India

By Ajay Kumar
Patna, Sep 11 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's recent three-day visit to Delhi to unite the opposition parties to contest against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections seems to have had a deep impact on the saffron brigade.


Now, the question is whether Nitish Kumar is dreaming of being the main challenger to Narendra Modi in the next general elections.

Political experts believe that Nitish Kumar has one of the sharpest brains among the political leaders in the country. He is completely aware of his strengths and weaknesses and hence he is not pitching himself as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the opposition parties.

"The BJP's Bihar unit is dragging his name in the race for opposition PM candidate with the aim of creating differences among other opposition leaders. Nitish Kumar is backed by his fellow political commanders such as JD-U national president Lalan Singh, state ministers Ashok Chaudhary, Vijay Chaudhary, among others, who always say that he has all the abilities to be the next Prime Minister, but he is not in the race," said Rajnish Singh, a Bihar-based political expert.

While interacting with mediapersons in Delhi, Nitish Kumar had denied that he is in the race to be the next Prime Minister.

"Our idea is to unite the opposition against the BJP. The opposition parties have enough strength to challenge the BJP and defeat it. I am not in the race to be the prime ministerial candidate of the opposition parties in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," he had said.

The opposition parties know how the BJP is attempting to corner them, and that may be the reason why they are showing a positive intent towards Nitish Kumar's initiative to unite the forces opposing the saffron camp. This may have something to do with BJP national President J.P. Nadda claiming in Patna recently to achieve the target of an opposition-free government.

The BJP in the recent past had successfully toppled governments in the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to assume power. But in Bihar, it was Nitish Kumar who severed ties with the BJP and forged an alliance with the RJD, Congress and Left parties to form a Mahagathbandhan government, much to the dismay of the saffron camp.

After severing ties with the BJP, JD-U's Lalan Singh had said that the BJP has 16 Lok Sabha MPs in Bihar, 17 MPs in West Bengal and 11 MPs in Jharkhand.

If Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav manage to reduce the BJP to zero in Bihar, and the same is achieved by Mamata Benerjee in West Bengal and Hemant Soren in Jharkhand, the BJP would automatically come down below the majority mark of 272 in the Lok Sabha, which is possible, Lalan Singh had said.

He had also suggested that the opposition leaders should adopt the poll strategy of the BJP to defeat the BJP.

The actual idea is to take poll benefits in crunch situations. The BJP has an advantage of double engine government on this count in states where it is in power.

Opposition leaders like Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, Hemant Soren, K. Chandrashekher Rao, Ashok Gahlot, Raman Singh, Naveen Patnaik and M.K. Stalin should look at cashing in on the anti-incumbency factor against eight years of BJP rule at the Centre.

If these leaders manage to conduct free and fair elections in their respective states, the BJP may be up against a tough competition.

Following Nitish Kumar's three-day visit to Delhi, the BJP top brass reportedly gave a message to its Bihar unit to attack Nitish Kumar, sources said.

Hence, statements were issued by Sushil Kumar Modi, Giriraj Singh, Sanjay Jaiswal, Vijay Kumar Sinha, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Tarkishore Prasad, among others, against Nitish Kumar.

Sushil Modi said, "Nitish Kumar had humiliated George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav and R.C.P. Singh in the past. He will do the same with Lalan Singh and Upendra Kushwaha. However, Lalan Singh and Kushwaha said sorry to Nitish Kumar and remained in JD-U while the others were removed."

Reacting to Sushil Modi, Lalan Singh said: "No one gets humiliation better than what you are undergoing. Despite all your efforts and statements against Nitish Kumar and JD-U, your party has not given any post to you. Still, our good wishes are with you."

--IANS
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By Vishal Gulati
Shimla, Sep 11 (IANS) The saffron brigade soldiers are depending upon their General to win the electoral battle for them in Himachal Pradesh.


Facing strong winds of anti-incumbency, the BJP leadership in the state led by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur seems banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "charisma", instead of flashing its own achievement card.

The party is holding a mass public meeting of Modi on September 24, the first of the three rallies planned ahead of the poll announcement, in Mandi town, the home turf of the Chief Minister, with an expected gathering of over one lakh youths.

