Parmesh S Jain

Close to an alleged harassment complaint by the staff of administration section of the City Police Commissionerate against IPS officer Nisha James alleging harassment at the workplace,the Karnataka government has transferred her.

M A Saleem,Additional Director General of Police (Administration),issued movement order on Wednesday posting her as Superintendent of Police,Internal Security Division.

The order also stated B M Laxmi Prasad, awaiting posting has been asked to take charge as DCP administration .

The complaint letter signed by many police personnel making serious accusation against her, Many police personnel supported Nisha James, as honest officer.

Some of them took to social media to express their support for the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

Terming her transfer as part of conspiracy, officials said that Nisha James an honest officer.

She had ensured the transfer of over 3,000 police personnel who were working in the same police station for more than five years,added the official.

This had irked the lower rank personnel and conspired against her by launching campaign against the officer.

The government and the Home Department had to heed to the pressure as they did not want any nuisance and embarrass the government and the department further so they have immediately transferred the officer he said.

New Delhi: With Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) a notch short of entering the “severe plus” category, a central panel on Thursday directed authorities to ban the plying of four-wheeled diesel light motor vehicles in Delhi and adjoining NCR districts and the entry of trucks into the capital as part of anti-pollution measures under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan.

However, BS-VI vehicles and those used for essential and emergency services are exempted, according to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management. (CAQM)

The order stated that the state government may take a call on the closure of educational institutions, non-emergency commercial activities and plying of vehicles on odd-even basis.

Central and state governments may decide on permitting work from home.

“Ban on plying of 4-wheeler diesel LMVs in NCT of Delhi and Districts of NCR bordering Delhi, except BS-VI vehicles and vehicles used for essential/emergency services,” the order read.

The CAQM also ordered a ban on Delhi-registered diesel-run medium and heavy goods vehicles in the capital. Those carrying essential commodities and providing essential services are exempted.

The entry of trucks other than electric and CNG ones in Delhi is banned too. Those carrying essential commodities are exempted.

The CAQM also directed closure of all industries running on non-clean flues in the region, “even in areas which do not have PNG infrastructure and supply”.

Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 450 on Wednesday.

An AQI of above 400 is considered “severe” and can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses.

According to the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago’s (EPIC) Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) released in June, the residents of Delhi stand to lose 10 years of life expectancy due to poor air quality.

With the pollution levels worsening, the CAQM had directed authorities on Saturday to impose a ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR, barring essential projects, and other curbs under the third stage of the GRAP.

First implemented in 2017, the GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation.

It classifies the air quality in the Delhi-NCR under four different stages: stage 1 – “poor” (AQI 201-300), stage 2 – “very poor” (AQI 301-400), stage 3 – “severe” (AQI 401-450) and stage 4 – “severe plus” (AQI above 450).

This year, curbs on polluting activities are being imposed three days in advance, based on forecasts.

Earlier, the authorities would implement the measures only after the PM2.5 and PM10 concentration touched a particular threshold.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar: Omar Abdullah will not contest the assembly polls if the statehood is not restored to Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday.

“He (Omar Abdullah) has already said that he will not contest elections till statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Budgam district.

He was responding to a question about speculation that Omar Abdullah would not contest the assembly elections.

Asked about the appointment of constituency incharges by National Conference on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha member said it was necessary that party workers become active.

“It was important that we appoint constituency incharges who will go among the people and look at their problems so that same can be addressed,” he added.

Farooq Abdullah dismissed suggestions that the constituency incharges named by National Conference would get the party mandate for assembly elections.

“People are making up a lot of things. If we start to respond to each and everything, how can we function then? No one is the MLA candidate. We will have talks about coalitions and also about PAGD,” he said.

The former chief minister said the elections in Jammu and Kashmir were still some time away.

“There is time in conduct of the elections. What combinations emerge will be seen at that time only,” he said.

New Delhi: A court here has framed charges against nine accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for propagating the ideology of ISIS even though it observed that mere possession of non-prohibited jihadi literature would not amount to an offence.

The court was hearing a case registered by the National Investigating Agency under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the UAPA.

“Let the charges be framed against the eight accused — Mushab Anwar, Rhees Rasheed, Deepthi Marla, Mohammad Waqar Lone, Mizha Siddeeque, Shifa Haris, Madesh Shanker, and Ammar Abdul Rahiman — under the relevant provisions of the IPC and the UAPA,” Principal District and Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma said in a recent order.

The court framed charges against the accused under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC read with Section 2 (o) (Unlawful activity) read with Section 13 (Punishment for indulging in unlawful activities) along with Sections 38 (Offence relating to membership of a terrorist organisation) and 39 (Offence relating to support given to a terrorist organisation) of the UAPA.

The court said all the eight accused were accessing highly provocative jihadi material and subscribing to the ideology of ISIS, besides actively disseminating such material and seeking support from like-minded people.

They were also enticing gullible Muslim youths to follow ISIS policies and professing to be self-styled operatives of ISIS, thus, making all efforts to further the cause of the banned organisation.

The court, meanwhile, discharged an accused, Muzamil Hassan Bhat, from all the charges, saying there was no evidence to establish that he professed to be a member of ISIS or that he did anything to further the activities of the banned organisation.

The court also framed charges against another accused, Obaid Hamid Matta, under Section 2 (o) read with Section 13 of the UAPA for indulging in the commission of unlawful activities.

It also said that merely because Matta was accessing and reading certain hardcore Islamic literature, he did not commit any offence.

