Briefs
Cruise ship drugs case: BJP leader’s brother-in-law released by NCB, claims Nawab Malik
MUMBAI, (PTI): NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Saturday alleged the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which had claimed to have seized drugs onboard a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast last week, had initially detained 11 persons but let off three of them, including the brother-in-law of BJP leader Mohit Bharatiya, a couple of hours after the operation.
Bharatiya hit back saying he will file a defamation suit seeking Rs 100 crore in damages against Malik.
Addressing a press conference here, Malik, who is NCP’s spokesperson, alleged that Bharatiya’s brother-in-law Rishabh Sachdeva was among those three persons who were detained by the cops.
Two others – Pratik Gabba and Aamir Furniturewala – who had brought Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, to the cruise party, were released along with Sachdeva two hours after their detention, he said.
”The names of Pratik and Aamir figured in the ongoing hearings in the court,” Malik claimed.
Based on a tip-off that a party was to take place onboard the ship, an NCB team led by its zonal director Sameer Wankhede had raided the Cordelia cruise last Saturday and claimed to have recovered banned drugs. A total of 18 persons have been arrested in the case, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
The NCP leader demanded that the call records of these three persons along with that of Wankhede be examined.
”Rishabh Sachdeva’s father and uncle came to the NCB office and telephonic conversations happened between Wankhede and the BJP leaders in Mumbai and Delhi from the phone of Sachdeva’s father,” Malik claimed.
”Why were the phones of these three persons not seized?” he asked.
According to Malik, the Mumbai police were also given information that 11 persons had been detained from the cruise ship.
Malik had alleged that the NCB’s raid on the cruise was ”fake, planned and conspired to defame the film industry and the Maharashtra government”.
”Selective people have been arrested…The matter is serious. CCTV footage should be taken and a detailed inquiry should be conducted,” the minority affairs minister alleged.
He also hit out at the BJP for attacking him over his allegations.
”The BJP says that I am attacking the NCB since my son-in-law was arrested by the agency. I have never supported my son-in-law and he will fight his case. How can I give information I have in this case to the NCB which has framed a false case. If an independent commission is set up to conduct a probe, I will do so,” Malik said.
Hours after Malik’s press conference, Bharatiya issued a statement accusing Malik of ”supporting drug peddlers and misusing his official post”.
He said had the NCB found any incriminating evidence against his brother-in-law Rishabh Sachdeva and his friends the agency would have prosecuted them to the full extent of the law.
”The integrity of the NCB stands unimpeached and cannot be swayed by any amount of political influence, maybe that is why Nawab Malik is so interested in targeting the NCB and its hard-working officers,” he said.
Bharatiya accused Nawab Malik of misusing his official post by issuing threats and raising allegations against the premier investigating agency, the NCB.
”I shall be filing a defamatory suit for Rs 100 crore against Nawab Malik and I undertake to forward any proceeds of the said suit towards the war on drugs,” he stated.
Bharatiya alleged that Malik was hitting down on the ”diligent officers of the NCB with the sole and ulterior motive of wreaking vengeance for arresting and prosecuting his son-in-law”.
”The press conference held by Nawab Malik is nothing but a lame attempt at maligning my name and more importantly, the Bharatiya Janta Party,” Bharatiya said.
Bharatiya, who had served in various capacities in Maharashtra and Mumbai units of the BJP, also said he was not an office-bearer of the saffron party. ”However, I shall be a sympathizer of the Bharatiya Janta Party. The entire exercise of the press conference on question reeks of the desperation of the MVA government to falsely accuse the honest and stellar efforts of the NCB and the BJP,” he said. It is shameful that a cabinet minister is using his official post to make threats and allegations against the premier investigating agency, the NCB, for conducting unprecedented raids and investigations in a drug-riddled society, Bharatiya said.
”Instead of supporting the war on drugs, Malik sought to support drug addicts and drug peddlers alike,” he added. Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhaye also hit out at Malik and said dragging the BJP’s name will not help in getting the accused released. ”If anyone from BJP is guilty, punishment will be given,” he added.
”The agencies have to present proof before the courts. If Malik is so eager to defend the accused, he should do so in the courts. He is creating doubts about the investigating agencies and unnecessarily dragging the BJP in the case,” he said. (PTI)
Briefs
Actor Jayashree Gaikwad files complaint with Mumbai police regarding fake videos
MUMBAI: Actor Jayashree Gaikwad who is famous for her several web series on APPS like Ullu, today filed a complaint with the Mumbai police regarding fake, seminude videos which have been uploaded on various social media platforms and other adult and porn websites, defaming her, outraging her modesty and creating problems for her in her family and personal life.
