Cruise drugs case: Aryan Khan’s bail plea hearing in HC to continue tomorrow

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October 26, 2021

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on the bail application of Aryan Khan, and the hearing will continue on Wednesday by Former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi.

The bail hearing of Aryan Khan in the Bombay High Court comes amid the cloud of suspicion that has settled over the Narcotics Control Bureau after allegations of massive lapses in the investigation, extortion and payoffs.

Former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi who is appearing for Aryan Khan’s bail plea in connection with drugs on cruise case began his arguments at Bombay High Court on Tuesday and said that Aryan Khan was invited to cruise as a special guest.

“He (Aryan Khan) was invited to the cruise as a special guest. He was invited by Pratik Gaba who was like an organiser. He invited accused 1 Aryan and accused 2 Arbaz Merchant. Both were invited by the same person. They both landed up together at the cruise terminal,” Rohatgi said in the courtroom.

Rohatgi further attributed NCB’s presence at the cruise to some prior information. “It appears that NCB had some prior information that people on this cruise were having drugs so they were present in a certain strength,” he stated. He that nothing was recovered from Aryan Khan when searches were conducted.

“My client, Arbaz and many others were apprehended. A search was conducted and nothing was recovered from Accused 1 (Aryan Khan). No medical at any point was conducted to ascertain if he has taken any drug,” he added.

Talking about the recovery of six grams of charas from Arbaz Merchant, Rohatgi said that Aryan Khan has no relation with him except for arriving with him there and there was no recovery of drugs from Aryan and no proof of consumption was reported.

“I have nothing to do with the allegations and counter-allegations that are currently on public/social media between Sameer Wankhede and certain political personalities, also have no connection or concern with Prabhakar Sail or (KP) Gosavi,” said Aryan Khan, in an affidavit to the Bombay High Court before a hearing on his request for bail.

He has been in Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail since October 8 and was briefly in the custody of the NCB before that. Aryan Khan’s High Court bail hearing comes amid the cloud of suspicion that has settled over the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) after allegations of massive lapses in the investigation, extortion and payoffs, including an alleged ₹ 8 crore payoff to NCB officer Sameer Wankhede who is leading Aryan Khan’s investigation.

Aryan Khan’s affidavit followed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)’s statement to the High Court alleging that his father Shah Rukh Khan’s manager “appeared to have influenced” an independent witness who has alleged payoffs.

In a written reply to the High Court on Sunday, the NCB alleged an “attempt to tamper with the investigation and derail it”. The anti-drugs agency said it needed more time to follow what is called the “international drug connection of Aryan Khan” revealed in the investigation. “The same is being investigated and as per stipulated guidelines, sufficient time is required to properly unearth this international drug connection,” said the NCB.

“Further, considering the influential position Aryan Khan holds in the society, he may tamper with the evidence and influence other witnesses whom he personally knows is very much possible,” the agency told the High Court.

The accusation against Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani as agency opposes Aryan Khan’s bail plea.

Opposing bail for Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) alleged in a statement to the Bombay High Court that his manager Pooja Dadlani “appeared to have influenced” a witness. In its written reply to the High Court yesterday, the NCB alleged an “attempt to tamper with the investigation and derail it”.

The details of the reply emerged just before the High Court hearing on the bail request of Aryan Khan, who has been in jail since October 8 in the drugs-on-cruise case. The NCB refers to the allegations of a witness, Prabhakar Sail, who has alleged in an affidavit that Kiran Gosavi, the private investigator whose selfie with Aryan Khan went viral and threw up questions, had planned to demand Rs 25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani to settle the case. Of this, he has alleged, Rs 8 crore was meant for Sameer Wankhede, the NCB officer leading the investigation.

Rahul Dravid applies for Team India head coach post, VVS Laxman likely to take over at NCA

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Afternoon Voice

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October 26, 2021

Celebrated former captain Rahul Dravid is all but certain to be the Indian cricket team’s next head coach after he formally applied for the high-profile position on Tuesday.

With Dravid, the current head of National Cricket Academy applying, the job for the Cricket Advisory Committee becomes easier as there aren’t any big names in the fray who can match the batting great’s stature.

