Man arrested for planting IED near Basketball ground in Imphal

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September 13, 2022

A person was detained by the Manipur police in connection with the planting of Improvised Explosive Device near a Basketball ground in Imphal, said police. According to the police, a person named Kshetrimayum Bhogendro Singh was detained in connection with the planting of IED near Basketball Ground at Singjamei Chingamakha in Imphal.

“Six electronic digital circuits, similar to the device used in planted IED were recovered from him,” informed Ksh Shivakanta Singh, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Imphal West. During interrrogation the person revealed that he is an active cadre of UNLF (an insurgent group). More details are awaited.

Earlier, Assam Police arrested two more suspects with possible links with the banned terrorist outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from Morigaon district. The suspected terrorists were identified as Musadik Hussain and Ikramul Islam.

Ikramul is an Imam and was arrested in the Nagaon district. On the other hand, the state police arrested Hussain from the Moirabari area in the Morigaon district. Aparna N, Superintendent of Police of Morigaon district told agencies that both the arrested persons have links with the banned outfit.

Last month, Morigaon district administrations demolished a madrassa at Moirabari after police busted a terror module on the premises of the religious educational institute. So far, the state administrations have demolished three madrassas across the state following the arrests of around 40 persons so far including the Imam and madrasa teachers on charges of being linked to terror outfits — Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). In addition, one more such educational institute was razed by locals themselves after a cleric associated with it was held for alleged anti-national activities.

There were reports that some militants disguised as religious teachers had sneaked into the state and silently gone ahead with their subversive and anti-state activities.

Blue Origin rocket experiences booster failure during uncrewed launch

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ANI

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September 13, 2022

An uncrewed New Shepard rocket launched by Blue Origin experienced a booster failure on Monday, which caused the rocket booster to crash. However, the capsule carrying experiments escaped and floated safely back to Earth, Jeff Bezos’ space company said.

The launch was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday Central Daylight Time from the company’s Launch Site One location in West Texas, according to Blue Origin. It was a payload mission with no astronauts on board.

“During today’s flight, the capsule escape system successfully separated the capsule from the booster. The booster impacted the ground,” Blue Origin tweeted. “There are no reported injuries; all personnel have been accounted for,” said the company.

The company tweeted a short video showing the moment the capsule fired emergency thrusters to separate from its booster rocket, around a minute after launching from Blue Origin’s base in west Texas.

It was the 23rd mission for the New Shepard rocket program, named after the first American in space, and the first to end in failure. NS-23, which had 36 experiments on board, was first set to launch in late August but was delayed due to inclement weather.

The incident marks a setback for Blue Origin and the nascent space tourism industry. Blue Origin began flying humans to space on 10-minute rides last year for an unspecified ticket price. It has flown 32 people — some paying customers and others guests.

Notable passengers include founder Jeff Bezos and Star Trek icon, William Shatner.

Rupee increases to 4 paise and closes at 79.53 against the US Dollar

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PTI

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September 12, 2022

Rupee,Dollar, Representative Image — Rupee,Dollar, | Representative Image

The rupee pared its initial losses and settled 4 paise higher to close at 79.53 against the US dollar on Monday, tracking positive domestic equities and foreign fund inflows.

At the interbank forex market, the local unit opened at 79.66 against the greenback. It witnessed an intra-day high of 79.47 and a low of 79.72 during the session.

It finally ended at 79.53, up 4 paise from its previous close of 79.57. The dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.77 per cent to 108.17. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, advanced 1.58 per cent to USD 94.31 per barrel.

“Rupee continued to appreciate as the dollar weakened against its major crosses. Market participants remained cautious also ahead of inflation and IIP numbers that will be released on the domestic front,” said Gaurang Somaiya, Forex & Bullion Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services. Somaiya further said the expectation is that inflation could remain unchanged compared to the previous month.

“Gains in the currency were led also by a rally in domestic equities. Euro did witness volatility but hawkish central bank statements kept the currency supported at lower levels,” Somaiya said. “Indian rupee started the week on a positive note following risk-on moods and a weaker dollar index. Following the stronger Chinese Yuan, the rupee opened at 79.68 and made an intra-day high of 79.4675 before closing at 79.53,” said Dilip Parmar, Research Analyst, HDFC Securities. Spot USDINR is expected to trade in the range of 79.20 to 79.90 with a near-term bias turning slightly weak amid broad-based dollar weakness.

Punjab Police claims arrests 357 drug smugglers, registers 269 FIRs in a week

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ANI

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September 12, 2022

Punjab Police have arrested 357 drug smugglers after registering 269 FIRs, including 35 commercials, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) act across the state in the last week, an official said.

