Twelve bunkers have been destroyed in Manipur and six mortar shells seized during search operations by security forces, police said. The bunkers were destroyed in the last 24 hours during the search operations in Tamenglong, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi, Kakching and Churachandpur districts, police said on Sunday night. ”The situation is tense but under control with some sporadic incidents,” a police statement said.
During the search operations, three 51 mm and as many 84 mm mortar shells were found in a paddy field in Sahumphai and one IED was recovered in the vicinity of Kangvai and S Kotlian villages in Bishnupur district, it said. The mortar shells and IED were defused at the spot by bomb disposal teams. Altogether, 1,100 arms, 13,702 ammunitions and 250 bombs have been recovered since the ethnic clashes broke out in the northeastern state last month.
The state police had arrested 135 people for curfew violations, theft in abandoned houses and arson. More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur so far.
Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
No discussion held on 'PM post' during opposition meeting in Patna: Pawar 4
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Monday said no discussion took place on the ”prime ministerial post” in the meeting of opposition parties held in Patna last week ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due next year.
There were discussions on issues like inflation, unemployment and ”deliberate attempts” at some places to encourage communal forces, Pawar told reporters in Baramati town here in Maharashtra.
He also hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for its criticism of the opposition meeting. Why was the BJP worried about the conclave, Pawar said, claiming there was lack of ”political maturity”. Drawing the battle lines, over 32 leaders of more than a dozen opposition parties held a crucial meeting in Patna hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday and resolved to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
At a joint press meeting, the opposition parties said they would fight the polls on a common agenda and state-wise strategy, setting aside their differences with a flexible approach.
Asked about opponents mocking that ”19 prime ministerial post aspirants” came together at the meeting, Pawar said it is a childish statement. ”In the meeting, there was no discussion on the post of prime minister. A discussion took place on issues pertaining to inflation and unemployment. There was a discussion on deliberate attempts at some places to encourage communal forces and how those who are in power, that is BJP, are trying to create a rift between communities,” he said.
Rift between communities on the basis of religion and caste is detrimental to any society, and the point of decision was how to control such a thing, he said. Pawar said he has been reading statements of the ”so-called leaders” who have made remarks on the opposition meeting in Patna. ”Why is there no permission in democracy to hold the meeting (by opposition leaders)? The BJP state president, I do not remember his name…he said what was the need to hold the meeting. I read his statement that he is going to hold a meeting in Mumbai. So you (BJP) can hold a meeting and if we hold it, why are you worried?” he said.
Reacting to the violence in Manipur, MP Rajya Sabha Sanjay Raut slammed the PM Modi government and said that the Centre had failed to curb the violence. Raut said, “We have repeatedly raised the issue of Manipur. Manipur is an important state and the Modi government has failed to curb the violence.
All the central and state-level ministers have fled from the place. Houses are being burnt and Home Minister Amit Shah also could not do anything. We had requested a party meeting but now after two months when the PM is in America, they are calling for the meeting. This meeting should have been convened in the presence of PM Modi.
From our side, Priyanka Chaturvedi will attend the meeting and convey our demands. Our demand is that a delegation under the leadership of the Home Minister should visit Manipur and have an open conversation with the leaders of the organization which are trying to spread violence there. My request to the Home Minister is to send an all-party delegation to Manipur without any delay.”
On the Opposition party meeting which happened yesterday, Sanjay Raut said that his party had an important role to play. He said, “Mehbooba Mufti and her party are playing politics in Kashmir. BJP formed a government with them and PM Modi attended the swearing in ceremony. Now they should not raise their fingers at us. We did not go to cut the cake of Nawaz Sharif. We went to Patna for the meeting.”
Uddhav Thackeray faction MP Sanjay Raut further said, “Uddhav Thackeray has said in the meeting that if there won’t be a power change in 2024, then this will be the last election, so to protect democracy, we (opposition parties) have to stay united and fight the election.”
Home Minister Amit Shah chairs all-party meeting on situation in Manipur 7
All party-meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the prevailing situation in Manipur has begun here in New Delhi. The meeting was called by Amit Shah to take stock of the situation in the violence-wracked state. BJP national president JP Nadda, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and CPI(M) MP John Brittas among other leaders are present in the meeting.
Amit Shah had appealed for peace and warned of strict action against miscreants during his four-day visit to the violence-wracked state earlier in May. Opposition has slammed BJP and questioned the BJP government on the issue in Manipur.
As Manipur is still witnessing incidents like arson since May 3, the state government has extended the ban on the internet by five more days till June 25 with immediate effect in an effort to prevent further disturbance to peace. The data services have also been banned in view of the persisting unrest in the state.