Also, it is reliably learnt that he is the first and only choice of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah.

“Yes, Rahul has formally applied today as it’s the last day of the deadline. His team at the NCA, bowling coach Paras (Mhambrey) and fielding coach Abhay (Sharma) have already applied. His application was just a formality,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on Tuesday.

Dravid had recently met the BCCI brass in Dubai on the sidelines of the IPL final between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings where Ganguly and Shah spoke to him about taking up the position once Ravi Shastri steps down at the end of India’s campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup.

Under Dravid, a new era in Indian cricket will start with the home series against New Zealand where he will take charge with a new T20 captain, which in all likelihood, will be Rohit Sharma.

Laxman in the fray for NCA, Kumble could be sounded out

Former India batting great VVS Laxman could again be back in the fray to head the National Cricket Academy in case the post falls vacant in the coming days. It is learnt from sources that Laxman might not continue as the mentor of IPL side Sunrisers Hyderbad and in case, he is selected, he would also have to leave his media commitments including commentary and writing columns.

The national coach and the NCA head are expected to work in close coordination keeping the interests of Indian cricket in mind.

It is understood that Dravid and Laxman, who have had a close bond since the time they played for South Zone and subsequently for India for close to a decade and a half, would be a perfect choice.

The other aspect that needs to be chalked out is the fact that Laxman is a resident of Hyderabad, where he has a young family with children just in their teens and also old parents.

Laxman, it is learnt, was reluctant to take up the NCA Director of Cricket offer but BCCI would once again be approaching him.

In case he again turns down the offer, they would have to look for other options. Anil Kumble is another big name but it remains to be seen whether the BCCI would approach the former India captain.

The NCA role worked well for Dravid as he is a Bengaluru resident.

In the case of Laxman, if he has to stay in Bengaluru for a minimum of 200 days a year, it is like temporarily shifting base and his remuneration also needs to be chalked out.

Sonia Gandhi asks Congress leaders to frame policies to percolate down party’s messages to grassroot level

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Afternoon Voice

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October 26, 2021

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday stated that the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) releases important and detailed statements every day over the issues in the country but it fails to percolate down to the party’s grassroots cadres at the block and district level and she asked party leaders to frame policies over the matter.

Addressing the General Secretaries, In-Charges and PCC President of the party, during a meeting at the party headquarter here, Sonia Gandhi said, “The AICC releases important and detailed statements almost every day on issues that the nation is facing. But it is my experience that they do not percolate down to our grassroots cadres at the block and district level. There are policy issues on which I find a lack of clarity and cohesion even amongst our state-level leaders.”

She also asked the party leaders to train the workers to take on the unceasing onslaught of malicious disinformation campaigns at the behest of the BJP and RSS. “You must train our workers to take on the unceasing onslaught of malicious disinformation campaigns at the behest of the BJP/RSS. And you must train our people to fight it while upholding and projecting the core Congress ideology,” the Congress interim President said.

Launching a scathing attack on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government in the Centre, the senior leader said, “The Modi Government has sought to erode our institutions so it may evade accountability.” “Our own history bears witness to the fact that if an organisation is to succeed against injustice and inequality. If it is to effectively champion the rights of the marginalised, it must become a widespread agitation down to the grassroots,” she said.

Terming the new members in the party as the “lifeblood” of any political movement, the senior Congress leader said, “Young men and women across the nation seek a movement to give voice to their aspirations. It is our duty to provide them with a platform, as we have done for generations past.” Sonia Gandhi also gave emphasis on identifying and assigning Congress leaders and office bearers for the task of enrolling members in the party in a transparent fashion. She also talked about the training programmes for the party workers.

“You must ensure the clear delineation of the responsibilities of these individuals at the state, district, block, ward and village level. This is a vital responsibility that you are entrusted with,” she said. “Training programmes for our workers are therefore an absolute necessity. I want to emphasise that you should take it on priority. The fight to defend our democracy, our Constitution and the Congress Party’s ideology begins with being fully prepared to identify and counter false propaganda,” she added.

