer gangrape and blackmail case: ‘Khadims’ of Ajmer dargah, including ex-Congressman Nafis Chisti among 6 convicted by POCSO court

In the Ajmer 1992 Sex Scandal, the POCSO court delivered a historic verdict today, declaring six accused guilty. All the accused appeared before the court, which is set to announce the sentences at 2 pm on August 20. One of the accused remains at large.

The POCSO court found Nafis Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Ghani, and Syed Jameen Hussain guilty of the crimes. In 1992, the accused gang-raped more than 100 girl students from Ajmer’s renowned Mayo College and blackmailed them using their photographs. Four other accused have already served their sentences. Following the guilty verdict, the police took all the accused into custody.

Four convicts in the case have already served their sentences. The initial chargesheet, filed on November 30, 1992, listed eight individuals. Later, four additional chargesheets were submitted, bringing the total number of accused to 12.

The primary accused, Farooq Chishti, served as the President of the Ajmer Youth Congress. Nafis Chishti held the position of Vice President of the Ajmer Indian National Congress, while Anwar Chishti was the Joint Secretary of the Ajmer Indian National Congress.

The scandal came to light through an article in a local newspaper. It revealed the sexual exploitation of schoolgirls by blackmailing them using nude photographs. The gang responsible for this influenced religious, political, social and economic fields. This revelation created an uproar across the country. It created an atmosphere of fear among government officials, police and members of social and religious organisations of the state.

Ajmer Police found young men from influential families of Khadims and caretakers of Sufi Moinuddin Hasan Chisti’s dargah involved in the scandal

The Ajmer District Police discovered that several affluent young men from the families of Khadims, the caretakers of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti’s dargah, were involved in the scandal. The police also suspected high-ranking politicians and officials. Due to concerns about potential threats to peace and order in the city, the police initially hesitated to take action, facing significant pressure.

A subsequent news article titled “How the Blackmailers of Schoolgirls Remained Free” featured explicit photos, which further fueled public outrage. Protests demanding justice began, and Hindu organisations threatened to take matters into their own hands if legal action wasn’t taken against the perpetrators.

Under immense pressure, the Ajmer District Bar Association met with local authorities and suggested jailing the identified suspects under the National Security Act to calm public anger and prevent communal tensions. Eventually, the investigation was handed over to the CID CB.

This incident sparked a movement across Rajasthan, demanding the arrest and justice for the victims.

On May 30, 1992, the CID CB officially took over the investigation. The scandal involved influential individuals, including members of the Khadim Chishti families and the Youth Congress, exploiting schoolgirls. Explicit photos leaked from a photo lab drew attention to the crime.

Initially, the Ajmer District Police conducted the investigation, which senior IPS officer N.K. later oversaw. Patni. The harassment linked to this case led several people, including the photo lab owner and manager, to commit suicide. Several of the girls involved also ended their lives.

Despite decades of demands for justice by over 100 victims, many of the criminals were acquitted or released on bail. The case went through various courts, including the High Court, Supreme Court, Fast Track Court, and POCSO Court. However, for most victims, who are now in their 50s or 60s, justice remains elusive.

The film “Ajmer 92,” released in July 2023, depicts the true events of the rape, blackmail, and entrapment of 250 girls. Directed by Pushpendra Singh, it stars Karan Verma and Sumit Singh in lead roles. The film faced opposition from Muslim organizations, with the Khadim community accusing it of defamation, impacting the Rajasthan Assembly elections as well.

SC sets aside Calcutta HC’s order which asked adolescent girls to control sexual urges, charges 25-year-old for having intercourse with 14-year-old girl under POCSO

OpIndia Staff
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SC sets aside Calcutta HC’s order which asked adolescent girls to control sexual urges, charges 25-year-old for having intercourse with 14-year-old girl under POCSO

On Tuesday, 20th August, the Supreme Court disapproved the statements made by the Calcutta High Court that asked adolescent girls to ”control sexual urges’ so that they are not deemed ‘losers’ by society. The High Court had also asked adolescent girls to restrict themselves from ‘giving in to two minutes of pleasure’.

The Supreme Court, keeping aside the judgment by the High Court, charged a 25-year-old individual under the POCSO Act, 2012 for having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl. The Supreme Court stated in its decision that it has published extensive guidelines about the appropriate implementation of the POCSO Act and the format in which justices ought to compose their decisions.

The Supreme Court, which had taken suo motu cognizance of the order, declared on December 8th last year that judges should not use their position to preach during court proceedings, but rather should base their decisions on the law and the evidence. It also questioned the legality of the High Court’s decision to clear the accused, who had been charged under the POCSO Act and the IPC.

“Control sexual urge/urges as in the eyes of the society she is the loser when she gives in to enjoy the sexual pleasure of hardly two minutes,” the Calcutta HC was quoted as saying in the year 2023, acquitting the 25-year-old who had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for engaging in sexual relations with a minor.