Normally in every public meeting, Thakur, who is currently on an inauguration spree by travelling to every nook and corner of the state, is missing no opportunity to remind the public about PM Modi's special bond and love for the people of the state where he spent a few years as the in-charge of the state's affairs in the late 90s.

Getting nostalgic by speaking often in the local dialect, even Prime Minister Modi in his public addresses became vocal about his emotional bond and connection with the state that he says has had a very positive impact in shaping and giving direction to his life.

"The Prime Minister has always bestowed his blessings on Himachal by offering so many developmental projects in the past five years. It is his charisma and the local connection with the masses which the state BJP is going to rely on to retain power," senior Cabinet minister Suresh Bhardwaj told IANS on Saturday, adding, "What is wrong in seeking votes on the name of the 'pradhan sevak' who devoted his life to the welfare of the people and good governance."

Modi last visited the state on May 31 to address beneficiaries of the Central government's schemes to mark the eighth anniversary of his government from the historic Ridge -- once the promenade of the British colonial rulers when Shimla was their summer capital.

He will be coming to the hill state again on September 24. This time he is coming to Mandi, the district with 10 assembly segments, the state's second highest, to launch the BJP's campaign for elections slated for the end of this year for the 68-member BJP-ruled assembly.

Earlier, he addressed a rally in Mandi on December 27, 2021, to mark the fourth anniversary of the state government.

According to Bhardwaj, the legislator from Shimla, in the last five years there is a double-engine government in the state and at the Centre and the speed of development and the implementation of schemes has gained momentum.

"Himachal proposes projects and the Centre approves the funds. Recently, the Centre approved a bulk drug park for Himachal, a major achievement for a small state. There are several projects and schemes that Himachal has benefitted from. If I talk about urban development, Shimla and Dharamsala have benefitted from the Smart City Mission while AMRUT-I and AMRUT-II are there for other cities."

"Not only this, Modi-ji wears a Himachali cap during his foreign sojourns, which also brands the state across the globe," an optimistic Bhardwaj added.

For Chief Minister Thakur, who is quite younger to Modi, Himachal is the second home of "our Prime Minister and he is always excited to visit it".

Expressing gratitude to Modi for sanctioning a bulk drug park in Haroli tehsil of Una district, Thakur, in full page newspaper advertisements last week, said Himachal is the only northern state to get this prestigious project.

"The bulk drug park will not only accelerate the pace of industrialization in the state but will also generate employment opportunities, thereby leading to a significant boost in the prosperity of the region," said Thakur.

Apart from Himachal Pradesh, housing Asia's biggest pharmaceutical hub, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has given 'in-principle' approval to the proposals for pharma parks in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Thakur in a recent interview to IANS said it is due to the 'double-engine government' that the state has got six government medical colleges and one in the private sector, apart from the completion of the Atal Tunnel and sanctioning a PGIMER Satellite Centre in Una and AIIMS in Bilaspur.

He said the government is spending over Rs 1,300 crore annually on providing social security pension to the needy as compared to only Rs 400 crore spent by the previous state government.

"Our HIMCARE, Sahara Yojna, Ghrihini Suvidha Yojna and Shagun Yojna have been providing much needed relief to the needy and poor," he added.

Thakur said the Prime Minister has visited the state seven times. "Under his leadership, we will start electioneering with renewed energy," he said while inaugurating developmental projects in his Seraj assembly constituency in Mandi district on Friday.

Political observers told IANS the focus of Modi's September 24 rally ahead of the Assembly polls, which are slated later this year, is to keep his party's 'double engine government' on track by recapitulating the milestones the state achieved through the Centre's welfare schemes.

Aiming to make it one of the biggest rallies of the Prime Minister, state BJP chief Suresh Kashyap told IANS that over one lakh people below the age of 40 will attend the rally.

"Youths at the booth level will be mobilised to participate in the rally, while others would also join virtually," he said.

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 arch rivals -- the Congress and the BJP.

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 at the grassroots, Pratibha Singh has spearheaded the poll campaign in a bid to oust the incumbent Jai Ram Thakur-led government by saying people are highly upset with its poor performance.

She often blames the BJP for banking on the popularity of Modi to win the polls as it did nothing for the people's welfare.

