India

Kanpur (UP), Sep 8 (IANS) Perfumer Piyush Jain was released on Thursday from Kanpur jail after spending 254 days behind the bars. A sum of Rs 196 crore and 23 kg gold were found in the walls of the house during a raid in December last year.

Although Jain had been granted bail two days ago, but his release was delayed due to verification of documents.

His wife Kanta Jain and son Priyansh Jain submitted bonds of Rs 10 lakhs each after which he was released.

The team of Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) Ahmedabad had raided the residence of perfume trader Piyush Jain in Kanpur and his firm in Kannauj on 23 December 2021.

In the raids that lasted for four days, more than Rs 196 crore was recovered from both the places. Also 23 kg of foreign stamped gold and 600 litres of sandalwood oil were recovered.

Two cases were registered against Piyush and he was sent to jail on December 27.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) Over 37.70 lakh man-days of employment have been generated so far in the Centre's flagship Central Vista projects.

Nearly 5,898 workers are working on-site and 1,491 workers are working off-site in the ambitious projects which comprise construction of the new Parliament building, Central Vista Avenue, Defence offices complexes and GPOA II (General Pool Office Accommodation) at KG Marg.

As per government information, construction of the Central Vista Projects has given employment to 3,235 skilled manpower and 4,138 semi skilled manpower.

The data said that so far 41,114 MT steel and over 1.01 lakh MT cement, 18235 and cubic meter fly ash have been used in the construction of the project.

The objective of the Central Vista Development/Redevelopment Master Plan is to improve the productivity and efficiency of administration by providing it with highly functional and purpose-designed office infrastructure. Some of the emergent governance benefits shall include combining all 51 Central Government Ministries in 10 Common Central Secretariat buildings allowing for easy movement of personnel, documents and goods, thereby increasing administrative efficiency.

The proximity and ease of inter-departmental movement, along with flexible and modular floor plans will enable the government to function in a more efficient and productive manner. Major increase in office spaces will offset the huge gap in present and future demand and existing availability. It will create modern workspaces with latest technology for better productivity and efficient utilization of human resources.

The infrastructure and facilities will be built at par with global standards. The redevelopment project will augment efforts towards sustainable development, with the construction of green buildings and clean transportation. Overall, redevelopment will trigger efficiency and synergy in the Government functioning.

The Prime Minister's Office, Residence and Vice President Residence are proposed to be built near the South Block and North Block respectively, in proximity to the Parliament and Common Central Secretariat, which would help in addressing security and logistic arrangements in a comprehensive manner, without interfering with the regular movement of traffic.

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 8 (IANS) AIADMK interim General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) has said that party cadres will not forgive deposed Coordinator, O. Panneerselvam.

He was speaking to reporters at the party headquarters in Chennai on Thursday.

He added that Panneerselvam had led the violence at the party headquarters on July 11 when the AIADMK General Council meeting was being held at Vanagram on the outskirts of Chennai.

He said that Panneerselvam was like a chameleon who changed his stance based on what is beneficial to him.

Palaniswami added that the DMK government has been slow in taking action over the violence at the party headquarters and said that the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department started investigation into the violence only on Wednesday.

He said that the majority of the MLAs and MPs are on his side and added that of the 2,663 general body members, 96 per cent have supported him. He also alleged that Panneerselvam has not been loyal to the party.

The AIADMK leader said that elections for the post of the party's General Secretary would be held soon. He slammed the DMK government and added that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated.

EPS stated that the DMK could not fulfil its poll promises, including exemption from NEET for medical aspirants, which was a major poll plank of the party during the 2021 Assembly elections.

Palaniswami reached the party headquarters for the first time since the July 11 general council meeting and the violence and was given a rousing welcome by the party cadres.

--IANS
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By Quaid Najmi
Mumbai, Sep 8 (IANS) Seven years after terrorist Yakub Abdul Razzak Memon was hanged to death in 2015, a major political controversy ignited over the reported 'make-over' of his grave at the Bada Qabrastan in south Mumbai, here on Thursday.


Following an uproar and a political free-for-all among Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a probe into the matter.

Memon, 53, a CA, was found guilty and convicted for his role in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai blasts, and hanged in Nagpur Central Jail on July 30 (2015) -- his birthdate -- after all his pleas for pardon/clemency up to the President were rejected.

The original earthen grave, where Memon was buried, recently got a face-lift with a gleaming marble grave coming up there, amid flood-lighting -- and apprehensions -- that the terrorist's final resting place would soon become a 'mazar' (mausoluem).