Earlier in the day, Sonia Gandhi presided over a meeting with core party leaders to discuss the upcoming Assembly elections to Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, among other issues. The meeting was held at party headquarters.

Hardik Pandya’s shoulder injury “not serious” but team management will “wait and watch”

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Afternoon Voice

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October 26, 2021

hardik pandya, hardik, shoulder injury, t20, t20 world cup, t20 wc Flamboyant India all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s shoulder injury sustained during the T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan is believed to be a minor one and he is likely to be available for the next game against New Zealand in October 31.

Pandya, who did not bowl in the IPL last month, is playing only as a batter right now and scored 11 off 8 balls on Sunday night, looking distinctly uncomfortable against pacers before being hit on the shoulder by a short ball.

“Yes, Hardik’s scan reports have come and the injury is not very serious. Also, the fact that there is a six-day gap between two games gives him enough time to recuperate,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“But obviously, the medical team would wait and watch as to how he shapes up during the training sessions,” he added.

Pandya had recently said that he would be bowling during the knock-out stages but India’s chances hinge on the New Zealand game. Losing the match would seriously jeopardise their prospects of going ahead in the tournament.

The games against Scotland, Namibia and Afghanistan are expected to be easy wins for India, Pakistan and New Zealand.

Therefore, if India loses to New Zealand, it will hamper their chances of making it to the top two in the group.

In this scenario, Pandya’s fitness issues have seriously affected India’s balance.

In fact, there are questions being raised about the chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma assertions that Pandya will be bowling in the IPL to gear up for the World Cup.

He didn’t bowl an over and the communication on Pandya’s fitness status between the team management and selectors seems baffling at this time.

There have been conflicting reports about when he would start bowling.

Before the Pakistan game, the player said that he would perhaps bowl in the knock-outs but the statement did not look convincing.

Lakhimpur violence: Supreme Court directs UP govt to grant protection to witnesses

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Afternoon Voice

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October 26, 2021

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to grant protection to the witnesses of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case in which eight people including four farmers were killed during a farmers’ protest.

A bench headed by Chief justice N V Ramana asked the Uttar Pradesh government, represented by senior advocates Harish Salve and Garima Prasad, to record the statements of other relevant witnesses before judicial magistrates under section 164 of the CrPC.

“We direct the district judge concerned to entrust the task of recording of evidence under section 164 of the CrPC to the nearest judicial magistrates available,” said the bench which also comprised justices, Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.

The bench asked Salve to convey its concerns to forensic labs and experts on the preparation of reports on the electronic evidence of the incident.

The top court, meanwhile, asked the state government to also file its report on two complaints including the one related to the lynching of a journalist.

“The state is directed to file separate replies in the cases,” the bench said and fixed the plea for further hearing on November 8.

Observing that the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence should not be an “unending storey”, the Supreme Court on October 20 had rapped the government, saying the court was getting the impression that the state police was dragging its feet, and also ordered the protection of witnesses.

NCP leader Nawab Malik claims Sameer Wankhede illegally tapping phones

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Afternoon Voice

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October 26, 2021

Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Tuesday accused NCB official Sameer Wankhede of illegal phone tapping and announced that he will hand over a letter on the official’s ‘misdeeds’ to the agency head.

“Sameer Wankhede through two persons in Mumbai and Thane is illegally intercepting the mobile phones of some people,” said Malik, who has been targeting Wankhede after his son-in-law’s arrest. Malik also claimed that Wankhede had sought the call detail record (CDR) of his family member from the police.

Wankhede in his affidavit submitted to a Mumbai court on Monday claimed he was under a “lurking threat of arrest as it does not suit some vested interests for conducting an honest and impartial investigation”.

The official had also claimed that he was being personally targeted by a well-known political figure (Malik), and the only reason he can fathom is that the NCB had arrested “this person’s son-in-law Sameer Khan”.

Malik said he is forwarding a letter written by ‘someone in NCB about the various illegal activities of Wankhede’ to the agency’s DG S N Pradhan.

The NCP minister said the NCB should investigate the 26 allegations in the letter claiming an ‘extortion racket’ being run within the anti-drugs agency.

