India

Aizawl, Dec 19 (IANS) Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police in a joint operation seized foreign-origin cigarettes worth Rs 7.8 crore from Cherhlun in the state’s Lawngtlai district, officials here said on Thursday.

Assam Rifles sources said that the troops of the para-military force along with Mizoram Police acting on a secret operation seized foreign cigarettes valued at Rs 7.8 crore from Cherhlun village on Wednesday night.

A smuggler identified as Lalrin Chhana (28) was also arrested in connection with the seizure of the foreign cigarettes contained in 600 cases.

The entire seized consignment and the detainee have been handed over to the police department for further legal proceedings.

In another incident, the Assam Rifles along with the Customs Preventive Force recovered illegally smuggled areca nuts worth approx Rs 30.80 lakh in from Hmunhmeltha in Champhai district, which shares a border with Myanmar.

The areca nuts weighing 4,400 kgs have been smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar.

An Assam Rifles statement said that the ongoing smuggling of contraband items is a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram and India.

“Assam Rifles, rightly christened as the ‘Sentinels of Northeast’ have continued their efforts against illegal smuggling and has also doubled its efforts to nab the kingpins of the smuggling of contraband items in Mizoram,” it said.

Between November 20 and December 10, various drugs including heroin and methamphetamine tablets valued at around Rs 200 crore were seized in Mizoram, Tripura, and Assam.

All the drugs were seized in the three northeastern states after being smuggled from Myanmar.

Mizoram, southern Assam, and Tripura are an easy corridor for drugs ferrying after being smuggled from Myanmar.

Varied drugs, especially heroin and highly addictive methamphetamine tablets are often smuggled into the northeastern states of India from Myanmar, which shares a 1,643 km-long unfenced border with four northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km).

--IANS

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Kolkata, Dec 19 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday sought the response of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the plea filed earlier in the day, seeking a fresh probe in the ghastly rape and murder of a junior woman doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises in August.

In their petition, the victim’s parents have claimed that they are highly unsatisfied with the present course of investigation by the CBI in the matter, a single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh has directed the central agency to submit its point of view on the matter to the court.

The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for December 24 and before that, the CBI will have to submit its response and report to Justice Ghosh’s bench.

According to the parents, since the trial process in the matter has already started and the statements of the witnesses are being recorded, unless the Calcutta High Court intervenes in the matter right now, there might be possibilities of the probe going in the wrong direction.

Since the time a special court in Kolkata last week granted default bail to two individuals accused of tampering with the evidence since the CBI was unable to file a supplementary charge sheet against them within 90 days from the day of their arrest, the victim’s parents, as well as the representatives of the state’s medical fraternity, had been accusing the CBI of gross incompetence in the matter.

The CBI has come under scathing criticism because of its failure to submit the supplementary charge sheet against former and controversial Principal of R.G. Kar Sandip Ghosh and the former SHO of Tala Police Station Abhijit Mondal. Following its failure to submit the charge sheet within the stipulated period, both Ghosh and Mondal were granted default bail in the case by a special court in Kolkata last week.

While Ghosh continues to be behind bars because of the parallel probe by the CBI against him in the case of financial irregularities at R.G. Kar, Mondal is already out on bail.

Recently, the victim’s parents have also changed their counsel representing them at the Supreme Court.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, an umbrella of the body of junior doctors in the state spearheading the movement on this issue, has already threatened to resume their protests which they withdrew earlier keeping the larger public interest in mind.

--IANS

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Bhopal, Dec 19 (IANS) Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday staged a protest on the premises of the Assembly complex here against the Mohan Yadav government accusing it of irregularities in the implementation of the 'Nal Jal' scheme in the state.

On the fourth day of the Winter Session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Opposition Congress legislators arrived on the Assembly premises carrying "water taps" and staged a protest.

The scheme was introduced by the Centre under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' aimed at providing water on tap at each home.

Over a dozen Congress legislators, led by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar, assembled at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Assembly premises and shouted slogans against the BJP government led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Congress members alleged that more than 40 per cent fund of the 'Nal Jal' scheme was misused by the state government. The criteria for implementation of such a big scheme wasn't followed properly, which has resulted shortage of funds for it.

"Nal Jal yojana was introduced to provide potable water to people. However, it was failed due to financial irregularities in Madhya Pradesh. A nexus of leaders from the ruling BJP and senior officials have misused Nal Jal Yojana's fund. We are demanding an investigation in the matter," Umang Singhar said.

Last month, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh raised this issue, particularly about Madhya Pradesh, claiming that the scheme was halted in the state because of a lack of adequate funds for it. Under the mission, 1.11 crore households will get tap water connections in MP, of which, 63 per cent work has been completed.

