Bhubaneswar, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Odisha Vigilance on Friday arrested an Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) in Jajpur district for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets (DA) to the tune of 170 per cent beyond his known sources of income.

According to the vigilance, the accused public servant identified as Tapan Sethi is presently posted as AEE of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Sub-Division in Badachana under SE, R&B Division, Charbatia in Choudwar of Kataka district. During simultaneous house searches, the sleuths found that Sethi and his family members are in possession of huge movable and immovable assets worth crores.

The properties unearthed during the house searches include a triple-storey building at CDA Sector-7 in Kataka, another 3,600 sq ft triple-storey building at Sidha Mahavir in Puri, and a 2,200 sq ft double-storey building at Kantabada in Bhubaneswar. The accused Sethi and his family members were also in possession of a 1.02-acre farmhouse at Kantapada near Kataka and three high-value plots in Bhubaneswar and Kataka.

The cops also detected 747 grams of gold jewellery, deposits of Rs 20.87 lakh, cash and household items worth Rs 15.90 lakh, two cars and four two-wheelers. Sethi was forwarded to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance, Cuttack.

"After thorough search, inventory and further enquiry, the income, expenditure and assets of Tapan Sethi, AEE, R&B Sub-Division, Badachana, Jajpur under SE, R&B Division, Charbatia, Choudwar, Kataka were calculated, and he was found in possession of disproportionate assets which were 170% in excess of his known sources of income, the Odisha Vigilance said.

In a separate operation in Koraput district, anti-corruption sleuths arrested two village-level grassroots functionaries for allegedly embezzling public funds amounting to over Rs 12.33 lakh. The accused persons were identified as G. Shankar, former Assistant Data Entry Operator (ADEO)-cum-former Gram Rozgar Sevak (GRS) of Banuaguda Gram Panchayat, presently posted as ADEO of Lamtaput Block and Laikhana Nayak, Village Mate of Banuaguda Gram Panchayat.

“The accused persons were allegedly engaged in fraudulent practices by falsifying records and showing the execution of multiple government-funded development works that were not actually carried out on the ground. The alleged misappropriation pertains to four major projects under Banuaguda Gram Panchayat within Kundra Block of Koraput district,” Odisha Vigilance noted.

Both the accused were arrested and forwarded to the Court of the Special Judge, Vigilance, Jayapur in Koraput district.

Source: IANS

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Gwalior, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Twenty-two children were rescued from a madrasa in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior on Friday after its management failed to produce documents related to its recognition during a raid by the Madhya Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, its chairperson Nivedita Sharma said.

The children, including 15 boys and seven girls aged between four and 16 years, were shifted to child care homes according to their age under the supervision of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

Confirming the action, Sharma told IANS that the commission inspected Darul Quran madrasa near the Attorney General Office following a complaint that children were being kept there without the required recognition.

"During the inspection, we found that the madrasa management did not have the required recognition. Three girls were also found inside a locked room, about which the management had not informed the officials," she said.

The inspection was conducted by a team comprising officials of the Women and Child Development Department and the CWC.

Officials found that regular classes were not being conducted at the madrasa and no staff had been appointed to look after the children.

They also found inadequate arrangements for the children's safety and supervision.

The operation continued from afternoon until evening, but the management could not produce the required documents.

It sought more time to submit the papers and requested that the children be allowed to remain at the premises.

Some parents reached the madrasa during the operation and expressed surprise at the removal of their children.

The action also comes against the backdrop of a missing-child complaint involving the institution.

A 13-year-old boy from the Mewati locality of Sagartal, who stayed at the madrasa for his studies, went missing on the morning of October 15 after being present there the previous night.

A police complaint was lodged, and the boy was subsequently found.

Sharma said the committee had received information that children were staying at the madrasa without the required recognition.

Following the inspection, the children were shifted to care homes, and an investigation was underway under the relevant provisions of the law.

The commission's action focused on the children's safety, supervision and educational arrangements.

Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi/Lucknow, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended two officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Lucknow Zone, in an alleged Rs 5 lakh bribery case. The accused have been identified as Deepak Kumar, Enforcement Officer, and Manoj Dwivedi, Head Constable, both posted at the ED office in Lucknow Zone, Lucknow.

According to the CBI’s press release issued on Friday, the agency registered a case on the same day against Manoj Dwivedi and Deepak Kumar of the ED’s Lucknow office following a complaint alleging a demand for illegal gratification.

The complaint stated that Manoj Dwivedi had allegedly demanded a bribe from the complainant’s father in exchange for helping him in an Enforcement Directorate case. The complainant’s father had reportedly received two summonses from the ED’s Lucknow Zone in August and September 2026.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap on October 23, 2026. During the operation, Manoj Dwivedi was allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 5,00,000 on behalf of Enforcement Officer Deepak Kumar to extend favour to the complainant’s father in the ED case.

The CBI subsequently apprehended both accused officials in connection with the alleged bribery. The agency is continuing its investigation to establish the full extent of the alleged misconduct and determine whether other officials were involved.

According to officials, the action underlines the CBI’s efforts to combat corruption among public servants and reinforce accountability in government agencies. The case also highlights the importance of reporting alleged demands for bribes by public officials.

The CBI has urged citizens who encounter corruption or face demands for bribes from public servants to report such incidents. Further investigation into the alleged Rs 5 lakh bribery case involving Deepak Kumar and Manoj Dwivedi is underway.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The daughter of granite businessman R. Veeramani, who is facing POCSO cases, was on Friday deplaned at the Chennai International Airport and detained by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for questioning, an official said.

Archana Veeramani, 49, was detained minutes before her scheduled IndiGo flight to Singapore was to take off at 2.20 p.m., said the official.

The detention followed an intelligence input received by the SIT, which had been tracking the activities of Archana and other suspects linked to the alleged sexual abuse of minor girls by the 84-year-old granite businessman, the official said.

Last week, the SIT intensified questioning of granite businessman R. Veeramani in prison in connection with the cases.

The 84-year-old industrialist was questioned inside the prison following a court order permitting investigators to question him for two additional days.

The court allowed the questioning to take place within the prison premises in view of his advanced age.

According to police, 10 girls have lodged complaints against Veeramani, resulting in the registration of seven cases.

The SIT is investigating the complaints and examining his responses to the allegations.

Investigators questioned Veeramani from morning until evening on October 16 and recorded his statement, police said.

The latest round of interrogation followed an earlier three-day period of police custody.

On October 18, the SIT arrested Veeramani’s company manager Sakthivel.

Investigators subsequently obtained judicial permission for another two days of questioning, with the venue shifted to the prison under the arrangement approved by the court.

Police said Veeramani had been arrested in four of the seven cases registered against him.

They also said he had been detained under the Goondas Act.

The sexual abuse allegations are being investigated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The SIT's inquiry covers the complaints received so far. While police have disclosed the number of complainants and cases, they have not provided further details about the statements recorded during interrogation or Veeramani's responses.

The investigation remains underway, and the allegations against the businessman have yet to be adjudicated.

The registration of cases and the questioning form part of the investigative process and do not establish guilt.

Source: IANS

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Lucknow/New Delhi, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Satyendra Kumar, a proclaimed offender in a fodder scam case, ending a manhunt that lasted more than two and a half decades.

The accused, who had been on the run since the charge sheet was filed against him in 2001, was apprehended at Lucknow Railway Station around midnight on October 22.

According to the CBI, Satyendra Kumar absconded soon after the charge sheet was filed in court. As he repeatedly failed to appear for trial, the court issued a permanent warrant of arrest against him.

For over 25 years, the agency continued efforts to locate the absconder through sustained physical and technical surveillance, combined with human intelligence inputs. These efforts eventually led investigators to Nepal, where the accused had been staying. Recently, Satyendra Kumar entered India and boarded a train from Guna in Madhya Pradesh bound for Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh on October 22.

Acting on specific intelligence about his movement, the CBI constituted a dedicated team and deployed it at Lucknow Railway Station well before the arrival of the train. As the train reached the station around midnight, the team successfully identified and apprehended the accused. He was formally arrested and is now being brought to Ranchi on transit remand for production before the competent court to face trial in the long-pending case.

The fodder scam, one of the major corruption cases investigated by the CBI, involved large-scale embezzlement of public funds in the animal husbandry department of Bihar and Jharkhand. Several accused were charge-sheeted in the early 2000s, but some, including Satyendra Kumar, managed to evade arrest for years.

