Month: May 2022

Karnataka government on Tuesday banned the use of loudspeakers between 10 pm and 6 am amid a raging debate over loudspeakers.

Karnataka government said that a loudspeaker or a public address system shall not be used except after obtaining written permission from the designated authorities.
“A loudspeaker or a public address system shall not be used at night (between 10.00 pm to 6.00 am) except in closed premises for communication within e.g., auditoria, conference rooms, community halls and banquet halls,” the circular said.

The circular cited the Supreme Court order which has said that the noise level at the boundary of the public place, where a loudspeaker or public address system or any other noise source is being used shall not exceed 10 dB(A) above the ambient noise standards for the area or 75 dB(A) whichever is lower.

“The State Government hereby reiterates that the Government order…under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000 are to be strictly followed and enforced for Regulation of Noise Pollution from loudspeakers/public address system and sound-producing instruments,” it read.

The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.

A case was filed against Raj Thackeray on Tuesday when he appealed to people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers in the areas where loudspeakers are used for ‘Azaan’. (ANI)

The Indian High Commission on Wednesday “categorically” denied media reports about New Delhi sending its troops to Colombo, stating that the country is fully supportive of Sri Lanka’s democracy, stability and economic recovery.

Sri Lanka is struggling with acute food and electricity shortages, forcing the country to seek help from its neighbours. The economic situation has led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
“The High Commission would like to categorically deny speculative reports in sections of media & social media about India sending her troops to Sri Lanka. These reports and such views are also not in keeping with the position of the Govt of India,” the Indian mission said in a Tweet.

“The Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs of India clearly stated yesterday that #India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka’s democracy, stability and economic recovery,” it said in another tweet.

Yesterday, India denied rumours circulating in sections of media and social media that certain Sri Lankan political persons and their families have fled to India.

In view of the current situation in Sri Lanka, India earlier today said it is fully supportive of the democracy, stability, and economic recovery of the island nation.

Sri Lanka on Tuesday ordered the country’s armed forces to open fire on anyone looting public property or causing harm to others following a day of violent clashes.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also urged people to remain calm, and refrain from violence and acts of revenge against others.

A number of violent incidents have been reported in the country after pro-government groups clashed with anti-government protesters on Monday, leaving eight people dead and over 200 injured.

A nationwide curfew was imposed from Monday until Wednesday and the military was deployed to maintain law and order.

Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Sri Lanka’s PM on Monday as violent protests broke out. (ANI)

Separatist leader from Jammu and Kashmir Yasin Malik pleaded guilty before the NIA court on Tuesday in a terror funding case.

Recently the court had ordered the framing of charges against several separatist leaders including Yasin Malik under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC.

The court will hear on May 19 the arguments on the quantum of the sentence under which Malik may get a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

NIA Judge recently, while passing the order said, “The analysis reflects that the statements of witnesses and documentary evidence have connected almost all the accused with each other and to a common object of secession, to the commonality of means they were to use, their close association to terrorist/ terrorist organizations under the guiding hand and funding of Pakistani establishment.”

On March 16, 2022, the NIA Court had ordered the framing of charges against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, Kashmiri separatist leaders including Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam and others under various sections of UAPA in a case pertaining to the terrorist and secessionist activities that disturbed the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Court had also ordered the framing of charges against Kashmiri politician and former MLA Rashid Engineer, Businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Bitta Karate, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Avatar Ahmad Shah, Naeem Khan, Bashir Ahmed Bhat, alias Peer Saifullah and several others under various sections of IPC and UAPA including criminal conspiracy, waging war against the country, unlawful activities etc.

NIA special Judge Praveen Singh while passing the order said, “the analysis reflects that the statements of witnesses and documentary evidence have connected almost all the accused with each other and to a common object of secession, to the commonality of means they were to use, their close association to terrorist/ terrorist organizations under the guiding hand and funding of Pakistani establishment”.

Meanwhile, Court formally framed the charges against other Kashmiri separatist leaders who are accused in the case. Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam, Md Yusuf Shah, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Md Akbar Khanday, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Sheikh and Naval Kishore Kapoor on Tuesday formally sign the court order copy and said they are ready to face trial in the case.

Court noted that, during the course of arguments, none of the accused have argued that individually they do not have a secessionist ideology or agenda or that they have not worked for secession or advocated for the secession of the erstwhile State of J-K from the Union of India.

Witnesses after witnesses have deposed that APHC, its factions after division and JRL had only one object and that was the secession of J-K from the Union of India. Witnesses have connected accused Shabir Shah, Yasin Malik, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate to APHC and JRL. Another witness has connected Er. Rashid to Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali who in turn is closely intertwined with APHC and Pakistani establishment/agencies, Court noted.

