investigation | Yuva Sai Sagar

2008 Malegaon blast case: ATS killed two ‘missing’ accused in 2008 fake encounter, claims ex-cop

In a sensational revelation, a former officer of Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) claimed that two accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, who were thought to be missing, were actually killed by the ATS in December 2008. Hindustan Times reported that in an application to the chief judicial magistrate’s court in Solapur on 19 August, 2016, suspended police inspector Mehboob Mujawar claimed Ramchandra Kalsangre and Sandeep Dange, currently wanted, were killed by ATS cops. This information is contrary to the chargesheet filed by the ATS, which claimed the two are still on the run.

File image of Sadhvi Pragya. PTI

According to Mujawar, the two accused were brought to Mumbai from Indore in November 2008 were they were killed in a alleged fake encounter, Mid Day reported.

According to the paper, Mujawar was suspended in 2009 for allegedly threatening a terror suspect Ghulam Hussain Kasim Sahab Shaikh. The Times of India added that Mujawar was later accused of criminal intimidation and charged under the Arms Act. In his affidavit, he stated that he was falsely accused and while speaking to media, added that he was being hounded for being a witness to the encounter.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured of probing the matter, Times Now reported.

Malegaon blast took place on 29 September 2008, when a IED placed in a bike went off, killing six and ijuring 101 people.

Hindutva outfits were accused to have been the perpetrators of the attack, with the role of the Abhinav Bharat, a fringe right-wing group, coming under the scanner of the National Investigation Agency and the ATS. In 2009, ATS charged Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Indian Army officer Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit for criminal conspiracy under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In 2015, however, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) dropped charges Sadhvi Pragya and 10 others for lack of evidence.

First Published On : Dec 30, 2016 14:14 IST

December 30, 2016

Maharashtra: Six-year-old boy sodomised by 2 minor siblings in Thane

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Two minor brothers have been booked for allegedly sodomising a six-year-old boy in the district, police said on Friday.The two siblings, aged around 10 and 12, took the boy, who lived with his parents in their neighbourhood at Gograswadi in Dombivili township of Thane, to an isolated place and sodomised him on Wednesday, they said.The two also beat up the boy when he resisted their attempt, police said.The victim later informed his mother about it.Subsequently, based on a complaint by the victim’s parents, police registered an offence under IPC sections 377 (unnatural offences), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).The two accused are yet to be nabbed, police said, adding that further investigation is on.

December 30, 2016

VVIP chopper scam: Singapore responds to CBI’s query on AgustaWestland

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Authorities in Singapore seem to have finally responded to queries which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sent through official routes, seeking information related to the infamous AgustaWestland scam. The recent development comes a day after former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi, an accused in the scam, was granted bail by a city court.The CBI now claims that the information it received from Singapore will aid its investigators to further the probe.The probe agency had sent eight Letters Rogatory (LRs), which are judicial requests, since 2013 and had received “partial information” from six countries. Two of the eight countries have not even sent partial information even after the probe agency registered an official FIR in March 2013.During its investigation, that will enter its fourth year in March next year, CBI sent LRs to Italy, Tunisia, UAE, Singapore, Mauritius, British Virgin Island, UAE and Switzerland. Excluding Singapore and UAE, six countries had sent a “partial execution report” which means that if the probe agency had sent 10 questions seeking information related to the AgustaWestland deal, only some of the queries received a response. Officials on Thursday, however, confirmed that Singapore had responded to the LR. “The new information is currently being examined by CBI and further action will be based on the probe findings,” a CBI official told DNA.In a major setback to CBI, a Delhi sessions court granted bail to former Air Force chief SP Tyagi on Tuesday. “During the arguments, the CBI failed to state as to how much cash was paid to the accused and when it was paid,” Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar had noted.The CBI made its first arrests in the case on December 9 when it took into custody Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and advocate Gautam Khaitan in the case related to procurement of 12 AW VVIP choppers from UK-based firm during the UPA-2 regime. According to the FIR, the CBI contended that in 2005, the former air chief abused his official position to change the consistent stand of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the service ceiling of the VVIP choppers from 6000 metres to 4500 metres.

December 30, 2016

Investigation reveals ISIS conversations on Indian issues, Orlando shooting

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been able to extract conversations that suspected ISIS operative Mohammad Masiuddin alias Musa, who was recently interrogated by the FBI , allegedly had with Syria-based members of the dreaded outfit using cloud-based instant messaging services.The conversations accessed revealed Masiuddin’s, take on issues ranging from Sharia, taxation policies, Kashmir issue,the Orlando night club shooting incident in Florida, USA, and socio-political parties of India including ruling BJP, RSS and VHP, apart from the obvious hatred ISIS has for Non-Muslims, and Muslims not practicing ISIS ideology.The messages give an insight into how suspected ISIS operatives in India are pursuing their alleged terror plans, which sometimes include sophisticated maneuvering to avoid detection, and at times includes simple tactics such as ordering a pepper spray online.According to the NIA chargesheet, the alleged chats took place between Masiuddin, Shafi Armar, Abu Suleiman and other suspected ISIS members on cloud-based instant messaging service Telegram in 2015 and 2016. Musa, a resident of Birbhum,West Bengal, was arrested earlier this year. Armar, formerly with proscribed outfit Indian Mujahideen, escaped India and is believed to be based in Sryia, while Abu Suleiman is a Bangladeshi ISIS/ JMB operative according to NIA.In one of the chats, Musa asks Armar to share tactics of “stab and escape”. The probe agency had recovered a knife and a sword from Musa and through the chats the 27-year-old had with Armar, it appears that it was on the behest of Musa’s ISIS handlers that he had plans to kill non-Muslims using these weapons.In another part of the conversation, Musa boasts about how all JMB members have become a part of ISIS and the dreaded outfit has a total membership of 10,000 in India. Musa, according to NIA documents, also does not seem to be pleased with the lone-wolf strategy of ISIS and believes that the group should organise and restrict itself to carrying out low intensity terror attacks to avoid detection.As reported earlier, Musa was asked by his handlers to target tourists in India, especially British, Russian, and American nationals. To execute the same, Musa had traveled to Kashmir as well as Kolkata to prepare for the attack. In Kashmir, Musa stayed as a tourist in hotels and houseboats and even allegedly admitted that he was the one who raised ISIS flags following Friday prayers in Srinagar’s Jama Masjid. Musa however seemed disappointed by the situation in the valley criticizing the armed insurgency in Kashmir and calling Kashmiri mujahideen “impure”.”A-1 (Musa) discusses with ISIS operatives on the other side of the chat that Kashmir is presently full of Mujhids with impure ideologies (post- Nabi) who are fighting for Kashmiri land whereas the actual requirement is for them to support Shariat,” the chargesheet reads. After praising Omar Mateen, the Orlando nightclub shooter, Musa allegedly lectures other group members against elections, democracy and taxes stating that Indian tax money is used for anti-ISIS activities. NIA quoted Musa saying that the Hindu population in India is “close” to BJP, RSS and VHP and must be targeted.Rest of the chat reflects the ill-planning of the arrested ISIS operative especially the part where in he discuses how to procure pepper spray through Snapdeal by using a fake ID. Musa ordered under the name Murugan Kumar and is quoted saying to his handlers that Cobra Magnum pepper spray is a dangerous liquid weapon and is capable of killing anyone without proof as it blinds people for 2-3 hours.

December 30, 2016

VVIP Chopper scam: CBI receives response from all eight countries, to begin fresh questioning

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday received reply from all the eight countries to its Letter Rogatory in connection with the Agusta Westland VVIP chopper case.Sources said the information provided by UAE and Singapore is of crucial importance to the CBI.”Both countries were recently approached through diplomatic channels for execution of the CBI’s letters rogatory (LRs) or judicial requests at the earliest. Now the agency has received responses to the LRs it sent to eight countries for establishing money trail in the Rs. 3,767 crore Agusta Westland VVIP helicopter deal case,” said sources.Mauritius, Tunisia, Italy, British Virgin Island, the UK and Switzerland are the other six countries where Letter Rogatory (a letter of formal request from court to a foreign court) was sent by the CBI, seeking assistance in probe and collection of documents in connection with this case.The CBI will very soon start a fresh round of questioning.Former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) S. P. Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan were arrested on December 10 in connection with this case. The court had on December 17 sent all the three accused to judicial custody till December 30.The former Air Chief was yesterday granted bail on the condition that he will not leave Delhi or try to contact any witness in the case.Air Marshal (Retd.) Tyagi, who headed the Indian Air Force between 2004 and 2007, has been accused of abusing his official position to help AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italy based Finmeccanica, win the deal to supply a dozen helicopters meant for the country’s top politicians.

December 29, 2016

Karnataka: 14 co-op banks in I-T net for abetting tax evasion

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Income Tax department has initiated action against 14 cooperative banks in Karnataka for holding back information amounting to abetting tax evasion in respect of deposits as it came across Rs 7,636 crore of amount in 80 banks in searches during this year.I-T Director (Intelligence and Criminal Investigation) Ravichandran Ramaswamy told reporters in Bengaluru that the department during 14 searches conducted on banks, especially cooperative banks, during the year so far, found an amount of (deposits) Rs 7,636 crore.”We have, as of today, found out an amount of Rs 7,636 crore in 14 searches conducted on banks, especially cooperative banks in current year across Karnataka… We have taken action against 14 cooperative banks as they have been exposed to prosecution for holding back information, which amounts to aiding and abetting tax evasion,” he said.Replying to a query, Ramaswamy said out of the 285 banks in Karnataka, 80 banks have not been providing information by way of annual returns. “They will have to face penalty of Rs 500 every day,” he said.He further said the department had also issued as many as 2,300 letters to the depositors, asking them to pay up taxes on their deposits. “We have already got 800 people coming forward to declare their income and paying up taxes and penalty,” he said.Ramaswamy said the department has also intimated the Reserve Bank of India to conduct inspections on banks which were not disclosing information (about deposits). “We have also written to Registrar of Karnataka Cooperative to take action,” he added.

December 28, 2016

CBI summoning TMC MPs is ‘political revenge’: Mamata Banerjee

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summoning the Trinamool Congress MPs is nothing but political revenge of the Centre.”This is nothing but political revenge. This can’t stop the Trinamool Congress (TMC). We will stand by our people,” Mamata told the media.The CBI has issued summons to two TMC MPs- Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Paul, in connection with the alleged Rose Valley scam, one of the cases being probed by the investigating agency as part of the umbrella chit fund scams.Both the TMC MPs have been asked to appear at the CBI office on December 30.The CBI had filed its charge sheet in the Rose Valley Group chit fund scam naming Kundu and three others in a special court in Bhubaneswar on January 7.The firm was charged with defrauding depositors of Rs. 17,000 crore from across the country of which Rs. 450 crore was received by the ponzi firm from Odisha alone.In its charge sheet, CBI had claimed that it was still probing the role of ‘influential people’ in the scam.

December 28, 2016

BK Bansal suicide: CBI DIG Sanjeev Gautam removed

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sanjeev Gautam was on Wednesday removed from former Director General Corporate Affairs Bal Kishan Bansal’s suicide case probe. Sources said, Gautam, a 1995 batch Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officer (Custom & Excise), has been sent to the parent department.BK Bansal, a senior bureaucrat, who committed suicide along with his 31-year-old son in September end had in his alleged suicide note, mentioned that his family was tortured by Gautam and his team members. Bansal, had named several persons for making his family’s life “hell”, including Gautam, Superintendent of Police Amrita Kaur, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rekha Sangwan and Investigating Officer Harnam Singh, apart from an unnamed head constable.In July, Bansal was arrested by the CBI on charges of corruption. Hours after he was produced in court, his wife Satyabala and daughter Neha were found hanging in two separate rooms at their residence in Neelkanth Apartments on July 22. The Supreme Court earlier in November issued notices to the Centre and the CBI on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the controversial suicide case.

December 28, 2016

WB terror suspect raised ISIS flags in Kashmir, says NIA

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday revealed that suspected Islamic State operative Mohammad Masiuddin also known as Musa, who was earlier this month interrogated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for his alleged terror activities, had waved flags of the terror outfit during his stay in Kashmir earlier this year.The revelation came after filing charge sheet against Masiuddin stating that the 27-year-old was planning terror attacks in India after being directed to do so by his Syria-based handler.Masiuddin was arrested in July this year following which it was revealed that he had been directed to target foreign tourists instead of Indian locals by his handlers.”Investigation has established that on the instructions of his handler, Abu Suleiman, Musa went to Srinagar in May, 2016, to carry out a Lone Wolf attack on foreign tourists. He also participated in a Friday congregation at the Jama Masjid and waved the ISIS flag. He even planned to kill foreigners near the Mother Teresa House at the Ripon Street in Kolkata,” the NIA said on Monday.A senior J&K police official told DNA that local investigators did not find possible links between Kashmiri youth and the terror outfit. The NIA revelation might however prompt local authorities to dig out travel details of Masiuddin who hails from Labhpur in Birbhum district of WB.According to official sources in the NIA, the accused had visited two locations, one in Srinagar and other in Kolkata, and selected them as venues where he was supposed to carry out an attack using the 13 inch knife that was allegedly recovered from him following his arrest in July.This was after Masiuddin had allegedly gotten in touch with ISIS handler Shafi Armar, who is wanted by Indian agencies for activities during his time with Indian Mujahideen. The NIA also revealed that Musa met Abu Suleiman during his visit to India twice in March, 2015 and May, 2016. Suleiman encouraged him to use secured encrypted chat applications. The probe agency said Forensic Analysis of the electronic gadgets seized from the accused contained pdf files like How to survive in the West- Mujahideen, The Mujahideen Explosives Handbook by Abdel-Aziz.

