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Land For Job Scam: Delhi Court Summons Lalu, Tejashwi

By LokMarg 22nd September 2023

The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi on Friday issued summons to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others accused in relation to a fresh chargesheet in alleged Land for Job Scam case.

The Special Judge Geetanjali Goel took cognizance of a fresh chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and issued summons against all accused.

According to the CBI, this is the second chargesheet in the designated court against 17 accused including the then Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, then GM of West Central Railways(WCR), then two CPOs of WCR, private persons, private company, etc. in a case related to Land for Job Scam.

Recently, the CBI has filed a chargesheet in the alleged Land for Job scam case against Lalu Prasad Yadav including his son Tejashwi Yadav and others.

CBI had registered a case on May 18, 2022, against Lalu Yadav and others including his wife, two daughters, unknown Public servants and private persons.

It was alleged that the then Union Minister of Railways during the period 2004-2009 had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members etc. in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group “D” Post in different Zones of Railways. It was further alleged that in lieu thereof the substitutes, who were residents of Patna themselves or through their family members sold & gifted their land situated at Patna in favour of the family members of said Minister and a private company controlled by his family members, which was also involved in transfer of such immovable properties in the name of said family members.

It was also alleged that no advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointments of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hazipur.

Searches were earlier conducted at multiple places including in Delhi & Bihar etc, said CBI.

“During the investigation, it was found that then Union Minister of Railways with intent to acquire the land parcels situated at the places where his family was already owning land parcels or the places which were already connected to him entered into conspiracy with associates and family members and allegedly derived a design to grab the land of various land owners by offering /providing group D employment in Railways,” CBI said.

The accused had allegedly collected applications and documents of such candidates through associates and then sent those to West Central Railway for processing and providing jobs in Railways and the General Managers of West Central Railways under the influence /control of the accused accorded approval for engagement of candidates, the CBI further said.

The CBI said that for providing jobs in Railways, they allegedly devised an indirect way wherein the candidates were engaged firstly as substitutes and subsequently, were regularized.

“A hard disk containing lists of candidates (who were engaged) was also recovered during searches. It was further alleged that a land parcel was purchased in the name of a private company at Rs.10.83 Lakh in 2007 and subsequently, the said land along with some other land parcels purchased by the said company, were brought into the ownership/control of his wife and son of then Union Minister of Railways by way of transfer of shares at Rs. One Lakh only,” the CBI said.

The CBI further said that at the time of transfer, the company was allegedly owning land parcels purchased at a total cost of Rs 1.77 crore (approx) and it was transferred for a mere Rs.1 Lakh (approx) only, however, the market value of the lands was much more.

Earlier, a chargesheet was filed on October 7, 2022 against 16 accused. The investigation is continuing, CBI informed the Court. (ANI)

CBI Files Chargesheet Against Tejashwi

By LokMarg 3rd July 2023

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday filed a chargesheet in an alleged land-for-job scam case in Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi.

The chargesheet named Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and several others including firms as accused.
The Chargesheet has been filed before Special Judge Geetanjali Goel.

It is filed against former Union Minister of Railways Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Chief Minister of Bihar Rabri Devi, and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and several others in the case related to land-for-job scam, said CBI counsel in Court.

CBI through its Special Public Prosecutor Advocate DP Singh informed the Court that a fresh chargesheet is filed in the case, despite a chargesheet already being filed because the alleged act is committed with a different modus operandi.

The court was also informed that sanctions are awaited against Lalu and three others.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation, irregular appointments of candidates were made in Central Railway, violating the laid down norms and procedures of Indian Railways for recruitment.

On March 15, the Court granted regular bail to ex-Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi, their daughter-RJD MP Misa Bharti and other accused in an alleged land for job scam case.

Recently, the Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday granted more time to the CBI to file a supplementary charge sheet in the land-for-job scam. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti attended the hearing.

The Court while granted time, expressed displeasure with CBI and said you are continuously delaying this matter, it is not right. The next date of hearing in the matter is July 12.

The CBI in its chargesheet filed earlier in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam stated that irregular appointments of candidates were made in Central Railway, violating the laid down norms and procedures of Indian Railways for recruitment.