However, Court had also clarified that whatever has been expressed in this order is a prima facie opinion although, a detailed discussion of the evidence had to be done because the arguments were advanced by both sides in much detail.

According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), various terrorist organizations such as Lashkar-e-Toiba(LeT), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Jaish-e- Mohd. (JeM) etc, with the support of ISI of Pakistan, perpetrated violence in the valley by attacking civilians and security forces. It was further alleged that in the year 1993, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) was formed to give a political front to secessionist activities.

NIA chargesheet submitted that the Central Government received credible information that Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Amir of Jammat-ud-Dawah and the secessionist and separatist leaders including the members of Hurriyat Conference have been acting in connivance with active militants of proscribed terrorist organizations like HM, LeT etc for raising, receiving and collecting funds domestically and abroad through various illegal channels including hawala.

NIA also stated before the court that, this has been done for funding separatist and terrorist activities in J-K and as such, they have entered into a larger conspiracy for causing disruption in the Valley by way of pelting stones on security forces, systematically burning of schools, damage to public property and waging war against India.

On this information, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the NIA to register a case. Accordingly, the present case was registered by NIA for offences u/s 120B, 121, 121A of IPC and sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 38, 39 and 40 of UAPA.

NIA further added that during the investigation, it was also revealed that APHC and other secessionists instigate the general public, especially the youth to observe strikes and to resort violence especially stone pelting on the security forces. This was done to create disaffection amongst the people of J-K towards the Government of India.

NIA also submitted that the investigation has revealed that the secessionists were mobilizing funds from all possible sources to fuel unrest and support the ongoing secessionist and terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir. The secessionists were getting funds from Pakistan, funds from Pakistan-based terrorist organizations and from local donations. (ANI)

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to travel to London as part of a PML-N delegation to meet party supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Nawaz, who is convicted in a corruption case, has been living in London on the pretext of ill health since 2019. The former Pakistan PM sought extensions to prolong his stay in London on medical grounds.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed the media reports that PML-N members were going to visit Nawaz in London.

“PML-N members are going on a private visit to London to meet with Nawaz Sharif,” she said, adding that PM Shehbaz would also be traveling for this purpose.

Marriyum Aurangzeb also emphasized that a PML-N delegation was going to meet with Nawaz for consultations, which was an ongoing process.

Geo News reported Tuesday that a “big decision” is on the cards as Shehbaz Sharif will be meeting his elder brother and PML-N supremo in London.

Last month, Nawaz had also conducted meetings with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who was later appointed Pakistan’s federal minister.

The two allies had agreed to work closely to “repair the rot across the board,” read a joint statement. (ANI)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted searches at eight locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Mumbai in a case related to irregularities in the purchase of office space of approximately 65,000 sq ft area by J-K Bank at Mumbai.

A senior CBI official informed that multiple raids were conducted at the residences of Haseeb Drabu, then Chairman of J-K Bank, members of the Estates Committee of the board of directors of the Bank including AK Mehta, then Executive Director, and the then Directors Mohammed Ibrahim Shahdad and Vikrant Kuthiala.

During the raids, incriminating documents, articles and electronic evidence, several bank account details and bank locker keys have been recovered.

CBI had registered a case on November 11, 2021 on the allegations of irregularities in the purchase of the Akruti Gold building for Rs. 180 crores (approx) by J&K Bank for its integrated office in Mumbai in 2010.

The said case was referred by J&K Government to CBI.

CBI had also conducted searches earlier at various locations including Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata in the case.

The raids are underway at several locations, the officer added. (ANI)

Intelligence Bureau has warned other concerned intelligence agencies and state police over the formation of the group ‘Lashker-E-Khalsa’ which is active on social media to recruit people.

The intelligence inputs accessed by ANI read that the Pakistan intelligence agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) has made a social media presence in the name of LeK to establish a new group and recruit people to destabilize peace in the country.

“A Pakistani Intelligence Operative using pseudonym “Amar Khalistani” is actively making efforts to cultivate new recruits through a Facebook ID to plan terrorist activities in the country,” read the document.

“It has also been learnt that ISI is planning to establish a new outfit namely “Lashker-E-Khalsa” very soon in which they will recruit Afghan nationals for terrorist activities in India especially Jammu and Kashmir,” it added.

The document further reads that Pakistani intelligence operative (PIO) “Amar Khalistani “is reportedly managing multiple Facebook pages under the name of “Azad Khalistan and Kashmir”.

Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has re-activated its Kashmir-Khalistan (K2) desk to bring pro-Khalistan supporters and anti-India supporters in Kashmir at a common platform. The idea behind K2 desk is to exploit sentiments in Punjab and Kashmir.

On Monday, an explosion was reported at the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in sector 77 at around 7:45 pm. No damage has been reported. Senior officers rushed to the spot and an investigation is underway. (ANI)

Sri Lanka tri forces have been ordered to shoot all those who plunder public property or cause personal harm, local media reported on Tuesday as large-scale protests continue to take place across the island nation.

The comes nationwide protests against the government have intensified over the past few days resulting in an increase in incidents of clashes with the security forces deployed at protest sites.

“The Ministry of Defence has ordered the tri-forces to open fire on anyone looting public property or causing harm to others,” Army Spokesman told Daily Mirror.

Protests have been identified in the country have people have resorted to burning houses of ministers and MP.

Anti-government protesters also set on fire the official residences of Sri Lanka’s Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando and the MPs Sanath Nishantha, Ramesh Pathirana, Mahipala Herath, Thissa Kuttiarachchi and Nimal Lanza.

A large number of protesters were out on the streets and attacked the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MPs. Even some Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) offices were set ablaze, Daily Mirror reported.

Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and some of his family members have been shifted to Trincomalee Naval Base, a day after he resigned following violent protests that led to a nationwide curfew.

Helicopters were seen leaving the capital city today with VVIPs and some speculated that they were members of the Rajapaksa family, Colombo Gazette reported.

Earlier today, a group of protestors attacked s senior police officer in the Western Province on Tuesday in Colombo.

Police said that the Senior DIG come under attack near Beira Lake in Colombo. They said the group had also caused damage to the DIG’s vehicle.

The US on Monday said that it is closely monitoring the volatile situation in Sri Lanka after the protestors burned the houses of Ministers.

“Closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka. We are deeply concerned by the violence against peaceful protesters and innocent bystanders, and are urging all Sri Lankans to focus on finding and enabling long-term solutions to the country’s economic and political challenges,” tweeted US State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA). (ANI)

Allahabad High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan in a case related to wrongful possession of the land.

The bench of Justice Rahul Chaturvedi passed the bail order on a surety of Rs 2 lakh.

The SP leader has been lodged in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur Jail for the last two years. The case in which Khan’s bail plea has been approved is about wrongful possession of Waqf Board property.

The last hearing over the matter was held on May 5 following which the High Court reserved the decision. However, the SP leader has been given relief in this matter today.

Notably, Azam Khan has earlier been granted bail in 86 other cases. (ANI)

Prices of gasoline at the pump in the United States have hit record highs and added to runaway inflation as President Joe Biden prepares to address the nation later on Tuesday on measures taken by his administration to control prices of goods and necessities growing at their fastest pace in 40 years, the White House said.

“Gas prices were a little bit lower last month, (but) they have come back,” White House Economic Adviser Cecilia Rouse said during an appearance on the MSNBC network. “The president is very focused on it, which is why he’s addressing the nation today to lay out his understanding and his focus on ways to try to address it.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the American Automobile Association reported that the average price of gasoline was USD 4.37. That was the highest price ever for regular auto fuel in the United States, which rewrote a March record high of USD 4.33 that came on the back of the Western sanctions imposed on Russia in the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis.

Gasoline prices dipped to as low as USD 4.07 a gallon in April after the Biden administration announced the release of unprecedented volumes of crude oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in a bid to reduce the global supply strain heightened by the sanctions on Russia.

Biden authorized his first major SPR withdrawal in November as oil supplies began tightening amid a rapid recovery in demand from the coronavirus crisis that pushed up both crude and US fuel prices.

Over the past two months, the Biden administration has taken 3 million barrels on the average out of the SPR every week to help meet domestic refiners’ demand for crude in a market seeing a surfeit in fuel consumption amid a strong economic recovery from the two-year long coronavirus pandemic.

The administration’s biggest SPR releases commence from this month as it releases a total of 180 million barrels through July – roughly one million barrels per day over the next 180 days.

The US Weekly Petroleum Status Report showed that SPR inventories stood at 550 million barrels during the week that ended on April 29. That was the lowest level of stockpiles in the reserve since December 2001.

The price of oil itself has dropped from 14-year highs of nearly USD 140 for a barrel of benchmark Brent crude in early March to Tuesday’s level of USD 105. But gasoline prices have hardly matched the slide, prompting Biden to accuse energy companies of price-gouging.

The president is due to address the nation on inflation at 11:30 a.m. ET (15:30 GMT). (ANI/Sputnik)