Acting swiftly, the Mumbai Police on Thursday yanked off the lighting arrangements in Bada Qabrastan this morning, as a grave political dogfight erupted among all the major parties for allegedly allowing the revamp there.

NCP's Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that there cannot be glorification of any terrorist and the beautification of Memon's grave should not be permitted.

Blaming its bete-noire and ex-ally Shiv Sena, BJP Spokesperson Ram Kadam asked why the ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray kept silent when Memon's grave was being converted into a shrine.

"Thackeray was the (then) CM and during his period the grave was turned into a shrine. This is their patriotism and love for Mumbai? Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the people of Mumbai," Kadam demanded.

Hitting back, Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande dismissed the BJP's allegations and said when Memon was hanged, the BJP government was in power both in the Centre and state -- here Devendra Fadnavis was the CM and also home minister.

"Why did he allow Memon's body to be handed over to his family? What prevented the BJP government in the Centre and state to formulate a policy on how to deal with the mortal remains of terror convicts or other dreaded criminals," Dr. Kayande asked.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said that during the UPA tenure, two dreaded terrorists were hanged but their bodies were secretly disposed off to prevent their graves from becoming a rallying point in future.

While Afzal Guru was executed in February 2013 in the Tihar Jail of Delhi, Pakistani extremist Ajmal Kasab was hanged in Yerawada Central Jail in Pune.

"The BJP -- which was in power then -- deliberately gave Memon's body to the family for elaborate funerals. Their intention is to create communal divide. Even when the Al-Qaeda terrorist Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces, his body was dumped in the sea," Londhe pointed out.

Several other BJP leaders like Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ashish Shelar and Kirit Somaiya and Sena leaders like Aditya Thackeray, Ambadas Danve, Arvind Sawant and Kishori Pednekar indulged in the political tussle over the grave revamp.

Thackeray and Pednekar rejected outright the BJP charges saying they are 'mischievous' and intended to malign Uddhav Thackeray's image before the upcoming civic elections.

"The BMC has never given permission. Its role is over after allotting the land. The Bada Qabrastan belongs to a trust. How is the Sena or Thackeray connected with all this," an irate Pednekar demanded.

Needling the Sena further, Shelar sarcastically said the 'Penguin' Sena (a snide reference to Aditya Thackeray-led Yuva Sena) should launch a 'Save Memon Grave' campaign.

Stating that Fadnavis has ordered a probe, Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar slammed the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)'s alleged links with the mafiosi Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and how ex-NCP minister Nawab Malik landed in jail.

Despite repeated attempts by IANS, the Bada Qabrastan trustees were not available for comments on the matter.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 8 (IANS) DMK organising secretary and MP R.S. Bharathi Thursday said that 50 AIADMK legislators were in touch with his party for joining the DMK.

He was responding to the AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami's comment on Wednesday that 10 DMK MLAs, who are fed up with the policies and corporatisation of the party, were willing to join the AIADMK.

Bharati said that 30 district secretaries and two MPs of the AIADMK were also in touch with the DMK leadership.

In an apparent retort to the AIADMK leader, Bharathi asked Palaniswami to reveal the names of the DMK MLAs who were willing to join the AIADMK. He said that once Palaniswami reveals the names of the DMK MLAs who were in discussions with the AIADMK, then he would disclose the names of the AIADMK MLAs who were in touch with the DMK.

To the allegations by Palaniswami that Udayanidhi Stalin, the son of M.K. Stalin, was calling the shots in the DMK, Bharathi said that Udayanidhi was only doing the role of an MLA. He rebuked Palaniswami and asked him as to how late Jayalalithaa brought Sasikala to the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Bharathi said that several AIADMK MLAs, including Palaniswami had "prostrated before Sasikala". Bharathi asked as to what authority Sasikala was calling shots as a de facto Chief Minister during the AIADMK regime.

--IANS
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Jaipur, Sep 8 (IANS) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday visited the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer along with her delegation, during a tour to Rajasthan.

Earlier, she reached Jaipur airport from Delhi at around 11 am. She was given a rousing welcome by Rajasthan Education Minister B.D. Kalla and Chief Secretary Usha Sharma. The traditional artists of Rajasthan welcomed her with a folk dance, during which she could not stop herself and danced with the artists at the airport itself.

During the visit of Sheikh Hasina, the Dargah was completely evacuated for security. The lanes leading from the road were also closed and traffic was diverted during passing of her cavalcade. More than 30 ministers and relatives of her cabinet accompanied the Bangladesh Prime Minister.

Mobiles of Khadim and others were kept outside during Ziyarat. Sheikh Hasina wrote her message in Bangladeshi language in the visitor's book of the Dargah Committee.

