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Muslim students attack two Hindu students for raising Jai Shri Ram slogans during a play practising session in Karnataka’s Bidar college

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim students attack two Hindu students for raising Jai Shri Ram slogans during a play practising session in Karnataka’s Bidar college

On Wednesday, May 29, a fight ensued between some students at the Guru Nanak Dev Degree College at Mailoor on the outskirts of Bidar city in Karnataka after a few of them belonging to the Muslim community assaulted two Hindu students for raising Jai Shri Ram slogans.

The accused students were identified as Basheer Khan, Gufran, Anses, Sheikh Pasha and Bilal, while the two victims were identified as Natraj and Veerendra. Natraj is a minor as per the FIR lodged by the Bidar police.

SS of the FIR filed in the case (Source: X handle @MeghUpdates)
SS of the FIR filed in the case (Source: X handle @MeghUpdates)

The New Indian Express quoted Bidar Deputy Commissioner Govind Reddy as saying that the ruckus happened during a play practice session that the students were scheduled to organise as part of a youth festival on May 31 on the college campus.

During the practice session of the play, the two Hindu students chanted Jai Shri Ram, which was a part of the play’s script. The Muslim students took offence to this and assaulted the Hindu students. After this, the students of both communities started quarrelling on the campus, which resulted in physical altercations and manhandling between them.

The police arrived on the scene immediately and dispersed the two groups. Speaking about the ensuing fight between the students, Reddy said that the situation was fully under control and there was no need to impose prohibitory orders. Police security had been tightened in and around the college, he added.

A case had been registered at the Gandhi Ganj police station and the Hindu students who suffered injuries in the assault were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The college, meanwhile, cancelled the youth festival scheduled to be held on May 31, 2024.

Israel takes full control of Egypt border on Philadelphi corridor including Rafah crossing, Knesset moves to declare UNRWA a terror organisation

OpIndia Staff
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Israel takes full control of Egypt border on Philadelphi corridor including Rafah crossing, Knesset moves to declare UNRWA a terror organisation

The Israel Defence Forces said on Wednesday it was in full “operational control” of the entire Gaza-Egypt border and has so far located 20 tunnels leading into the Egyptian Sinai.

The 14 km strip of land along the border is known as the Philadelphi corridor, a buffer zone created to prevent weapons smuggling in 2006 after Israel disengaged from the Strip. But in 2007, Hamas violently seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority.

The army said troops were physically present in most of the corridor, except for a portion of near the Mediterranean coast which is controlled by surveillance and firepower.

The army said it was aware of the presence of some of the cross-border tunnels. Another 82 shafts within the corridor area that did not cross the border were also discovered and will be destroyed.

The IDF reportedly found dozens of rocket launchers placed by Hamas along the border, a politically sensitive area. The border is technically a demilitarized zone under the terms of the Camp David Accords signed in 1978.

Israel took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and most of the border on May 7.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 125 remaining hostages, 39 are believed dead.

Knesset brings motion to declare UNRWA a terror organisation

The Knesset plenum approved a preliminary reading of legislation designating the UN Relief and Works Agency as a “terror organisation” on Wednesday. The bill, which must clear further legislative hurdles, would pave the way for Israel to sever ties with the UN agency.

Specifically, the legislation authorizes the Foreign Ministry to make the final determination on the terror designation. The agency would then be stripped of its diplomatic immunity, tax-exempt status, and other legal benefits.

The bill’s preliminary reading passed by a vote of 42-6.

Following the vote, MK Avigdor Liberman, who heads the right-wing opposition Israel Beiteinu party, said on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Today it is more clear than ever that UNRWA, which assisted in the murder, kidnapping and rape of Jews during the October 7 attack, does not assist refugees, but only the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip.”

UNRWA has been under fire for months, with Israeli officials demanding the agency be stripped of its authority in Gaza and defunded amid revelations that members of the agency’s staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

Israel’s largest bank froze UNRWA’s account in February over suspicious financial transfers that the agency failed to adequately explain. Israeli forces discovered a Hamas complex located directly under the UNRWA’s Gaza City headquarters. Computer servers belonging to Hamas were directly connected to UNRWA’s electricity system.