Punjab police began a war against drugs launched under the direction of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Addressing a press conference, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Sukhchain Singh Gill said, “the Police have recovered 6.90Kg Heroin, 14.41Kg opium, 5Kg Ganja, 6.44 quintals of poppy husk, and 2.10 lakh tablets, capsules, injections and vials of Pharma opioids. Police also recovered Rs 4.81 lakh drug money after search operations in drug-affected areas beside laying nakas at vulnerable routes across the state.”

He claimed 17 Proclaimed Offenders (POs) and Absconders in NDPS cases were arrested this week. The total number of arrests reached 280. Since, the special drive to arrest POs and absconders was started on July 5, 2022, he further said.

Director General of Punjab (DGP) of Punjab Gaurav Yadav had given instructions to all the CPs and SSPs to investigate backward and forward linkages minutely in each and every case. Especially the case related to drug recoveries.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann has given full liberty to the Punjab Police to wage a war against drugs.

The anti-drug drives have been launched to combat the menace of drugs from the border State of Punjab, the police said.

The Director general of police (DGP) of Punjab strictly ordered all the CPs and SSPs to identify all top drug smugglers and their hotspots.

He also directed the Police chiefs to effectively forfeit the property of all the arrested drug smugglers so that their ill-gotten money could be recovered.

Hindu may get permission to offer prayers in Gyanvapi

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Vaidehi Taman

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September 12, 2022

Today it was a gigantic relief to all the Hindus who are waiting to worship Shiv Ling in Gyanvapi Mosque. Varanasi court upholds maintainability of Hindu side’s petition, hearing to continue. The court rejected the Muslim side’s petition and said the suit is maintainable. The next hearing of the case is on September 22. They submitted the report of the filming to the Varanasi court in a sealed cover, but the Hindu petitioners controversially leaked details just hours later. The report claimed a “Shivling” or relic of Lord Shiva had been found in a pond within the mosque complex used for “Wazoo” or purification rituals before Muslim prayers.

A court then banned large namaz gatherings in the high-profile mosque. The gatherings should be limited to 20 people. It challenged the filming inside the mosque in the Supreme Court by the Gyanvapi mosque committee, which said the move violates a 1991 law (Places of Worship Act) that maintains the religious status of places of worship as of August 15, 1947. The Muslim petitioners argued that “such petitions and sealing of mosques will lead to public mischief and communal disharmony, will affect mosques across the country.”

In May, the Supreme Court assigned the case to the city’s most senior judge, referring to the “complexity and sensitivity” of the dispute. The Gyanvapi mosque located in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency (Varanasi), is one of the several mosques that Hindu hardliners believe were built on the ruins of temples. The Hindu petitioners have said they will seek carbon dating and a proper archeological survey to establish that a temple stood on the land.

Security was tightened and prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed in Varanasi as a district court will pronounce the verdict on the maintainability of the suit in the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri case on Monday. District Judge A K Vishvesh had last month reserved the order till September 12 in the communally sensitive matter.

Five women had filed the petition seeking permission for daily worship of Hindu deities whose idols are said to be located on an outer wall of the Gyanvapi mosque, which is located close to Kashi Vishwanath temple. Following this, a Varanasi court ordered the survey of the mosque complex. After the survey, it was claimed that a ‘shivling’ was found in the mosque compound.

Meanwhile, the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee has said the Gyanvapi mosque is a Waqf property and has questioned the maintainability of the plea. Madan Mohan Yadav, a lawyer of the Hindu side, had said that the mosque was constructed after demolishing the temple. According to the petitioner, a self-styled Jyotirling of Lord Vishwanath in Kashi (Varanasi) is in the mosque complex. The petitioner also claimed that in 1669, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had destroyed a portion of the Kashi Vishwanath temple and had built the Gyanvapi Mosque. The petitioner wants the court to declare that Muslims have no right to occupy the Gyanvapi mosque and their entry to be banned.

According to the defence, there was no temple in the Gyanvapi complex and the mosque was standing on the site from the start. The Supreme Court said on July 21 that it will await the Varanasi district judge’s decision on the Gyanvapi mosque committee’s application. The SC bench then posted the matter for further hearing in the first week of October after the outcome of the proceedings before the district judge.

On May 20, the apex court transferred the civil suit filed by Hindu devotees from civil judge (senior division) to the district judge of Varanasi in the Gyanvapi. Citing the “complexities” and “sensitivity” of the issue, the SC said it is better if a senior judicial officer having an experience of over 25-30 years handles this case. The top court had made the observation that the process to find out the religious character of a place of worship is not barred under the Places of Worship Act of 1991. This came after the commission appointed by a district court to conduct a video surgery of the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi Mosque complex submitted its report on May 19.

