A fashion designer and her help were stabbed to death in a south Delhi farmhouse, police said on Thursday, adding that the three suspects who have been detained went to a police station to confess their crime.

Mala Lakhani, 53, who operated the Tulsi Creations boutique in Green Park and stayed in Vasant Kunj Enclave, was found dead along with her domestic help, Bahadur, 50.

Their bodies were discovered with multiple stab wounds on Thursday at her home, Deputy Commissioner of Police Devender Arya said.

Prima facie, the crime appeared to have occurred late on Wednesday. It was reported to the police on Thursday morning, he said in a statement.

“We have detained three persons, including prime suspect Rahul Anwar, who worked at her boutique,” Arya added. The officer said all three went to a police station and confessed to committing the crime at 2.45 a.m.

Stunned police officers who rushed to the spot found the two bodies “in a pool of blood”.

Lakhani, he said, had set up a workshop in her house for cutting and tailoring where one of the accused, Anwar, worked as a tailor. He planned the crime along with his associates, Rahmat and Wasim, Arya said.

They also stole valuable items from Lakhani’s house and left the spot in her car.

IANS

Mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy’s right-hand man Mehfuz Ali Khan submitted an affidavit in court on Tuesday, which may come as a relief to Janardhana. Janardhana Reddy has been accused of accepting Rs 20 crore – Rs 2 crore in cash and Rs 18 crore worth gold bullion weighing 57 kg from the owner of Ambidant Marketing Pvt Ltd for allegedly bailing the owner Syed Ahmed Fareed out of a probe by the Enforcement Directorate.

Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch sleuths have been trying to track down the gold bullion. They also filed an objection to Mehfuz’s anticipatory bail plea on Tuesday. In an affidavit submitted through his attorney, Mehfuz claims that he bought the 57 kg gold in order to offer it to various places of worship.

Mehfuz, who appeared before the 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Bengaluru on Tuesday told the court that Syed Ahmed Fareed, the founder and managing director of Ambidant, helped him receive a loan to purchase the gold. Mehfuz also said that he was prepared to return the Rs 18 crore to Ahmed Fareed if the court orders him to do so.

“My family and I are great believers of the Almighty and we believe that the only way to be blessed by God is through charity. We had pledged to offer gold to the Almighty if we were redeemed of adversities. We had been facing troubles since 2011 and were able to overcome it, To honour our commitment to God, we began gathering the gold,” Mehfuz Ali Khan’s affidavit states.

In January this year, Mehfuz alleged that he met Ahmed Fareed and confided in him his need to obtain gold in order to donate it to various places of worship. Mehfuz stated that Fareed appreciated his initiative and promised to help him.

“He helped me obtain a loan of Rs 18 crore, which he gave through his company Ambidant in March this year. It is only now, after the reports in the media that I have learnt that there are cases against Ambidant for cheating its depositors. I am not involved in the affairs of the company and the loan was obtained for personal reasons. I am now prepared to return the entire amount now,” the affidavit adds.

Khan’s statement came soon after Justice Jagadeesh, who was hearing Janardhana Reddy’s bail application, reprimanded CCB officials.

Mehfuz’s affidavit may offer Janardhana some respite, since CCB sleuths suspect that he laundered the Rs 18 crore through gold bullion obtained by Mehfuz. Mehfuz has been Reddy’s trusted lieutenant since 2007, when he started working for Brahmani Steel, Janardhan Reddy’s company. Mehfuz was also one of the accused in the illegal mining scam allegedly by the Obulapuram Mining Company in Ballari, owned by Janardhana Reddy and his brothers. Mehfuz was also arrested along with Janardhana Reddy in 2012.

CCB sources say that the paper trail in the gold transactions ends with Mehfuz, and that they suspect the gold was procured by Mehfuz for Janardhana Reddy.

“How will Mehfuz and Janardhana Reddy explain the meeting they held with Ambidant owner at Taj West End or in the hotel in HSR Layout? Mehfuz does not have any proof that he gave the money to said places of worship,” the CCB source added.

CCB sleuths have decided to invoke the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors (KPID) in Financial Establishments Act against all six accused in the case. “We are collecting more evidence regarding the financial transaction. We have invoked KPID Act to ensure that the money which Ali returns will be returned to the investors under legal supervision,” said Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner (crime), who is heading the investigation.

CCB sources say that Janardhana Reddy was aware of Ambidant’s activities and the allegations of financial fraud against it when the alleged transfer of Rs 20 crore was made through Mehfuz. “There is an RTGS transaction made to Ramesh, a Ballari-based jeweller who converted the money to gold which was then sent to reach Reddy’s beneficiaries in Ballari,” the source said.