Recently, the MP government approached the Centre to bear the cost, as the scheme is on an equal sharing basis between the Centre and the state. But following the Centre's refusal, the state will now have to manage the cost of Rs 1,500 crore.

Official sources said that at least 7.5 lakh houses in over 5,000 villages were left out in the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in MP. The issue of including the remaining households, villages, or new settlements would soon be brought up in the state cabinet.

Notably, since the winter session of the MP Assembly began on December 16, Congress members have been highlighting irregularities in various schemes. Every day Congress legislators come to the Assembly and stage a protest before entering the House.

--IANS

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Ranchi, Dec 19 (IANS) Indra Dev Paswan, a former director of Jharkhand's Mines Department and facing charges of corruption in the illegal allocation of iron ore mines to Usha Martin Litd, surrendered before a CBI court in Ranchi on Thursday.

Soon after the surrender, Paswan filed a bail petition, which the court approved on the condition of submitting two personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each and surrendering his passport.

The case pertains to the allocation of iron ore mines in Ghatkuri in West Singhbhum district, in 2005. Allegations of irregularities and corruption in the allocation process led the CBI to launch an investigation.

In September 2016, the Delhi unit of the CBI registered an FIR, accusing several people, including then Mines Secretary Arun Kumar Singh, Paswan, and Usha Martin’s promoters, under charges of criminal conspiracy, fraud, and violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The FIR accused the promoters of Usha Martin and officials of the mining department. It was said in the FIR that in the recommendation sent to the Central government for the allocation of the mine, the officials on behalf of the state government had allegedly shown favouritism in favour of Usha Martin.

The company had assured the state government that the extracted iron ore would be used in its steel plant at Hat Gamharia, providing an undertaking to that effect.

However, the CBI later alleged that the company reneged on its promise, citing the absence of explicit mention in the cabinet note.

The CBI concluded its investigation and filed a charge sheet in January 2023, which the court recently acknowledged.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier provisionally attached certain immovable properties of the company, valued at approximately Rs 190 crore pertaining to the wire rope business situated in Ranchi.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) A war of words broke out between BJP and Congress Parliamentarians over the pushing and shoving of two BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, outside the Parliament complex, who are currently admitted in city’s Ram Manohar Lohia hospital for head injuries.

LoP Rahul is in BJP’s firing line for allegedly initiating the fracas, with many party MPs calling out his ‘objectionable and threatening’ behaviour with the elderly lawmakers while the Congress has rubbished BJP’s charges as conspiracy to sully his image.

A host of BJP MPs strongly condemned the incident and slammed the Congress as well as Gandhi scion for the chaos and drama that erupted outside Parliament, over the affront to Ambedkar.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “Our MP is admitted to the ICU, with stitches on his head. What else does Congress want to do?”

BJP MP Sambit Patra termed Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour objectionable, stating, “Rahul Gandhi pushed an elderly MP from Odisha, causing him to fall and sustain injuries. He is currently admitted to the ICU in RML Hospital. This incident is deeply distressing.”

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey called the event “indecent and shameful,” saying, “Congress forced its way in when BJP was protesting. Who gave them permission to do so? The way an elderly leader was hit is shameful.”

BJP MP Ramesh Awasthi said, “Rahul Gandhi and his colleagues, in a reckless manner, started pushing and shoving. I was also pushed but managed to balance myself. Pratap Sarangi, however, fell and suffered a head injury.”

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi too found fault with the LoP, saying, “When Rahul Gandhi arrived, people were giving way for him. Despite this, he pushed his way through. This reflects his frustration over political losses. Legal actions are open and will be considered.”

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit dismissed the claim and told IANS, "I have seen the video, and it clearly shows that Rahul Gandhi was trying to enter but was deliberately stopped. If you watch the footage closely, it becomes evident what the intent was behind the obstruction. The claims being made are completely false and appear to be part of a larger conspiracy."

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has denied charges of pushing Pratap Sarangi or any BJP MP resulting in his fall.

"It might be recorded in the cameras. BJP MPs were stopping us from entering Parliament. They blocked and threatened us. This is our right to protest," he said.

--IANS

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Chennai, Dec 19 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin will extend the Pudhumai Penn scheme to benefit female students of government-aided schools on December 30.

The inauguration will take place in Thoothukudi.

Initially, introduced for female college students who completed Classes VI to XII in government schools (in Tamil medium), the Pudhumai Penn scheme aimed to increase enrolment in higher education.

