Month: September 2022

Crystal Meth

Pak Narcotics Bureau Recovers Crystal Meth From Australia-Bound Parcel

By LokMarg

Pakistan bureau for combating narcotics smuggling and use has recently confiscated a 49 kg drug consignment and foiled an attempt to smuggle crystal meth to Australia, media reports said.

Drug abuse is taking a heavy toll on the youth in Pakistan, especially students, and fuelling a life of addiction and crime. This latest Thursday crackdown on drugs led to failed attempts by the smugglers to smuggle the drug in Australia via a local carrier company located on Shahrah-e-Faisal, the most popular freeway in Karachi, reported Pakistan Observer.
Drug parcel was hidden inside women’s and children’s clothes, the media portal reported citing an ANF spokesperson.

The Anti-Narcotic Force has filed a case against the smuggler under the anti-narcotics act. This is not an isolated incident as earlier on August 3, the ANF seized three kg of crystal ice from an Afghan national at the Pak-Afghan border in Chaman, Balochistan province.

During a routine checking at the Pak-Afghan border, the crystal meth was seized from an Afghan national named Imaruddin, reported Pakistan Observer.

In this particular case, the accused was trying to smuggle narcotics to Pakistan from Afghanistan via the Chaman border, the Anti-Narcotic Force officials said. A case was registered against the Afghan national under the anti-narcotics act.

In December last year, Pakistan then State Minister of Interior Shahryar Afridi said a survey has shown that a large of students in the Pakistani capital take crystal meth.

Crystal methamphetamine, also called ice, is a drug that consists of colorless crystals of varying sizes and shapes that are used through smoking and injecting into one’s body.

Speaking at a drug awareness event, Afridi said that 75 pc of female students and 45 pc of male students, including from well-known educational institutions, have been found to be taking the drug.

According to the ANF, cannabis has remained very popular among drug users across Karachi making it the second largest city for consuming the drug in the world. The drug scene in various parts of Pakistan is getting complex and fluid.

Till some years ago, policy-makers in Pakistan were concerned about the consumption of mild stimulants by students and out-of-school youth to stay alert and to boost energy, and the use of cannabis and excessive alcohol consumption.

By 2010 the situation changed dramatically with the arrival of cocaine and heroin in the region. These drugs were brought into the region from producing countries and primarily meant for export to large consuming nations in Asia. The situation is grave not only in Islamabad and Karachi but in almost every part of Pakistan, the ANF added.

The major factors behind the increasing rate of drug trafficking in Pakistan are refugees from Afghanistan. Afghanistan is the world’s leading producer of cannabis and different types of other substances. There are hundreds of refining labs in Afghanistan, many next along the Pakistan-Afghan border, turning substances into heroin.

Cannabis and heroin flow from Afghanistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan from various illegal channels, especially through illegal border crossings. From there these drugs are supplied to different areas of Pakistan by rail, air, and truck.

There are very little treatment options for drug abusers in Pakistan. Those that do exist have come under harsh criticism from advocacy groups including, Human Rights Organisations. State-run centres may appear more like a jail, offer very little, and consist of heavy detoxification, medications, and basic therapies, it said and urged citizens to come together to combat the menace. (ANI)

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Kerala: Special Court Sends Accused PFI Workers To NIA Custody In Kochi

By LokMarg

A Special NIA Court on Saturday sent 10 PFI workers to NIA custody till September 30 in Kochi.

These PFI workers were booked in UAPA cases and arrested by NIA this week from different locations in Kerala.
Earlier they were remanded to judicial custody by the Court.

The accused who were sent to NIA custody are, 2nd accused Karamana Ashraf Moulavi (National in-charge, Education wing of PFI), 4th accused Sadiq Ahmed (PFI Pathanamthitta District Secretary, 5th accused Shihas (PFI Zonal secretary), 6th accused Ansari P, 7th accused MM Mujeeb, 8th accused Najumudeen, 9th accused Sainudeen TS (PFI Kottayam District Secretary), 10th accused PK Usman, 11th accused Yahiya Koya (PFI State Executive Member), 13th accused K Muhammedali (National in-charge, Expansion wing of PFI).