December 27, 2016

Rs 104 cr deposited in BSP accounts after note recall, blow to Mayawati as ED investigates

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati came under Enforcement Directorate (ED) scanner on Friday, as the agency detected cash deposits totalling over Rs 104 crore in an account belonging to the party and Rs 1.43 crore in an account belonging to Anand Kumar, Mayawati’s brother, on Friday.ED sources said that the accounts had been detected in a branch of the United Bank of India (UBI) in the capital.Officials said they visited the Karol Bagh branch of the bank as part of their routine survey and enquiry operations to check huge cash deposits, and found that huge deposits were made in these two accounts after demonetization.The agency found that while Rs 102 crore had been deposited in Rs 1,000 notes, the remaining Rs 3 crore had been deposited in old Rs 500 notes. Officials said that about Rs 15-17 crore were being deposited into these accounts every other day. In Anand’s account, ED officials found old notes worth Rs 18.98 lakh.The ED has sought details about the accounts from the bank. It has been understood that the agency will write to the Income-Tax (I-T) department. The ED has also asked the bank to provide it some CCTV footage and the KYC documents used to open the accounts.This is not the first time that the BSP’s supremo’s brother has come under the radar of probe agencies. In April 2015, the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) started investigating Kumar for alleged dubious transactions, running into crores. The FIU had coordinated with the CBDT and I-T department for a further probe.Currently, the agency has been carrying out enquiry operations at over 50 bank branches to check possible instances of hawala dealings and money- laundering after the demonetization drive.BSP spokespersons and senior leaders refused to comment. Interestingly, the party’s arch rivals, the Samajwadi Party (SP), came to their defence on this issue. A senior SP leader said: “This was not an amount which was found stashed away in homes or lockers. This was an amount deposited in the bank after demonetization. It should not be made a political issue.”

December 27, 2016

Breather for Tyagi as court grants bail

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>In a major setback to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a Delhi sessions court granted bail to former Air Force chief SP Tyagi on Monday. Tyagi was directed to furnish a bail bond of Rs 2 lakh and one surety for a like amount.Sanjeev Tyagi and Gautam Khaitan, the co-accused, were denied bail and will remain in judicial custody till December 30.Tyagi and the other two allegedly received kickbacks while buying a dozen AW-101 VVIP helicopters from the UK-based AgustaWestland company. Tyagi, who was held on December 9, is the first chief from any wing of the armed forces to be arrested.The CBI arrested the accused more than three years after registering the FIR.”During the arguments, the CBI failed to state as to how much cash was paid to the accused and when it was paid,” Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar noted. The additional sessions judge gave his order after hearing arguments from the defence and the CBI last week.Representing the CBI, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on Friday, submitted that, if released, the former air chief would influence the witness and tamper with the investigation. However, the court found these charges to be “unfounded” and “without any bias.”The court forbade Tyagi from tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses. It directed him to join the investigation as and when called by the CBI. Tyagi also cannot leave the NCR region without court permission.The former air chief’s bail was hailed by veterans who have been supporting him throughout his incarceration. Shortly after receiving bail, IAF Chief Arup Raha made a statement to the media saying that Tyagi’s arrest had affected the morale of the Air Force and dented the image of the forces. Raha also added that Tyagi should not be treated like a common criminal.Such sentiments were echoed by Tyagi’s supporters — retired Air Marshals and Air Vice Marshals who thronged the courtroom to stand beside their chief. The community, who was incensed over Tyagi’s arrest and incarceration, had even come out with a petition seeking his release. The petition garnered over 2,000 signatures.Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, better known as Julie, and Khaitan were arrested by the CBI on December 9 in an illegal graft case. The FIR, which the CBI had filed close to four years ago, stated that Tyagi had granted approval for reduction of the service ceiling (height of flying capability) of the choppers from 6,000 metres to 4,500 metres. This, the CBI alleged, was instrumental in making AgustaWestland eligible to participate in a bid to supply helicopters.The probe agency further alleged that Italian middlemen Guido Haschke and Carlos Gerosa had given Tyagi cash, camouflaged in the form of consultancy fees, to alter the operational requirements.Representing the defence, Menaka Guruswamy refuted all charges levelled against her client. In her arguments for bail submitted last week, Guruswamy stressed that the charges against Tyagi were economic in nature, for which the documents had already been investigated by the CBI. She claimed that the only charge against her client was vague and that the CBI had based their allegations on the judgment from an Italian court of appeals.Incidentally, the Italian Supreme Court accepted the plea and ordered a re-trial of Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, former CEOs of Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland. The two were then convicted for bribing Indian government officials for a 560 million Euro deal involving the sale of 12 helicopters.

December 27, 2016

AgustaWestland scam: SP Tyagi gets bail; court order on 2 other accused due on 4 Jan

The Patiala House Court on Monday granted bail to former Indian Air Force (IAF) chief SP Tyagi, accused of receiving kickbacks in AgustaWestland helicopter deal. Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar granted the relief to SP Tyagi on a personal bond of Rs two lakh and one surety of like amount.

The court, however, imposed certain conditions on the accused and asked him not to try to influence the witnesses and hamper the probe. The bail applications of other two accused — Tyagi’s cousin Sanjeev Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan — are pending before the court which said it will decide both the pleas on 4 January. During the hearing of the bail plea, S P Tyagi’s advocate Maneka Guruswamy had said that her client “could not be deprived of freedom if the investigation is taking time to complete”.

In a sudden and first of its kind action, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested SP Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev, and a lawyer on 9 December in the sensational Rs 450 crore bribery case in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters from UK-based AgustaWestland during the UPA-II government.

Seventy-one-year-old SP Tyagi, who retired in 2007, was called for questioning at CBI headquarters along with his cousin and Chandigarh-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan, who were taken into custody after nearly four hours of grilling, PTI had reported.

These were the first arrests in the case by CBI which came three years after it registered an FIR in 2013 to probe the allegations in the aftermath of the details of the scam emerging in Italy where the prosecutors levelled allegations of corruption in the deal against the chief of Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland.

On 23 December special CBI judge Arvind Kumar also reserved its order on the bail applications of SP Tyagi’s cousin Sanjeev and Khaitan and posted the matter for 26 December for pronouncing the order.

Former IAF chief SP Tyagi. PTI

During proceedings, Additional Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, had opposed the bail pleas of the accused, saying if set free, they might influence witnesses and hamper the “multi-layered probe by various agencies in more than one jurisdictions involving several countries”.

“The persons are of high ranking… The investigation is going on and we are getting support from other countries. If they get bail, they may influence witnesses, destroy evidences and hamper the ongoing probe which is at a very crucial stage.

“We have evidences where the meetings unofficially took place for the purpose of crime. At this stage, please do not entertain their bail pleas. Let the probe be completed,” he said, seeking dismissal of the bail pleas of all three accused and adding that the matter has “tarnished country’s name.”

However, the CBI also told the court that “it is not our argument that the accused may flee from justice.”

On the court’s query whether the CBI had any material regarding S P Tyagi receiving money, the agency said the former IAF chief had purchased several properties for which the sources of income were not disclosed by him and alleged that he had abused his official position.

Opposing CBI’s contention, S P Tyagi’s advocate Maneka Guruswamy said his client “could not be deprived from freedom if the investigation is taking time to complete”.

She claimed before the court that in the last four years since the FIR was registered, the CBI has never been able to confront Tyagi with any incriminating evidence till date.

“The CBI has not demonstrated anything more than a statement that my client recieved some cash. He is already retired and not going to influence the probe and there is no evidence to suggest that he tried to do so in the past,” the counsel said.

Advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey, appearing for Khaitan, also countered CBI’s argument, claiming that the agency was trying to sensitise the matter and there was no allegation that his client had not joined the probe or tried to influence it.

Dubey had told the court that “if they had to hamper probe, they would have done it in the past three years.”

Sanjeev Tyagi’s counsel Manav Gupta also opposed CBI’s contention saying there was no reason to claim that if granted the relief, his client would hamper the probe.

The accused persons have sought bail on the ground that the evidence was documentary in nature and has already been seized by CBI and they have cooperated with the probe agency.

The court had on 17 December sent all the three accused to the judicial custody till 30 December.

The accused have alleged that the “CBI was trying to extract the confession using force”. The defence counsel had also claimed that there was no apprehension of them fleeing from justice or tampering with evidence.

The CBI had said it was a “very serious” and “a very high-profile” case requiring interrogation to unearth larger conspiracy as the “interest of the nation was compromised”. It had submitted that “one part of the crime was committed in India while various other angles are in foreign land.”

Tyagi’s counsel had earlier claimed that the decision to procure VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland was a “collective” one and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was also a part of it.

With inputs from agencies

First Published On : Dec 26, 2016 12:26 IST

December 26, 2016

Arrested air chief to spend christmas in jail, Court may decide on Monday

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Former Air Chief Marshall SP Tyagi will be spending Christmas behind bars as the court’s decision on his jail application maybe announced on Monday. Two days after the defence concluded their arguments, CBI submitted their opposition in front of Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar at Patiala house court on Friday.Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar reserved its order on the bail applications of Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev aka Julie and Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan who were arrested on December 9 in the case pertaining to the AgustaWestland chopper scam.Refuting the charge that the CBI had arbitrarily arrested SP Tyagi and thereby tarnishing his image, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the CBI, stressed that not much could be revealed at this delicate stage since the investigation was multi-layered, and multi-jurisdictional. “We have evidences where the meetings unofficially took place for the purpose of crime. Let the probe be completed,” Mehta said, seeking the dismissal of all three bail pleas.The CBI submitted a case diary that contained evidence collected through oral and documentary material. “This evidence is not to be disclosed in the pre-chargesheet stage,” Mehta stressed throughout his submission. Mehta stated that the evidence gathered took time since Letters of Rogatory (LORs) were sent to eight countries through official channels and the process was time consuming. Mehta said that in 2014 Italy, one of the countries approached, sent 1.2 lakh documents of which 70 per cent was in Italian. Mauritius, Mehta added sent evidence in 2016.”We cannot reveal many facts as it will have serious implication on the case,” Mehta said. “During investigation the accused came to know the line of questioning when he was interrogated. Hence, the moment the accused comes out, there is a concern that other witnesses who have not yet been interrogated will be influenced and perhaps evidence maybe destroyed,” Mehta added.Mehta submitted that during their investigation not only Tyagi, but his family members also figured as prospective witnesses. “SP Tyagi and his cousin’s name have cropped up often during the investigation,” Mehta said. Replying to the court’s query whether the former air chief had received any money – the sole charge against him in the FIR, the CBI stated that SP Tyagi had bought several properties while he was still in office which he did not declare as he was supposed to.In the hour-long submission, the CBI touched upon many points – a few to strengthen their case against the three accused, and others to rebut the argument made by the defence.Clarifying that the Italian Surpeme Court had set aside the order of the appellate court and not the trial court, in the case pertaining to Giuseppe Orsi and Bruno Spagnolini, former CEOs of Finmeccanica and AgustaWestland. Whereas, Italian national and middle-man Guido Haschke had never contested his guilt and continued to be a convict. “The decision of the Italian courts is not the foundation of my case, though it may simply work as a guide to my investigation,” Mehta said.Opposing CBI’s contention, Meneka Guruswamy, representing the former air chief, said his client “could not be deprived from freedom if the investigation is taking time to complete”. Guruswamy claimed that the CBI had already seized all the documents since the FIR was registered. “The CBI’s case is simply this, I will not tell you the case, I will not tell you the evidence and I will not allow you a defence,” Guruswamy argued. “Self-incrimination does not amount to non-cooperation,” she added.”Even today, the CBI has not demonstrated anything more than a statement that my client received some cash,”the defence said.

