Bengal Durga Puja pass scam: Mass Art top official sent to police custody till November 13

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kolkata, Nov 5 (IANS) Dhrubojyoti Basu alias Subho, the top executive of Mass Art, the corporate entity through which fake UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja passes were allegedly sold, was on Thursday remanded to police custody till November 13 by a lower court in Kolkata.

Basu was arrested on Wednesday by the members of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata probing the case and on Thursday afternoon he was presented at the lower court in Kolkata.

Although the Public Prosecutor pleaded for a 14-day police custody for Basu, ultimately the judge of the lower court granted police custody till November 13.

Basu was the second to be arrested by the SIT in Kolkata in the matter, the first being the former West Bengal Tourism Minster Indranil Sen, a singer-turned-politician.

Basu, who had been absconding since Sen’s arrest last week, was finally held on Wednesday night. The investigating officials say that Basu’s interrogation will reveal more details about the roles of Sen and his wife in Mass Art.

Sen is currently in police custody, and he will be presented at the same lower court in Kolkata on November 10.

Meanwhile, Sen’s daughter Averi Sen appeared at the Kolkata Police headquarters on Thursday afternoon to face interrogation in the matter. She avoided the city police’s summons twice, first on Tuesday and then on Wednesday, to appear for interrogation in the same matter today.

However, sensing arrest following a warning from the city police, she appeared for interrogation on Thursday. Financial transactions involving two other entities, iScape and Mayra, which were reportedly controlled by Averi Sen, are under the scanner of the SIT in the fake Puja pass case.

Sen’s wife, Madhuchhanda Sen, in whose name Mass Art is registered, had already been questioned twice by the Investigating Officers in the matter. Madhuchhanda faced the interrogation armed with the shield of an anticipatory bail granted to her by a single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court.

The case is being investigated through parallel probes by the Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). City police sleuths originally took Sen into custody outside the ED’s Salt Lake office on the northern outskirts of Kolkata last week.

–IANS

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Gujarat Police nab ‘Madari Gang’ kingpin wanted in three cases

Ahmedabad, July 13 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Police’s Local Crime Branch (LCB) Zone-7 on Monday arrested an alleged kingpin of the notorious “Madari Gang”, a habitual offender who was wanted in three criminal cases across Gujarat and had allegedly been absconding for the past 10 months, as part of a special drive launched ahead of the Rath Yatra to apprehend fugitives and strengthen law and order.

The accused has been identified as Amarnath Padhiyar alias “Madari”, 37, a resident of Bholeshwar Society in Himatnagar, Sabarkantha district, originally from Ganeshpura village in Dahegam taluka, Gandhinagar district.

According to the officials, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner and Joint Commissioner of Police (Sector-1) had directed officers to prepare a special action plan to arrest the absconding accused and tighten security arrangements to ensure the Rath Yatra is conducted peacefully and in a harmonious atmosphere while maintaining law and order.

Acting on these instructions, Deputy Commissioner of Police Shivam Verma directed police stations under Zone-7 and the Local Crime Branch to intensify efforts using human intelligence and technical surveillance to trace wanted offenders, deter criminal activity, and enhance public safety.

During a patrol, a team led by PSI H.D. Vaghela received specific intelligence through ASI Nasrullakhan, Head Constable Mahendrasinh and Police Constable Irfanbhai. Based on the information, the team apprehended Padhiyar from the Sarkhej police station area on Sunday.

“The accused had previously been arrested in nine criminal cases registered in different districts of Gujarat and was currently wanted in three cases registered at Gandhigram and Pradhyuman Nagar police stations in Rajkot city, and Valsad Rural police station,” the official said.

The pending cases have been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 318(4), 61 and 54.

Investigators said Padhiyar has a long criminal record dating back to 2019, with cases registered in Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Navsari and Mehsana.

His alleged offences include cheating, criminal breach of trust, theft and related offences under the Indian Penal Code, as well as cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police said legal action has been initiated against the accused.

–IANS

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Jharkhand woman’s death in B’luru: Probe points to depression, no foul play yet

Bengaluru, April 29 (IANS) The suspicious death of a 34-year-old software engineer from Jharkhand, Pooja Datta, whose semi-decomposed body was found in her rented house in Adugodi here, has triggered a major police investigation, with preliminary findings suggesting that she was suffering from severe depression and had cut off contact with her family, police said on Wednesday.

The probe has revealed that Pooja Datta, who worked at a private firm, had resigned from her job a year ago. Since then, she had switched off her mobile phone.

She later changed her SIM card and began using a new number. Police said that for the past year, she had not been in touch with her family or friends. The validity of her new SIM card also expired three months ago.