As a quid-pro-quo, the candidates directly or through their immediate relatives/family members, sold land to the family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav (then Union Railway Minister) at highly discounted rates up to 1/4th to 1/5th of the prevailing market rates, stated CBI.

CBI further stated that investigation has revealed that Lalu Prasad Yadav during the period 2007-08. When he was Minister of Railways, Govt. of India with the intent to acquire the land parcels situated in Vill- Mahuabagh, Patna and Vill-Kunjwa, Patna which were situated adjacent to the land parcels already owned by his family members; entered into a criminal conspiracy with his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misha Bharati, Officers of Central Railways namely Sowmya Raghvan the then General Manager, Kamal Deep Mainrai, the then Chief Personnel Officer, and residents of Vill-Mahjabagh, Patna and Vill-Bindaul, Bihta, Patna and Patna City namely Raj Kumar Singh, Mithlesh Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Ravindra Ray, Kiran Devi, Akhileshwar Singh, Ramashish Singh.

According to the CBI, all the candidates after their engagement as substitutes were subsequently regularized.

In lieu of getting them appointed in Railways, Lalu Prasad Yadav got the lands transferred owned by candidates and their family members in the names of his wife Rabri Devi and Misha Bharti for sale consideration which was much lesser than the prevailing circle rates as well as the prevailing market rates. (ANI)

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Pak-Operated ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’: NIA Raids 5 Locations In Bihar, Gujarat, UP

By LokMarg 2nd July 2023

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday conducted raids at five places in Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in connection with ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, a radicalized module being run by Pakistan-based suspects.

The agency searched one place in Darbhanga and two in Patna in Bihar, one in Surat (Gujarat), and one in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh). The raids were conducted at the premises of these suspects across three states.

Incriminating material, including digital devices (mobile phones, memory cards), SIM cards and documents were seized during the raids, said the NIA.

The case came to light after the arrest of Marghoob Ahmad Danish alias Tahir, of Phulwarisharif area of Patna district by the Bihar Police, which registered it on July 14, last year. The NIA took over the case and re-registered it on July 22, last year and Marghoob was chargesheeted on January 6 this year under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

“The accused was found to be a member of the Ghazwa-e-Hind module, which was operated by Pakistan-based operatives, with the objective of radicalizing impressionable youth for the establishment of Ghazwa-e-Hind over Indian territory,” said the NIA.

Investigations revealed that Marghoob was the admin of a WhatsApp Group ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, created by a Pakistani national named Zain.

“Marghoob had added many Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Yemeni nationals to the Group with the aim of establishing sleeper cells in the country for carrying out terrorist activities,” said the NIA.

It further said that the accused had created various social media groups of the ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ on WhatsApp, Telegram and BiP Messenger.

“He had also created another WhatsApp group in the name of ‘BDGhazwa E HindBD’ and had added Bangladeshi nationals to it.”

Further investigations showed that various suspects involved in the case were in contact with Pakistan-based handlers and were involved in propagating the idea of Ghazwa-e-Hind, said the NIA.

“Further NIA investigations in the case are in progress,” added the agency. (ANI)

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Third-Highest Heatwave Conditions In Last 23 Yrs This Summer: IMD

By LokMarg 30th June 2023

India, this year, experienced the third-highest instances of heatwave and severe heatwave conditions in the last 23 years, after 2019 and 2022, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

The Met agency said heatwave and severe heatwave conditions this summer were the third-highest after 578 MSD (mean standard deviation) in 2019 and 455 MSD in 2022.
Further, according to the IMD, above-normal heatwave days were observed in the country’s eastern parts, including West Bengal, Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and the adjoining central parts including eastern Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Telangana.

Apart from this, heavy rainfall activity occurred in three to four zones in the month of June, including Assam, south Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the IMD said, adding that Gujarat also experienced heavy rainfall but that was largely on account of severe cyclonic storm ‘Biparjoy’.

Meanwhile, the IMD on Friday said Mumbai, Thane and Palghar in Maharashtra are expected to receive moderate to intense spells of rainfall over the next 3-4 hours.

Earlier, an official statement from the IMD stated, “Due to active monsoon conditions enhanced rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at a few places over parts of Konkan and adjoining ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra during the next 2-3 days.”

