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Journalist Vinod Verma arrested over sex tape of Chhattisgarh minister

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Vinod Verma

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Police charge the veteran journalist for extortion and blackmail as Opposition parties and mediapersons express shock, say this is an attack on press freedom

Veteran journalist Vinod Verma, who was part of a fact-finding team constituted by the Editors Guild of India which probed cases of alleged intimidation of journalists by the Chhattisgarh government last year, was on Friday arrested from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh on charges of extortion and blackmailing a minister in the Raman Singh-led BJP government.

Verma claimed that the police action against him was because he was in possession of a pen drive that had video footage purportedly showing a senior minister of the Chhattisgarh government in a compromising position with a woman. The senior freelance journalist, who has formerly worked with the BBC Hindi Service and served as digital editor of Amar Ujala, has claimed that he was arrested before he could break the ‘story’ about Chhattisgarh’s PWD, environment and transport minister, Rajesh Moonat.

However, the Chhattisgarh police which nabbed Verma from his residence in Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram with help from their UP counterparts in the wee hours of Friday, refuted the journalist’s claim.

The Chhattisgarh police, which said Verma was arrested on charges of blackmail and extortion, possessed about 500 porn CDs, Rs 2 lakh in cash, a pen drive, a laptop and a diary at his Mahagun Mansion apartment residence in Indirapuram.

Raipur Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Shukla claimed that Verma had also been booked under stringent provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act for possession and attempted circulation of pornographic content. The Raipur SP said that the complainant in the case against Verma was a man named Prakash Bajaj (a member of the Chhattisgarh BJP unit’s working committee).

“Bajaj has lodged a complaint at the Pandri police station (in Raipur, Chhattisgarh) that he was being harassed over phone by an unidentified caller who told him that he had a CD of his master (Chhattisgarh minister Rajesh Moonat),” Shukla told mediapersons.

The police official, however, declined to comment on whether the CDs reportedly recovered from Verma’s possession actually showed Moonat engaging in illicit sexual activity and did not offer any details on the exact nature of the alleged extortion and blackmailing charges being slapped against the senior journalist.

Verma , on his part told mediapersons while he was being taken by the police to the Ghaziabad district court, that the Chhattisgarh government was not happy with him and was trying to frame him under charges of extortion and blackmail.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Verma told journalists that the sex CD purportedly featuring Rajesh Moonat, who happens to be a close aide of Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, was already in the public domain and that he had nothing to do with its production.

The Chhattisgarh police claim that the complainant in the case, Chhattisgarh BJP leader Prakash Bajaj had told them that Verma had threatened to distribute the sex CD “if he was not given what he asked for”.

“During the probe, the police came to know about a shop where the CD in question was copied. The shopkeeper told the police that one Vinod Verma had got 1,000 copies made of the CD,” Raipur SP Shukla said.

As news of Verma’s arrest spread, many senior journalists from the electronic and print media gathered outside the Ghaziabad police station.

In Raipur, inspector general of police Pradeep Gupta told reporters that Verma;s arrest was made because the confiscated CDs could malign the reputation of a prominent person and that the police was trying to obtain his remand to bring him to Raipur for interrogation.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh PWD minister Rajesh Moonat who allegedly features in the sex CD, convened a press conference in Raipur and claimed that the “sex CD is fake” while he requested chief minister Raman Singh to have the matter investigated.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]However, the pre-dawn police action against Verma – a member of the Editors Guild of India – has evoked sharp criticism from the media fraternity and Opposition leaders, many of whom had reached the Ghaziabad court to condemn the arrest or took to social media to term the incident as a reminder of the days of Emergency and a crackdown against journalists who question the 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to his formal arrest and the court granting his custody to the Chhattisgarh police, Verma too posted a series of tweets conceding that he had a sex CD of a Chhattisgarh minister and that journalists were being 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India News

PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India News

India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

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Manohar Lal Khattar

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

  • India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
  • Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
  • The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
  • India is currently 216 km behind the US.
  • China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
  • India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

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India News

PM Modi returns to SRCC after 13 years, revisits 2013 glass full speech

PM Narendra Modi returned to SRCC after 13 years for its centenary celebrations, revisiting themes from his landmark 2013 address.

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PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on Saturday, 13 years after his previous visit to the institution as Gujarat chief minister. 

His latest visit came as SRCC marked its centenary celebrations. Modi’s 2013 address at the college had attracted significant attention as he spoke about India’s youth, governance and the country’s demographic potential.

In 2013, Modi was Gujarat chief minister and had not yet been named the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. He returned to the same campus this year as Prime Minister, having completed 12 years as Prime Minister and serving his third consecutive term. 

What PM Modi said at SRCC in 2013

The 2013 lecture was titled Emerging Business Models in the Global Scenario. The address also covered governance and India’s young population.

He described India’s youth as a source of national strength rather than simply a group of new-age voters. He also highlighted India’s demographic advantage and argued that the country needed to make better use of its young population.

One of the notable moments from the speech involved a glass of water.  Modi contrasted the conventional descriptions of a glass as half full or half empty and said he viewed it as full, with half containing water and the other half air.

The speech also included his remarks on technology and young Indians. Referring to an anecdote from a visit to Taiwan, Modi used the phrase “mouse-charmers” to describe Indians using computers and suggested that young Indians had the ability to influence the world through technology.

‘Minimum government, maximum governance’

Modi’s 2013 address also touched on governance. He spoke about the role of government and the need for better governance.

He also spoke about India’s potential in the 21st century. 

Modi returns as PM for SRCC centenary

The September 5 visit coincided with Teachers’ Day and SRCC’s 100th anniversary. The Prime Minister’s Office had announced that Modi would participate in the college’s centenary celebrations and address the gathering. SRCC was established in 1926 by industrialist and philanthropist Sir Shri Ram.

Earlier this year, Modi also met the SRCC governing body at his residence in April in connection with the college’s centenary celebrations and released a commemorative postage stamp marking the occasion. 

The return to SRCC came 13 years after his 2013 appearance at the college, when he addressed students as Gujarat chief minister.

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