December 24, 2016

CBI summons Uttarakhand CM Rawat in sting CD case

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat in connection to its probe into a sting operation that purportedly showed the senior leader offering bribes to rebel Congress MLAs. The sting allegedly showed Rawat asking the rebel Congress MLAs to support him during the floor test that took place in May this year.The CBI on Friday said that its investigators had summoned Rawat to appear at the agency headquarters at the national capital on December 26. Confirming the development, a senior CBI official told DNA, “Investigators wanted to examine Mr Rawat in connection to the allegations of bribery made against him in April, 2016.” Rawat had been questioned by the CBI on one previous occasion on on May 9, 2016. Sources told DNA that during the previous session of questioning, Rawat had asked for more time to respond to queries made by the CBI.The case relates to an alleged sting operation carried out in April 2016 wherein Rawat is purportedly heard offering bribes to rebel Congress MLAs in exchange for their support in the assembly floor test.Rawat had dismissed the video as being fake after it was released by rebel Congress MLAs but later admitted that he was in the clip. The probe agency however filed a preliminary enquiry during which the CBI verifies the facts in the complaint received by it.The agency usually only ‘requests’ a person ‘to join the probe’ and does not summon him, carry out searches or make any arrests. If verification of facts shows need of further probe, it may register an FIR or else close the PE.The state cabinet, after Rawat’s victory in the floor test, withheld the notification recommending the CBI probe. Responding to the recommendation the probe agency had said that there was no ground for its withdrawal and it was ‘not legally tenable’ and rejected the state cabinets decision.

December 24, 2016

SC to hear petitions seeking CBI probe into Jayalalitha’s death

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Supreme Court will on Friday hear pleas seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe or a judicial investigation into former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa’s death.A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by a Chennai-based NGO and a writ petition was filed by expelled AIADMK MP Sasikala Pushpa in the apex court seeking a CBI probe or a judicial investigation into Jayalalithaa’s death, who breathed her last at Chennai’s Apollo Hospitals on December 5 where she was admitted on September 22 with fever and dehydration.The NGO has sought the recovery of all medical documents during the AIADMK chief’s stay in Chennai’s Apollo Hospital for more than two months, while Pushpa alleged that Jayalalithaa’s death was ‘suspicious’ as her actual medical condition was not disclosed, no one was allowed to visit her, her funeral photographs showed embalming marks and everything from her hospitalisation to her death ‘was kept under wraps’.A day after filing a petition, Pushpa on December 19 said a proper inquiry should be done as the people of Tamil Nadu want to know the actual reason of Jayalalithaa’s death.”I filed a writ petition at Supreme Court regarding the mysterious death of Amma. Right from the day September 22 when she has been admitted at Apollo hospital stating that she has dehydration and fever and after that when it has been announced that she is dead till that complete judicial inquiry should be done. Initial enquiry is to be done by the CBI. The case has been filed at SC,” Pushpa said.”Tamil Nadu people, entire nation wish to know what happened to the late chief minister. The CM of a state has been foul played like this is a million dollar question. I just want to take this matter to SC to get justice,” she told ANI, adding that it was suspected by Tamil people that her close ally might have done something.”I could not get justice from the Tamil Nadu government so, I directly filed the writ at the apex court stating that we need justice and I have made Apollo hospital and chief secretary as respondents,” she added.

December 23, 2016

CBI books sever alleged Paytm customers for fraud

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked seven alleged customers of Paytm for fraud after the digital wallet company complained that it had been cheated to the tune of Rs 3.21 lakh through 37 orders spread over the last two years.The case was registered against the seven accused individuals and unknown officials of Paytm under provisions of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery, besides invoking provisions of the Information Technology Act.However, the digital wallet company, which has named seven customers in its complaint, has not identified any of its officials, despite mentioning that its employees facilitating refunds have been assigned specific login IDs and passwords, making it easier to identify those who processed which refunds. The customers, who allegedly cheated Paytm, were based in Lodhi colony in Delhi, besides Mathura and Bhilwara.This is the second time in December that the $500 company has filed a criminal complaint against its customers. The company claimed it makes payments for defective products received by customers and also arranges a reverse pickup of the damaged product sent to the merchant.In some cases from March 2014 to April 2016, where refunds were made to the customers, delivery of orders were also successfully made to the same customers.

December 22, 2016

1984 riots case: Sajjan Kumar gets anticipatory bail

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was granted anticipatory bail in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case on Wednesday by a Delhi court which directed him to cooperate in the probe and not influence witnesses. Additional Session Judge Vikas Dhull, while granting relief to the former MP on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of the like amount, also ordered that he will not leave the country without the court’s permission.The court had reserved its order on Wednesday after hearing the arguments of counsel for both the parties in two cases filed against Kumar falling in the jurisdiction of Janakpuri and Vikaspuri police stations in West Delhi. The complaint in Janakpuri pertains to the killing of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, on November 1, 1984 and in the other where a Sikh Gurcharan Singh was burnt on November 2, 1984 in the jurisdiction of Vikaspuri Police Station.As per the complaint, Gurcharan, who was half burnt, remained bed-ridden for 29 years. He died three years ago. Seeking anticipatory bail for Kumar, his counsel had argued that his name had appeared in this case after 32 years and the case was politically motivated.Opposing the plea, senior advocate HS Phoolka, appearing for the complainants, had argued that the allegations against Kumar were very serious and he was a very influential person. The prosecutor, appearing for SIT, had also said that Kumar was not cooperating in the investigation and his custodial interrogation was required. The court was told that Kumar was summoned twice by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) but he had appeared only once.

December 21, 2016

Gangrape case: US national arrives in India to join probe

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>A 25-year-old US national, who was allegedly gangraped earlier this year in a five-star hotel here, arrived on Tuesday morning to join the probe.She will be meeting the investigating team to assist in further investigation, said a senior police officer.She had said that she was not satisfied with the probe and was ready to come to India to identify the accused.On December 8, the tourist guide, accused of raping her along with his accomplices, was questioned by police after his arrival from Nepal.Police had identified the man and contacted him while he was in Nepal.The tour guide had denied his involvement in the matter and told police that the victim had given positive comments about him in the feedback form while returning to her country and that the internal inquir by the travel agency hadn’t found him guilty.The woman had alleged that she was raped by a group of men for two days. They also threatened her with dire consequences if she reported the matter to anybody. She had also stated that the accused had made a video of the act and had threatened to make it public if she reported the matter to anyone.

December 20, 2016

7.98 crore rupees recovered from 15 bank lockers in Pune, CBI registers case

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Had it not been for credible intelligence received by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), smooth but illegal transactions taking place in the Parvati Towers of Parvati Gaon in Pune would have taken quite some time to get noticed.The probe agency on Monday registered a criminal case against Sudhir Puranik, director of Worldwide Oilfield Machine (WOM) Pvt Ltd, a multinational companywith its headquarters based in Houston, Texas and other unknown officials of the Bank of Maharashtra (BOM) for allegedly obtaining new currency notes to the tune of rupees 7.98 crores.Interestingly, the WOM office as a BOM branch is located in the same compound and the alleged exchange of new currency notes had been taking place smoothly since November 8, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonitization measures. The lid finally blew off when the Income Tax department conducted a raid on the Parvati branch of BOM and recovered a whopping 7,97,95,500 crore rupees from 15 lockers maintained in the name of WOM.Among other accused in the case are Mangesh Annachhatra the Chief Executive Officer of WOM and Satyen Gathani of the Ishaniya Hyundai Motors.The WOM, as per official company records,is a private limited company incorporated on December 19, 1985 with a registered address as 6th floor of Parvati Towers. The multi-national company deals in manufacture of special purpose machinery, such as gate valves and has facilities in Aberdeen, Scotland, Dubai, UAE and Singapore.Gathani, too is a designated partner in Pune-based Ishanya Motors Llp, a company dealing in sale,maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and retail sale of automotive fuel.According to the CBI, Sudhir, Annachhatra and Gathan, along with unknown bank officials, entered into a criminal conspiracy to obtain the note including the newly introduced 2000 and 500 rupee notes. Sources in the probe agency said that Gathani had obtained the notes from various other banks and had been handing over the same to Sudhir who filled the lockers with the same.According to CBI, the accused were booked under IPC sections 420 (cheating) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) as well as other sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

December 20, 2016

Pathankot airbase attack: NIA files chargesheet, names Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a chargesheet in connection with the Pathankot airbase terror attack, and named Pakistan-based jihadi group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar.Three other JeM terrorists have also been named in the chargesheet filed in Panchkula special court, reported PTI.In a pre-dawn attack on January 2, a group of heavily- armed Pakistani terrorists, suspected to be belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit, struck at the Air Force base in Pathankot.The evidence is said to include some voice recordings and the cellular phone numbers of the attackers’ handlers which were traced to Pakistan.The attack occurred just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a ‘surprise’ visit to Sharif on his birthday on December 25 and the occasion of his granddaughter’s wedding — a move that appeared to bring the promise of better ties between the two countries in the future.However, despite the Pathankot visit of the five-member JIT team of Pak Punjab government headed by CTD Additional Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tahir Rai, no progress has been made in the investigation so far.

December 19, 2016

Two more RBI officials held in currency exchange fraud, arrests a big blow to regulator

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Two more officials of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday for their alleged role in currency conversion fraud cases.The arrests, coming in less than a week’s time, have caused much discomfort for the central bank, which had maintained that the one arrested earlier was a junior-level functionary. The fresh arrests put into question the role of its officials involved in currency exchange process, initiated following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s note ban announcement on November 8.The two accused—identified as Sadananda Naika and AK Kavin—are posted as Senior Special Assistant and Special Assistant RBI’s cash department in Bengaluru. The first to be arrested, K Michael, was a Senior Special Assistant in the Issue Department of RBI’s regional office.Elaborating on the arrests, a CBI official said the accused fraudulently gave away new currency notes to unknown RBI officials and others in replacement of demonetized notes to the tune of Rs 1.99 crore, in violation of the currency exchange limits imposed by the RBI.”It is alleged that both the accused and other unknown officials of RBI, Bengaluru entered in criminal conspiracy with unknown others,” said the official. Among several sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code, the duo was slapped with charges of criminal conspiracy, fraud, criminal breach of trust and so on.The arrests come after the RBI, earlier this week, claimed that “elaborate instructions” had been given to bank managements to keep in check untoward transactions.It was the arrest of Parashivamurthy—a cashier of the State Bank of Mysore in a branch in Chamarajnagar district for allegedly exchanging demonetized notes to the tune of Rs 1.51 crore with Rs 100 notes—that led the agency to Michael. Further probe revealed the role of more officials.In another incident, CBI registered case against KL Bhoyar, Assistant Commercial Manager, Central Railway, CST Mumbai. The agency said Bhoyar allegedly exchanged demonetized currency worth Rs 8.22 lakh (approx) with new Rs 2,000 notes and legal tender of Rs 100 notes at booking counters at CST, Mumbai and Kalyan in Thane district. The agency also recovered Rs 2.2 lakh cash—in denomination of Rs 100—in subsequent raids.

December 18, 2016

AJL case: CBI overpowered by PM Modi’s officers, says irked Congress

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Retorting to the government’s handing over the enquiry into Associated Journals Limited (AJL) Panchkula case 2005 to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Congress Party on Saturday said it is a ‘witch hunt’ against the company and that the investigating agency has been overpowered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s officers.?If any government feels that CBI enquiry is needed into something, they are most welcome. Only thing is that it is clear that it is a witch hunt against the AJL of National herald in Panchkula. CBI itself has now become compromised. It is now full of officers of the police from the Gujarat cadre. All of them were known to be very close to the CM of that time, Narendra Modi. None of them were really people who used to come to the Centre. They all came with Mr. Modi. So clearly, CBI is an organisation that has been captured by Modi’s officers,” Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said.Terming the CBI as a personal organisation, Dikshit said the agency is controlled by the Prime Minister and the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Amit Shah.”General talk in government is that the CBI now is little Gujarat. It’s not an independent organisation anymore, nor is it known for its professionalism. It’s known to become a hatchet organisation for Mr Amit Shah and Mr Modi,” said Dikshit. The BJP government in Haryana has handed over the enquiry into the alleged re-allotment of a plot to AJL in Panchkula in 2005 to the CBI.

December 17, 2016

VVIP Chopper scam: Ex Air Force Chief SP Tyagi to be produced before Delhi Court today

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Ex Air Force Chief SP Tyagi along with other accused in the AgustaWestland chopper case will be produced before the Patiala House court on Saturday as their Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody ends.Earlier, the CBI had moved court seeking a 10-day custody to interrogate Tyagi and the other accused in the case. Last Friday, the CBI had arrested Tyagi, his cousin Sanjeev and lawyer Gautam Khaitan.The Rs 3600-crore deal to supply 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland came under the scanner after Italian authorities claimed that the company paid bribes. Tyagi has been accused of influencing the deal in favour of AgustaWestland during his tenure as the IAF chief, however, he has repeatedly denied the allegations. CBI said that they have received ‘incriminating documents’ from Italy and Mauritius against the former IAF chief.

