Will Yakub be executed?

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July 15, 2015

Mumbaikars are divided over the government’s decision to execute Yakub.

Yakub Memom one of the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts will be executed by the Maharashtra government on July 30. According to sources an anti-terror court in Mumbai has issued a warrant for the execution of 53-year-old Memon, who was found guilty of conspiracy in 2007. Mumbaikars are divided over the government’s decision to execute Yakub. Some of them said that finally a bomb blast accused is likely to be hanged while some others criticised the government for indulging in communal politics.

“If the government executes Yakub Memon then justice will be delivered to the victims of the 1993 Mumbai blasts. The government should have taken this decision earlier as already so many years have been passed ever since the incident has occurred” Ritesh Shah, a Borivali resident.

On the other hand, senior lawyer and NCP leader Majeed Memon criticised the decision taken by the Maharashtra government to hang Yakub and said that the government was acting in haste and it should have waited for the Supreme Court order.

Memom said, “I can’t understand why there is this rush to pass such an order. This is not fair. The government of Maharashtra seems to be in a hurry to execute this man, why can’t they wait for the Supreme Court hearing?” Memon added.

“Yakub could be hanged in the Nagpur jail or in Pune’s Yerwada jail,” said Nagpur Jail superintendent Yogesh Desai.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi criticised the state government over “leaking of Memon’s execution date”.

“When there was so much secrecy over date of Kasab and Afzal Guru’s hanging, why is Memon’s execution date announced through media. The government is trying to indulge in communal politics” said Azmi.

“It is wrong to declare the execution date in such a manner despite the fact that his plea is being considered by SC,” he added.

Memon was awarded the death sentence by a Special TADA Court in Mumbai in 2007 for his role of arranging for finances for the carrying out the 13 serial blasts which left 257 dead and over 700 injured across the city.

Subsequently, Memon – the brother of one of the main absconding accused Ibrahim alias Tiger Memon – appealed against the sentence in the Bombay High Court, Supreme Court and later filed a mercy petition with the President, followed by a review petition, and now a second review petition which is pending.

The authorities are slated to go ahead with the execution of Yakub if the Supreme Court rejects a curative petition filed against his death sentence. The plea is scheduled to come up for hearing in the apex court on July 21.

However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy rallied behind the Devendra Fadnavis government over the issue, saying there cannot be mercy for those who do not have “mercy for others”.

“It was a crime against the nation. Why should we have mercy on people who don’t have mercy for others? We should never forgive people who have harmed the society,” said Swamy.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, meanwhile, clarified that a final decision on the execution of Yakub Memon would be taken only after the Supreme Court verdict.

“The Supreme Court has made a decision on this issue. Whatever directives will be given by the court, the Maharashtra Government will act according to that. We will provide more information on this matter when the time is right,” said Fadnavis.

When the main culprit will be hanged?

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Vaidehi Taman

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July 15, 2015

More than 20 years have passed but trials are still on. One more accused Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, a death row convict in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, will be hanged at 7 am on July 30 in Nagpur Central Jail, if the Supreme Court rejects his curative petition on July 21. It will be the first execution in the 1993 blasts case.

The 1993 Mumbai bombings were a series of 13 bomb explosions that took place in Mumbai. The co-ordinated attacks were the most destructive bomb explosions in Indian history. The single-day attacks resulted in over 257 fatalities and 700 injuries. The attacks were co-ordinated by Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, don of the Mumbai-based international organised crime syndicate named D-Company. Kaskar is believed to have ordered and helped organise the bombings in Mumbai, through one of his subordinates, Tiger Memon. The bombings are also believed to have been financially assisted by the expatriate Indian smugglers, Haji Ahmed, Haji Umar and Taufiq Jaliawala, as well as the Pakistani smugglers, Dawood Jatt. The Indian authorities have not successfully proved the involvement of the Pakistani intelligence agency (ISI) in the blasts. Several of the terrorists according to Indian government allegedly received arms, ammunition and explosives training in Pakistan but Indian authorities have failed to provide any evidence confirming these allegations.

Supreme Court of India gave its judgement on 21 March 2013 after over 20 years of judicial proceedings sentencing the accused. However, the two main suspects in the case, Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon, have not been arrested or tried yet. A chartered accountant, Memon is currently lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail. The 53-year-old Memon, whose mercy plea was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee in April this year, filed his second review petition before the Supreme Court which is expected to be heard on July 21. However, the state government is making all preparations for the hanging with the warrant issued earlier this week. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state government would follow the directives given by the Supreme Court over the execution of Memon.