Soldiers have found weapons stored in UNRWA facilities on multiple occasions.

Jerusalem’s deputy mayor accused UNRWA of undermining Israeli sovereignty over the city, among other things.

Reports released by IMPACT-SE and UN Watch documented UNRWA employees expressing support for the October 7 attacks on social media.

The UN probed Israeli accusations against 19 UNRWA staffers. But to Israel’s ire, the investigations were dropped as UN officials claimed the evidence presented was insufficient. As a result, Israel is bypassing UNRWA in distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian refugees are the only refugee population with its own dedicated UN agency. The rest of the world’s refugees fall under the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Israeli officials have called for UNRWA to be closed and for Palestinian refugees to be brought under the responsibility of the UNHCR.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 125 remaining hostages, 39 are believed dead.

UNRWA owes over 7 million USD in rent, asked to vacate Jerusalem: Reports

Media in Israel has reported that the Israel land authority have asked the UNRWA to vacate their East Jerusalem premises in 30 days, by the approval of the Israeli Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf. The UNRWA has also been informed that they owe a sum of NIS 27,125,280 (around 7.3 million USD) to the Israeli government for rental and other purposes for the last seven years. The UNRWA compound in the Ma’alot Dafna area of East Jerusalem was operating without the approval from the Israeli government, the letter by ILA says.

(with inputs from ANI)

Shashi Tharoor’s personal secretary arrested by customs for smuggling gold, in 2020, Tharoor had denied links to another gold smuggler

OpIndia Staff
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Shashi Tharoor’s personal secretary arrested by customs for smuggling gold, in 2020, Tharoor had denied links to another gold smuggler

Customs officials arrested Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s personal assistant at the Delhi airport after he was allegedly caught smuggling gold from Dubai. According to reports, customs officials at Terminal 3 of the IGI Airport detained Shiv Prasad on Wednesday, May 29.

Along with seizing the gold, which was estimated to be worth Rs 30 lakh, the customs authorities also started an investigation to find out where the gold came from and whether it was genuine.

According to the reports, customs officers questioned Kumar, who had flown in from Dubai to Delhi Airport, about where the gold came from and why he was bringing it to India. But he was unable to offer adequate explanations or convincing answers, nor could he produce the required documents.

The matter is currently being probed further.

Shashi Tharoor is a senior Congress leader and a former Union Minister. He is currently the sitting MP from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency.

Interestingly, in 2020, allegations surfaced that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had links with the prime suspect in the Kerala gold smuggling case. He had then denied the allegations that the individual facing an investigation in connection with gold smuggling had gotten a job at the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram on his recommendation. The Consulate was first swept into the grip of the gold scandal when Swapna Suresh was made the second accused in the smuggling case.

Back then, Shashi Tharoor had sent a legal notice to a Malayalam News Channel called Kairali TV for broadcasting news about his alleged association with a prime suspect in the Kerala Gold Smuggling case.

After the news of the arrest of his PA was shared widely, the Congress minister took to X to claim that the man was a former member of his staff who had been retained as a part-time employee on ‘compassionate grounds’ because he had been undergoing frequent dialysis. The senior Congress leader also said that he does not approve of any alleged wrongdoing and stated that he supports the authorities’ investigation into the matter.

“While I am in Dharamshala for campaigning purposes, I was shocked to hear of an incident involving a former member of my staff who has been rendering part-time service to me in terms of airport facilitation assistance. He is a 72-year-old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and was retained on a part-time basis on compassionate grounds. I do not condone any alleged wrongdoing and fully support the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action as may be required to investigate the matter. The law must take its own course.”

18-year-old Praggnanandhaa defeats world number one Magnus Carlsen in classical chess for the first time

ANI
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18-year-old Praggnanandhaa defeats world number one Magnus Carlsen in classical chess for the first time

 Indian teenage chess sensation R Praggnanandhaa defeated the world number one Magnus Carlsen in the classical format for the first time at the ongoing Norway Chess tournament on Wednesday.

