India

Chennai, Dec 26 (IANS) Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai has alleged that Gnanasekaran, a biryani vendor arrested in the Anna University rape case, is a habitual offender and serves as the deputy organiser of the DMK’s Saidai East student wing.

The BJP leader shared pictures of Gnanasekaran with top DMK leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin.

In a post on the social media platform X, Annamalai wrote:

“It has been revealed that Gnanasekaran, who was arrested in the case of a student being sexually assaulted at Anna University, has been involved in similar crimes several times before and is the deputy organiser of the DMK’s Saidai East student wing.”

He further alleged that a clear pattern has emerged from such criminal cases across Tamil Nadu.

Annamalai said, "A criminal joins the DMK and becomes close to its local executives. Cases against him are shelved, and he is released without being classified as a criminal or placed on the police watch list.”

The BJP leader added, "Due to pressure from local DMK leaders and ministers, police fail to investigate cases, enabling the offender to commit more crimes.”

The BJP leader also stated that the innocent public was suffering because of such practices.

Annamalai said, “This cruelty has now affected an innocent student because a person involved in 15 previous sexual crimes was left unchecked. The DMK government is entirely responsible for this,” Annamalai alleged.

He charged “How long will the people of Tamil Nadu tolerate this situation? Is there a law here that protects criminals if they are members of the ruling party? Chief Minister M. K. Stalin must answer the public. #ShameOnYouStalin.”

The incident in question occurred on December 23, when a 19-year-old Anna University student was sexually assaulted, and her male friend was attacked by two unidentified men on campus. The victim lodged a police complaint on December 26.

In response to Annamalai’s allegations, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S. Regupathi refuted claims linking the accused to the DMK. He clarified:

“The accused in this case is not even a primary member of the DMK. Regarding the photograph showing him with Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, it is evident that it was a random picture taken in public. Such instances cannot always be prevented.”

The minister also highlighted the swift action of the police, noting that the accused was arrested within five to six hours of the complaint. “This shows the government has nothing to hide,” he said.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu’s principal Opposition party, also criticised the ruling DMK. Party General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) accused the DMK of harbouring anti-social elements.

“DMK is a den of anti-social elements who are corrupting society and engaging in criminal activities,” EPS stated, condemning the ruling party over the incident.

--IANS

aal/kvd

Hyderabad, Dec 26 (IANS) Hours after the bodies of a woman police constable and a computer operator working in a cooperative society were recovered from a lake in Telangana's Kamareddy district, the corpse of a Sub-Inspector was fished out on Thursday.

The body of Sai Kumar, a Sub-Inspector working in Bhiknur police station, was pulled out from the lake at Adlur Ellareddy in Sadashivnagar Mandal.

The bodies of constable Shruti (33) and computer operator Nikhil (29) were recovered from the same lake on Wednesday night.

As the mobile phone, purse, and car of the SI were found near the lake, the police continued their search in the waterbody and recovered his body in the morning.

Kamareddy District Superintendent of Police Sindhu Sharma supervised the search operations near the lake.

The police were investigating if the three persons died by suicide or accidentally drowned or if there was any foul play.

The SP said the cause of death would be known once they get autopsy reports.

"It's too early to say anything. We will disclose details after completing our investigations," she said.

The Sub-Inspector (SI) was married and had two children. Shruti had taken divorce from her husband.

As the SI's mobile phone had been switched off since Wednesday, Bhiknur police launched a search for him.

According to police, Shruti, working at Bibipet Police Station, left for home Wednesday morning after attending duty. As she did not return home, her parents contacted Bibipet Police Station. When informed that she left for home long back, they approached senior police officials.

The police began efforts to trace her on the basis of her mobile phone signals. This led them to Adlur Ellareddy Lake late on Wednesday night. Her mobile phone was found on the lake bund. The police also recovered another mobile phone and it belonged to Nikhil, a computer operator working in a cooperative society.

The investigating officers also found SI Kumar's car and his footwear near the lake. An Immediate search operation was launched. The bodies of Shruti and Nikhil were recovered around midnight. The body of SI was pulled out of the lake the next morning.

Sai Kumar's family members do not believe that he committed suicide. They said the SI was mentally strong and would not have ended his life. They believe that he may have lost his life while trying to save two others.