Sheikh Hasina's convoy reached the circuit house in Ajmer after spending an hour in the dargah. Hasina and her delegation rested here and left for Jaipur.

--IANS
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Shimla, Sep 8 (IANS) Less than four months after addressing a huge gathering at the historic Ridge in Shimla, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be coming to Himachal Pradesh again on September 24 to sound a poll bugle.

This time he is coming to Mandi, the home district of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, to launch the BJP's campaign for elections slated by the end of this year for the 68-member assembly.

The Prime Minister will be addressing 'Maha Garjana Rally' of around one lakh youth, all below 40 years of age, at Paddal ground in Mandi, state party chief Suresh Kumar Kashyap told the media here on Thursday.

After Mandi, Modi will be addressing public meetings in Bilaspur and Chamba town at later dates. BJP leaders Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda will also visit the state separately.

For Modi's September 24 rally, the youth belonging to 7,881 booths spread over 68 assembly constituencies would be invited to participate.

"All the participants below the age of 40 will be given admit cards for the Modi's rally. No other party worker will be allowed to attend the rally physically," said the BJP chief.

Kashyap said the entire BJP cadre has started preparations for the Modi's rally. "Every BJP worker will work diligently to make the rally a success."

Union minister Smriti Irani will address a public meeting in Sundernagar on September 17, while Union law minister Kiren Rijiju will address an advocates' programme in Shimla.

Kashyap said Prime Minister Modi shared a special bond with Himachal and he has always given priority to the development for the state.

"Prime Minister Modi's attachment to Himachal can be gauged from the fact that Modi-ji has visited Himachal as PM most of the times."

Preparations are underway with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur along with other BJP leaders making all-out efforts to make the visit a memorable event just ahead of announcement of the assembly elections.

Previously, Modi visited Mandi, also known as 'Chhoti Kashi', on December 27, 2021, and inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of hydropower projects worth Rs 11,000 crore. The event marked the completion of the four years of the BJP government.

On May 31, Modi reached Himachal Pradesh capital to address beneficiaries of the Central government's schemes to mark the eighth anniversary of his government from the historic Ridge -- once the promenade for the British colonial rulers when this town was their summer capital. Later, he addressed a public meeting.

Despite the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) striving hard to make inroads ahead of the polls, the political scenario in Himachal Pradesh seems so far largely bipolar -- a tug-of-war between the two conventional archrivals -- the Congress and the saffron party.

Himachal Pradesh was traditionally dominated by the Congress and saw its first non-Congress chief minister, Shanta Kumar, in 1977, when the Janata Party came to power.

The Congress appointed its three-time MP Pratibha Singh, the widow of six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh, as the state unit president in April.

Unlike her husband who had a direct connect even at the grassroots, Pratibha Singh has spearheaded the poll campaign in a bid to oust the incumbent Jai Ram Thakur-led government.

The Congress is banking on its promise to bring back the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) that will benefit 2,25,000 employees, a crucial vote bank.

The Congress is banking mainly on an anti-incumbency wave against the ruling dispensation. It won three Assembly and one parliamentary seat in the October 2021 by-polls.

Chief Minister Thakur believes good governance with zero corruption, which is essential for economic growth, and no witch hunting are the mantras for his success. Unprecedented development will remain the party's main poll plank for this year's Assembly polls.

The BJP had won a majority in the 2017 Assembly polls with 44 seats in the 68-member Assembly.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Sep 8 (IANS) Seven years after terrorist Yakub Abdul Razzak Memon was hanged to death on his birthday, a political row has suddenly erupted over the purported 'beautification' of his grave at the Bada Qabrastan in south Mumbai, here on Thursday.

Following an uproar, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe into the matter, said Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar this afternoon.

Memon, 53, a CA, was found guilty and convicted for his role in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai blasts, and hanged in Nagpur Central Jail on July 30, 2015, after all his pleas for pardon/clemency up to the President were rejected.

The original earthen grave, where Memon was buried, recently got a face-lift with a gleaming marble grave coming up there, amid lighting and apprehensions that the terrorist's final resting place would soon become a 'mazar' (mausoluem).

Earlier in the day, the Mumbai Police yanked off the lighting arrangements in Bada Qabrastan, as a grave political dogfight erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena for allegedly allowing the revamp there.

Blaming its bete-noire and ex-ally, BJP Spokesperson Ram Kadam questioned why the ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray kept silent when Memon's grave was being converted into a shrine.

"Thackeray was the (then) CM and during his period the grave was turned into a shrine... This is their patriotism and love for Mumbai? Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the people of Mumbai," Kadam demanded.