According to a written complaint filed with the Mumbai Cyber Crime Cell and the Malwani Police station, she first noticed the fake nude videos a few days ago. On checking around, she found that the videos were fakes and made using AI and deep fake technology and edited using some of her old footage and clips.
According to Jayashree Gaikwad who spoke to this website, “The videos are fake and created using AI tools and other deep fake technology, while misusing my video clips, reels and other webseries footage. These are not my videos. I have never done nude or semi-nude videos or photos,” she said.
The police have acknowledged the complaint and have begun investigations into the matter.
Who is Jayashree Gaikwad?
Jayashree Gaikwad is an Indian model-turned actress who has featured in many web series across various OTT platforms. She is known for her bold acting and roles in some of the prominent adult web shows including Baba Rancho, Jelabi, Paglet, Pehredaar, and others. She has done more than 200 web series shows and shot for over 1000 episodes in the last four years.
Briefs
Dog Terror: After stray dog attack on Colva beach, Bollywood actor Rayya Labib hospitalized due to medical complications
MUMBAI/PANAJI: As reported earlier, Bollywood actor Rayya Labib was attacked by stray dogs last week while on an early morning walk on Colva beach in South Goa. The incident happened on last Friday morning at around 5.50 to 6 am.
While she was administered first aid and left for Mumbai the same day for further treatment, she had to be hospitalized for three days due to a medical complication, which was aggravated by the dog attack and the injuries she sustained. The dogs who attached her were rabid and any delay in advanced medical care could have resulted in serious infection and danger to her life. She is now out of danger, but has had to cancel several work assignments. She cane down heavily on the South Goa administration for allowing rabid stray dogs to roam freely on beaches frequented by tourists.
According to reports, the actor accompanied by two friends who were visiting Goa to beat the summer heat, were taking a stroll on the beach early in the morning to avoid the crowd. While her two friends were parking their car on a road nearby, Rayya ventured out on the almost deserted beach.
To her dismay, she had hardly walked about 200 to 300 meters on the beach, when she was attacked viciously by a pack of stray dogs who tried to bite and maul her. Taken by surprise, she screamed for help and her friends who were some distance from her rushed to her aid and rescued her from the dogs, but not before she sustained a few bruises or scratches on her leg. Her dress was also torn and ripped apart in places, due to the attempt by the dogs to bite her. She was administered medical treatment and returned to Mumbai the same day.
Speaking to media persons on her return to Mumbai, Rayya said, “I am an animal lover and even feed stray dogs. It was very shocking to be suddenly attacked by strays on the Colva beach, without any reason or provocation. It looks like the dogs were either hungry or irritated about something. A tourist zone like Colva beach should be kept free of strays as it could be a dampener for tourists, particularly foreigners who prefer South Goa for its quiet and privacy. The stray dog menace is growing in Goa and the same was also noticed in the Latin quarter area of Panjim late at night. Besides beggars and touts, the coastal belt and other tourist hangouts are infested by stray cattle and dog, which is definitely bad for tourism.”
This is the second or third incident of stray dog attacks in South Goa over the last one week. Another similar attack took place at Benaulim a few days earlier. An elderly man walking home late night was also attacked by strays on the outskirts of Margao about six days ago.
Briefs
Bollywood actor Rayya Labib attacked by stray dogs at Colva beach
MUMBAI/PANAJI: Bollywood actor Rayya Labib was attacked by stray dogs while on an early morning walk on Colva beach in South Goa. The incident happened on Friday morning at around 5.50 to 6 am.
The actor accompanied by two friends who were all visiting Goa to beat the summer heat, decided to take a stroll on the beach early in the morning to avoid other tourists and touts. While her two friends were parking their car on a road nearby, Rayya ventured out on the beach.
To her dismay, she had hardly walked about 200 to 300 meters on the beach, when she was attacked viciously by a pack of stray dogs who tried to bite and maul her. Taken by surprise, she screamed for help and her friends who were some distance from her rushed to her aid and rescued her from the dogs, but not before she sustained a few bruises or scratches on her leg. Her dress was also torn and ripped apart in places, due to the attempt by the dogs to bite her. She was administered medical treatment and returned to Mumbai the same day.