Heavy rainfall in the Panna district of Madhya Pradesh over the last three days hit road connectivity while throwing traffic out of gear. Heavy waterlogging was also reported at several government offices, including that of the Home Guard and the Department of Horticulture and Food Processing.

A boat was spotted sailing at a government office after rainwater entered the premises in the Panna district of MP on Thursday.

Meanwhile, parts of the national capital and adjoining areas experienced sharp showers in the wee hours of Friday, with extensive waterlogging reported in some areas.

The IMD forecast more moderate to heavy rainfall in parts of Delhi, UP, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in the next couple of days.

Earlier, on Thursday, heavy rain lashed several isolated areas of Delhi-NCR, bringing down the minimum temperature to 27.1 degrees Celsius. (ANI)

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Shah Calls Nitish ‘Paltu Babu’

By LokMarg 29th June 2023

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday referred to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as “Paltu babu” (one who changes decisions) and attacked him for questioning the work done by the Centre during the past nine years.

Shah said Nitish Kumar should have some regard for those with whom he has shared power and because of whom he became CM. Amit Shah arrived in Bihar’s capital Patna on Thursday for a one-day visit to Lakhisarai district.
“Paltu babu Nitish Kumar was asking what had been done (by the centre in nine years. At least have some regard for those with whom you shared power and because of whom you became the Chief Minister. A lot of work was done by PM Modi across the country in these nine years,” said Shah at a rally in Bihar’s Lakhisarai.

Praising PM Narendra Modi for the stature he has achieved in global politics, Shah said, “These nine years have been years of India’s glory. Wherever PM Modi goes, be it the US or England or France or Egypt – you hear chants of ‘Modi, Modi’. He went to the US recently, some Heads of State sought appointment with him, some others – his autograph, while some others touched his feet for blessings. This respect for PM Modi across the world is not only his or BJP’s but that of crores of Indians…”

While mentioning the PM Modi-led government’s response towards Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Shah accused UPA governments for remaining silent on Pak-sponsored terrorism and said, “Earlier, when Pak inspired terrorists used to attack, Sonia-Manmohan’s government did not retaliate and remained silent as ‘Mouni Baba’ while sitting in Delhi. But when there were attacks in Pulwama and Uri during PM Modi’s tenure, Modi ji retailed within 10 days by doing surgical strike and air strike in Pakistan.”

“Congress, JD-U, RJD, and Mamata Banerjee used to say that if Article 370 gets abrogated there will be a blood bath in Kashmir. But I would like to tell Rahul Baba no one dared to throw a stone,” said Amit Shah.

After addressing the rally he offered prayers in the historic Ashok Dham temple and met with trustees of Mandir as part of the party’s ‘Sampark Se Samarthan’ Abhiyan. He also visited the residence of Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha.

Earlier speaking to ANI regarding Amit Shah’s visit to the state, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that after completion of the programs in Lakhisarai, the Home Minister will directly reach Patna’s Gandhi Maidan rally venue where he will address a public meeting on the completion of nine years of the Modi government.

Rai said that this is going to be a historic visit like his earlier visits to the state. (ANI)

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If We Win Bihar, We Can Win Across Country: Kharge

By LokMarg 23rd June 2023

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday addressed the party workers at Bihar State Congress office Sadakat Ashram and said that if the party wins in Bihar they can win across the country.

Senior party leader Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader KC Venugopal were also present at the party office ahead of the Opposition leaders’ meeting.
“If we win Bihar, then we can win across the country,” Kharge said while addressing the party workers in Patna.

He also appealed to the people to unite and work in favour of the country and its democracy.

“I appeal to you to come together despite differences and work in favour of the country and its democracy. We must take forward what Rahul Gandhi has started,” he said.

The party office is covered with posters and banners of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other leaders.

The Congress leaders reached Patna to attend the Opposition leaders’ meeting hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, with an aim to arrive at a consensus to forge a united Opposition front to take on the BJP.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar welcomed Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge on their arrival.

