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PNB scam case: UK court rejects Nirav Modi’s latest bail attempt

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The application was reportedly made on the basis of ‘new evidence’, but Westminster Magistrates’ Court District Judge Samuel Goozee was not convinced to reverse previous bail rejections.

Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi

LONDON: A UK court on Monday rejected the latest bail plea of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who has been lodged in a London prison since his arrest on an extradition warrant in March last year.

The application was reportedly made on the basis of “new evidence”, but Westminster Magistrates’ Court District Judge Samuel Goozee was not convinced to reverse previous bail rejections in Modi’s case.

The 49-year-old jeweller, fighting extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering in the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, has made around six previous attempts at bail, at the magistrates’ court as well as at the High Court level.

However, each of the applications, which came with an offer stringent conditions akin to house arrest and a bail bond security of 4 million pounds, have been rejected each time as he has been deemed to have the financial means and motivation to abscond.

“The repeated rejection of bail application is a result of excellent coordination among the CBI, the Ministry of External Affairs and Crown Prosecution Service of the United Kingdom,” a senior CBI official said in New Delhi, commenting on Monday’s development.

At Modi’s last High Court bail hearing in March this year, Justice Ian Dove had said, “My central concern of a risk of absconding are not obviated by the measures presented.”

Modi’s legal team had offered a package of measures, which included a 24-hour electronic tag as well as a private security guard service and strictly-monitored access to gadgets and telephones.

The court has also repeatedly been told of Modi’s fragile mental health and that his psychological condition was “deteriorating with the ever-increasing detention”.

“He has increasingly suffered from severe depression and the latest assessment shows he is on the threshold of being subject to hospitalisation unless given proper treatment… and his fitness to plead may be in doubt here or in the requesting state (India) given a high risk of suicide,” Modi’s barrister, Clare Montgomery, had told Westminster Magistrates’ Court last month as part of the defence arguments against inadequate prison conditions in India.

Modi is next scheduled to appear via videolink from Wandsworth Prison in south-west London on November 3, for the hearing in his extradition case when Judge Goozee will be presented with arguments to determine the admissibility of the evidence provided by the Indian authorities.

There is at least one further final hearing in the case, expected either in December or early next year, for closing submissions by both sides.

A judgment in the case is expected only after the closing submissions.

At a five-day hearing held in September, Justice Goozee presided over arguments for and against the case for his extradition brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities, played videos in court in support of additional charges of Modi’s disruption of the CBI’s investigation by causing the disappearance of evidence and criminal intimidation of witnesses.

Assurances of adequate prison conditions were also provided by the Indian government, including additional commitments of appropriate mental health care for Modi on being extradited.

The defence team, led by Montgomery, sought to not only establish that Modi’s actions related to PNB-issued letters of undertaking (LoUs) did not amount to fraud but also deposed witnesses to highlight mental health concerns.

The defence has claimed that the conditions at Barrack 12 in Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where Modi is to be held on being extradited, do not meet the UK court’s human rights criteria.

The first set of hearings in the case took place back in May, with the hearings in September completing the process to establish a prima facie case and determine if the jeweller has a case to answer before the Indian courts.

The case is being heard in a partial remote setting to accommodate coronavirus-related social distancing norms.

High on power and ego, Bihar Government has deviated from its path: Sonia slams Nitish Kumar

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The Congress chief stated that farmers, youth, labourers, brothers and sisters of Bihar are not just in Bihar but all over India and all over the world. Slamming the Bihar Government, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said, high on power and its ego, the current state government has deviated from its path. She asserted that the public is with Congress Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance).

“High on power and its ego, current Bihar Government has deviated from its path. Neither their saying nor doing is good. Labourers are helpless, farmers are anxious and youth are disappointed. The public is with Congress Mahagatbandhan and it is the call of Bihar,” said Sonia Gandhi.

“The fragile state of the economy is overshadowing the lives of the people. The sons of the soil are in serious trouble today,” she further stated.

“Dalits and Mahadalits have been left in a bad condition. Backward sections of society are also victims of this plight. The voice of the people of Bihar is with the Congress Grand Alliance. This is the call of Bihar today,” she added.

The Congress chief added that the governments of Delhi and Bihar are ‘captive governments’ – demonetisation, lockout, trade-off, economic bandit, farm-barn captive, bread-employment detention. Therefore, against the captive government, the people of Bihar are ready for the creation of a new Bihar, she added.