--IANS

ms/svn

Kolkata, Dec 26 (IANS) As part of its continuing efforts to curb all kinds of crimes along the India-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force (BSF) said it has rescued a Serval, or African Wild Cat, being smuggled from India to Bangladesh in West Bengal's Nadia district on Wednesday, and handed it over to the state Forest Department for rehabilitation.

"The rescue was possible due to the alert troopers of the 56 Battalion posted at the Bhattupara Border Outpost. On Wednesday evening, a jawan on patrol spotted 3-4 persons approaching the IBB Road (on Indian territory) with a heavy load. He immediately alerted his fellow jawan over the radio set. On being challenged by the two jawans, the miscreants dropped a wooden box and fled, taking advantage of the darkness and dense papaya plantation. On checking the box, the BSF personnel found the Serval inside. They then carried the box, along with the animal, to the Bhattupara BOP for necessary action," BSF DIG, South Bengal Frontier, and spokesperson N.K. Pandey said.

Praising the efforts of the BSF personnel, he said: "The prompt and decisive action of our vigilant jawans is yet another example of BSF’s unwavering commitment to safeguard the nation’s borders and prevent trafficking of all kinds. The rescue of the Serval is not only a victory in the fight against wildlife trafficking but also a testimony to the effectiveness of our border security protocols."

The BSF, over the last few months, has rescued several exotic species of animals, including an Alpaca and Golden Pheasants, that were being smuggled across the border.

The Serval, the sole member of the genus Leptailurus, is found in sub-Saharan countries outside rainforest regions. They are 54-62 cm in length and can weigh up to 18 kg. They are solitary carnivores and can leap up to 2 metres above the ground to hunt prey, both during the day and night. They have a range of up to 32 square km.

These animals are hunted for their skins and other body parts. Their hunting is prohibited in Algeria, Botswana, Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tunisia, and South Africa’s Cape Province. Hunting restrictions also exist in several other countries.

--IANS

jayanta/vd

Pune (Maharashtra), Dec 26 (IANS) In a shocking case, the Pune Police have arrested a 54-year-old man for the alleged kidnapping, rape and murder of two minor girls in the Rajgurunagar area of the city.

The man, identified as Ajay Das, is accused of committing the heinous double crime with the two siblings aged nine and eight before he absconded, said a police official.

The dual crime occurred on Wednesday when the two girls were playing outside their home around noon, but later suddenly ‘disappeared’.

The family, which was keeping an eye on them, started a frantic search in the vicinity but failed to trace them and finally in the evening lodged a complaint with the Khed Police Station.

Responding promptly, Police Inspector Prabhakar More formed teams to launch a system effort to trace the two missing sisters but did not get any clues.

Late in the night, around 10.30 p.m., the police and the family inspected the two siblings’ room on the upper floors of their building and made the shocking discovery.

The two girls’ bodies were found at Das’ home, in a huge drum filled with water, with their heads below and their feet up, pointing at murder by forcible drowning.

As the discovery created a sensation in the vicinity, the case was handed over to a woman Investigation Officer Snehal Raje, said the officials, while the victims’ bodies were sent to the Sassoon Hospital in Pune for autopsies.

Cracking the whip, the Khed Police launched a manhunt for Das and apprehended him from his hideout in a shady lodging house early in the day (December 26) as he was packing up and preparing to flee out of Maharashtra.

This morning the grieving families along with other relatives, staged a sit-in dharna outside the police station, demanding that the culprit should be given the noose, and refused to accept the bodies of the two little girls.

As per preliminary questioning, Das is understood to have confessed to the double crime and also admitted that he had to kill them to suppress the matter secretly and also prevent them from screaming or attracting attention.

Although the accused was arrested by the police, the girls' relatives gathered at the Rajgurunagar police station, saying they would not take possession of the bodies till they got justice.

The brutal kidnap-rape-double murder has evoked strong reactions from Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Working President and MLA Rohit R. Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut and Kishore Tiwari and local Congress leaders, who slammed the ruling Mahayuti for what they termed as 'utter failure on the law-and-order front'.

--IANS

qn/dpb

Dehra Dun, Dec 26 (IANS) Justice Guhanathan Narendar was on Thursday sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court.

Governor, Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) administered the oath of office to Justice Narendar G at a ceremony held at Raj Bhawan, attended by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, puisne judges of the Uttarakhand High Court and other dignitaries.