The court directed NIA to produce the accused at 11 am on September 30.

Earlier in a major breakthrough linked to the largest-ever action against the Popular Front of India (PFI), the Central investigating agencies have found inputs against the outfit for “organizing a training camp with an intent to cause disturbance during Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s visit in Bihar’s capital Patna on July 12 this year”.

Besides, during the course of the investigation, the agencies have found details of numerous bank accounts of PFI.

The revelation came in two separate remand copies of the Enforcement Directorate– one submitted before a special judge in Lucknow against Muhammed Shafeeque Payeth, resident of Kozhikode in Kerala, and the other against Perwez Ahmed before a special court in Delhi.

Both Payeth and Ahmed were arrested from Kerala and Delhi respectively on September 22 during a first-ever largest search operation conducted by a joint team of ED and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and state police forces, arresting 106 PFI members from 15 states.

Payeth, a resident of Kozhikode in Kerala, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate around 5.35 am on September 22 from his flat there while Ahmed was arrested from Delhi.

Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation, the ED’s remand copy mentions, so far has also revealed that “more than Rs 120 crore have been deposited in the accounts of PFI and related entities over the years, and that a very large part of the same has been deposited in cash”.

The ED informed the court that the inputs were received after the details related to individuals and entities were obtained and their bank statements were analyzed.

Statements of various functionaries of PFI and related entities have also been recorded, the agency claims, mentioning the investigation of Bihar Police as well as of NIA.

“As many as 12 cases against PFI and its related entities and individuals have been investigated by the NIA and charge sheets have been filed…Investigations have further established the criminal conspiracy of PFI in raising and collecting funds through unknown and suspicious sources from within the country as well as abroad and the subsequent transfer, layering and integration of such funds for eventual use in their continuous unlawful activities over time which include, but are not limited to inciting violence and fomenting trouble leading to Delhi riots of February 2020,” the copy mentions.

The remand copies also mentioned the visit of PFI and CFI members to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh with an intent to “disturb communal harmony, inciting communal riots and spreading terror, plan to form a terrorist gang – a collection of deadly weapons and explosive devices to simultaneously launch attacks on important and sensitive places and individuals in UP with an intent to undermine the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation and to disturb communal harmony”.

The remand copies further revealed that the PFI workers were also “organizing training camp with an intent to cause disturbance during Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Patna visit on July 12, 2022”.

The outfit is also charged with “preparing, printing and possessing incriminating literature having potential to pose threat to the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the nation”.

The ED informed the court that it has been conducting an investigation against PFI and its related individuals and entities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 under the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) dated May 2, 2018, on the basis of various cases registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other Law Enforcement Agencies invoking Scheduled offences under Sections 120B, 121, 121A of Indian Penal Code, Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act, Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act and Sections 13, 16, 17, 18 and 18(A) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

These cases of the predicate agencies pertain to unlawful activities carried out by PFI and its related individuals and organizations to indulge in criminal conspiracy with an intent to disturb communal harmony, spread terror, incite communal riots, impart training to their cadre to use explosives and weapons, form a terrorist gang and collect deadly weapons and explosive devices to simultaneously launch attacks on many important persons and sensitive locations.

The criminal conspiracy and activities in several of these cases had the potential to pose threat to the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the nation, reads the remand copy.

The NIA in its one of the two separate First Information Reports in the Phulwari Sharif terror module case has also mentioned a plan to disturb the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bihar by some suspected persons.

Both the FIRs were registered on July 22– first mentions about a plan to disturb the PM’s visit by some suspected persons who had assembled in the Phulwari Sharif area on July 11 while the other is linked to the interception of one Margub Ahmad Danish alias Tahir by Bihar Police on July 14 for his alleged involvement in anti-India activities and radicalization of impressionable youth using various social media platforms. (ANI)

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India Economy

Shah: India Becoming 5th Largest Economy In World Overtaking UK

By LokMarg

Highlighting the country’s growth stride, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that India, which was ranked 11th on the list of the world largest economies in 2014, has today overtaken the UK to occupy the 5th position.