There are voices in J&K who believe 370 will be reinstated: Mehbooba Mufti

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ANI

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September 12, 2022

mehbooba mufti — There are voices in J&K who believe 370 will be reinstated: Mehbooba Mufti 8

Claiming that there were voices in Jammu and Kashmir who believed that the abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution will be reinstated, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday dismissed former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s views on the matter as merely his “personal opinion”.

Mufti was reacting to remarks made by Azad at a rally on on Sunday where he said removal of article 370 required a two-thirds majority in Parliament which he did not expect the Congress to get.

I will not ‘mislead’ people on the issue of removal of article 370, Azad had said. “It’s his personal opinion…Congress had raised its voice against the British and stopped them. Similarly, there are voices in J&K who believe 370 will be reinstated,” former chief minister Mufti told to the agencies.

Attacking the BJP, Mufti said, ” Removal of article 370 did not solve the Kashmir issue but it further complicated it. Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Sir Syed Khan, Subash Chandra Bose, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh fought against the British when there was this dilemma that we cannot fight against the British. Likewise, we will fight against BJP and we will end the excesses committed by BJP here. We have a positive mindset”.

To emphasise her point, Mufti sought to point to instances where events considered unlikely happened over a period of time. ” Did it ever cross our mind, that LK Advani will shake hands with incarcerated leader Yasin Malik, Modiji will go to Pakistan to attend Nawaz Sharif’s grand daughter’s wedding and Muzaffarabad road will open? Likewise, article 370 will be reinstated, ” Mehbooba added.

Earlier on Sunday, addressing his first political rally in Jammu, since resigning from Congress, Ghulam Nabi Azad had said,” I will not ‘mislead’ people on the issue of removal of article 370. Removal of article 370 requires a 2/3rd majority in Parliament. I don’t see Congress getting 350-360 seats in my lifetime.’’

Azad further said, “I have not decided upon the name of my party yet. The people of J-K will decide the name and the flag of the party. I’ll give a Hindustani name to my party that everyone can understand. My party will focus on the restoration of full statehood, right to land and employment to native domicile. “

Azad had further attacked Congress and had said, “Congress was made by us by our blood, not by computer, not by Twitter. People are trying to defame us but their reach is limited to computers and tweets. That is the reason Congress is not visible on the ground. “

Gyanvapi Row: Varanasi Court dismisses the challenge by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee

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Afternoon Voice

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September 12, 2022

The Varanasi district and sessions court Monday dismissed the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee’s challenge against the civil suits that questioned the Gyanvapi mosque’s title and the land surrounding it. Five Hindu women had filed petitions seeking the right to worship Maa Shringar Gauri on the outer wall of the mosque complex located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Uttar Pradesh.

The dismissal by district judge A K Vishvesh means that the civil suits will be heard in detail and examination of evidence will follow.A court today agreed to hear a group of Hindu women who want year-long access to pray inside the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, next to the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple. The women’s petition will be heard on September 22.

The five women want permission for year-long puja and rituals in a part of the mosque complex and claim there are idols of Hindu gods and goddesses in other parts of the mosque complex. Muslim petitioners had urged the court to throw out the petition. Earlier this year, a lower court ordered the filming of the centuries-old mosque based on the petition of the women.

On May 20, the Supreme Court, underlining the “complexity of the issues involved in the civil suit”, transferred the Gyanvapi dispute that was pending before the Varanasi civil judge (senior division) to the district judge. While the Hindu side said the mosque was built on the site of a temple, the Muslim side said the mosque was built on waqf premises and that the Places of Worship Act barred changing its character. Judge Vishvesha began hearing the pleas in June. The media was not allowed to witness the proceedings.

Encounter broke out at Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir

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ANI

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September 12, 2022

army representative — Representative Image

An encounter broke out at Heff Shirmal area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Monday, the police said.

According to sources, security forces along with the area police are on the job.

Further details are awaited.

On September 5, an encounter took place in the Baskuchan area of Shopian.

Activist claims Goa bar owner and Smriti Irani’s family-linked firm had lease agreement; owners say it didn’t culminate into lease deed

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PTI

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September 12, 2022

Social activist Aires Rodrigues on Monday during a hearing before Goa excise commissioner produced a lease agreement signed between the owners of a controversial restaurant in North Goa and a company allegedly linked to Union minister Smriti Irani’s family.

However, a lawyer of the family of late Anthony DGama, who owned the ‘Silly Soul Café and Bar’ at Assagao in North Goa, later told reporters that the “agreement for lease never culminated into a lease deed, therefore no rights were created to the parties under this”.

Irani had filed a civil defamation suit against three Congress leaders for linking her daughter’s name to the restaurant.

The Delhi High Court had observed that Irani and her daughter are neither owners of the restaurant in Goa nor have they ever applied for the licence for food and beverages at the eatery, as alleged.

Rodrigues had filed a complaint on June 29, alleging that the excise office in Mapusa illegally renewed the restaurant’s excise licence in the name of a deceased person- Anthony DGama.