Neighbours stated that they had not seen her for the past three months. During an inspection of her residence, police found notes and writings on the walls, which led investigators to believe that she was under severe depression.

At the same time, police are also probing the possible involvement of a young man who frequently visited her house.

She had pasted sticky notes all over the walls of her house. On the slips, she had written words such as “solo”, “love”, “trust”, “satisfaction”, “peace” and “ego”, among other terms.

However, investigating officers said they have not found any evidence so far to suggest that she was murdered. Police are also examining the possibility of a failed relationship or family issues as reasons for her death.

They are gathering technical evidence and analysing her call records from the past year.

Meanwhile, family members of Pooja Datta have reached Bengaluru and confirmed that she was not in touch with them after she lost her job.

They also stated that Pooja had lost her husband during the Covid pandemic and since then had not been normal. They told police that they would not take her body to her native place as her mother is unwell and would instead perform the last rites in Bengaluru.

It may be recalled that the incident came to light on Monday night.

On Tuesday, fresh revelations from the house owner surfaced, adding a new dimension to the case and hinting at the possible involvement of a young man who frequented her residence.

Police have examined CCTV footage from the surrounding area to trace the unidentified man who used to visit Pooja. Investigators are also analysing her mobile phone records and questioning friends and acquaintances as part of the probe.

In a significant development, the house owner, Janakamma, on Tuesday said that a young man frequently visited Pooja and that the two often had arguments.

“She had been staying here for three years. She was unmarried and mostly spoke in Hindi. A young man used to visit her regularly, and they would often argue, though I do not know the reason,” she said.

The house owner added that the last time she saw Pooja was a few days before the incident, when she had come downstairs to buy groceries. On the evening of April 27, neighbours noticed a strong stench coming from the house, following which the matter was reported.

Janakamma also claimed that when the door was opened, Pooja was found lying in a pool of blood, with clothes scattered around the house and the ceiling fan still running, adding to the suspicion surrounding the death.

Officials said that the exact cause of death will be determined only after the post-mortem report is received, which is expected to provide crucial clues in the case.

Pooja Datta, a native of Hirapur near Dhanbad in Jharkhand, had been living alone in a rented house in Munikrishnappa Layout under the Adugodi police station limits for the past three years.

The incident came to light after a strong foul smell began emanating from her house, prompting neighbours to alert the house owner and police.

According to police, when officers arrived at the scene and broke open the door, they found Pooja’s body in a semi-decomposed state. The condition of the body indicated that she had been dead for at least two to three days. The body was later shifted for post-mortem examination.

The circumstances surrounding the death have raised serious suspicion, with investigators yet to determine whether it is a case of murder or suicide.

Police have registered a case of suspicious death and launched a detailed probe.

–IANS

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‘Feeling blessed’: Rajnath Singh offers prayers at Subramanya Swami temple in TN

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered prayers at the Subramanya Swami Temple in Tiruchendur, Tamil Nadu, on Monday. Reflecting on his visit, Rajnath Singh stated that he felt “blessed to experience the divine energy” of the ancient temple.

Rajnath Singh took to social media ‘X’ and said, “Prayed at the sacred Sri Subramanya Swami temple in Tiruchendur (Tamil Nadu). Feeling blessed to experience the divine energy of this Temple.”

Subramanya Swami temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Murugan (Son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati).

It is located in Tiruchendur, Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan and is the only one along the seashore. The other five temples are situated on mountains. The temple faces the Bay of Bengal and is washed by the sea waves from the Gulf of Mannar.

Earlier on April 19, Rajnath Singh had reiterated the Union government’s resolve to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies despite a bill over the quota getting defeated in Lok Sabha a few days ago.

Addressing an election rally in Tamil Nadu, the Defence Minister said the 33 per cent women’s reservation bill was not allowed to be passed in Parliament by the DMK, Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Communist parties.

“I want to assure you, on behalf of the government and on the basis of the pledge taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that we will provide the women’s quota at the very first opportunity we get in Parliament,” Rajnath Singh said in Vasudevanallur Assembly constituency.

The Defence Minister has joined other BJP star campaigners to boost the party’s pitch in the Assembly election in the state on April 23.

Rajnath Singh is spearheading the NDA’s campaign in southern Tamil Nadu.

The Defence Minister had a hectic schedule on Sunday, which was packed with addresses in the Radhapuram constituency of Tirunelveli district, Puliyangudi in Tenkasi district and a roadshow at Panagudi, located about 400 metres from the main venue.

The NDA’s campaign has already seen high-profile appearances by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who have canvassed support for alliance candidates in recent days.

–IANS

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