The Congress is banking on its promise to bring back the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) that will benefit 225,000 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 the forthcoming polls.

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

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS
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Lucknow, Sep 11 (IANS) A woman underwent a massive and complex 48-hour surgery to cure her of brain aneurysm. Doctors at Lucknow's Apollomedics Hospital successfully performed the surgery.

Brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain.

MD and CEO, Apollomedics Super speciality Hospital, Dr. Mayank Somani said: "We saved the life of a woman who is a sketch artiste. She was not only cured of her life-threatening condition but also got her eyesight back."

The 40-year-old woman was admitted to emergency with loss of vision and altered sensory faculties.

Senior Consultant of Neurosurgery at Apollomedics Hospital, Dr. Sunil Kumar Singh said: "The patient came to the hospital with no eyesight."

The brain aneurysm exceeding a little over the size of a golf ball, had developed in the base of patient's brain and was about to burst any minute, leading to excessive bleeding in the brain, which would have been a life-threatening condition.

"The surgery involved 50 doctors and paramedics and took about 48 hours. The entire team worked tirelessly and committed themselves to saving the patient's life," said Dr. Somani.

--IANS
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By Haresh Jhala
Ahmedabad, Sep 11 (IANS) As Gujarat approaches the assembly elections, each party's social media teams are sharpening their strategies to give an edge to their party's election campaign. Social media experts believe this platform can shape the perception and mindset of voters.


When it comes to spread and reach, negative messages spread like wildfire and in minutes and hours travel to thousands and lakhs of social media users, but positive messages trickle only like drops. Their speed is very slow, but the effect is much more than negative messages, is the experience of social media experts as well as party I.T and social media cells.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is exploring this platform since 2012. The party mostly uses it to send positive messages about development work carried out by their state and central governments. The party's campaigns have achieved their goals, claimed Manan Dani, convener of BJP social media.

Dani cited the BJP's examples of social media campaign, 'Uncho Vikas, Unchu Gujarat' (High Development, Gujarat to achieve new peak) or the campaign in civic polls like 'Gujarat che Makkam, Bhajap che Adikham' (Gujarat is confident, BJP is resolute).

If any political opponent is making false claims, the BJP social media team counters with facts, this helps in building the image of the party. The media is not for immediate results.

It is all about perception management, how effectively the party message is conveyed and whether it is reaching the targeted audience or not and creating an appeal, is the basic focus of the social media team, explained Keyur Shah, chairman of the Gujarat Congress I.T. Cell.

Citing the Congress social media's successful campaign, Keyur cited, "Recently the party has launched it campaign, 'Congress nu Kam Bole chhe' (Congress party's work speaks) it was trending on Twitter, this campaign compelled the BJP to launch a counter campaign, 'BJP nu Kam Dekhay Chhe', (BJP's work is visible) and then they launched a series of colleges, universities and other works, which were trolled and questioned by social media users."

In the run up to the 2017 assembly election 'Vikas Gando Thayo chhe' (Development has gone mad) was so trending, that the BJP had to counter it with the campaign, 'Hu Vikas Chhu' (I am development).

The AAP's social media campaign is "One Chance to Kejriwal". whereas its social media team is more active in exposing the ruling party's claims.

Social media expert Jaydip Parikh said it is said in the documentary, "The Social Dilemma' the platform has the ability to manipulate the people's views, emotions, behaviour and spread disinformation." It helps a party to find it's audience and helps in reaching them, it actually is able to change the perception."

---IANS
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Lucknow, Sep 11 (IANS) The Shiv Sena in Uttar Pradesh has started preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by strengthening its party organisation.

The Sena wants to settle scores with the BJP for toppling its government in Maharashtra and it knows that the BJP draws maximum strength from Uttar Pradesh.

State Shiv Sena president Anil Singh has announced district chiefs in 30 districts, including Moradabad, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar, Farrukhabad, Noida, Bulandshahr, Kasganj, Firozabad, Amroha, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Mirzapur, Ambedkar Nagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Gonda , Kannauj, Bahraich, Basti, Chandauli, Pratapgarh, Barabanki, Fatehpur, Kaushambhi, Banda, Chitrakoot, Sonbhadra, Prayagraj, and Agra.

