The Delhi Police early on Friday managed to arrest the driver of the cash van who fled last night with a whopping Rs 22.5 crore, almost pulling off one of the biggest heists in the national capital.
The accused driver, Pradeep, was arrested by the Delhi Police in Okhla Industrial Area.
The accused driver took off with the vehicle when the guard in the van took a small break to relieve himself.
When Pradeep did not return after 10 minutes, the guard tried calling him but he did not pick up, after which he proceeded to call the police.
Pradeep hid the cash in a godown in Okhla and then took the van to Govindpuri metro station, where he left the vehicle and came back to sleep in the warehouse.
The police successfully tracked him down to the godown from where he was finally arrested.
The entire amount leaving 11,000 rupees, from which he reportedly bought clothes for himself, has been recovered.
According to sources, Pradeep Shukla, who had joined the cash replenishment company, SIS, two months ago was unhappy with his employees, salary and his working hours.
Pradeep has been brought to the Okhla Police station and an FIR under sections of criminal breach of trust and theft has been reportedly registered.
In more trouble for Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday summoned him for questioning in connection with a money laundering case involving him.
Singh will be probably questioned nest week. The ED had recently registered a money laundering case against him.
The agency filed the case under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after taking cognisance of a criminal complaint filed by the CBI in this regard in September.
The case was filed after investigators reportedly gathered some “important” documents to probe and detect the “proceeds of crime” allegedly channelled by Singh and his associates by using purported illegal funds.
ED investigators are also expected to question Singh’s other associates soon.
The agency will work to investigate the allegation that Singh and his family members allegedly amassed wealth of Rs. 6.1 crore between 2009-11, disproportionate to his known sources of income, while serving as the Union Minister of Steel.
“The ED will also carry out the stipulated action of attachment of assets after investigations reach a proper stage,” a source then said.
The CBI FIR had named Singh, his wife Pratibha Singh, LIC agent Anand Chauhan and Chauhan’s brother C L Chauhan and they were charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
CBI suspects that during the 2009-11 period, Singh allegedly invested Rs. 6.1 crore in life insurance policies in his and his family members’ names through LIC agent Chauhan claiming this money to be his agricultural income.
It alleged Singh attempted to legitimize the same as agricultural income by filing revised Income Tax returns in 2012.
“The agricultural income as claimed by him in his revised ITRs was not found to be tenable. The then Union minister had allegedly accumulated other assets disproportionate to known sources of income,” CBI had alleged.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited the opposition top brass under ‘public pressure’ as it is quite contrary to his regular style of functioning.
“It is quite natural that they should talk to the opposition, but the Prime Minister has invited Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh only after public pressure. This was not his intent and this is not the way he functions,” Gandhi said.
Talking about the impasse over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, he added that the Congress was clear on its position and had three differences with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He added that there would be further progress on the landmark reform only after the government fulfils the demands put forth by the Congress.
“It’s possible the impasse will end after they hear our demands. We brought the GST, it was our initiative and we want it to be passed. But we have our demands with the government which are three main differences. We want a cap on the tax as we don’t want the poor to pay any taxes,” Gandhi said.
South Indian cafes and lodges have well served the students and youth who are beginning their career. Initially, when I went to Calcutta to join SCI, I stayed in Murugan lodge at Lake market. A colleague recommended me to the owners, who offered me one bed in a room comprising three beds. During the 1970’s we used to pay Rs 150 per month for accommodation including breakfast and dinner. The owner used to allow me to bring “chapattis” from outside.
Recently, we have read in newspapers about Café Madras which celebrated its 75th anniversary. It is a popular eatery at Maheshwari Udyan and many times one has to stand in queue for getting a place to have food there. However, it is worth waiting as the restaurant offers superior quality of food and serves different dishes to customers who keep visiting the place again.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong accompanied his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to Komala Vilas at Little India. Since we are seafarers, we have visited Singapore many times and have enjoyed good south Indian cuisine at this restaurant. A renowned shopping center named Mustafa is now functioning round the clock. There are some good Indian and Pakistani eateries along the road where you can get chicken and parathas at reasonable price. We also have eaten food here many times. Komala Vilas is a renowned restaurant in Singapore which is situated just opposite the lake market old tram stop. Our Murugan lodge was located in the next lane.