“Now the change is in the air because change is passion, energy, new thinking and power. Now the time has come to write something new. Bihar has qualities in its hands, skill, strength, power of construction, but unemployment, migration, inflation, starvation have given them tears and blisters in their feet,” she said.

“Words that cannot be said have to be said with tears. Policy and governments cannot be created on the basis of fear and crime. Bihar is a mirror of India, a hope. India believes, passion is passion. Bihar is the pride and pride of India,” she added.

The Congress chief stated that farmers, youth, labourers, brothers and sisters of Bihar are not just in Bihar but all over India and all over the world. Today, the same Bihar is ready for new changes in its villages, towns, cities, farms and barns for its glory and future.

“That is why I said that the wind of change is in the air. The inked finger of the vote now stands with the question. The question is unemployment, to save farming, about bread and employment. The question is about education and health. The question is of industry. The question is to stop the unbridled crime. The question is on dictatorial governance,” she said.

“That’s why today is the time – to move from darkness to light, from lie to truth, from present to future. My appeal to the people of Bihar, called the land of knowledge, is to vote for the candidates of the grand alliance and build a new Bihar,” she added.

Bihar Assembly elections will be held in three phases — October 28, November 3, and 7, and the counting of votes will take place on November 10.

COVID-19 Update India’s total cases surge to 79,46,429 with 36,469 new cases, 488 more deaths

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The total number of active cases now stands at 6,25,857 after a decrease of 27,860 in the last 24 hours.

With 36,469 new COVID-19 infections, India’s total cases surge to 79,46,429. 488 more patients succumbed to the virus, taking the toll to 1,19,502. The total number of active cases now stands at 6,25,857 after a decrease of 27,860 in the last 24 hours. The number of cured cases now stands at 72,01,070 with 63,842 new discharges.

Nine arrested for cricket betting in Vijayawada , police seize Rs 7.5 lakh

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Vijayawada police busted online cricket betting racket and arrested nine persons for organising betting at an apartment in Murali Nagar under Penamaluru police station limits on Saturday. 

VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada police busted online cricket betting racket and arrested nine persons for organising betting at an apartment in Murali Nagar under Penamaluru police station limits on Saturday.
 
The accused were identified as V Kalyan Chakravarthi (39), K Ravi Kiran (42), M Kesava Reddy (33), K Chandrasekhar (26), R Srinivas Rao (31), T Sudhakar (40), P Kutumba Rao (43), Md Kalillulah (45) and T Siva Shankar (28), all residents of Vijayawada. They formed a team and organising betting on IPL matches for the past one month.

Addressing the media, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP – L&O) V Harshavardhan Raju said that the Commissioner’s Task Force (CTF)  received information that the accused were organising cricket betting from a rented apartment in Murali Nagar and caught them red-handed while taking bets from punters. He said five persons are bookies and the rest are sub-bookies, operators and cash collecting agents. 

“The accused were using a betting app called ‘Cricket Mazza’ available on Google Play Store and accepting bets using referrals through their friends and relatives. The accused were caught as they were placing bets on cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Night Riders,” said DCP Harshavardhan Raju. The police also seized Rs 7.5 lakh cash, a TV, one laptop, a communicator device and 13 mobile phones from their possession. “A case has been registered against the accused under AP Gaming Act and they will be produced in the court on Monday,” the DCP added.

Will prolong the pandemic: WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus warns against ‘COVID vaccine nationalism’

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Several dozen vaccine candidates are currently being tested in clinical trials, ten of which are in the most advanced ‘phase-III’ stage involving tens of thousands of volunteers.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

BERLIN: The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday called for global solidarity in the rollout of any future coronavirus vaccine, as the number of cases soared across the world.

In a video address at the opening of the three-day World Health Summit in Berlin, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the only way to recover from the pandemic was together and by making sure poorer countries had fair access to a vaccine.

“It is natural that countries want to protect their own citizens first but if and when we have an effective vaccine, we must also use it effectively. And the best way to do that is to vaccinate some people in all countries rather than all people in some countries. Let me be clear: vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it,” he said.

Scientists around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, which has killed over 1.1 million people. Several dozen vaccine candidates are currently being tested in clinical trials, ten of which are in the most advanced “phase 3” stage involving tens of thousands of volunteers.

The European Union, the United States, Britain, Japan and a slew of other nations have already placed large orders with the companies involved in developing the most promising vaccines. But concerns are growing that countries with smaller wallets could be left at the back of the queue.