Addressing a public rally here, Shah said, “This Amrit Kaal is the time to set goals for the people of the country. I want to tell all the youth of the country that you must decide a goal of your life for the country and definitely take a resolution.”
“In 2014, our country stood at 11th position in world economy list. Today we have overtaken the UK to hold the 5th position. We have conveyed it to the world that in 75 years, we have moved ahead of you and made our independence meaningful,” added the Home Minister.

Pertinent to mention, India has overtaken Britain to become the world’s fifth largest economy and as per International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections, only USA, China, Japan, and Germany are now ahead of India in terms of the volume of the national economy.

The lead was attained during the last three months of 2021 and extended in the first quarter of 2022. India has jumped six positions over the last decade. Only a decade ago, it was in the eleventh position while the UK occupied the fifth rank. It has also extended its share in the global GDP by nearly one percentage point since 2014 when it was the 10th largest economy in the world. India’s share in the global GDP is now 3.5 pc as against 2.6 pc in 2014.

Shah is on a two-day visit to Bihar. Earlier today, he inaugurated five Border Out Posts of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Kishanganj.

Lauding the role of the SSB in the battle against Naxalism, the Union Home Minister said owing to their “tough fight”, Naxalism has been finished in Bihar and Jharkhand regions.

“SSB jawans have fought a tough fight against Naxalism rampant in the northeast. As a result, Naxalism is on the brink of ending in Bihar and Jharkhand regions, we can even say it is finished here,” Shah said while speaking on the occasion.

Acknowledging their duty, the Home Minister said that the SSB has the toughest duty to perform because of the open border with Nepal and Bhutan.

“Sitting in Delhi, one thinks you have the easiest duty as we’ve friendly relations with both nations (Nepal and Bhutan). But when one comes to the border, we realise that you have the toughest duty as it’s an open border,” he said.

“The responsibility increases if it’s an open border. However friendly may the relations be, even if the neighbouring nations have no ill intentions, there are a few elements in society who use open borders for unauthorised earning – be it smuggling, animal smuggling or infiltration,” the Minister added.

Earlier today, Shah offered prayers at Budhi Kali Mata Temple at Subhashpally Chowk of Kishanganj.

Meanwhile, speaking on Nitish Kumar, Shah on Friday addressed the ‘Jan Bhavna Mahasabha’ rally and said that the people of the state will “wipe out the Lalu-Nitish duo” in the 2024 general elections and the party will come to power in the state in 2025.

Addressing the ‘Jana Bhavna Mahasabha’ in Bihar’s Purnea, Shah said, “In 2014, you (Bihar CM Nitish Kumar) only had 2 LS seats, ‘naa ghar ke rahe the, naa ghaat ke’. Let the 2024 LS elections come, the Bihar public will wipe out the Lalu-Nitish duo. We’re, with a full majority, going to come to power here in 2025 polls”.

Shah further said that Nitish Kumar does not favour any political ideology, and can join hands with any party to stay in power.

“Nitish Kumar is not in favour of any political ideology. Nitish ji can leave socialism and go with Lalu ji also, can do casteist politics. Nitish ji can leave socialism and sit with the Left, Congress. He may also leave RJD and join BJP. Nitish has only one policy – my chair should remain intact,” he said. The Home Minister said that danger of “‘Jungle-raj’ is looming over Bihar”. (ANI)

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Congress President

Nominations For Congress President Poll Begins Today

By LokMarg

Filing of nominations for the post of Congress president is scheduled to begin today with a contest between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and former union minister Shashi Tharoor on the cards.

The nominations will be filed till September 30 and results declaring the new Congress chief will be announced on October 19.
This will be the first time in 25 years that Congress will see a non-Gandhi chief after Sonia Gandhi replaced Sitaraman Kesri as party chief in 1998. The last time the party had a non-Gandhi chief was in 1997 when Sitaram Kesri defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot

Chairman of Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistri will be available in Congress headquarters in the national capital to take the nomination papers as returning officer of the election.

Yesterday, Rajasthan chief minister Gehlot made it clear that there will be no candidate from the Gandhi family this time.

