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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.

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Arvind Kejriwal predicts INDIA bloc will win 300 seats and form next government

Kejriwal was addressing a digital press conference from his residence where he said as different phases of elections are over, it has become clear that on June 4, the INDIA bloc will win and form the next government at the centre.

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Arvind Kejriwal predicts INDIA bloc will win 300 seats and form next government

Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday cited surveys and said the INDIA bloc will win over 300 of 543 Lok Sabha seats and form the next government.  He said the 5th phase of the Lok Sabha elections is over.

Kejriwal was addressing a digital press conference from his residence where he said as different phases of elections are over, it has become clear that on June 4, the INDIA bloc will win and form the next government at the centre. The findings of many surveys show that on June 4, the INDIA bloc is going to get over 300 seats. He added that the INDIA bloc is progressing and is on the way to give a clean and stable government.

The Delhi chief minister addressed the press conference days before Delhi’s all seven Lok Sabha seats are due to go for elections in the 6th phase of voting on May 25. The Aam Aadmi Party, a key constituent of the INDIA bloc, is contesting 4 of the 7 Lok Sabha seats in alliance with Congress. The BJP swept the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi in 2014 and 2019, winning all 7 seats.

Top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Yogi Adityanath , Amit Shah (BJP), Kejriwal, and Rahul Gandhi (Congress) have campaigned in New Delhi which is going to end on May 23. Earlier The Delhi Chief Minister had slammed Amit Shah a day after he addressed an election rally in Delhi on Monday. 

He slammed the union Home minister and said not even 500 people attended Amit Shah’s rally. He accused Shah of abusing the people of the country and Delhi. Kejriwal accused Shah of calling AAP supporters as Pakistanis. He said the people of Delhi gave AAP 62 out of 70 [assembly] seats and asked if they were Pakistanis?  

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Pune police arrest father after son’s fatal Porsche crash, restaurant owner also detained

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar mentioned that the father was detained from Maharashtra’s Sambhajinagar in the morning and was formally arrested after being brought to Pune.

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Pune police arrest father after son’s fatal Porsche crash, restaurant owner also detained

The Pune police have arrested the father of the juvenile involved in the fatal accident that occurred on Monday morning. The minor was driving a Porsche without a registration number, which crashed into a bike, resulting in two deaths. The authorities have also arrested the owners of two restaurants and a staff member for serving alcohol to minors.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed that the father of the accused has been arrested after he attempted to evade capture. He mentioned that the father was detained from Maharashtra’s Sambhajinagar in the morning and was formally arrested after being brought to Pune.

Among those arrested were Pralhad Bhutada, owner of Cosie, and Sandip Sangale, owner of Blak Club. The Pune Police Commissioner added that the license holders of two restaurants and one more person were arrested late last night and would be produced in court today.

The minor’s father, a prominent real estate developer in Pune, reportedly manages a famous club and has built a star hotel in addition to several significant projects. The Pune Police have booked the aforesaid people under the Motor Vehicles Act (MVA) and the Juvenile Justice Act (JJA) for failing in their duties as guardians and for allowing the minor to drive without a license.

The Yerawada police arrested the father for permitting the minor to drive, while the restaurant owners and staff were charged for serving liquor to the minor. The Police have invoked sections 3, 5, and 199A of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, and sections 75 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The action was taken after police found that the Porsche, purchased in March, had not been registered. 

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra assembly Vijay Wadettiwar demanded a judicial inquiry into the accident. He said that there is a question mark on Pune Police’s investigation, therefore a judicial inquiry should be conducted in this case.

He further pointed out that the police have reported that the alcohol test of the accused in the Pune accident was negative, but the CCTV footage of the accused, who is a minor, is drunk and that the report is raising a question mark on the police investigation.

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Uttarkashi authorities issues order to limit movement of horses and mules on Yamunotri Dham pilgrimage route

The District Magistrate Dr. Meherban Singh Bisht issued an order that the maximum number of horses and mules going from Janki Chatti to Yamunotri and vice versa has been limited to 800.

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Uttarkashi authorities limits movement of horses and mules on Yamunotri Dham pilgrimage route

In an effort to ensure the safety and convenience of piligrims, the district authorities of Uttarkashi have issued an order to curb the movement of horses and mules on the Shri Yamunotri Dham foot pilgrimage route.

The District Magistrate Dr. Meherban Singh Bisht issued an order that the maximum number of horses and mules going from Janki Chatti to Yamunotri and vice versa has been limited to 800. Additionally, the time for their movement is restricted to between 4 a.m. and 5 p.m. The District Magistrate has instructed the relevant departments and officials to promptly execute the above-mentioned orders and see to it that they are followed by all. He has also instructed the relevant department and officials to promptly execute the mentioned order.

On May 19, a significant number of devotees visited the holy sites of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dhams in Uttarakhand. By 2 p.m. on Sunday, approximately 10,000 devotees worshipped at Gangotri Dham, while 28,000 pilgrims were en route to Gangotri. Similarly, at Yamunotri Dham, 8,500 people had worshipped, and 20,000 individuals were progressing along the Yamunotri route from various stops.

The order also imposes a complete ban on the movement of horses, mules, and sticks beyond the Ghoda Padav in Shri Yamunotri Dham. Violators will be punishable under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as per the DM’s order. This decision was prompted by a joint report submitted by the Barkot’s Sub-District Magistrate, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and Uttarkashi Additional Chief Officer of the District Panchayat. The report emphasized the need for crowd control to safeguard pilgrims, lives, and property.

The Char Dham Yatra, which includes sites like Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Bedrinath, began on May 10 this year. Uttarakhand witnesses a peak in pilgrimage season during the summers, drawing thousands of devotees to these sacred destinations.

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