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New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a plea filed by former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain seeking bail in connection with Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma’s murder case during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.

A bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta sought Delhi Police’s reply on Tahir Hussain’s plea against the December 3 order of the trial court rejecting his bail application.

The matter will be heard now on January 15, next year.

In March 2023, a court here had framed murder charges against Tahir Hussain in the case.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala of Karkardooma Courts had framed charges against 11 people, including Hussain and said that they are liable to be tried for offences under Sections 147 (Rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 302 (Murder) read with 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Hussain was also charged under sections 505, 109 and 114 of IPC.

The trial court had noted that Hussain was the one who encouraged the mob to kill Hindus and urged them to “not spare them”.

On February 26, 2020, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered by Sharma’s father, Ravinder Kumar alleging that demonstrations by anti-CAA and pro-CAA protesters went on for two to three days at Chand Bagh Pulia, Main Karawal Nagar Road.

“On February 25, 2020, my son went out to buy household goods but did not return for a long time,” he alleged.

Kumar was informed by locals that a boy had been thrown into the Khajuri Khas nala from the Masjid of Chand Bagh pulia. Subsequently, Sharma’s body was recovered from the drain. Kumar has alleged Hussain’s and his goons’ hand behind Sharma’s murder.

Hussain has sought bail on parity with accused Shoaib Alam, Gulfam, and Javed, who were granted bail in May this year on the grounds of delay in the commencement of the trial.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP has criticised AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for fielding Tahir Hussain as a candidate from the Mustafabad constituency for the upcoming Assembly elections.

The announcement drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which accused AIMIM of acting as the AAP’s “B-team” and warned of serious consequences if any attempt was made to incite communal unrest in the national capital.

Speaking to IANS, BJP State Vice President Kapil Mishra accused Owaisi and other “secular parties” of provoking Hindus in Delhi by fielding Hussain.

“This is a clear attempt to disrupt the peace in Delhi. Last time, Shaheen Bagh protests were staged before the elections. If riots are incited in the name of Tahir Hussain this time, there will be consequences,” Mishra warned.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS) Hyderabad police interrogated Tollywood actor Allu Arjun for more than three-and-half hours in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case on Tuesday.

The Pushpa star left for his residence from Chikkadpally Police Station around 3 p.m. amid tight security.

Investigating officers grilled the actor in the presence of his lawyer.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Zone, Akshansh Yadav led the police team which examined him. Assistant Commissioner of Police L. Ramesh Kumar and Inspector Raju Naik were also present during the questioning.

The police officers are believed to have quizzed him about the new CCTV evidence which surfaced with regard to the December 4 incident at Sandhya Theatre during the premier show of “Pusha 2: The Rule”.

Allu Arjun was reportedly questioned based on a 10-minute video prepared by police compiling CCTV footage of the incident and also the statements made by him after his release from jail and also on December 21.

It was immediately unclear if the police had asked Allu Arjun to appear for interrogation again.

Earlier, amid tight security, the national award-winning actor reached Chikkadpally Police Station around 11 a.m.

The police on Monday issued a notice to the actor, directing him to appear before them for further questioning. Police had made tight security at the police station and imposed restrictions around the police station.

Allu Arjun’s father Allu Arvind, other family members his lawyers also reached the police station.

A woman died and her son was critically injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre on December 4 during the premier show of “Puspha 2: The Rule” and the theatre management, Allu Arjun, and his team were booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The “Pushpa..” star, who is listed by police as accused number 11, was arrested on December 13. His statement was recorded at Chikkadpally Police Station and he was later produced in a city court, which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. However, the same day the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail for four weeks. The actor was released from Chanchalguda Jail the next day.

The fresh notice to Allu Arjun came amid reports that the police are planning to approach the High Court to cancel his interim bail.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand had said on Sunday that the police would take the next step in the case after taking legal opinion. The police chief on Sunday also released minute-to-minute CCTV footage of the incident at Sandhya Theatre to debunk Allu Arjun’s claims. The police compiled a 10-minute video to provide a clear account of what had transpired on December 4. Anand said the video was compiled after analysing 1,000 video clippings.