Speaking to ANI Gehlot said, “I have requested him (Congress MP Rahul Gandhi) multiple times to accept everyone’s proposal of becoming the Congress President. He clarified that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next chief.”

Gehlot further said, “It’s decided that I’ll contest (for the post of Congress President). I’ll fix the date soon (to file his nomination). It’s a need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country.

Earlier, after meeting Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, former CM of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “In our meeting today, we spoke about the party and how to strengthen it. She said that she has a neutral stand regarding the congress president election.”

Till now, Gehlot has made it clear publically that he will contest the elections, while another name that is most likely to give him a contest is Shashi Tharoor who is also in the fray and had met Madhusudan Mistri.

Sources close to former union minister Manish Tewari had also said that he is also considering the possibility of contesting the polls.

The crux of the story that emerges is that the Congress party is all set to witness a tripartite or more contest.

Earlier, Madhusudan Mistri said that more than 9,000 delegates will be voting in the polls. Anybody can contest and 10 delegates will be needed to support his or her candidature. The last date for filing nomination is September 30. (ANI)

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blinken

Need for Peace And Stability In Taiwan Strait: Blinken

By LokMarg

Amid the tension between US and China, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday and stressed for preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Blinken, who is in New York to attend the 77th sessions of UNGA, “stressed that preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is critical to regional and global security and prosperity,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
Over an hour-long meeting, Blinken emphasized that the United States is committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, consistent with its longstanding one-China policy.

Both leaders discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship.

“He also reiterated the United States’ condemnation of Russia’s war against Ukraine and highlighted the implications if the PRC were to provide support to Moscow’s invasion of a sovereign state. He underscored that the United States remains open to cooperating with the PRC where our interests intersect,” Ned Price said as quoted by the statement.

Earlier also, the US had repeatedly raised their voice on China-Taiwan relations. On September 19, CBS released their interview with US President from its “60 minutes programme”, where Joe Biden said that American forces would defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion.

Responding to a query over defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden said the US would defend Taiwan “if in fact there was an unprecedented attack,” according to The Washington Post.

Scott Pelley, the interviewer in the 60-minute programme pressed Biden on whether the situation would be different in the event of an attack on Taiwan.

“So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, U.S. forces — U.S. men and women — would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?” Pelley asked.

“Yes,” Biden replied.

The relations between China and US deteriorated after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. That trip angered China’s ruling Communist Party — which views Taiwan as part of its territory, despite never having governed it — and it responded by launching unprecedented military drills around the island, sending warplanes across the Taiwan Strait and firing missiles over the main island. (ANI)

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PFI

NIA’s Pan-India Crackdown On PFI Code-Named Ops Octopus

By LokMarg

The largest-ever crackdown that was conducted against the Popular Front of India (PFI) members spread across 15 states was code-named “Operation Octopus”, sources said on Saturday.

The joint teams of the National Investigative Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested over 106 PFI members in multiple raids spread across several states on September 22.
The states where the raids were conducted included Andhra Pradesh (4 places), Telangana (1), Delhi (19), Kerala (11), Karnataka (8), Tamil Nadu (3), Uttar Pradesh (1), Rajasthan (2), Hyderabad (5), Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur.

The searches were conducted in connection with five cases registered by the NIA following “continued inputs and evidence” that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations.

A large number of criminal cases have been registered in different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts.

Criminal violent acts “carried out” by PFI include chopping off the hand of a college professor, cold-blooded killings of persons associated with organisations espousing other faiths, collection of explosives to target prominent people and places, support to Islamic State and destruction of public property. They have had a demonstrative effect of striking terror in the minds of the citizens.

The PFI had on Friday called for a 12-hour shutdown in Kerala, which turned violent in parts of the state. Stone-pelting was witnessed at various places, including at the RSS office at Mattannur in Kannur. Two police officials were also injured in the incident in Kollam.

The Kerala High Court initiated a suo motu case against PFI leaders who called for a strike in the state against the arrest of its members by the NIA.

Notably, as per a Kerala HC order on January 7, 2019, nobody can call for a bandh in the state without prior notice of seven days.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the court directed the police to ensure that “adequate measures are put in place to prevent any damage/destruction to public/private property of Government/citizens who do not support the call for hartal”.