On Monday, the Centre cleared the appointment of Chief Justices of the High Courts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

In a post on X, Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced that President Droupadi Murmu had appointed Justice Narendar G as the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court and Justice G.S. Sandhawalia as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court.

"In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Guhanathan Narendar, Judge, Andhra Pradesh High Court, to be Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

In September this year, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), recommended the appointment of Justice Narendar G. as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court consequent upon the retirement of Justice Ritu Bahri on October 10.

Justice Narendar G. was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Karnataka in January 2015.

"He was transferred to the High Court of Andhra Pradesh on 30 October 2023 and has been functioning there since then. He is the senior-most Judge in his parent High Court and belongs to the Other Backward Class," noted the SC Collegium, adding that he practised before the Karnataka High Court before elevation.

The Collegium said that Narendar G. is an experienced judge with considerable experience on the judicial and administrative sides of the High Courts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

"The Collegium is of the considered view that Mr Justice Narendar G is fit and suitable in all respects for being appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Uttarakhand," it said, adding that at present, the Karnataka High Court has no representation among the Chief Justices of the High Courts.

The Memorandum of Procedure relating to the appointment of Chief Justice of a High Court provides that "a fair representation shall be given to various High Courts for selection of Chief Justices. For purposes of such selection, inter-se seniority of puisne Judges will be reckoned on the basis of their seniority in their own High Court. The consideration for appointment of Chief Justices shall be based on the criterion of seniority subject to merit and integrity".

--IANS

pds/vd

Jammu, Dec 26 (IANS) The BJP has alleged that the Congress put up a 'distorted' map of India in Belagavi city where the party is holding a CWC meet. The Congress has now accused the BJP of spreading misinformation, rejecting the party's claims as a mere "tactic of distortion and diversion."

The banners, part of Congress’ ongoing event in Belagavi, have sparked outrage for omitting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin in the map, leading to fresh political bickering.

Speaking to IANS, Ravinder Sharma said, “Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK, is an integral part of India. The BJP is simply trying to distract attention from its failures. They should first clarify their stance on B.R. Ambedkar’s statement.”

Sharma emphasised that the ongoing controversy was an attempt to deflect from real issues.

Sharma also trains guns at the BJP’s allegations that Congress is seeking to defame India.

He pointed out that the party was soon to mark the 140th Foundation Day of the Congress, a party he said has always fought for unity and national integrity.

“Congress has always worked to unite the nation, bringing together Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians. Look at our sacrifices before and after independence. The BJP, on the other hand, has no legacy to show,” Sharma argued.

He further accused the BJP of exploiting religious and regional divisions for political gain, aiming to stay in power by creating divides within the country.

Meanwhile, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is holding a two-day event in Belagavi on December 26 and 27 to commemorate the centenary of the 1924 Indian National Congress session, which was presided over by Mahatma Gandhi. The event, which is drawing attention for its historical significance, will see the participation of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi.

--IANS

jk/skp

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Nitish government for lathi-charge on Bihar Public Service Commission candidates in Patna during their protest to demand the cancellation of the December 13 exams.

"I had said in Parliament that in the same way that Eklavya's thumb was cut off, in the same way the thumbs of the youth are cut off by leaking the papers," said the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha in a post on X.

"The latest example of this is Bihar. BPSC candidates are raising their voices against the paper leak and demanding cancellation of the exam. But to hide its failure, the NDA government is instead resorting to lathi-charge on the students," he said, attaching a video of police lathi-charge on the social media platform.

Extending support to the protesters, the Gandhi scion said, "This is extremely shameful and reprehensible. Playing with the future of students will not be tolerated. We are with them and will fight to get them justice."

The ongoing protests by BPSC candidates have escalated, leading to a contentious police response and legal action against protesters and alleged instigators.

The candidates began their dharna on December 18, demanding the cancellation of the entire BPSC examination. Their dissatisfaction grew when the BPSC cancelled the examination for only one centre and rescheduled it for January 4, 2025.

On Wednesday evening, protesters attempted to surround the BPSC office on this issue, prompting police action, including lathi-charge.

Patna Police have registered an FIR against protesters, some coaching institutes, and social media accounts allegedly involved in spreading misinformation and provoking candidates.

"Accounts such as BPSC Network, Study for Civil Services, Civil Adda, and UPSC Civil Service Examination have been flagged for allegedly misleading posts. We have registered an FIR against them and notices are being served," said Anu Kumari, SDPO of (Sachiwalay) of Patna Police.