Officials said the arrest was a result of the agency’s persistence in pursuing long-pending cases and bringing absconders to justice, irrespective of the time elapsed. The accused will now face the legal process that was delayed for more than a quarter of a century.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Shatru Ghosh and another accused, Chhotan Ghosh, the two main accused in the murder of Samir Ghosh, a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Malda district of West Bengal, were remanded to 10 days of judicial custody on Friday.

Both the accused, who were arrested on Thursday, were presented at a district court in Malda district on Friday and at the end of the hearing, the judge of the district court remanded them to 10 days of judicial custody.

On Wednesday night, when the people were busy with Durga idol immersion, Samir Ghosh was first brutally hacked and then shot from close range, resulting in his death on the spot.

His family members claimed that he was killed because of his active involvement with the BJP for a long time and also alleged that the assassins were closely associated with the former West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee-led faction in the Trinamool Congress. However, the Trinamool Congress leadership in Malda district denied the allegations.

The Malda District Police started an investigation in the matter and arrested the two prime accused in the case.

The incident took place on Wednesday night in the Ramkeli area of English Bazar police station in Malda district. Allegedly, while the people were busy with idol immersion, some people entered Gosh's house.

It is alleged that before anyone realised anything, he was attacked with sharp weapons. After that, he was also shot at close range to ensure his death, his family members alleged.

The brother of the deceased BJP worker said that his brother had been receiving threats in various ways for a long time for his association with the BJP, and he was even asked to leave the locality. He also claimed that the deceased was alone at home at the time of the incident. The miscreants took advantage of that opportunity and entered the house and committed the brutal act.

He also claimed that this murder had been planned for a long time.

Source: IANS

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Srinagar, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Police in J&K’s Pulwama district on Friday seized 23 dumpers/tippers and an excavator during an operation against illegal mining in the district.

“In a major crackdown on illegal mining, Pulwama Police, acting on the directions of SSP Pulwama, conducted early-morning raids at multiple locations across the Rohmu belt to curb the illegal extraction of soil and minerals. During the operation, a police team led by DySP Headquarters, Pulwama, intercepted illegal soil extraction at Gusoo, Pulwama, and seized 23 dumpers/tippers and one L&T excavator from the spot," a police statement said.

Preliminary findings indicate that the extraction activity was being carried out in violation of the prescribed terms and conditions of the permit.

In this connection, an FIR has been registered at Police Station Pulwama under the relevant provisions of law, and further investigation has been initiated to ascertain all facts and establish accountability.

"Pulwama Police reiterates its firm commitment to eradicating illegal mining and ensuring strict enforcement of the law. The public is urged to cooperate with the police and promptly report any instances of illegal mining to help protect the environment and preserve public resources," the statement said.

Illegal mining in J&K has emerged as a critical socio-environmental and governance crisis, marked by massive scales of unauthorised mineral extraction alongside heavily disproportionate criminal prosecution. Powered by an infrastructure boom and a high demand for construction materials (sand, gravel, boulders, and soil), a well-entrenched network often operates unchecked across vital water bodies like the Jhelum River.

Official data highlights a massive gap between administrative seizures and actual criminal accountability.

During the 2025–26 fiscal year, authorities carried out 9,417 seizures and recovered Rs 20.009 crore in penalties, yet registered only 285 FIRs.

Districts like Kathua reported 1,019 seizures but only a single FIR. Samba registered 800 seizures without a single FIR. Conversely, districts like Kupwara (48 FIRs out of 972 seizures) and Baramulla (41 FIRs out of 845 seizures) saw more proactive legal actions.

Faced with escalating criticism, the J&K administration has rapidly tightened regulations.

In October 2026, the government formally empowered Mining Department officers to file direct complaints against illegal miners to expedite prosecution.

Senior officials have faced immediate suspension and administrative attachments for complicity or negligence. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has also registered criminal FIRs targeting collusive relationships between mining syndicates and government officials.

The Department of Geology & Mining has strictly banned the deployment of heavy earth-moving machinery (like JCBs and excavators) in unauthorised zones, making a mandatory Royalty Clearance Certificate (RCC) a prerequisite for public works contractors.

Police divisions (such as Pulwama, Budgam, and Awantipora) routinely conduct early-morning intercept raids, seizing dozens of tippers, dumpers, and excavators weekly.

Source: IANS

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Khunti (Jharkhand), Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Jharkhand police have solved the case of the attempted murder of Father Benedict Barla, principal of RC Boys Middle School, associated with St Michael's Church in Khunti, officials said on Friday.

Three juveniles have been detained in connection with the attack, while a search is going on for a fourth accused.

The incident had triggered widespread public outrage in the district.

According to police, all four accused are former students of the school. They entered the school premises to steal money to visit a local fair.

When Father Barla unexpectedly arrived at the school, one of the accused attacked him with a small hoe-like weapon, striking him on the forehead and temple to avoid being caught.

Acting on the accused persons' disclosures, police recovered Rs 85,747 in cash, mobile phones, and several items purchased with the stolen money.

Addressing a press conference on Friday evening, Rishabh Garg, Superintendent of Police of Khunti, said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to track down the accused through technical evidence, CCTV footage, and information gathered during questioning.

The three detained juveniles are aged 13, 14, and 15 years. The role and age of the fourth accused will be known after the arrest, he said.

According to the SP, the four juveniles arrived at the school premises at around 8.30 p.m. on October 20 to steal money. During the theft attempt, they encountered Father Barla, leading to a confrontation.

One of the juveniles then assaulted him with the weapon, causing serious injuries to his forehead and temple.

After Father Barla collapsed, the accused stole items from the school office and fled. The entire incident lasted about 30 minutes, police said.

Father Barla was found unconscious and severely injured on the school campus the nerxt day on the morning of October 21. He was shifted to a hospital in Ranchi, where he is still getting treatment.

Police received information about the incident at around 8.45 a.m. on October 21. Police examined CCTV footage from the surrounding area and analysed mobile tower data.

During the probe, a suspicious mobile number was identified, leading police to the first accused.

Interrogation revealed the involvement of two other juveniles. Based on their disclosures, police recovered mobile phones and cash that had been buried in a forest area.

The accused used part of the stolen money to purchase goods online and from local markets, while the remaining amount was hidden at different locations.

According to police, all four accused had passed Class 7 from the same school and had earlier stayed in the school's hostel.

The attack on Father Barla sparked protests across Khunti. On Friday, members of the Christian community and local residents organised a silent march demanding strict action against the accused.

The protesters had also blocked a road in the area.

Source: IANS

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Lucknow, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Special CBI Court in Lucknow on Friday sentenced a man convicted of culpable homicide of a suspended Uttar Pradesh Police inspector in Pratapgarh in 2015 to 10 years’ imprisonment, an official said.

Bocha, alias Raju Soni, was sentenced to imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 9,000 in the case relating to the culpable homicide of Inspector Anil Kumar, SHO, Police Station Kotwali, Pratapgarh, on November 19, 2015, the CBI official said in a statement.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the case on June 29, 2018, in compliance with the order of the Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench, by taking over the investigation of the case of Police Station Kotwali City, Pratapgarh, the statement said.

The case relates to culpable homicide not amounting to murder of the SHO, Kotwali, Pratapgarh (suspended) at the Model Shop of Hotel Vaishnavi, Pratapgarh, the CBI said.

After completion of the investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet against two accused persons, namely Jishan Khan and Bocha alias Raju Soni. The charges were framed against both the accused persons on December 14, 2022.

During the course of trial, the co-accused Jishan Khan filed a written application confessing to the charged offences on April 4, 2026. Subsequently, his file was separated from the main file, and he was convicted on May 2, 2026 and sentenced to 10 years' Imprisonment with a fine of Rs 9,000.

The Special Judge CBI Court, Lucknow, on Friday sentenced the second convict, Bocha alias Raju Soni. The first convict, Jishan, was sentenced to 10 years’ jail in May.

Suspended SHO Anil Kumar died after reportedly being hit by a stray bullet fired during a fight between two groups of men over a parking issue near a hotel.

The SHO Kotwali had been suspended a few days before his accidental death. He was placed under suspension following the killing of a lawyer, who was contesting an election for a post in the district panchayat, under his police station’s jurisdiction.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ)The Delhi High Court on Friday rejected a plea filed by All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora challenging a notice requiring her to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety to maintain peace during an inquiry following her participation in a protest in the national capital on October 16.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad rejected the writ petition at this stage, while directing that all materials relied upon in the proceedings be provided to Bora.

The High Court also issued certain directions to the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) to ensure due care before passing an order in the inquiry.