Leaders of Opposition parties from across the country are set to meet in Patna to chalk out a strategy to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Opposition picked Patna as a venue for its meeting as it represents the 1974 call of total revolution by Jayaprakash Narayan that toppled Indira Gandhi’s majority government.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti were among the leaders who reached Patna ahead of the meeting. (ANI)

Heat Wave To Continue For 3 Days in North India: Met Dept

By LokMarg 11th June 2023

India Meteorological Department on Sunday said that hot weather and heat wave conditions will likely continue for the next three days in Odisha and several places in the state will experience temperatures 4-6 degrees Celsius above-normal.

While speaking to ANI, IMD Scientist Umashankar Das said, “We are expecting hot weather conditions and heat wave conditions to continue for the next three days. Apart from that, several places in Odisha will experience above normal temperatures by 4-6 degrees.”
IMD Scientist Das further mentioned that an orange warning has been issued in this regard.

“We have issued an Orange warning. This condition will continue till June 13. We are expecting that afterwards there is a slight fall in temperature. So, heatwave conditions will no more prevail in various districts,” he said.

As several parts of the country are grappling with severe heatwave conditions, IMD Scientist Naresh Kumar issued an advisory on the current situation in the country.

IMD Scientist Naresh Kumar said, “Talking about the heatwave conditions in India, the main heat wave zone currently is East India. The heat wave conditions are prevailing in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. For this, the IMD issued an orange alert in these regions. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are also coming under the influence of heatwave.” (ANI)

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Another Flight Carrying 231 Indians From Sudan Reaches Delhi

By LokMarg 29th April 2023

Another flight carrying 231 Indian passengers evacuated from conflict-torn Sudan reached New Delhi on Saturday.

The Indian evacuees shouted slogans like “Bharat Mata ki jai,” and “Vande Mataram” and also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for rescuing them from Sudan under Operation Kaveri.
One of the Indian passengers shared the tough humanitarian crisis faced by them in Sudan. “It has become very difficult to stay in Sudan due to ongoing conflict. There is a shortage of food and drinking water, moreover, there are continuous bombings, and rockets are being fired. None of us were coming out of our houses. The food canteen was bombed. It is very difficult to flee also, travelling in the vehicle is also not safe, they can bomb buses too,” said an Indian electrician from Buxar, Bihar evacuated from Sudan.

He lauded Operation Kaveri and said that his evacuation from Sudan was like “re-birth” as he had lost hope to survive. “If it had not been PM Modi and EAM Jaishankar none of the Indians could have come here alive. From the deep of my heart, I want to thank them. Bharat Mata ki jai, Modiji Zindabad,” he added.

He also praised the Indian Army which aided their safe transit from Port Sudan to Jeddah. “When I saw them at Port Jeddah, we felt secure and knew that we will reach India alive. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat,” he added.

Meanwhile, a little girl named Aiysha evacuated from Sudan also shared her experience and thanked the Indian Government. “I feel relaxed. The situation in Sudan was ‘boom, boom, boom.’ I was scared, and so was my Mom and Dad. Thank You, Indian Government for supporting and helping us” she said.

“#OperationKaveri moves further. 231 Indian reach home safely as another flight reaches New Delhi,” tweeted Jaishankar.

“I have been staying in Sudan for the last 15 years. This is the first time we faced such a dire situation. It was very scary, they launched a rocket at my house. We requested Indian Embassy to evacuate us. They helped us and we went to Port Sudan and Indian Navy carried us safely. Navy officers were very helpful. When we reached Jeddah, we got good air service. Indian Government supported us in the time of the need, we are very happy and thankful to the government,” said Mohammed Iqbal Hussain, project engineer in a pharmaceutical company in Sudan.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Garud Commandos carried out a daring, overnight operation to air-lift stranded Indians despite the airstrip in Sudan’s Wadi Seidna having no navigational approach, aids or fuel, and landing lights (that are required to guide an aircraft landing at night).

On the night of April 27, 28, 2023, the IAF C-130J aircraft rescued 121 personnel from a small airstrip at Wadi Seidna, which is about 40 km North of Khartoum, Sudan, the IAF said in a statement.

Hussain said that situation in Sudan is not going to normalize soon. “It will take very long and now Khartoum is finished, they are going back 20 years. They cannot reconstruct like that, bearing heavy losses,” he added.

