India logs new Covid cases and sees a single day rise of 15,754

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August 19, 2022

Covid-19, Maharashtra,Mumbai — Image: Representative

India witnessed a single-day rise of 15,754 new Coronavirus infections taking the tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,43,14,618, the Union Health Ministry informed on Friday. India’s active caseload currently stands at 1,01,830, which accounts for 0.23 per cent of the total cases.

The recovery rate currently at stands at 98.58 per cent wherein 15,220 recoveries were logged in the last 24 hours in the country, thereby taking the total COVID-19 recoveries to 4,36,85,535. With 47 fatalities, which include eight deaths from Kerala, the death toll climbed to 5,27,253 the data updated at 8 am stated.

Of the 4,54,491 COVID-19 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, a positivity rate of 3.47 per cent was observed. The weekly positivity rate is at 3.90 per cent. On the COVID-19 vaccination front, as many as 209.27 crore total vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country.

The nationwide COVID 19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from June 21, 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID-19 vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.

Two proprietors of firms were held for input tax credit fraud worth more than Rs 20 crore

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PTI

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August 19, 2022

Fraud Image — Image for a representative image

Officials of the Central Goods and Services TAX (CGST) commissionerate have arrested two proprietors of firms based in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra’s Thane district for allegedly fraudulently availing Input Tax Credit (ITC) collectively worth more than Rs 20 crore.

The arrests were made on Thursday after the fraudulent activities of the two firms were unearthed, the CGST Bhiwandi commissionerate in the Mumbai zone said.

With their arrest, the Bhiwandi commissionerate has so far held 16 persons in such crimes in the last one year, it said.

The officials busted a fake GST invoice racket, which was used to avail and pass on fake ITC of around Rs 18 crore on bogus invoices of Rs 41 crore. The proprietor of M M Buildcon/ Lambodar Buildcon was arrested under the CGST Act, it said in a release.

“Acting on specific inputs, the anti-evasion wing of the CGST Bhiwandi Commissionerate initiated an investigation against the firm.

During the probe, the firm was found to be non-existing and fake. The proprietor said that he had vacated the registered premises/godown in 2018,” it added. Even after vacating the premises, the firm continued to use the same address in all transactions, including sales and purchases, the commissionerate said.

Based on material evidence gathered during the investigation, the proprietor of the firm was arrested and sent to judicial custody till August 30, it said. This is the 16th arrest by CGST Bhiwandi Commissionerate in the last one year.

In the second case, the commissionerate busted a fake GST invoice racket involving Vishwakarma Enterprises, which was found to have availed ineligible ITC of Rs 2.57 crore through bogus invoices of Rs 14.30 crore.

The proprietor of the firm was the 15th person to be arrested by the Bhiwandi commissionerate, it said. “Acting on specific inputs, the anti-evasion wing initiated an investigation against the firm and it was found that the principal place of business was residential premises and the taxpayer has availed ineligible ITC of Rs 2.57 crore,” the release said.

Following his arrest, the accused was released on bail by the Bhiwaandi commissionerate.

This case is a part of the special drive launched by the CGST Mumbai Zone against tax fraudsters and fake ITC networks.

Gadkari said 70% work on the 1,350km long Mumbai-Delhi Expressway is completed.

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Web Team

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August 19, 2022

My dream is to connect Nariman Point in Mumbai to Delhi by an electric AC luxury bus which will cover the distance in 12 hours in near future,” said Union transport and highway s minister Nitin Gadkari as he launched India’s first electric double decker at Y B Chavan Centre on Thursday afternoon.

Covid cases jump 25% in a day in Maharashtra, Mumbai tally tops 1,200

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Web Team

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August 19, 2022

Covid,diseases, Maharashtra covid update — Image:Representative/Agencies

Home tests for Covid-19 are returning a positivity rate of almost 30% in the city, indicating that the pandemic virus is majorly in circulation again.

Although a minuscule number of self-tests are reported to the civic authorities, the positivity rate has never been this high in the previous month.

The daily positivity rate for regular Covid tests, a more precise indicator, also remained high at 11% on Thursday.

After nearly 50 days, Mumbai breached the 1,200-mark to record 1,201 Covid cases on Thursday.

The surge in the city also pushed up Maharashtra’s daily tally to 2,246, the highest in 27 days and a 25% rise over Wednesday’s cases.

Dahi Handi a sport, announces Pro Govinda League- Eknath Shinde

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Web Team

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August 19, 2022

Eknath Shinde on left side on Right side Dhai Handi representative image 1 — Image: PTI | Eknath Shinde on left side on Right side Dhai Handi representative image

Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday declared the Dahi Handi a sport and announced a Pro Govinda League to be organised across the state in the coming year.