Hitting back Sena Spokesperson Dr. Manisha Kayande dismissed the BJP's allegations and said when Memon was hanged, the BJP government was in power both in the Centre and state - here Devendra Fadnavis was the CM and also home minister.

"Why did he allow Memon's body to be handed over to his family... What prevented the BJP government in the Centre and State to formulate a policy on how to deal with the mortal remains of terror convicts or other dreaded criminals," Dr. Kayande asked.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said that during the UPA tenure, two dreaded terrorists were hanged but their bodies were secretly disposed off to prevent their graves from becoming a rallying point in future.

While Afzal Guru was executed in February 2013 in the Tihar Jail of New Delhi, Pakistani extremist Ajmal Kasab was hanged in Yerawada Central Jail in Pune.

"The BJP which was in power then, had deliberately given Memon's body to the family for elaborate funeral... Their intention is to create communal divide... Even when the Al-Qaeda terrorist Osama Bin Laden was killed, his body was dumped in the sea...," Londhe pointed out.

Several other BJP leaders like Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ashish Shelar and Kirit Somaiya and Sena leaders like Aditya Thackeray, Ambadas Danve and Kishori Pednekar indulged in the political slugfest over the grave makeover.

Despite repeated attempts by IANS, the trustees of the Bada Qabrastan were not available for comments on the matter.

Incidentally, besides Memon, the graveyard is also the final resting place of Bollywood legends Suraiya, Mehboob Khan, Nargis Dutt, Ismail Merchant, Shyama, ex-smuggler-turned-politician Haji Mastan and others.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now decided to approach the CBI regarding the sting operation video related to the liquor scam which took place in the national capital. Delhi BJP MLAs have written a letter to the CBI, taking cognizance of this sting video, demanding an investigation into the matter.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that in this alleged video the money in cash is being discussed in relation to the liquor scam, the percentage of the commission has also been talked about, but despite enough evidence the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is not ready to accept this truth.

Indirectly taking a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Trivedi added that the tainted character of a politician who claims to be absolutely honest ('kattar imaandar') has also become clear before the people.

Therefore, all Delhi BJP MLAs have decided to take cognizance of this sting operation video by writing a letter to the CBI and demand appropriate legal and investigative action into the matter.

Recently, a sting video of Kulwinder Marwah, father of Sunny Marwah, an accused in the liquor scam, came to light in which he made several revelations about the liquor scam.

Talking to the media jointly with Delhi BJP MLAs at the party headquarters in New Delhi, the BJP national spokesperson said that the party with 90 per cent of the members in the Assembly presses for a confidence motion without consulting the opposition parties. This proves that the Kejriwal government has lost the trust of the people.

He added that even after the unwanted propaganda spread in the name of the trust vote in the Delhi Assembly, the crisis of trust is deepening in Delhi. He also demanded an apology from Kejriwal, saying there was a difference between his words and actions.

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri accused the Delhi government of hiding the truth and lying before the people of Delhi and said that the sale of liquor in Delhi has increased, but the income of the government has been reduced by half.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) Google has announced to run a pilot test for the local developers to distribute their daily fantasy sports (DFS) and rummy games apps on Play Store in India, as e-sports become big in the country.

Starting September 28, Play Store will begin a limited-time pilot allowing for the distribution of DFS and Rummy apps to users in India by developers incorporated in India.

The Pilot programme will run from September 28, 2022 until September 28, 2023.

"We are constantly exploring ways for local developers to build successful businesses and offer delightful experiences on Google Play. Through this pilot programme, we are taking a measured approach that will help us collate learnings and retain an enjoyable and safe experience for our users," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

Applicants that successfully complete the application process and are accepted to participate in the Pilot programme will be eligible to distribute their apps on Google Play for the duration of the Pilot programme to users in India.

Google said that if you are a DFS and/or Rummy app operator in India with a DFS and/or Rummy app targeting users and are interested in participating in this Pilot programme, "please have an authorised individual complete and submit the application form".

"The Google Play team will use this information to assess participants," said the company.

Google Play developer account noted on the application form must be in compliance with all Play policies to remain eligible to participate in the pilot, it added.

Daily Fantasy Sports or DFS are games in which contestants use their knowledge of athletic events and athletes to select or manage rosters of simulated athletes whose performance directly corresponds with the actual performance of human athletes on sports teams or in sports events.

India has seen a spurt in e-sports, where players like Dream11 and Mobile Premier League (MPL) are now ruling the turf.

Google said that it reserves the right to remove any such app from Play Store if it fails to meet the guidelines.

--IANS
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