Page 1336 - Law Crime
Names of Zardari and sister placed on ECL: Interior Ministry
The names of former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, allegedly involved in the Rs 35 billion money laundering scam, have been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) on the Supreme Court's orders, the Interior Ministry said today. The directives, ahead of the July 25 general elections, were issued to the Interior Ministry by the apex court in connection with a case concerning an investigation into fake accounts and fictitious transactions worth billions conducted through several mainstream banks, Dawn newspaper reported. The fake accounts were allegedly used for channelling funds received through heavy bribes and kickbacks. Seven individuals, including Zardari and Talpur, were allegedly involved in using certain bank accounts for suspicious transactions totalling Rs 35 billion, the report said. Persons put on the ECL are prohibited from leaving Pakistan. Zardari, 62, is the former co-chairperson of Pakistan People's Party. He served as the 11th President
Police writes to immigration dept to prevent any bid by Bishop
Police probing the allegation of rape against a bishop of the Jalandhar dioecese, has written to the Immigration department to prevent any bid by him to leave the country, a police official said today. In her complaint to the Kottayam district police chief recently, a nun has charged Bishop Franco Mulakkal with rape and unnatural sex multiple times at a small town near Kottayam between 2014 and 2016. "We have written to the immigration requesting them not to allow the Bishop to leave the country," a police officer supervising the investigation told PTI. Apprehension that the bishop, having international connections, may leave the country to evade arrest has prompted police to write such a letter to the immigration department, the official said. The probe team, which went through the statements given to it and a magistrate by the nun, feels that there was "merit" in the nuns complaint to interrogate the Bishop, police said. The probe team had yesterday examined the ...
Bhima-Koregaon witness death: Autopsy report doesn't indicate
Postmortem report of Pooja Sakat, an eyewitness in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case, didn't indicate murder, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Legislative Council today. Body of Sakat (19), a Dalit, was found floating in a well near rehabilitation site for the violence victims near Bhima-Koregaon in April this year. Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar had demanded inquiry into death of Sakat while alleging that she was murdered. Sakat's house was burnt down during the caste violence in Pune district earlier this year. "The postmortem report of the woman witness to the Bhima-Koregaon violence who was found dead in a well didn't prove murder. Police are investigating the matter seriously. The guilty will not be spared," Fadnavis said during a discussion on the issue. Members of opposition Congress and NCP attacked Fadnavis over the issue and sought to know the status of the investigation. Sakat's family had alleged that some persons, whom she had named .
Ex-Pakistan President Zardari, sister placed in exit control list
The Pakistan Interior Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the names of former President Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur had been placed in the Exit Control List (ECL) on the Supreme Court's orders.
2 women found dead in toilets of 2 trains in Assam
Two women, including a student of an agricultural university, were found dead in the toilets of two trains in Assam, the police said today, adding that it was suspected that both were killed in a similar fashion. While a student of the Assam Agricultural University in Jorhat was found dead in a toilet of the Kamakhya Express yesterday morning, the body of an elderly woman was found in a toilet of the Avadh Assam Express this afternoon, the police said. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) R P Meena was asked to look into yesterday's incident, DGP Kula Saikia said. Today, the body of a woman, aged around 60 years, was found in a toilet of the Avadh Assam Express that had halted at the Mariani Junction railway station in Jorhat district, the police and railway officials said. A cloth was tied around the woman's neck and blood was oozing out of her nose, they added. The identity of the woman was yet to be ascertained, they said, ..
SC raps Centre, UP Govt. over condition of Taj Mahal
The Supreme Court on Wednesday raps the Centre and Uttar Pradesh Government over the protection of the Taj Mahal and said, "either we will shut down the Taj or you demolish or restore it."The apex court came down heavily on the Centre and state over deteriorating condition of the historical monument."You preserve it, or else we will close it or destroy it, " the Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur, observed.The Green Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta made the statement while hearing the verdict.Earlier in May, the Supreme Court pulled the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) up for not taking care of the Taj Mahal.In February and March this year, the apex court had also issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre to submit a draft vision document on how they wish to protect the Taj Mahal.The apex court was hearing a plea filed by environmentalist M.C. Mehta, seeking protection of the historical monument. The court has also ...