Bora had challenged a notice issued by the SEM on October 17 under Sections 126 and 130 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), read with Section 135(3), requiring her to execute a bond to maintain peace.

During the hearing, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Bora, argued that she was detained 10-15 minutes after reaching Mandi House in Delhi on the evening of October 16 and had not committed any offence or engaged in any act that could be construed as a breach of peace. He contended that her detention was illegal and stressed that she was not associated with a separate call by another organisation, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), to unfurl the National Flag at Central Park in Connaught Place.

Sankaranarayanan also submitted that Bora was not allowed to contact her family members or lawyers immediately after being detained. Challenging the legality of the notice, the senior counsel argued that the proceedings had been initiated mechanically without the requisite preliminary inquiry or material establishing the need for preventive action.

He further contended that the SEM could require a person to execute a bond for maintaining peace or good behaviour under Section 136 of the BNSS only after the inquiry had concluded.

Opposing the plea, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma submitted that there had been "12 violations" by Bora, one after another, which had been examined by the Magistrate. He also referred to remarks allegedly made by Bora at a press conference regarding "regime change", arguing that a change of regime takes place through votes and not through "lumpen elements in the nerve of New Delhi".

The petition contended that the notice did not disclose any material establishing a likelihood of breach of peace, a necessary precondition for initiating preventive proceedings under Section 126 of the BNSS.

Bora was among those detained by the Delhi Police on October 16 as security was tightened across central Delhi ahead of a proposed 'Tiranga Assembly' called by the CJP at Central Park in Connaught Place.

The protest, scheduled for 5 p.m., had been denied permission by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Delhi court on Friday sent social media influencer Amir Shokeen to one day judicial custody in connection with the alleged racial harassment and humiliation of an individual from Tripura, depicted in a video circulating on social media.

The accused was produced before a Duty Judge at the Tis Hazari Court, who sent the accused to judicial custody a day after he was arrested by the Delhi Police from the Karol Bagh area.

Officials said that Shokeen will be produced before the concerned court on Saturday.

According to officials, the Delhi Police had sought a six-day police remand for the influencer.

However, Shokeen's lawyer opposed the police's demand.

Speaking to IANS, advocate Vineet Jain said: "He (Shokeen) was produced before the duty magistrate today. The court stated that only the concerned court is competent to hear the application in this case."

"The police had filed an application seeking six days of custody remand. The duty magistrate directed that he be produced before the concerned court tomorrow. For now, he has been sent to one day of judicial custody," he added.

Regarding the FIR filed by the Tripura Police against Amir Shokeen, Jain said: "We have only heard about the FIR. So far we have not received any copy of the same, so we cannot comment on it right now."

Further, the lawyer said that the Tripura Police were not present in the court on Friday.

It was earlier reported that the Tripura Police had reached Delhi on Thursday to take custody of the social media influencer following his arrest by the Delhi Police.

According to the police, Shokeen had made the controversial video about a month ago.

Earlier, Shokeen apologised after the offensive video surfaced on social media and earned him major backlash.

In a Facebook post, Shokeen claimed that the video was scripted and that the man featured in it was known to him.

He said the man had previously worked at a friend's cafe in Ahmedabad and described the exchange as a humorous video in which both people were joking.

The social media influencer noted that he had no intention of insulting anyone.

This is not the first time that an FIR has been filed against Amir Shokeen.

Previously, cases under Sections 323, 324, 504, and 506 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) had been registered against the influencer, officials added.

Source: IANS

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Lucknow, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached movable and immovable properties, including a plot and a flat in Kolkata, worth Rs 3.72 crore in a case related to duping UK nationals through fraudulent call centres in Gorakhpur and Ranchi, an official said on Friday.

The ED's Allahabad Sub-Zonal Office in Prayagraj issued the Provisional Attachment Order (PAO) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, it said.

The attachment was undertaken in connection with the ongoing investigation into the international cyber fraud case against Anik Dutta and others, the official said in a statement.

The provisional attachment of Rs 3.72 crore includes a plot and a flat in Kolkata, amounts lying in bank accounts and insurance policies, it said.

The total proceeds of crime generated by Anik Dutta, in association with another accused person, using the abovementioned modus operandi has been quantified at Rs 7 crore, the statement said.

The ED investigation was initiated on the basis of an FIR registered and a charge sheet filed by the Cyber Crime Police Station in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, against Dutta, Akash Gupta, Aditya Mishra and others, for offences committed under various sections of the IPC, 1860, it added.

"The investigation revealed that the accused operated fraudulent call centres through Glowbird Consultancy Private Limited in Ranchi and later through Jubilate Info Private Limited in Gorakhpur, where employees were trained to target UK nationals, particularly elderly persons, by impersonating representatives of BT Openreach and using fictitious foreign names," the ED said.

"Under the pretext of improving internet speed, the victims were persuaded to download remote access software such as AnyDesk and Quick Assist, enabling the accused to obtain access to their devices and banking details," it added.

"The victims were thereafter falsely informed that their internet connection had been subjected to a cyberattack and that a case had been registered with UK Action Fraud, following which senior supervisors, posing as Action Fraud officials, induced them to transfer money to bank accounts specified by the accused," the ED said.

"The proceeds of crime were subsequently transferred to India, Bangladesh and Thailand through international money transfer services, including Western Union and MoneyGram, as well as through hawala channels," the ED added.

Source: IANS

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Imphal, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A joint team of Central and state security forces has continued its search operations to arrest all those involved in the killing of three Meitei men in Manipur's Kangpokpi district earlier this week, Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh said on Friday.

The Home Minister said that security forces had also raided a designated camp of insurgent groups that had signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and detained 18 people for questioning.

Saying that uninterrupted operations were underway in connection with the recent killing of three youths in the Sunurok hills of Kangpokpi district on October 19, Singh said a joint team comprising Cobra personnel, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Manipur Police raided the designated Sinai camp in Kangpokpi district, where 18 people were detained.

The camp is designated for groups that have signed the SoO agreement, the Home Minister told the media on the sidelines of a tree plantation programme at Olympian Park in Imphal.

"Of the 18 people detained, one has been identified as a cadre of a Kuki outfit that had signed the SoO agreement, while the identities of the remaining detainees are yet to be ascertained," he said.

According to Singh, the SoO agreement expired on September 4 and had not been renewed.

The Minister said that search operations would continue not only at Kuki camps but also at camps belonging to outfits associated with Meitei and Naga groups.

He also highlighted the difficulties faced by security forces while conducting search operations in the hill areas of the state.

"Impartial measures will be taken to maintain law and order. The government is trying to restore normalcy," he added.

A total of 23 underground outfits under two conglomerates -- eight under the United People's Front (UPF) and 15 under the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) -- have been under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) arrangement with the Union government since August 2008.

Meanwhile, Assam Rifles personnel continued their search operations in the Phailengkot area along the border between Kangpokpi and Imphal East districts and recovered arms and ammunition.

The recovered items included one .22-calibre rifle, one CMG (as described in the original report) with a magazine, one Japanese-made pistol with a magazine, and one improvised explosive device (IED).

In addition, a large quantity of ammunition, magazines and other items were also recovered during the operation, a Manipur police official said.

The search operation was still underway.

Source: IANS

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Chandigarh, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Rajan Singh Katodiah, partner of Chandigarh-based M/s Sawan Jewellers, in connection with the alleged Rs 645-crore IDFC First Bank scam involving the embezzlement of government funds from various departments of the Haryana government and the Chandigarh Administration, an agency statement said on Friday.

Katodiah was arrested by the ED's Chandigarh Zonal Office-II on Thursday and produced before the Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which granted the agency four days' custody for further interrogation.

According to the ED, Katodiah was the active managing partner and sole operational in-charge of M/s Sawan Jewellers, located in Sector 35-C, Chandigarh.

The agency alleged that he entered into a criminal conspiracy with the prime accused, Ribhav Rishi, and others to misappropriate public funds.

Investigations revealed that between November 6, 2024, and February 18, 2026, bank accounts linked to M/s Sawan Jewellers received approximately Rs 332 crore from several shell and intermediary entities allegedly controlled by Rishi.

These entities included Capco Fintech Services, Swastik Desh Projects, RS Traders, Chandigarh Mega Store, SRR Planning Gurus Pvt Ltd, Vistamed Solutions, Maa Vaibhav Laxmi Interior, and Divya Arora, wife of Ribhav Rishi.

The ED alleged that Katodiah, through Sawan Jewellers, facilitated the placement and concealment of proceeds of crime generated through the fraud.

