Supporting death penalty for terrorists, former CBI Director Joginder Singh has accused Yakub Memon, hanged for his role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, and his supporters of misusing India’s liberal laws and called for an overhaul of anti-terror legislations.

In an article in RSS organ “Organizer”, the former CBI Director hit out at rights activists opposing death sentence to Memon, saying they did so for the sake of publicity.

He also made a strong case for change in anti-terror laws saying India was unable to fight extremists because the then Government in 2004 had repealed anti-terror laws in the name of vote bank politics.

“India has failed to tackle terrorism for the simple reason that all terrorism laws were repealed by the then Government in 2004, for appeasement, vote bank politics… There is no effective law to deal with the terrorism in our country… It is rather overdue to change the policies, laws and approach, which has failed to deliver.

Yakub Memon case shows, how the terrorists use every opportunity, to misuse the liberal laws of India. Despite being slated to be hanged on July 30, he filed a case in the Supreme Court and to delay, sent a mercy petition to the President, which had been rejected,” Singh said.

Coming down heavily on “the open and tacit supporters” of Memon, Singh urged the Government “not to bother about such people” saying, “Most Indians, irrespective of religion, will support the Government if it can convey it means business.”

Singh also launched a scathing attack on activists arguing against death penalty for terrorists saying, “There are more unpaid advisers and so-called rights activists, than the problem, the country has faced.

Instead of ensuring good governance, such people are finding fault with everything. Since they can’t criticise the judiciary, they egg the criminals to go on approaching apex curt again and again to delay the cases. Obviously, it is for the purpose of getting publicity in the media.”

The former chief of CBI, Joginder Singh quoted former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who had on July 15, 1985 in a speech to the American Bar Association called for “starving the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity and asking the media to agree among themselves to a voluntary code of conduct… Under which they would not say or show anything which could assist the terrorists’ morale or their cause…”

The Indian Coast Guard recovered nine iron drums containing some chemical after they were sighted afloat in the Arabian Sea close to Mumbai.

During a routine air surveillance, the Coast Guard personnel in a helicopter on Saturday sighted few iron drums floating in the sea, south west of Korlai Fort near Kashid Beach, about 50 kms from here.

On further reconnaissance, about 12 drums (200 litres barrel each) were sighted. The helicopter crew investigated the nearest coastline and noticed a few drums washed ashore.

In this regard, a Coast Guard ship named Achook, which was on coastal security patrol off Mumbai, was also diverted to ascertain the situation at the sea.

The Coast Guard team along with local police personnel of Revadanda reached the site and recovered nine drums along the shores of Barshivi, Kurali and Revadanda, a Coast Guard press release said.

The Coast Guard, in a joint effort with local police, were able to retrieve these drums and vigil is maintained for retrieval of the other drums afloat, it said.

Prima facie investigation revealed that the drums contained some kind of hydrocarbon product. Further probe is on, the release said.

Meanwhile, the ICG has alerted Joint Operations Centre, Coastal Security (Mumbai), IGP Konkan Range, IGP Coastal Security Maharashtra and Customs for investigation.

Four persons were arrested for allegedly smuggling 2,400 kg of beef into the city, police said.

Earlier this year, Maharashtra government has banned cow slaughter and sale of beef in the state.

Acting on a tip off, police laid a trap and intercepted a beef-laden truck in suburban Vikhroli in the wee hours, an official attached to Vikhroli police station said.

“On checking, we found beef inside the truck and arrested four persons from the spot,” he added.

The accused have been identified as Akhtar Sheikh (24), Sajid Kureshi (33), Yunus Kureshi (36) and Jaffar Khan (30).

The collected samples have been sent for testing at a veterinary hospital in Parel in central Mumbai, police said.

A case under relevant sections of IPC, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Act and Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act has been registered in this connection, they added.

Meanwhile, all the accused were produced in the holiday court and were released on bail.

In Maharashtra, anyone found guilty possessing/selling beef will have to pay a hefty fine of Rs 10,000 or can be sentenced to prison for 5 years.

