Remission granted in Bilkis Bano Case challenged in Supreme Court

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August 23, 2022

The remission granted by the Gujarat government to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case was challenged before the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana agreed to look into the matter after advocating Aparna Bhat mentioned the matter seeking an urgent listing on Wednesday.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal also mentioned the matter and said, “The Supreme Court gave a discretion to the government to consider it. We are challenging the remission, not the order of Supreme Court”.

The plea before the apex court was filed by members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Subhashini Ali, journalist Revati Laul, and social activist and professor Roop Rekha Verma.

Earlier on August 19, Telangana MLC K Kavitha wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana urging the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter of the release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case under the remission policy of the Gujarat government.

The Gujarat government released the 11 convicts, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, on August 15. Meanwhile, all the 11 life-term convicts in the case were released as per the remission policy prevalent in Gujarat at the time of their conviction in 2008.

In March 2002 during the post-Godhra riots, Bano was allegedly gang-raped and left to die with 14 members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter. She was five months pregnant when rioters attacked her family in Vadodara.

South African Army Chief lays wreath at National War Memorial

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ANI

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August 23, 2022

Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha on Tuesday visited the National War Memorial and paid his respects to the fallen soldiers by laying a wreath.

The South African Army Chief accompanied by his wife along with a two-member delegation is on a four-day visit to India seeking to further strengthen military ties between both countries.

Both countries share a great relationship and their historical bonds can be traced back to the time when Mahatma Gandhi started his Satyagraha movement in South Africa over a century ago. Both countries established the India-South Africa Joint Commission at the level of Foreign Ministers in 1994 to identify areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.

On August 3, India and South Africa held the third round of the 11th Round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi where both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.

The 11th Session of India-South Africa Foreign Office Consultations was held on 03 August 2022 in New Delhi. The Consultations were co-chaired by Puneet R. Kundal, JS (East and Southern Africa), Ministry of External Affairs and Ntombizodwa Msutukazi Lallie, Acting Deputy Director-General Asia and the Middle East, Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations covering political exchanges, defence, economic and commercial issues, consular matters, cooperation in the field of agriculture, health, energy and minerals, human resource development, art, culture, sports and import of Cheetahs from South Africa for reintroduction in India.

The two sides also reviewed the status of the agreements under negotiation and agreed to expedite their finalization for the mutual benefit of both countries. During the consultations, it was decided to celebrate the completion of 30 years of diplomatic ties, through cultural and sports events.

“Both sides also reviewed the status of MOUs/agreements under negotiation and agreed to expedite their finalization for the mutual benefit of both the countries. In light of the upcoming completion of 30 years of ties between the two countries, it was decided to celebrate the occasion suitably, both in India and South Africa, through cultural and sports events and other activities,” MEA said.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues including cooperation at the UN, BRICS, IBSA and IORA. The South African side assured of their support for the upcoming India G20 Presidency while the Indian side expressed its support for South Africa’s BRICS Chairship in 2023.

Bihar police bust fake police station in Banka

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ANI

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August 23, 2022

The Bihar police arrested a gang for allegedly running a fake government office inside a guest house near the town’s police station in Banka district.

On August 17, police arrested seven people in this matter including the mastermind of the gang, Bhola Yadav and his associate Alka Devi for running a fake government office in Anurag guest house.

“Bhola Yadav and Alka Devi have been arrested for duping people on the pretext of helping them get benefits of government schemes. They also ran a fake government office where a person dressed as police personnel and the guard were kept. Seven have been arrested so far,” said Satya Prakash, Superintendent of Police of Banka.

China renews red alert for high temperatures

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ANI

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August 23, 2022

1288435 heat wave — China renews red alert for high temperatures 6

China’s national observatory on Tuesday renewed a red alert for high temperatures, the most severe warning in its four-tier warning system, as heatwaves continue in many parts of the country.

Parts of Gansu, Shaanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangdong and Guangxi are expected to experience high temperatures of 35 to 39 degrees Celsius, Xinhua news agency reported citing the National Meteorological Center.

Temperatures in Shaanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Fujian may exceed 40 degrees Celsius, the meteorological centre said.

Local authorities should take emergency measures against heatwaves, suspend outdoor work that exposes workers to high temperatures, take precautions when it comes to fire safety, and take particular care of vulnerable groups, the centre said.

China has a four-tier, colour-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Amid high temperatures in various parts of the country, the Beijing authorities have advised local authorities to take emergency measures against heatwaves, suspend outdoor work that is exposed to high temperatures, pay close attention to fire safety and take particular care of vulnerable groups.