Speaking to media persons on her return to Mumbai, Rayya said, “I am an animal lover and even feed stray dogs. It was very shocking to be suddenly attacked by strays on the Colva beach, without any reason or provocation. It looks like the dogs were either hungry or irritated about something. A tourist zone like Colva beach should be kept free of strays as it could be a dampener for tourists, particularly foreigners who prefer South Goa for its quiet and privacy. The stray dog menace is growing in Goa and the same was also noticed in the Latin quarter area of Panjim late at night. Besides beggars and touts, the coastal belt and other tourist hangouts are infested by stray cattle and dog, which is definitely bad for tourism.”
This is the second or third incident of stray dog attacks in South Goa over the last one week. Another similar attack took place at Benaulim a few days earlier. An elderly man walking home late night was also attacked by strays on the outskirts of Margao about six days ago.
Briefs
Doesn’t matter if I go to jail, what matters is Constitution should be saved: Kejriwal
NEW DELHI, (PTI): The INDIA bloc will work for the country’s progress if it forms government at the Centre, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday as he appealed to people to vote for candidates of the alliance to end ”dictatorship” and ”save” the Constitution. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, both members of the bloc, are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi under a seat-sharing arrangement.
The Kejriwal-led party is contesting four of the seven parliamentary seats in the national capital, while its alliance partner has fielded candidates from three. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ”not coming back to power” on June 4, said Kejriwal, who held roadshows at Model Town and Jahangirpuri in support of Congress’ Chandni Chowk and Northwest Delhi Lok Sabha poll candidates JP Agarwal and Udit Raj, respectively. ”I have made enquiries across the country. Their (BJP’s) seats are reducing everywhere, be it Haryana or Uttar Pradesh. If the INDIA bloc comes to power, we will work for the progress of the country and end dictatorship. It does not matter whether I go to jail, what matters is that the Constitution should be saved and it’s your responsibility,” the Delhi chief minister said while addressing a gathering at Jahangirpuri.
In Model Town, Kejriwal said he will have to go back to jail, if people vote for the BJP, and gave the slogan ”Jo kare Kejriwal ko pyaar woh kare Modi ko inkaar (those who love Kejriwal reject Modi)”.
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy case, was released from Tihar Jail on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court. ”I have come straight from jail to be amongst you. These people (BJP) put me behind bars and I missed you a lot. I love you a lot. I know that even you love me a lot. I am a small person. Ours is a small party with governments in Delhi and Punjab,” Kejriwal said in his roadshow in support of Agarwal. ”I was wondering why I was put in jail. What is my fault? These people are quite powerful,” he said.
The chief minister said his ”fault” was providing good education to children, building good schools for them, opening Mohalla Clinics and arranging for free medicines for people.
”Now, they are saying I will have to go jail again. It is in your hands whether I go to jail. If you choose lotus (the BJP’s symbol), I will have to return to jail. If you choose INDIA bloc candidate, I won’t have to go to jail,” the AAP national convener said. ”When you go to vote, you have to think whether Kejriwal should go to jail. ‘Jo kare Kejriwal ko pyaar woh kare Modi ko inkaar’,” he said.
Seeking support for Agarwal, he said this time, the AAP and the Congress are contesting in an alliance. Kejriwal alleged that efforts were made to break him while he was in jail ”but because of the blessings of Lord hanuman, I stayed strong”. In his roadshow in support of Raj, the AAP leader accused the BJP of ”dictatorship”.
”They are saying that they want 400 seats since they want to accomplish big things. What are those big things? It was found that they want to end reservation. Baba Saheb Ambedkar has written an excellent Constitution. Do not think about the heat on May 25 and step out to vote,” Kejriwal said. Polling for all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will be held on June 25 in the sixth round of the seven-phase general elections. (PTI)
Briefs
Cong, JJP boost efforts to topple BJP govt, approach Haryana Governor
CHANDIGARH, (PTI): The Congress and the JJP have approached Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, stepping up their efforts to topple the Haryana’s BJP government after it was reduced to a minority in the state assembly. The Haryana Congress on Thursday sent a letter to the governor’s office seeking time on Friday to meet him and present a memorandum on the present political situation in the state.
In a separate letter on Wednesday, Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala wrote to the governor, saying the Saini government no longer commands a majority and there should be an immediate floor test.
