English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Former home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi takes over as CAG

Published

on

Mehrishi

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 1978-batch retired IAS officer succeeds Shashi Kant Sharma, will be in office for a three-year term

Former home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi took over as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, on Monday. Mehrishi, a 1978-batch IAS officer who had retired from bureaucratic service last month after serving for two years as the Union home secretary succeeds Shashi Kant Sharma, who demitted office on Friday.

President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 62-year-old Mehrishi at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was attended by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi among other dignitaries.

Mehrishi’s appointment was recently cleared by the Modi government. Common Cause, an NGO that played a critical role in transforming the way natural resources are allocated by filing PILs in the coal block allocations and 2G spectrum allocation cases – both issues that were highlighted by the CAG and caused major embarrassment for the then UPA government – has criticised the Narendra Modi government on the procedure it followed for Mehrishi’s appointment.

A report in The Wire has quoted a statement from Common Cause stating: “Modi government, which claims to have zero tolerance for corruption, has missed a golden opportunity to set a high benchmark to fight systemic corruption by putting in place an objective and accountable system of appointment for the crucial constitutional post (of the CAG).”

The NGO has argued that “by following the footsteps of the UPA, the NDA government has lost an opportunity to create an institutional criteria to make the selection process impartial and transparent in order to fight the systemic corruption.”

The NGO’s statement, issued by its president Kamal K. Jaswal, vice president B.P. Mathur and director Vipul Mudgal, says the government followed an opaque and arbitrary method” to appoint Mehrishi.

Claiming that Mehrishi’s appointment raises the issue of a possible conflict of interest, Common Cause says: “Apart from the fact that the person appointed as the CAG should have a thorough knowledge of audit and accounts, the appointment of an IAS officer who has held the post of Secretary to Government in a sensitive department is likely to lead to a conflict of interest, as the CAG may be called upon to audit the decisions made by him earlier in the capacity of secretary.”

The CAG is appointed for a term of six years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. As a constitutional functionary, the CAG is primarily entrusted with the responsibility of auditing the accounts of the Union government and of the state governments. CAG reports are laid before Parliament and legislatures of the states.

Mehrishi, who hails from Rajasthan, holds Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (UK). He also possess Master of Arts (MA) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees from Delhi University.

Mehrishi has held several posts in both his state cadre Rajasthan and in the Centre. Before his appointment as the home secretary, he worked as economic affairs secretary and chief secretary of Rajasthan. Mehrishi has also worked as secretary in departments of chemicals and fertilisers, and Overseas Indian Affairs.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Sunita Kejriwal, Atishi meet Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail, discuss Delhi governance

AAP had earlier accused the Tihar jail administration of cancelling Sunita Kejriwal’s meeting with Arvind Kejriwal.

Published

on

Delhi Chief Minister’s wife Sunita Kejriwal and AAP minister Atishi met Arvind Kejriwal in the Tihar Jail today. After their meeting, both dicussed the specifics of their meeting with CM. They said that the jailed CM was asking about the Delhi governance matter.

Kejriwal is expected to see Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwan Mann tomorrow.

Atishi, who is in charge of six departments in the Delhi Cabinet, said, she visited with the Chief Minister. When she asked how he was doing, he skipped answering her, rather he asked how the work is going in Delhi. He said, not to ask about his condition. During their meet, the Delhhi CM also asked about the school kids that are they getting books? Does Mohalla Clinic have access to medications? Atishi continued.

The Chief Minister said that as summer is approaching, Delhi shouldn’t have any water-related issues. He sent a message to the women of Delhi, saying he is planning to give them Rs 1000.

The Aam Aadmi Party had earlier claimed that Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, was not allowed to see him. However, in a statement, Delhi minister Atishi said that Sunita Kejriwal will see her husband later on in the day and that two people were granted permission, but Sunita ji’s was cancelled. Athishi said, every day, new laws are enacted, she did not have permission, but when their lawyers won this legal battle, she was permitted to see Kejriwal.

AAP’s campaign for the Lok Sabha in the national capital and other states will be led by Mrs. Kejriwal, the party said. The campaign kicked off with a roadshow to support AAP’s candidate for East Delhi, Kuldeep Kumar. This is the first time that Mrs. Kejriwal has entered the political sphere actively.