December 17, 2016

Girl comes to Delhi looking for work, gets raped

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>After the news of a 13-year old’s gangrape a few days ago comes yet another horrific incident of rape of a girl in India’s capital.A girl was allegedly raped in a car in a car in Delhi’s Moti Bagh on Thursday. According to News18, the 20-year-old was raped by a taxi driver whose vehicle bore the sticker of Home Ministry.The girl had come to Delhi to look for a job, as per the News18 sources. She hailed a cab from AIIMS to Noida.The driver stopped the car in an isolated place and allegedly raped her near Moti Bagh in South Delhi.The girl saw a patrolling van and raised an alarm, following the driver ran away from the scene. The cops rescued the girl and taken to the police station where she told the officials about the incident.The driver was arrested late in the night and has been put in police custody. He has not been found to be related to the Home Ministry.The police is carrying further investigation into the incident.

December 16, 2016

Vyapam scam: ‘Truth has finally prevailed,’ says CM Chouhan

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Hours after the Supreme Court ruled that it would no longer monitor the alleged Vyapam scam, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday that truth has finally prevailed as all allegations against him turned out to be false. “All allegations turned out to be false and the truth has finally prevailed. It has been ruled there was no tampering,” he said.”Truth always wins. False allegations were levelled against me to tarnish my image and my family was also dragged into it. I had a firm belief that all allegations against me will prove wrong,” he added.The apex court earlier in the day said that further monitoring is not required in the alleged Vyapam scam as the special courts have begun trial in cases related to the same. The bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and NV Ramana said they do not intend to further monitor the issue and grant four months to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to finish the pending investigation. However, the court has given liberty to the parties as they can come to the court when the need arises.The CBI has filed a status report of the investigation as per earlier orders of the apex court. The court was informed by the Solicitor General, on behalf of CBI, that there was no tempering in the hard disk. The Vyapam scam is an admission and recruitment scam involving politicians, senior officials and businessmen in Madhya Pradesh.Earlier in September, the Supreme Court had directed the CBI to take over all the 72 Vyapam scam cases pending trial at various courts in Madhya Pradesh. As now, over 40 people linked to the scam have died under mysterious circumstances since 2013, the year when the scandal was first reported.

December 15, 2016

SC accepts Azam Khan’s ‘unconditional apology’ for remarks on Bulandshahr gangrape case

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Supreme Court has accepted Azam Khan’s affidavit, saying he has expressed ‘sincere and heartful remorse’ for his comments on the Bulandshahr gangrape case on Thursday.The Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan tendered unconditional apology in Supreme Court for his remarks in November pertaining to the gangrape case.The Supreme Court had earlier this month rejected Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan’s ‘unconditional apology’ for his alleged remarks on the Bulandshahr gangrape case.The apex court had earlier on December 7 asked Khan to submit a fresh affidavit. An apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra had asked the Samajwadi Party leader to file a fresh affidavit after noting that the earlier one filed by him has errors in it.The Attorney General also raised questions about the draft copy submitted by Khan in connection with the apology given by him.Earlier on November 18, the Samajwadi Party leader had told the apex court that he was ready to unconditionally apologise for describing as “political conspiracy” the gangrape of two women near Bulandshahr in July.Appearing for Khan, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that his client had made a general remark which was not targeted at the family of the victim. However, the judges were not convinced and they asked Sibal as to how a public figure like Khan could make such a comment.The apex court had earlier directed media organisations to submit the video clip of the press conference in which Khan had made this statement.The Uttar Pradesh Minister created a controversy after he alleged that a “political conspiracy” is involved in the gangrape of a minor girl and her mother on the highway in Bulandshahr on July 29.On August 29, the apex court issued a notice to Khan for his reported comment. The case was subsequently handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). With agency inputs.

December 15, 2016

SC to hear plea seeking Shahabuddin’s transfer to Tihar

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear the plea filed by Asha Ranjan, the wife of slain journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, seeking shifting of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin from the Siwan jail in Bihar to Tihar Central Jail in New Delhi for a free and fair trial in the case relating to her husband’s murder.The apex court had deferred the hearing to December 15 during the hearing last week.Asha Ranjan’s plea stated that free and fair trial against Shahabuddin was not possible if he remain lodged in the Bihar jail as witnesses would not be able to depose against him with his goons threatening them.Shahabuddin is facing trial in 45 criminal cases.Meanwhile a separate petition is filed by Chandrakeshwar Prasad, whose three sons had been murdered at the behest of the RJD leader.Forty-two-year-old Ranjan, the bureau chief of The Hindustan, was shot dead in July this year at Phal Mandi near the Siwan railway station, barely half-a-kilometre from the police station.The Bihar Government had recommended the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) to probe the case.The case came into limelight again after a photograph appeared in the media showing murder suspects Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Javed with gangster-politician Mohammed Shahabuddin after his release from jail.Kaif, however, later rubbished all accusations against him and said he has no involvement in Rajdeo’s murder case.

December 15, 2016

Rajiv Gandhi assassination: SC notice to Centre on plea for probe

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Centre and CBI on a plea seeking probe into the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and L Nageshwara Rao issued notice to the premier investigating agency seeking reply on the plea which alleged that CBI did not probe the conspiracy behind the killing of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 despite an order from a TADA court in Chennai. The order came on a plea filed by A G Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the assassination case, who contended that that neither the CBI (Special Investigation Team) nor its Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA), had proceeded with the probe in a proper perspective to bring the accused to book as several top people were involved in the case.The apex court had on Febraury 18, 2014 commuted the death sentence of Perarivalan to life imprisonment along with two other condemned prisoners Santhan and Murugan on the ground of 11 years delay in deciding their mercy plea by the Centre. Perarivalan had earlier sought the case dairies pertaining to CBI and MDMA, which probed the matter. When the matter came up for hearing, the bench wanted to know as to “what for the further investigation is required?” Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for Perarivalan, said that further probe is required as CBI had only probed the incident in which Gandhi got killed and it did not go beyond the “boom theory”.”What was followed by CBI was a ‘boom theory’. That is there is a death, followed by an investigation into the boom and trial focusing on the boom. But they have not gone into whether there was a larger conspiracy behind the bomb blast… It is this question which requires investigation,” Dhavan said. To this, the bench said, “So the boom is over, the trial is over and you say there is still something more to it?” Dhavan replied, “Yes. The TADA court said there is more to it. It asked CBI to investigate who the real conspirators were.” Perarivalan had also referred to the inquiry report of the Jain Commission which formed the basis for the TADA court’s decision for a further probe to identify role of individuals to uncover the larger conspiracy in the assassination. The convict had alleged that CBI and MDMA, which were entrusted with the task to probe the facts, have not done their work properly.”The grievance of the petitioner is that the designated TADA Court was monitoring the pending investigation on papers only, but without knowing actual facts of the investigation being conducted by CBI (MDMA) for the last about 17 years. “The TADA Court merely collected sealed covers cluelessly that too in-chambers vide in-camera proceedings from the investigating agency every three months once without even opening the said covers for so many years,” the plea said.Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

December 14, 2016

Assam: Rs1.55 crore in new currency notes seized

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –> Assam police on Monday raided a local businessman’s house here and seized about Rs 1.55 crore in new Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 currency notes.Additional Director General of Police (CID) Anil Kumar Jha told PTI that a CID team acting on a tip-off seized the money from the house of Hardie Singh Bedi, who owns a hotel and bar and runs shop rental business in the city.He said during the operation at the house in Beltola area of the city, the police seized Rs 1,54,81,000 crore cash in new currency notes that were unveiled after demonetisation. “Out of the total amount, Rs 1,54,06,000 was in Rs 2,000 notes, while the remaining Rs 75,000 was in new Rs 500 notes,” Jha said.The police have handed over the case to income tax department and its deputy commissioner P Borah is carrying out further investigation, the senior police official added.

December 12, 2016

American connection in Indian Islamic State modules

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>An emerging American link has come to light in the investigation of the Islamic State inspired terror cases with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) identifying a key recruiterAbu Isa al Amriki–one of the planners of the terror group’s external operations division which planned and executed terror attacks in foreign countries– to have set his eyes on India for recruitment of young Muslims. NIA officials have found glaring similarities in the modus operandi employed by al Amriki in at least two instances, Hyderabad module involving five men and a case of a lone wolf in Kolkata where the suspects were ready to commit terror acts in the name of IS. It has now prompted the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to keep a close eye and coordinate with the NIA on the Indian IS related cases.A team of FBI officials arrived in Kolkata, last week, to interrogate IS suspect Mohammad Masiuddin alias Musa, who was instructed by his handler to target foreigners particularly US nationals, behead them with machete and make videos of the act. In December 2015, the FBI uncovered a plot involving American citizens to attack revellers on new year’s eve with machete and knives in the name of IS. The man who masterminded the new year plot, Amriki, is now found to have influenced Hyderabad resident Ibrahim Yazdani.“We are in touch with the FBI and American authorities on the investigation in the IS cases. They have refused to accept Amriki as an American national (he is described as Sudanese) but have charged him in the New York case,’’ a senior NIA official said. He added that Amriki was using the social media platforms to influence people worldwide including US and Indian nationals to join IS in Syria or make terror attacks in their home country.Killed in April this year in a US coalition forces airstrike outside his home in Aleppo, Syria, Amriki and his wife were prominent recruiters for the IS. In an FBI investigation, Amriki was indicted for his role in recruitment and indoctrination of a New York resident Emanuel Lutchman to plan an attack on US soil. Lutchman was also advised to make a video making a pledge of allegiance to IS before making the operation, so that IS can claim responsibility for the attack.Like in the Lutchman plot, Amriki encouraged Yazdani to leave the land of kuffar (infidels) and make a hijra (immigrate) to Syria to join the IS. When Yazdani failed to travel to Syria, Amriki gave him contact of another Urdu speaking fighter who directed him to recruit more `brothers’ and form a module to make terror attack in India.In neighbouring Bangladesh, IS in alliance with Jamatul Mujaheedin Bangladesh– a home-grown terrorist group banned since 2005–carried a series of attacks targeting foreign nationals and minority community with machetes including the deadly attack at Holey Cafe in Dhaka. According to Kolkata police and NIA investigation, Massiudin was recruited by Abu Suleiman–allegedly one of the top JMB leaders in Bangladesh to commit terror attack, which IS will announce as its India operation.The overlapping trajectories involving machetes and foreign nationals, prompted the US Embassy in New Delhi last month to issue a travel advisory to American citizens warning of increased threats of attacks by IS.FBI interrogates IS Suspect MusaA team of FBI officials arrived in Kolkata, last week, to interrogate IS suspect Mohammad Masiuddin alias Musa, who was instructed by his handler to target foreigners particularly US nationals, behead them with machete and make videos of the act. In December 2015, the FBI uncovered a plot involving American citizens to attack revellers on new year’s eve with machete and knives in the name of IS. The man who masterminded the new year plot, Amriki, is now found to have influenced Hyderabad resident Ibrahim Yazdani.

December 12, 2016

Demonetization: Janardhan Reddy’s associate who helped him convert black money arrested

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>A special land acquisition officer and another person named by his driver in a note before allegedly committing suicide last week, have been arrested by the Mandya Police in Karnataka on Sunday. Ramesh KC had allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at a lodge at Maddur in Mandya district on December 6, leaving a note in which he has listed out alleged illegalities committed by Bheema Nayak, special land acquisition officer (Bengaluru) and held him and his personal driver Mohammad responsible for his death.Ramesh had also alleged that there was a threat to his life as he was in the know of the illegalities allegedly committed by the officer and how he got money converted into white for the wedding of mining baron G Janardhan Reddy’s daughter recently. “Mandya Police team has arrested Bheema Nayak and Mohammad from a relative’s house today,” police here said.
ALSO READ Driver’s suicide note claims he knew how Janardhan Reddy laundered Rs 100 crore The note claims that Reddy had got Rs 100 crore converted into white money for his daughter’s marriage with the the help of Nayak. “He (Nayak) had got converted Rs 1000 and 500 notes belonging to them (Reddy) worth Rs 100 crores for 20% (commission) to Rs 50, 100 and 2000 notes. As I was aware of all these things, they had threatened me of dire consequences and told me they will get me killed from rowdies,” the note claimed.Mandya Police, which had registered a case under section 306 of the IPC (abetment of suicide), had formed three teams to look into the suicide of Ramesh. The Criminal Investigation Department is also probing the case.

December 11, 2016

Aircraft investigation body AAIB to probe Mumbai helicopter crash in Goregaon

New Delhi: Apex aircraft investigation body, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will probe the helicopter crash in Goregaon suburb of Mumbai on Sunday in which one person was killed and three others were injured.

Aviation regulator DGCA has already started collecting evidence from the crash site which would help the AAIB in its probe, a senior official said.