The agency claims the funds were subsequently layered through business transactions and integrated into the firm's day-to-day operations to project them as legitimate assets.

The investigation further indicated a sharp increase in the jeweller's bullion purchases after its association with Rishi, which, according to the ED, points to a prior understanding between the accused persons for laundering the illicit proceeds.

The agency said it had earlier arrested four other accused in the case for their alleged involvement in money laundering activities. Assets worth about Rs 225 crore, including movable and immovable properties, have also been attached, seized, or frozen as part of the investigation.

The ED has already filed a charge sheet against 14 accused persons before the Special PMLA Court in Panchkula.

Further investigation is underway.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Acting on the directions of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Headquarters, the ACB unit in Banswara conducted a trap operation on Friday and caught Bhupendra Jain, a Chemistry teacher at Global BD College, Barodiya, Banswara district, red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a complainant.

The college director, Siddhant Jain, and Political Science lecturer Dr Siddhant Jain were also arrested in connection with the case.

The ACB's Banswara unit received a complaint alleging that the director, a lecturer and a teacher of Global BD College, Barodiya, were demanding bribes in exchange for facilitating attendance-related matters for students despite their low attendance throughout the academic year and issuing internship letters.

Following the complaint, the ACB verified the alleged demand for a bribe. During verification, the college director, the Political Science lecturer and Bhupendra Jain, a Chemistry teacher, were allegedly found to be demanding Rs 20,000 from each student and agreeing to accept bribes.

Under the supervision of the concerned ACB Range Superintendent of Police, Piyush Piyush, a trap operation was conducted on Friday under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Police Ratna Singh Rajpurohit of the ACB Banswara unit, along with the team.

During the operation, Bhupendra Jain, Chemistry teacher at Global BD College, Barodiya, Banswara, was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting Rs 5,000 from the complainant.

The college director and Dr Dominique Jain, Political Science lecturer, were also arrested after their alleged key roles in the bribery demand came to light during the investigation.

Further questioning and investigation are underway under the supervision of senior ACB officials, including Additional Superintendent of Police Smita Shri and Inspector General of Police S. Parimala.

Further legal action will be taken under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the investigation will continue.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached an immovable property spread over approximately 14.51 acres in Kolkata valued at Rs 85.20 crore, in connection with a bank fraud and money laundering case involving M/s Unity Infraprojects Ltd. (UIL) and others, the agency said on Friday.

According to the ED, the attached land, located at Mouza Chakgaria in Kolkata, is held in the name of M/s Suburban Agriculture Dairy & Fisheries Pvt. Ltd. (SADAFPL). The attachment was made under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The money laundering investigation stems from an FIR registered by the CBI's Bank Securities & Fraud Branch in Mumbai on a complaint lodged by the State Bank of India.

The FIR alleges that UIL, in connivance with its promoters, directors and associated entities, defrauded a consortium of 23 banks by availing credit facilities of around Rs 3,200 crore. The total outstanding dues, including interest, are estimated at approximately Rs 3,800 crore.

According to investigators, the fraud involved fictitious transactions, round-tripping of funds, manipulation of financial records, and diversion of funds through shell entities.

The ED said its probe revealed that funds from UIL were routed through its wholly owned subsidiary, Unity Realty & Developers Ltd. (URDL), and subsequently used to acquire and hold assets through associated companies. SADAFPL was identified as a step-down subsidiary of UIL through URDL.

Further investigations established a trail linking the Chakgaria land parcel to funds originating from UIL and its group entities, indicating diversion and layering of proceeds generated from the scheduled offences. The property was attached under Section 5(1) of the PMLA to prevent its transfer or disposal pending confiscation proceedings.

The agency noted that in July 2025 it had conducted searches at residential and commercial premises, as well as bank lockers, linked to UIL, its former directors and their family members. During those operations, movable assets worth Rs 31.21 crore were seized or frozen.

The ED had also attached land parcels and flats valued at about Rs 1,493 crore through three separate provisional attachment orders, all of which were later confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under the PMLA.

With the latest attachment, the total value of movable and immovable assets attached or frozen in the case has risen to about Rs 1,609 crore, the agency said.

The ED further informed that it filed a prosecution complaint before the Designated Special Court, City Civil and Sessions Court, Greater Bombay, Mumbai, on March 27, 2026.

Further investigation is underway.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a matter related to fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim's brother, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) lodged an FIR seeking action against miscreants who trespassed a Thane flat that was attached earlier in connection with an extortion case registered against Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar, an officials said on Friday.

The flat was attached by the ED in 2022 during money laundering investigation in a case relating to extortion by accused Iqbal Kaskar, younger brother of underworld don Dawood, who is suspected to be in Pakistan, the official said in a statement.

The FIR was filed as a deterrent action against miscreants for trespassing the "confirmed attached properties" in the possession of the ED's Mumbai Zonal Office-I, it said.

"The FIR was lodged on October 15 after restoring the possession of a flat in Thane (West) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002," the ED said.

"In respect of the alleged unauthorised entry and interference with the attached property, an FIR dated October 15 has been registered at Kasarvadavali Police Station in Thane under Sections 329(4) and 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, so that the matter is investigated and trespassers are punished," the ED added.

The property was provisionally attached vide provisional attachment order dated April 8, 2022, during money laundering investigation in the extortion case against Iqbal Kaskar and others, it said.

The provisional attachment was subsequently confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under Section 8(3) of the PMLA vide order dated September 29, 2022, and possession of the flat was also taken by the ED on December 17, 2024, under Section 8(4) of the PMLA, the statement said.

The ED investigation was initiated on the basis of FIR registered at Kasarvadavali Police Station in Thane, concerning allegations of extortion against, inter alia, Iqbal Kaskar, Mumtaz Azaz Sheikh alias Raju, Israr Ali Jamil Saiyad and others.

During investigation, it was revealed that pursuant to threats and extortion, flats were demanded to be registered in favour of or at the instance of the accused persons, the ED said.

In this context, Flat No. 405 was registered in the name of Mumtaz Azaz Sheikh on May 29, the ED said.

It came to notice that some people had entered the property, broken the lock and removed the ED's possession notice, the statement said.

The ED conducted inspections and took necessary steps to safeguard the attached property.

The matter was also placed before the Special PMLA Court, which also directed the ED to restore the possession with police assistance, if required.

In compliance and also to safeguard the property, the lock of said flat was changed in presence of police personnel and witnesses and the possession of the said flat was restored, the ED said.

A fresh notice was also affixed on the premises clearly mentioning that any aggrieved person may either approach the office of the ED or the court where the trial of the case is being conducted, it added.

Source: IANS

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Aizawl, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Assam Rifles has seized heroin and dry areca nuts, also known as Burmese betel nuts, worth approximately Rs 2.74 crore in two separate operations in Mizoram and arrested four persons, including a Myanmar national, officials said on Friday.

A defence spokesman said that, acting on credible intelligence regarding the transportation of narcotics, the Assam Rifles launched an operation in the Ngur area of Mizoram’s bordering Champhai district. During the operation, the security personnel intercepted an individual and, upon thorough checking, recovered 1,189 grams of heroin from his possession. The value of the seized heroin is estimated at approximately Rs 2.37 crore, based on the prevailing market rate.

The apprehended individual was identified as a Myanmar national. The seized narcotics, along with the apprehended person, were subsequently handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department for further investigation and necessary legal proceedings, the spokesman said.

In a separate operation, the Assam Rifles, in coordination with the Mizoram Police, recovered a consignment of illegally transported dry areca nuts, also known as Burmese betel nuts, from North Diltlang village in Champhai district. During the joint operation, the security personnel seized 45 bags containing a total of 3,600 kg of areca nuts, with an estimated market value of approximately Rs 36.87 lakh. Three persons were apprehended in connection with the consignment. In addition, three Bolero pickup vehicles allegedly used in the transportation of the contraband were also seized.

The seized areca nuts, the apprehended persons and the vehicles were handed over to the Mizoram Police for further investigation and necessary legal action.

The operations reflect the continued efforts of the Assam Rifles, in close coordination with civil agencies and state police, to curb the smuggling of illegal foreign-origin areca nuts and narcotic substances, while maintaining security along Mizoram’s international border, the spokesman added.

Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast, largely because of their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world’s major illicit narcotics-producing regions.

The Golden Triangle, comprising parts of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, has long been associated with the illicit production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The region remains a significant source of drugs smuggled into several parts of Asia, including India’s northeastern states. The proximity of the Golden Triangle to the Northeast has posed persistent challenges for security forces and drug enforcement agencies working to prevent cross-border trafficking of narcotics and other contraband goods.

Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share a 910-km-long international border with Myanmar. Much of this border remains unfenced, leaving several stretches vulnerable to cross-border smuggling, illegal trade and other unlawful activities involving narcotics and contraband goods.

Security agencies have continued to intensify surveillance and conduct coordinated operations along the border to disrupt smuggling networks and prevent the movement of illegal consignments into the region.

Source: IANS

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Agartala, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The School Education Department of Tripura has issued show-cause notices to three government school teachers over allegations relating to professional conduct and paid private coaching for candidates preparing for the Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET-I and TET-II), officials said here on Friday.

A senior official of the School Education Department said that the notices, issued by the District Education Officers (DEOs) of South Tripura and Sepahijala districts, have directed the teachers concerned to submit written explanations within three days of receiving the notices.

Further departmental action, if warranted, will be considered in accordance with the applicable service conduct rules and prescribed procedures.

According to information available, one of the cases involves a Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) at Belonia in South Tripura. He has reportedly received a show-cause notice in connection with a video circulated on social media, which has raised questions regarding compliance with the conduct rules applicable to government employees.

In two other cases, a Graduate Teacher in Sepahijala district, and a teacher in South Tripura, have reportedly been served show-cause notices over allegations of conducting private coaching classes, tuition sessions and mock tests for TET-I and TET-II aspirants in exchange for payment.

The department is understood to be seeking explanations from the teachers before deciding on any further course of action.

The specific provisions of the applicable service rules and the evidence relating to the allegations will need to be examined by the competent authority.

The teachers have been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations and present their respective explanations.

If their replies are found unsatisfactory, the department may consider initiating further proceedings in accordance with the applicable rules.

Any disciplinary action, including suspension where legally justified, would be subject to the relevant service regulations and prescribed procedures.

The matters are currently at the show-cause notice stage, and the issuance of notices does not, by itself, establish any wrongdoing.

The outcome will depend on the explanations submitted by the teachers, the material available to the department and any subsequent proceedings initiated by the competent authority.

The development has brought renewed attention to the issue of professional conduct among government employees and compliance with service regulations governing outside employment and private business activities.

The department may consider appropriate action in other cases as well, wherever violations are established in accordance with the applicable rules.

The Tripura government had earlier prohibited government teachers from engaging in private tuition or coaching, in accordance with the applicable service rules and departmental directives.

Source: IANS

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Kochi, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Kerala High Court has permitted the termination of a 27 week pregnancy of a 16-year-old girl who was a victim of sexual assault, taking into account the psychological trauma and mental distress faced by the minor rape victim.

The High Court issued the order on a petition filed by the girl's mother, who sought permission to terminate the pregnancy, stating that continuing it would cause further mental anguish to her daughter.

The court accepted the stand taken by both the girl and her mother that they did not wish to continue the pregnancy.

The decision comes at an advanced stage of pregnancy, when termination requires careful medical assessment and judicial consideration under the applicable legal framework.

An expert medical Board constituted on the court's directions had examined the girl and submitted its report .

The medical Board clearly recommended that the pregnancy could be terminated.

After considering the medical report and the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the court granted permission for the procedure.

The High Court laid down specific safeguards to ensure that the termination is carried out with the necessary medical care and consent.

The court also directed the state government to make all necessary medical arrangements without any delay, ensuring that the procedure can be undertaken with appropriate medical support.

In a further direction, the court addressed the possibility of the baby being born alive during the procedure.

It ordered the government to ensure that the newborn receives the necessary neonatal care and specialised medical treatment in such a situation.

The case brings into focus the difficult legal and medical questions that arise when a minor who has survived sexual assault seeks termination of a pregnancy at an advanced stage.

The directions also place responsibility on the state government to ensure that the procedure is not delayed and that medical care is available for any eventuality during the process

Source: IANS

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Ghaziabad, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Special CBI Court in Ghaziabad on Friday sentenced a former sub-postmaster from Agra to three years’ imprisonment for misappropriating Rs 15 lakh from the accounts of 51 public depositors 18 years ago.

Ved Prakash Pandey, the then sub-postmaster, Post Office Beg Muzaffar Khan, Agra, was held guilty of cheating by the Special Court, which also slapped a penalty of Rs 25,000 on him, said a CBI official.

The CBI had filed a charge sheet against Pandey on September 30, 2009, and his sentencing on Friday marked the culmination of trial court proceedings that lasted almost two decades.

The federal probe agency registered the case in the matter on December 17, 2008, against Pandey.

It was alleged that 51 depositors got their MIS and TDS account opened in Post Office B.M. Khan, Agra and entrusted initial amount to the then sub-postmaster Pandey who issued them new pass books having account numbers.

The pass books contained the entry of the deposited initial amount under the signature of the accused. The accused mentioned the details of deposition of the money in the pass books and the ledgers only and not in any of the remaining documents including the list of transactions and daily account summary vide which the credit and debit details of each day are intimated to the Head Office and reconciled with, the CBI said.

In this way, the accused dishonestly misappropriated the funds amounting to the tune of Rs 15.27 lakh and caused wrongful loss to the postal department and corresponding gain to himself, the CBI said.

Earlier in a separate case, a CBI court in Lucknow convicted and sentenced two postal officials of the Sub Post Office in Kunda, Pratapgarh, in a bribery case.

The court, on October 12, sentenced Suraj Prasad Mishra, a postal assistant, to three years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on him.

The court sentenced Santosh Kumar Saroj, a sub-postmaster, to six months of imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.

The CBI registered the case on November 30, 2019, against the two postal officials. It was alleged that Saroj and Mishra entered into a criminal conspiracy to demand illegal gratification from a commission agent.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The National Commission for Women has sought a report and directed the state police to conduct a time-bound investigation into a reported incident in which a Muslim teenage girl in Uttar Pradesh was shot in the head by her father for opposing a forced arranged marriage, an official said on Friday.

“No one has the right to dictate a woman’s choice of partner through violence. Honour-based violence and attempts to silence women through fear will not be tolerated. A woman’s right to life, dignity and freedom of choice must be upheld without exception,” wrote the Commission on X.

Shazia was shot in the head by her father, Asin Khan, while she was asleep at their home in Mainpuri, according to media reports.

The NCW has taken suo motu cognisance of the reports regarding the horrific attempt on the life of a 19-year-old and sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from state authorities within seven days, said a statement.

She was allegedly shot for opposing a forced arranged marriage and asserting her right to choose her life partner. She is currently undergoing critical treatment at Saifai Medical College.

NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh, seeking a swift and time-bound investigation, strict action under applicable provisions of the BNS and preservation of all ballistic and forensic evidence, the Commission wrote on X.

“The Commission has also called for specialised medical treatment, security for the survivor and her mother, legal assistance and compensation, along with expeditious prosecution,” the NCW said.

Earlier, in a message on X, Rahatkar reiterated the commitment to women’s dignity, safety, justice, and empowerment, an official said.

Rahatkar set a target to remain focused on expanding the Commission's reach, reaching women who face barriers in accessing justice.

“Our commitment to women's dignity, safety, justice, and empowerment will remain unwavering. With this resolve for women's empowerment, we will all continue to move forward together,” she wrote on X.

Source: IANS

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Bhubaneswar, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Following the directions of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das, a party fact-finding team visited Jaleswar in Baleshwar district on Friday to investigate the rape and murder of a minor girl whose decomposed body was recovered on Thursday.

According to an office order of the OPCC, the Congress fact-finding team will proceed to the victim girl’s native village and meet the deceased's family as well as visit the spot of the incident. The delegation comprises Ashok Das, Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress Legislature Party in the Assembly and Balasore District In-charge, Debiprasanna Chand, Former MLA, Sanjeeb Giri, PCC General Secretary, etc.

It is worth noting that the victim, a Class X student, was acquainted with the accused, Chandrakant Jena alias Kanha, of Sultanpur village under Jaleswar police limits. Local sources claimed that on October 16, Kahna took the victim on his motorcycle on the pretext of taking her to a nearby market.

After several hours, when the victim did not return home, her parents approached the police, alleging that Kahna had kidnapped her. However, the local police reportedly let him go after questioning him.

After obtaining reliable clues in the case, police brought Kanha back to the police station on Thursday, where he reportedly confessed during interrogation to raping and murdering the girl. Based on information elicited during interrogation, police recovered the victim’s half-burnt body from the crime scene on Thursday.

Following the recovery of the body, the victim’s relatives and villagers staged a protest, demanding action against the local police for their alleged negligence in handling the case.