“Adequate police protection shall also be granted to all public utility services that apprehend violence, at the hands of those supporting the illegal hartal,” the court added.

Meanwhile, PFI on Thursday, while condemning the raids by the NIA and the ED against its leaders, stated that it will “never surrender” and alleged that the agency’s claims are aimed at “creating an atmosphere of terror”.

“NIA’s baseless claims and sensationalism are solely aimed at creating an atmosphere of terror. Popular Front will never ever surrender on any scary action by a totalitarian regime using the central agencies as its puppets and will stand firm on its will for recovering the democratic system and spirit of the constitution of our beloved country,” PFI said in a statement.

All India Muslim Jamaat president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi on Friday called upon the Muslim community to stay away from the Popular Front of India (PFI) calling it a “radical group” and urged the central government to impose a ban on it.

Maulana Razvi welcomed the arrest of the PFI leaders across the country.

“PFI is a radical organisation. Its members follow a radicalised ideology. I would appeal to all Sufi and Sunni Muslims to stay away from this organisation. The PFI has been named in many incidents across the country. It is necessary that there should be a ban on these kinds of organisations,” said Razvi.

On the contrary, slamming the Centre over the National Investigation Agency’s nationwide crackdown against the Popular Front of India, Muslim cleric Maulana Sajid Rashidi on Friday dubbed it a “conspiracy to finish Muslims”.

He claimed that attempts were made to “ban” PFI.

Speaking to ANI, Rashidi said, “The way Congress had banned SIMI, in the same way, attempts are being made to ban PFI. There should be action against the organisation which works against the country, but if you take action against the organisation only because it is working for the upliftment of Muslims, and you are trying to declare it a terror organisation, it is against the law and Constitution. These are the same people who dub the ones studying in a madrassa as terrorists. This is a conspiracy to finish Muslims.” (ANI)

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Jamtara of Jharkhand

Ankita’s Body Recovered From Chilla Canal In U’khand

By LokMarg

The body of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who had gone missing a few days ago, was recovered in the early hours of Saturday from the Chilla canal in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) confirmed.

Relatives identified the body of the teenager who was reported missing over six days ago.
Uttrakhand Police on Friday arrested three people including Pulkit Arya the son of Vinod Arya, a former BJP minister in the state, on charges of murder of Ankita, who was employed as a receptionist at a resort in Rishikesh.

Police said that the three arrested accused, including the manager of the Vanatara Resort owned by Pulkit Arya, confessed to having pushed Ankita into a chilla canal after an altercation, and she had drowned.

Meanwhile, the Vanatara Resort was demolished on Friday on the orders of state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Abhinav Kumar, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister said.

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister has also given instructions to district magistrates to investigate all resorts in the state, he said.

Along with this, the Chief Minister has also ordered to ensure that necessary action is taken against resorts that are operating illegally.

Dhami said that the strictest punishment will be given for such crimes.

“It is unfortunate. Police are working, they have done their work for making the arrests. Strictest punishment would be given for such heinous crimes, whoever be the criminal,” he said.

Locals in Rishikesh gheraoed a police vehicle that was carrying the accused in the murder case earlier on Friday. They also thrashed the accused. (ANI)

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Islamic Rule

PFI Conspires To Establish Islamic Rule In India: NIA

By LokMarg

Popular Front of India (PFI), its office bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala encouraged vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Daesh and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act, reveals NIA remand copy submitted before a special court in Kerala.

The Central agency also accused the PFI’s members and cadres operating from Kerala to conspire to indulge in “unlawful activities by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with the intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India”.
The revelations came in an application for judicial remand of the accused Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, national in charge of PFI’s Education Wing, and others. The case is being investigated by the NIA’s Kochi branch.

“The brief facts of the case is that the Popular Front of India (PFI), its office bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala have conspired to indulge in Unlawful Activities, by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with an intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India, propagating alternative justice delivery system justifying the use of criminal force causing alarm and fear amongst the general public, encourages vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisation including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daesh and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act as a part of violent jihad,” reads the remand copy.