Even Gurdwaras exist in Singapore. When I had appeared for SCI interview, I had stayed at Barrabazar Gurdwara. I recollect that I could only insert a five rupee note in the box provided to devotees for offerings.
Singapore citizens are very informal. Even the upper class people don’t have any qualms about eating in the common restaurants by wearing T-shirt and pants. We too should emulate this quality of theirs. Our legislators too must have food in these South Indian cafes and commute in the BEST bus instead of wasting the tax-payers hard earned money. They should support austerity drive for the development of the nation. If someone says something, we should not react in a harsh manner otherwise what is the difference between us (good cultured) and the ISIS. Through these columns, I appeal to the youth to stay away from temptation of free sex, drugs and money. They must follow a simple lifestyle. I appreciate the initiative taken by the Raza Academy for protesting against the ISIS for promoting terrorism activities. They also have appealed to youth to refrain from joining the terror outfit.
The 45-year-old singer insisted she isn’t worried about getting older because she just doesn’t acknowledge her age.
She said, “I think I have to remain eternally oblivious to age. Honestly, when you put a number on it yourself, it’s just like, Why? Why do that?”
Mariah also revealed that a “good hair and makeup team” help her to feel beautiful but insisted she is quite low-key when she isn’t working.
She said: “If you’re not wearing a lot of makeup, you don’t have to take a lot of it off. So, my goal is to wear the least amount of makeup possible so I don’t have to steam my face and take it all off.
“I do [have bad hair days], and then I have to apply my 500 hours of beauty school. If it’s really bad, I’ll just slick it back and put it in a bun.
“When I was growing up I used to go into the girl’s bathroom and fix the front with a brush on a hand dryer because it would come up. And the back was never smooth cause I couldn’t really reach it. So, I try not to blow dry my own hair. If I have to do my hair from scratch, I’ll keep it natural.”
In a dance class there are different types of people who come, some who love to dance, some who are forced to dance. Every person who thinks of joining a class is nervous as hell, myrids if things run in their minds. I will tell you a story how a newcomer feels today. The fellow who was dragged practically kicking and screaming into a dance class. Never, in their wildest dreams did they envision themselves doing a spin, whatever that is. Nor did they ever think they’d ever allow themself to be persuaded to take group lessons.
Yes, they desperately yearned to be a good dancer, driven as they were by images of couples weaving down a dance floor with effortless ease and, yes, to the applause and admiration of everyone. With a gigantic effort of will, they summoned the courage to enquire about lessons and, over the bemused advice and ridicule of friends, signed up for a series of group sessions, along with a friend.
The class was scheduled for the evening and, throughout the day, they mentally psyched themself up to muster the courage to even pass through the doors of the classroom where the lessons were to be held. The idea of getting lost on the way to the place appealed to them. After all, they tried, didn’t they? It wouldn’t have been their fault if they accidentally took the wrong turn would it? Attractive though the suggestion was, they sternly drove it out of their mind. As they drove into the parking lot, they could feel their resolve drain away but the sight of their classmate’s car gave him fresh courage. In the course of exchanging pleasantries, they were inwardly happy to discover that they were just as nervous as them.
As he slouched up the stairs he heard voices, laughter and music. A lady sat behind a desk and gave them a welcoming smile. This made it a little easier to cover the last remaining couple of meters and commit to a defining moment in his life. His mind a mass of conflicting ideas, he barely heard the lady’s voice as she spoke to them. Mechanically, he affixed his signature at the bottom of a form the lady handed him as she chattered in practiced monotone about the rules governing the group lessons he’d committed himself to taking.