TNM

 An 18-year-old sprinter allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan inside his room in the athletics academy at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here. He died on Wednesday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Palendra Chaudhary. He was discovered by a friend on the second floor of the hostel late on Tuesday, a police officer said.

“Palendra Chaudhary was taken to the medical facility at the stadium by his coach and other guards, where the initial treatment was administered.

“He was later shifted to the Safdarjung hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on Wednesday morning,” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijayanta Arya said.

“The hospital informed the police. During the probe, we found out that Chaudhary was staying in that hostel since November 2016. He was being trained for the 100 and 200 metres race,” Arya said.

“No suicide note was found. The reason for the suicide is not clear. His father who stays in Aligrah in Uttar Pradesh has been informed,” she said.

The deceased had represented India in 100 and 200 metres races at the international level and also in the Youth Asia Athletic meet in Bangkok in 2017, Arya added.

IANS

 A senior Kerala Police officer who was eluding arrest after causing a man’s death a week back, on Tuesday was found hanging in his home in Kollam district, police said.

The deceased, B. Harikumar, who was the Neyattinkara Deputy Superintendent of Police, has been on the run since November 5 night when he pushed electrician Sanal Kumar, following an altercation.

Kumar fell on the road and was crushed by a speeding car. Harikumar was eluding arrest for the past eight days since the incident on the outskirts here.

Kumar’s wife, Viji, who was on a day-long protest seeking justice at the same spot where her husband came under the vehicle, reacted to Harikumar’s suicide: “God’s verdict has come” and ended her agitation.

Harikumar’s bail plea was supposed to come up at a lower court on Wednesday. There were widespread allegations that the police was helping Harikumar to dodge arrest.

People questioned how could Harikumar reach his Kallambalam home while the police were trying to nab him.

The deceased electrician’s wife had earlier demanded a CBI or court-managed probe because she feared that there would not be any justice as Harikumar’s colleagues would turn the murder into a road accident.

Kumar’s sister Sajitha said though the prime culprit was dead, but all those who tried to help Harikumar must face punishment.

The incident occurred at Neyattinkara when Harikumar was in civilian dress and reportedly visiting a woman friend. Kumar was trying to take out his vehicle. It was a parking row that led to Kumar’s death.

Eye-witnesses and Kumar’s kin alleged that the injured electrician was not immediately rushed to the hospital. He died as police was dropping off officers to police station instead of taking Kumar to the nearest emergency.

Kumar was declared brought dead.

IANS

 The Sunday Guardian Editor Joyeeta Basu on Monday put up a strong defence for former Union Minister M.J. Akbar, who has been accused of sexual harassment by several women journalists

Appearing in a Delhi court as a complainant witness in the defamation case filed by Akbar against woman journalist Priya Ramani, Basu said the defamatory tweets by Ramani had irreparably damaged Akbar’s reputation.

Basu told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal: “…after reading these tweets by Priya Ramani, I feel that they were made intentionally with a purpose to harm Akbar’s reputation and goodwill in the eyes of the society.”

Basu, who has worked with Akbar for around 15 years, said that his behaviour with her was impeccable.

“He was a perfect professional and a tough task-master with the entire office. I have not heard anything untoward from the staff of the organisation in which we have worked together,” she said.

Basu told the court that she had always held Akbar in high regard.

“Akbar has always been a thorough professional and a brilliant teacher who taught me all aspects of journalism,” she said.

The court will take up the case again on December 7.

The court was hearing the defamation case against Ramani filed by the former Minister of State for External Affairs, a journalist-turned-politician who is now with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Ramani was the first in a long list of women journalists to accuse Akbar of sexual harassment.

A Rajya Sabha member, Akbar, has denied all the charges against him as “false, wild and baseless”.

Akbar has listed names of two senior women journalists — Joyeeta Basu and Veenu Sandal — besides four others as his witnesses to prove his defamation charges against Ramani.

IANS

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing police firing incidents at Behbal Kalan on sacrilege issue, has summoned former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son Sukhbir Singh Badal and actor Akshay Kumar.

While Parkash has been asked to appear before the SIT of Punjab Police on November 16, Sukhbir has been summoned on November 19 and Akshay has been asked to come on November 21 to the Circuit House in Amritsar.

The summon orders have been issued separately for the three by SIT member and IG rank officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, according to an official release issued here.

The SIT is probing police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in Faridkot in 2015 after a series of sacrilege incidents in the state. In police firing at Behbal Kalan, two persons were killed.

Notably, the actor’s name was mentioned in Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report on sacrilege incidents.