The WHO has launched an international scheme known as Covax to help ensure equitable access to jabs, but it has struggled to raise the funds needed.

The WHO on Sunday reported a third straight day of record new infections across the world, calling on countries to take further action to curb the spread of the disease. The agency’s figures showed that 465,319 cases were declared for Saturday alone, half of them in Europe. “This is a dangerous moment for many countries in the northern hemisphere as cases spike,” Tedros said.

But he added that people weren’t powerless against the virus, stressing the importance of social distancing, hand washing, and meeting outdoors instead of inside. “Again and again we have seen that taking the right actions quickly means the outbreak can be managed,” he added.

Speaking at the same summit, which is being held online this year, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his video message called the pandemic “the greatest crisis of our times”.

“We need global solidarity every step of the way. A vaccine must be global public good Vaccines, tests and therapies are more than life savers. They are economy savers and society savers,” he said, echoing the plea for developed countries to support those with fewer resources.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar tests positive for COVID-19, hospitalised

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He also said the party workers and citizens need not worry about his health and that he will be back among all after a brief period of rest.

Ajit pawar

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is admitted in a hospital here on the advice of doctors.

In a message, Pawar said his health condition is fine.

“I have tested positive for COVID-19. My health condition is fine. As a precautionary measure I have admitted self to Breach Candy Hospital on the advice of doctors,” the NCP leader said.

He also said the party workers and citizens need not worry about his health and that he will be back among all after a brief period of rest.

On Thursday, Pawar tested negative for coronavirus but was in home quarantine as a precautionary measure.

In the last few months, over a dozen Maharashtra ministers have tested positive for the viral infection.

They include Jitendra Awhad (housing), Ashok Chavan (public works department), Dhananjay Munde (social justice), Varsha Gaikwad (school education), Eknath Shinde (urban development) and Nitin Raut (energy).

Ministers Hasan Mushrif (rural development), Sunil Kedar (animal husbandry), Balasaheb Patil (cooperation), Aslam Shaikh (ports, textile), Bacchu Kadu (MoS for school education), Abdul Sattar (MoS-rural development), Sanjay Bansode (MoS-environment) and Vishwajeet Kadam (MoS for cooperation) had also contracted COVID-19.

Rupee falls 16 paise to 73.77 against US dollar in early trade

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The local unit opened at 73.77 at the interbank forex market, down 16 paise over its last close. On Friday, the rupee had settled at 73.61 against the greenback.

The rupee depreciated 16 paise to 73.77 against the US dollar in opening trade on Monday as muted domestic equities and strong American currency weighed on investor sentiments

The local unit opened at 73.77 at the interbank forex market, down 16 paise over its last close. On Friday, the rupee had settled at 73.61 against the greenback.

“Governments across Europe have imposed stricter measures to contain the virus as cases have surged to record highs on account of the second wave. We could see the risk sentiment sour on account of this development,” said Abhishek Goenka, Founder and CEO, IFA Global.

Goenka further added that market participants would look to adjust their positioning across asset classes ahead of the US elections next week.

“We could see some risk on bets being rolled back. The overall mood is likely to be that of caution. Markets would also become less hopeful of a pre-election agreement on fiscal stimulus between the Democrats and the White House,” he said.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.16 per cent to 92.91. On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 80.91 points lower at 40,604.59 and the broader NSE Nifty fell 27.65 points to 11,902.70.

Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 906.93 crore on a net basis on Friday, according to provisional exchange data. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 1.72 per cent to USD 41.05 per barrel.

All citizens in the country to get free COVID-19 vaccine: Union Minister Pratap Sarangi

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said the announcement was in order as it was an election manifesto announcement.

Union Minister Pratap Sarangi

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister Pratap Sarangi on Sunday said that all people of the country will be given free COVID vaccine, amidst the demand by opposition parties in the country for it and not only in poll-bound Bihar as announced by the BJP.

The BJP announcement of free COVID vaccine for Bihar, where assembly polls begin this week, had kicked up a controversy with the opposition parties tearing into the NDA government alleging that the ruling party was using the pandemic for political reasons.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said the announcement was in order as it was an election manifesto announcement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that all people will be provided free of cost vaccines.

An estimated Rs 500 odd will be spent on vaccination of each person, Sarangi told reporters after addressing a campaign meeting for the November 3 assembly by-poll in Balasore.