On entering the hall, he was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd. He fought back the momentary panic and fled to an empty corner with his partner in tow, hoping they hadn’t been noticed. From this vantage point, he took stock. He quickly spotted the instructor; she wore the studio uniform as she talked animatedly with a group of people. They obviously knew each other. In as sea of strange faces, this only added to his feeling of insecurity.
The class began. The instructor seemed friendly enough even if, to him at least, her disdain for the ability of men, any man to ever learn to dance was obvious. She first did a demonstration of the step to be learnt with senior classmate. Unsure who he was supposed to be observing, he was a little perplexed and bewildered.
Acutely aware that regarding men as idiots at best was a national past-time, he resigned himself to a stressful evening. Subsequent remarks by the instructor confirmed that she fully subscribed to this mentality. (“I’ll say this again so you men will understand,” was one of her favourite remarks. It was said in jest, of course, and always drew laughter).
She then segregated the students, men on one side, ladies on the other. Reluctantly, he watched his partner leave his side. He felt alone in this strange and seemingly hostile world; the last thing he ever wanted to do was look clumsy and awkward all by himself. His first priority was to get right up against the wall, behind everyone, and become as inconspicuous as possible.
As the lesson began, he struggled to make sense of the instructor’s words: Slow, slow, quick, quick – one, two, three, four – What in heaven’s name is that!? As fellow students around him moved to the cadence set by the instructor, his feet and eyes seemed glued to the floor. He suddenly seemed unable to tell his left foot from his right. He couldn’t quite shake the feeling everyone was ridiculing his clumsy attempts to master the step. His enthusiasm began to flag until the instructor invited the students to partner up.
He searched frantically for his partner and, to his horror, saw a stranger connect with her. “That’s great!” he muttered to himself. Before he could even begin to entertain the idea of slinking way, convinced no one would ever want to dance with a clumsy ox, a pretty young lady positioned herself before him and proceeded to introduce herself. He mumbled his name and quickly explained he was new at this. “So am I,” she replied. He wasn’t sure if she was merely saying this to put him at ease but it made him feel better to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, the first dance lesson can be a painful experience …He’s the chap who’s too painfully shy to walk up to a lady and ask her for a dance. She’s bound to laugh at him. Besides, someone told him dancing was really for graceful people: he felt as graceful as a baby elephant. Only members of the social elite danced couple dances, he was reliably informed. He’d spent the better part of his day cleaning other peoples’ teeth. That hardly made him feel special.
He had it on authority that musical training and exposure to the correlation between rhythm and timing was the only way one can be a good dancer. His only connection to music and timing was when he’d absentmindedly tap his screw driver on the car’s fender to the strains of heavy metal music as he deftly assembled the carburetor.
At his first dance social, a gathering of all dance lovers, he knew he had to make an effort to dance with different people, if only to master the intricacies of leading, timing and, of course, floorcraft. I haven’t have a hope, he muttered to himself as he shuffled across the room. He didn’t know which was worse: rejection, or having to go through with the dance. Half that fear was laid to rest when the lady graciously accepted his awkward invitation without asking him him complicated questions like, “How many lessons have you taken?”
His frame felt like molasses and, after congratulating himself on taking the first step, his mind went blank: he had no idea what to do next. Panic ensued. The sound of laughter echoed through the hall. They’re making fun of me, he thought. He wanted to simply disappear, the lady smiled graciously at him and discreetly counted out the beat as she hummed the tune. Ah yes. That’s better. Timing and foot/sound coordination was beginning to seem less of a mystery. The first dance need not be an excruciatingly painful experience, time passes, the odd word of encouragement. That act of random kindness when an experienced dancer graciously pulled him to the middle of the floor and had him doing things with his feet he thought magicians could do only with their hands, that momentary sense of exhilaration when she complimented him on his frame and the dance seemed easy and (dare he say it?) fun!