Anu Kumari said: "On Wednesday, the protesters illegally surrounded the BPSC office on Nehru Road, a vital route in Patna where protests are prohibited. Their actions disrupted public order, and the district administration used mild force to restore normalcy. We have appealed to the public to avoid paying attention to rumours circulating on social media."

--IANS

rch/svn

Bengaluru, Dec 26 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Thursday that Congress' 1924 centenary celebrations have posters of modern Gandhis even though the event was organised in the name of Mahatma Gandhi.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said, “Today they are celebrating the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi taking over as the President in Belagavi session with all grandeur in Belagavi. In addition to it, the government has planned a one-year programme in the name of Mahatma Gandhi Ji. The centenary celebration is done in the name of Mahatma Gandhi. However, if you see the cutouts erected in Belagavi, none of them is of Mahatma Gandhi. All the cutouts erected are of modern Gandhis. I have not seen any of the cutouts of Mahatma Gandhi yet.”

“They have given big advertisements in newspapers giving pictures of huge cutouts of modern Gandhis. The governance of the state is being conducted in a bestial manner and these people are carrying out the programme of commemorating Mahatma Gandhi. I will talk about it later,” he stated.

Former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai speaking to media in Haveri said there was a significant difference between Mahatma Gandhi’s Congress and today’s Congress, labelling the current party as fake.

He alleged that the current Congress members act contrary to Gandhi’s principles.

Bommai accused the state government of lacking governance and law and order and of rampant corruption in departments and corporations, including funds meant for marginalised communities.

He questioned the appropriateness of using government funds for the Congress session, asking, "Under which law is it permissible to use public funds for political conventions?"

He further criticized Congress for organising the session in Mahatma Gandhi’s name while pursuing fake agendas.

Commenting on the incident of eggs being thrown at MLA N. Munirathna Naidu, Bommai accused the government of abusing power and adopting anti-democratic measures to suppress opposition parties. He said such incidents remind him of the Emergency period.

He questioned, "How can public representatives work fearlessly when the government stoops to such levels?"

Referring to Congress leaders’ allegations that Munirathna was staging a drama, he asked rhetorically, "Would anyone humiliate himself by orchestrating such incidents?"

When asked about Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar’s challenge to MLC C.T. Ravi regarding visiting Dharmasthala, Bommai remarked that faith in God is a personal matter.

He highlighted that while immediate action was taken on one complaint, no FIR was filed for C.T. Ravi. He added that if the High Court had not intervened, the situation could have been worse for Ravi.

Bommai criticized the government over rising milk prices, stating that a "price hike spree" is underway.

He accused the government of increasing taxes on everything, including stamp duty and excise taxes, imposing Rs 15,000 crore in new taxes.

He noted that essential goods, including milk and water, are becoming more expensive, with sand and gravel prices likely to rise soon.

"They are taxing every economic activity, and it won’t be long before they tax air," Bommai said sarcastically.

--IANS

mka/dpb

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has ordered the Border Security Force (BSF) to process the benefit of the third financial upgradation under the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) Scheme to the personnel who have completed 30 years of service.

A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur was hearing a plea by retired BSF personnel challenging the rejection of their representations for grant of the third financial upgradation under the MACP Scheme for fixing their pension.

The petitioners sought the extension of the benefit of the 3rd MACP upon the completion of 30 years of service in their cadre before them attaining the age of 60 years, and sought revision of the basic pay and their pension.

The petitioners had joined the BSF on various dates at their respective ranks in the General Duty and Radio Cadre. Initially, they were serving as Personnel Below Officers Rank (PBORs), and, with the progression of time, the petitioners were promoted to the non-gazetted officers rank (i.e. Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, and Inspectors).

In 2019, the Delhi High Court had held that having two different ages of superannuation for different ranks is discriminatory and unconstitutional, and directed for a uniform retirement age for all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel, regardless of rank, within 4 months.

It had said that for the purposes of calculation of retiral benefits, including pension and gratuity, the differential period (in the event of enhancement of the retirement age) will be added to the period of service actually rendered by each of them.

"In other words, their notional date of retirement would be arrived at by adding the differential years to their actual date of retirement. On such calculation, they would be entitled to the arrears of retirement benefits after adjusting the amount already paid," the Delhi HC had ruled.