Memon was awarded the death sentence by a Special TADA Court in Mumbai on July 27, 2007 for his role in the blasts, including arranging finances for carrying out the 13 serial explosions which left 257 dead and over 700 injured across the city on March 12, 1993.

I hope after such long time a good verdict comes out in the case and the accused gets hanged. This may deter and shake the underworld operators.1993 bombings were carried out at the behest of gangster Dawood Ibrahim to avenge the destruction of an ancient mosque by Hindu zealots in 1992 and subsequent riots in which many Muslims were killed. A special anti-terrorism court had convicted 100 people in the attacks. Unnecessarily the innocents had to give away their lives.

After that incident, Mumbai had bled at many occasions. On 10 August 2003, two large and destructive bombs left in taxis exploded in south Mumbai – the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar in the busy Kalbadevi area – killing 52 people and injuring more than a hundred others. Two Pakistan based militant groups, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, were found to be responsible for the attacks. Along with the 11th July 2006 train bombings in Mumbai, these attacks are believed to be in retaliation for the 2002 Gujarat riots in which more than ten thousand persons, including 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed which was in turn triggered by gruesome burning of Hindu pilgrims in the Sabarmati Express train, though the Gujarat government denies such a connection. Terrorist groups based in Pakistan were suspected to be responsible for these bombings, and evidence uncovered pointed to the involvement of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

The then Chief Minister of Maharashtra during the blasts, Sharad Pawar, admitted, on record, that he had “deliberately misled” people following the 1993 Mumbai blasts by saying there were “12 and not 13” explosions, adding the name of a Muslim-dominated locality to show that people from both communities had been affected. He tried to justify this deception by claiming that it was a move to prevent communal riots by falsely portraying that both Hindu and Muslim communities in the city had been affected adversely. He also admits to lying about evidence recovered and misleading people into believing that some of it pointed towards the Tamil Tigers as possible suspects.

The bombings also caused a major rift within the D-Company, the most powerful criminal organisation in the Mumbai underworld headed by Dawood Ibrahim. Infuriated at the bombings, Ibrahim’s right-hand man Chotta Rajan split from the organisation, taking most of the leadership-level Hindu aides such as Sadhu Shetty, Jaspal Singh and Mohan Kotiyan with him. Rajan’s split divided the Mumbai underworld along communal lines and pitted Chotta Rajan’s predominantly Hindu gang against Dawood Ibrahim’s predominantly Muslim D-Company. The ensuing gang war took the lives of more than a hundred gangsters and continues till today. Seven of the accused (Salim Kurla, Majeed Khan, Shakil Ahmed, Mohammed Jindran, Hanif Kadawala, Akbar Abu Sama Khan and Mohammed Latif) were systematically assassinated by Chotta Rajan’s hitmen.

Don’t play communal politics over Yakub Memon issue: Shiv Sena

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

Amid reports that 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon, who is on death row, will be hanged this month-end, Shiv Sena on Wednesday said political parties should refrain from playing communal politics over this sensitive issue.

“Yakub Memon has been tried and convicted by the trial court and his mercy petition has been rejected by the President of India,” Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLC Dr. Neelam Gorhe said.

“Political parties and people should not indulge in partisan and communal politics over such a sensitive issue. The 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts resulted in many people losing their lives and getting permanently injured. Many families were destroyed due to the blasts,” she said.

The Sena legislator said the Centre and the state government will take appropriate decision on the issue in accordance with the provisions of the law.

“Stringent punishment should be meted out to those who commit such heinous crimes,” she said.

Replying to Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi’s remark in which he said why Memon’s execution date was being announced through media when there was so much secrecy over date of Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru’s hanging, Gorhe said, “The allegation that Maharashtra government was trying to resort to some marketing in this case is completely wrong.” However, Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray, who came to meet Minister for School Education Vinod Tawde at the Vidhan Bhavan on Wednesday, denied to comment on the issue. Media reports said the execution will take place if Memon’s plea is rejected by the Supreme Court, after his appeals against the death sentence were rejected by the apex court and by President Pranab Mukherjee. Memon is lodged in Nagpur Central Jail, which reportedly has facility to carry out capital punishment.