While speaking in the Assembly on December 21, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had come down heavily on Allu Arjun for visiting the theatre without police permission and conducting a ‘roadshow’ even after the stampede claimed the life of a woman and critically injured her son. Hours later, Allu Arjun addressed a press conference, terming the allegations as false. He also stated he was hurt over character assassination. However, the police came out with CCTV footage to debunk the actor’s claims.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) BJP’s New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj on Tuesday alleged that the AAP government is fooling the elderly in the city in the name of ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’, claiming that the Delhi government’s Health Secretary has told her and L-G V. K. Saxena that there is no such health insurance scheme.

Addressing media persons, Swaraj said she just attended a meeting organised by the L-G to resolve problems of the elderly where the Health Secretary told a participant that the Delhi government does not have any scheme called ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’.

“We have heard about electoral jumalas (promises) but the AAP has unleashed a new variant of electoral chalawa (deceit),” said Swaraj, urging the elderly not to get misled by Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi’s promise of offering health insurance under the non-existent ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’.

“Please, do not give your personal details to volunteers of the AAP in the name of registering for the non-existent ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’,” she said.

Claiming that the ruling AAP’s focus was only on ‘Prachar, Prasar and Brashtachar’ (Publicity, propaganda and corruption), the BJP MP said the AAP government had created hurdles in the implementation of Central government’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, offering Rs 5 lakh free treatment to all elderly above 70 years.

Just before the Assembly elections, AAP convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the launch of ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’ for the elderly, aged above 60, with free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in government and private hospitals.

Earlier, Swaraj hit out at the Delhi government for “pushing the city into debt through its wasteful expenditure, especially on publicity”.

“For the first time in 31 years, the Delhi government has suffered a deficit of Rs 7,000 crore,” she said, hitting out at the AAP government for dirty water supply, inflated electricity bills and poor state of government schools and mohalla clinics.

She also attacked Chief Minister Atishi on the recently launched Mahila Samman Yojana for offering financial assistance to women.

“In March, just before the Lok Sabha election, the AAP announced the scheme, but till today, not a penny has been paid to women,” she said.

Calling the registration process launched by AAP volunteers for the scheme a “farce”, Swaraj said, “The AAP government never paid the promised financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to women in Punjab so what is the guarantee that the Delhi government will fulfil its promise to give Rs 2,100 after the Assembly elections.”

The election to the 70-member Assembly was likely to be held in the first half of February, next year.

–IANS

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Jaipur, Dec 24 (IANS) The death toll in the LPG tanker blast in Jaipur has risen to 15, with two more persons succumbing to their injuries at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital on Tuesday.

Dr Rakesh Jain, a plastic surgeon at SMS Hospital, said the death toll now stands at 15. The two deceased were identified as Naresh Babu from Etah (Uttar Pradesh) and Yusuf from Nuh (Haryana).

Four patients, who are critically injured, are on ventilators, while 20 individuals are still under treatment. Additionally, five patients have been discharged from the hospital, with three discharged on Monday and two on Tuesday, Dr Jain said.

The tragic accident occurred on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway at around 5.45 a.m. on December 20 near Bhankrota, close to Delhi Public School on Ajmer Road, in Jaipur.

Among the 15 deceased is a former IAS officer Karni Singh, who was reportedly coming from his farmhouse when he was trapped in the fire and burnt to death. His DNA samples were tested with his daughter which confirmed his death, said officials.

The driver of the LPG tanker, Jaiveer Singh from Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), has provided the police with details of the incident.

According to him, the collision with another truck caused the gas nozzle to break, leading to a loud noise and the leakage of gas.

He reported that as soon as the gas leaked, fireballs were seen erupting and spreading across. “I grabbed my mobile and ran towards Ajmer, about 200 meters ahead, when the tanker exploded, causing fireballs to scatter across the road,” he said.