Earlier, under the BSF Act and Rules, the age of superannuation of officers from the rank of Constable to Commandant was 57 years, and from Deputy Inspector General of Police to Director General was 60 years.

In their plea filed before the Delhi High Court, the petitioners claimed that they completed 30 years of service from the date of their entering into the entry grade, between the period of them attaining the age of 57 and 60 years, adding that if the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had implemented the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in a timely manner, they would not have been made to retire at the age of 57 years, and they would have served till the enhanced age of 60 years, when they would have completed 30 years of service.

They added that the differential period of 3 years, gained on account of the enhancement of the age of superannuation to 60 years, should be deemed to be ‘regular service’ for the purpose of computation of benefits like the MACP to personnel like the petitioners, who had not crossed the age of 60 years on the date of 2019 judgement.

It is for this reason that the court had directed the authorities to provide three equivalent annual increments of basic pay to the petitioners, as these annual increments are given only upon regular service, the petitioners further contended.

They claimed that applying the same yard-stick to the MACP Scheme, the petitioners are entitled to the benefit of financial upgradation under the MACP Scheme upon completion of 30 years of regular service and that the same would have fixed the pay of the petitioners to the next available grade pay.

The petitioners added that the said upgradation would also have enhanced the quantum of the basic pay for calculation of their pension to the next available grade pay but the said benefit of refixation was never granted.

They claimed that since the date of completion of 30 years of service for each of the petitioners falls prior to the enhanced age of superannuation, they are entitled to all such benefits which would have been granted to them had they been serving at the relevant time.

Further, the petitioners argued that as the third financial upgradation under the MACP Scheme directly affects the amount of pension and arrears payable by enhancing the quantum of basic pay, therefore, in terms of the 2019 judgement, the enhanced age of superannuation should be considered for determining the applicability of the third financial upgradation under the MACP Scheme.

In its judgment, the Delhi High Court said that once the authorities have themselves extended to the petitioners the increments that would have been earned by them had they served till the age of 60 years, by treating the petitioners to have been in service till the age of 60 years, the authorities now cannot plead that the other consequential benefits emanating from the extension of service, including the MACP, will not be granted to the petitioners.

Allowing the petition, the Delhi HC ordered to place the case of the petitioners before a Screening Committee appointed to evaluate the claim of the officials for the MACP, which would consider their case by treating them to have remained in ‘regular service’ till they attained the age of 60 years, and accordingly process their claims for the grant of the benefit of the 3rd financial upgradation in accordance with the MACP Scheme.

"The said exercise must be completed within a period of three months and in case the petitioners are found entitled to grant of the benefit of the 3rd MACP, the relief in that regard be released to the petitioners and their pension be accordingly modified with retrospective effect," it said, clarifying that the grant of the 3rd MACP will only be notional and the petitioners will not be entitled to extra pay.

--IANS

pds/vd

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) Accusing the ruling AAP and the Congress of indulging in a "friendly fight" to mislead voters, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said on Thursday that the two corrupt parties are two sides of the same coin and both are fighting for their survival in the coming Assembly election.

Sachdeva said: "Congress looted Delhi for 15 years before the AAP government spread its network of corruption over 10 years and the BJP fought both these parties which are each others' 'B-team'."

"Staring at a big defeat in the Assembly election, the two INDIA bloc partners are trying to chase a particular vote bank to win a few seats and remain relevant in Delhi politics," he said.

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Ajay Maken are old allies who even formed a coalition government in Delhi and supported each other in the recent Lok Sabha polls, he said.

Where was these two parties' rivalry when Kejriwal was carrying Congress candidates for LS elections in his vehicle and seeking votes for them? he asked.

AAP leaders like Kejriwal and Atishi who were shaking hands with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are now feigning rivalry, he said.

"The voters must keep in mind that voting for the AAP in Assembly elections means voting for the Congress and vice versa. It is only the BJP which has been fighting these two corrupt parties for the past 26 years and will continue to do so," he said.

Sachdeva's fresh allegations of an alleged tie-up between the AAP and the Congress followed a similar charge by Chief Minister Atishi about the BJP funding the election campaign of a few Congress candidates in the city.

The Delhi BJP President said, "Barbad gulistan karne ko bus ek hi ullu kafi hai (You need only one fool to destroy heaven). But in Delhi, we don't just have one incapable person but two – Kejriwal and CM Atishi."

--IANS

rch/svn