Archives for July 2022

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Friday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here to record his statement in a money laundering probe, and left after more than 10 hours.

Raut reached the ED office located at the Ballard Estate in south Mumbai around 11.30 am. He was seen leaving the office around 10 at night.

Heavy police force was deployed outside the central agency’s office as a large number of Shiv Sena workers were present at the spot. Barricades were placed on the roads leading to the office.

After his arrival, the Sena MP, sporting a saffron muffler around his neck, waved at his supporters before entering the office with his lawyer.

Speaking to reporters before going inside, Raut said, “I will cooperate with the agency in the investigation. It had summoned me, they require some information from me and it is my duty as a Member of Parliament, a responsible citizen and a leader of a political party to cooperate with them.”

He said he was “fearless and undaunted” as he has “not done anything wrong in life”. When asked whether it is a politically motivated case, Raut said, “We will come to know that later. I think I am appearing before an agency which is neutral, and I have full confidence in them.

“Earlier in the day, the Sena leader posted a tweet saying, “I will be appearing bfore the ED today at 12 noon. I respect the Summons issued to me and it’s my duty to co-operate with the investigation agencies. I appeal Shivsena workers not to gather at the ED office.

Don’t worry!” The ED had summoned the Rajya Sabha member for questioning in the money laundering probe linked to the re-development of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ (tenement) and related financial transactions involving his wife and friends.

The agency had earlier summoned him on June 28.

However, Raut had termed the ED’s summons as a “conspiracy” to stop him from fighting against the Shiv Sena’s political opponents in the wake of a rebellion by party MLAs, and said he will not be able to appear before the agency on Tuesday as he had to attend a meeting in Alibag (Raigad district). The ED then issued a fresh summons and asked him to appear before it on Friday.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of Delhi police on a plea by Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair challenging the legality of his police remand in a case related to an alleged objectionable tweet he had posted in 2018 against a Hindu deity.

Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice on the petition and granted two weeks to the investigating agency to file its response to the petition which challenges the legality and proprietary of the trial court’s June 28 order granting four days of custody of Zubair to the police.

The judge listed the case for further hearing on July 27 and said that proceedings before the trial court would continue without being influenced by the present proceedings.

The court noted that the remand order would expire on July 2 and said, “The police remand order is for four days. I will have to hear the other side. I will issue notice”.

Zubair was arrested by the Delhi Police on June 27 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through one of his tweets and was sent to one-day police custody by the trial court on the same day.

After being produced on the expiry of his one-day custodial interrogation, his custody was extended by another four days by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria.

As per the trial court’s order, Zubair would be next produced before it on July 2 upon the expiry of the four days of police remand.

Earlier this month, a case against Zubair was registered under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, language, etc.) and 295A (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Police said the case was registered on the complaint of a Twitter user who accused him of hurting religious sentiments.

Police, while seeking an extension of Zubair’s custody by five days, had told the trial court that the accused was allegedly following a trend where he used religious tweets in an effort to get famous and that there was a deliberate effort to create social disharmony and hurt religious feelings.

The investigating agency had also said that the accused joined the probe but did not cooperate and various material from his phone was deleted.

Advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for the accused, had opposed the police plea alleging that the agency had called Zubair for questioning in some other case but he was arrested in the present case in haste.

Zubair’s counsel had also said that the photo which the accused used in the tweets is of an old Hindi film from 1983 by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, ‘Kissi Se Na Kehna’, and that the film was not banned.

The trial court had, however, rejected the submission saying it was of no assistance to the accused at this stage.

“Considering that mobile phone/laptop of accused used by him for posting the tweet in question is to be recovered at the instance of accused Mohammed Zubair from his Bangalore residence and that accused has remained non-cooperative and the disclosure statement on record, four days PC (police custody) remand of accused is granted since accused is to be taken to Bangalore,” the trial court had said in a 3-page order.

Announcing the decision, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Friday said, “While all other governments took five full years to keep their poll promises, our government had fulfilled its major guarantee within three months of coming to power. Every family across Punjab will get 300 units of free power each month.’’
The move will benefit 73.39 lakh consumers. Over 60 lakh consumers are estimated to consume up to 300 units of power a month.

Mann added that arrears of all electricity bills pending till Dec. 31, 2021, of all households have been waived. AAP’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday tweeted to praise the Mann government’s decision. “We have fulfilled our promise. The Aam Aadmi Party does what it says. People of Punjab will get rid of expensive electricity,” Kejriwal posted.

According to sources, the final blueprint of the scheme is yet to be cleared by the state Cabinet, which is expected to meet soon. A meeting of the Board of Punjab State Power Corporation was held on Friday to finalise the details.

The earlier schemes announced by the previous governments, wherein all domestic consumers having load of up to 1 kw, and the SC, BC and BPL consumers, got 200 units of free power, will be subsumed in the new scheme.

The total power subsidy bill of the state government this year is expected to rise to Rs 15,846 crore. The state government also has to pay a power subsidy of Rs 7,117 crore from the previous years, which was not paid by the previous government. Thus the state will have to pay Rs 22,962 crore this year as subsidy which translates to 24 per cent of the state’s total revenue receipts of Rs 95,378 crore for this year.

Sarma filed the suit before Kamrup chief judicial magistrate under relevant sections of the IPC on Thursday. Recently, Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma had filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit in the court of civil judge, Kamrup (Metro), against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader on the same issue. Last month, a war of words had erupted between Sisodia and Sarma. Referring to a media report, the AAP leader had accused the Assam CM of indulging in corruption by awarding contracts of PPE kits and other Covid-related items to his wife and son’s business partners.

Sisodia had asked why the firm linked to Sarma’s wife was awarded the contract at Rs 990 per PPE kit when another firm was given only Rs 600 for the same on the same day in 2020. Sarma was then Assam’s health minister.

Both he and his wife had dismissed the charges, and hit back at Sisodia, threatening to file a criminal defamation suit. “Stop sermonising and I will see you in Guwahati as you will face criminal defamation,” Sarma had stated. The couple said the PPE kits were gifted to the National Health Mission, Assamm and no bill was raised.

The AAP had lodged a complaint with the police in Guwahati demanding that a criminal case be registered against Sarma for his alleged involvement in the “PPE kits scam”. The party also petitioned Governor Jagdish Mukhi, demanding a probe into the case.

COIMBATORE: 16 transpersons have joined hands to form the ‘Rotaract Club of TransMom’ in Coimbatore on Thursday, with help of Tamil Nadu Rotary Club of Coimbatore Downtown.

The club aims to identify the needs of transgender community, especially in pursuing higher education and jobs.

Functionaries of Tamil Nadu Rotary Club of Coimbatore Downtown stated that this was the first such club in Tamil Nadu, and second in the country after Bhubaneswar in Odisha.

A Dhanshika, who is pursuing her post graduation and also working in a government hospital, has been nominated as the trustee of the club.

Addressing media, Dhanshika said, “When a person realises they are a transgender, they come out of home due to pressure in their family. In such situations, many of them are not in a position to continue education. We will focus on the education of transpersons, which will get them employment opportunity. Our other objective is helping transpersons secure jobs.”

Dhanshika said the club has identified six transpersons who have expressed willingness to pursue higher education.

“We have contacted higher education institutions in Coimbatore seeking support for our cause. A few colleges have come forward to give admission. Soon, the six would continue higher studies. We would also support non-members of the club,” Dhanshika said.

Rajasekhar Srinivasan, District governor of Tamil Nadu Rotary Club of Coimbatore Downtown said, “Though a club for transpersons was started in Bhubaneswar, we heard that it was not active. We started the club to serve transpersons for a long time.”