On the run for 3 years, MP's 'wanted' man held in Gujarat
A man, wanted by Madhya Pradesh police in connection with several serious offences, including rape and kidnapping, was arrested today by the Rajkot crime branch, after being on the run for the last three years, an official said. Ramesh Mansinh Meda (36), who was carrying a cash reward of Rs 20,000 on his head, was arrested after he was found moving in a suspicious manner in the city, the official added. "Rajkot crime branch team was patrolling near Bedi area of the city when Ramesh was found moving in a suspicious manner. He was detained and during his questioning, he revealed that he has committed crimes in Madhya Pradesh's Alirajpur district," Karanraj Vaghela, DCP (zone-II) of Rajkot city said. "Ramesh is wanted in several cases registered against him, including that of rape, kidnapping, looting and others. The MP police had even announced Rs 20,000 cash reward for any information about his whereabouts," Vaghela said. The MP police have been informed about his arrest
Goa governor does not come under RTI: Raj Bhavan
The Goa Raj Bhavan on Wednesday informed the Goa State Information Commission (GSIC) that the Goa Governor does not come under the purview of the Right to Information Act as the Governor is not a "Public Authority".The Secretary to Goa Governor Rupesh Kumar Thakur in his reply against the complaint filed by advocate Aires Rodrigues over non-compliance of the RTI Act by the Raj Bhavan, stated that Goa Raj Bhavan is not a legal entity and certainly not a 'Public Authority'.The GSIC has fixed the matter for final arguments on July 26.Pointing out that the Governor enjoys immunity under Article 361 of the Constitution of India and is not answerable to any court, Thakur stated that Governor is the appointing authority of the State Information Commissioners and is also vested with the power to recommend their removal.While denying that all other Raj Bhavans have appointed Public Information Officers, Thakur said that merely because some other Raj Bhavans have appointed a Public Information .
Crime branch held PDD official for siphoning off over Rs 5 Cr
An official of Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (PDD) was taken into custody by Crime Branch for allegedly siphoning off Rs 5.72 crore from a government account to 22 private bank accounts belonging to him and his relatives. "Mushtaq Ahmed Malik, senior assistant in PDD, Electric Division Sumbal, has been taken into custody and is being questioned," a spokesman of the Crime Branch said. Acting on a complaint received against Malik, the Crime Branch sleuths found that he had fraudulently drained an amount of Rs 5.72 crore from an official account standing in the name of Executive Engineer Electric Division Sumbal. He transferred the said amount into 22 bank accounts maintained and operated in his own name and that of his family members, the spokesman said. The accused and his family members earned Rs 43.82 lakh as interest on the siphoned off public money in these bank accounts, which have now been frozen, the spokesman said. He said a case under relevant sections of the .
7-judge constitution bench to revisit 12-yr-old verdict on SC/ST quota in govt jobs
The Supreme Court today refused to pass any interim order against its 12-year-old verdict that had dealt with the application of the 'creamy layer' for reservations to SC and ST categories in government job promotions, saying it will be examined by a seven-judge bench. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said it cannot hear the matter only for the purpose of interim relief as a reference has already been made to the constitution bench. "You see, a reference has already been made for hearing the matter by a larger bench. A seven-judge constitution bench needs to be constituted to consider M Nagaraj verdict which was heard by a five-judge bench," the bench said. The M Nagaraj verdict of 2006 had held that the 'creamy layer' concept cannot be applied to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for promotions in government jobs, like two earlier verdicts of 1992 Indra Sawhney and others versus Union of India (popularly called Mandal ...
CCI reduces penalty on broadcasting companies for rigging bids
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Wednesday waived the penalty imposed on Globecast and reduced by 30 per cent the penalty imposed on Essel Shyam Communication Ltd (ESCL) for bid-rigging in tenders for procurement of end-to-end broadcasting services for various sporting events, including the IPL-2012.
HC suggests fresh plea for CBI probe against Daati Maharaj
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday suggested to an NGO seeking a CBI probe against self-styled godman Daati Maharaj, who has been accused of sexual assault by a woman, to file a fresh plea along with the woman's affidavit.
CBI files charge sheet against BJP MLA in Unnao rape case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet in a Lucknow court against the BJP's Uttar Pradesh legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case.
