Month: February 2022

A fire broke out at the sets of the reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ in Film City, Goregaon, Mumbai, at around 1 pm today.

Four fire engines were rushed to the spot to put out the fire. As per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, no injuries have been reported so far.
The reason of the fire is still unclear.

Meanwhile, the last episode of ‘Bigg Boss’ Season 15, hosted by superstar Salman Khan, aired on January 30.

Actor Tejasswi Prakash lifted the ‘Bigg Boss’ Season 15 trophy and took home the cash prize of Rs 40 lakhs. (ANI)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday alleged that Congress questioned the abilities of late Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, since the day he became Army Chief.

“Congress spared no effort to abuse and accuse General Bipin Rawat. From the day he became Army Chief, they questioned his abilities. But they get irked when I question them for disrespecting our brave soldiers. This is new India. Such an attitude won’t be tolerated anymore,” Sarma tweeted.
“Is it wrong to stand by our great Armed forces? Let’s not question their patriotism. Don’t seek proof of what they did for the country. India is not just a union of states. ‘Bharat’ is our Maa, not just a motherland. Questioning the jawans is an insult to our Maa!” he said in another tweet.

General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and twelve other defence force personnel died in the helicopter crash in November last year.

This came as Sarma’s drew heavy criticism from Opposition parties for remark on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Launching a blistering attack on Rahul Gandhi for demanding proof of India’s surgical strike in Pakistan in 2016 and airstrike in 2019, Sarma on Friday asked whether the BJP had ever demanded proof of him being the “son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi” and added that the Wayanad MP had no right to demand proof from the Army.

“Look at the mentality of these people. General Bipin Rawat was the pride of the country. India conducted the Surgical Strike in Pakistan under his leadership. Rahul Gandhi demanded proof of the strike. Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi’s son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?” he said.

Hitting out further, the Assam Chief Minister said that once the Army said that the strike was conducted then there is no dispute on its legitimacy. (ANI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Sanjay Agarwal, Managing Partner of Ghanshayamdas Gems & Jewels, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a bank loan fraud case that caused Rs 67 crore loss to SBI, Hyderabad.

As per a press release from ED, the arrest was effected on Friday. The accused was produced before the PMLA Special Court Hyderabad on February 11, 2022, after which he was sent to 15 days of judicial custody.
The ED had initiated the money-laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by CBI, BS&FB, Bangalore under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Subsequently, the CBI registered another FIR against Agarwal and others relating to fraudulently removing gold and jewellery hypothecated to Punjab National Bank (PNB) against the gold loan availed by his firm and thereby causing a loss of Rs 31.97 Crore to the PNB.

“The investigation by the ED revealed that Sanjay Agarwal is the Managing Partner in Ghanshyamdas Gems and Jewels which is engaged in wholesale trading of gold. In 2010 and 2011, he fraudulently procured gold bullion from SBI by producing fake & forged bank guarantees and covering letters purportedly issued by PNB and sold the gold bullion in the local market to various jewellers and small traders in cash. The cash so generated was diverted to several other firms floated by Sanjay Agarwal in the name of his wife, brothers and his employees,” added the release.

Later, after default on the gold loan happened, SBI found that the BGs & letters were forged. On August 17, 2011, Sanjay Agarwal and his brothers Ajay and Vinay clandestinely removed the entire stock of gold and jewellery kept at their store in Abids, Hyderabad. The stock was already hypothecated to the PNB against gold loan availed by the firm, said the release.

Sanjay Agarwal was already lodged in Kolkata Jail in another ED case related to the diversion of ‘duty-free export bound gold’ into the domestic market, the release added.

Further investigation is in progress. (ANI)

One Bangladeshi cattle smuggler was killed in a firing incident that took place at the Kukurmara area in Assam’s South Salmara Mankachar district along the India-Bangladesh border on Sunday morning, informed Border Security Force (BSF) official.

The BSF official said that the incident occurred while smugglers had tried to transport cows from the Indian side to Bangladesh by pulling the cows over the tall barbed-wire fence.

The BSF personnel deployed along the international border tried to stop the illegal activities. But the smuggler group tried to overpower the BSF personnel.

“One smuggler from Bangladesh side was killed in BSF firing on the spot and the security personnel recovered three cows, sharp weapons from the spot. The incident took place at Kukurmara BOP at around 4 am on Sunday, said JC Nayak, DIG of BSF of Dhubri sector.

“Around 20-25 smugglers from Indian side came to the area with cattle heads and their intention was to transport the cattle heads to the Bangladesh side by crossing the fencing of the international border. Similar numbers of smugglers also came from the Bangladesh side,” the BSF official said.

He further informed, “They use bamboo made lever or crane to transport the cows to Bangladesh and they pull the cows over the tall barbed fence. Today also the Indian smugglers had tried to use this method. Our boys had challenged them, but they didn’t stop their activities and they also tried to overpower our boys.”

He also said that the first BSF’s two jawans had fired upon them by using PAG gun, but they didn’t stop their activities.

“Some people from Bangladesh side had tried to cut barbed wire and cut 3-4 barbed wire in Bangladesh side. There was no option for us to fire upon them to control the situation and our jawan fired one round bullet by using an INSAS rifle and it hit a Bangladesh smuggler,” Nayak said.

“We had searched the area and found that the smuggler was killed. We recovered three cows, a cantilever, daos, bamboo sticks. We have informed the local police of Mankachar police station about the incident,” the BSF official said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) Guwahati Frontier had seized a huge quantity of contraband drugs, over 8,000 cattle heads worth over Rs 11 crore and apprehended 117 Bangladeshi nationals in last year. (ANI)

Ahead of the Assembly elections, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday said that the party was fighting the elections for the next generation.