Party leader Sanjay Singh asserted last week that Atishi’s name was added to the list of visitors for Mr. Kejriwal following the name of Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.

Meanwhile, in the Delhi Liquor Policy case, Arvind Kejriwal was taken into custody in March. On March 21, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained him in connection with a money laundering case. In the same case, Manish Sisodia, his former deputy, is jailed.

Continue Reading

India News

FIR filed against YouTube channel in Punjab for defaming AAP MP Raghav Chadha

The case was filed on the complaint of the son of an AAP candidate from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat.

Published

on

A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed by Punjab Police against a YouTube channel for allegedly linking Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha to wanted man Vijay Mallya.

The AAP candidate for the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency, Ashok Pappi Prashar’s son, Vikas Prashar, filed a formal complaint against the YouTube station Capital TV. The complainant held the channel accountable for airing misleading and defamatory content.

The statements/contents of false videos on Capital TV channel and others shall harm the public peace and harmony…and is likely to promote enmity between different groups in the country on grounds of religion, caste, race and community, the complaint said.

In his complaint, Vikas allegedly claimed that the YouTube channel was disseminating misleading information and that it was defaming Raghav Chadha by equating him with Mallya.

Vijay Mallya fled to the UK after taking public money, and similarly, a Rajya Sabha member left for England, claiming it was for eye treatment, according to the FIR, which noted claims made by the YouTube channel.

The AAP leader will reportedly get a vitrectomy in the UK to save the retina from detaching from the eye earlier. According to the research, this disorder, which is characterized by the formation of tiny holes in the retina, is very dangerous for vision and must be treated immediately to prevent irreversible damage.

The channel referred to Chadha as a Khalistani supporter following his encounter with UK MP Preet Gill, according to the complaint.

Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) deals with inciting religious hatred among various groups, Section 469 deals with forgeries, and Section 505 deals with making statements that could incite public disturbances.

The FIR also contains Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, which addresses offenses involving computers.

Continue Reading

India News

Security forces arrest 14 Pakistani nationals with around 86 kg of drugs, worth Rs 600 crore near Gujarat Coast

The Indian Coast Guard took to X and wrote in a breathtaking overnight operation, Indian Coast Guard undertook an intelligence-based anti-narcotics operation at sea on 28 Apr 24. About 86 kg of narcotics which is worth Rs 600 crore has been apprehended along with the arrest of 14 Pakistani nationals.

Published

on

The Indian Coast Guard on Sunday announced the interception of a Pakistani vessel laden with 86 kg of narcotics valued at Rs 600 crore. Acting on intelligence, a joint operation involving the Indian Coast Guard, the Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS), and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was launched to combat drug trafficking in the area.

The operation was carried out by the agencies based on intelligence inputs received in the last few days. The Indian Coast Guard took to X and wrote in a breathtaking overnight operation, Indian Coast Guard undertook an intelligence-based anti-narcotics operation at sea on 28 Apr 24.

About 86 kg of narcotics which is worth Rs 600 crore has been apprehended along with the arrest of 14 Pakistani nationals. The operation was an epitome of inter-agency coordination wherein the Indian Coast Guard Anti-terrorism Squad and Narcotics Control Bureau  collaborated seamlessly which resulted in the successful operation.

The ships and aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard had been deployed on concurrent missions to carry out the operation. ICG ship Rajratan, which had Narcitics Control Bureau and Anti Terrorist Squad officials embarked, positively identified the suspect boat.

No amount of evasive maneuvering tactics and resistance employed by the drug laden Pakistani boat could save it from the swift and strong action of ICG ship Rajratan. This operation took place on the basis of a tip-off by the Indian Coast Guard, Narcotics Control Bureau and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad in the Arabian Sea near the International Maritime Boundary Line.

The operation was the 2nd major anti-narcotics operation carried out by the security forces in the Arabian Sea in 1 month. Earlier on February 26, 5 foreign nationals were held off the Porbandar coast with 3,300 kg of narcotics, including charas. Recently a boat carrying 60 packets of drugs was seized and 6 Pakistani crew members onboard the vessel were arrested off the Gujarat coast in a multi-agency operation in March.

Continue Reading

Trending

-->

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com