Archives for September 2022

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has decided to file nomination for the post of the party president for which the election is scheduled to be held on October 17. He is expected to arrive in the national capital on Wednesday night

Sources close to Singh on Wednesday said the decision to contest the polls is his personal one, adding nobody from the Gandhi family has asked him to do so.

The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister may file the nomination by September 30.

Congress’ initial plan was to field Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for the top party post but the high-octane drama in Rajasthan has miffed the Gandhis.

Sources in the know of things said “Gehlot has not been ruled out from the race yet”.

Congress treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal has taken a nomination form from the party’s Central Election Authority (CEA). On his part, Bansal said he is only a proposer, not the candidate.

CEA chairman Madhusudan Mistry on Tuesday had said: “Till now, Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Bansal have taken nomination forms from the CEA.”

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath whose name had also come up and had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday, said that he does not want to become the party chief, and wants to continue to work for the party in Madhya Pradesh.

The drama in Rajasthan has made the Congress leadership think about a ‘Plan B’ for the top party post for which Gehlot was being seen as a contender. However, the open defiance by his MLAs loyal to him brought him under a cloud.

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in a case related to alleged irregularities in the Waqf Board, saying that “prima facie the allegations against the accused are not grave and serious in nature.

According to the FIR, Khan while working as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board had indulged in several irregularities, including illegally recruiting 32 people by violating all norms and government guidelines.

The court said that as per the statement of the Waqf Board’s CEO, it was “prima facie shown that the accused being the Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board went ahead with the recruitment in violation of the instruction of the Delhi government, just to favour his relatives and members of his constituency.”

But, there was no material on record to show that Khan had received a bribe from any contractual employee, the court said.

The Waqf Board had previously recruited employees, without the existence of any rules, and there was no material on record to show that any of the recruited employees had paid bride to Khan, the court said.

Regarding leasing of Waqf properties, the court noted that prima facie, no loss was caused to the public exchequer with regard to the creation of tenancies.

There was also no material on record to show the entrustment of the Waqf fund to Khan or his exclusive dominion over it, nor was there any evidence to prove that any contractual employee after withdrawing the salary amount had repaid it to the accused, the court said.

Further, the court said that “prima facie entrustment of funds to the accused or its misappropriation is not made out.”

“From the aforesaid discussion, it can be prima facie held that allegations against the accused are not grave and serious in nature,” the court said.

The court then noted that out of 24 cases against Khan, he was acquitted or discharged in 20 cases and during the alleged assault on Anti-Corruption Branch officials, the accused was in their custody.

The court said that as a sitting MLA, Khan was not a flight risk and there was no chance of tampering with already seized primary evidence, which was documentary in nature.

“In the facts and circumstances, having regard to the principles governing the grant of bail as mentioned hereinabove, the application filed by the accused is allowed and he is admitted to bail subject to his furnishing personal bond in the sum of Rs 1 lakh with one surety of the like amount.” special judge Vikas Dhull said.

The court, however, made it clear that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case. The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) arrested Khan after conducting raids at his premises on September 16.

The then CEO of Delhi Waqf Board had clearly given a statement and issued a memorandum against such illegal recruitment, the FIR said.

Further, it was alleged that as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, Khan rented out several properties of the Waqf Board illegally amid allegations of corruption and favouritism, it added.

The FIR also alleged that Khan misappropriated funds of the Waqf Board comprising grants-in-aid from the Delhi government.

AHMEDABAD:  Bajrang Dal workers created ruckus at Garba event over the participation of people from the Muslim community. The workers thrashed more than 3 men at various Garba pandals. A video of the incident has gone viral on Social media.

Since first day of navaratra, Bajrang Dal workers have been making surprise visits at various Garba venues in the city to create awareness about ‘love jihad’ among Hindu women. They put ‘tilak’ on people’s forehead who come to play garba at pandals. They also ask for their ID cards. They found some Muslims at R K Party plot in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night and thrashed them.

Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput said, “Around 40 workers visited two Garba venues on Tuesday and distributed leaflets among girls and women asking them to be careful while speaking to men from other communities or religions.”