According to the report, a meeting between former deputy chief minister Sukhbir and Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in connection with the release of latter’s movie ‘MSG’ was held at Akshay’s flat in Mumbai.

The meeting was held before the pardon given to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a blasphemy case. However, Akshay had denied all the claims.

Kunwar Singh said the summons relate to investigation of cases originating from the various incidents of sacrilege in the year 2015.

The summons have been issued under Section 160 of the CrPC, requiring attendance at investigation, relating to the Bargari sacrilege case and the Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police firing incidents, the release said.

The notice says the presence of the aforesaid person is necessary for the purpose of inquiry into the above-mentioned offence and the person summoned needed to give such information relating to the said alleged offence as he may possess.

The SIT had earlier examined ADGP Jitendra Jain, then IG Bathinda; IGP Paramraj Singh Umaranangal; then Commissioner Ludhiana; IGP Amar Singh Chahal, then DIG Ferozepur Range; MS Jaggi, then DC Faridkot; SS Mann, then SSP Faridkot; VK Syal then SDM Faridkot, besides Mantar Singh Brar, then Kotkapura MLA.

In addition, 50 private persons and more than 30 police officials of junior rank have also been examined.

The five-member SIT was set up by the state government in September this year, soon after issuance of the notification to withdraw investigation of sacrilege incidents of the Guru Granth Sahib from the CBI.

PTI

Driver Abdul Shahid ran away with the cash while his colleagues were filling an ATM on Nagawara main road in Bengaluru on Monday.

Following a complaint from the KG Halli manager of Axis Bank, Bengaluru police are searching for an ATM driver who drove off with Rs 75 lakh cash meant for the ATMs on Nagawara main road on Monday. Abdul Shahid, who works with Writer Safeguard Private Limited, was on his routine rounds of driving the armoured van that carried Rs 1.2 crore cash to be filled in ATMs in Nagawara area of Bengaluru.

The 25-year-old man was accompanied by two custodians of the cash – Srishaila and Harish – and gunman Amit Singh. After filling cash in a few ATMs, the custodians and the gunman got down from the truck to fill cash in the Axis Bank ATM on Nagawara main road. Abdul then drove away way with the remaining Rs 75 lakh cash in the van. The KG Halli police, who are investigating the incident, believe that Abdul had alerted his accomplices, who followed the ATM cash van.

“The ATM is located on a narrow road. The ATM vehicle was stopped on the main road while the custodians and the gunman got down and carried the cash to the ATM. The driver, who was alone in the van, drove away with the cash inside it. After driving for a short distance, he abandoned the ATM vehicle, transferred the cash in a trunk and two heavy bags and loaded them into another vehicle, before escaping,” said a police official investigating the case.

Following the incident, Srishaila informed the bank manager, who then filed a complaint at the KG Halli police station.

Four days after the incident, the police are still on the lookout for Abdul Shahid and his accomplices. Police are reviewing the CCTV footages in the area to determine how Shahid escaped with the cash-filled bags.

Abdul, a native of Guwahati in Assam, is still on the run and the police are tracing the missing money. “We are yet to find the vehicle they escaped in and how many accomplices helped him,” said a police officer investigating the incident.

By : Parmesh S Jain

Gali Janardhan Reddy sent to judicial custody in bribery case: Former BJP leader mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy was held on Sunday afternoon,November 11,by the Central Crime Branch in connection with an alleged ponzi scam.His arrest comes after Reddy appeared at the Central Crime Branch office for questioning.

Mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy was arrested on Sunday after marathon questioning by ACP CCB,Venkatesh Prasanna in the presence of Addl CP Crime,Alok Kumar,and DCP Crime,Girish S, in an alleged Rs 18 crore bribery case.

Addl CP Crime,Alok Kumar said,Gali Janardhan Reddy has been arrested today in the morning at 10am, in connection with Ambidant Marketing pvt Ltd alleged bribery case.

Janardhan Reddy is accused of taking a Rs 20-Crore bribe to bail Syed Ahmed Fareed, accused in a Ponzi scheme case, out from the Enforcement Directorate investigation.

The CCB sleuths said that they have arrested Reddy, who had allegedly struck a Rs 20-crore deal with Syed Ahmed Fareed of Ambident Marketing Pvt Ltd.A company accused of involvement in the ponzi scheme to bail him out from the Enforcement Directorate investigation.

After remaining elusive for three days, former Karnataka minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy on Saturday appeared before the CCB police in connection with an alleged ponzi scam, and denied the allegations and said it is all political conspiracy against him.