“I am feeling very relaxed after coming back to India, was under trauma for the last 14 days and was very scared due to my little girl. Even our houses were not safe, were always in constant fear that bullets can hit us from anywhere, were doubting whether we will be able to meet our family. I would like to thank Government of India from the core of my heart because they supported us in such dire conditions,” said another Indian evacuee.

On Friday, Mos MEA V Muraleedharan informed that so far, 2,100 Indians have arrived in Jeddah, as part of ‘Operation Kaveri’.

Sudan is experiencing bloodshed as a result of clashes between the army and paramilitary forces. Even though there is a 72-hour ceasefire, there have been allegations of violence.

Fighting has erupted between soldiers loyal to Sudanese army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, paramilitary Rapid Support Soldiers (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

Committed to ensuring that no Indian national is left behind in Sudan, India has deployed its military planes and warships in the war-torn country. (ANI)

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Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh

Gangster-Turned-Politician Anand Mohan Released From Bihar Jail

By LokMarg 27th April 2023

Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh was released from Bihar’s Saharsa jail early Thursday morning, a jail official confirmed.

Singh’s release was necessitated after the Bihar government recently amended the prison rules allowing the release of 27 convicts including him.
He was serving a life sentence in the 1994 murder of then Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah. After the Bihar Government amended the rules of the Jail manual, an official notification stated that 27 prisoners who have served 14 years or 20 years in jail have been ordered to be released.

Posters welcoming the former MP Anand Mohan were put up at Veer Kunwar Singh Chowk in the district.

The gangster-turned-politician was earlier on parole of 15 days to attend the engagement ceremony of his MLA son Chetan Anand. He had returned to Saharsa jail on April 26 following the end of his parole period.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state prisons department had released nearly 14 convicts from various jails of the state.

Singh was among eight others who could not be released yesterday.

There has been a backlash regarding the former MP’s release from jail by the opposition in the state.

Responding to the uproar over his imminent release, Anand Mohan Singh on Tuesday took a dig at the BJP and said convicts in Bilkis Bano case were also released under Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s pressure.

“In Gujarat also, some decision has been taken under the pressure of RJD and Nitish Kumar, go and see that. Some people have been released and garlanded. Yes, I am pointing out to that case (Bilkis Bano case) only,” Singh told mediapersons.

He said that he has “full sympathy” with the slain IAS officer’s family.

“I have full sympathy for G Krishnaiah’s family. This episode ruined two families, that of Lovely Anand (his wife), and G Kishnaiah,” the former MP added.

Anand Mohan murdered Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah on December 5, 1994, in Muzaffarpur. Krishnaiah was killed by a mob allegedly provoked by Anand Mohan Singh. He was dragged out of his official car and lynched.

G Krishnaiah, a 1985-batch IAS officer who hailed from Mahbubnagar in present-day Telangana.

Anand Mohan was sentenced to death by a trial court in 2007. A year later, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Patna High Court. Mohan then challenged the verdict in Supreme Court but no relief has been granted yet and he has remained in Saharsa jail since 2007.

His wife Lovely Anand has also been a Lok Sabha MP, while their son Chetan Anand is an RJD MLA from Bihar’s Sheohar. (ANI)

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MHA Issues Advisory To States Ahead Of Hanuman Jayanti

By LokMarg 5th April 2023

Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued an advisory to all states on the maintenance of law and order ahead of Hanuman Jayanti.

The MHA advised the states to ensure peaceful observance of the festival and keep track of factors that could disturb communal harmony in society.
“MHA has issued an advisory to all states in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti. The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society,” the Home Minister’s Office said in a statement.

The development comes on the heels of clahes that erupted in West Bengal and neighbouring Bihar during Ram Navami celebrations. Incidents of violence, arson and stone pelting were reported in these two states around Ram Navami.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 were also enforced in some areas of West Bengal in the wake of the clashes.

Ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, the acting Chief Justice Bench of the Calcutta High Court had also ordered the deployment of central force personnel in some sensitive areas of the state.

The court directed the state to request the assistance of paramilitary forces in the interest of maintaining law and order.

“If the intelligence department of the state was alert, such violence would not have happened. It also instructed that no political leader will give any provoking statement to the media,” the court said. (ANI)

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