“The DGCA officials are already on the crash site to collect evidence for probe. Since, ab initio its an accident, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will be conducting a probe into it. We are sending a team of investigators to Mumbai tomorrow to start the probe,” a senior AAIB official told PTI.

Representational image. AFP

The official said that the AAIB is expected complete its preliminary investigation in one weeks time.

One person was killed and three others were injured when a helicopter crashed in the Goregaon suburb of the western metropolis.

The helicopter crashed in an open ground in Aarey colony, a green belt in suburban Goregaon, and caught fire, according to the city fire department officials.

Local residents alerted police and Fire Brigade after they spotted smoke billowing from the crash site.

Four persons, all occupants of the chopper, suffered burns and were rushed to a hospital where one of them succumbed to injuries, said DCP (Zone 12) Kirankumar Chavan.

First Published On : Dec 11, 2016 17:44 IST

December 11, 2016

DNA Morning Must Reads: Twin blasts kill 29 in Istanbul, I-T raid in South Delhi, VVIP chopper scam & more

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Turkey: At least 29 killed, 166 wounded in twin blasts outside Istanbul soccer stadiumA car bomb followed by a suicide bombing less than a minute later killed 29 people and wounded 166 outside a soccer stadium in Istanbul on Saturday night, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said. Read moreI-T dept raids law firm in South Delhi, seizes Rs 10 crore, including Rs 2.5 crore in new notesDelhi Police on Saturday raided the office of a law firm in southeast Delhi’s Greater Kailash-I area and recovered Rs 10 crore in cash, of which Rs 2.5 crore was in new banknotes released after demonetization. Read more VVIP chopper scam: Ex-IAF chief SP Tyagi drags in then PMO, says I am not running awaySP Tyagi, former Air Force chief, was sent to four days’ police custody, following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday for allegedly receiving kickbacks in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal. Read more After Barkha Dutt, Ravish Kumar’s Twitter account hacked by Legion; says @LalitKModi leaks coming up nextHours after hacking NDTV Consulting Editor Barkha Dutt’s Twitter account, a group called ‘Legion’ hacked senior journalist Ravish Kumar’s official Twitter handle. Read moreMumbai: Law student assaulted for feeding stray dogsA 33-year-old law student was allegedly attacked on Friday night by a man and a woman from a neighbouring building who objected to her daily routine of feeding stray dogs inside her housing society. The Charkop police has registered an FIR against the two neighbours. Read more

December 11, 2016

CBI charge sheet against Dayanidhi Maran in illegal telephone connections case

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed a charge sheet against former Union telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran for allegedly installing 764 high-speed telephone lines at two of his residences in Chennai in 2013.Maran came under scanner after it was alleged that he used his official position to favour his brother Kalanithi by installing the high-speed phones and not raising bills for the same when he was minister during the UPA regime.The CBI said that the phone lines, which were extended to his brother Kalanithi Maran’s Sun TV channel, enabled illegal uplinking of the channel’s content, causing huge losses to government exchequer. Kalanithi was the Managing Director of Sun TV Network Ltd when the case was registered against the accused in 2013.The CBI booked the brothers for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach, forgery of valuable security and other sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Besides the Maran brothers, two former Chief General Managers of BSNL, two executives of Sun TV Network and the personal secretary of Dayanidhi have been named in the charge sheet.Maran, a senior leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), was twice Lok Sabha member from the Chennai Central constituency. The CBI claimed that, between June 2004 and December 2006, about 364 telephone numbers/lines were installed at Maran’s residence at Gopalapuram, Chennai.Between December 2006 and September 2007, about 353 lines were installed at the 1st Avenue Boat Club Road, Chennai, the new residence of the former minister, the CBI said.”The investigation has revealed that, altogether, 764 telephone numbers were allegedly provided to the then Minister of Communication and IT by BSNL, Chennai Telephones and MTNL, New Delhi. No bills were raised for these facilities, thereby causing an alleged loss of Rs 1.78 crore,” the charge sheet reads.The CBI further said that 10 post-paid mobile connections with vanity numbers in respect of nine numbers were given to Sun TV as per the verbal orders of Maran and these connections were given under the “service category” and no bill was issued.”There was huge data transfer, which included voice, video and audio through these connections and all these facilities were allegedly used for the benefit of the television channel owned by his brother,” said the CBI.The agency claimed that no payment was made for installation and rentals. These connections include high-end facilities Iike ISDN-PRA-BRA, broadband, and leased circuits with optical fiber cable (OFC). As a result, BSNL incurred an alleged loss to the tune of Rs 1.20 crore, which did not include call charges.

December 10, 2016

VVIP Chopper scam: Former IAF Chief SP Tyagi to be produced in court tomorrow, says CBI

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Former Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, his cousin and an advocate, who were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday in connection with an ongoing investigation to a case related to the alleged irregularities in the procurement of VVIPs helicopters, will be produced before a court on Saturday.”The CBI has today arrested the then chief of the Air Staff, his cousin, who is a private person, and an advocate in an ongoing investigation to a case related to the alleged irregularities in the procurement of VVIPs helicopters,” said CBI chief information officer Devpreet Singh. “The arrested accused will be produced tomorrow before the competent court in Delhi. Further investigation is continuing,” she added.Besides former IAF chief, his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi, alias, Julie Tyagi, and a Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Khaitan were arrested in connection with irregularities in the AgustaWestland.
ALSO READ VVIP Chopper scam: CBI arrests former IAF Chief SP Tyagi, 2 othersThe trio was arrested on the charges of accepting illegal gratification for exercising influence through corrupt and illegal means during the deal.The role of the UPA government and former IAF chief Tyagi in the scam is reportedly validated by an Italian court in the purchase of 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters for IAF for Rs 3,600-crores for VVIPs, including the President and the Prime Minister.On April 8, the Milan Court of Appeals ruled that the Rs 3,565 crore AW contract involved payoffs to Indian officials. Overturning a lower court judgement that said corruption could not be proved, the court of appeals foundGiuseppe Orsi, the powerful former chief of Finmeccanica, and Bruno Spagnolini, who headed chopper division AW, guilty of international corruption and money laundering.As per reports, prosecutors in the court produced a note purportedly written by Christian Michel to Peter Hullet, India head of the Anglo-Italian company, in 2008 revealing that he had advised the people handling the VVIP helicopter deal on the company?s behalf to target people close to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, including the prime minister and some of her closest advisers, to win the contract.Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on May 6, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the UPA regime left no stone unturned to award the VVIP chopper deal to AgustaWestland.Parrikar said the previous regime’s action against the deal was forced by circumstances and the inquiry into it was not initiated until it was unavoidable.The Defence Minister said Tyagi and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, who are being repeatedly questioned by the CBI in the case, are small people and asked the government to find the big names who received the kickbacks in the deal. Parrikar further said that procurement procedure was not followed in the deal, adding there were also discrepancies in the base price.The Defence Minister further said UPA regime knew about the scam in February 2012, but still three helicopters were delivered in December. He added that the CBI registered an FIR in the matter in March 2013, but the copy of FIR was not forwarded to the Enforcement Directorate till December.Parrikar told the Upper House that the Enforcement Directorate took notice of the case only in July 2014 after the BJ-led NDA came into power.

December 9, 2016

Slain ISIS operative indoctrinated, recruited 5 Hyderabad men

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>A key Islamic State (IS) planner from its External Operations division, known by his alias Abu Isa al Amriki, has been identified by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as one of the main handlers who indoctrinated and recruited five Hyderabad men who conspired to form an IS-inspired module.This is the first time the NIA has identified overseas handlers in its investigation establishing a link that the module in India was set up on the directives of IS based in Syria/Iraq.Amriki will be named in the charge sheet on the Hyderabad module to be filed this month, as one of the handlers from the IS directed to recruit from India, senior NIA officials told DNA. The NIA, in June, arrested five men – Ibrahim and Ilyas Yazdani, Habib Mohammad, Mohammad Irfan and Abdullah Bin Ahmad. They were carrying explosives and weapons for allegedly carrying out terror attacks in the name of IS.Amriki, believed to be an American citizen, was a Sudanese national and was also known as Abu Saad al Sudani. He was killed in an airstrike by US coalition forces on April 22 this year, along with his wife Umm Isa al Amriki, an Australian national. Pentagon has also confirmed Amriki’s role as a planner in the IS’ external operations division, headed by Abu Mohammad al-Adnani mastermind behind the deadly attacks in France, the US, Belgium and Turkey.”Forensic investigation on chat messages, emails, online communication and interrogation of the five suspects has revealed that they received instructions from IS operatives. Based on the IP addresses, the language in chat messages, conversations and accent, we have established that Amirki was one of the handlers. There is also a second handler based in Syria, who seems to be of Indian origin,” asenior NIA officer said.Amriki is booked as a conspirator in the New York New Year’s eve attack in 2015, wherein accused Emanuel L Lutchman, an American citizen from Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty of planning to carry out terrorist attack in the name of IS.The NIA officer said that the modus operandi followed by Amriki in recruiting Lutchman and the Hyderabad men online was strikingly similar. Amriki introduced himself as an IS member based in Syria and encouraged Ibrahim to travel to the Caliphate and join the IS.After the two failed attempts to travel to Syria via Greece and Turkey, Ibrahim came into contact with a second handler – an Urdu speaking IS fighter, whose leads were given by Amriki – in November. The second handler convinced Ibrahim that there was no need to travel to Syria and he should stay in India and continue to do his work (jihad). This included recruiting more members, setting up a module, procuring explosives and carrying out terror attacks.The five suspects also issued a bayah (pledge of allegiance) in the name of IS leader Abu Bakar al Baghdadi, signed and sent through email to the second handler. NIA says he is still active online and he is operating and responding from IS-controlled areas, possibly Aleppo or Raqqa.

December 9, 2016

CBI files chargesheet against ex-Gurgaon CJM, kin for his wife’s murder

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against Former Chief Judicial Magistrate of Gurgaon, Ravneet Garg, and his parents for the murder of his wife Geetanjali Garg, then 27 years old, three years after her bullet-ridden body was discovered in a Police Lines park.By the time Ravneet was arrested in September this year, he had become a Senior Division Civil Judge in Haryana’s Kaithal region.According to the agency, Ravneet, his father KK Garg and mother Rachna were charge-sheeted under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 304B (dowry death) and 498A (cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 30 of the Arms Act, 1959.The sensational case came to light when Geetanjali’s body was found on July 17, 2013, along with a service revolver registered under her husband’s name. On the day of the incident, Geetanjali had left home around 3 pm. Her body was found in the bushes near a playground within a few hours.The case in this regard was registered at the Civil Lines police station on July 20, 2013. The CBI took over the case after a series of controversial statements by the Haryana police, which had initially dubbed the incident as a suicide.Senior Haryana police officers were forced to change their statements repeatedly after investigators kept recovering bullets every few days from the park where the body was found.FACT FILEThe case attracted attention when the Haryana police, during the first few days of the investigation, dubbed it a suicide. Two days after the incident, however, Geetanjali’s family accused Ravneet of murder, following which a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was set up and a case was registered on July 20, 2013. The Haryana police had declared that Geetanjali was shot twice, a statement contrary to the post-mortem report, which established that the 27-year-old had three bullet injuries – one on her stomach, another on the chin with the bullet piercing through her head and the third one on her neck.Police then claimed that they recovered, on two occasions, the casings of the third and even a fourth bullet. Finally, CBI took over the case on August 7, 2013. Ravneet was arrested for the suspected murder in September, 2016.

December 8, 2016

Bulandshahr gangrape case: SC rejects Azam Khan’s ‘apology’, orders filing of fresh affidavit

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan’s ‘unconditional apology’ for his alleged remarks on the Bulandshahr gangrape case and asked him to submit a fresh affidavit by December 15th.A bench of the Apex Court headed by Justice Dipak Misra and also comprising Justice Amitava Roy asked Khan to file a fresh affidavit after noting that the earlier one file by the Uttar Pradesh Minister contained certain errors in itThe Attorney General also raised questions about the draft copy submitted by Khan in connection with the apology given by him. On November 18th Azam Khan had told the apex court that he was ready to unconditionally apologise for describing as ‘political conspiracy’ the gang rape of two women near Bulandshahr in July.Appearing for Khan, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that his client had made a general remark which was not targeted at the family of the victim, however, the judges were not convinced and they asked Sibal how a public figure like Khan could make such a comment on the crime.The top court had earlier directed media organisations to submit the press conference or byte of Khan in which he made the statement related to rape case.The minister created a controversy after he alleged that a “political conspiracy” is involved in the gang-rape of a minor girl and her mother on the highway in Bulandshahr on July 29.On August 29, the top court issued Khan a notice for his reported comment.The case was subsequently handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).In September, the court asked the CBI to serve a notice to the minister for his alleged statement.