Earlier on Saturday Reddy, who was a minister in the erstwhile Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka, said he never panicked as neither his name figured in the first information report (FIR) nor was any notice served on him.

Local police were asked to take precautionary measures and with 1 KSRP platoon was deployed to maintain law and order situation outside of the CCB office.

Traffic was disrupted on the busy Cottonpet main road for sometime while Gali Janardhan Reddy appeared before the CCB sleuths Chickpet traffic inspector Sankan Gowda,Cottonpet police inspector Kumaraswamy with his other sub-inspectors and staff was too deployed till late midnight 2am.

Two cameraman and reporters were fell down on the road while following Gali Janardhan Reddy on the Cottonpet main road in a busy traffic the car was stopped suddenly as the driver applied a sudden break in which the reporters and cameraman who were covering his movements were fell down but due to alert reporters picked them up and some suffered Minor injuries.

The intense grilling which began Friday afternoon lasted till around 2 am and continued this morning and Reddy had to sleep in the CCB office, police said.

Before being produced in the court, Reddy was subjected to a medical examination.

Janardhan Reddy, has been remanded to judicial custody by 1st ACMM magistrate, V.Jagadish in the Ambident Ponzi scam case for 14 days.He was shifted to Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru.The Bengaluru 1st ACMM Judge rejected Reddy’s bail plea.The judge Jagadish rejected plea for bail filed by Reddy’s lawyer Chandrashekhar. He asked Reddy to file for bail in the open court. Meanwhile, City Crime Branch police decided not to seek Reddy’s custody.The lawyer will file for bail plea tomorrow November 12 in the city civil court. This is Reddy’s third stay in Parappana Agrahara jail.Reddy will be given facilities of hot water and cot inside the jail. He will be put in the quarantine cell.Reddy’s lawyer will apply for bail in the city civil court tomorrow.

Sources said that Fareed diary has revealed more shocking details to CCB cops in the diary totally 23 names of ministers of Coalition government,Some police officers with some senior journalist names also has been disclosed in the diary and Fareed also revealed the shocking details to CCB cops.

Many victims who invested in the Ambident company came forward to the CCB office as soon as they saw the news about Fareed is being grilled by CCB sleuths one of the victim by name Ziaulla Baig a tailor from Goripalya said he has been cheated by the Ambident company to the tune of Rs.3 lakhs as he has invested in the Ambidant company by signing an MOU Mutual understanding agreement to pay monthly Rs.9000 as commission or profits but he claims that till today from past 7 months I have dint received any amount from him and when he go to ask for his principal amount he gives reason everytime and he even said this fraud culprit along with his son has cheated us and invested the money in Bitcoin to the tune of 500 Crore and as Bitcoin market came down he has lost all his money and with his false promise today I am suffering by pledging my ancestral home and to save it I need to pay interest but as it is struck here i am not able to pay it he added.

Another victim she said she has invested Rs.30 lakhs in the firm by name Ambident company and his owner his Fareed the old lady who runs a orphanage was crying outside the CCB office after she was also got cheated from this fraud she said the multi Crore fraudsters is given bail and here they are blaming Janardhan Reddy in this case he has nothing to do with this case and she said she has even met senior officials seeking help but the senior official dint cooperated with them she added.

Addl CP Crime,Alok Kumar in the presence of DCP Crime,Girish.S,said that after the marathon questioning by us to the former Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy to get more details regarding the alleged Rs.20 Crore rupees deal case we need to arrest him and we have decided and declared him arrested today in the morning at 10am.Has Gali Janardhan Reddy has taken a bribe of Rs.20 Crores from the Ambident company owner Fareed to getting a case closed apparently in the name of Enforcement Directorate ED,it was not in the particular name so there was a criminal conspiracy in this regard and for that he has been charged and we are going to produce him before the court and after that we will try to recover the Amount what the Rs.20 Crore is there amount we will recover and disburse the amount with the permission of court to the investors.He further said we have taken the decision on the basis of credible evidence and witnesses statement and all other materials like legal scrutiny of all the evidences we have done and on that basis we have come to the conclusion that it requires his arrest and so that’s why we will first take him to Victoria hospital for medical check up and then we are going to produce him before Honourable magistrate house and we are going to recover the money and disburse the money to the investors of Ambident company he added.