Responding to public demand, the DMK government decided to extend the scheme to government-aided schools, as announced in the state budget in March 2024.

Under this extended initiative, eligible students will receive a monthly scholarship of Rs 1,000. The school education department estimates that 49,600 girls enrolled in government-aided schools will benefit from this expansion.

A preliminary assessment conducted by the State Planning Commission (SPC) revealed that 13,681 additional students enrolled in colleges and diploma courses in 2022 and 2023 due to the scheme.

This represents a 6.9 per cent increase in enrollment. Among the beneficiaries, 38.6 per cent were from Scheduled Castes (SC), 34.4 per cent from Most Backward Classes (MBC), and 24.8 per cent from Backward Classes (BC).

Salem recorded the highest increase in college enrolment (8.9 per cent), followed by Chennai (5.8 per cent), Dharmapuri (5.5 per cent), Tiruvannamalai (5.2 per cent), Namakkal (4.8 per cent), and Cuddalore (4.1 per cent).

The Pudhumai Penn scheme, also known as the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme, was launched on September 5, 2022.

Its primary goal is to encourage girls from government schools to pursue higher education. Details of the Scheme Under the scheme, a financial aid of Rs 1,000 per month is directly deposited into the bank accounts of eligible girls who studied in government schools from Classes VI to XII.

The aid continues until the students complete their undergraduate, diploma, ITI, or other recognised courses.

By the end of 2023, the scheme had benefited 2,30,820 students. Salem district accounted for the highest number of beneficiaries, with 17,032 students (7.38 per cent), followed by Namakkal (13,312 or 5.77 per cent), Dharmapuri (11,915 or 5.16 per cent), Chennai (11,468 or 4.97 per cent), Tiruvannamalai (11,146 or 4.83 per cent), and Coimbatore (10,777 or 4.67 per cent).

Beneficiaries from rural areas, particularly in districts like Erode, Tiruvallur, Tenkasi, Villupuram, and Sivaganga, reaped more benefits than urban students.

Around 7,110 beneficiaries are enrolled in institutions ranked under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

Nearly 150 students surveyed were from households with a single parent or no parents. Utilisation of Aid Most students use financial aid to cover college and transport expenses, with many opting for paid courses to acquire in-demand skills.

The SPC noted that the scheme could contribute to increasing the average age of marriage in districts with higher teenage pregnancy rates.

The extension of the Pudhumai Penn scheme is expected to further enhance opportunities for female students and promote gender equity in education across Tamil Nadu.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) Amidst the ugly scuffle followed by heated exchanges outside the Parliament complex, a BJP woman Parliamentarian has made startling and explosive charges against the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.

Phangnon Konyak, the woman Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland, filed a complaint with the Rajya Sabha Chairman on Thursday, claiming that her dignity and self-esteem have been deeply hurt because of the 'behaviour and conduct' of Rahul Gandhi.

She claimed that the Congress MP along with party members misbehaved with her and also made her 'uncomfortable' while she was protesting against the insult meted out to Babasaheb Ambedkar by the grand old party.

“He misbehaved with me in a loud voice and his physical proximity to me was so close that I, being a lady member, felt extremely uncomfortable,” she said.

“I stepped aside with a heavy heart and felt that no Member of Parliament should behave this way,” she added.

Konyak, also the state President of BJP Mahila Morcha in Nagaland, said that the incident happened while she was protesting against Congress’ ‘ill-treatment’ of BR Ambedkar at Makar Dwaar, the main entrance of Parliament building.

“The Security Personnel had cordoned off the area and created a passage to the entrance for Hon'ble MP's of other parties. Suddenly, Leader of Opposition, Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji along with other Party Members came in front of me despite there being a passage created for them,” she wrote in her complaint.

Earlier, the penultimate day of the Winter Session was marred by a huge controversy as a scuffle broke out between BJP and INDIA bloc MPs over insult and affront to the legacy of the country's greatest Dalit icon. Two BJP MPs said that they suffered injuries after Rahul pushed a fellow lawmaker. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also claimed assault by the BJP Parliamentarians, saying that his "knees were hurt".

Rahul Gandhi has rejected all the allegations and counter-charged that it was he who got shoved by the ruling party MPs.

--IANS

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Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 19 (IANS) The legislators of the ruling Congress party staged a protest by holding pictures of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the Legislative Assembly in Belagavi on Thursday, condemning the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding Babasaheb in the Lok Sabha.

The ruling party members led by the Magadi MLA H.C. Balakrishna interrupted the House while Minister for Health Dinesh Gundu Rao was giving an answer to the House over the supply of sub-standard and spurious drugs and medicines.