December 7, 2016

Delhi: Robbery at Shashi Tharoor’s residence, valuable items, costly idols stolen

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday filed a complaint regarding a burglary at his home, which happened in the early hours on November 29.An FIR has been lodged by the Delhi police under IPC section 380/457 (burglary) at Tughlak Road police station.Several valuable items including costly idols were stolen from his Delhi residence at Lodhi Estate in the well-guarded Lutyen Zone.According to Tharoor’s complaint, the thieves climbed the wall of his official residence and entered his personal office after breaking the front door. He was given the Gandhi glasses by the Prime Minister for his involvement in the Swachh Bharat campaign.An antique of Nataraja idol, 12 small Ganesha idols, ten small Hanuman idols, Twelve 32 GB pen drives and an internet dongle were stolen.Following the incident, personnel from the Tughlak Road police station and the special staff reached the spot.Police are yet to identify the accused. Investigation is going on.

December 7, 2016

CBI books bank manager for fraudulently disbursing new currency; Rs 5.91 lakh old currency recovered in raid

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>A senior bank manager in Bengaluru was booked for alleged criminal conspiracy and cheating by issuing 149 demand drafts to a Pune-based firm in exchange of old currency notes, cancelling the same drafts, and thereafter converting old notes into new ones fraudulently.The bank manager heads the Basavanagudi branch of Central Bank of India, said agency officials adding that an FIR also named directors of a Bengaluru-based private firm dealing in incense sticks.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is handling the case, said that subsequent searches at the residences and offices of accused led to recovery of incriminating documents including bank vouchers, counterfoils, DDs, property documents, hard disks and cash of Rs 5,91,500 (approx) in old 500 and 1,000 denominations.A case under section 120-B (Criminal conspiracy), 420(cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(2) read with section 13(1)(d) of the PC Act, 1988 was registered against the bank manager, identified as Lakshmi Narayana, as well as two directors of Omkar Parimal Mandir named S Gopal and Ashwin G Sunkur, after the probe agency conducted a surprise check at the bank after receiving actionable intelligence. Officials said the alleged crime took place in a span of just four days, that is, a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s November 8 announcement of demonetization. CBI officials said that between November 15 and 18; the manager accepted demonetized currency notes of Rs 500 and 1,000.The money was then converted into demand drafts of Rs 50,000 each and issued them in favour of a Pune-based firm thus violating the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India. The demand drafts were then allegedly purchased by two individuals who are designated as directors of a private company named Omkar Parimal Mandir.“It was alleged that Branch Manager, Central Bank of India had violated the guidelines of Reserve Bank of India and issued 149 DDs for amounts less than Rs 50,000 each in favour of a private firm based in Pune for an aggregate amount of Rs 71,49,000 (approx) by accepting old de-monetized currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000,” said CBI spokesperson Devpreet Singh.She added that the DDs were purchased by two partners of a Bengaluru-based private firm after depositing old currencies in cash. “However, the amounts were staggered and 149 DDs were issued for amount less than Rs 50,000. This was allegedly done by the accused fraudulently to convert the old demonetised notes into cash. Subsequently these DDs have been cancelled and encashed by the accused. Thereby clandestinely old notes got converted into new notes,” the CBI spokesperson said.CBI said that the FIR also lists unknown officials of the Central Bank of India and other unknown private individuals thereby suggesting that more arrests might follow in this case.

December 7, 2016

Madurai: NIA conducts searches in houses of AL-Qaeda operatives who planned to attack PM Modi

Sun, 4 Dec 2016-04:32pm , Madurai , PTI
<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The National Investigation Agency has conducted searches at the houses of two suspected Al-Qaeda operatives, arrested last month here, police said. Various documents and mobiles phones were seized in the searches held last night from the houses of Suleiman and Abbas Ali, they said. The searches were conducted by a 20-member NIA team led by Rahul and Pradeep. Suleiman and Ali along with M Khareem were arrested after raids in several places of the city on November 28 on specific information that suspected Al-Qaeda activists were operating from south Tamil Nadu. Explosive materials were also seized from them.It was said that the three allegedly planned to attack 22 top leaders of the country, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They were also reportedly involved in threatening various embassies in the country.The trio was running the Al-Qaeda unit in south Tamil Nadu. They were allegedly involved in the explosions that took place in various courts in the country over a period of time.

December 4, 2016

Rakesh Asthana to be interim chief of CBI

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Central government on Friday appointed Rakesh Asthana, a 1984 batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre, as the interim Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the current chief, Anil Sinha, relinquished office on completion of his two-year tenure.The decision comes two days after CBI Special Director R K Dutta, who was among the frontrunners for the top post, was shifted to the Home Ministry as a Special Secretary, a post created for the first time in the ministry. It is the first time in the last 10 years that no new permanent CBI chief has been named to succeed an incumbent.The CBI chief is selected through a collegium comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition or the largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India. The collegium has not been able to meet prompting the Centre to give Asthana the additional charge of director of the agency.Asthana, who was serving as the Additional Director in CBI, is believed to be close to both PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. Asthana had previously headed the state SIT that probed the burning of Sabarmati Express train at Godhra in February 2002.The SIT had then found that the burning of a coach of Sabarmati Express, which claimed lives of 59 people, was a “carefully planned and meticulously executed criminal conspiracy”.The 1984 batch officer has also supervised the fodder scam probe allegedly involving the then Chief Minister of Bihar Lalu Prasad Yadav.Meanwhile, 60-year-old Sinha, during his last interaction as the agency director said that he is leaving the CBI with hopes that the agency will be the “best in the world”. Sinha had taken charge amidst allegations that the probe agency was susceptible to political pressure.

December 3, 2016

Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana takes charge as new CBI Director

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>CBI Director Anil Sinha on Friday retired from the post handing over the baton to his second-in-command, Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana, as the government did not name any full-time chief.Asthana, a Gujarat-cadre officer of 1984-batch, got elevated as the second-in-command in CBI two days ago when Special Director R K Dutta, who was among the frontrunners for the top post, was shifted to the Home Ministry as a Special Secretary. The post of second special secretary was created for the first time in the ministry.It is the first time in last 10 years, that no new CBI chief has been named to succeed an incumbent. Sinha completed his two-year tenure on Friday. “The competent authority has approved assignment of additional charge of the post of Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to Rakesh Asthana, IPS (GJ: 1984), Additional Director, CBI with effect from the date of relinquishment of charge by Anil Kumar Sinha, IPS (BH:1979) on completion of his tenure with immediate effect and until further orders,” an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training said.The CBI chief is selected through a collegium comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition or largest party in opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. The collegium has not been able to meet.60-year-old Sinha took charge of the agency when it was earning sobriquet of “caged parrot” and “closure bureau of investigation” and he managed to steady the ship by keeping away from media and ensuring a low profile with limited social circle. Sinha proved to be a soft-spoken yet assertive leader for the agency who guided investigation in a number of important cases like the Sheena Bora murder case and Vijay Mallya loan default case.In Mallya’s case, Sinha ensured that a case is registered against the flamboyant liquor baron for his alleged default of loans extended to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines even though banks did not approach CBI with a complaint. He directed his teams to explore role of media baron Peter Mukerjea in the Sheena Bora murder case after the agency was handed over the investigation.Sinha ensured that CBI rigorously follows cases of piling of Non-performing Assets in public sector banks even though banks were reluctant to initiate a probe in these cases fearing loss of possible middle path which can be arrived at through discussions with defaulters. Sinha, an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University where he studied during the first decade of its inception, follows his interests in psychology and economics and loves to spend a quiet time with his family.

December 2, 2016

MoS Home puts an end to speculation, clarifies four militants had entered Pathakot airbase

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Putting to end speculation about the number of terrorists involved in Pathankot attack, the government made it clear on Tuesday that only four militants had entered the airforce station to carry out the strike that left eight people dead. Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said “four Pakistan-based terrorists” had carried out the January 2 attack.”Four Pakistan-based terrorists entered Punjab via Janial road, Dhusi turn, near Ravi river bridge, Gulpur Simli village – Akalgarh and attacked airforce station in Pathankot,” he said in a written reply to a question by Congress MP Ravneet Singh, grandson of slain Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.The Congress MP had asked about the number of terrorists who entered Punjab for Pathankot attack and the route used by them as well as the details of terrorists killed and arrested along with the weapons recovered from them. Ahir said all these terrorists were neutralised by the security forces. The security forces recovered 4 AK rifles, 32 AK magazines, 3 pistols, 7 pistol magazines, one under barrel grenade launcher, 40 hand grenades and one dagger from them, he said.The answer is contrary to a statement made by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on March 4 when he had said that charred remains, apart from four bodies of terrorists, were found at the debris after security forces searched the Pathankot airforce station when the operation ended. “Charred remains were found and sent for forensic examination. We are awaiting for reports,” had said.There was speculation that the Home Minister had made this statement on a presentation made by the elite NSG, which was not corroborated either by defence personnel or central security agencies. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar too had said that six terrorists were involved in the attack.The National Investigation Agency, which was probing the case, has been maintaining that the investigators had found only four bodies. The Home Ministry has recently given NIA the sanction to file a charge sheet against Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and three others in the Pathankot terror attack.The Home Ministry has in the past been left red faced over answers to Parliament questions including another Pakistan related controversy where it informed the House that they do not know about whereabouts of most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, forcing the government to retract and clarify that Dawood is in Pakistan.

November 29, 2016

SC to hear bail plea of rape accused Asaram Bapu

Mon, 28 Nov 2016-09:40am , New Delhi , ANI
<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Supreme Court will on Monday hear the bail plea filed by self- styled religious figure Asaram Bapu.The apex court, on November 21, refused to give him relief in connection with two rape cases registered against him. Asaram had earlier knocked the doors of the apex court seeking bail on health grounds. The Gujarat Government had earlier told the top court division bench that the rape case registered against Asaram would very likely proceed in an expeditious manner, adding that the trial would be completed within six months so the bail should not be granted to him in the case.The apex court had earlier this month sought the response of the Centre and five states on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged murder of children through black magic and attacks on ten witnesses in Asaram Bapu rape cases.

November 28, 2016

Punjab jailbreak: Accused arrested, two suspicious cars impounded

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>One of the accused of the Nabha jailbreak was arrested by the Shamli Police and huge cache of arms seized from his Fortuner car in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli. Confirming the arrest Shamli Superintendent of Police Ajay Sharma said, “During police checking at Kairana, the accused, who identified himself as Parvinder Singh from Jalandhar, was arrested. He is being questioned.””Accused Parminder has been arrested with huge cache of arms, and he has confessed to his crime. There was a high alert in Uttar Pradesh since the morning, and we had information that accused might try to enter Nepal. During checking, we nabbed him,” Additional Director General (ADG) Daljeet Singh Choudhary said.Meanwhile, a suspicious black Verna car with Punjab number plates was found abandoned at Shamli and Solumajra village in Pundri Tehsil of Kaithal District, respectively. The Kaithal Superintendent of Police swung into action and reached the spot with a team. An investigation is on.
ALSO READ Punjab jailbreak: Special Investigation Team formed by the policeKarnal Inspector General of Police Subhash Yadav said, “A car with Punjab number plate was found abandoned in Sonumajra village in Kaithal. We suspect that the car was used in the Nabha jailbreak. An investigation is going on and we are in regular touch with the Punjab Police.”A group of armed men in police uniform broke into high security Nabha Central jail of Punjab and took along six inmates, identified as Khalistan liberation force chief Harvinder Mintoo, Amandeep Doda and gangsters Vicky Gonder, Gurpreet Sekhon, Neeta Deol and Amandeep Dhotia.
ALSO READ Punjab jailbreak: Khalistani terrorist escapes, high alert in Northern statesPolice said, all of the escaped are dreaded criminals and high alert has been sounded in entire Punjab. Following the incident, Haryana has also been put on high alert and all borders with Punjab have been sealed and police of both the states are working in coordination with each other. Meanwhile, high alert has been sounded in all jails of the state and Jail Superintendents have been asked to review the security in jails.