Woman in search of job gang-raped in Bhopal; two held
A 21-year-old woman in search of job was allegedly raped by two men who work as cooks in a hotel here, police said today. The accused, identified as Rahul Thakur (22) and Monu Sharma (26), were arrested within hours of the incident which occurred last night. The woman had come to Bhopal from Sagar to meet her cousin, a resident of the state capital. The incident occurred after the woman got down at the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) here and called up her cousin, who in turn asked his friend Idris (30) to make arrangements for her stay around ISBT, said Bhopal Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Dharmendra Chowdhary. The officer said Idris called up his friends Thakur and Sharma to ISBT and all of them had dinner together. "After Idris left for his home, Thakur and Sharma took the woman to a place (near ISBT) and raped her," he said, adding that the incident occurred under Govindpura police station area. The officer refused to disclose the exact place where the ...
PNB fraud: ED moves court seeking fugitive offender tag against Nirav Modi, Choksi
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today moved a special PMLA court here seeking to declare diamond traders Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi as 'fugitive economic offenders' and to confiscate their assets worth Rs 3,500 crore in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case, officials said. They said two separate applications, under the recently promulgated Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, were filed against the duo before the court that hears matters under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency had early this month moved a similar application against businessman Vijay Mallya in the Rs 9,000-crore alleged bank loan fraud case and the court recently issued summons to him for August 27 under the new ordinance. The fresh application seeks to immediately confiscate assets worth about Rs 3,500 crore of Nirav Modi and Choksi and their companies. The agency seeks to confiscate assets, both movable and immovable, including those located in the United Kingdom and the UAE. The move has ...
7-yr-old boy found murdered
The mutilated body of a seven-year-old boy was found in Shamli in Uttar Pradesh today, police said. According to Superintendent of Police Dinesh Kumar, Sameer was strangulated to death while his hands, legs and tongue were cut off by the unidentified attackers. The body was found in a field in Adarsh Mandi police station area in Shamli. The minor was allegedly kidnapped yesterday while he was playing outside his house, police said. A case against unidentified people was registered and the boy's body was sent for postmortem, they added. Four police teams were constructed to trace the culprits, police said further.
Chidambaram accuses ED of witch-hunt in Aircel-Maxis case
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Wednesday accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of a witch-hunt in the Aircel-Maxis case since there was no FIR in the matter.
30 held for cheating SBI credit card holders of Rs 5 crore
: Thirty people including 22 tele-callers have been arrested by the Cyberabad police in New Delhi for allegedly cheating nearly 2,000 SBI credit card holders to the tune of Rs five crore. Cyberabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar told reporters here they acted on a complaint that some unknown persons posing as SBI Credit Card division staff called up customers, collected card details and carried out monetary transactions through online portals. The mastermind behind the crime, Vijay Kumar Sharma was among those arrested, he said. Twenty-two of those arrested were telecallers, mostly women, who helped the other accused to carry out the crime, he added. From the last week of February, three of the accused, who were running fake SBI credit card call centres by engaging 22 telecallers to cheat SBI credit card customers by obtaining their card details including OTP numbers through a website (www.jayyshree.com) to carry out transactions, Sajjanar said. All the accused were ...
HC calls report from MCDs on implementation of solid waste management bye laws
The Delhi High Court today directed the three municipal corporations to file a status report on whether solid waste management (SWM) bye laws, framed on its directions, are being implemented in their areas. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar also asked the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to submit a status report on implementation and inclusion of SWM bye laws framed under SWM Rules and listed the matter for further hearing on September 27. "The three MCDs -- East, South and North -- to file status report whether bye laws are being implemented," the bench said. The SWM Bye laws 2018 for the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) were notified by the Lieutenant Governor on January 15. The bye laws have been framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and not under the state municipal laws. The court was hearing a PIL by Lt Col (retd) B B Sharan, who has sought directions to the civic bodies to keep the national capital clean. The court also directed the .
Tajik comedy troupe leader gets 12 years for embezzlement
A comedian and journalist in Tajikistan was handed a 12-year prison sentence on embezzlement charges today, a court official said, in a case that has drawn criticism from international rights groups. A spokesman for a court in the northern city of Khujand told AFP that Khayrullo Mirsaidov, 40, received a 12-year jail term on charges that included embezzlement and providing false testimony. Mirsaidov was accused of embezzling state funds worth around USD 13,500 (11,500 euros) while acting as head of a local comedy troupe that represented the ex-Soviet country in Russian comedy tournaments and was partly financed by the state. He has maintained his innocence. Rights groups including Human Rights Watch and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee have raised concerns that he is being punished for challenging local authorities over corruption related to the distribution of funds for the troupe. His lawyer Dilafruz Samadova said that he would appeal the sentence as well as the court's demand to ...