Archives for October 2024

Mumbai: The murder of former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique has sent shockwaves through Bollywood, with authorities investigating the possible involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Known for its violent history, the gang had previously issued threats to several high-profile individuals, including Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.

Siddique, who had close ties with Bollywood stars such as Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Sanjay Dutt, was allegedly murdered by members of the Bishnoi gang. Investigations are ongoing, with the gang reportedly claiming responsibility for the assassination.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has targeted several other celebrities in the past. Salman Khan, who was threatened in connection to the 1998 blackbuck poaching case, remains a prime target. Earlier this year, gunshots were fired outside his residence in Bandra, though no injuries were reported.

Comedian Munawar Faruqui, known for winning Bigg Boss 17, is also on the hit list. Intelligence agencies recently foiled an alleged attempt on his life during an event in Delhi.

Other notable names include Shaganpreet Singh, manager of slain singer Sidhu Moosewala, and Zeeshan Siddiqui, son of Baba Siddique, both of whom have been threatened by the gang.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sought response from the Centre and the the Election Commission on a fresh plea against the practice of political parties promising freebies during elections.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued notices to the Union of India and the poll panel on a petition filed by Bengaluru resident Shashank J Sreedhara.

The petition filed by advocate Srinivasan has also sought a direction to poll panel to take effective steps to restrain political parties from making promises of freebies during the pre-election period.

“The unregulated promise of freebies imposes a significant and unaccounted financial burden on the public exchequer. Further, there exists no mechanism to ensure the fulfilment of pre-poll promises on which votes were secured,” the plea said.

The top court tagged the matter with other pleas on similar issue.

The apex court had earlier agreed to list for hearing pleas against the practice of political parties promising freebies during elections after senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appearing for lawyer and PIL petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay, sought urgent hearing of the matter.

Upadhyay’s plea said there should be a total ban on populist measures to gain undue political favour from voters as they violate the Constitution, and the EC should take suitable deterrent measures.

It also urged the court to declare that the promise of irrational freebies from public funds before elections unduly influences the voters, disturbs the level playing field and vitiates the purity of the poll process.

“Petitioner submits that the recent trend of political parties to influence voters by offering freebies with an eye on elections is not only the greatest threat to the survival of democratic values but also injures the spirit of the Constitution,” the plea said.

“This unethical practice is just like giving bribes to the electorate at the cost of the exchequer to stay in power and must be avoided to preserve democratic principles and practices,” it said.

The petition sought a direction to the EC to insert an additional condition in the relevant paragraphs of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968, which deals with conditions for recognition as a state party, that a “political party shall not promise/distribute irrational freebies from the public fund before the election”.

The petitioner has urged the apex court to declare that the promise or distribution of private goods or services, which are not for public purposes from public funds, before the elections violates several articles of the Constitution, including Article 14.

Ottawa: Canada has made fresh accusations against India, claiming that it is involved in “serious criminal activity” on Canadian soil and is working with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to target pro-Khalistani individuals. These allegations come at a time when Bishnoi, a notorious gangster, is making headlines for his alleged involvement in the murder of Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister, who was killed in Mumbai last week.

Brigitte Gauvin, Assistant Commissioner of Federal Policing, National Security, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), stated that India is specifically targeting the pro-Khalistani community in Canada through organised crime groups, with the Bishnoi gang playing a key role. Gauvin remarked, “From an RCMP perspective, we have observed India using organised crime elements, particularly the Bishnoi Group, which we believe is linked to agents of the Indian government.”

Despite being incarcerated in Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail on drug charges, Bishnoi has been accused of orchestrating high-profile murders, including Punjabi singer Siddhu Moosewala in 2022 and Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in 2023. He is also allegedly connected to firing incidents outside the residences of Canadian singers A P Dhillon and Gippy Garewal.

On Monday, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, citing their involvement in a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens. This came soon after India announced the expulsion of six Canadian High Commission members in Delhi. Tensions between the two countries have escalated since last year when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of being involved in the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada.

Bahraich (UP): Police have booked a man and detained around 30 people in connection with the communal violence that broke out in a village here and led to the death of a 22-year-old, officials said on Monday.

The face-off occurred on Sunday in the Mahrajganj area of Mansoor village when a Durga idol immersion procession passed through. Around half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting and firing.

Superintendent of Police (SP), Bahraich, Vrinda Shukla said 25-30 people have been detained and efforts are on to bring normalcy in the areas affected by disturbance.

She added that an adequate police force has been deployed.

“All anarchist elements will be identified,” Shukla said, adding that stringent action would be taken against them.

The SP said a case has been registered against a person identified as Salman. Gunshots were fired from his house, which also functions as a shop.

Identities of those involved in the incident are being ascertained and some suspects have been detained, she said.

Sunday’s violence was triggered by a disagreement over music being blasted out from loudspeakers while the procession was passing through the area.

Ram Gopal Mishra of Rehua Mansoor village was walking in the procession when he suffered a bullet wound. He was rushed to a hospital where he died during treatment, one of his family members said.

The area was fraught with communal tension after the killing. Similar processions were cancelled in Fakharpur town and some other places.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath denounced the violence and directed the administration to communicate with religious organisations and get the idol immersions done on time.

He also directed police to deploy personnel at the immersion sites.

Sanjay Singh Gangwar Uttar Pradesh’s junior minister for sugarcane development

Pilibhit: In a series of unusual remarks, Sanjay Singh Gangwar, Uttar Pradesh’s junior minister for sugarcane development, has claimed that cancer can be cured by cleaning and lying in cowsheds.

He also suggested that petting and serving cows could reduce the need for blood pressure medication within 10 days.

Speaking at the inauguration of a cow shelter in Pakadia Naugawan, Pilibhit, on Sunday, Gangwar said, “If a person with high blood pressure pets a cow morning and evening, their dosage of medicine could be reduced by half in just 10 days.”

He went further, stating in Hindi that, “If a cancer patient starts to clean a cowshed and lies there, even cancer can be cured. And, if you burn cow dung cakes, you can get rid of mosquitoes. So, everything that a cow produces is useful in some way.”

Addressing press persons the Minister also urged people to celebrate their wedding anniversaries and children’s birthdays in cow shelters and to also donate fodder.

New Delhi: A New York-bound Air India flight carrying 239 passengers from Mumbai was on Monday diverted to the Delhi airport following a security concern arising out of a bomb threat in the aircraft, officials said here.

They said all passengers have disembarked and the aircraft was being searched.

“The aircraft is currently stationed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, and all standard safety protocols are being diligently followed to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew on board,” a senior police officer said.

The officer said the threat was received through a tweet and is being verified.

Air India issued a statement saying, “Flight AI119 operating Mumbai to JFK on October 14 received a specific security alert and on instructions of the government’s security regulatory committee was diverted to Delhi.”

“All passengers have disembarked and are at the Delhi airport terminal. Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unexpected disruption,” it added.

Air India is committed to and accords top priority to the safety and security of its passengers and crew, the statement said.