“As a responsible citizen I will be forwarding this letter to DG Narcotics requesting him to include this letter in the investigation being conducted on Sameer Wankhede,” the minister tweeted.

Here are the contents of the letter received by me from an unnamed NCB official.
As a responsible citizen I will be forwarding this letter to DG Narcotics requesting him to include this letter in the investigation being conducted on Sameer Wankhede pic.twitter.com/SOClI3ntAn

— Nawab Malik نواب ملک नवाब मलिक (@nawabmalikncp) October 26, 2021

Sameer Wankhede used forged documents to get his job?

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Vaidehi Taman

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October 25, 2021

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Minister Nawab Malik has levelled fresh accusations at Sameer Wankhede, taking to Twitter Malik alleged that Wankhede, an IRS officer who serves as Zonal Director of the NCB in Mumbai, used forged documents to get his job. To back his allegation, he posted a copy of Wankhede’s birth certificate, which shows his father’s name as different from the one mentioned in his service records.

This is from where Sameer Dawood Wankhede’s forgery started; Malik wrote in Hindi. The Civil Services Examination candidate information list is maintained by the Department of Personnel and Training. It mentions that Wankhede applied for the job under the Scheduled Caste quota and was allotted the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) cadre. With the birth certificate, Malik was implying that Wankhede is originally a Muslim. Dalit Muslims are not eligible for benefits under the Scheduled Caste quota.

Wankhede subsequently issued a statement denying the allegations, adding that the publication of his personal documents on Twitter is “defamatory in nature and unnecessary invasion of family privacy”. The birth certificate tweeted mentioned Wankhede’s father’s name as Dawood Wankhede. In the officer’s service records, his father’s name is mentioned as ‘Dnyandev Wankhede’.

In his statement responding to Malik’s claims, Wankhede said his father “Dnyandev Kachruji Wankhede” retired as senior police inspector in the Maharashtra state excise department, Pune, on 30 June 2007. His father is a Hindu, and his mother Late Zaheeda was a Muslim. On Monday, photographs from Wankhede’s first marriage also went viral.

To this, Wankhede wrote he married Dr Shabana Qureshi in 2006 in a civil marriage ceremony under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Both of them divorced mutually through the civil court under the Special Marriage Act in the year 2016. In 2017, Wankhede married Marathi actor Kranti Redkar, and the couple has twin daughters.

Wankhede led the team that carried out the 2 October raid on a cruise ship off the coast of Mumbai where Aryan Khan and friends were allegedly detained for drug-related offences. Malik has since sought to allege a conspiracy, making public statements to poke holes in the NCB’s investigation.

Among other things, the minister has questioned the presence of a man identified as K.P. Gosavi at the NCB headquarters during Aryan’s arrest, despite the fact that he is not associated with the agency. Gosavi is believed to have absconded since. Malik has claimed that the entire Aryan Khan drug bust is a fake case and that Wankhede was in the Maldives amid Covid restrictions — at a time when a number of Bollywood personalities were at the archipelago — as he was running an extortion racket.

Wankhede later clarified that he visited the Maldives with proper permission from his department for a family vacation after the lockdown was lifted.

Wankhede approached Mumbai Commissioner of Police Hemant Nagrale, asking him to ensure there is no precipitate or hasty legal action carried out against him to frame him with ulterior motives.

Earlier on the same day, a witness in the case, Prabhakar Sail, claimed he was made to sign on a blank paper and alleged there was talk of a payoff worth crore, pointing to the NCB zonal director as one of the beneficiaries. The NCB released a statement in response to Sail’s claims, saying Wankhede has categorically denied the allegations.

Prabhakar Sail, the independent witness in the cruise drugs case, arrived at the Mumbai police commissioner’s office on Monday to meet senior security officials, a day after he claimed that Rs 25 crore was demanded by an NCB official and another person to let off Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in the case, an official said.

Sail visited the police commissioner’s office apparently in connection with his security concern. He reached the commissioner’s office premises at around 11.20 am and met the Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Milind Bharambhe. On Sunday, Sail told media persons that he feared a threat to his life and had claimed he could be harmed.