Speaking to media persons on Friday, Baleshwar SP Pratyush Diwaker said, “A deeply tragic incident has taken place. On October 16th, we received a missing person report concerning a minor girl. The suspect was promptly taken into custody. Following sustained interrogation, it was revealed that on the day of her disappearance, October 16th, the accused took her away and subjected her to non-consensual physical abuse. When she resisted and rejected his advances, the accused acted in sudden rage, strangling her to death."

The Baleshwar SP further stated that the investigation has since been entrusted to a Deputy SP-rank officer. He also denied that anyone else was involved in this heinous crime.

“Our priority is to expedite the chargesheet and pursue a fast-track trial to ensure a swift conviction," he added.

Taking the matter seriously, the Baleswar SP suspended Sub-Inspector Karan Marandi of Jaleswar police station for negligence and transferred the police station's Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) with immediate effect.

Source: IANS

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Srinagar, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Police in J&K’s Baramulla district said on Friday that they have detained an alleged drug peddler under the prevention of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (PIT-NDPS) act.

A police statement said that they have detained an alleged drug peddler under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act.

The detained person has been identified as Muzamil Majeed Bhat alias Hashim, son of Abdul Majeed Bhat, a resident of Mohalla Mir Sahib, Baramulla, against whom multiple FIRs have been registered, police said.

Following the execution of the detention warrant, he was taken into custody and lodged at Central Jail Kot Bhalwal in Jammu in accordance with legal procedure.

Police said the action was part of their ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and curb drug abuse in the district.

In Jammu and Kashmir, actions taken against accused persons or detenues under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT-NDPS Act, 1988) and related NDPS frameworks involve administrative preventive detention and collateral enforcement measures.

Preventive detention orders are issued under Section 3 of the PIT-NDPS Act by authorised detaining authorities such as the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir or Jammu to prevent repeat involvement in illicit drug trafficking.

Impoundment or revocation of passports through the Regional Passport Officer under Sections 6 and 10 of the Passports Act. Revocation of driving licenses through the RTO or ARTO under Section 19 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Deactivation of Aadhaar details via UIDAI and cancellation of arms licenses by the respective District Magistrate.

Cancellation of contractor licences by the registering department, cancellation of government accommodation by the Director Estates, and the attachment or forfeiture of illegally acquired properties and infrastructure supporting drug networks.

Withdrawal of police security details by IGP Security and issuance of Look Out Circulars (LOC) through the Bureau of Immigration, etc are stringent measures taken against drug smugglers and drug peddlers in J&K.

Source: IANS

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Anand, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A police inspector posted at Anklav police station in Gujarat’s Anand district was caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on October 22 while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 from a factory owner after threatening to shut down the unit over alleged pollution, according to the ACB.

The accused, Rajdeepsinh Vanar, a Class-II police inspector, had allegedly demanded a 1.5-tonne air conditioner from the complainant. When the complainant refused to provide it, the inspector allegedly demanded Rs 40,000 instead.

According to the ACB’s complaint details, the inspector had summoned the complainant to the police station and threatened to shut down his factory, alleging that it was causing pollution.

"The inspector made the demand for the air conditioner during this interaction and subsequently asked the complainant to pay Rs 40,000," officials said.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant, identified by the ACB as a "vigilant citizen", approached the Anand ACB police station and lodged a complaint. The bureau subsequently arranged a trap on the basis of the complaint.

During the operation on October 22, the accused allegedly engaged in a conversation with the complainant and accepted Rs 40,000 from him in his chamber at Anklav police station.

The ACB team caught him at the spot, and the entire alleged bribe amount of Rs 40,000 was recovered, the complaint details stated.

The case concerns the alleged misuse of official position by a public servant to obtain an undue advantage by threatening action against a factory. The ACB’s account states that the inspector’s conduct amounted to criminal misconduct.

The trap was led by R N Virani, police inspector at the Anand ACB police station, along with his team.

The ACB operation was carried out following the complaint by the citizen, who had declined to meet the alleged demand. The bureau frequently conducted such traps against officials who demand bribes.

Source: IANS

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Chandigarh, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday appealed to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to dismiss Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, besides urging him to grant a Rs two crore compensation to the family of slain anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota and a class one job to his widow.

A party delegation, led by President Sukhbir Singh Badal, also called for action against all Ministers, legislators and civil and police officials accused of patronising the drug trade and issuing arms licenses to drug offenders.

It urged that the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Jhota's murder be expanded to cover the cases of Gulzar Singh of Toor Banjara in Dirba, who named Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema in his dying declaration, and Bikramjit Singh of Hargobindpur Sahib, who was hacked to death for opposing the drug mafia.

Briefing the Governor, the SAD President said that these series of corrective steps should be taken to instill confidence in Punjabis at a critical juncture when the state was battling the scourge of drugs.

He also stressed that the drug crusader's family was a family of Punjab and even though Jhota's father had not asked for any personal benefit, the state must look after the family.

He said Jhota's wife was a teacher and should be given a gazzetted class one job.

Asserting that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was responsible for the murder of Jhota, Badal cited Jhota's father Bhim Singh's statement to the police in which the latter highlighting how his son had been fallen victim to the politician-police nexus behind the drug trade in Punjab.

The SAD Chief said that Bhim Singh had asserted that this nexus was receiving patronage from the top level, including Chief Minister Mann.

He added that the anti-drug crusader's father had also gone on record to state that his son had told him that the State Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav was behind the false cases registered against Jhota.

The memorandum said that these steps would send a clear message to Punjabis that enough was enough.

"Punjab and Punjabis have realised that the drug menace and its perpetrators and patrons are the number one enemy of the state and that they must be dealt with most sternly," Badal said.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The ED conducted search operations at half a dozen premises, including offices and residential properties, in Mumbai and Delhi and a farmhouse in Maharashtra in connection with the illegal receipt of foreign exchange from Dubai and Singapore by Mega Millennium Private Limited, an official said on Friday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted the searches under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the official said in a statement.

Apart from inspecting digital devices and incriminating documents related to Mega Millennium Private Limited, the investigators also conducted searches at a farmhouse in Karjat, Maharashtra, the ED said.

Foreign currency, Indian currency and valuables worth several crores of rupees were also detected by the ED during the search operation, said an official.

The focus of the ED’s search operation was on Harish Dedhiya, a Mumbai-based consultant and director of the company, the statement said.

The company and its directors, including Dedhiya and his wife Dhara Dedhiya, have received large sums of foreign exchange from suspicious companies based in Dubai and Singapore, the ED said.

The ED investigation indicated that Dedhiya incorporated companies by appointing his own employees/dummies as Directors. Within a year of incorporation, these companies received hundreds of crores of rupees, which were layered through multiple shell entities, the ED said.

In a separate case in Maharashtra, the ED conducted search operations at 10 premises, including hospital/IVF centres, located in Thane, Baramati and Nashik and seized digital evidence and Rs 29 lakh in cash during the investigation in a human egg extraction racket, an official said.

The ED’s Mumbai Zonal Office-II conducted search operations on October 16 at the10 premises under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED investigation was initiated based on an FIR and a subsequent chargesheet filed by Badlapur (East) Police Station, Thane, Maharashtra, alleging offences of cheating and forgery under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and violations of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, by Manjusha Wankhede and 16 others, the ED said in a statement.

The case pertains to an organised network involved in recruiting financially vulnerable women for human egg donation and supplying them to various IVF centres and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) banks through donor-supply agents operating under different proprietorship concerns, the agency said.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Three men have been booked and detained by the Bengaluru police for allegedly hanging a stray dog from a tree and beating the hapless animal to death with a thick stick near Gunjur, close to Greenwood High School in Varthur, on October 20. The horrific incident, reportedly captured on video, has gone viral on social media, triggering outrage and concerns over animal cruelty, police said on Friday.

The accused have been identified as Muniyappa, Murali and Puneeth, all residents of Bengaluru. The police initiated action following a complaint filed by an animal welfare activist after the video of the heinous incident of abject cruelty to an innocent animal, surfaced on social media.

According to the complaint, the accused, who are local residents, allegedly beat the stray dog brutally with a thick stick and killed it. The incident reportedly occurred in front of the school, and the sequence of events is said to have been captured by CCTV cameras.

The complainant urged the police to initiate stringent legal action against those responsible for inflicting horrific cruelty on a voiceless animal, stating that the incident had caused concern among members of the public.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the three accused under Section 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The accused were detained for questioning, and further investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Police Commissionerate issued a poster stating that cruelty to animals would not be tolerated. It confirmed that a case had been registered in connection with the killing of the hapless stray dog near Greenwood High School in Gunjur, Varthur.