The state Sena chief said that he would personally visit each district and ensure a strong organisational structure that can contest elections.

He said that the Shiv Sena would also contest the urban municipal elections, scheduled to be held later this year.

Singh said that top Sena leaders would also visit Uttar Pradesh and mobilise the party workers.

--IANS
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By Narendra Puppala
Hyderabad, Sep 11 (IANS) The political spotlight is on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar ever since he walked out of the NDA camp. He has been actively reaching out to opposition forces in what is being seen as a last-ditch effort to defeat the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 elections.


Meanwhile, Telangana chief minister and TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) has been criss-crossing the country in his efforts to forge a national front ahead of the general elections. He had also visited Patna a few days ago to discuss the issue with Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav.

However, the fragility of opposition unity seemed evident the moment the media queried KCR on whether he would support Nitish Kumar as the Prime Ministerial candidate. To Nitish Kumar's obvious discomfiture, KCR responded that all the partners would discuss and decide the issue after the elections.

Thereafter, the press conference was wrapped up in a hurry. But the visuals, of a persistent KCR requesting an equally adamant Nitish Kumar to be seated while he answered the query, highlighted the obvious chinks in the opposition camp's armour.

It's quite clear that opposition unity remains a chimera. Especially, when it comes to the Prime Ministership, leaders like KCR are not expected to compromise.

Political observer Prof K. Nageshwar in Hyderabad too feels the question of KCR accepting Nitish's leadership does not arise now. "That question will arise only after 2024 who will accept whom. Depending on permutations and combinations. It all depends. Everybody wants to become the Prime Minister. It all depends on the numbers they have. There is no question of who is accepting whom at this point of time. Now everybody has to accept everybody."

KCR has built up his own political party and achieved statehood for Telangana, and rules over one of India's richer states. In comparison, Nitish is seen as a beneficiary of coalition politics. It is unlikely that KCR will allow Nitish Kumar to walk in and take the Prime Ministership, if the occasion arises.

KCR also enjoys the added advantage of being a fluent Hindi speaker, a rarity among south Indian political leaders. Ability to speak Hindi becomes vital in areas north of the Vindhyas.

One factor that may put a hurdle in the opposition unity initiatives is that while KCR is trying to forge a non-BJP, non-Congress political front, Nitish Kumar is heading a coalition government in Bihar that includes the Congress.

For now, KCR seems to be preparing for his foray into national politics. On the anvil are a national political party. He has been actively reaching out to farmers and other influential segments of society.

--IANS
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By Saiyed Moziz Imam Zaidi
New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) The 3,570-km Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra that will pass through 12 states and two union territories, could be a game changer for the Congress, which is in search of an electoral success to revive itself after being confined to two states -- Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.


The yatra, which is passing through Kerala, is getting good support and the Congress workers are enthusiastic about it. The Congress leaders say the BJP is rattled as it is attacking the yatra.

A few days back Rahul Gandhi said, "The BJP has an opinion. RSS has an opinion but, in the Congress Party, this is a journey, this is an attempt at understanding what is going on on the ground in India and an attempt at undoing some of the damage that the BJP and the RSS have done."

The Congress leaders allege that the BJP is spreading canard as it has sensed that it can't counter the Congress on the issue of inflation and unemployment.

Sonia Gandhi too is hopeful about the Congress getting back after this yatra. On the launch day, she said, "This is a landmark occasion for our great party with such a glorious legacy-the Indian National Congress. I am confident that our organisation will be rejuvenated. It is also a transformational moment in Indian politics."

The Congress is saying that it is a battle between the ideologies, which has been going on for ages. "This battle has been going on for a couple thousand years now between two different visions. So, I don't think this battle is new. There are two different visions of India. There have always been two different visions of India. One vision, which is rigid, controlling and another vision, which is plural, open minded and I think, this battle will continue. We are playing our role in this fight."

Congress has to face seven major elections ahead of the 2024 polls. This year it will be Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, then next year Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. These account for 150 Lok Sabha seats approximately.

Rahul Gandhi said they are not fighting a political party anymore, they used to fight a political party and "now, the fight is not between one political party and another political party. Now the fight is between the structure of the Indian state and the Opposition and everybody understands this. Now, this is not an easy fight. This is a difficult fight."