Three Independent MLAs on Tuesday withdrew support to the BJP government and announced they would back the Congress. The government which has the support of two other Independents is now two short of the majority mark in the 90-member state assembly. However, the House at present has an effective strength of 88 with Karnal and Rania assembly seats being vacant. The BJP has 40 MLAs, the Congress 30 and the JJP 10 in the House. INLD and Haryana Lokhit Party has one member each, while the total number of Independent MLAs are six.
In its letter, the Congress said that a party delegation led by Deputy CLP leader Aftab Ahmed and B B Batra, chief whip CLP, wants to meet the governor on May 10.
Chief Minister Saini again asserted that his government was not in trouble.
On Thursday, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the ”minority” dispensation should resign on moral grounds.
”We have also sought time from the governor,” Hooda said when asked to comment on the JJP writing a letter to the governor.
Hooda was campaigning in Bhiwani for party’s Lok Sabha candidate Rao Dan Singh.
Replying to another question, Hooda raised doubts whether all 10 JJP MLAs were onboard with their party, in a reference to some JJP MLAs indicating their support in recent days to the BJP. ”We are 30 MLAs…regarding JJP, it would have been better had they paraded 10 MLAs before the governor.
”There is no dispute about our MLAs. Some of their (JJP’s) MLAs are supporting someone else…let them go to the governor with their 10 MLAs,” he said.
After withdrawal of support by the three Independents, Hooda said the Saini government is in a minority.
”On moral grounds, it should resign. President’s rule should be imposed…we are demanding fresh elections in the state,” the former chief minister said.
Taking on both the BJP and the JJP whose alliance ended after Saini replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as Chief Minister in March, Hooda said, ”They entered into agreement to break the alliance. People understand this.” People know there is a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP (in the Lok Sabha polls), others are ”vote kaatu” (vote-cutting) parties.
JJP leader Dushyant Chautala on Wednesday said that the Congress has to think whether they will take a step to bring down the ”minority” BJP government.
Chautala also said that if Hooda takes steps to bring down the Saini government, his party would support the move.
However, the BJP government appears safe for now. According to prevailing norms, a no-trust motion against a government can’t be moved within six months of the previous one. In this case, the BJP government in Haryana had faced the no-confidence motion in February.
The assembly elections are due in Haryana in October this year. (PTI)
Briefs
Rahul Gandhi Demands CBI, ED Probe into Adani, Ambani Businesses
NEW DELHI, (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a probe by the CBI or ED into whether businessmen Adani and Ambani sent his party ”money in a tempo”.
Rahul Gandhi’s retort to PM Modi came after the latter attacked him at an election rally saying why he has ”stopped” naming Adani and Ambani in his attacks and whether he has received money from them in return.
Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, Gandhi in a video message asked whether Modi was speaking from his ”personal experience” about money being sent by businessmen.
”The money that PM Modi has given to the two businessmen, the Congress party will give the same amount of money to the people of India through the various schemes that the party has promised,” Gandhi said.
”The country knows who is the driver and helper of the BJP’s tempo of corruption,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.
”Modi ji, are you a little scared? Normally you talk about Adani and Ambani in closed doors, but for the first time you have talked about Adani and Ambani in public,” Gandhi said in the video message.
”You also know that they give money in a tempo. Is it your personal experience?” Gandhi said.
”Do one thing – send the CBI, ED to them and carry out a thorough investigation and don’t be scared,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday accused the Congress of having a ”deal” with ”Ambani and Adani”, and asked if the party has received ”tempo loads of black money” from the two businessmen for its leader Rahul Gandhi to stop ”abusing” them.
”Since his Rafale issue got grounded, he started chanting about ‘five industrialists’. Then he started saying Ambani-Adani. But ever since elections have been announced, these people (Congress) have stopped abusing Ambani-Adani.
”I want to ask from Telangana soil, let the Shehzada announce, how much has been lifted from Ambani-Adani. Has tempo loads of money reached the Congress? What deal has been arrived at that abusing Ambani-Adani has stopped overnight?” he said while addressing an election rally at Vemulawada in Telangana.
”Certainly something is fishy. For five years, (they) abused Adani-Ambani and it stopped overnight. It means you have received some tempo loads of ‘chori ka maal’ (loot)… Kaale dhan ki kitni boriya bharkar ke rupaye maare hai (how many sacks of black money you have taken). You have to answer the nation,” the prime minister said.