“Bengaluru City Police has taken cognisance of the incident, and necessary legal action has been initiated,” the poster stated.

The police also reiterated their commitment to upholding justice and preventing cruelty to innocent animals.

It can be recalled that a 23-year-old youth, who had run over stray dogs with his luxury car in Jayanagar, was arrested by the Siddapura police in Bengaluru in February 2022.

The accused was identified as Adi Narayana, a resident of Jayanagar. He is the grandson of late D.K. Adikesavulu Naidu, former MP and ex-chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust.

On January 26, 2022 evening, Adi had allegedly driven his luxury car on to the footpath, where stray dogs were peacefully sleeping, at 10th ‘B’ Main Road in Jayanagar 1st Block.

Animal rights activists had brought the horrifying incident to the notice of the police and sought action against the driver. A complaint was filed by a former Corporator on January 29, 2022 in connection with the incident.

The police, who verified the CCTV footage of the incident, arrested Adi and booked him under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Section 428 (commit mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming or rendering useless any animal or animals) of the IPC.

Source: IANS

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Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tension and public anger grew on Friday in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh following the suspicious death of Anushka Chakraborty, an advocate at the Jharkhand High Court.

Her body was found hanging from a noose on Thursday inside Flat No. 304 of Gupta Complex in the Bengali Para area under the Hazaribagh Sadar police station limits.

Her family has termed the death a premeditated murder and levelled serious allegations against her husband.

Relatives, fellow lawyers, and local residents staged protests demanding his immediate arrest and a high-level probe into the case.

Police said the exact cause of death would be known only after the viscera examination and the final post-mortem report are received.

Following requests from the victim's family, a second post-mortem examination was conducted on Friday after completing the required legal formalities.

Family members have said they will not perform her last rites until the accused husband is arrested and the truth behind the incident is brought to light. They have also warned of an indefinite sit-in protest outside the police station if swift action is not taken.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the victim's husband himself informed the police about the incident by calling the emergency helpline.

He reportedly told officers that he was in Palamu at the time and was returning to Hazaribagh. However, he has not appeared before the police since the incident.

Mukesh Kumar Rajak, in-charge of the Bara Bazar police outpost, said raids are being conducted to trace the husband and that he is expected to be taken into custody soon.

On Friday, Ramgarh MLA Mamta Devi visited the postmortem facility at Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital and backed the family's demand for a high-level investigation.

She also called for videography of the entire post-mortem process to ensure transparency and sought the immediate arrest of the absconding husband.

During her visit, tensions flared as grieving family members, lawyers, and Congress workers engaged in heated arguments with police and administrative officials present at the site.

According to Mamta Devi, the victim had spoken to her mother shortly before the incident and had discussed serious marital disputes.

Family members claim that Anushka Chakraborty had on several occasions informed them about alleged harassment and domestic discord with her husband.

Police, meanwhile, said all possible angles are being examined and that further legal action will be taken based on evidence gathered during the investigation.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A bomb threat, written on tissue paper, was found at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Friday and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and a bomb squad were carrying out an intensive search of the premises for any suspicious object, officials said.

Even as the airport is now more crowded than usual at the end of the Durga Puja holiday, the cleaning staff reportedly found a handwritten note in the women's restroom within the airport, warning that a bomb had been planted at Gate Number 30.

According to sources aware of the development, the workers panicked after seeing the note, written on tissue paper, and immediately brought the matter to the notice of the higher officials.

Security personnel quickly cleared the crowd from that particular entrance, and a search operation was conducted there by the bomb squad and the CISF personnel, as well as elsewhere within the airport premises.

However, nothing suspicious had been found so far by the CISF troopers and personnel of the Airport Police Station, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Bidhannagar City Police in North 24 Parganas district.

The police are currently questioning the cleaning staff who first spotted the note, and investigating who was near the toilet before or after that and who used the toilet during that period.

CCTV footage is also being checked.

Security at the airport premises has been beefed up following the incident. However, there are no reports of any impact on flight services yet.

This is the second hoax bomb scare alert at the Kolkata Airport this month. On October 8, the airport authorities received a similar threat through an email. However, at that point, nothing suspicious was detected after a thorough search operation within the airport premises.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi High Court has dismissed the regular bail plea of Habib Ur Rahman, an accused in an Official Secrets Act case involving the alleged possession and transmission of classified military documents to an official at the Pakistan High Commission, holding that the material on record prima facie connected him with the chain of transmission and that his prolonged custody and medical condition did not justify his release at this stage.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula dismissed Rahman's bail application, observing that the seriousness of the charges, the nature of the sensitive documents allegedly procured, and their intended destination weighed against granting him relief.

"The gravity of the offence is an important consideration, but it does not relieve the Court of the duty to assess the case on its own facts. An allegation bearing upon national security calls for a close scrutiny; it does not place the matter beyond the Court's bail jurisdiction," the Delhi High Court said in its order passed on September 25.

Rahman was arrested on July 14, 2021, in connection with an FIR registered at the Crime Branch police station under Sections 3 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, along with provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to criminal breach of trust, destruction of evidence, theft, house trespass, criminal conspiracy and common intention.

According to the prosecution, Rahman was apprehended with copies of documents concerning military training, the operationalisation of the Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD), an intelligence summary and other military material marked confidential or restricted.

The Army authorities subsequently verified the documents as genuine, classified and sensitive. The Crime Branch claimed that Rahman was not merely a recipient of the documents but acted as an intermediary between co-accused Naik Clerk Paramjeet Kumar and Rana Muhammad Qasim Zia, stated to be an official of the Pakistan High Commission.

Opposing the bail plea, the prosecution relied on the recovery of classified military documents and their authentication by Army authorities, financial transactions cited in the chargesheet, mobile phone and call detail records, and the statement of Rahman's employee, Mohd. Arif, who allegedly delivered documents at the Pakistan High Commission on Rahman's instructions.

It also relied on subscriber details of a SIM card allegedly procured in the name of the employee, with Rahman's number furnished as the alternate contact, besides his alleged access to the Army establishment through business dealings and association with co-accused Paramjeet Kumar.

In his bail plea, Rahman had sought release on the grounds of prolonged incarceration, delay in conclusion of the trial and his medical condition. His counsel submitted that he had undergone more than three years and four months of actual custody, the investigation was complete, and the evidence was largely documentary and already in the custody of the prosecution or the court.

It was also pointed out that Rahman had remained on interim bail from April 2024 until he surrendered on February 6, 2026, without any allegation of absconding, approaching a witness or tampering with evidence.

His counsel further submitted that only four witnesses had been examined so far and that the trial was unlikely to conclude soon, making his continued detention punitive. However, the Delhi High Court found that the latest nominal roll recorded three years, four months and 13 days of actual custody as of September 18, 2026. It acknowledged that Rahman's compliance with the conditions of interim bail and the absence of any allegation of misuse of liberty weighed in his favour, but held that these considerations did not outweigh the prima facie assessment of the prosecution material.

Referring to the Supreme Court's judgments recognising the right to bail in cases involving prolonged incarceration and delayed trials, the Delhi High Court observed that the seriousness of a charge could not justify detention for an indeterminate period when a trial was unlikely to conclude within a reasonable time.

"The custody undergone is substantial; at this stage, however, it does not outweigh the prima facie assessment of the record noticed above," the order said.

The High Court also considered Rahman's medical condition, stating that the latest medical report recorded that he was wheelchair-dependent, required assistance with daily activities and suffered from post-traumatic paraplegia, left upper limb paresis, neurogenic bladder and other ailments.

The report further recorded that he was receiving treatment and follow-up care at Safdarjung Hospital, Dr BSA Hospital, G.B. Pant Hospital and other specialist departments, and described his general medical condition as sick.

However, the High Court observed that the medical report did not state that the prescribed treatment could not be provided in custody or that continued incarceration was medically incompatible with his present condition. "The medical record, therefore, does not by itself justify release on regular bail at this stage," the order said.

Dismissing the bail application, the Delhi High Court directed the trial court to accord due priority to the matter and endeavour to record the prosecution evidence expeditiously. It also directed that unnecessary adjournments should not be granted to either side.

Justice Narula further directed the jail superintendent to ensure that all investigations, specialist consultations, physiotherapy and other prescribed treatment were provided without avoidable delay, with treatment unavailable in jail to be arranged at an appropriate government hospital.