Violence gripped Manipur on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the unprecedented violence that has devastated the lives of people in Manipur has “left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation” while appealing for peace and harmony in the state.
Congress has been vocal on Manipur since the outbreak of violence started in the BJP-ruled state. The trigger was provided by a Manipur High Court order directing the state to consider including the Meitei community in the Scheduled list.
More than 100 people have lost their lives in the violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
Gujarat Police arrests resident of Vadodara for posing as PMO official 9
A man from Gujarat’s Vadodara city has been arrested for posing as a PMO official to secure the admission of two children in a private school and trying to dupe it of huge sums with his fake identity, an official said on Saturday.
The arrest of Mayank Tiwari on Friday comes months after an Ahmedabad resident, Kiran Patel, was held from a five-star hotel in Jammu and Kashmir for posing as a senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Hospitality apart, Patel had also enjoyed security cover by tricking officials in the Valley.
Identifying himself as a director (strategic advisory) at the PMO in New Delhi, Tiwari first got in touch with the school and its trustee in March 2022, during the admission season, said the official from Waghodia police station in the city.
Tiwari, a middle-aged man, sought the school’s help with the admission of two sons of his “family friend”, whom he described as Indian Army official Mirza Baig and said he was being transferred to Vadodara from Pune, the official said.
The school’s director asked Tiwari, whose WhatsApp status said he was a “PMO official”, to meet the trustee, who is also associated with a private university in Vadodara. To impress upon the trustee, Tiwari told her that he could use his clout as a “PMO official” and get the school involved in the field of education research and get them various projects if they took care of the expenses, the official said.
The smooth-talker took the trustee and the school’s director into confidence with the intention of cheating them of huge sums, said the first information report (FIR). He also secured the admission of the two children as special cases, the official said.
A few months later, the trustee had doubts about Tiwari’s claims of being a PMO official and the education research projects mentioned by him. She then started talking to people in her circle and made a discrete inquiry about Tiwari, the official said. The trustee later found out that Tiwari was not a PMO official and had conned them by spinning a tale about his “immense influence”. Also, his profession was not clear, said the FIR. The trustee then alerted the school last month.
On a complaint by the school administration, the Waghodia police on Friday registered a case against Tiwari under Indian Penal Code sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 170 (personating a public servant) and arrested him. Tiwari is the second person, after Kiran Patel of Ahmedabad, from Gujarat to have been arrested in recent months for claiming to be a PMO official. Patel was on his third visit to the Kashmir valley with his fake identity when he was nabbed by security officials on March 3. Till then, had enjoyed top-class hospitality and security cover in Kashmir by claiming himself to be a senior official in the PMO.
Salman Khan's Tiger 3 to have 'Avengers: Endgame' connection? 11
Superstar Salman Khan is all set to make Diwali special with the release of ‘Tiger 3’. Interestingly, the latest buzz suggested that the film will have an ‘Avengers: Endgame’ connection.
Hollywood action coordinator Chris Barnes, who has worked on Marvel’s historic hit Avengers: Endgame, has come on board for ‘Tiger 3’. “YRF Spy Universe is the coolest film franchise that we have in India today and Tiger 3 will bring its own, unique flavour to the spy franchise that will be remarkably distinct from Pathaan or War franchises. Action is the mainstay for these action entertainers and of course YRF and Maneesh Sharma are going to go all out to give audiences a film that they won’t forget! Such moves only indicate their intention to give people a never seen before theatrical experience,” a source quoted in a press statement informed.
Reportedly, Shah Rukh Khan has a cameo in the film. The official announcement is awaited. Tiger 3, the third part of the Tiger franchise, is being directed by Maneesh Sharma. The film will release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu this Diwali. The upcoming actioner stars Emraan Hashmi as the antagonist. Katrina is also a part of the film.
Meanwhile, Salman is busy hosting ‘Bigg Boss OTT’, which streams on Jio Cinema. On June 17, he launched the second season of the controversial reality show in a grand way. Piror to the opening ceremony, he interacted with media and said, “Main OTT pe bhi kuch aisa nahin hone dunga jo culture ke khilaaf hai (I won’t let anyone do something that is against our culture)… I think guidelines have also been implemented on OTT which led to the content’s improvement.”
Salman’s ‘Bigg Boss’ hosting avatar has definitely booked a special place in his fans’ hearts. Over the years, he has been seen forming a special connection with not ‘BB’ avid watchers but also with the contestants. He has been hosting ‘Bigg Boss’ since 2010.
Maha govt reintroduces annual exams for Class 5 and 8, no detention policy scrapped 13
The Maharashtra government has reintroduced annual examinations for Class 5 and 8, which will allow schools to detain students if they fail to clear these exams in the second attempt, an official said.
