NCP's Rohit Pawar appears before ED office for questioning in Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank case 2
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rohit Pawar appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Mumbai for questioning in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) case on Wednesday. The NCP MLA was seen posing for pictures along with NCP MP Supriya Sule and taking her blessings before entering the ED office.
Before heading to the ED office, Rohit Pawar said that he does not have anything against the ED officials as they are just doing their work. “I am carrying all the files and documents that the agency had asked for. I will answer all the questions of ED and will support them. The ED officials are just doing their work, I don’t have anything against them. I am ready to support them in every possible way,” Rohit Pawar said, speaking to reporters on Wednesday.
Challenging the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the NCP MLA who is also party founder Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew said that if these proceedings are being carried out only to “put pressure” on him, they should understand that they are “experimenting” on the wrong person because he is not scared of anyone. “If all this is done to put pressure on me, they have done this experiment on the wrong person. I am Marathi, I am not scared of anyone,” Rohit Pawar said.
Speaking on the possibility of arrest, he said that he has not done anything wrong and if they do, they will be taking relief from the judiciary. “I don’t think they are going to arrest me because I have done nothing wrong. I will give them whatever document they have asked from me. There is no question of arrest. Whatever they do (arrest) according to their procedure, we have to take relief from the judiciary. We need to fight,” Rohit Pawar said.
Earlier in the day, Rohit Pawar went to the party office in Mumbai to take blessings from Sharad Pawar. Supriya Sule was also seen at the NCP office in Mumbai. The Maharashtra State Cooperative (MSC) Bank scam case relates to the alleged fraudulent disbursal of loans amounting to 25,000 crores. The case triggered the filing of a PIL Petition in the Bombay High Court by four persons.
The PIL shed light on the alleged modus operandi of the fraud. In the petition, it was alleged that some sugar mills defaulted on the loans, which were given without due diligence. Those sugar mills were attached by the MSC banks and auctioned to various office bearers of the bank and politicians. Acting on the PIL the Bombay High Court ordered the registration of a case. The Economic Offences Wing(EOW), which is under the Maharashtra government, investigated the case. When EOW filed a closure report in 2020 in the Bombay Session Court, ED filed an intervention petition against the closure report and started an investigation.
Centre notifies appointment of Justice Abhay Ahuja as permanent Judge of Bombay HC 4
The Central Government, through the Ministry of Law and Justice on Tuesday notified the appointment of Justice Abhay Ahuja as an additional judge to permanent Judge of Bombay High Court. Notification issued in this regard stated that, in exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Abhay Ahuja, Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court, to be a Judge of that High Court with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.
On January 4, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the name of Justice Abhay Ahuja, Additional Judge, for appointment as permanent Judge of the High Court of Bombay. The Collegium of the High Court of Bombay unanimously recommended the name of Justice Abhay Ahuja for appointment as permanent Judge of that High Court. The Chief Ministers and the Governors of the States of Maharashtra and Goa have concurred with the above recommendation, as noted by the Supreme Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India.
In terms of the Memorandum of Procedure, we have consulted Judges of the Supreme Court who are conversant with the functioning of the High Court of Bombay with a view to ascertain the fitness and suitability of Justice Abhay Ahuja for appointment as permanent Judge, said the SC Collegium. The Committee of two Judges of the Supreme Court constituted by the Chief Justice of India in terms of the resolution dated 26 October 2017 of the Supreme Court Collegium, has assessed the judgements of Justice Abhay Ahuja. The Committee has reported that his judgements are up to the mark.
Collegium further added that, with a view to assessing the merit and suitability of Justice Abhay Ahuja for appointment as permanent judge, we have scrutinised and evaluated the material placed on record, including the opinions of our consultee-colleagues. Having considered all aspects of the matter and on an overall basis of the above proposal including the opinion of our consultee-colleagues regarding his suitability, the Collegium is of the considered view that Justice Abhay Ahuja is fit and suitable for being appointed as permanent Judge of the High Court, said the Collegium.
Myanmar Army plane crashes at Mizoram's Lengpui airport; 6 injured 6
A Myanmar Army plane with 14 people on board crashed at the Lengpui airport in Mizoram on Tuesday morning. According to the information received from the Mizoram Director General of Police, the plane was small and 14 people were on board with the pilot.
Six people sustained injuries in the crash, while eight are safe, according to the DGP. The injured individuals were rushed to Lengpui Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.