During round three, the 18-year-old battled the Norway star on his home turf and came out victorious to take the sole lead in the open section of the six-player tournament. Using white pieces, the runners-up from last year’s FIDE Chess World Cup battled it out with some intelligent moves against Carlsen for a win.

At the end of the third round, Pragananadhaa’s tally is 5.5 out of nine points while Carlsen has slipped down to the fifth spot.

Earlier, Pragananadhaa had notched some wins over Carlsen in rapid and blitz chess games.

Earlier on Tuesday, Round 2 of the prestigious Norway Chess saw all three classical games ending up in a draw again here at the SpareBank 1 SR-Bank on Tuesday. Magnus Carlsen, Alireza Firouzja and Ding Liren won with white in the subsequent Armageddon games to grab 1.5 points each.

Praggnanandhaa R, who went with a 2-0 head-to-head lead against World Champion Ding Liren, played out his first classical draw in the round of the Norway Chess 2024 main event. The Chinese GM then emerged victorious in the Armageddon tie-breaker, as per a press release from Norway Chess.

In the highly anticipated pairing of the day, Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura played out a closely contested classical game that ended in a draw. Carlsen, demonstrating his exceptional skill under pressure, managed to secure a crucial victory, adding to his impressive Armageddon record and taking the lead of 3 points in tournament standings.

Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja and Fabiano Caruana also drew their classical game after a complex struggle. Firouzja’s abilities in speed chess shone through in the Armageddon game as he bagged a crucial 1.5 points.

Vaishali R defeated fellow Indian Koneru Humpy to register her first classical win in the Norway Chess Women’s Tournament. Despite Humpy’s slight advantage in the opening, a critical blunder under time pressure allowed Vaishali to claim victory, and her first-ever win against India’s number one female player and become India’s number two female player on the live rating list.

The other two classical matches between Lei Tingjie and Pia Cramling along with Ju Wenjun and Anna Muzychuk ended up in hard-fought draws. The Chinese duo of Wenjun and Tingjie emerged victorious in their respective Armageddon games.

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

‘Where were your eyes on October 7?’ AI-image to counter ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ pro-Palestine propaganda campaign removed from Instagram: Report

OpIndia Staff
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‘Where were your eyes on October 7?’ AI-image to counter ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ pro-Palestine propaganda campaign removed from Instagram: Report

Social media behemoth Instagram has reportedly removed an AI-generated image, ‘Where were you on October 7?’, shared to counter the pro-Palestinian ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ propaganda campaign, presumably an inorganic and paid social media trend that saw support pouring in from celebrities around the world after Israel launched an offensive in the city of Rafah, the last remaining Hamas stronghold, in its pursuit to destroy the terror outfit responsible for the October 7 attacks.

According to a report published by The Times of Israel which quoted Channel 12, Instagram has removed a pro-Israel AI-generated image that was created to counter a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel campaign on social media, without providing any explanation.

With the war in Israel escalating, several international celebrities and Indian celebrities started expressing their support for Palestinians and Hamas, especially following the recent Rafah operation. An AI-generated image featuring tents in the desert with the caption “ALL EYES ON RAFAH” has gone viral on Instagram, garnering over 35 million shares in just 24 hours.

All Eyes On Rafah campaign shared on Instagram

A supporter of Israel, in retaliation, created a similar AI-generated image stating, “Where were your eyes on October 7?” The image shows an armed Hamas terrorist standing in front of a small, red-haired baby, referencing one-year-old Kfir Bibas, who has been held hostage by Hamas along with his family since October 7. Others have used the caption “If your eyes are on Rafah, help us find our hostages.”