By now, he wanted more, much more. The thought of taking private dance lessons at one of the numerous dance studios suddenly seemed pretty attractive. Yes, no pain, no gain.
So, the next time you see someone clumsily weaving his way down the dance floor, give him room to maneuver. Be patient with him and, most importantly, help him when you can, always keeping your own humble beginnings in mind.
Remember, you could well be looking at a future Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers as you tip your hat to the unknown dancer.
Several policies have been formed to beef up the coastal security in the aftermath of 26/ 11 terror incident but most of them only exist on paper.
Even though seven years have passed ever since Mumbai witnessed the gruesome 26/11 terror attack but the city remains unprepared to face another terror incident. Mumbai being the financial capital of India is always vulnerable to terror attacks. The snail-paced investigations of the 26/11 incident also raise questions whether India will be able to nab the culprits responsible for terror attack. Several policies have been formed to beef up the coastal security in the aftermath of this incident but most of them only exist on paper. The bullet proof jackets that were procured after the attacks are yet to be received by the police department. The porous coast of the state is major cause of concern with an ageing fleet of patrol boats struggling to monitor the coastline. The long coastline comprises numerous creeks and inlets overgrown with mangroves that provide ideal hideouts for extremists and make monitoring a nightmare.
“We need to have night vision binoculars to look out at the sea. Unless we hear it, we won’t know that there is a boat coming,” said a policeman on the condition of anonymity.
According to Damodar Tandel, president of Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti, there is a report with the coast guard that highlights how illegal fishing trawlers are putting Mumbai’s coastal security at risk.
“In the past two months we ourselves have been conducting raids and have caught more than 15 illegal fishing vehicles at Sasson dock but there was no action by the fisheries department or by Mumbai police,” said Tandel.
A fisherman on the condition of anonymity said, “Police demand bribes from the fishermen and fail to discharge their duties amicably. They also harass fishermen and demand fishes from them. They should stop troubling genuine fishermen.”
State police have just 70 patrol boats to cover the coastline and a third of these vessels are always in for repairs. The government is waiting for 24 more patrol vessels promised by the Centre.
Former Mumbai police commissioner M N Singh laid emphasis on the upgradation of technology to improve policing in the city. “One cannot say that Mumbai police can ever be fully prepared to tackle such kind of attack as with changing times even the terror outfits are adapting to new technologies but considering our capability in 2008, I believe we are in much better position to respond now.”
The Mumbai Police had procured X-ray scanning van worth RS 7 crore for detecting explosives but it is not functioning since last few years and is parked inside the Mumbai police headquarters.
“I don’t know the ground reality but all these are administrative lapses and it needs to be sorted on priority basis as the city can’t be left exposed to anti-social elements,” said Singh.
But Maharashtra lags behind other states in coastal terror preparedness. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have ensured better monitoring; Tamil Nadu makes a note of every fishing boat going into the sea. The aftermath of the attacks also saw a National Committee on Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security being set up.
Closing in on the financial trail in the Sheena Bora murder case, the CBI on Thursday told a court that former media baron Peter Mukerjea and his wife Indrani allegedly siphoned off funds to the tune of Rs. 900 crore from their company 9X Media through a layer of nine companies.
The CBI made the submission while telling the court that it has sought Interpol’s help in seeking access to overseas bank accounts of the Mukerjeas even as it secured extension of Peter’s custody till November 30.
Seeking Peter’s custody, CBI, which had claimed financial transaction as the motive behind Sheena’s murder, said investments of crores of rupees were made by the Mukerjea couple and that “Indrani and Peter had formed various companies during 2006-07 and invested Rs. 900 crore in them.”
CBI, represented by Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, also told the court that the “money siphoned off from INX (in which Peter and Indrani were partners) dealings was routed to Sheena Bora’s HSBC account in Singapore.”