Privilege notice against NCP MLA for ‘Hitler’ remark

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

BJP MLA Ram Kadam on Wednesday said he has submitted a privilege notice against NCP legislator Jitendra Awhad for describing Legislative Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade as “Hitler” during a debate on television.

Kadam said Awhad made the remarks while participating in a TV news debate last night.

“The post of Legislative Assembly Speaker is a revered post which needs to be respected. Calling the Speaker by such names is an insult of the august house. Even (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar, when he was chief minister, had said that the post of Speaker should be respected at any cost,” he said.

Meanwhile, Awhad in a statement said he had made the ‘Hitler’ reference to the Speaker.

“I am not saying that I did not make the remarks during a TV debate. I cannot be a mute spectator to instances where democratic norms are muzzled. Even media is prevented from covering our protest in the Vidhan Bhavan premises,” he charged.

Shiv Sena hints at larger political role for Aditya Thackeray

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

Senior Shiv Sena politician and MLC Neelam Gorhe said that party workers want party Chief Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aditya Thackeray, to take up full time politics and represent people in the Legislative Assembly.

“Aditya has a keen interest in legislative politics. He is a person who cares deeply for the people and wants to do something for them by solving their problems. He has started contributing immensely to the party and his work will be definitely helpful as an MLA. We expect more from him now,” Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe said.

Incidentally, if Aditya stands for elections, he will be the first person from the Thackeray family to so, since the family has always preferred to control the government from behind the curtains, ever since the Sena came into existence.

Another Sena MLA, who requested anonymity said the junior Thackeray’s meeting with state Education Minister Vinod Tawde at the Vidhan Bhavan was not merely to discuss provision of electronic learning tablets to students, but also to understand more about workings of the Vidhan Bhavan.

“Uddhav generally keeps very close tabs on happenings in the Assembly session through various sources and gives overall guidance to Sena legislators. Aditya too has started understanding functioning of the Assembly as well. His visit today was a part of it,” the legislator said.

Gorhe said Aditya has a fair amount of knowledge about sectors like education, higher education, technology and urban development which would be useful to serve the people.

“The Prime Minister will address all the issues related to the state, including Vikramshila University, Barauni fertiliser plant, 4000 MW electricity for Bihar and rail bridges among others, at the rally. Lakhs of people are expected to listen to him,” he said.

Yadav, who is also a Rajya Sabha member said the agenda of BJP poll campaign will be to highlight “the failure of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad combine” and their government in the sphere of law and order, economic development, health and all other sectors of socio-economic development.

He reiterated that BJP has always been in support of Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) and has not changed its stand.

At present, only the first set of data revealing the socio-economic condition of rural population have been released. Data related to urban living and caste will be released in the coming days.

Yadav also lambasted Prasad over his agitation demanding release of caste census figures and advised him “not to try to become a martyr by just getting his nails clipped” as the Union government was taking care of everything.

Asked about special package and special status for the state, he said the BJP was “positive about them”.

Somaiya’s PIL seeking probe against Tatkare disposed of

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

The Bombay High Court disposed of a public interest litigation filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya seeking an investigation against former Maharashtra minister Sunil Tatkare for alleged land-grabbing and money laundering after observing that an inquiry has been initiated and is still underway.

A division bench of Justices N H Patil and S B Shukre took into note that the statement made by Advocate General Anil Singh that an inquiry has been initiated against Tatkare by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Enforcement Directorate.

“We have been assured that the probe by the concerned agencies will be conducted properly and in accordance with law. Hence, nothing remains in this petition,” the court said while disposing it of.

Somaiya also told the court that since the probe is on his petition can be disposed of.

Somaiya has listed 51 companies formed by Tatkare which have his family members and friends as directors and alleged that they purchased benami lands in Maharashtra and indulged in money-laundering, causing loss to the public exchequer.

Tatkare, who had held Water Resources portfolio in Maharashtra cabinet, has termed the petition as false, malicious and politically motivated in his counter affidavit.

Man held in murder case

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

With the arrest of a man, the Navi Mumbai police claimed to have cracked a murder case.

The accused, identified as Hanumant Bhoir, was arrested within 12 hours of the crime, in which a 25-year-old youth was allegedly murdered last evening, police said.