Shinde said many countries like Spain and China promote human pyramids as a sport and organise state-level events.

“The state government will organise Pro Govinda events and will also give prizes to winning teams,” Shinde said.

Shinde said that although the state had announced Rs 10 lakh insurance for all the Govinda’s, the scheme will not take off this season, because of the paucity of time. He said it would be implemented from next year.

Dahi Handi set to be celebrated with pomp in Maha today after two-year pandemic-induced break

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PTI

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August 19, 2022

Dahi Handi, which is part of Krishna Janmashtami festival, is likely to be celebrated on a grand scale across Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai and its neighbouring areas, on Friday after a pandemic-induced gap of two years.

As part of the festival, youngsters (called Govindas), dressed in colourful attire, make human pyramids to reach an earthen pot containing buttermilk suspended mid-air, and break it. It symbolises victory through unity.

Bhiwandi Commisionerate busts fake GST invoice racket

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ANI

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August 19, 2022

GST 1 — Bhiwandi Commisionerate busts fake GST invoice racket 8

The Bhiwandi Commisionerate of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) in Mumbai Zone busted a fake GST invoice racket which used to avail and pass fake Input Tax Credit (ITC).

The CGST Bhiwandi informed that one such firm M/s Vishwakarma Enterprises has availed ineligible ITC of Rs 2.57 Crore on the bogus invoices of Rs 14.30 Crore.

Based on material evidence gathered during the investigation, the aforesaid accused person was arrested on 18.08.2022 under Section 69 of CGST Act, 2017 for contravention of Section 132 of the CGST Act, 2017 and released on bail by Bhiwaandi Commissionerate.

This case is a part of the special drive launched by the CGST Mumbai Zone against tax fraudsters and fake ITC networks.

According to an official statement, this is the 15th arrest by CGST Bhiwandi Commissionerate in the last one year. Further investigation in the matter is underway.

Gujarat BJP MLA says, “Some convicts in Bilkis Bano case are ‘Brahmins with good sanskara “

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PTI

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August 19, 2022

Some of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case of the 2002 Gujarat riots are “Brahmins” with good ‘sanskaar’ or values and it is possible they may have been fixed due to their past family activities, a BJP MLA, who was a part of the state government panel that recommended remission to all the 11 men found guilty, has said.

C K Raulji, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Godhra, on Thursday said he does not know whether the convicts, released after spending more than 15 years in jail, were involved in the crime.

On August 15, all the 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 case of Bilkis Bano’s gang rape and murder of her seven family members during the communal riots walked out of the Godhra sub-jail after the BJP government in Gujarat allowed their release under its remission policy.

“We took the decision on the basis of a Supreme Court order. We were asked to look at their (convicts’) behaviour and decide (on their early release),” Raulji, who was one of the members of the government-appointed committee that recommended granting of remission to the convicts, told a news portal. “We asked the jailer and learnt that their behaviour was good in the prison…also (some of the convicts) are Brahmins. They have good ‘sanskaar’ (values),” said the ruling party legislator.

The Gujarat government’s decision has invited sharp criticism from the opposition parties who have said the move was against the Centre’s guidelines.

However, Raulji said the convicts may have been fixed.

“It is possible that they (the convicts) might have been fixed in the case due to their past family activities. When such riots take place, it happens that those who are not involved are named. But I don’t know if they committed the crime, we decided (on remission) based on their behaviour,” he said.

Asked about the welcome accorded to the 11 men after their release from prison, he said they had not welcomed them.

The Gujarat government released the 11 convicts after the Supreme Court directed it to consider their plea for relief under the state’s 1992 remission policy.

A special CBI court in Mumbai had on January 21, 2008, sentenced to life imprisonment all the 11 accused in the case for the murder of seven family members of Bilkis Bano, a riots survivor, and her gang rape. Their conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court.

These convicts served more than 15 years in prison after which one of them approached the Supreme Court with a plea for his premature release.

The apex court had directed the Gujarat government to look into the issue of remission of his sentence as per its 1992 policy on the basis of the date of his conviction. Thereafter, the government formed a committee which took the decision to allow the release of all the convicts.

On March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano’s family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village in Limkheda taluka of Dahod district. Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gang raped and seven members of her family were killed during the riots triggered by the Godhra train burning incident.

Taliban supreme leader Akhundzada is ready to engage with the global community based on Sharia

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ANI

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August 19, 2022

Akhundzada Taliban Leader — Image: AFP | Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada. —

Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada on Thursday said that he is ready to engage with the international community within a Sharia framework.