BJP workers, including the women members staged a protest outside the residence of Congress leader Gurudas Kamat over his alleged offensive remarks against HRD Minister Smriti Irani.

Kamat, however, claimed that he had not made any derogatory comments and only raised the question of Irani’s “educational inability” considering the plum post she has been given in the government.

Shouting slogans, the party workers staged a protest in suburban Chembur where former Union Minister Kamat resides and demanded an immediate written apology.

“We challenge Kamat that if he had the guts to pass derogatory remarks against women, then he should have guts to face the consequences too. But he did not have courage to face our protest,” said Shalaka Salvi, head of BJP’s women wing of the city.

“Until Kamat does not tender an unconditional apology for his derogatory comments, we would protest wherever he (Kamat) holds meetings,” she said.

BJP Mumbai unit’s vice president Mohit Kamboj alleged that Kamat is making such remarks to keep himself in the limelight as he has been sidelined by the current Mumbai Congress chief, Sanjay Nirupam.

“Kamat is desperate to come into the picture and this is why he has targeted Iraniji to get media attention,” Kamboj claimed.

Reacting over the row, Kamat said, “I have always been respectful towards women. What I said has been quoted by Irani herself that she worked with ‘McDonalds’.”

“My statement was carried in a distorted version by some sections of the media,” he said.

“I was asking question to PM (Narendra) Modi on why he has given such an important portfolio to Irani, when she herself has landed in certificate controversy, what is wrong in it?” the leader asked.

Speaking in Rajasthan last week, Kamat had referred to Irani as a “poncha lagane waali” (cleaning woman) while questioning the minister’s credentials to hold the charge of the education portfolio.

Yesterday, the National Commission for Women had asked the Congress leader to explain within a week his alleged offensive remarks against Irani that have invited criticism.

However, Kamat said, “As of now I have not received any notice so far and will see when I get it.

Four civic personnel were injured when they were allegedly attacked by an irate mob of hawkers in Thane. Police has arrested five people in this case. The civic officers gone to take action on the temporary weekly market set up in Dhokali area when a group of vendors turned violent and attacked the team.

Based on a complaint filed by one of the employees, the Kapurbawdi police arrested five people from the area after the officials identified them. The five have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

An anti-encroachment drive was carried out last evening by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to remove the hawkers who had illegally set up stalls on the roadside in Manorama Nagar locality in Thane.

When ward officer Zunjar Pardeshi along with his staff went ahead with clearing the encroachments, nearly 500 hawkers manhandled them injuring the four, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Maruti Gaikwad of Manpada-Majiwada ward office said today.

Pardeshi, who sustained major injuries in the attack, was admitted to a hospital, he said.

The other three injured were members of the TMC’s demolition squad.

The anti-encroachment drive was, however, smooth in some other localities, he said.

The police said they are investigating the case further to nab the other accused involved in the attack. Wward officer from Majiwada-Manpada, Zunjar Pardeshi suffered a fracture to his right hand two other civic officials M R Sankhe and Vasudev Bhoir also suffered injuries.

Offences under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 145, 147 (rioting), 149, 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 333, 353 and 427 (mischief) of the IPC have been registered, police sub-inspector D B Mukne said.

As many as 227 children were reunited with their parents last month under the ‘Muskan’ programme of Thane Police.

The children were traced from remand homes, streets, and also from among those engaged in child labour, Thane Police Commissionerate’s Child Protection Unit chief, Inspector Madan Ballal, said on Sunday.

Of them, eight were originally reported missing, 35 had been kidnapped, 41 abandoned, 35 engaged as child labourers, 44 were found begging and six admitted to the Child Welfare Centre at Bhiwandi town in Thane, he said.

Of the 44 children found begging, 23 were girls, he said.

Between July 2014 and June 2015, prior to the start of the Muskan campaign, the Thane Police had recorded as many as 154 cases of children either missing or kidnapped, including 55 girls, Ballal said.

During the same period, 48 child labourers, including 21 girls, were rescued, he added.