On January 4th, 2024, 2-Judge Supreme Court Bench of Justice A S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan had called the Calcutta High Court’s decision to be problematic. “It’s not only about these observations, but the findings of the court. Writing such judgments is wrong. What kind of principles the judges have invoked? In case of settlement, there is a series of judgments on that,” Justice AS Oka had noted.

Pointing out other ‘problematic’ paragraphs in the Calcutta High Court Judgment, the Judge further said, “Every paragraph is problematic. We have marked all the paragraphs.” Further, on 8th December, the Supreme Court had taken suo moto cognizance of the event and had said that the observations by the Calcutta High Court were ‘objectionable’ and ‘completely unwarranted.’ It further pointed out that the observations also violated the rights of adolescents, as guaranteed by the Indian Constitution under Article 21.

The Background of the Controversy

On 18th October last year, a 2-Judge Bench of the Calcutta High delivered a verdict, overturning the conviction of a 25-year-old man accused of having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

While doing so, Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen listed out specific duties for adolescent boys and girls. The court ruled,

“It is the duty or obligation of every female adolescent to (i) Protect her right to the integrity of her body, (ii) Protect her dignity and self-worth, (iii) Thrive for the overall development of her self-transcending gender barriers, (iv) Control sexual urge or urges as in the eyes of the society she is the loser when she gives in to enjoy the sexual pleasure of hardly two minutes, (v) Protect her right to autonomy of her body and her privacy. A male adolescent must respect the aforesaid duties of a young girl or woman and he should train his mind to respect a woman, her self-worth, her dignity and privacy, and her right to autonomy of her body.”

“We do not want our adolescents to do anything that shall push them from the dark to the darker side of life. It is normal for each adolescent to seek the company of the opposite sex, but it is not normal for them to engage in sex devoid of any commitment and dedication. Sex shall come automatically to them when they grow self-reliant, economically independent and a person which they dreamt one day to be, it concluded,” the Judges had said.

Any sexual act with a minor shall be looked upon as a crime

It is now customary in society to hold women accountable for any sexual tragedies they experience. They are asked to give up their freedom of choice, wear longer garments, arrive home before dark, and refrain from conversing with men in general. They are even held accountable in the majority of rape cases on the grounds that they ‘provoke’ the accused to conduct such horrible acts.

In most cases, the rapists refuse to have committed a crime and even justify their acts by objectifying the victims. An instance that immediately comes to mind when discussing this is that of Mukesh Singh, one of the accused who brutally raped Nirbhaya in Delhi in 2012. According to Singh, it was Nirbhaya’s fault that led to her brutal rape and death.

Mukesh Singh in an interview with BBC had claimed that had Nirbhya not resisted, she would have been alive. He also added that those women who choose to roam on the streets late at night deserve to be raped as they get out of their houses only to attract men. As per ‘Why Men Rape’ research by Author Tara Kaushal, apart from the accused persons, many at large in the society including politicians, and activists who believe in the patriarchal framework of the Indian society claim that it is women who need to behave to prevent cases of rape in India.

‘Spiritual’ leader Asaram Bapu who got life imprisonment in a 2013 rape case once stated that “The victim is as guilty as her rapists”. As per him, the girl should call the culprit brothers and beg them to stop. Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP supremo had in 2014 attempted to give clean chit to rapist men saying, “Boys are boys, they make mistakes. Will they be hanged for rape?”

Giving a solution to this, Om Prakash Chautala, former Haryana CM had proposed child marriage as a solution to rape and other atrocities against women. Former HM of Madhya Pradesh, Babulal Gaur had commented saying that “the rate of crimes against women depends on how completely they are dressed.”

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also has a history of downplaying such gruesome incidents when happened in the state of West Bengal. A detailed report on this case can be read here.

After all this, it feels like hoping for change and hoping for justice for victims in rape cases is always going to be a crime. India is a patriarchal society, but that does not give the right to society to target victims even for crimes they can never be held responsible for. Blaming women for their clothing choices, for their friend circle, and for their choice to work late at night, etc is never going to bring any solution to the increasing incidents of rape but only expose the psychological vulnerability of people who think alike. It is high time that society accepts that it is men who are the cause of the problem, it is their mentality, and their outlook that needs to be changed.

In the given case, the Calcutta High Court acquitted the accused for raping a 14-year-old minor girl, actually impacting her right to life guarded under section 21 of the Indian Constitution. Minors usually are believed to have a vulnerable conscience that affects their decision-making power. In such cases, it is the duty of the adults dealing with them to respect and protect their feelings, decisions, and right to life eventually. Consent in sexual intercourse plays an important role. Any act in which an adult girl refuses to say a clear ‘Yes’ shall be looked upon as a crime. In the same manner, any sexual act with a minor (be it a boy or girl) despite their decision shall be looked upon as a crime, again given their vulnerable conscience.