The court was informed that “CBI has written to Interpol seeking access to accounts of Mukerjeas including one in Sheena’s name at HSBC Bank, Singapore.”
CBI also told the court that a woman named Gayatri Ahuja, working in DBS Bank Singapore, helped Indrani open an account in HSBC Singapore.
During investigations, Peter told CBI that accounts might have been opened in the name of Sheena Bora (by Indrani) in HSBC and other banks in Hongkong and Singapore.
According to CBI, the couple’s company 9X Media Pvt Ltd carried out its internal audit in which nine companies having shareholding as on March 2009 were found to have instances of alleged misallocation and siphoning of substanial amounts of funds by Peter and Indrani.
The reports of Serious Fraud Investigation Office and Income Tax and documents of chartered accountants substantiate the above facts, the CBI said while seeking Peter’s remand.
Singh also told the court that Indrani and Peter had informed the police that whereabouts of Sheena were not known but later they told police that they have found her.
59-year-old Peter was taken to New Delhi for two days for questioning by senior CBI officials and experts on the financial trail in the sensational murder case before being brought to Mumbai this morning.
The central agency had claimed that it has come across some important information and documents which are very crucial for probe relating to the case.
The family of former media tycoon Peter Mukerjea on Thursday said his arrest in connection with the murder of his step-daughter Sheena Bora has shocked it.
“This has been a trying time for the family as it would be for anyone in similar circumstances. Peter is a much loved member of the family, known for his generous and compassionate nature and an honourable and impeccable reputation,” a statement issued by the family said.
It said the family is confident of Peter’s innocence and they are in no doubt that due process will ultimately reveal this.
“It would be best at this time that the agencies are allowed to conduct their work in an unhampered manner – without irresponsible conclusions being arrived at in the interim period by any party.”
Earlier this week, the 59-year-old Peter was taken to New Delhi for two days for questioning by senior CBI officials and experts on the financial trail in the sensational murder case. He was brought to Mumbai this morning.
The central agency had claimed it has come across some important information and documents which are very crucial for probe relating to the case.
Sheena (24), Indrani’s daughter from an earlier marriage, was allegedly killed by her mother, Khanna and Rai in April 2012.
Adele says pop star Britney Spears is her “queen” and she has a plan to “crack a joke” when they first meet to break the ice.
The 45-year-old singer insisted she isn’t worried about getting older because she just doesn’t acknowledge her age.
In a dance class there are different types of people who come, some who love to dance, some who are forced to dance. Every person who thinks of joining a class is nervous as hell, myrids if things run in their minds. I will tell you a story how a newcomer feels today. The fellow who was dragged practically kicking and screaming into a dance class. Never, in their wildest dreams did they envision themselves doing a spin, whatever that is. Nor did they ever think they’d ever allow themself to be persuaded to take group lessons.
Even though seven years have passed ever since Mumbai witnessed the gruesome 26/11 terror attack but the city remains unprepared to face another terror incident. Mumbai being the financial capital of India is always vulnerable to terror attacks. The snail-paced investigations of the 26/11 incident also raise questions whether India will be able to nab the culprits responsible for terror attack. Several policies have been formed to beef up the coastal security in the aftermath of this incident but most of them only exist on paper. The bullet proof jackets that were procured after the attacks are yet to be received by the police department. The porous coast of the state is major cause of concern with an ageing fleet of patrol boats struggling to monitor the coastline. The long coastline comprises numerous creeks and inlets overgrown with mangroves that provide ideal hideouts for extremists and make monitoring a nightmare.
Closing in on the financial trail in the Sheena Bora murder case, the CBI on Thursday told a court that former media baron Peter Mukerjea and his wife Indrani allegedly siphoned off funds to the tune of Rs. 900 crore from their company 9X Media through a layer of nine companies.
The family of former media tycoon Peter Mukerjea on Thursday said his arrest in connection with the murder of his step-daughter Sheena Bora has shocked it.