The state School Education Department issued a notification to this effect on Friday, which comes in the backdrop of the Centre amending the Right to Education (RTE) Act that had no failure detention till Class 8.
Under the RTE 2009, schools could not detain any student until Class 8 as per the no detention policy. The notification said that the annual examination will be held at the end of the academic year of Class 5 and 8.
If the child fails to pass the examination, additional guidance will be provided and re-examination will be held in two months. But if the child fails to clear the re-examination, then he or she will be held back in the same Class, it said.
It, however, made it clear that no student will not be expelled from the school till the completion of elementary education. The amendment made to the RTE in 2019 empowered states to reintroduce exams and detain students if they failed to clear them.
Fake degree certificate case: Former SFI leader Nikhil Thomas taken into custody in Kottayam 15
Former Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader from Kottayam, Nikhil Thomas, who is accused of forging his degree certificates, was taken into custody by police in the early hours of Saturday, officials said.
According to police sources, Nikhil, who had been absconding for the past five days, was taken into police custody from the KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) bus depot in Kottayam.
The case against Nikhil Thomas is that he allegedly produced a fake degree certificate from Kalinga University for getting PG admission at MSM College, Kayamkulam. It is alleged that Nikhil did not pass the course and he produced a fake certificate for getting admission to the PG course.
Nikhil was taken to Kayamkulam police station in Alappuzha district. Congress-led UDF had earlier declared to stage statewide protests alleging delay in action against him.
Nikhil Thomas was expelled from SFI earlier this week. A statement issued by the student’s organisation has said that when allegations surfaced related to SFI former Kayamkulam area secretary Nikhil Thomas’s degree certificate, he was kept away from all units of SFI.
“We have sought an explanation from him and he gave an explanation misleading the organisation. Among the certificates that he gave SFI could only check the eligibility certificate of him provided by Kerala University. While checking the eligibility certificate, we found that the Kerala University eligibility certificate was original,” SFI said in a statement.
In a statement, SFI State Secretary PM Arsho and State President K Anusree said that the party had concerns as to how Nikhil Thomas could complete his studies at Kalinga University as a regular student and raised this concern with the media also.
“Nikhil Thomas has become one among the many youths who produce fake certificates with assistance from mafia groups that indulge in such nefarious activities. He has been removed from the primary membership of SFI. This will be a lesson for all SFI workers,” they said.
Stop playing hide and seek, explain why order of no coercive action against Wankhede should be vacated: HC to CBI 17
The Bombay High Court on Friday asked the CBI to stop “playing hide and seek” after the agency sought vacation of an earlier order granting interim protection to IRS officer Sameer Wankhede in the Cordelia cruise ‘drug bust’ bribery case.
A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and S G Dige rebuked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for claiming that they may want to arrest Wankhede in future if he does not cooperate in their probe but not telling the court if it has reached the conclusion that his arrest is required.
The bench said the CBI’s arguments were creating serious doubts in the minds of the court. It also directed the agency to produce its case diary on the next date of the hearing – June 28 – to show the progress in the investigation. The CBI had sought vacation of an earlier order passed by the court directing that no coercive action be taken against Wankhede, the former zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Wankhede and four others have been accused of seeking a bribe of Rs 25 crore from actor Shah Rukh Khan for not implicating his son Aryan in the Cordelia cruise ‘drug bust’ case. The CBI registered a first information report (FIR) against Wankhede and others in May on the basis of a written complaint issued to them by the NCB.
The bench on Friday asked what coercive action the CBI wants to take against Wankhede when it has already issued a notice under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) section 41A (directing the accused to appear for statement) and when Wankhede has already appeared before the agency seven times.
CBI’s advocate Kuldeep Patil said the agency ought to be given a free hand. “Arrest is the prerogative of the agency. What if in future he (Wankhede) does not cooperate,” Patil said.
The bench, however, noted that once notice under section 41A is given that means the agency does not have any intention to arrest. “How can you (CBI) anticipate? Has the agency reached its conclusion that arrest is required?” Justice Gadkari asked.
“Why are you (CBI) shying from telling us? Please don’t play this game of hide and seek. CBI is a premiere agency of this country,” the court added.
CBI’s arguments for seeking the vacation of the no coercive order indicate that it wants to arrest Wankhede, said the HC. ”Your arguments are raising serious doubts in our minds. We want to see your case diary,” Justice Gadkari said.
The court went on to say, “Once 41A notice is issued where is the question of arrest? Is 41A notice just a charade,” asked HC, asserting that the CBI has to openly say that it has reached a conclusion that Wankhde’s arrest is required. Patil said as of today, CBI has not reached a conclusion.
