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CBI DSP AK Bassi challenges transfer to Port Blair in SC, claims evidence against Asthana

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CBI DSP AK Bassi challenges transfer to Port Blair in SC, claims evidence against Asthana

SC allows “whistleblower” Sana to seek police protection

Claiming he has incriminating evidence against CBI special director Rakesh Asthana whom he had been investigating before he was transferred to Port Blair, the agency’s Deputy Superintendent of Police AK Bassi challenged the order in the Supreme Court today (Tuesday, October 30).

While the Supreme Court declined to hear his plea today saying it did not require unrgent hearing, in another, related case, it directed the Hyderabad Police to provide adequate security to businessman Satish Babu Sana, on whose complaint the bribery case was registered against Rakesh Asthana.

Controversial Hyderabad-based businessman Sana, who claimed to have paid Rs 3 crore in bribe to Rakesh Asthana and is now being referred to as whistleblower in the graft case linking Asthana to meat exporter Moin Qureshi, had moved the apex court, on Tuesday (October 30), claiming that there was a threat to his life.

In his petition, filed by advocate K Parameshwar and argued by senior advocate Raju Ramachandran before a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices UU Lalit and KM Joseph, Sana has said that while he is willing to cooperate with the CBI’s ongoing probe against Asthana, he fears that he will be intimidated and threatened by the probe agency to withdraw/modify his statements already made against the special director, who is currently on leave as per government orders.

The SC bench refused to stay CBI summons against Sana and also rejected his plea for recording of his statement in presence of retired former Supreme Court judge AK Patnaik who it has appointed to oversee a time-bound vigilance inquiry against exiled CBI chief Alok Verma.

Sana’s claim of having paid Rs 3 crore in bribe to Asthana to have his name cleared from a corruption case linked to Qureshi was the basis of the unprecedented FIR registered by the CBI against its controversial special director.

The FIR became the flashpoint in the continuing feud between Asthana and CBI chief Alok Verma with the latter urging the Prime Minister to grant sanction to prosecute the special director.

The government reacted to the trading of charges between Verma and Asthana by sending both officers on leave, divesting them of all responsibilities and appointing M Nageswara Rao as the agency’s interim director. Verma has challenged the government’s decision in the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, while the top court allowed Sana to seek police protection, it declined to grant a stay on the notice issued by the CBI to the businessman asking him to appear before it for questioning in the cases linked to Sana.

In related development, CBI officer AK Bassi who was heading the probe in six corruption cases against Asthana and was transferred to Port Blair by interim chief Rao last week also approached the CBI challenging the transfer orders.

The CBI DSP informed the top court that he has “incriminating evidence” against Asthana in six graft cases and pleaded that the court must call for “evidence of technical surveillance” already carried out against the special director. He also told the top court a special investigation team or SIT must be set up to probe the bribery allegations against Asthana.

It may be recalled that Bassi along with all other officers probing Asthana were transferred out of Delhi by Rao hours after he took over as the interim CBI chief. Rao had replaced these officers with CBI sleuths who are perceived to be close to Asthana.

The Supreme Court had later, while hearing Verma’s petition, restrained Rao from taking any policy decisions till the next date of hearing in the plea moved by the CBI chief which is scheduled for November 25. The mass transfers and other decisions taken by the interim chief will be scrutinized by the Supreme Court, which asked the government to submit all orders by Rao in a sealed envelope.

The Supreme Court declined to hear Bassi’s petition on Tuesday stating that it did not require an urgent hearing.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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