He said under pressure from agencies many leaders are leaving the party "but the party will fight for a certain idea of India, a certain notion of this country and there are many-many people in the Congress Party and in the opposition, who are convinced of this fact."

The Congress says that "the aim of yatra is to counter polarisation and to connect with the people, listen to the people, understand what they are facing and also communicate to them a few things, communicate the fact that India has changed. The institutional framework of India has been captured and there is an attempt to place one vision on top of this country. This country which has multiple visions, one vision has been enforced."

Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the "country is divided along religious lines, that is very clear. The country is divided along state lines, that is very clear. People do not have employment; people do not have work, that is very clear."

He said, "Two or three big businesses are controlling everything; the third richest man is now in India, who is probably going to become the richest very soon, a close confidante of the leader of the country, that is not harmonious. But there is a massive price rise."

--IANS
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Lucknow, Sep 11 (IANS) The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, around midnight on Saturday, has suspended 15 officials for alleged laxity in connection with the Levana Suites hotel fire incident that claimed four lives in Lucknow on September 5.

Besides, action under applicable rules would also be taken against four retired officials.

These steps come as a high-level probe pointed towards alleged "connivance" in connection with the functioning of the Lucknow hotel where the blaze erupted.

A departmental inquiry has been ordered against the officials as well.

A government spokesman said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave directives for strict action after receiving the report of Police Commissioner S.B. Shirodkar and Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Roshan Jacob who jointly conducted a high-level inquiry into the incident.

The report that was submitted in the early hours of Saturday also found that officials did not raise a red flag on various violations in the hotel premises, people privy to the development said. The chief minister had formed the committee comprising Shirodkar and Jacob soon after the incident.

The five departments, whose officers face action include the departments of home, energy, appointment, housing and urban planning (Lucknow Development Authority) and excise.

Sushil Yadav, the then fire officer, Yogendra Prasad Yadav, fire officer (II), chief fire officer Vijay Kumar Singh, assistant director (electricity security) Vijay Kumar Rao, assistant engineer Ashish Kumar Mishra and sub divisional officer Rajesh Kumar Mishra, Mahendra Kumar Mishra PCS (then competent authority) Lucknow Development Authority have been placed under suspension.

Departmental inquiry will also be initiated against them.

Others placed under suspension include Lucknow Development Authority's then assistant engineer Rakesh Mohan (housing and urban planning department), junior engineer Jitendra Nath Dubey, junior engineer Ravindra Kumar Srivastava, junior engineer Jaivir Singh and Ram Pratap Mate, the then district excise officer Santosh Kumar Tiwari, excise inspector sector 1 Amit Kumar Srivastava and deputy excise commissioner (Lucknow) Jainendra Upadhyay.

Action under applicable rules would be taken against chief fire officer (retired) Abhay Bhan Pandey, LDA executive engineer (retired) Arun Kumar Singh, executive engineer (retired) Om Prakash Mishra and assistant engineer (retired) Ganeshi Dutt Singh.

The probe report also mentioned multiple flaws related to the entry and exit routes, ventilation as well as faulty fire-safety gadgets, people privy to the issue said.

In the joint report, deficiencies were reportedly found in fire-fighting equipment inside the hotel. Besides it came to light that though fire-fighting arrangements were inadequate, the fire department had given an NOC to the hotel.

The report stated that there was no emergency exit but no civic department objected to it. Besides, no notices were issued to the hotel highlighting these deficiencies.

Moreover, the parking lot in the basement was used for storing other things instead of parking vehicles.

The kitchen had open wiring exposing everyone to fire in case of a short-circuit.

The bar was reportedly operational without safety equipment required to douse flames. Besides, there were poor arrangements for evacuation, improper training of hotel staff and improper construction at numerous points.

A senior police officer, who examined the spot, had stated earlier that liquor bottles were found lying on the third floor, and there was a bar on the floor above it. He suspected that due to the inflammable nature of alcohol, the fire tore through liquor bottles, causing the flames to spread to the third floor.

Shirodkar said, "We finalised the report late night on Friday and signed it around 12 a.m. on Friday/Saturday midnight. Thereafter, the report was sent to the state government."