November 27, 2016

Zakir Naik’s YouTube videos a concern, says NIA

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The government might have blocked websites owned by the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), but its founder Zakir Naik continues to thrive on YouTube, where thousands of his speeches remain.The National Investigation Agency (NIA), currently probing Naik on terror charges, maintains that it has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the YouTube videos, but there seems to be little movement from the ministry.The NIA, during search operations on IRF premises, confiscated video tapes and DVDs of Naik’s public speeches. The NIA says that examining the speeches was a lengthy process as the quantity of videos were poor, but said that the YouTube speeches were a different ball game all together.A single YouTube channel named Dr Zakir Naik has close to 3 lakh subscriptions and has 1,615 videos. The latest was uploaded a week ago. Islamic Productions, which too regularly uploads the preacher’s speeches, has a total view of 2.3 crore, though the channel was started in January this year. Dr Zakir Naik – IRF, another channel, has 35,211 subscribers, with 7,081,194 views. Other channels like MIK Islamic Media and Voice of Zakir Naik also have heavy traffic.”We have written to the MHA to block YouTube videos. It is a time-consuming process, but, for now, we are focusing on the videos we confiscated from IRF premises,” said an official, adding that the videos will be examined by a team of experts with a good hold on comparative religion, something which Naik had mastered over the years.The NIA claims that the initial analysis of the videos of Naik’s speeches suggests that the preacher allegedly “crossed the line of legality” in some of his seminars.”Websites of IRF as well as of Islamic International School have already been blocked. IRF is also very active on Twitter and Facebook and the process of blocking the pages and IDs has been initiated. YouTube does remain a concern but we are sure the issue will be resolved in a few days,” said the official.Requests by investigating agencies, like blocking of IP addresses and websites, are generally forwarded by an MHA panel to the Ministry of Information Technology, and are implemented by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeITY).Before the NIA had booked Naik under terror charges, an MHA official told DNA that no decision has been taken on whether the YouTube videos will be blocked. For now, the NIA is awaiting the ministry’s decision.The blocking of YouTube videos, however, will not be the end of the problem, according to NIA officials. While the agency has identified some YouTube channels run by IRF, monitoring individuals uploading videos of Naik will be a tough task.(With inputs from Amrita Nayak Dutta)

November 27, 2016

More trouble for AAP, CBI files corruption case against leader

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>In another setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against party legislator from Okhla, Amanatullah Khan, on Friday for the alleged recruitment scam and financial irregularities in Delhi Waqf Board when Khan was its chairman.The agency registered a corruption case against Khan after Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung recommended a CBI probe into the scam allegations, after he dissolved the board in October. This is expected to further escalate tension between the Centre and the AAP government.”We have registered a corruption case against the then chairman of Delhi Waqf Board and unknown persons under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act related to criminal misconduct and corruption,” said a senior CBI officer.The FIR has been registered based on the complaints submitted by BJP leader and RTI activist Vivek Garg, and Mohammad Mustafa, to the Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in September.The case pertains to misuse of official position, financial irregularities and allowing encroachers and tenants to occupy Waqf Board properties in violation of the lease rules of the board, the agency said.The FIR alleged that the existing Waqf Board was illegally scrapped and superseded by the Delhi government under the directions of Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister of Delhi, CBI sources said.It alleged that another Waqf Board was constituted and its chairman was elected under the directions of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in contravention of the Waqf Act-1955 and Delhi Waqf rules of 1977.Sources also said that the ACB has submitted all documents related to the case to the CBI for further probe last week. ACB had grilled Khan and also carried out raids at the Waqf Board during preliminary inquiry into the complaints.”We have submitted our inquiry report to the CBI,” a source in ACB said.According to the complaints, when Khan was the Chairman of the board, around 40 people were hired in contravention to the recruitment rules. It was also alleged that the jobs were given to Khan’s relatives and AAP workers and that no advertisements were issued regarding the recruitment. They further alleged that the Delhi Waqf Board has recruited people on several key posts since Khan became the chairman of the body in March this year.On October 7, Jung dissolved the Waqf Board and referred the matter to the CBI. He directed the authorities concerned to reconstitute the board, quashing all appointments made by Khan. While Khan was the Chairman of the board, retired IPS officer Mehboob Alam was appointed as CEO. Both the appointments were struck down by the LG”for not having obtained the approval of the competent authority”.The LG office, in a statement, had said: “In view of the deliberate and persistent acts of illegality, violation of rules, allegations of corruption, possibility of mala fide intentions etc, the matter related to the Delhi Waqf Board is referred to the CBI for investigation.”Jung has also directed Divisional Commissioner A Anbarasu to constitute a committee to review the legality and propriety of all decisions and action taken by the Board after its constitution in March 2016 and submit its report . Earlier this month, the officer had submitted the report to the LG office .

November 26, 2016

JNU missing student case: Delhi HC directs police to file status report within three days

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, whose whereabouts are not known since October 15, reached the Delhi High Court on Friday where his mother sought directions to the police and the government to produce him before the court.27-year-old Ahmed, a student of School of Biotechnology at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a native of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, went missing on October 15 following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) the night before.The petition came up before a bench of justices GS Sistani and Vinod Goel which issued notice to the Delhi government and the police asking them to explain their stand on the plea by the student’s mother, Fatima Nafees. The bench also directed Delhi Police to file a status report within three days.
ALSO READ Find Najeeb in a day or I’m going to UP cops: Mother to Delhi PoliceNajeeb’s mother, in her petition filed through advocate Ali Qambar Zaidi, sought the setting up of a “court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) of impartial officers of proven integrity from outside the state of Delhi” to take over the entire investigation from Crime Branch of Delhi Police.Earlier, an SIT of Delhi Police was set up to trace the missing student on instructions of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. While the case was being investigated by the SIT, teams were sent to Darbhanga in Bihar and Nepal after they got leads hinting that Najeeb might be there, but they failed to find him. Thereafter, the case was transferred to the police’s Crime Branch for a “fresh look” into it.The police has increased the reward for information about the student from the initial amount of Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, but no productive leads have yet been found. In her plea, 45-year-old Fatima has alleged that her son was beaten up by members of ABVP “which is affiliated to the RSS and therefore, closely connected with the BJP which is the party in power at the Centre and since the Delhi Police comes under the control of the Central Government, it is not likely that any progress will be made in the investigation”.She has sought criminal prosecution against those persons who were involved in the alleged assault of her son on the basis of the records of the investigation carried out so far.

November 25, 2016

Fresh lead in Tagore’s Nobel Prize stolen case, one person arrested

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Twelve years after Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel Prize was stolen, police reveal that they have fresh leads in connection to the theft. On November 12, Pardip Bauri, a baul singer (folk artist) was arrested from a village in Bengal’s Birbhum district by the West Bengal Police. With this, police has reasons to suspect that this arrested folk artist has strong connections with the theft. However, so far, the investigating officers have not divulged more on him. Sources in police reveal that a court’s order has been recently issued, allowing Bauri to undergo Narco Ananlysis Test in Gujarat. Tagore won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913. The Nobel Prize and the citation were stolen from the museum of Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan on March 25, 2004. The museum, which is a part of the University was founded by Tagore in 1921 was closed on the day of the theft. Along with the medal, Tagore’s gold pocket watch, his wife Mrinalini Devi’s gold bangle and antique Baluchari saree, his father Debendranath Tagore’s gold ring, several silver articles, rare paintings besides other awards, and certificates conferred on him were also stolen. In 2005, the Nobel foundation handed over two replicas of the Nobel Prize to Vishwa Bharati University.The case was immediately taken up by the state’s investigating agency – Criminal Investigation Department (CID), later to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). After six years of investigation, which drew to a blank, the CBI submitted in the court in 2010 that they have stopped the investigation and closed the case with no headway into the case. When Trinamool Congress supremo, Mamata Banerjee began her second innings as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, she expressed her wish to bring back the Nobel prize. In August this year, the state government here in Bengal got a clearance from the Centre and immediately, a Special Investigation Team, headed by an Inspector General-rank officer was constituted.Sources in the investigating agency reveal that they have fresh leads into the case.

November 25, 2016

Ban on IRF is an attack on Indian Muslims, peace, democracy and justice: Zakir Naik

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –> Terming the five-year ban on Islamic Research Foundation as an attack on “Muslims, peace, democracy and justice,” controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Friday said the ban was timed with the “demonetisation fiasco” to avert resistance and divert media attention.The central government has recently banned the IRF and declared it as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for five years. In an open letter, Naik, 51, who is abroad, said he will pursue all legal options to get the ban repealed and that the judiciary will fail the Modi government in its ‘plans’. Naik has been booked along with unnamed IRF officials under section 153-A of IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) beside various sections of UAPA.”Before investigations were done, even before reports submitted, the ban was already decided. IRF was to be banned. Whether it was owing to my religion or some other reason, does not matter. What now matters is that my work of 25 years completely lawful work has been banned. And that is the most unfortunate thing for this country,” Naik said in his letter. “From the government’s point of view, the timing itself could not have been better. The decision to ban IRF was taken in the middle of the demonetisation fiasco, as the country reeled under the self-imposed cash crunch. I won’t be surprised if this ban was meant to distract media from what was going on in the country. For the public that is starved for cash, for trade and basic amenities, one cannot expect much of resistance,” he stated.Talking about UAPA, Naik said, “The law does not seem to apply to the likes of Rajeshwar Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Sadhvi Prachi who continue to make inflammatory speeches aimed at inciting communal hatred for mere political mileage.” “Leave aside legal action, the government has neither condemned their actions nor reprimanded them. Is this draconian law mainly meant for Muslims? Does the UAPA now exist mainly to silence minority groups?” Naik asked.”Let us not be gullible to think this was just an attack on me. It is an attack on whom I represent, the Indian Muslims. It is an attack on peace, democracy and justice. I will pursue all legal options to repeal this ban,” the IRF founder said.Criticising the five-year ban on IRF, Naik said: “This must be the most unique ban to be applied in the history of India, because not a single time was I questioned or given a chance to explain. Not a single chance. No notice, no summons, no calls and no contact ever made with me to get my side of the story. I kept offering my help in investigation but it wasn’t taken.” He said his participation in the investigation process would have cleared up the air and exonerated him.Naik said if the bank account of Islamic International School, run by IRF, is frozen it will not be able to meet its daily expenses and future of hundreds of school children will be in jeopardy. He also said he has complete faith in the judiciary and the government will fail in its “plans”. “The country’s democratic fabric is under attack. People’s lives are being played with. Governments are misusing their authority on people they’re supposed to protect. This needs to change,” Naik said.Notably, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had yesterday asked three banks to freeze 25 accounts of Naik, his family members and IRF. In addition to it, NIA has handed over a list of over 12 people including Naik, his family members, close friends and organisations, to all 72 scheduled commercial banks to check whether these people had any account in these financial institutions.The NIA has also written to Union Home Ministry for banning the website run by the IRF and as well as suspending its online activities which includes videos of speeches on social networking sites, sources had earlier said, adding that the request will be forwarded to Information Technology ministry.

November 25, 2016

Demonetisation: Only 16 of every 250 fake notes detected in India

By Devanik Saha, IndiaSpend.com

Is India doing enough to detect fake notes, cited by the Prime Minister as a significant reason for withdrawing 86 percent of India’s currency, a process popularly known as “demonetisation”?

In 2015-16, only 16 of every 250 fakes notes in India were detected, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of government data.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi cited terrorism financed by fake Indian currency as a major reason for invalidating the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that made up 86 percent of money in circulation. On 9 November, 2016, in response to Telugu film-star Nagarjuna’s tweet praising “demonetisation” — as the process has been called — Modi tweeted:

Of the 90.26 billion Indian currency notes in circulation in 2015-16, no more than 0.63 million–that is 0.0007 percent, or seven-millionths of 1 percent, seven in every million–were detected as fake, according to RBI data. The value of these fake notes in 2015-16 was Rs 29.64 crore, which is 0.0018 percent of the Rs 16.41 lakh crore currency in circulation.

Counterfeit Currency Detected, 2015-16
Denomination	Counterfeit Notes	Notes in Circulation	Counterfeit (%)	Counterfeit Value	Total Value
2,5	2	11,626 million	0	Rs 7	Rs 4,069.1 crore
10	134	32,015 million	0	Rs 1,340	Rs 32,015 crore
20	96	4,924 million	0	Rs 1,920	Rs 9,848 crore
50	6453	3,890 million	0.0000017	Rs 322,650	Rs 19,450 crore
100	221447	15,778 million	0.000014	Rs 2.21 crore	Rs 1,57,780 crore
500	261695	15,707 million	0.0000167	Rs 13.09 crore	Rs 7,85,350 crore
1000	143099	6,326 million	0.0000226	Rs 14.31 crore	Rs 6,32,600 crore

Source: Reserve Bank of India
Note: Assuming number of Rs 2 and Rs 5 notes to be equal

These data do not include notes seized by the police and other enforcement agencies.

In 2015, 0.88 million fake notes worth Rs 43.8 crore were seized, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau tabled in the Lok Sabha (parliament’s lower house) on 18 November, 2016.

Rs 27.8 crore was seized until 30 September, 2016, the data further reveal.

250 in every million notes fake, claims another study

The value of fake currency in circulation at any given time is Rs 400 crore, and 250 in every million notes are fake, according to this 2015 joint study by the Indian Statistical Institute and National Investigation Agency, to analyse fake-currency trends, especially those originating across India’s borders.

The study estimated that fake currency worth Rs 70 crore enters circulation every year, with agencies only being able to intercept one-third of it, the Times of India reported in May 2016. The detection of fake currency is carried out primarily by commercial banks, but such reporting is irregular: Only three banks — Axis, HDFC and ICICI — report about 80 percent of fake currency detected.