As per the received information, the army plane crashed while landing.
"Efforts are being made to enslave students of North East and India": Rahul Gandhi 8
Amid the rift with Assam Chief Minister, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that efforts are being made to enslave students of the North East and India, adding, “There is no need for any student to be afraid.” He also alleged that the Home Minister of the country picked up the phone, called CM Himanta, and said that Rahul Gandhi should not meet the students of Assam.
“We are being stopped everywhere. The Home Minister of the country picked up the phone, called CM Himanta, and said that Rahul Gandhi should not meet the students of Assam. That’s not important, whether Rahul Gandhi comes here or not. What’s important is that the students be allowed to listen to whomever they want. But it is not happening in any schools or colleges in Assam. You are being told that you cannot speak your language. You are being told that you cannot have your history,” he said. He further said that efforts are being made to enslave the students of the North East and India.
“Nobody can stop you from thinking about the India that you want. Nobody can stop you from reading or writing in the language you want. Nobody should stop you from believing in any religion you want. You have come here because you are not ready for what the Chief Minister wants you to follow. An attempt is being made to stop the student from thinking. If students are stopped from thinking, then India will be destroyed; India will not survive,” Rahul Gandhi added. “There is no need for any student to be afraid; you are the future of this country,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, as the Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed its journey on the 10th day of Tuesday from Assam, heavy security was deployed at Khanapara Area, the entry point of Guwahati for the Yatra. There was barricading and heavy deployment of police officials in the Khanapara Area, where Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra will reach today.
According to Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’s official handle on X, the Congress will hold a press conference later today. After that, the yatra will resume its journey and it will halt at Bishnupur in Assam. Bhupen Kumar Borah, Assam Congress President, said, “Rahul ji’s name is not in any corruption case. Who is Raavan? Today, women in Assam are the most unsafe in the entire country. So wherever Ravana is, women will be unsafe.”
Rahul Gandhi on Monday, who arrived at the Batadrava Than, the birthplace of revered Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Assam, took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he was denied permission to enter the shrine. “We want to visit the temple (Batadrava Than). What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple?” Rahul Gandhi said.
“I want to go to the temple; what is wrong with this? Earlier, we were invited but now the administration is saying that we cannot go. “Aaj sirf ek vyakti mandir mein ja sakta hain…”(Perhaps today only one person can go to the temple),” the Congress leader said in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishta’ ceremony at Ayodhya Ram Temple.
ED raids multiple locations in north Indian states in HUDA refund 'scam' case probe 10
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided multiple locations in Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula and a location in Himachal Pradesh as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged fake refund scam in the HUDA, official sources said.
Around 18 premises in these cities are being searched by officials of the federal probe agency, they said.
A location in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district is also being covered.
The probe pertains to an ED case, registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), linked to an alleged Rs 70 crore fake refund scam in the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), the sources said.
HUDA is now known as ‘Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran’.
The role of at least six officials of the HUDA is under the scanner of the agency.
Maharashtra Police arrest person provoking people in viral video; deploy heavy security at Mira Road 12
After a scuffle broke out between two communities, heavy security has been deployed in the Mira Road area adjacent to Mumbai. Police have arrested a person who was seen provoking people in a viral video on social media. Local police, Mumbai Police, Palghar Police, Thane Rural Police, RAF (Rapid Action Force), MSF (Maharashtra Security Force) and SRPF have been deployed in the area.
DCP Jayant Bajbale added, “Several videos of the clash between two communities in Mira Road adjacent to Mumbai went viral on social media. A video of a person named Abu Shaikh went viral where he was seen provoking people. The person who posted this video has been arrested and Mira Bhayander police have sought two days of custody.” A scuffle broke out between two communities at Mira Road on the night of January 21.
Shrikant Pathak, Additional Commissioner of Police at Mira-Bhayandar, appealed to everyone to maintain peace in the area. “We are investigating the incident. Action will be taken against the accused only. I appeal to everybody to maintain peace. The police have taken timely action. We are investigating the entire matter by looking at the CCTV footage. There are small miscreants which still try to create nuisance,” he said.
Meanwhile, thirteen people have been arrested and other suspects are being identified on the directions of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Taking to his social media handle, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “The complete details of the incident in the Nayanagar area of Mira-Bhyander were taken last night only. I was in constant touch with the Mira-Bhyander Police Commissioner till 3.30 am on Monday. The police have been instructed to take strict action against the accused. In this case, 13 accused have been detained so far and the process of identifying the other accused is underway by checking the CCTV footage. Anyone trying to disrupt law and order in Maharashtra will not be tolerated.”