The police had earlier filed an FIR under Indian Penal Code sections 304 (causing death due to negligent act), 308 (risking people's lives by making them unconscious with their act) against four people, including the hotel's two owners Rahul and Rohit Agarwal, Rohit's father Pawan Agarwal, and the hotel's general manager Sagar Srivastava. Three of them - Rahul, Rohit Agarwal and Sagar Srivastava - were sent to 14 days' judicial custody.

The allegations mentioned in the FIR lodged on the complaint of Hazratganj police station senior sub-inspector Daya Shankar Dwivedi had stated that no fire safety measures were in place at the hotel. Besides, the hotel did not have emergency entry and exit routes.

--IAND
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New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) A 46-year-old Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Delhi Police was found dead on Saturday under mysterious circumstances at his home in Central Delhi's IP Estate.

The deceased -- identified as Yunus Khan, was posted with the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

The police said a PCR call was received at around 2.45 p.m.

"The caller said that a body of a policeman was lying at a house on Mirdard Road, opposite GB Pant Hospital... and there were children at the house. Later, a police team went to his home where his second wife Heena Khan (30) was found present along with her three minor children," a police officer said.

The police said that Heena Khan told the police team that her husband was posted with Crime Branch.

On Saturday night, her husband along with with two children were present in the house while she went to her parental home with her 6-year-old daughter.

Khan told the police that when she called her husband in the morning, no one responded to the phone calls.

On suspicion, she went to the house and knocked the door but he did not open.

The door was eventually broken with the help of neighbours.

When they went inside, two other children kids (aged 2-3 years) were sleeping with the body of the deceased in one room.

"The crime team was called at the spot. There was no injury mark on the body. The body was photographed and preserved in mortuary. The relatives were informed," the police said.

The deceased is survived by two wives -- Zarina, and Heena Khan.

He has 7 children from his first wife Zarina who lives at his ancestral village in Mewat, and 3 children from second wife Heena Khan who lived with him.

--IANS
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Kolkata/New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) After over 13 hours of counting that began on Saturday morning using eight currency-counting machines operated by SBI officials in connection with a mobile gaming app fraud case, the final seizure of cash by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stood at Rs 17.32 crore.

According to ED sources, the cash was seized from the Garden Reach residence of city-based businessman Amir Khan, who allegedly launched a mobile gaming application named E-Nuggets, which was designed for the purpose of defrauding the public.

The ED officials reached the spot at 8.30 am on Saturday. The counting started at around 10 am and went on till 11.10 pm after which the ED sleuths and bank officials, escorted by central armed forces personnel, left the residence of the Khan family. The seized cash was mainly in the denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes. The entire recovery and counting process was video recorded.

"Some amounts were in lower denominations. We had to segregate the notes in bundles as per denomination and hence it took so long to complete the counting process," an ED official said.

Meanwhile, ED sources said that Amir Khan, who is the mastermind behind developing and launching the mobile gaming application that duped people of several crores of rupees, is absconding and his three mobile phones are switched off since Saturday morning.

Besides the huge amount of cash, the ED sleuths also recovered certain documents and a diary from the room where the cash was stashed.

The ED sleuths will now closely examine the contents of the documents and the diary to track the money trail.

"While Amir Khan is absconding, his father Nasir Khan was unable to give any satisfactory answer about the source of the large amount of cash. We are also trying to find out who were the other masterminds besides Amir Khan behind this racket. We suspect the involvement of some influential people in this entire episode," an ED official said.

The ED started conducting raids on Saturday morning under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at six premises in Kolkata.

According to sources, the case was registered at the Park Street police station based on a complaint filed by Federal Bank authorities against Aamir Khan and others.

"Amir Khan had launched a mobile gaming application named E-Nuggets, which was designed for the purpose of defrauding the public. During the initial period, the users were rewarded with commission and the balance in the wallet could be withdrawn in a hassle-free manner. This provided initial confidence to the users, who started investing bigger amounts for greater percentage of commission and a greater number of purchase orders," said an ED official.

The official said that after collecting handsome amounts from the public, all of a sudden withdrawal from the said app was stopped at one pretext or the other.

Thereafter, all data, including profile information, was wiped out from the said app server.

--IANS
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