The Congress has been accusing the prime minister of favouring the top five industrialists in the country, including Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani. (PTI)
Briefs
Gautam Navlakha Must Pay for Security During House Arrest: SC
NEW DELHI, (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday said activist Gautam Navlakha cannot escape the liability of paying towards expenses for the Maharashtra government making available police personnel for his security during his house arrest, as he himself had requested the house arrest.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) told a bench of justices M M Sundresh and S V N Bhatti that Navlakha, arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, is required to make a payment of Rs 1.64 crore towards expenses for security.
”If you have sought for it, you have to pay,” the bench told the counsel representing Navlakha.
”The liability, you know, you can’t escape because you asked for it (house arrest),” the apex court observed.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, representing the NIA, said Rs 1.64 crore is due and 70-year-old Navlakha has to make the payment for the security provided during his house arrest.
Terming the order of house arrest as ”unusual”, Raju said a large number of police personnel have been deployed round-the-clock for security during his house arrest.
The counsel representing Navlakha said there is no difficulty in paying per se but the issue was with respect to calculation.
The ASG said Navlakha had earlier made payments of over Rs 10 lakh for this and now he is avoiding making payment.
”There is no question of avoiding,” Navlakha’s counsel said.
His counsel said the NIA’s plea, challenging the December 19, 2023 order of the Bombay High Court which had granted bail to Navlakha, was also required to be heard.
The high court had granted him bail but stayed its order for three weeks after the NIA had sought time to file an appeal in the top court.
On January 5, the apex court had extended the stay imposed by the high court on the operation of its order granting bail to Navlakha.
During the hearing on Tuesday before the apex court, the ASG said earlier, Navlakha himself had asked for house arrest and whether the bail is allowed or not, he has to make the payment for the expenses incurred for round-the-clock security.
”The issue of bail is slightly different. He had first said ‘put me in house arrest because I am not well’. Now he is hale and hearty, everything is okay,” he said.
”We had said if he will be put in house arrest at a place where he wanted to be lodged, then it require police personnel round-the-clock… He said ‘I will pay the cost’,” Raju said, adding, ”Every day, it is mounting. He can’t escape”.
He said Navlakha cannot avoid making the payment in the guise of saying that he wanted to calculate.
”As long as you continue to have this facility, the figures are going to fly higher and higher. What we are today thinking is, instead of allowing it to touch the highest level, we will give one week time,” the bench told Navlakha’s counsel.
It said Navlakha’s counsel can see the calculation and tell the court about it.
The bench, which said the interim stay granted on January 5 shall continue, posted the matter for hearing on April 23.
On March 7, Navlakha’s lawyer had disputed the figure in the apex court and accused the agency of ”extortion”.
Raju had strongly objected to the use of the term ”extortion”.
Navlakha is under house arrest at a public library in Mumbai since November 2022.
While ordering his house arrest on November 10, 2022, the apex court had directed Navlakha to deposit Rs 2.4 lakh towards the expenses to be borne by the state for deploying police personnel to effectively place him under house arrest.
Later, it had again directed Navlakha to deposit another Rs 8 lakh as expenses for providing police personnel for his security.
On November 10, 2022, the top court had allowed Navlakha, who was then lodged in Navi Mumbai’s Taloja prison in connection with the case, to be placed under house arrest owing to his deteriorating health.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which police claim triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city. (PTI)
Briefs
BRS leader Kavitha denied interim bail in Delhi excise scam case
NEW DELHI, (PTI): A court here on Monday denied interim bail to BRS leader K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy-related money laundering case.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja dismissed the plea, saying the stage was not right to enlarge her on interim bail.
Kavitha had approached the court for interim bail, saying her 16-year-old son has exams and needs his mother’s ”moral and emotional support”.
The ED had opposed the submission, claiming Kavitha destroyed evidence and influenced witnesses in the case.
The agency had alleged that Kavitha is a key member of the ”South Group”, which has been accused of paying the ruling AAP in Delhi kickbacks of Rs 100 crore in return for a big share of liquor licences in the national capital. Kavitha, 46, was arrested from her Banjara Hills residence on March 15 amid protests by BRS supporters.
She was then sent to seven-day ED custody the next day. Her custodial interrogation was later extended by three days. She was sent to 14-day judicial custody last Tuesday. (PTI)