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jayant Bajbale, “The conflict between the two communities broke out at around 11 pm on Sunday when some people of the Hindu community were raising slogans in 3–4 vehicles in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road adjacent to Mumbai.”
Oppn skips Ram temple event; Rahul protests after being stopped from visiting Assam Temple; Mamata leads all-faith rally 14
INDIA bloc leaders stayed away from the Ram Temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya but faith remained on the agenda for many of them on Monday, with Rahul Gandhi protesting after he was stopped from visiting a temple in Assam and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee holding an all-faith rally.
As BJP leaders went all out to project the event as a moment of national pride, some leaders were directly critical of the ceremony, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, belonging to the CPI(M), slamming the state’s role in the Ram Temple consecration, saying the line that demarcates religion and state seems to be ”getting thinner and thinner.” A few hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the consecration of the Ram Temple, Vijayan, in a message, said that a time has come when the inauguration of a religious place of worship in the country will be celebrated as a state event.
Many INDIA bloc leaders had earlier declined the invite to the ceremony, citing diverse reasons, with the Congress’s top brass alleging that it had been made into a ”BJP-RSS event”.
However, religion remained the dominant theme for many INDIA bloc leaders on the day, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, cabinet ministers, and AAP MLAs taking part in various events across the national capital as part of the party’s plan to mark the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised shobha yatras and bhandaras in different parts of the national capital to celebrate the ‘Pran Pratistha (consecration)’ ceremony.
In a post in Hindi on X, Kejriwal said he participated in bhandaras organised in different areas of Delhi.
Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam, was stopped at Haibargaon en route to the birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva.
He along with senior Congress leaders and supporters, staged a dharna while party MP Gaurav Gogoi and Batadrava MLA Sibamoni Bora proceeded to the birthplace to resolve the issue.
”During a law and order crisis, everyone can go to the birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva, only ‘Rahul Gandhi cannot go,” Gandhi said in Assam’s Nagaon.
He said they had received an invitation on January 11 but ”on Sunday we were told that there is a law and order situation”.
The managing committee of the Sri Sankardeva Sattra on Sunday had announced that they will not allow the Congress leader to visit before 3 pm on January 22 due to events related to the Ayodhya consecration ceremony. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier on Sunday said at a press conference that he requested Gandhi not to visit before the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Deviating from his party line, Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh, who is the son of state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, reached Ayodhya to attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple. Another Congress MLA from the state Sudhir Sharma also reached Ayodhya for the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress chief Banerjee embarked on a symbolic journey of religious harmony, while leading an all-faith rally that included visits to diverse places of worship, such as a temple, mosque, church, and gurdwara, aligning with the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya earlier in the day.
Accompanied by religious leaders from various faiths and key party members, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo initiated the ‘Sanghati March’ from Hazra More in Kolkata.
Prior to commencing the rally, Banerjee commenced the day by offering prayers at the iconic Kalighat temple in south Kolkata, seeking blessings from Goddess Kali.
Ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the Lord resides in the hearts of those who respect customs, ethics and decorum.
He also posted on X a short animated video showing Lord Ram arriving in Ayodhya with Laxman and Goddess Sita.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor posted a picture of the consecrated Ram Lalla idol and wrote in Hindi, ”Siyawar Ramchandra Ki Jay”.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said in a post in Hindi, ”Today is a historic moment for all the people of the country, after a long wait of centuries, Lord Shri Ram is going to sit in his home Ayodhya.
”This is the victory of our religion, values and culture. This is the victory of centuries of struggle of the saints and the unwavering patience of the people of this country ‘that justice will be done’.” ”I wish that soon my family and I will reach Ayodhya Dham and have darshan of Lord Shri Ram. Lord Shri Ram belongs to everyone and we all should imbibe the thoughts of Lord Shri Ram for the progress of this nation,” she said.
Top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had earlier ”respectfully declined” the invitation to attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, with the party accusing the BJP of making it into a ”political project” for electoral gains.
While West Bengal CM Banerjee had alleged that the BJP was indulging in a ”gimmick” through the inauguration of the Ram Mandir, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury had also declined an invitation to the ceremony, with the Left party saying religion is a personal choice and should not be converted into an instrument of political gain.