It clarified that its observations were confined to the bail application and would not be construed as an expression on the merits of the prosecution's case.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major revelation in connection with the Kolkata Durga Puja pandal stampede that killed 19 devotees, the wife of the second accused arrested in the case has alleged that her husband was instructed by senior officials of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja committee to announce that the pandal had collapsed.

She also claimed that her husband, Babu Majumdar, alias Kushal alias Kalia, was advised to go underground until October 27 after the tragedy.

Babu Majumdar was arrested by the Kolkata police on Friday morning for allegedly making the misleading announcement that triggered panic among devotees at the North Kolkata pandal on the night of October 17.

Babu's wife, Koel Majumdar, made the allegations against a section of the organising committee's officials while speaking to the media soon after his arrest.

“My husband is an app-cab driver by profession and has been associated with Chorbagan Sarbojanin for a long time. Our house at Amar Bose Lane is very close to the pandal. After the stampede took a serious turn, a section of the Puja organising committee advised my husband to go absconding and remain underground till October 27. Otherwise, he wanted to surrender to the police on the night of the tragedy itself,” Koel said.

She claimed that although her husband had been associated with Chorbagan Sarbojanin for nearly 18 years, he had never been entrusted with the task of making public announcements during Durga Puja because he was not particularly good at verbal communication.

“At the time of the incident, he was instructed by senior officials of the organising committee to announce that the pandal had collapsed. He made the announcement believing that the danger could increase,” she alleged.

Koel further alleged that her husband contacted her the following morning and informed her that some senior officials of the Puja committee had advised him to remain underground until October 27.

“However, he had constantly been suffering from a feeling of remorse and repentance,” she added.

Meanwhile, police sources said Babu had returned home briefly after the tragedy but later left, leaving his mobile phone behind.

Babu is the second person arrested in connection with the alleged misleading announcement. On Thursday, the Kolkata Police arrested Sanjib Raha, alias Sentu, the treasurer of the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja organising committee, who is the prime accused in the case.

The announcement was made when chaos had already gripped the pandal because of the rain. People waiting outside were attempting to enter, while those inside were reluctant to leave because of the weather.

Amid the confusion, an announcement warning that the pandal had collapsed and asking devotees to evacuate immediately triggered panic. People rushed towards the exits, with some moving towards the entrance to get out, eventually leading to the deadly stampede.

The tragedy claimed 19 lives and left several others injured, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances that led to the crowd surge and the role of those responsible for the announcement.

So far, nine people have been arrested in connection with the stampede. The police are investigating the sequence of events and the alleged roles of the Puja organisers in the incident.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara on Friday termed the death of Vidya Manjunath Gowdar of Hubballi, who lost her life after a sharp manja thread (glass-coated kite string) became entangled around her neck while she was travelling on a scooter, deeply distressing and unacceptable, warning that those who knowingly endanger public safety must face legal consequences.

In a statement, Parameshwara said the incident had devastated an innocent family and exposed the deadly consequences of the continued use of banned manja threads. He said the government had taken the incident seriously and would consider strengthening enforcement measures to prevent further casualties.

“No moment of entertainment is worth a human life. No celebration can justify leaving a family in lifelong grief,” he said.

Despite the existing ban on dangerous manja threads, their continued sale and use remained a grave concern, he said. Parameshwara added that he would hold discussions with the ministers concerned and senior officials to strengthen enforcement, review existing legal provisions, and, if necessary, tighten regulations to ensure stringent action against violators.

“This is not merely a matter of law enforcement. It is a question of humanity, conscience and collective responsibility,” he said, pointing out that several innocent lives had been lost in incidents involving dangerous kite strings.

Warning those who continued to use manja despite being aware of its risks, Parameshwara said knowingly putting innocent lives at risk was not simply negligence and could amount to a criminal offence. Those responsible must face the consequences under the law, he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister also cautioned against turning kite flying into a dangerous competition that endangered unsuspecting members of the public. He said kite flying should remain a recreational activity and that reckless contests or gambling associated with the activity, particularly when public safety was compromised, could not be tolerated.

“Behind every such tragedy is a family whose world has been shattered. No apology, no compensation and no punishment can restore the life that has been lost. Our responsibility is to ensure that such tragedies are prevented,” he said.

Parameshwara stressed that the government would act firmly to enforce the ban and hold violators accountable. However, he said legal measures alone would not be sufficient without public cooperation and a sense of collective responsibility.

Appealing to citizens to reject dangerous manja threads, he urged people to place the safety of others above personal amusement.

“Human life is sacred. It cannot be the price of someone's entertainment,” he said, reiterating the government's commitment to strengthening enforcement and ensuring that those who recklessly endanger public safety were held accountable.

He urged the public to act responsibly to prevent further deaths and ensure that no other family suffered a similar tragedy.

It can be noted that the Karnataka Police have intensified their crackdown on the sale and use of banned manja in the Hubballi-Dharwad region following the death of a 38-year-old woman who died after getting entangled in the string on Karwar Road.

Police have conducted raids on shops and godowns, seized stocks of manja rope and warned traders against selling the banned material.

A 38-year-old laboratory technician named Vidya Manjunath Gowdar died on Karwar Road in Hubballi after a glass-coated kite manja string slit her throat while she was riding her scooter on Thursday. The deceased, Vidya Manjunatha, was passing near Shivashankar Colony when the hanging string caught her neck and cut her throat, leading to her death.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A most-wanted Maoist couple -- identified as Mangal and Malati -- wanted in both West Bengal and neighbouring Jharkhand -- surrendered before Ajay K. Nand, Commissioner of Kolkata police headquarters, Lalbazar, on Friday, officials said.

During the surrender, they also handed over an AK-47 rifle and an INSAS rifle to the police.

According to police, both Mangal and Malati are residents of West Bengal. Mangal hails from Salboni of West Midnapore, while Malati is from Gopiballabhpur in the Jhargram district.

However, their Maoist operations were mainly restricted to Jharkhand, and very occasionally they ventured into West Bengal. Mangal was first involved in Maoist activities in the Dalma area and later in Saranda, both in Jharkhand.

Malati joined left-wing extremism after Mangal, and almost since the beginning, her role was restricted mainly to Jharkhand.

According to the police, the Maoists started leaving the Saranda forest area in Jharkhand earlier this year due to constant pressure from the security forces, as it became difficult for them to operate.

There were about 13 Maoists from West Bengal on the list of the security forces. They were arrested over time.

Recently, three Maoists were arrested in Jharkhand, while another wanted Maoist leader, Pushpa, surrendered in Kolkata a few months ago. Now, Mangal and Malti also surrendered to the Kolkata Police.

Authorities had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for Mangal and Rs 2 lakh for Malati.

Speaking to reporters after the surrender, Ajay K. Nand, the Kolkata police chief, said Mangal had joined the Maoist movement around 2010 and later moved to Jharkhand after 2011-12. He was known to be close to late Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji, who was killed in a police encounter in November 2011.

Explaining the decision to surrender, Mangal said he had realised that armed struggle could not bring about social change. “Both of us have decided to abandon the path of violence and return to the mainstream of society. That is why we came here and surrendered,” he said.

Source: IANS

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Gumla (Jharkhand), Oct 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) A zonal commander of the banned extremist outfit People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) and three of his associates have been arrested in Jharkhand's Gumla district, police officials said on Friday.

They said arms and other weapons have also been recovered from them during the operation.

The action was carried out in the Kamdara police station area of Gumla. Arrested militant leader Vishram Kongadi is believed to have been overseeing PLFI activities across Gumla, Khunti and Simdega districts of Jharkhand.

According to police, a tip-off was received on Thursday night that PLFI members were planning to execute a major criminal act in the Kamdara area.

Acting on the intelligence, police said they formed a special team and conducted raids at identified locations.

During the operation, police said they apprehended Vishram Kongadi and three of his associates.

Police records indicate that Kongadi's influence extended across Gumla, Khunti and Simdega districts, where several criminal cases have been registered against him.

However, officials have not yet disclosed the exact number or nature of these cases, nor have they provided details of the arms seized during the raid.

Investigators are currently interrogating the arrested extremists to gather information about the outfit's activities, its network, and any activity they were planning.

The probe will also seek to identify who their associates are and determine the nature of the criminal operation they were allegedly preparing to carry out.

The arrests are being viewed as a significant step in curbing PLFI activities in the region. However, as of the filing of this report, the Gumla police had not issued a detailed official statement regarding the operation or the arms recovered.

PLFI, a splinter group of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), is a banned, proscribed militant and criminal group operating mainly in Jharkhand

Source: IANS

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