Supreme Court forms Task Force for safety of doctors at workplace, slams West Bengal govt for delay in FIR, asks not to ‘unleash power’ against peaceful protesters

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court forms Task Force for safety of doctors at workplace, slams West Bengal govt for delay in FIR, asks not to ‘unleash power’ against peaceful protesters

On Tuesday (20th August), the Supreme Court of India expressed deep concern over the horrific rape and murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The three-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud has formed a 10-member National Task Force to work out modalities for the safety of doctors at the workplace. 

Stating that it was “very concerned”, the bench asked the West Bengal government “not to unleash” its power against the peaceful protesters. It also slammed the government over the delay in filing an FIR and failure to handle the issue of vandalism at the hospital. 

Regarding the vandalism incident, CJI said, “We are unable to comprehend how the state was not able to handle the issue of vandalism at the hospital.” 

The bench has also asked the CBI to submit a status report by Thursday (22nd August) to apprise the court of the status of the investigation.

Notably, the apex court has taken suo moto cognizance of the rape and murder case that took place at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on 9th August. 

During the hearing, CJI Chandrachud expressed concerns about the circulation of the victim’s identity and pictures which violate her privacy. He said, “On 9th of August 2024, a PG Doctor at RG Kar Hospital was raped and murdered….the brutality of the sexual assault have shocked the conscience, her name and pictures have been circulated violating the privacy.”

The court also slammed the West Bengal government over the delay in filing the FIR. The bench asked why the FIR was filed at 11.45 pm when the autopsy took place much earlier. CJI stressed that the FIR was filed 3 hours after the body was handed over. 

The court noted, “Autopsy revealed that the doctor was murdered and the FIR was registered at 11:45 pm. What were the authorities at the hospital doing?” 

CJI said, “Parents were permitted to see the dead body after several hours, HC transferred the investigations to CBI, on eve of Independence Day…. large mob vandalized the hospital.” 

“We are unable to comprehend how the state was not able to handle the issue of vandalism at the hospital,” the Chief Justice added.  

CJI said, “This is a very serious issue Mr. Sibal … 37 were arrested.. and they were recognized from the CCTV footage. West Bengal government could not have been unaware of the fact that when there are those protests, there will always be another segment that will come and disrupt it. Women doctors are assaulted, the police run away from the scene. Thereafter women doctors are called out by name, the people leading the protests, and they are threatened with the same fate that has befallen the other (deceased victim) … What was the police force doing in anticipation?” 

To which, representing West Bengal government, Kapil Sibal argued that the Police were greatly outnumbered citing that they were 7000-strong. However, CJI interjected saying, “It doesn’t appear 7000 people vandalised the place. 80-90 people maximum, they indulged in vandalism.”

CJI also slammed the state government and directed them saying, “We are very concerned, let not the power of the state of WB be unleashed on the protesters.”

SC constitutes a National Task Force for safety of doctors at workplace

During today’s hearing, CJI ordered, “We are setting up a National Task Force, we want them to give recommendations of the modalities to be followed across the country for the safety measures for senior and junior doctors.”

While constituting the NTF, CJI stressed that as more and more women join the workforce, the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground. 

He assured that the court would ensure doctors’ safety and urged doctors to trust the court. He emphasised that it is not limited to the particular case but one that will affect healthcare throughout the country. 

He said, “This is not a matter of a particular case, but something that affects the institution of healthcare pan-India.”

The CJI stressed that a national consensus must be developed while announcing the task force members. The members of the SC constituted task force include – Surgeon Vice Admiral R Sarin, and Dr. D Nageshwar Reddy. Dr. M Shreenivas, Dr. Pratima Murty, Dr. Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Dr. Saumitra Rawat, Prof Anita Saxena – Head of Cardiology, AIIMS Delhi, Prof Pallavi Sapre – Dean Grant Medical College Mumbai and Dr Padma Srivastava, Neurology dept, AIIMS. Additionally, the Cabinet Secretary, the Home Secretary of the Government of India, the Secretary Union Health Ministry, the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission, and the President of the National board of Examiners will be the ex-officio members of the task force. 

Dictating the order, the court also explained the mandate of the National Task Force.

It ordered, “The NTF shall make action plans on two heads – (1) preventing violence including gender-based violence against medical professionals; (2) providing an enforceable national protocol for dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, etc.”

During today’s hearing, the court also highlighted that women doctors have been receiving threats of rape and read complaints from women doctors. 

CJI, “We don’t want to disclose their name. But please, rest assured, this is not an ordinary complaint which has been made to us now.”

The bench also expressed a lack of confidence in the Police providing security to the protesting doctors and the RG Kar Hospital. 

Justice Pardiwala remarked, “We made an appeal to doctors to resume duty as the marginalised are suffering. Now if we ask police to provide security to these women doctors then will this police protect the doctors? Which police will safeguard the hospital?”