Sail, the ‘independent witness’, had claimed that Rs 25 crore was demanded by an official of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other persons, including absconding witness K P Gosavi, to let off Aryan Khan in the cruise drugs case.

He had said that he overheard Gosavi telling one Sam D’Souza over the phone, after Aryan Khan was brought to the NCB office following the October 3 raid, about a demand of Rs 25 crore and “to settle at Rs 18 crore as they have to give Rs eight crore to Sameer Wankhede”, the zonal director of NCB. He also claimed NCB officials had asked him to sign nine to ten blank papers.

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Extortion by NCB? Money, muscle and political Mafias ganged up against Bollywood

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Afternoon Voice

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October 25, 2021

ncb extortion 1 — Extortion by NCB? Money, muscle and political Mafias ganged up against Bollywood 9

Ananya Panday has been summoned by the Drug Enforcement Agency (NCB) for the third consecutive day, and speculation that more Bollywood celebrities may also be summoned as part of an ongoing investigation into the Aryan Khan drug case.

Last year, NCB also quizzed actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Simone Khambatta, and celebrity manager Shruti Modi in connection with the Bollywood drugs probe. Jaya Saha about her chat with actor Namrata Shirodkar, Haarsh Limbachiyaa, Bharti Singh Karishma Prakash, has also been questioned by the NCB. But there was no conclusion drawn. All these big actors and actresses were summoned, investigated and forgotten. No one knows the motive behind these probes and also what is the outcome of these investigations? They just wanted to harass these actors or extract money? How much money NCB made?

A witness of the Narcotics Control Bureau in the cruise ship case – in which Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan is arrested – has made claims of payoffs to agency officer Sameer Wankhede. Mr Wankhede has told the Mumbai police that he is being framed. In an affidavit, Prabhakar Sail, who claims to be a personal bodyguard to KP Gosavi, claimed he heard a conversation between him and one Sam D’Souza on October 3 about a ₹ 18 crore deal. KP Gosavi, the alleged private investigator who has gone missing, said they will have to give Rs. 8 crores to Sameer Wankhede, Sail said.

That evening, KP Gosavi, Sam D’Souza and Pooja Dadlani, megastar Shah Rukh Khan’s manager, had a 15-minute meeting inside a car, read the affidavit by Prabhakar Sail, who is one of the nine witnesses the NCB named in the case. Prabhakar Sail also said following KP Gosavi’s instructions, he received two bags of cash and handed them to Sam D’Souza. The bags contained ₹ 38 lakh, he said. In the affidavit, Prabhakar Sail also said he was present at the cruise ship’s boarding area and was asked to identify some of the people boardings. After the anti-drugs agency took them to its office, he was made to sign some blank papers.

NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has written to the Mumbai Police chief complaining about “precipitate legal action” to “frame” him. “It has also brought to your notice that threats of jail and dismissal have been issued against the undersigned on public media by highly respectable public functionaries,” the letter added.

KP Gosavi, allegedly a private investigator, was apparently present during the cruise ship raid and later at the NCB office with Aryan Khan. His selfie with Aryan Khan had gone viral. While the NCB claimed he is an independent witness, his presence at the two places has raised questions about the investigation.

Journalist Vipin Gaur said, “The way Sameer Wankhede has targeted celebrity after celebrity it shows, he has not done anything except Sensationalism. He is not Serious et all. His Making Money from high profile cases. Certainly not a man of character. Should have been investigated and booked by now.”

Why media is not equally vocal on all drug raids and seizures?

By

Vaidehi Taman

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October 25, 2021

Party drugs are embedded in Mumbai’s youth culture, NCB cannot handpick selective targets for their own benefits. After Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, there were constant attacks on Bollywood, at some point media got tired and dwindled a bit. But today they got a new reason to condemn Khans.