Sun Shao, a senior research fellow from the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, told the Global Times, that this year’s heat wave is the strongest since China started meteorological observations in 1961, and the longes.

ED summons Swapna Patkar today, witness in Chawl land scam case

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ANI

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August 23, 2022

Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday summoned Swapna Patkar, a witness in the case, for interrogation. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut is in judicial custody till September 5 in the matter.

The judicial custody of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday was extended till September 5, in connection with the Patra Chawl land scam case.

As per the information, after the initial hearing in the court, Raut’s judicial custody was valid till August 22 but on August 22, Monday a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court extended his custody till September 5.

Earlier on August 1, Raut was sent to Enforcement Directorate’s custody till August 4 in the same case. On the same day, ED produced him before a special sessions court after his arres

ED officials raided the Shiv Sena leader’s home on July 31, and after detaining and questioning him for several hours, arrested him on August 1.

On June 28 this year, Sanjay Raut was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the prevention of the money laundering case pertaining to the Rs 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam.

Woman forced to take bath in open to bare male child

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ANI

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August 23, 2022

In a shocking incident reported from Pune, a woman was forced by her husband and in-laws to take bath naked in front of people as part of a black magic ritual advised by the local Tantrik Baba to have a male child.

Following the complaint by the woman, Bharti Vidyapeeth Police station of Pune Police on Sunday registered an FIR against four people including the husband, in-laws and the Tantrik baba named as Moulana Baba Jamadar.

According to Senior Police Inspector Jagannath Kalaskar of Bharti Vidyapeeth Police station,” Police have registered a case under sections 498 a, 323, 420, and 504 406 of IPC along with section 3 of Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013 against four persons.

Police official further informed that,” The victim woman in her complaint alleged that her in-laws have been harassing her mentally and physically since 2013 for dowry and for not giving birth to a male child, following which she was also going through several black magic ritual on many occasions. Recently a local Tantrik Baba asked them to make women bath naked under the waterfall in public and assured them that it would result in her giving birth to a male child, following the rituals the victim woman was taken to Raigad District and asked to take bath naked in open.”

Police further informed that the victim has also alleged that her signature was forged by he husband to take a loan of rupees 75 lakh against her property for business purposes.

Following the complaint of the victim’s women, Pune police have registered an FIR and investigated the case further.

Carnac bridge might be demolished and would be rebuilt by 2024

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Web Team

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August 22, 2022

The 150-year-old British-era Carnac bridge can be demolished.

The traffic police have granted its no objection certificate (NOC) to the railways for its demolition subject to fulfillment of several conditions, including its reopening by June 2024.

The bridge, located between CSMT and Masjid Bunder station, passes over the Central Railway tracks.

The closure of the bridge would mean that vehicles have to enter DN Road via General Post Office by taking a long detour via P D’Mello Road.

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray will launch “Maha Prabodhan Yatra” in Thane

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August 22, 2022

uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena — Image: Agencies

After Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray’s Shiv Samvaad Yatra, Shiv Sena will begin its Maha Prabodhan Yatra all over the state.

Sena party president Uddhav Thackeray will address the first public rally as part of the yatra at Thane’s Tembhi Naka.

Sena leaders said Uddhav’s first speech will be in Thane, the home turf and stronghold of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Sena leaders said the tour’s finer details will be worked out after Ganpati, after which the tour will be launched.

Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat sparks speculation of not being happy and not being a part of CM Shinde cabinet

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August 22, 2022

Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat who had sparked speculation that he was unhappy on not being inducted into CM Shinde cabinet and could go back to Uddhav Thackeray camp on Sunday said that MLA Atul Save, who “came from behind”, has got cabinet ministership and now it was time he too be considered.

Shirsat said this at an event in Aurangabad.

Recently, Shirsat had tweeted a video of Uddhav’s speech in the assembly and referred to him as ‘kutumb pramukh (patriarch)’.

NCP MLA Awhad has urged Central Railway to replace Non-AC trains with AC ones running in Mumbai and Thane

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August 22, 2022

NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad on Monday appealed to the Central Railway to review its decision of replacing some of the non-air conditioned local trains with the AC ones on the main line between Mumbai and Thane.

Talking to reporters here, the MLA from Kalwa-Mumbra in Thane said the decision to replace the existing non-AC locals with the AC trains was causing hardships to commuters.

There will be an agitation if the Railways does not resolve the problem, the former state minister said.