Consequently, it ordered that the CISF provide security to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

‘Mamata Banerjee’s goons posed as doctors to meet the father, forged my name to get his sign on SC case’: RG Kar hospital victim’s lawyer

OpIndia Staff
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‘Mamata Banerjee’s goons posed as doctors to meet the father, forged my name to get his sign on SC case’: RG Kar hospital victim’s lawyer

Bikashranjan Bhattacharya, the lawyer of the parents of the trainee doctor raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata charged that some fraudsters approached the victim’s family under the guise of doctors and forged his name. He made the allegation in a Facebook post on 20th August which read, “As soon as I reached Delhi airport, I received news that a group of crooks, impersonating doctors, met the victim’s father. They forged my name to sign the Supreme Court petition.”

The senior advocate called them “bhakts” (blind followers) and further charged, “I firmly believe they were bhakts of Mamata Banerjee. Those who attempted to misuse my name should be tracked down and questioned. A lot of confidential information could be retrieved from them.”

Bikashranjan Bhattacharya earlier slammed the West Bengal Chief Minister for offering money to the victim’s family and expressed, “You see, the role of the chief minister in the state of West Bengal is very condemnable. Wherever there is a rape, she wants to immediately get into contact with the victim’s family, pay them money and then say everything is over. Unfortunately, she has fixed up rate cards for the rape victims. Under the law, they are entitled to compensation, but that should wait until the investigation is over. She attempts to purchase the witnesses. That attempt was also made in this case. The parents of the victim girl refused it (money) because they didn’t want to be a part of the game played by the chief minister.”

Notably, during a hearing on the case in Calcutta High Court, he mentioned that the mob which attacked the hospital wanted to deface the seminar room where the heinous crime took place. However, they ended up on the wrong floor, confused about the floor number. The seminar room is situated on the third floor of the building, which is known in Bengali as the 4th Story (4th Tala). As a result, they entered the building’s third story, which is actually the second floor and destroyed rooms there. The attorney asserted that this demonstrated that the mob’s attack on the wrong floor as they intended to vandalise the seminar room was premeditated to ruin the crime scene and eliminate any evidence.

Afterwards, a video of the assault on the institution surfaced in which an individual could be heard saying, “Let’s go to the seminar room,” as the unruly crowd vandalised the place. At least eighteen departments including the emergency room, intensive care unit, and high-dependency unit as well as the storage room, male wards, washrooms and even CCTV cameras were broken. The police were heavily outnumbered because, according to them, there were about 7000 individuals in the violent throng. They had to hide in bathrooms and ask nurses for help to save their lives.

Bikashranjan Bhattacharya is also a Rajya Sabha MP from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Nainpur Jabalpur train collides with 3 iron rods placed on track near Kacchpura station, probe launched: Multiple sabotage incidents raise concerns

OpIndia Staff
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Nainpur Jabalpur train collides with 3 iron rods placed on track near Kacchpura station, probe launched: Multiple sabotage incidents raise concerns

An investigation has been launched into a suspected act of sabotage after the engine of the Nainpur Jabalpur train 05706, collided with an extraneous iron rod placed on the track near Kachhpura station. The collision, however, did not result in the derailment of the train. The railway authorities have seized 3 iron rods of about 15 feet in length from the spot.

Taking to X, journalist Rahul Shivshankar informed about the incident and said, “Investigation launched into a suspected act of sabotage. The engine of the Nainpur Jabalpur train 05706, collides with an extraneous iron rod placed on the track near Kachhpura station (boundary of Jabalpur and Nagpur divisions). Fortunately, impact did not cause a derailment. This is the second such incident of alleged sabotage reported in two days. Rail minister had posted on X that twenty coaches of the Sabarmati Express passenger train derailed near Govindpuri station in Kanpur after the engine hit an “object placed on the track”. This is disquietening criminality.”

Multiple incidents of sabotage aimed at derailments

Just days before, it was reported that the probability of a terrorist conspiracy is increasing in the case of 22 coaches of Sabarmati Express (19168) derailing in the early hours of August 17 in Kanpur. The way the track was tampered with, it seems that there was a conspiracy to derail the train and cause maximum casualties. Although the train derailed, thankfully, there were no casualties.

After the accident, Minister Vaishnaw said that the train’s engine collided with some heavy object placed on the track. There are marks of collision on the engine and the IB is investigating it. At the same time, Railway officials said that there is a suspicion of conspiracy because Patna Express had passed through the same track 1 hour 20 minutes before the arrival of Sabarmati Express. The line was clear at that time.

Similar such incidents have been reported in the recent past. In October last year, it was reported that multiple large rocks had been placed on the tracks on purpose and a major tragedy was averted by vigilant railway crew. On 2nd October, the driver of the Vande Bharat Express travelling from Udaipur to Jaipur avoided a catastrophic event by pressing the emergency brake to thwart an attempted derailing plot. The Vande Bharat Express crew found that there were stones and fish plates left on the railway track.