Sharukh Khan’s son Ayan Khan is detained in the drug case. He was part of some event, named Cray’Ark, which was organized by FashionTV India with Namascray onboard the Cordelia, an Indian cruise liner. It was a three-day cruise journey. The cruise was supposed to depart at 2 pm from Mumbai and return at 10 am on October 4 after sailing in the Arabian Sea. On the basis of unambiguous information, the officials of NCB, Mumbai, conducted a raid on the Cordelia cruise that was bound from Mumbai to Goa on October 2. During the operation, all suspects, as per the information, were searched and various drugs like MDMA/ecstasy, cocaine, MD (mephedrone), and charas were recovered. A total of 8 persons, including 2 females, have been apprehended and their role is being investigated in relation to the said recovery. NCB has registered crime no. Cr 94/21 in this matter. Further investigations are underway.

Meanwhile, some NCB officials clicked pictures with detained Aryan and posted them on social media, and that is how the attack on the Khan family and Bollywood took a new episode.

NCB officials have sent all eight individuals to jail and many such arrests were made, but during all this tamasha NCB was caught in a fire and there were constant attacks on their credibility. Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik have alleged that Sameer Wankhede was in the Maldives during the lockdown and was conducting an extortion racket on the Bollywood personalities present there. He has also alleged that the officer is acting at the behest of the BJP to discredit the Maharashtra government.

Though Wankhede has brushed off the allegations, saying he went to the Maldives with his children, “with proper permission, legally and with my own money”. If you followed the press coverage in the days following the police raid, you could conclude that the event was a pure extraction of all the evil of Bollywood and their children that could possibly live on drugs and they should be banned permanently.

Viewers were free to imagine their favourite Bollywood evil involving cocaine, MDMA, and parties. There is half-truth and half-baked stories. Uncontrolled coverage based on assumptions and imaginations. In subsequent days, “police sources” made all sorts of insinuations — mainly about the star kid — while speaking to the press.

The NCB had launched a probe into the alleged drug use in Bollywood after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June on the basis of WhatsApp chats involving drugs. The central agency had earlier arrested Rajput’s friend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, some employees of the late Bollywood actor, and a few others under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Rhea Chakraborty and some other accused are currently out on bail. But social media attacks have not stopped here.

We must know, Drugs are not new to the city. If one has to really control this maniac then there is no point in being selective. Lack of parental control, easy availability of drugs, the new culture of being cool and chilling out — whatever that might cause, throwaway income and cut-throat competition at the work, unstable relations, life challenges, divided families, and over individuality have contributed to “dope parties”, held mostly on the city’s outskirts at temporarily isolated venues, open fields, seashores or vacant buildings or boats. The raid on a rave party is not new; there are hundreds of raids and again hundreds of such events too. The Rave party culture of Mumbai is in the heart of Mumbai’s young minds. Each one of them is in search of solace. Such “rave bashes” are gaining popularity, particularly among teenagers and young adults who are hard on drugs. The peddlers are hand in gloves with cops; the tippers are also the peddlers, one against another. These Youngers undergo a lot of humiliation, rejection, and dishonour.

Most youngsters who are a part of such gangs say that it’s their way to “distress”. Once you enter the rave chain, such parties are passed on through word-of-mouth or SMSes, an advertising professional who regularly attends rave.

Success of Covid vaccination drive shows India’s capability: PM Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’

By

Web Team

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October 24, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the success of India’s Covid vaccination drive shows its capability and noted that the country is moving ahead with new energy after crossing the 100 crore vaccine doses milestone.

In his monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast, Modi hailed healthcare workers for the vaccine milestone and said he knew that they would leave no stone unturned to vaccinate the people of the country.

The success of our vaccination drive shows India’s capability and the strength of the ‘sabka prayas’ (collective effort) mantra, he said.

Modi said the country is moving ahead with new energy and enthusiasm after crossing the 100 crore Covid vaccine doses milestone.

On October 21, India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination program against COVID-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore mark.

In his Mann Ki Baat radio program, Modi also said India has always worked for world peace and this is seen in the country’s contribution to the UN Peacekeeping forces. India is also working to make Yoga and traditional methods of wellness more popular, he said.

The prime minister also praised the rise in the number of women police personnel and noted that it has jumped to over 2.15 lakh from 1.05 lakh in 2014. Referring to the ‘vocal for local’ campaign, the prime minister urged people to buy local products in the festival season.