A high-level gathering of around 2,500 participants including Islamic clerics, civil society activists, Taliban officials and officials of the former Afghan government was held in Kandahar, reported Tolo News.

There was no media coverage during the speech of the Taliban’s supreme leader. Meanwhile, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that the Taliban has represented Afghanistan in a “better way” around the world, reported Tolo News. “No one should test the Afghans.

Let these poor and proud people live happily,” he said. Muttaqi said that the Taliban wants good relations with all countries, but relations after 20 years of war with some countries cannot be expected to be normalized quickly.

“Afghanistan will not be the ground for the conflict of world powers, and the Afghan soil will not be used against anyone,” he added.

“There is no land in the country which is not under the control of the Islamic Emirate,” said the acting Minister of Vice and Virtue, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi. “All of the girls are your girls. The facilitation of education for them is the wish of all Afghans,” said Abdul Samad Madani, a trader.

The gathering is the second largest to be held since the Taliban came to power, after the meeting of clerics in Kabul. Since the Taliban regime took control of Afghanistan, blasts and attacks have become a regular affair with unabated human rights violations involving ceaseless murder of civilians, destroying mosques and temples, assaulting women, and fueling terror in the region.

The ongoing economic crisis in Kabul has caused abject poverty in the region. As per analysts, the primary reason for the rise in poverty is due to political changes.

Moreover, following the Taliban regime in the country, many private businesses have stopped operating as well impacting the country even more. Millions of Afghans are on the brink of starvation as the country reels from a humanitarian crisis.

Afghanistan also has the highest level of suffering measured for any country since 2005.

Moreover, the United Nations mission in Geneva said that the latest United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report reveals a “disturbing and consistent pattern of human rights violations” by the Taliban.

The UN mission in Afghanistan released a report outlining the human rights situation prevailing in Afghanistan over the 10 months since the Taliban takeover.

The mission said that while the report highlights aspects of the Taliban’s human rights violations, it does not fully reflect the number of violations and abuses reflected in this report, and the full scope of the deterioration of the human rights situation since August of last year.

CBI raids in 7 states; Searches at 21 locations in Delhi-NCR, including premises of Manish Sisodia

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ANI

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August 19, 2022

Manish Sisodia 1 — Image: ANI | CBI raids at Manish Sisodia’s residence

Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrived at the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as part of the investigative agency’s raids at 21 places across Delhi and the National Capital Region.

The raids are being conducted in seven states of the country in connection with the CBI’s investigation into the alleged irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi Excise Policy brought in November 2021.

The CBI has registered an FIR in this connection. Sisodia took to Twitter to post: “CBI has arrived. We are honest, building a future for lakhs of children. Unfortunate that in this country, whoever does good work is hassled just like this, that is why our country is still not number-1.”

“I extend my welcome to the CBI. I will cooperate with the investigation so that the truth comes out at the earliest. Till now many cases have been filed against me but nothing has come out. Nothing will come out of it either. My work cannot be stopped for a good education in the country,” Sisodia tweeted.

Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal also tweeted his support for Sisodia saying that nothing will come out of this raid and that many such happened in past.

“I welcome CBI. We will cooperate fully. There have been many such probes, and raids in past. Nothing came out. Nothing will come out this time too,” Kejriwal tweeted. A top CBI official said: “Raids are going on at 21 places in Delhi and NCR, including the residence of Manish Sisodia and premises of four public servants in the Excise Policy case.”

Among the premises raided include those of the former Excise Commissioner of Delhi Arava Gopi Krishna during whose tenure the revamped Excise policy was approved. Earlier in July, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into Delhi’s revamped excise policy.

He approved the suspension of 11 officials over “lapses” in the implementation of the Excise Policy 2021-22. The suspended officials included Gopikrishna and deputy excise commissioner Anand Kumar Tiwari.

Sisodia today tweeted that allegations made against him and the Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain were not true. “These people are troubled by the excellent work of Delhi’s education and health.

That is why the health minister and the education minister of Delhi are on the radar so that the good work of education and health can be stopped,” Sisodia wrote.

Soon after the CBI arrived at Sisodia’s residence, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and said that they (AAP) will give full cooperation to the investigations.

“CBI is welcome. We will give full cooperation. Searches took place earlier too, but nothing was found. Nothing will be found now too,” Kejriwal tweeted mentioning that the CBI has raided Sisodia’s residence on the day when the picture of the Delhi Model and Sisodia appeared on the front page of America’s biggest newspaper- the New York Times.

Earlier on August 6, former Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal was accused by Deputy CM Manish Sisodia of changing his stand on the issue of opening liquor shops in unauthorized areas of Delhi.