In February 2022, it was reported that a deliberate attempt to derail a train on the route of Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar track was averted saving the lives of the locomotive pilot and a guard. The incident came to light when an alert railway employee informed the rail officials that a large number of clips that fasten the rail tracks had been separated from the concrete sleepers.

In November 2022, an explosion took place at a bridge on the Udaipur-Ahmedabad railway line as an attempt was made to blow up a railway bridge. Following the explosion, the railway track was left with multiple cracks, and gunpowder was later found on the spot.

Back in 2017, the then Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu had said that there were as many as 18 sabotage attempts against railways in the last 40 days. These attempts were made by placing boulders, concrete slabs, stone slabs or rail pieces on tracks to derail trains, but were foiled due to the vigilance of railway officials. He also mentioned that there were also as many as seven blast attempts carried out to sabotage the rail operations

Pune Porsche case: Two arrested for tampering with the blood samples; accused minor completes ‘safe driving program’ suggested by Court

OpIndia Staff
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Pune Porsche case: Two arrested for tampering with the blood samples; accused minor completes ‘safe driving program’ suggested by Court

On Tuesday, 20th August, the Pune Police arrested two more persons for tampering with the blood samples in the Pune Porsche crash case. Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed the arrests and stated that the two were arrested on Monday, 19th August night, by the Pune crime branch.

As per the reports, the arrested individuals are reportedly responsible for exchanging the blood samples of two of the primary young accused’s companions who were in the vehicle when the accident happened. On Tuesday, 20th August the accused will appear in the court to be placed on remand.

It is believed that one of the persons arrested by the Pune police is the father of one of the two friends of the accused minor who were in the Porsche when the accident happened. Investigations are still being conducted further.

Meanwhile, it has come to the fore that the minor accused of killing two individuals in a car crash on May 19th this year has successfully completed a 15-day safe driving program, as ordered by the court.

“The juvenile accused completed the safe driving program with the RTO. With respect to the guidelines of the court, the operation was kept discreet as it could have led to the issue of privacy of the juvenile,” a top RTO official confirmed.

Topics including road safety precautions, the value of a driver’s license, and comprehending traffic signals and symbols were all covered in the safe driving program, along with hands-on, practical training.

Following the unfortunate event, the Pune crime branch unit filed a case earlier in July against the parents of the minor accused and two other doctors from Sassoon Hospital. They were charged with attempting to alter the blood sample and tamper with the evidence.

Two IT professionals on May 19th were killed when a Porsche, allegedly driven by a minor under the influence of alcohol, struck them in Pune’s Kalyaninagar area. The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) issued an unusual bail to the accused, requiring him to write a 300-word essay on road safety, which sparked outrage across the country.

The Women and Child Development Department formed a commission in response to the outcry to look into JJB members’ actions after they awarded bail to the accused minor. 

The minor’s bail requirements included submitting an essay on road safety that stressed the value of careful driving and the repercussions of irresponsible behavior. On May 19th, a teenage boy killed the two IT professionals on the spot after he crashed his fancy Porsche into them while they were riding their bikes. A 900-page chargesheet has been filed by the Pune police against the seven accused including the parents of the minor involved in the accident. 

Canadian Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre visits GGNMC, a pro-Khalistani centre that considers terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar a ‘martyr’, sparks controversy

Anurag
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Canadian Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre visits GGNMC, a pro-Khalistani centre that considers terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar a ‘martyr’, sparks controversy

On 19th August (local time) Canada’s leader of opposition, Pierre Poilievre, visited the Guru Nanak Mission Centre (GGNMC) in Brampton. His visit to the centre has sparked controversy as it actively promotes a pro-Khalistani stance. In a post on X, Poilievre wrote, “Stopped by the Guru Nanak Mission Centre in Brampton where volunteers are hard at work serving the community united by our common values of faith, family and freedom. Thank you for the warm welcome and for all you do for Canadians.”

Anti-corruption and anti-terrorism investigative journalist Mocha Bezirgan criticised Poilievre and shared an image from GGNMC’s official account where they called terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar a “shaheed” or martyr. The poster read, “We stand for the establishment of the sovereign state of Khalistan”.

In his post, Bezirgan wrote, “Pierre Poilievre visited a Khalistani temple in Brampton, accompanied by his deputy MP Tim Uppal, whose wife was an executive with the World Sikh Organization, and whose brother was charged in a drug sting in 2014 but later acquitted, despite the convictions of his co-accused. The temple calls Hardeep Singh Nijjar a martyr. Najjar was an executive with Sikhs for Justice, the organization that organized the Khalistan “referendum” in Calgary last July. At that event, Canada’s first Sikh to be convicted of terrorism crimes, Santokh Singh Khela, who is also an organizer for Sikhs for Justice, was presented with an award by Ajaib Singh Bagri, who was acquitted in Canada’s deadliest terror attack (Air India Bombings) that took place a year after where Bagri pledged to kill 50,000 Hindus at the WSO’s founding convention. The parents of the suicide bomber who killed Punjab’s Premier were also present.”