As per NIA, the PFI also spreads “dis-affection against India by wrongful interpretation of government policies to the particular section of people to create hatred against the state and its machineries”.

Considering the nature and gravity of the offence, the NIA later mentioned, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division issued an order dated September 16 directing the agency to investigate the matter.

Accordingly, the NIA registered the case at its Kochi branch on September 19 under sections 120B and 153A of IPC, Section 13, 18, 18B, 38 and 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against PFI and 13 others namely– Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, Abdul Sathar (State General Secretary, PFI, Kerala), Sadiq Ahmed (District Secretary, PFI, Pathanamthitta), Shihas (Zonal Secretary, PFI), Ansari P (Joint Convener, PFI, Nadakkal Division), M M Mujeeb (Divisional Convener, PFl Nadackal Erattupetta Division), Najumudeen (Divisional Convener, PFI Mundakkayam), Sainuddeen T S (District Secretary, PFI, Kottayam), P K Usman alias Pallikkaranjalil Kunjippu Usman alias Usman Perumpilavu (Member, NGA, PFI), Yahiya Koya Thangal (State Executive Council member, PFI, Kerala), C A Rauf (State Secretary, Media and PR wings, PFI, Kerala), K Muhammedali alias Kunhappo (National in-charge, Expansion wing, PFI), and CT Sulaiman (District President, PFI Kasaragod).

During the investigation, the NIA further mentions in the copy, “reliable information has been received that, some important documents, digital devices and articles which are evidence for the purpose of investigation and prosecution of the case and which will lead to unraveling the larger conspiracy behind the crime and also to identify and secure other suspects involved in the crime, are available in the various places including the houses/offices and other places related to all the accused named in the FIR, the organisation PFI and suspects in this case”. Accordingly, after obtaining search warrant under section 93 CrPC from the special court in Kerala, the NIA said, searches were conducted at the residential premises of all the FIR named accused as well as the offices of Popular Front of India on September 22 and various articles and documents were seized.

“The seized documents also contain highly incriminating materials related to the targeting of prominent leaders of a particular community,” mentions the document accessed by ANI.

“The hit list seized clearly shows that the PFI, which is working through its leaders, members and associates have gone far ahead in creating atrocities among the community,” added the agency.

Citing these inputs, the NIA further informed the court that more investigation is required in this aspect not only to obtain more evidence but also to prevent blood baths in society.

During the investigation, based on the materials collected, the NIA further said, it has been disclosed that the “accused named in the FIR were actively involved in the organized crimes and Unlawful Activities repeatedly to terrorise other religious sections of the society besides creating fear in the mind of the general public based on the larger conspiracy hatched among themselves and others”.

“The initial scrutiny of the materials collected and investigation conducted, also points out the incriminating roles played by the accused in this case. A detailed probe is required to be conducted against each accused on their role and overt activities and more evidence has to be collected.”

The revelations came as the NIA, ED, and state police forces arrested 106 PFI leaders, cadres, and others on Thursday during searches carried out across India. The NIA carried out searches in 93 locations in 15 states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar, and Manipur.

These searches were conducted at the houses and offices of the top PFI leaders and members in connection with five cases registered by the NIA following continued inputs and evidence that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organizing training camps for providing armed training and radicalizing people to join banned organizations. (ANI)

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Chatbot Of IRCTC

Newly Launched Chatbot Of IRCTC Getting Remarkable Response

By LokMarg

The newly launched Chatbot of IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited) is getting remarkable response from the train passengers during the beta launch as over 1 billion people have used it, a senior IRCTC official said.

While talking to ANI, the official said that the new conversational and convenient feature to book railway tickets enables customers to interact with the system via voice, chat and click based system. Additionally, the system requires no passwords and works based on the One Time Password (OTP).
The official also told that the technology is powered by CoRover, a conversational AI Platform which is being used by more than 1 billion users.

“In our constant pursuit to enhance the user experience, leveraging new age technologies, we are today taking a giant leap. Now, passengers can book their train ticket in a conversational manner, leveraging our AI Virtual Assistant, AskDISHA 2.0, powered by CoRover, the Conversational AI platform, used by more than 1 billion users.”