Singh was alone in the vehicle during the accident. After the incident, he stopped near the ring road, called the tanker’s owner, Anil Kumar, to inform him, and then switched off his mobile. The police have also called Anil Kumar, a resident of Delhi, to the station for further questioning.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that once it has decided on a plea, a fresh original application for the same complaint should not be entertained.

“Once a complaint has already been entertained by the Tribunal in an original application and it has been decided, for the same complaint, fresh original application is not entertainable,” said a bench presided over by judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal.

If the order of the tribunal, passed in an earlier original application, is not complied with, the remedy lies in seeking its execution under Section 25 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, added the Bench, also comprising expert member Dr A. Senthil Vel.

The green tribunal was hearing an original application raising a grievance that drains are being discharged near the residence of the applicant, causing damage to the environment and creating health hazards.

In the course of the hearing, the applicant admitted that against the same grievance, he earlier approached the NGT but the same was disposed of with the liberty to file a comprehensive complaint before the Member Secretary, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB).

On receipt of the complaint, the UPPCB will duly consider it and take appropriate remedial action within three months, if required, the tribunal had ordered on July 24.

In his latest plea, the applicant complained that nothing had been done on his complaint filed before the UPPCB, though, three months’ timeline has already lapsed.

After the tribunal pointed out that for the same complaint, a fresh original application is not entertainable, the applicant’s counsel requested that his plea may be treated as an execution application and appropriate order may be passed.

In view of the submission made, the NGT ordered that the original application will be treated as an execution application in the original application and the registry will re-number it.

“We issue notice to Member Secretary, UPSPCB to explain as to what action it has taken in compliance with Tribunal’s order dated 24.07.2024 and a complaint made by applicant vide letter dated 06.08.2024 and reply shall be submitted within one month,” ordered the tribunal, posting the matter for next hearing on February 6.

–IANS

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Belagavi, Dec 24 (IANS) Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar dared on Tuesday BJP MLC C. T. Ravi to swear before Lord Manjunatheshwara in Dharmasthala that he had not used “derogatory word” against her in the Legislative Council.

Speaking to the media in Belagavi, Minister Hebbalkar said, “Let Ravi come to Dharmasthala. Let him swear before the god there that he had not used the word.”

“I entered politics after a lot of struggle. I did not make my political career by using the name of god and creating strife in society. C. T. Ravi, you trust god right? Come to Dharmasthala. I will be present with my family. You also will have to come with your family and pledge before the god and state that you have not used the word in the council,” she said.

“Ravi has to say before the god that he has not insulted a woman. I will be present with my family,” she reiterated.

“This is not a challenge, I do not want an answer from him. I do not want an answer from a man with an evil mindset. However, Ravi and BJP leaders are misleading their workers and leaders,” she charged.

“Do you believe in God a lot? Dharmasthala is very close to your hometown. The entire country rever Dharmasthala. You (Ravi) swear on God Manjunatha. If you have any morals, you will call me and come,” Minister Hebbalkar said.

The row erupted on December 19 during a heated debate in the Karnataka Legislative Council. C. T. Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, as a “drug addict”.

This provoked strong reactions, with Minister Hebbalkar calling Ravi a “murderer”. Ravi reportedly responded with an obscene remark directed at Hebbalkar.

The alleged comment led to Ravi’s arrest on charges of using derogatory language against Hebbalkar. However, following a High Court directive, Ravi was released.

The Congress government has handed over the case to the special wing Criminal Investigation Department (CID) even as Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti stated that the case is a closed chapter and police interference is unacceptable.

The popular belief is that whoever lies before Lord Manjunatheshwara in Dharmasthala will lose everything.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS) In a relief to former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and former Minister T. Harish Rao, the High Court on Tuesday suspended the notices issued by a lower court in a case related to the damages caused to the Medigadda barrage, a part of Kaleshwaram Project.