Another journalist, Daniel Bordman also criticised Poilievre by asking if he saw the photographs of the terrorists supported by GGNMC. He wrote, “Did they have up the wall with the pictures of all the terrorists they support, or did they take it down before you got there?”

OpIndia checked the Instagram account of the centre and found the post calling Hardeep Singh Nijjar a martyr. The post was published on 18th June 2024, one year after Nijjar was murdered.

Source: Instagram

Canada accused India of killing Nijjar

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a designated Khalistani terrorist wanted by the Government of India. He was killed on 18th June 2023 in a possible gang war. However, the Canadian government blamed the Government of India and Indian agents for killing him. Notably, four persons who were arrested in his murder case in May 2024 were associated with the Lawrance Bishnoi Gang. Nijjar was a Sikh separatist leader who propagated the demand for a separate Sikh nation, Khalistan. He was living in Surrey, British Columbia Canada and was chief of Guru Nanak Gurdwara.

India has accused Nijjar of involvement in several violent incidents, including the 2007 bombing of a cinema in Ludhiana and an attempted murder in 2021. National Investigation Agency has named him in the case of the attempted murder of Hindu leader Kamaldeep Sharma. In 2015, Indian agencies apprehended Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal who was a Surrey resident during his visit to India. A few days later, it was revealed that he was associated with a Khalistani terror training camp in Canada. He told Punjab police during interrogation that he had plans to carry out terror activities in Punjab and was sent by Nijjar to attack leaders of Sects. Furthermore, he informed the police that he was working with another terrorist to get arms and ammunition from Pakistan.

Globe and Mail talked to two people associated with Dhaliwal. They told on the condition of anonymity that Dhaliwal attended an arms training camp in 2015. Furthermore, five other Sikh radicals also took training at those camps. They were trained by Nijjar to operate weapons and GPS. They also learned how to communicate securely and did target practice at three different sites in the Lower Mainland. Nijjar was also linked to gangster-turned-terrorist Arshdeep Singh Gill or Arsh Dala. He is the head of the Dala Lakhbir gang which uses Canada as a base for running an extortion ring in Punjab.

Till date, Canada has not provided any credible evidence that Indian agents were involved in Nijjar’s murder.

Tim S Uppal targetted India after Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of killing Nijjar

In September 2023, after Canada accused India of killing Nijjar, Uppal expressed outrage over the murder of the Khalistani terrorist. Tim S Uppal, the Deputy leader of the Conservative Party, said, “Let me begin by offering my sincere condolences to Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjer’s family. I also did so in person with his son after his assassination. An assassination of a Canadian on Canadian soil in the parking lot of a Gurdwara.” While speaking at the House of Commons, he remarked, “At that time in June and now, we call on the RCMP for a full investigation. We call on the Indian government to act with utmost transparency in this investigation because these allegations are an outrageous affront to Canada’s sovereignty.” “Canadians must be kept safe from extrajudicial killings of all kinds, most of all from foreign governments. Canadians must be protected on Canadian soil,” he lent credence to the unfounded allegations of Justin Trudeau.

“It is for this reason that Conservatives brought forward a Foreign Agent Registry bill S-237 in November of 2021, which continues to be blocked by this Liberal-NDP government. If this Bill was passed when Conservatives proposed it, foreign agents working to intimidate, influence or even assassinate a Canadian citizen could have been stopped,” Tim S Uppal was heard saying. “We must work together to protect Canadians from foreign interference and to ensure Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjer’s killers are brought to justice,” he further added.

Earlier Pierre Poilievre had also offered condolences to the family of slain Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. “If these allegations are true, they represent an outrageous affront to Canada’s sovereignty…Our citizens must be safe from extrajudicial killings of all kinds, most of all from foreign governments. Canadians deserve to be protected on Canadian soil.” “We call on the Indian government to act with utmost transparency as authorities investigate this murder…We are all Canadians.This is our country. We must be united for our home and each other.”

Germany’s state media follows the footsteps of BBC, downplays attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh as aftermath of ‘political violence’

Dibakar Dutta
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Germany’s state media follows the footsteps of BBC, downplays attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh as aftermath of ‘political violence’

Deutsche Welle (DW), the state-owned broadcaster of Germany, has been the new entrant in the race for whitewashing the Islamist onslaught on minority Hindus in Bangladesh.

On Monday (19th August), DW News published a video, decrying attacks on the Hindu community in the Islamic Republic by violent Muslim mobs and accused Indians of fuelling disinformation on social media.

“Violent anti-government protests in Bangladesh have fueled many false claims of attacks against the nation’s Hindu minority. Here’s what’s been circulating online,” read the caption of a 2-minute 29-second video shared by it.