The improved Virtual Assistant, AskDISHA 2.0 has many features like booking tickets, checking PNR status, cancelling tickets, changing boarding station, checking refund status and answering queries like Tatkal timings.

The official further informed that this is a landmark step towards enhancing the passenger experience.

“First time, the users can book ticket without knowing their IRCTC password, it will be possible just with an OTP. AskDISHA 2.0 has also proven to be a very effective instrument and the addition of voice booking and will make it even easier for travellers to plan their trips,” the official added.

The senior official also estimated that at least 25 percent of clients will be switching to this option in the future.

“It is expected that at least 25 per cent of clients will be switching to this option in the future and also attracting new users who want to book their tickets using the conversational tool rather than chatting. In August 2022, AskDISHA has got around 95 lakh queries, which includes booking request, cancellation and more. Also, it had 88% positive feedback with the AI Accuracy rate of 99 per cent,” the official told ANI.

The official further talked about the “Technological Revolution” in the Indian Railways under the current leadership and government.

“It is notable that the Indian Railways, under the leadership of the Minister for Railways and IT have been undergoing a massive technological revolution in pursuance of Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Digital India’, ‘Made in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’,” the official further said.

“Under the aegis of the present government, the Indian Railways, being one of the largest rail networks of the world have been achieving new milestones of transformation every day in various spheres for improving the travel experience of the passengers,” the official added.

The new avatar of IRCTC’s chatbot, AskDISHA 2.0, aims to help users get authentic, correct and instant answers to their queries. It will not just save time and enhance the user experience, but will also help them in doing end-to-end real-time transactions, the official said. (ANI)

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Quad Leaders

Quad Leaders Sign Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

By LokMarg

The United States on Friday hosted a ministerial meeting of the Quad grouping with India, Japan and Australia, the first such meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The leaders from the Quad countries signed the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) partnership guidelines.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is here on a 10-day official visit to the United States, participated in the meeting and said the HADR partnership is very timely.

“Given the turbulent times, it’s important that Quad goes further in constructive agenda that we’ve set for ourselves that we work together on the delivery of public goods, that our efforts and particularly what we’re signing today the HADR partnership which we discussed and finalized in Tokyo is extremely timely,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks.

He said there were other initiatives in the making, some a little further in the pipeline like STEM fellowship. “We’re working on economic framework though we’ve other partners beyond Quad on it, on maritime domain awareness. Great idea to meet regularly on the sidelines of the UNGA in our respective countries too,” he added.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who lost his father overnight and is likely to rush out of New York, hosted the Quad meeting.

The top US diplomat started his remarks by announcing that the meeting in New York is evidence that Quad is “strong and is getting stronger”.

“Not one of us alone can do what is necessary to meet these challenges and seize these opportunities and that is the inspiration behind Quad,” Blinken told his counterparts.

“This is the first time that the foreign ministers of the Quad nations got together at the UNGA so my hope is that it will be held as a regular feature at the meetings,” Blinken added.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong talked about Australia’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.

“Quad is a forum committed to bringing tangible benefits to the region and ensuring a region which is peaceful, stable, prosperous and where sovereignty is respected, where the countries are free to make their own choices,” Wong said.

Wong took a veiled dig at China over the country trying to dominate the Indo-Pacific and said, “No one in this room wants to see a region where countries are not able to make their sovereign choices, where any one country or any one perspective dominates.”

She firmly asserted that the Indo-Pacific region is being reshaped economically and strategically. “We want to represent countries to navigate this period of change together. So this is the heart of the Quad,” Wong noted.

Japan’s Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa highlighted the importance of Quad and, in a veiled swipe at Russia and China, referred to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by “force”. The minister stated that free and open international order based on the rule of law is under threat.

“It is extremely significant for us to demonstrate together to the international community our firm commitment to the UN charter and free and open Indo Pacific (FOIP),” the minister asserted.

“At the same time, FOIP cannot be achieved without working together with countries in the region. I am confident that the guidelines for Quad partnership on HADR here will further strengthen our collaboration to effectively respond to disasters in the Indo-Pacific region,” the minister concluded. (ANI)

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