Student president of Bajrang Dal Gujarat unit Ujjwal Seth said that every year surprise checks are done to prevent love jihad.  VHP threatened more aggressive action in the coming days of Navratri. Gujarat Police, however, denied to have received any complaint. 

HUBBALLI: The investigation into the alleged forceful conversion of a 26-year-old youth to Islam a few months ago is bringing out new insights into the links between various groups allegedly involved in religious conversions in Karnataka, said police sources.

The police in Hubballi have been questioning a few people and on Wednesday visited some houses in Kasabapet area. A special team has been formed under an ACP-level officer and it is touring different parts of the state to gather information. In all, 12 people have been listed in the FIR lodged at the APMC-Navanagar police station in Hubballi.

The police said the victim, Shreedhar Gangadhar, an employee of a private firm, was cheated and forcefully converted to Islam. For many weeks, he was threatened of dire consequences if he went to the police or informed anybody of his ordeal. Shreedhar was held up at a house in Bengaluru where he was forcibly circumcised and made to eat beef. “Most of the accused live in Bengaluru. The victim has given enough information, telephone numbers and addresses of the accused and their associates,” said the police.

“We had information about conversion material and of some people from Hubballi. One of the main accused is from Hubballi. After a tipoff, we searched some homes in Kasabapet. It is a routine investigation procedure and so far no arrests have been made,” the officer added. The police are also checking the sources of funding and bank accounts from which the victim received money. One of the accused had given the victim Rs 35,000 and the gang had promised Rs 40,000 for each person converted. “The victim was given a target of three people annually for conversion. The victim was blackmailed with a picture of him holding firearms,” the police said.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday held that all women, irrespective of their marital status, are entitled to safe and legal abortion till 24 weeks of pregnancy under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, JB Pardiwala and AS Bopanna delivered the verdict on the interpretation of the MTP Act, and whether unmarried or single women can be allowed like their married counterparts the benefit of abortion up to 24 weeks.

The top court said the distinction between married and unmarried women under the abortion laws is “artificial and constitutionally unsustainable” and perpetuates the stereotype that only married woman are sexually active.

The bench, on August 23, had reserved its verdict on interpretation of the MTP Act provisions which makes a distinction between married and unmarried women on the issue of abortion till 24 weeks of pregnancy.

As suspense over whether or not Gehlot would agree to resign as CM to file his nomination papers continued, names of other Congress probables started doing the rounds. Right on top of the list was that of former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijaya Singh, who shares a close personal equation with Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi family loyalist Ambika Soni, considered close to Sonia, could also be on the ballot.

Others include the party’s top Dalit leaders like Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, former Maharashtra chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and former Haryana president of Congress Kumari Selja. Party treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal’s name is also being mentioned as a possible contender.

On Wednesday, Sonia Gandhi consulted Ambika Soni and A K Antony, who was called from Kerala where he is leading a retired life, on the Rajasthan crisis. She was advised to meet Gehlot one last time to try and iron out the differences.

The two central observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge shielded Gehlot in their report after returning from Jaipur where they were not able to meet the party MLAs loyal to the CM. These MLAs opposed to the high command’s plan to replace Gehlot with his former deputy Sachin Pilot and refused to sign a resolution authorising Sonia to pick the successor. Gehlot was originally scheduled to leave Jaipur at 5.30 pm but delayed his departure.

‘To express feelings of loyalists’
“The CM is going to Delhi to express the feelings of 102 MLAs, as their guardian, with the party leadership,” minister Pratap Khachariyawas said.

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh Congress working president Harsh Mahajan joined the BJP on Wednesday and claimed the opposition party has become “vision-less, directionless and leaderless”.

A former state government minister and close aide of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who died last year, Mahajan lashed out at the Congress leadership in the state, saying it is very much ruled by “maa-beta” like in Delhi.

Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh is the state Congress president now and their son Vikramaditya Singh is a party MLA.

Nothing has been left in the Congress after the death of the former chief minister, he told reporters.

He joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister Piyush Goyal and lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for providing a “strong government”.

Goyal said the BJP will script history in the state by retaining power following the polls likely to be held later this year.

Mahajan had been with the Congress for over four decades.

Welcoming Mahajan, Goyal said he held important positions in the Congress and has maintained a clean image.

The BJP government in the state will be repeated, he claimed.