DW News highlighted an arson attack on the Hazrat Garib Shah Mazar Sharif in Bangladesh’s Jessore, which was allegedly shared as an attack on a Hindu temple on social media.

“In this video, a Hindu temple in Bangladesh is allegedly burning. The video has over 280,000 views, but it’s false. Videos of alleged burning Hindu temples or houses were shared and viewed thousands of times during the deadly protests in Bangladesh. A lot of such attacks have actually been happening in Bangladesh, but not every claim is true,” it alleged.

Soon after, the national broadcaster of Germany roped in an ‘expert‘ named Thomas Kean to suggest that the motives behind attacks on Hindu minorities are unclear. “These attacks have been reported, particularly in India, as being religiously motivated. And it’s not clear that that’s the case,” Kean was quoted as saying.

DW News gives political spin to religious targeting of Hindus

However, DW News was quick to conclude that most attacks on Hindus were ‘politically motivated’ due to the reputation of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League as ‘protector of Hindus.’

“According to experts, many of the incidents were in part politically motivated against members of the formerly governing Awami League party, but also out of opportunistic reasons, as law enforcement was basically non-existent in those days. And secondly, Hindus make up almost 8% of Bangladesh, a minority in the Muslim majority nation. The former prime minister has seen as Awami League has been seen as the main protector of minority communities like Hindus,” it claimed.

Interestingly, DW News glossed over the fact that 91% of the population in Bangladesh consists of Muslims (most of whom are Sunnis). Islamic scholars in Bangladesh are often seen deriding visitors at Mazars at ‘Mazar pujaris,’ thereby keeping them at par with ‘Kafir’ Hindus.

Thus, it is not surprising that a Sunni-majority Muslim mob set fire to Hazrat Garib Shah Mazar Sharif. They are known to attack religious shrines belonging to Shias, Sufis, Hazaras and Ahmadiyas in the Indian subcontinent.

As such, citing the case of an arson attack on Mazaar cannot nullify the fact that temples were targeted because of their religious character. DW News has not been able to highlight a single case of an attack on mosques, which are sacred to the Sunni majority Muslim mobs.

DW News blames India

One of the strategies employed by DW News to give political colour to religious violence against Hindus was the frequent reference to India.

It is a known fact the Modi government supported Sheikh Hasina’s regime in Bangladesh. The state-owned broadcaster of Germany chose to exploit the relationship to suggest a sinister agenda behind the alleged dissemination of ‘fake videos’ by Indians.

“And Indian Prime Minister Modi and Hasina have close political ties. India views events in Bangladesh as a problem for security, trade and influence. So, different groups in India might have their own interests in sharing such content,” DW News claimed.

Denialism and perpetual victimhood

It cited another expert Sumon Rahman to drive home the point, besides using it to play the perpetual victimhood trump card.

“They might be worried about what’s been happening to the Hindus of Bangladesh. There might be genuine worries. They might have, you know, acquired a moral license to cast their evil eyes on Indian minorities who are Muslims,” Rahman claimed.

DW News further attributed unknown experts to allege that “some Indian right-wing media view Sheikh Hasina’s downfall through an Islamophobic lens and exploit the religious tensions in the form of myths and disinformation.”

It claimed that ‘disinformation originating from India’ was leading to the suppression of real incidents as fake, without actually highlighting any such real cases.

In that way, the state-owned media of Germany conveniently avoided the need to mention the role of violent Muslim mobs in orchestrating attacks on the minority Hindu community. The hitjob by DW News is nothing but a masterclass in political propaganda.

OpIndia had previously reported how Islamists had infiltrated student protests and carried out over 205 attacks on Hindu homes, businesses and temples.

BBC whitewashes anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh

Recently, BBC had resorted to cherry-picking, selective fact-checking and drawing false equivalence to downplay the hate-filled religious motivation behind the targeted attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.

Despite more than 205 targeted attacks on Hindu shops, temples, and businesses, BBC sought to fact-check ‘some videos’ to whitewash the systematic cases of religious persecution in Bangladesh in its entirety.

“We found that many of the videos and claims shared online are false,” it had claimed. BBC pointed out how Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League was targeted and that it comprised both ‘Hindu and Muslim members.’

The UK’s national broadcaster thus shrewdly laid the foundation to justify attacks on Hindus as an aftermath of political turmoil in the Islamic republic.

In that way, people around the world voicing concerns about the plight of Bangladeshi Hindus could be accused of peddling misinformation.

As such, BBC did not disappoint when it claimed, “far-right influencers in neighbouring India shared false videos and information that gave a misleading view of the events.”

Given that the Modi government supported Sheikh Hasina’s regime in Bangladesh, BBC saw to it that India was frequently mentioned in the article.

It insinuated that ‘fake online videos’ about attacks on Hindus and their labelling as hate crimes was a larger ploy by India and accounts espousing ‘Hindu-nationalist values’.