Gali Janardhan Reddy’s lawyer R.P. Chandrashekar told media persons that,after we appeared before the CCB office in the view of the notice that they have served upon us as to our client Gali Janardhan Reddy day before yesterday asking him to come today but we have appeared on our own illusion we would be co-operating to this investigation team completely.As we have faith in the judiciary when we have not done any mistake and we have Co-operated to the investigating officer to the fullest extent from the past 24 hours we are fully co-operated and in spite of our cooperation also the investigating officer is of the opinion that there are some links which he still wants to establish at the time of investigation he has found it necessary to arrest him,but our basis all the while for 24 hours when we was under investigation we had told the investigating officer that we have nothing to do with this kind of affairs of the Ambident private limited company and Ambident private private limited company entities absolutely different from what the allegations they are attributing to us.The allegations concerning the allegations and the affairs of the Ambident private limited company are totally two different sects we do not fall in that sects and that we have been telling the investigating officer and further we have told that this arrest also so far as we are concerned there is no material or basis to arrest Gali Janardhan Reddy.And while Janardhan reddy last words spoken by him while he was entering the jeep because it came it is a surprise to him he told me that “He has been a fighter he is a born fighter he would fight this things in the court of law.When asked by reporters that it is ok then why did you file the writ petition that too two writ petitions that you are saying their no connection with the Janardhan Reddy with this case another side you filed a 2 writ petition that investigating officers should be changed and this case should be squashed.Chandrashekar replied by telling yes reporters said but now you are telling a different story,Chandrashekar replies by saying no no we are not telling any different story for your kind information do not try to twist and turn facts the facts the facts are as simple as that writ petition and 482 are pending before the High court they have to come for consideration as and when they come for consideration we would be urging those points but when they came writ petition for consideration those points will be urging in the court of law and before the court the writ petition and 482 is in the meanwhile the notice served upon to us so this cannot be connected to WP or the 482.Ali Khan has not been arrested for the simple reason we have Karan him out on interim bail orders still exists and is still valid.This is a fight which we will continue and truth will come and still it is valid hence.This is a fight which we will continue and truth will come out this fight we will continue in the court of law and sooner the truth will come out on our part we are only telling that we are absolutely not connected to this allegations of Rs.20 Crore and to the affairs of Ambidant company he added.

What is the case?

A company named Ambident promised people 40% returns on their investments. When people fell into this trap and never received any returns, based on complaint Enforcement Directorate intervened. The owner of the company was identified as Fareed.

Lured by the promise, thousands of people invested their money in the company, which initially paid good returns, attracting more and more investors.

However, as it failed to pay the promised returns later, cases were registered against it and during January- February ED had also raided it.

Meanwhile, Fareed had allegedly met Reddy through Khan requesting for help in bailing him out of ED the case, and Rs 20 crore was demanded in the form of gold through a jeweller known to them in Ballari, according to police.

Further into the investigation a transaction of Rs 18 crore was traced. This transaction was traced to Ramesh Kothari, owner of Ambika Jewellers. It was further traced to a man named Ramesh who said that money was given to Janardhana Reddy’s personal assistant Ali in the form of gold bars.

Reddy was charged under Sections 420 (cheating),120B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act,and with various other IPC sections.

Reddy, a powerful minister during the previous BJP rule, had been arrested by the CBI in 2011 over alleged multi-crore illegal mining scam and granted bail three years later.

Three car-bomb explosions on Friday outside a luxury hotel in the Somali capital left at least 14 people dead and 45 others wounded, media reported.

The al-Shabaab terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attacks, which took place during the afternoon rush hour on a busy street near a checkpoint that controls access to Mogadishu International Airport, reports Efe news.

Mohamed Abshir from Amin ambulance service told Efe that 14 people were killed, while the ambulance service said on Twitter that it had transported 45 injured people to hospitals.

The first two blasts took place almost simultaneously at 4 p.m. outside the Sahafi hotel, while the third came 20 minutes later in the garage of the adjacent Hayat hotel.

Several terrorists were killed trying to enter the Sahafi, security sources told Radio Dalsan.

The two hotels are located just a few meters away from Criminal Investigation Division headquarters in an area of restaurants and bars.

Among the dead was Sahafi owner Abdifatah Abdirashid, whose father was killed in a similar attack on the same hotel three years ago, according to Radio Dalsan.

IANS

 A police officer in the UK has been jailed for 18 months for causing the death of an Indian-origin shopkeeper by dangerous driving.

Balvinder Singh, 59, died in hospital from his injuries after the van he was driving was hit by off-duty Jason Bannister’s vehicle in Wolverhampton in December 2016.

Bannister, 45, of Wombourne, was treated for minor injuries following the collision and had pleaded guilty in a hearing in September.

He was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment by a Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, the BBC reported.

Bannister is currently suspended from duty. The Staffordshire police said they would launch misconduct proceedings now the court case had concluded.

Bannister was also banned from driving for three years and nine months. He will be required to complete an extended driving test in order to regain his licence, the report said.