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar had said that he would visit Ayodhya to offer prayers to Lord Ram after the completion of the temple construction there.
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till January 29 the hearing on Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s petition seeking transfer of the criminal defamation complaint pending against him in a Ahmedabad court over his alleged ”only Gujaratis can be thugs” remark to a place outside the state, preferably Delhi.
A bench of Justices A S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan deferred the matter after the counsel for the complainant sought time.
”Why should the prosecution continue when he has withdrawn the statement. You seek instructions otherwise we will exercise powers under Article 142,” the bench said.
”The counsel for the respondent seeks time to seek instructions on statement filed by the petitioner (Yadav) on January 19. List on next Monday,” the top court recorded in its order.
The top court, while hearing the RJD leader’s plea, had earlier stayed the proceedings in the criminal defamation complaint and issued notice to the Gujarat resident who has filed it.
The complaint against Yadav was filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for alleged criminal defamation. The Gujarat court had in August conducted a preliminary enquiry against Yadav under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and found sufficient grounds to summon him on the complaint filed by Haresh Mehta, a local businessman and activist.
According to the complaint, Yadav, while talking to the media in Patna in March 2023, had said, ”Only Gujaratis can be thugs in the present situation, and their fraud will be forgiven.” ”Who will be responsible if they run away with the money belonging to the LIC or banks?” the Bihar Deputy CM had allegedly asked.
Mehta claimed Yadav’s comments defamed all Gujaratis.
New Lord Rama idol consecrated at Ayodhya temple 17
The new Lord Rama idol was consecrated at the newly constructed temple here on Monday amid grand celebrations in the town, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating in the rituals.
The prime minister walked inside the temple premises with a silver ‘chattar’ (umbrella) placed on a red folded dupatta. Dressed in a golden kurta teamed up with a cream dhoti and patka, he took ‘sankalp’ for the “pran pratishtha ceremony” and later moved to the sanctum sanctorum for the rituals.
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present inside the sanctorum during the rituals. Army helicopters showered flower petals on the temple premises when the consecration took place.
”The extraordinary moment of the consecration of Shri Ram Lala’s life in Ayodhya Dham is going to leave everyone emotional. It is my great pleasure to be a part of this divine program. Hail Siya Ram!,” Modi said on X.
अयोध्या धाम में श्री राम लला की प्राण-प्रतिष्ठा का अलौकिक क्षण हर किसी को भाव-विभोर करने वाला है। इस दिव्य कार्यक्रम का हिस्सा बनना मेरा परम सौभाग्य है। जय सियाराम! https://t.co/GAuJXuB63A
Modi will later address the gathering after the ceremony. He is also scheduled to visit the Kuber Tila. He will also interact with workers associated with the construction of the temple.
Scuffle breaks out in Mira Road's Naya Nagar area, vehicles vandalised; five arrested 19
A dispute erupted between two communities on Mira Road near Mumbai just before the Ram Mandir’s ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony began. The conflict began over sloganeering in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road, which is adjacent to Mumbai.
According to a report in the news agency PTI, the incident occurred at around 10.30 pm on Sunday when a group of 10 to 12 people in three cars and on as many motorcycles were carrying out a rally from Naya Nagar under Mira Bhayandar police jurisdiction and chanted slogans in praise of Lord Ram, ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya.
The cars were attacked in the middle of the road, according to viral videos of the incident. The attackers broke glasses and hurled insults. Afternoon Voice could not independently verify the veracity of the video.
Mira Road in North Mumbai. Vehicles carrying the Ram flag were attacked by the peaceful community, raised slogans and attacked. pic.twitter.com/c4ALCiVon5
According to the information received by the police officials, the incident occurred around 11 pm on Sunday. “Some people travelling in 3–4 vehicles were raising slogans. An argument with the people of another community broke out, and consequently, crowds from both communities gathered,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jayant Bajbale told ANI.
After receiving word on the incident, police immediately reached the spot and took the miscreants into custody. “In view of the incident, a large number of police forces were deployed in the area. Currently, the situation has been brought under control, and a flag march was conducted to maintain peace in the area,” said DCP Jayant Bajbale.
Naya Nagar Police filed a case against five people and arrested them. The police have appealed to the residents of Mira Road not to pay attention to rumours.