While cherry-picking fake videos and selectively fact-checking them to whitewash genuine cases of atrocities on Bangladeshi Hindus did not prove fruitful, BBC claimed that assessing the motives behind attacks was difficult.

“Working out exactly what has happened in Bangladesh over the last few weeks has proved difficult. Many real incidents and attacks have taken place across the country, but the motivations are difficult to assess: religion or politics,” it alleged.

BBC then immediately imparted a political angle to the attacks by claiming that Hindus were largely ‘supporters of Sheikh Hasina’ and that any attack on them was the consequence of their political affiliation and not religious identity.

BBC was not able to explain why only Hindu temples and not mosques were targeted if the attacks were solely political. To further downplay attacks on Hindus, BBC highlighted photo ops about Muslims allegedly protecting temples.

“When false claims about attacks on Hindus went viral online, some Muslim protesters decided to guard Hindu temples,” it claimed.

Interestingly, BBC did not explain who was endangering the Hindu religious sites or the religious affiliation of the perpetrators. It’s an interesting case where alleged temple protectors are identified with their religion but not the attackers.

Pakistan: Islamist mobs descend into Supreme Court premises, demand Chief Justice’s resignation for saying Ahmadiyya man booked for blasphemy has ‘right to religion’

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Islamist mobs descend into Supreme Court premises, demand Chief Justice’s resignation for saying Ahmadiyya man booked for blasphemy has ‘right to religion’

The “Sar tan se juda” mob comprising thousands is protesting in Pakistan against Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. Isa, who was appointed the Chief Justice of Pakistan in November last year has been facing death threats and protests since February this year after he ordered the release of a Ahmadiyya man Mubarak Sani. On the 29th of May, a three-judge bench including Chief Justice Isa, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan reserved its decision.

The fresh protests erupted after the court on 24th July accepted the Punjab government’s plea alongside those of several Islamist organisations seeking a review of its February ruling and said that the right to profess religion and religious freedom, as ensured by the Constitution, is subject to law, morality and public order. A hearing on these pleas will be held on 22nd August.

Why are the Islamic mobs demanding the resignation of the Chief Justice?

The protesting Islamists are demanding CJP Faez Isa’s resignation. On 19th August, a large number of protesters from various Islamist groups breached Islamabad’s highly secured, Red Zone storming the Supreme Court entrance gates to protest the Pakistan apex court verdict in the Mubarak Sani case.

In the February ruling, Justice Isa granted bail to Ahmadiyya man Mubarak Ahmad Sani who was accused of blasphemy in 2019 over distributing pamphlets promoting his religious beliefs. Sani was convicted under the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) (Amendment) Act, 2021, however, the 3-judge bench led by Justice Isa noted that Sani was charged for an offence not criminalised until 2021. Consequently, the top court granted bail to Sani and ordered his immediate release. Soon after, the TLP and other Islamists launched a hate campaign against Qazi Faez Isa. In Peshawar, around 3000 people blocked the roads in February and raised slogans like “Death to Qadianis” etc. The agitation of Islamists compelled the Supreme Court to issue a statement ‘defending’ its decision in the Mubarak Sani case.

TLP places bounty of 1 crore Pakistani Rupees on CJP’s head

Notably, the Islamist outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has even placed a bounty of 1 crore Pakistani rupees on Judge Isa’s head. Pir Zaheerul Hasan Shah, the second top leader of TLP, placed this bounty.  

“TLP aside, as a momin [faithful Muslim] and a slave of Prophet Muhammad, I announce in my capacity to give one crore [ten million] rupees to any person who beheads Faiz Isa who desecrated the law of the country, kicked the blood of 10,000 martyrs and permitted Marzai [Ahmadis] and hurt the feelings of Muslims,” Shah said in a rally.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar shared a video of Shah’s inflammatory remarks and said, “There is no room for such statements in the state of Pakistan and it will not be tolerated. Qazi Sahib did not give any decision in favor of any group or group. On the basis of which this hateful narrative is being propagated, we strongly condemn and strongly deny such statements, such mentality is causing serious damage to Pakistan. There are political motives behind this false narrative.”

Notably, Ahmadiyyas in Pakistan face severe persecution after the state formally designated them non-Muslims in 1974, and blasphemy laws are regularly used against them. Mubarak Sani’s release was deemed a violation of the religious beliefs held by Islamist outfits such as the TLP, which consider Ahmadiyyas heretics. OpIndia has often reported on the persecution of this group in Pakistan, which, ironically, was instrumental in the creation of Pakistan. Given the fact that the Pakistani Supreme Court is already on back foot, it will most likely reverse its order and incarcerate the accused Ahmadiyya man again.

It must be noted that blasphemy allegations have been used as a weapon by Islamists to attack people, especially non-Muslims in Pakistan. From Arabic calligraphy to QR-code, or the non-Muslims practicing their faith, anything can offend these Islamists who then resort to violent protests, giving ‘Sar tan se juda’ calls, mob lynching etc.

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