“We are fighting this election for the next generation,” Sidhu told the media persons in Amritsar, Punjab.
Punjab will go to the Assembly polls on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

In the 2017 Assembly polls in the state, the Congress had won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government which had been in power for 10 years. (ANI)

The Union Government has approved the continuation of the umbrella scheme of Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) with a total Central financial outlay of Rs 26,275 crore, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed on Sunday.

According to the press release from MHA, the approval for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26, moves forward the initiative of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to modernise and improve the functioning of Police Forces of States and Union Territories.
“This scheme comprises all relevant sub-schemes that contribute to modernization and improvement with a total Central financial outlay of Rs 26,275 crore,” the ministry said.

Provision has been made under the Scheme for internal security, law and order, adoption of modern technology by Police, assisting states for narcotics control and strengthening the criminal justice system by developing a robust forensic set-up in the country, the release said.

The scheme for modernisation of state police forces has a Central outlay of Rs 4,846 crore.

As per the release, to develop operationally independent high-quality forensic sciences facilities in states and Union Territories for aiding scientific and timely investigation through modernization of resources.

A Central scheme for the Modernisation of Forensic Capacities with an outlay of Rs 2,080.50 crore has been approved.

The Central outlay of Rs 18,839 crore has been earmarked for security-related expenditure for the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, insurgency affected the North Eastern States and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas.

With the implementation of the ‘National Policy and Action Plan’ for combating LWE, the LWE violence incidents have come down drastically.

To further pursue this accomplishment, six LWE related schemes with a Central outlay of Rs 8,689 crore have been approved.

These schemes include Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Most LWE Affected Districts and Districts of Concern to consolidate the gains, the press statement said.

For raising of India Reserve Battalions/Specialised India Reserve Battalions, a Central outlay of Rs 350 crore has been approved.

The release further read that the Central sector scheme of ‘Assistance to States and Union Territories for Narcotics Control with an outlay of Rs 50 crore has been continued. (ANI)

Customs Air Intelligence Unit has recovered drugs worth approximately Rs 60 crores from a Zimbabwean passenger at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, said Mumbai customs officer.

The drugs were concealed inside the trolley bag and two file folders, added the Mumbai customs officer.

She was found to be carrying 7,006 grams yellowish powder tested as “Heroin” and 1480 grams white crystal granules tested to contain a combination of ‘Heroin’ and ‘Methamp’, as per the customs officer. (ANI)

A Kochi-based tourist bus operator is compelled to sell his buses at scrap rates of Rs 45 per kg as the tourism industry continues to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Royson Joseph, owner of the Kochi-based Royal Travels, a prominent tourist bus service, posted on his Facebook account “Tourist buses for sale at Rs 45 per kg”. Joseph had to do this as he wants to sell off his buses to pay taxes.
Joseph has already sold 10 buses at distressed rates, out of the 20 he owned, in the last one and a half years and is set to sell three more buses at a scrap rate of Rs 45 per kg.

“The tourism sector is in crisis due to COVID. The buses have not been operated for a long time due to the various COVID restrictions. At the same time, a huge amount has to be paid as tax and insurance for these buses. It is a situation that cannot be dealt with, by various travel service operators like me. So I have decided to sell off the buses to survive,” Joseph told ANI.

“50 staff members of my company have left, as there is no income due to various travel restrictions. No aid has been received from the government; just the tax is waived-off which is of no benefit as there is no income at all. Hope the government does something for the tourism industry,” he added. (ANI)

Ahead of polling on Monday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday made a veiled attack on Congress, saying that Opposition is not able to put up a fight against the incumbent government, for being busy in faction fighting.

“There is no competition from the Opposition as they are busy fighting among themselves. They are clashing among themselves,” said Dhami.
Earlier, Congress in its third list had announced change of seats of the party’s campaign committee chairman Harish Singh Rawat and four other leaders.

The change has been done after the crisis within the party due to infighting among the leaders, as one of the working presidents of Uttarakhand Congress Ranjeet Rawat was uncomfortable with the Candidature of Harish Rawat from Ramnagar Assembly Constituency.

Urging people to vote on Monday, Dhami asked people to elect a government that can work in coordination with the Centre.

“Elect a government which can work in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi so that we will work for the development of Uttarakhand,” He said.

Chief Minister, who is currently camping in his home constituency Khatim, said that PM Modi has taught them the art of converting challenges into opportunities.

“Just like rest of the state, I am getting the support from my home constituency too. So even the challenge is looking like an opportunity,” said Dhami

CM Dhami is being challenged by Congress’ Bhuwan Chandra Kapri from Khatima seat.

Uttarakhand will go to the polls on Monday, and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

India all-rounder Deepak Chahar, who was among the top picks on Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction Day 1, said he always wanted to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Chahar on Saturday got acquired by CSK for Rs 14 crores in the mega auction. For Chahar, a bidding war took place between CSK and Rajasthan Royals and the pacer ultimately went to Chennai.
“Really happy to be back in CSK and thank you so much Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) and management for showing faith in me. I couldn’t imagine playing for another team. I only wanted to play for CSK,” Chahar said in a video posted by CSK on Twitter.

Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL), 2022 mega auction saw Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar among top picks.

Kishan was picked by Mumbai Indians for Rs 15.25 crore, while Chahar was sold to Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14 crore.

Kolkata Knight Riders bought Iyer for Rs 12.25 crore and on the other hand, Avesh Khan became the most expensive pick among the uncapped players after being bought for Rs 10 crore by Lucknow Super Giants. (ANI)