Supporters of Israel counter pro-Palestinian propaganda image with ‘Where were your eyes on October 7?’ AI-generated picture

The image instantly went viral among sympathisers and supporters of Israel who tried countering the Hamas propaganda by highlighting the ordeal they had to face during the October 7 terror attacks, when the terrorists from Gaza went on a rampage across the border in the Israeli towns, killing, maiming, and injuring people in their wake. Among those killed are women, children, elderly, highlighting the complete abandonment and utter disregard Hamas terrorists showed towards their victims. One woman, Shani Louk, whose naked body was paraded by the Hamas terrorists, became an enduring symbol of the enormity of the attack faced by Israel. The terrorists took over 200 people from Israel captive and took them to Gaza, triggering an unprecedented escalation in the conflict that has simmered for over one and a half decades.

In its retaliation, Israel launched a military offensive, systematically flushing out what it calls Hamas shelters and secret passageways that the Jewish Nation asserts had been the nerve centres of the terror group and used by its terrorists to launch attacks against Israel. Tel Aviv is now engaged in an offensive in Rafah, a Gazan town situated in the southeast of the Palestinian enclave and close to the Egypt border. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly vowed that Israel won’t stop until it has irreversibly incapacitated and destroyed Hamas.

While ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ is still being widely shared on Instagram, users who posted ‘Where were your eyes on October 7?’ AI-image assert that their story has abruptly vanished, including from archives, suggesting that the social media platform may have removed the picture. In our search, we couldn’t find ‘Where were your eyes on October 7?’ posts while ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ Instagram stories are visible.

SC refuses interim bail to AAP MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra for campaigning in Punjab, was arrested by ED in bank loan fraud

ANI
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SC refuses interim bail to AAP MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra for campaigning in Punjab, was arrested by ED in bank loan fraud

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim bail to AAP MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjan Majra from Punjab, seeking interim bail to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Majra, who is a representative from the Amargarh assembly constituency in Malerkotla, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to a bank fraud case.

A vacation bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Aravind Kumar issued notice to the ED and sought its response on the plea filed by Majra seeking interim bail till June 4 to campaign for the elections.

Voting for Punjab’s 13 Lok Sabha seats will take place in the seventh and final phase on June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

The bench, however, said it was not inclined to grant interim relief to Majra without hearing the opposite parties. The apex court sought replies within a week.

On May 24, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed his plea challenging his arrest, thereafter he approached the top court.

The CBI had conducted raids in May 2023 on premises linked to Majra in connection with an alleged bank fraud of Rs 40 crore.

In September 2022, the ED had conducted raids on several premises linked to him as part of a money laundering probe into the case and seized Rs 32 lakh cash, some mobile phones and hard drives.

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

NCPCR and UP Police rescue 57 children employed illegally as bonded labourers in Ghaziabad slaughterhouse owned by Yasin Qureshi

OpIndia Staff
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NCPCR and UP Police rescue 57 children employed illegally as bonded labourers in Ghaziabad slaughterhouse owned by Yasin Qureshi

On Wednesday (29th May), the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and a police team jointly raided a slaughterhouse in Ghaziabad. The teams rescued 57 minors from there, including 31 girls and 26 boys illegally made to work in the slaughterhouse owned by one Yasin Qureshi. All of them were being made to do animal slaughtering.

According to reports, the rescued minors were lured from UP, Bihar, and West Bengal by promising them jobs in Ghaziabad. Instead, they were being subjected to inhumane work at the slaughterhouse. Now, action is being taken under sections of the Labour Act and IPC, in this matter.

NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanungo said that they had been getting information about this for a long time. After receiving concrete input, a joint raid was conducted at the International Agro Food slaughterhouse in the Mussoorie area of Ghaziabad. It is owned by a man named Yasin Qureshi who is a major player in the meat industry. 

Kanungo added that 57 minors including handicapped people have been rescued but the number could go up as the operation is ongoing. The ages of rescued children are being verified, he noted, the raid took place on the complaint of ‘Mission Mukti’.

The minors were engaged in the work of cutting and packing meat in the unit. Some of the children were kept as bonded labour, they were kept hostage and forced to work in the factory for the last several years. All the children were paid Rs 300 per day for their work.