Cash component of black economy ranges from 3-7 percent

In 2012, the then Finance Minister of India Pranab Mukherjee wrote a white paper on black money in India, which revealed that the cash component of undisclosed incomes ranged from 3.7 percent to 7.4 percent, based on searches conducted by the Central Board of Direct Taxation.

For instance, in financial year 2011-12, of undisclosed admitted income of Rs 9,289 crore, no more than Rs 499 crore (5.4 percent) was found in cash, according to the white paper.

Source: Ministry of Finance; *As admitted

On 17 November, 2016, Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist), tweeted:

Yechury’s claim was based on a Hindustan Times analysis of data from tax raids for the financial year 2012-13 onwards. Cash recovered was less than 6 percent of the undisclosed income seized from tax evaders, said the newspaper.

Data from income-tax investigation between 1 April and 31 October, 2016, revealed that black-money holders accepted having Rs 7,700 crore worth of unaccounted assets; of this, Rs 408 crore, or 5 percent, was cash. The rest was invested in business, stocks, real estate and benami bank accounts, the data showed.

In 2015-16, a year that reported the largest detection of black-money, 6 percent was cash.

“While, in the public eye, piles of cash are synonymous with corruption, we should be careful about distinguishing between the three components of black economy. The first is the underlying source of corruption. An example of this would be the high stamp duties on real estate transactions that lead to payments in cash. The second is the methods adopted for storing unaccounted wealth. An example of this would be holding assets in gold. The third element is the method through which transactions are effected. This could involve cash,” Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah wrote in the Mint. “The black economy involves all three elements. Targeting unaccounted cash on one particular day is only a small part of the story.”

Indiaspend.com is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit

First Published On : Nov 24, 2016 11:44 IST

November 24, 2016

NIA to probe overseas IRF members as part of Dr Zakir Naik case

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to widen its probe against Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and its founder Dr Zakir Naik by investigating members of the organisation both based in India and abroad. The development comes after NIA officially contacted banks asking them to freeze accounts of the banned IRF and Naik.According to a senior NIA official, the probe agency is currently preparing a list of individuals associated with the IRF who might offer more information about the funding of the organisation which was recently banned by the government of India. NIA is now looking to prepare a comprehensive list of IRF members specially those who are not based in India.“The funding of the proscribed organisation has to be explored further. IRF has received funds from abroad ever since its inception, and the NIA probe will focus on the money trail as well,” said the senior NIA official. The agency is also contemplating to get a red corner notice issued if Naik avoids refuses to join the investigation.The official further said that many IRF members and associates are based out of India, and in the coming few weeks NIA might contact the individuals asking them to join the investigation.Last week, NIA booked Naik and others under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) that relates to terror conspiracy, Section 10 and 13 of UAPA which deal with being member of an unlawful association and punishment for unlawful activities respectively, and Section 153A of IPC (inciting communal hatred).NIA had asked the home ministry to block websites and other online activities of the Islamic preacher and while speaking to DNA agency spokesperson Alok Mittal said that,”all action that needs to be taken against a proscribed organisation including banning its online activities is being taken”.A source in NIA said that some members of the investigating team probing Naik have been asked to examine audio and video files that were confiscated during raids on IRF premises.The recording , some of which are also available online, according to NIA, consist of speeches made by Naik in the past. The agency said it will be looking for portions of the speeches, where in Naik seems to be allegedly making inflammatory statements.During the search operations, video tapes and DVDs of Zakir Naik’s public speeches, documents related to property and investment, financial transactions, foreign and domestic funding of the proscribed IRF as well as its associated companies, and electronic storage devices have been recovered all of which will now be scrutinised.

November 24, 2016

NIA likely to go FBI way, govt may empower probe agency to investigate abroad

New Delhi: A proposal has been mooted by the government for arming National Investigation Agency (NIA) with a provision to register a case and investigate if an Indian is killed or injured in a terror act overseas.

NIA may soon get mandate to probe abroad if needed. AFP

This information was shared by Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir while replying to written questions in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

“A proposal to enable the NIA to take up investigation of scheduled offences committed beyond India is being put out for public consultations,” he said in a brief reply to a question asked by BJP member Anurag Thakur whether government is considering to grant powers to NIA to conduct probe on attacks on Indians and properties abroad.

Such a proposal is available with probe agencies like FBI and Scotland Yard and federal agencies of Germany and Israel who can carry out parallel probe abroad when their nationals are killed in a terror attack.

FBI had registered separate cases in 1995 kidnapping of foreign tourists in Kashmir, IC-814 hijacking case and Mumbai terror attack as its citizens were either injured or killed in these terror acts.

According to officials, such a proposal will depend on relations to the particular country where the crime has taken place.

A senior official said once such a provision is included in the NIA Act, it would help the agency in quickly moving a request to the foreign country for allowing its team to carry out a probe.

First Published On : Nov 22, 2016 22:44 IST

November 22, 2016

CBI moves plea for extradition of Vijay Mallya

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday obtained a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Vijay Mallya. The agency plans to get the liquor baron extradited to India from the United Kingdom, where he has been staying after leaving India in March this year. CBI officials said the agency will send an extradition request to UK authorities through diplomatic channels and looks forward to bring Mallya to join the investigation. Sources said that the move will help the probe agency in examining the role of suspected bankers in India who allegedly connived with Mallya and aided the sanctioning of loans towards the liqour baron’s now defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) company.“We were able to obtain the NBW today. The next is extradition and we will be using all diplomatic channels at our disposal to extradite him,” said a senior CBI official.The CBI filed a case against KFA, its Chief Financial Officer A Raghunathan and some officials of IDBI Bank for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and under the Prevention of Corruption Act alleging that Rs 900 cr that IDBI sanctioned as a loan to Mallya was in “violation of norms to do with credit limits”. Mallya also owes several banks about Rs 9,000 cr. The State Bank of India, which leads the consortium of 17 banks that lent money to KFA, had moved Debt Recovery Tribunal against the airlines chairman in its bid to recover over Rs 7,000 cr of dues from him.Mallya has already has an NBW issued against him by a Delhi court for evading summons in a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act case.

November 22, 2016

NIA wraps up raids in 17 Zakir Naik’s IRF premises

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday said it had so far completed raids at 17 premises connected to controversial televangelist Zakir Naik’s NGO Islamic Research Foundation, while searches at two other premises were still underway. The raids began early on Saturday morning at IRF’s Dongri office. The agency has also blocked all social media content with Naik’s speeches, including IRF’s official website.”We have seized a large stash of data from Harmony Media, which used to produce and supply media content for Peace TV. We have seized incriminating documents and digital devices from the premises. We will start scrutinising all digital material and documents seized from Tuesday onwards,” an NIA source said.”As part of the investigation, all action that needs to be taken against a proscribed organisation, including banning of its online activities, are being undertaken,” an NIA officer said.An employee of Harmony Media, on the condition of anonymity, said, “We have been asked not to conduct any kind of activity, but have been told to cooperate with the agency in the investigation. All the offices, including IRF and Harmony Media, were rented premises. The owners have also removed the board from IRF’s office.”The NIA had on Saturday carried out searches at 12 IRF premises in Mumbai after registering a case against Naik and others under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The agency had seized Rs 12 lakh cash and incriminating documents, during their raids on various premises, including IRF’s head office.Naik allegedly transferred IRF’s foreign funds to Peace TV to make objectionable programmes. Most of which “urged all Muslims to be terrorists” through Peace TV. “NIA has started the process for blocking the URLs of online platforms connected to IRF and Zakir Naik including but not restricted to websites, Facebook and YouTube. It is being done following the due process of the extant statutes,” NIA spokesperson said.

November 22, 2016

NIA unlikely to probe jailbreak in Bhopal

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The NIA is unlikely to probe the controversial jailbreak in Bhopal by eight SIMI activists saying too many investigations have been ordered into the incident.The National Investigation Agency is believed to have conveyed to the Home Ministry that the Madhya Pradesh government has already ordered several inquires into the incident, which generated controversy after all eight escapees were killed by police within hours of the jailbreak. There is no need to involve the NIA in the matter and the NIA conveyed this to the Home Ministry, official sources said.Soon after the November 1 incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Home Minister Bhoopendra Singh Thakur had announced that the NIA will be roped into to probe the jailbreak case, but the separate case of encounter will be judicially inquired into along with a state police criminal probe. The hands of the MP government were tied as the state police had invoked sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) while filing an FIR in connection with the incident.The NIA Act mandates that all state governments are duty-bound to inform the Union Home Ministry if any FIR under the UAPA is registered in their jurisdiction. The Home Ministry, in consultation with the NIA, decides whether the case can be probed by the state police or if the NIA should take over investigation depending upon the gravity of offence and interstate ramifications. The MP government, to fulfil the legal requirement under the UAPA, had sent the FIR to the Home Ministry with a copy to the NIA. But now, the NIA has communicated to the Home Ministry that it was not interested in probing the case, sources said.

November 21, 2016

DNA Morning Must Reads: Updates from Indore-Patna express derailment, demonetization; and more

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>1. Live Updates: At least 45 killed, several injured after Indore-Patna express derails in KanpurAt least 45 people killed in Indore-Patna express train derailment in Kanpur Dehat district. Read more.2. ITBP’s Mt Kangto expedition in Arunachal may annoy ChinaThe strategic significance of this is immense as the ITBP team has opened the route from Bameng village in the East Kameng district, located 50 km from the Mount Kangto base. Read more.3. NIA sleuths raid 12 premises of Zakir Naik’s IRF; laptops, computers and documents seizedThe National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday morning searched the offices of Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and residences of his associates. Read more.4. Demonetization: Note ban hits farm produce, rates fallen by almost 20-30 %Farmers are hoping that the current situation will improve otherwise they will face the major financial crisis. Read more.5. As long as I inspire younger kids to take up golf, I have done my best: Aditi AshokAs long as I inspire younger kids to take up golf, I have done my best: Aditi Ashok. Read more.

November 20, 2016

NIA seizes Rs 12 lakh cash in raids on 12 premises of Dr Zakir Naik’s IRF

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams on Saturday seized Rs 12 lakh cash and incriminating documents, files as well as electronic storage devices, in raids on 12 premises including head office of the banned Islamic Research Foundation (IRF).NIA has registered an offence against IRF Founder-President and controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and his associates for promoting enmity and hatred between religious groups through his public speeches and lectures on various platforms, the agency said in a release.As per the statement, Naik and his associates are responsible for inciting Muslim youths and terrorists in India and abroad to commit unlawful activities and terrorist acts.Centre had recently banned IRF for five years and its notification was served through Mumbai Police two days before.NIA teams raided 12 premises including its head office in Dongri on Saturday morning and conducted raids in which they seized documents related to Naik and IRF’s various financial transactions and property details.NIA has sent a team of IT experts from Delhi for further investigation. The searches are still going on and are likely to continue till late in the night, NIA said in a statement.

November 19, 2016

NIA’s FIR against Zakir Naik is illegal, says his counsel

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Mobin Solkar, the counsel for controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, on Saturday said the case filed by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) against his client under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is illegal, as the Supreme Court, earlier granted a stay in a similar case, and hence, any fresh complaint on the same grounds would stand void.”Earlier in the year 2012 an FIR was registered by the office bearers of some organisation against Zakir Naik under section 153 A and in response we filed a petition in the Supreme Court and the court granted stay to all those proceedings in the FIR. So fresh FIR for the same offence is not maintainable in law so they cannot be two FIR for one offence,” Solkar told ANI.Solankar further maintained that from 2012 till date, Dr. Naik has not given any lecture which can be a cause of action for filing a fresh FIR against him. He, however, conceded that the investigative agency is entitled to search and visit the premises of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), owned by Naik, and the organisation would comply with all the investigative processes carried out by the NIA.”The NIA, irrespective of the legality of the FIR, is empowered to investigate the matter and they are carrying out their investigation and we are ready to cooperate as far the investigation is concerned. IRF has been a law abiding trust and we are ready to fully cooperate with the investigative agency,” Solankar said.Teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with the Mumbai Police, early this morning, launched raids on 10 premises of Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) run by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. NIA spokesperson told ANI that the premises were raided at 6 a.m. with the help of local police. “We are searching a few residential premises and a few office premises of Zakir Naik,” said the spokesperson.The NIA had on Friday registered a case against Naik and others under sections 10 (Penalty for being member of an unlawful association) and 13 (Punishment for unlawful activities) and other various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said a spokesperson.The Union Government had on Tuesday declared the IRF as an “outlawed organisation” under the anti-terror law for its alleged terror activities, following which the Maharashtra Government said it would keep a close eye on locals and organisations funding the IRF and would be treated as “anti-social elements”.

November 19, 2016