Meanwhile, an advocate named Niles Ojha sought to intervene in the case, urging that CBI should also probe Shah Rukh Khan, Aryan Khan and the actor’s manager Pooja Dadlani in the case.
“The report of the NCB, on the basis of which the CBI case is lodged, is fabricated and the CBI is blindly investigating. The petitioner is not supporting anyone but the CBI should add Shah Rukh Khan, Aryan Khan and Pooja Dadlani as accused in the case,” Ojha said.
Calling the allegations frivolous, advocate Patil said the CBI probe is at a nascent stage.
“Everything and everyone is being investigated. CBI knows how to investigate,” Patil said. The bench said Ojha should first file an application seeking to intervene after which the court will hear him.
The bench then posted the matter for hearing on June 28 and said the interim order of no coercive action against Wankhede shall continue till then.
Wankhede had moved HC last month seeking to quash the CBI case and had also sought interim protection from any coercive action. Wankhede and the other accused have been booked under charges of criminal conspiracy and extortion threats under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act pertaining to bribery.
Aryan Khan and several others were arrested in October 2021 for alleged possession, consumption and trafficking of drugs after the NCB’s Mumbai unit, then led by Wankhede, searched passengers on board the Cordelia cruiseliner. Aryan Khan was granted bail by the high court after spending three weeks in jail.
The NCB subsequently filed its chargesheet in the drugs case but did not name Aryan citing “lack of evidence”.
The anti-drugs agency had then set up a special enquiry team to carry out a probe into the case and against its own officers.
A suspected Russian diplomat is occupying his country's vetoed embassy site in Australia 19
A suspected lone Russian diplomat is apparently squatting on the site of Moscow’s proposed embassy after the Australian government vetoed the plan on security grounds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dismissed the Russian act of defiance, saying a “bloke standing in the cold on a bit of grass in Canberra is not a threat to our national security.” Parliament passed emergency legislation last week blocking on security grounds Russia’s lease on the largely empty block because the new embassy would have been too close to Parliament House.
A man has been living on the site in a portable building since Sunday when passersby first saw Australian Federal Police outside the fenced block in Canberra’s Yarralumla diplomatic precinct.
The Russian Embassy refused to comment on a report in The Australian newspaper that the man seen smoking cigarettes outside his accommodation was a Russian diplomat.
The embassy also declined to explain why the man was on the site, saying in an email: “The Embassy does not comment (on) this.” Albanese said the issue would be “resolved,” but did not detail how.
“Australia will stand up for our values and we will stand up for our national security and a bloke standing in the cold on a bit of grass in Canberra is not a threat to our national security,” Albanese told reporters in a courtyard outside his Parliament House office. The outdoor temperature at the time was 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit).
Australian National University international law expert Don Rothwell said occupying the site gave Russia no advantage in any legal challenge to their eviction.
“What they’re doing is diplomatic civil disobedience in terms of indicating their displeasure with the action of the Australian government,” Rothwell said.
Russia’s only potential for legal challenge was over the amount of compensation that Australia offers for money already spent on construction and earthworks, Rothwell said.
Russia says it has spent $5.5 million on the site since it was granted the lease in 2008. Completed works include fencing and a single perimeter building that was to be part of a planned complex of several buildings.
If the man is a diplomat, he could claim diplomatic immunity if detained by police, who would then have to set him free.
The government could declare him persona non grata, which would mean his diplomatic immunity was revoked. Such people are then usually given 48 hours to leave Australia or face arrest.
Russia could then send another diplomat to take his place, said Rothwell, who lives in Yarralumla and had noticed police outside the site on Sunday.
“That’s the sort of scenario that I think the government would be keen to avoid,” Rothwell said.
Albanese did not directly answer when asked if the government were considering revoking the man’s diplomatic status.
“We’re confident of our position that it will be resolved,” Albanese said.
Albanese said he was not concerned by the possibility of a Russian court challenge.
“We actually support the law. Russia has not been real good at the law lately,” Albanese said, referring the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Australian Federal Police did not immediately answer why the man had not been removed for trespassing.
Russia last week accused Australia of “Russophobic hysteria” for canceling the lease, which follows a deterioration in relations since the Ukraine war began last year.
In February, a newspaper reported that Australia had quietly expelled a large Russian spy ring whose members were posing as diplomats.
The spy ring comprised purported embassy and consular staff as well as other operatives using deep-cover identities, The Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the operation.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation’s main domestic spy agency, revealed days earlier it had “detected and disrupted a major spy network.” ASIO has not named the country responsible.