The High Court passed the orders on a quash petition filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders. The court ordered notices to Nagavelli Rajalingamurthy, on whose revision petition the lower court had ordered notices.

In August, the Principal Sessions Court, Bhupalpally had issued notices to BRS president and former CM Chandrasekhar Rao, ex-minister Harish Rao, and six others

The lower court had issued notices while hearing a petition of Nagavelli Rajalingamurthy, a resident of Bhupalpally, who contended that Chandrasekhar Rao, Harish Rao, and others acted with undue haste in going ahead with the project and without proper testing to misappropriate huge public funds. Rajalingamurthy cited the sinking of the piers of Medigadda in October 2023, and the visit of officials of the National Dam Safety Authority, several politicians and others to the barrage and contended that the respondent misappropriated public money.

The petitioner had argued that this constitutes offences under Sections 120-B, 420, 386, 406 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Principal Sessions Court took up the hearing after a lower court refused to hear the case as only special judges are empowered to deal with cases that come under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the IPC. Following this, Rajalingamurthy filed the petition in the sessions court, seeking revision of the order of the First Class Principal Judicial Magistrate of Bhupalpally.

The Sessions Court had issued notices to KCR, Harish Rao, the then special chief secretary, Irrigation, and retired IAS officer Rajat Kumar, Principal Secretary Smitha Sabharwal, Chief Engineer B. Hariram, Chief Engineer N. Sridhar and two representatives of two contracting agencies.

Challenging the notices, KCR and Harish Rao filed a petition in the High Court. They sought orders to set aside the judgement of the lower court. Their counsel argued that the Sessions Court had no jurisdiction to hear the case. He submitted to the High Court that various high courts and the Supreme Court had passed orders in this regard.

After hearing the arguments of both sides, the High Court suspended the notices. It also ordered notice to the petitioner Rajalingamurthy and adjourned the hearing to January 7.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 24 (IANS) The Congress, which has repeatedly insulted Dr Ambedkar, has no moral right to use his name, said Dr P. Sudhakar Reddy, BJP’s co-in charge in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to the media at Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru on Tuesday, he remarked that Congress leaders were in despair after their defeats in Maharashtra and Haryana states.

He criticized the Congress for using Babasaheb Ambedkar’s name to protect their leaders despite insulting Dr Ambedkar by defeating him twice in the Lok Sabha elections. “The Congress government in the state has completely failed. They have not implemented the five guarantees properly and are imposing both official and unofficial taxes,” he said.

“Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, opposed the division of the nation and was against the imposition of Article 370. He criticized the Congress for declaring a state of emergency and turning the country into a jail. Congress is engaging in vote-bank politics,” he said.

Reddy accused Congress of trying to tarnish the reputation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah but asserted that the people of the country have faith in both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. He stated that Congress is once again using Dr Ambedkar’s name for political purposes, but people are aware of the true nature of Congress.

He credited Amit Shah with exposing Congress’ wrong policies to the public and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for tirelessly working toward a self-reliant and Independent India.

He further criticized Congress for being unable to accept a man from a humble background serving as the Prime Minister for over 10 years and targeted Rahul Gandhi for disrespecting their own UPA former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Reddy described Dr Ambedkar as the creator of an excellent Constitution, which he referred to as a blessing to the nation.

The BJP leader expressed disappointment over local ministers speaking disrespectfully about Amit Shah, calling it unbecoming conduct.

Former Minister and MLA Janardhan Reddy, who also spoke, mentioned that Yuva Morcha presidents from all 30 districts of the state participated in a programme on good governance under the leadership of Dr P. Sudhakar Reddy as part of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary celebrations.

He said there were discussions on organising year-long events to commemorate Vajpayee’s birth centenary.

Reddy mentioned that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had highlighted instances of how Congress disrespected and insulted Dr Ambedkar in Parliament.

He criticized Congress for invoking Dr Ambedkar’s name today, despite their history of disrespecting him.

–IANS

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