Ghaziabad Police ADCP (Crime) Sacchidanand said, “The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in New Delhi received a complaint that 40 children from West Bengal and Bihar were being illegally employed in a slaughterhouse in Ghaziabad. Taking action, a team was formed by the Ghaziabad Commissioner, and today, with all the teams, a rescue operation was carried out at the Agro International Food slaughterhouse in Dasna Masuri, rescuing 57 children.” 

The ADCP said that the children were found to be working in a very miserable condition.

The complaint was filed by the Child Welfare Committee after receiving information on the illegal employment of children in the slaughterhouse. After that, the police along with NCPCR raided the slaughterhouse and rescued the children.

According to reports, the action continued for around three hours. During the interrogation of the children, it was revealed that they were brought here from Moradabad-Bareilly, Bihar, and West Bengal by being lured with jobs promising Rs 10-15 thousand. Efforts are underway to provide the rescued minors with the necessary support, including medical assistance, counselling, and rehabilitation services.

Police said that all the children would be presented before the CWC after giving them medical treatment. 

According to the Police, the main business of International Agro Food is meat processing, freezing, and exporting to other countries. The owner of this slaughterhouse is Yasin Qureshi and legal action will be taken against him. A case has been registered under the Bonded Labour Act and relevant sections of IPC.

The joint team part of the rescue operation included NCPCR, Mukti Foundation, Police, Administration, Childline, Anti Human Trafficking Unit, and Labour Department teams.

According to the International Agro Food’s claims, their factories are HACCP-approved and ISO-certified. The animals are slaughtered in strict accordance with the Islamic practice of Halal. They export their meat products to most global destinations including all West African, CIS, Middle East, Egypt, South Asian, and Far Eastern countries. The meat products produced are supplied directly to importers, the catering industry, supermarkets, and wholesalers under our popular brands at highly competitive prices. 

Congress now has a problem with PM Modi’s ‘Maun Vrat’: Party delegation urges the EC to intervene, claiming it is a direct violation of MCC

OpIndia Staff
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Congress now has a problem with PM Modi’s ‘Maun Vrat’: Party delegation urges the EC to intervene, claiming it is a direct violation of MCC

If PM Modi’s sharp attacks on Congress were not enough, the Congress party also fears his silence as its delegation exhorted the Election Commission to intervene and expressed concerns over the potential ramifications of PM Modi’s ‘silence vow’ on the eve of crucial electoral events.

A delegation from the Indian National Congress has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take action regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned “Maun Vrat” (vow of silence). Modi previously announced that after the campaigning for the 7th and final phase, he would travel to Kanyakumari for meditation.

Senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, speaking on behalf of the delegation, voiced concerns about the potential impact of Prime Minister Modi’s ‘silence vow’ on the eve of critical electoral events.

In a statement to ANI after the delegation met with the Election Commission, Singhvi outlined their main concerns. “We informed the Election Commission that during the 48-hour silence period, no one should be permitted to campaign, either directly or indirectly,” he stated. Singhvi emphasized that while the Congress has no issue with any leader’s actions, it is crucial to prevent such actions from becoming a form of indirect campaigning during the vital silence period.

The Congress delegation expressed their grievances regarding PM Modi’s announcement to start the “Maun Vrat” on the evening of May 30, coinciding with the beginning of the silence period. “The silence period is from 7 PM on May 30 until June 1. This violates the Model Code of Conduct,” Singhvi stressed. He further claimed that such tactics are either intended to continue campaigning indirectly or to keep the Prime Minister in the spotlight, potentially influencing voter sentiments unfairly.

RBI bans Edelweiss from acquiring assets, SEBI fines AGI Greenpac, after OpIndia report on how they along with Ernst & Young manipulated insolvency process in HNG case

OpIndia Staff
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RBI bans Edelweiss from acquiring assets, SEBI fines AGI Greenpac, after OpIndia report on how they along with Ernst & Young manipulated insolvency process in HNG case

The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday ordered Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (EARCL) to cease and desist from the acquisition of financial assets, including security receipts (SRs), and reorganising the existing SRs into senior and subordinate tranches. In the same order, the banking regulator also ordered ECL Finance Ltd (ECL) to cease and desist from undertaking any structured transactions in respect of its wholesale exposures with immediate effect.