During the hearing before Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad on Monday, Rodrigues claimed the property under survey number 236/22 of Assagao village, where Silly Souls Bar and Café was stated to be located, was leased to Eightall Food and Beverages LLP by DGama through his son with effect from January 1, 2021 for a period of 10 years at a monthly rent of Rs 50,000.

Eightall Food and Beverages LLP is allegedly linked Irani’s family.

Rodrigues placed the agreement before the investigating authority through an affidavit.

After the hearing before the excise commissioner, advocate Benedict Nazareth, representing the DGama family, said the lease agreement never culminated into a lease deed.

“There is a distinction between agreement of lease and lease deed. The agreement of lease says the parties would enter into a lease deed, if they wish to under the Transfer Of Property Act,” he said.

“Every lease has to be by a registered document. This agreement for lease never culminated into a lease deed, therefore no rights were created to the parties under this,” Nazareth added.

He also said no arguments were made before the investigating authority on Monday as the matter was fixed for the complainant (Rodrigues) to file his reply.

Rodrigues in his reply before the excise commissioner said Goans domiciled in Mumbai are not governed by the Portuguese Civil Code, 1867.

“It is an undisputed fact that the respondent was domiciled in Mumbai by his own admission,” he said.

Rodrigues was responding to the claim of the DGamas that the excise licence was inherited by the wife of Anthony DGama after his death, as per the Portuguese Civil Code.

He also mentioned in the reply that excise licence for the sale of liquor is not an asset but just a permission to do something, and (it) lapses on the death of the licensee and is not transferable.

“The excise licence is not a vintage to be granted under the erstwhile Portuguese law. It is a fundamental and elementary law that the excise licence has been granted under the Goa Excise Duty Act, 1964,” the activist said in the reply.

When the licence holder has died, the heir or successor is duty bound to apply to the excise officer and have the licence transferred in his or her name, he added.

Rodrigues alleged that the respondents (DGama family) and their agents, taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic and the then prevailing lockdown, managed to obtain the excise licence by circumventing the law.

The activist claimed that due to the Right to Information Act, all those alleged illegalities have come to light.

Nazareth said the excise commissioner has posted the matter for final arguments on October 13.

NIA conducted raids over various locations against ‘terror gangs’ active in many states.

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ANI

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September 12, 2022

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted raids over three dozen locations to keep a tab on organized ‘terror gangs’ active in Delhi, National Capital Region (NCR) and other adjoining states in northern India, sources said.

The searches are underway in Delhi, NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and many other locations in a recently registered case against activities of ‘terror gangs’, who are involved in sensational murders to terrorize common citizens.

Sources said that these gang members are indulged in extortion, drug smuggling, and other organized criminal activities to finance their nefarious designs.

Raids are being conducted at the Tajpur village in Delhi linked to gangster Neeraj Bawana as well as the residence of gangster Kala Rana in Haryana’s Yamunanagar.

The raids are being carried out in coordination with state police forces. Similar searches were carried out at gangster Vinay Deora’s residence in Punjab’s Faridkot.

The agency also reached Amritsar and Kotkapura, among other places where the ‘Tillu’ gang is operational. The NIA raid followed a case registered under strict Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Bawana, and his gang are responsible for killing prominent individuals on purpose and instigating terror on social media. Neeraj Bawana and his gang are presently engaged in a gang conflict with Lawrence Bishnoi.

After Sidhu Moose Wala was killed, Neeraj Bawana declared that they would exact revenge on the killers and take legal action against the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

NIA’s action came days of the counter-terror agency got a nod from Union Home Ministry had to uproot the entire network of organised terror gangs in various states and they are involved in killings, smuggling and other unlawful activities and were acting like terrorists.

Recently the NIA had prepared a dossier and took permission from the Home Ministry to initiate action against these gangs.

The gangsters of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh were on the radar of the NIA since then.

Similar gangs were also involved in the killing of Punjab singer Sidhu Moose Wala but this case is being handled by state police forces. The killing of Moose Wala, who was shot dead on May 29 by unidentified assailants in Punjab’s Mansa district, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover, was part of a conspiracy of gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi, police had earlier said.

In this case, Bisnoi’s name came into fore as the mastermind behind the killing of the singer. Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, a close aide of Bishnoi, are also under investigation in that case.

Moose Wala had fought on the Congress ticket from the Mansa assembly seat in the recent assembly election and was defeated by AAP’s Vijay Singla.

The 28-year-old famed Punjabi singer was shot at point blank range at Jawaharke village of Mansa district and was declared brought dead on arrival at the Mansa civil hospital. It is estimated that the killers fired over 30 rounds at Moose Wala, who was found slumped in the driver’s seat by locals.