“Around 6 pm, a youth aged around 25 years, who was later identified as one Ashok Rathod, was found dead in a pool of blood near a public toilet at Darave. The body had multiple stab wounds,” DCP (zone I) Sahaji Umap of Navi Mumbai police station said.

During the probe, the police came to know that the victim’s mother Kamla (50), who lived with him in Mankhurd and worked as a scrap collector.

“She told the investigators that while collecting scrap from garbage in Dharave on Tuesday, her son had a quarrel with one Hanumant Bhoir, who were known to each other,” he said.

According to Umap, when Bhoir was taken into custody, he said he suspected that Ashok had murdererd his son Vaibhav, even as police said that the latter had had died while crossing a railway track at Vashi in Navi Mumbai in January this year.

“Holding Ashok responsible for the death of his son, Bhoir stabbed him to death last evening,” he said.

Further investigation is on.

‘Baby’ Patankar gets bail in drug seizure case

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

The special NDPS court here today granted bail to the alleged drug mafia Shashikala alias Baby Patankar who was arrested following the seizure of narcotic drug mephedrone from the cupboard of a Mumbai policeman.

“The court granted bail to Patankar,” said her lawyer N N Gawankar.

Advocate Gawankar had argued before the court that no drugs had been seized from his client’s possession and she was arrested on the basis of the statement of a co-accused, which is inadmissible as evidence.

“I also told the court that mephedrone was transported by her to a warehouse in 2014 when it was not a contraband (a banned substance),” Gawankar said.

Accepting the argument, special judge for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases U B Hejib granted bail.

Patankar was arrested in April this year following the arrest of Constable Dharmaraj Kalokhe.

However, she will not walk out of the jail soon as there are two more cases pending against her, a crime branch official said.

Kalokhe, posted at Marine Drive police station here, was arrested on March 9 after 110 kg of mephedrone, the market value of which runs into crores of rupees according to the police, was seized from his residence in a village in Satara district.

The next day, 12 kg of mephedrone was seized from Kalokhe’s cupboard at Marine Drive police station. According to police, Kalokhe had links with Patankar for many years.

Man arrested for filming women in washroom through mobile in Thane

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

Police have arrested a 27-year-old man for allegedly setting up his mobile phone in a women’s toilet at a private company.

Nilesh Shinde, the accused, worked as a sweeper with the private company located in the Wagle industrial estate, an official from Srinagar police station said today.

Two days ago, a female employee spotted the phone hidden behind rags used for mopping, positioned to video-record those entering the toilet. The phone’s recording mode was on following which she reported the matter to her seniors.

“In the internal inquiry conducted by the company, Shinde confessed that he had placed the phone there,” said the police official.

Shinde was arrested yesterday under section 354 (outraging woman’s modesty) of the Indian Penal Code. Further probe is on.

Farmers who sought permission to kill self get their dues

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Afternoon Voice

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July 15, 2015

The dues of seven farmers who sought permission to commit suicide have been cleared, an official said on Wednesday.

“We have disbursed the amounts and deposited them directly in their bank accounts,” said Wardha collector Ashutosh Sahil.

He said that the problems arose mainly because the district administration did not have the correct bank details of the seven farmers, but the entire issue has now been amicably resolved.

“We welcome the collector’s prompt steps in the matter which has helped save the lives of these seven distressed farmers. We hope they take up other pending cases with similar seriousness before more lives are lost,” said Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishore Tiwari.

The seven farmers, including three women, of Wadad village wrote to the authorities seeking ‘permission’ to commit suicide as they were not given the aid money since January.

The bemused district officials not only accepted the letter, but gave acknowledgement which was submitted to the collector office, with copies to high-ranking officials in Mumbai.

The farmers are: Kishore Ingale, Bhanudas Wadadkar, Pankaj Gawandi, Shankar Khadse, and the women – Kundabai Lonkar, Kamala Warhade and Vasanta Gingavkar.

Collector Sahil said that as per norms, these farmers have been disbursed an average of Rs. 9,000-Rs. 13,000 depending on the crop losses they suffered in the hailstorms last year.

Tiwari, however, pointed out that around Rs. 300 crore amount is lying undisbursed within the Amravati division which should be cleared immediately to prevent more farmers from ending their lives.

In July so far, the number of farmland suicides in the states stands at 27 and activists fear the situation may worsen if the existing dry spell continues in the state.