EARCL and ECL both are entities under the Edelweiss group or the Edelweiss Financial Services Limited, based in Mumbai.

On the same day, SEBI slapped a ₹5 lakh penalty on packaging products company AGI Greenpac for “failure to provide accurate, adequate, and explicit disclosure resulting in misrepresentation to the stock exchanges”.

The action comes after OpIndia reported on the questionable role of Edelweiss in the insolvency proceedings against Hindustan National Glass & Industries Limited (HNG) and how it worked in favour of AGI Greenpac in the proceedings.

In a press release, the RBI said that the action is based on material concerns observed during the course of supervisory examinations, essentially arising out of the conduct of the group entities acting in concert. As per RBI, the entities entered into a series of structured transactions for evergreening stressed exposures of ECL, using the platform of Edelweiss and connected AIFs (Alternative Investment Funds), thereby circumventing applicable regulations.

Edelweiss is accused of non-compliance with regulations pertaining to the settlement of loans and sharing of non-public information of its clients with group entities. The company also failed to RBI’s supervisory letter issued after a previous inspection before the board.

On the other hand, ECL Finance Ltd is accused of submission of incorrect details of its eligible book debts to its lenders for computation of drawing power, non-compliance with loan to value norms for lending against shares, incorrect reporting to Central Repository for Information on Large Credits system (CRILC) and non-adherence to Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines. ECL took over loans from non-lender entities of the group for ultimate sale to the group ARC, and allowed itself to be used as a conduit to circumvent regulations that permit ARCs to acquire financial assets only from banks and Financial Institutions, the RBI said.

The regulator added that instead of taking meaningful remedial action to rectify the deficiencies, it was observed that the group entities were resorting to new ways to circumvent regulations. Over the last few months, the Reserve Bank has been engaging with the senior management of the companies and their statutory auditors, but no meaningful corrective action has been evidenced so far, necessitating the imposition of business restrictions.

RBI added that both companies have been directed to strengthen their assurance functions to ensure regulatory compliance in letter and spirit at all times.

In the SEBI order against AGI Greenpac, the market regulator said that the company withheld crucial information regarding its deal to acquire Hindustan National Glass. It also failed to disclose material developments with respect to disclosures made by it to the exchanges “dated October 31, 2022, and March 16, 2023”.

SEBI further stated that AGI Greenpac failed to disclose crucial information related to a show-cause notice issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to it in the HNG acquisition case. Before the SEBI order, Justice Vikramajit Sen, the former Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court and judge of the Supreme Court, had said that AGI made “partial and deceitful disclosure” about the CCI approval.

In the HNG insolvency case, the role of Edelweiss and its collusion with other entities were revealed. Notably, DBS Bank initiated insolvency proceedings against HNG in 2021, and Ernst & Young was appointed as the company’s advisor.

Edelweiss ARC was one of the creditors to Hindustan National Glass & Industries Limited, and thereby part of the Committee of Creditors formed in the insolvency process. AGI Greenpac won the bid to acquire HNG in the Committee of Creditors, leading to a monopoly in the market as it was the second largest Indian container glass maker, while HNG was the largest. The deal was approved by the CoC without the mandatory Competition Commission of India (CCI), violating norms.

AGI won the bid thanks to Edelweiss voting against INSCO, another bidder. Ignoring appeals by other players in the industry, CCI approved the deal later. However, the matter was taken to the courts and now the deal is pending before the Supreme Court.

Now, it has been revealed recently that Edelweiss was also the funding partner of AGI Greenpac, in whose favour Edelweiss voted in the HNG insolvency case. Edelweiss Alternate Asset Advisors had promised to give ₹1,100 crore to AGI for the acquisition of HNG. And one of the conditions for this deal was that the funding will be provided only if CoC selects AGI. It was revealed that someone had objected to Edelweiss ARC voting in the CoC, but this was ignored.

Edelweiss was also to get non-convertible debentures of HNG after the insolvency process was concluded. Therefore, Edelweiss was essentially on both sides of the deal – funding AGI to acquire HNG and also voting in HNG CoC to ensure that AGI’s proposal was passed.