Modi had in a televised adddress to the nation on October 20 said that Indian scientists are in the process of developing several vaccines that are at different stages of clinical trials and the results seem encouraging.

Sarangi, the union minister of state for animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries and micro, small and medium enterprises spoke in reply to question raised by Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister, R P Swain.

Swain had earlier in the day sought clarification from Dharmendra Pradhan and Sarangi, the two union ministers from Odisha questioning them for their silence on their party BJP’s stand on free COVID-19 vaccination for the people of the state along the lines of the one being promised in Bihar.

The governments of Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Puduchchery have already announced free of cost COVID vaccines for the people of their states, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has demanded free vaccine for all citizens across the country.

Swain had tweeted “I am asking questions to two Odisha union ministers from Balasore soil to clarify as to why the people of the state will not get free of cost COVID vaccine. The union ministers should clarify BJPs stand on the corona vaccination in Odisha.”

On the state governments steps for vaccination, Swain said it has signed an agreement with a vaccine manufacturer and is committed to extend the facility to all people of the state.

He, however, did not say whether the state government will provide the vaccine to the people free of cost.

BJP deputy leader in Odisha Assembly Bishnu Charan Sethi said the Centre has been supporting Odisha fully during the pandemic and has granted Rs 22,000 crore for the purpose.

“But large scale lapses have been detected in the utilisation of the fund,” he alleged.

With spike of 45,149 cases, India’s COVID-19 tally reaches 79,09,960

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The number of total active COVID-19 cases stood at 6,53,717 after a decrease of 14,437 in the last 24 hours. Total cured cases stand at 71,37,229 with 59,105 new discharges in the last 24 hours.

NEW DELHI: With 45,149 new COVID-19 cases, India’s total cases surged to 79,09,960 on Monday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

With 480 new deaths, the COVID-19 toll mounted to 1,19,014, as per the Union Health Ministry.

The number of total active COVID-19 cases stood at 6,53,717 after a decrease of 14,437 in the last 24 hours. Total cured cases stand at 71,37,229 with 59,105 new discharges in the last 24 hours.

With 1,41,001 total active cases, Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state by COVID-19 in the country. While 14,60,755 patients have recovered from the disease in the state, 43,264 have died so far.

Among other severely affected states, Karnataka has 81,069 active cases, while 7,10,843 people have recovered and 10,905 have succumbed to the coronavirus.

Kerala has 96,688 active cases, while 2,94,910 patients have been cured so far in the state along with 1,332 deaths reported due to the disease.

West Bengal has 37,017 active cases, while Tamil Nadu and the national capital Delhi have 30,606 and 26,744 active cases respectively.

Meanwhile, a total of 10,34,62,778 samples tested for COVID-19 up to 25th October. Of these 9,39,309 samples were tested yesterday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). 

Congress gave enough respect, opportunities to Jyotiraditya Scindia, his father Madhavrao: Digvijaya

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BHOPAL: Congress MP Digvijaya Singh on Monday said that Congress gave enough respect and opportunities to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is now in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his father Madhavrao Scindia

“How is Scindia being treated in BJP? I have worked very closely with Madhavrao Ji Scindia. Comparing Jyotiraditya Ji with his father would be unfair to Madhavrao. Congress gave Madhavrao Ji and Jyotiraditya Ji a lot of respect and opportunity,” Singh tweeted while quoting an article.

However, earlier this month Congress leader Premchand Guddu had called Jyotiraditya Scindia and his father Madhavrao Scindia “gaddar” (traitors), apparently taking a dig at them for switching sides.

Guddu, who is contesting from Indore’s Sanwer seat, left Congress to join BJP ahead of 2018 Assembly polls. But later after Jyotiraditya Scindia’s exit in March, he returned to Congress’ fold.

“I had to leave Congress due to traitors. Everybody knows when I was MP. Jyotiraditya Scindia and his family have a history of betraying (people). From Rani Jhansi’s killing, we have been opposing them whether it is his paternal aunt or father.When Madhavrao Scindia left the party, I campaigned against him, he said.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, a prominent face of the Congress, resigned from the party on March 11this year.

Scindia’s decision to leave Congress was followed by the resignation of 22 party MLAs loyal to him. He later joined BJP.

By-elections are due on 28 seats following the resignation of 25 MLAs and the death of three legislators earlier. In the 230-member assembly, the BJP has currently 107 MLAs and Congress 88. There are 4 independent MLAs, 2 from BSP and a lone Samajwadi Party MLA.

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