The House was also scheduled to discuss the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case today.

Balakrishna demanded that a resolution needs to be passed in the House over alleged remarks against Dr Ambedkar.

The Congress MLAs took out posters of Ambedkar and started raising slogans of "Ambedkar zindabad". They claimed that Amit Shah had insulted Dr Ambedkar in his remarks in the Lok Sabha.

Opposing the move by the Congress MLAs, the BJP and JD(S) MLAs slammed them and claimed that they were twisting the remarks by Amit Shah.

When the House turned chaotic, Speaker U.T. Khader adjourned it.

The Congress MLAs in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah continued "Ambedkar Zindabad" slogans in the House. Later, they placed posters on their respective desks and went out.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar stated near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Thursday that, "Who else can advocate for Ambedkar and the Constitution if not for us? Ambedkar gave us the Constitution, and it is our duty to honour him. We all believe in Basavanna's principle of 'Kayakave Kailasa (work is worship)."

"We need to have further discussions on the insult made towards the Constitution and Ambedkar," Shivakumar stressed.

Countering the poster war by the ruling Congress party, the BJP also brought posters bearing the slogan 'Congress insulted Ambedkar' into the House and placed them on their desks.

--IANS

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Sambhal, Dec 19 (IANS) An FIR has been registered against Mamluk Ur Rahman Barq, father of Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq, at Nakhasa police station in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly threatening officials of the UP Power Department during an inspection.

The case was filed by Santosh Tripathi, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of the electricity department, under sections 352, 351(2), and 132 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Earlier, the SP's Sambhal MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq was booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday for alleged theft of electricity at his residence in the Deepa Sarai neighbourhood here.

Addressing the media, Krisha Kumar, SP of Sambhal said, "The incident occurred early in the morning at around 7:30 a.m. SDO Santosh Kumar Tripathi and his team were conducting an electricity equipment check in the Deepa Sarai area. During the inspection, they visited the residence of Zia Ur Rehman Barq, where he reportedly confronted Tripathi, using abusive language and interfering with official duties."

He said, Barq allegedly threatened the officials, saying, "If the government changes, we will destroy you," and made several other inappropriate remarks. The electricity department captured the incident on video.

After the inspection, the team completed their work and filed a written complaint at the local police station.

Earlier in the day, the UP Power Department, accompanied by heavy security, raided the residence of SP MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq in Sambhal on suspicions of electricity metre tampering. During the raid, irregularities were discovered in two electricity meters at the MP’s residence, and it was revealed that the electricity bill for the past year had recorded zero consumption, despite the presence of air conditioners, ceiling fans, and other electrical appliances.

Santosh Kumar Tripathi, a power department official, confirmed the findings but refrained from making further comments until a full investigation was completed.

Meanwhile, Barq’s legal representative, Advocate Kasim Jamal, explained that the household was equipped with air conditioners, ceiling fans, lights, and a refrigerator. Jamal said that they pay the minimum charges based on the department’s assessment and that the house is also equipped with solar panels.

He added that the MP’s family comprises only four members, as his sisters no longer reside there.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a contempt petition filed against Uttar Pradesh authorities for allowing the 'Dharam Sansad' being organised at Ghaziabad from December 17-21 by controversial Hindu seer Yati Narasinghanand, who has faced allegations of making communal statements against Muslims.

"We are not entertaining any contempt petition, you approach the concerned authorities," a bench headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna told advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing on behalf of activist Aruna Roy and others.

The bench flagged that the apex court will be flooded with similar petitions if it entertains the present plea as it asked Bhushan to approach the jurisdictional high court.

However, the bench, also comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar, told Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, to keep track of the event in question and ensure that no hate speeches are given.

"Mr Nataraj, please tell authorities to keep track and video recording has to be kept. Just because we are not entertaining this petition does not mean there could be a violation (of the law laid down by the apex court)," it said.

The Supreme Court reiterated its earlier order to maintain law and order and told all officials to ensure compliance with the law.

The petitioner pointed out that the Ghaziabad administration and UP authorities failed to take action as per SC directions by taking suo motu action against hate speeches.

In April last year, the top court had stressed that the Constitution envisages India as a secular nation, while directing all states and Union Territories to take strict action on hate speech cases, and registering criminal cases, irrespective of religion, against culprits without waiting for a complaint to be filed.

Several petitions were filed before the apex court after hate speeches were made between December 17-19, 2021, in two events organised in Haridwar, by Yati Narsinghanand, and in Delhi, by an organisation named 'Hindu Yuva Vahini' with the apparent objective of declaring war against a significant section of the Indian citizenry.

--IANS

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