All these indicated a collusion among Edelweiss, AGI and Ernst & Young to ensure that HNG was acquired by AGI under insolvency procedures.

The OpIndia report explained in detail how Edelweiss group has been exploiting the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code formulated by the Modi govt to resolve insolvencies, including the insolvency procedure of Hindustan National Glass & Industries Limited. It is suspected that there is a collusion between Edelweiss and Ernst and Young to subvert the insolvency process.

CCI granted approval to AGI Greenpac’s takeover of HNG in March 2023, even though INSCO had emerged as winner in the bid. The decision was cleared by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in July 2023, rejecting a complaint by rival bidder INSCO. However, after more complaints and litigation, the CCI in February 2024 gave the clean chit to INSCO to acquire HNG.

Delhi LG suspends AAP minister Saurabh Bharadwaj’s OSD RN Das over medical kit procurement scam during COVID-19 pandemic

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi LG suspends AAP minister Saurabh Bharadwaj’s OSD RN Das over medical kit procurement scam during COVID-19 pandemic

On Wednesday (29th May), Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena suspended Dr. RN Das, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj with immediate effect, according to an official order. Das has been suspended in connection with alleged irregularities in the procurement of medical kits. 

In the order issued on Wednesday, the directorate said, “The Hon’ble Lt. Governor, Delhi, in the exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule (1) of Rule-10 of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, hereby, places the said Dr. R.N. Das, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Hon’ble Minister (Health), GNCTD, under suspension with immediate effect.” 

As per the order, during the period of suspension, Das shall remain in Delhi headquarters and can not leave the headquarters without obtaining the previous permission of the Competent Authority.

According to news agency ANI, Das’ suspension pertains to his alleged involvement in the irregular and illegal registration of private nursing homes.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has also alleged his role in the registration process of a children’s hospital in Vivek Vihar where six newborns died in a fire incident on Saturday night (25th May).

Earlier in April this year, the Directorate of Vigilance issued a show cause notice to Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj’s OSD RN Das in connection with the alleged irregularities in the procurement of various items. These included Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, gloves, masks and Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits worth around Rs 60 crore during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. 

According to the notice, the Directorate of Vigilance observed that “certain medical items were purchased to favour few individuals and companies/ firms and, thereby, caused wrongful gain to the companies and loss to the government…” 

Das, the OSD to current Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, held the same position under former Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who resigned in 2023, the DoV notice issued in April had read.

Delhi’s AAP government and sources close to OSD Das had denied the allegations claiming that Das was neither the OSD to Saurabh Bharadwaj nor Satyendar Jain during the said period. Sources close to Das said that he had become OSD to the health minister on 14th March 2023. They claim that Das was only the chairperson and member of the technical committee in 2021 during the COVID pandemic, the time period when the allegations date back. According to them, there are three to four members in the technical committee.

However, DoV notice had read, “Das… was in the forefront in managing tenders in favour of a particular family in different company names, and the conspiracy was hatched in the backdrop of the Covid crisis…” 

It further said that the Covid pandemic was used as a “reason and basis to swindle crores of rupees from the public exchequer”. It added, “…Health department officials have used the context of the Covid pandemic for enriching these private companies, and intentionally allowed cartelisation among them…”  

The DoV further mentioned in the notice that Das chaired three committees for the procurement of single-use gloves, sterilised gloves, and N-95 masks and that the technical evaluation committee — chaired by Das — “extended undue favours by qualifying a firm in the absence of such certificates for net worth, experience, and proving that it was a glove manufacturer”, Indian Express had reported in April this year. 

The notice also cited the procurement of RAT kits and said that the rate of kits was quoted at Rs 459.20 per unit, which was Rs 9.20 higher than the initial unit price. 

The notice stated, “It is observed that the rate of RAT kits progressively declined every month, so much so that within a span of six months, RAT kits were available at a rate of Rs 31.50 per unit.” 

The DoV had asked him to submit his reply with an explanation within seven days. 

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