The court, however, discharged all the accused for several offences, including those under Sections 17 (Punishment for raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (punishment for conspiracy etc.), 18B (recruiting any person or persons for commission of a terrorist act ), 20 (Punishment for being member of terrorist gang or organisation) and 40 (Offence of raising fund for a terrorist organisation) of the UAPA and Section 121A ( Conspiring to commit certain offences against the State) of the IPC.

It said that the prosecution had failed to prima facie establish that the accused people were members of any terrorist organisation and that mere possession of jihadi literature was not an offence.

“Further, to hold that mere possession of jihadi literature having a particular religious philosophy would amount to an offence, though such literature is not expressly or specifically banned under any provision of law, is not fathomable in law unless and until there is material about the execution of such philosophy so as to do terrorist acts,” the court said.

Such a proposition was contrary to the freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the court said.

“Even if they (the accused) were impressed by the said philosophy and ideology, still they cannot be said to be members much less such members as would attract the penal liability – of the said organisation (ISIS),” the court said.

The court said that none of the accused committed any “terrorist act” within the scope of the relevant sections of the UAPA or conspired to wage war against the government.

“The material gathered by the investigation agency at best demonstrates that almost all the accused except Accused 11 (Bhat) were ISIS sympathisers and accessing highly radicalised jihadi material from the web world but there is no iota of material to suggest any of the accused individually or in association committed or planned any terrorist act,” the court said.

The court said that there was no evidence to establish that any of the accused was entrusted with the task of soliciting details of like-minded people, conducting interviews, taking money or facilitating their onward journey to ISIS-controlled territories.

None of the accused had conducted any recruitment process nor was any fund transferred to ISIS, the court said.

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday released what he claimed to be clinching ‘evidence’ in the alleged poaching attempt of four TRS MLAs by the BJP and disclosed that he had sent the same to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Supreme Court judges and CJs and others judges of high courts as well as presidents of all parties and CMs of all States.

Speaking at a press conference at Pragathi Bhavan, soon after the Munugode bypoll concluded, Rao implored the Judiciary to discuss the ‘evidence’ and take steps as per law to save democracy. He said that they had submitted three-hour-long video footage containing the discussion of the accused with TRS MLAs, to the high court.

“We have obtained the call data of the brokers from 2015 and also retrieved the data from their laptops, which runs into 70,000 to 80,000 pages,” Rao said.

The TRS supremo said that he sent the ‘evidence’ to all the agencies like the CBI, Enforcement Directorate, Central Vigilance Commission, DGPs of all states and all prominent news agencies in the country and media houses.

‘Shah’s name mentioned 20 times, Modi’s twice’

Playing excerpts of the video footage for the media, Rao alleged that the accused claimed that they dethroned governments in eight States and were planning to pull down the governments in Delhi, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.

He alleged that the accused took the name of Union Home Minister Amit Shah 20 times and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name twice during their attempts to poach the TRS MLAs.

Finding fault with the BJP for toppling the State governments ruled by the Opposition parties, Rao recalled that the PM had told the public in West Bengal that around 40 Trinamool Congress MLAs were in touch with him.

He recalled that Jayaprakash Narayan started a movement across the country when Indira Gandhi made the mistake of imposing an Emergency, which then led to the defeat of ‘invincible Indira’. Another such movement would be started across the country soon, he said.

The TRS supremo termed the ‘purchasing of MLAs’ and pulling down of the popular State governments as “organised crime”.The CM said that the accused claimed that they had a 24-member gang and even explained how they transported MLAs in Karnataka. He also released the fake ID cards of the accused. The Chief Minister alleged that the accused had multiple driving licences, and Aadhaar and PAN cards.

“This type of undemocratic (practices) is unhealthy and (such) undesirable acts should not continue in the country,” he said.  The BJP was in the hands of ‘anti-Constitutional forces’, he alleged. “I will not keep quiet when they are saying that they will topple my government,” Rao thundered.The CM also alleged that the accused even mentioned Tushar, BJP’s candidate against Rahul Gandhi from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, and explained how they were going to pay money to TRS MLAs.

Towards the end of the presser, he urged the PM to do good for the people. “Modi Ji, I am also holding a constitutional position and became the Chief Minister in the same way you became the Prime minister. Please respect democracy.

It may be recalled here that Telangana police arrested three persons — Ramachadra Bharati, Nanda Kumar and Simhayaji — when they allegedly tried to lure four TRS MLAs into BJP on October 26.

Rao is insecure: Kishan

Reacting to the CM’s press conference, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said KCR’s ‘insecurity and intolerance’ was evident in his media address, which ‘stemmed from people of Telangana losing faith in the CM’s family’. Kishan reiterated that the BJP had nothing to do with the alleged poaching case, and that it was a lie scripted by some paid artistes and the TRS MLAs involved, which the CM was trying to put forward.

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Parmesh S Jain

The Vidhana Soudha police on Saturday arrested a 41-year-old software engineer for making repeated hoax call to Chief Secretary office on Friday .

Based on the complaint,the Vidhana Soudha police with the help of electronic city sub-division officials track down Prashanth at his house in Hebbagodi and arrested him within few hours.

Even though the police suspected it to be a hoax call they carried a combing operations in and around the Vidhana Soudha premises to ensure safety.

Probe reveal that Prashanth had upset over two break ups and made a call to the Chief Secretary’s office thrice out of frustration.

A native of Tamil Nadu Prashanth was working in an IT company and living in a rented house in Hebbagodi .

He was had a relationship twice and broke up eventually.Since then he was disturbed,a police officer,said .

The police produced Prashanth before the court and taken him into custody for further investigations.