Category Archives: Crime

Crime, International, West Bengal

Daughter of slain B’deshi MP may undergo DNA test in city

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Gourab Neto, MP, 30 May 2024, Kolkata: Following the discovery of pieces of flesh and hair strands in a septic tank of a housing complex in New Town, the daughter of the slain Bangladeshi Member of Parliament (MP) Anwarul Azim Anar may soon come to Kolkata to undergo a DNA test for matching the reports. An arrested person, who police claimed is a butcher by profession, allegedly chopped the body of the Bangladesh lawmaker and mixed them with turmeric before disposing of them at different locations. “In case the body parts are not found, then we will conduct DNA tests on the blood samples and match the result with the DNA of one of Anar’s family members to establish the identity and start a case according to the law,” an officer told a news agency. Also Read – ‘Mercury set to soar in South Bengal; thunderstorms to continue in North’ In another development, the state CID suspects that another accused identified as Siyam had fled to Nepal. A police team might go to Nepal soon in connection with the probe. On Tuesday CID was reportedly requested by the Bangladesh Police to search the septic tank of the apartment building to find any traces of Anar’s body as the arrested accused Jihad Hawaladar reportedly told the cops that he had flushed some body parts through the commode.Honouring the request when the septic tank was searched, where about 3.5 kg pieces of flesh and hair strands were reportedly recovered. However, other body parts are still not found despite repeated searches of the Bagjola Canal in the Krishnamati area of Polerhat. Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police told the media persons in Bangladesh that the motive behind Anar’s murder is still unknown.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/daughter-of-slain-bdeshi-mp-may-undergo-dna-test-in-city-565860

Crime, National, Regional, States

Adult or juvenile: Supreme Court passes slew of guidelines on heinous crimes

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A bench of Justice C.T. Ravi Kumar and Justice Rajesh Bindal passed the directions while disposing of an appeal filed by the mother of a juvenile challenging the order of a juvenile justice board in Karnataka that her son be tried as an adult in a case relating to rape under the POSCO Act

R. Balaji, TT, New Delhi,  29.05.24  : The Supreme Court has passed a slew of guidelines for courts to follow in cases related to juveniles, particularly on the question of whether the juvenile/child in conflict with the law deserves to be treated as an adult for heinous crimes or under the Juvenile Justice Act.

A bench of Justice C.T. Ravi Kumar and Justice Rajesh Bindal passed the directions while disposing of an appeal filed by the mother of a juvenile challenging the order of a juvenile justice board in Karnataka that her son be tried as an adult in a case relating to rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) Act, 2012.

In view of the discussions, the appeal was disposed of with the following directions:

(i) The provision of Section 14(3) of the act, providing for three months for completion of a preliminary assessment (of the juvenile’s mental status) under Section 15 of the act, is not mandatory. The same is held to be directory. The period can be extended for reasons to be recorded in writing by the chief judicial magistrate or as the case may be the chief metropolitan magistrate.

(ii) The words “children’s court” and “court of sessions” in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and the 2016 rules shall be read interchangeably. Primarily jurisdiction vests in the children’s court.
However, in the absence of constitution of such children’s court in the district, the power to be exercised under the act is vested with the court of sessions.

(iii) Appeal under Section 101(2) of the act against an order of the board passed under Section 15 of the act can be filed within 30 days. The appellate court can entertain the appeal after the expiry of the period, provided sufficient cause is shown. Endeavour has to be made to decide any such appeal filed within 30 days.

(iv) In all the orders passed by the courts, tribunals, boards and the quasi-judicial authorities, the names of the presiding officer and/or the members who sign the orders shall be mentioned. In case any identification number has been given, it can also be added.

(v) The presiding officers and/or members while passing the order shall properly record the presence of the parties and/or their counsels, the purpose for which the matter is being adjourned and the party on whose behalf the adjournment has been sought and granted.

A copy of the judgment will be sent to all the registrar generals of high courts for circulation amongst the judicial officers and the members of the juvenile justice boards, the directors of the National Judicial Academy and the state judicial academies.

The apex court passed the directions after senior advocates Sidharth Luthra and R. Basanth complained that many children’s courts and juvenile justice boards were not following the statutory rules prescribed under the act.

Cong on Rajkot probe

The Congress on Tuesday demanded a probe under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge into the fire at the Rajkot game zone and alleged that the BJP government in Gujarat was “not serious” about taking action in the case.
Crime, International, West Bengal

B’desh MP murder: Police may conduct DNA test of blood found in New Town flat

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PTI, KOLKATA, May 28, 2024 : The Bangladesh Police will be conducting DNA tests of the blood specimen found in a flat in New Town near here and match the results with that of one of the relatives of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar to confirm that the politician was murdered, an officer said on Tuesday.


It is suspected that Anar, who has been missing for a fortnight, was killed in that flat and his body parts were thrown into a canal.

The DNA tests would be conducted as the last option in case the body parts of the Awami League MP could not be found, an officer of the Dhaka police visiting Kolkata as part of the investigation said.

“In case the body parts are not found, then we will conduct DNA tests on the blood samples and match the result with the DNA of one of Anar’s family members to establish the identity and start a case according to the law,” the officer said.

A three-member team of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch is in the city to investigate the death of Anar. The team is being led by the Detective Branch chief Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid.

The Disaster Management Team of the Kolkata Police on Tuesday resumed search in the Bagjola canal adjacent to an amusement park near Rajarhat, an officer said.

Kolkata Police officers, however, said that finding the body parts would be a tough job due to heavy rainfall following Cyclone Remal on Monday.

“It’s been over a fortnight that the crime was carried out. The body parts were chopped into smaller parts and there was a high chance that those were eaten up by aquatic animals. The Bagjola Canal has dirty water and the body parts could be swept away by the flow,” the police officer said.

Divers were employed to spot the body parts as well as the murder tools from the canal, he added.

Assuming that blood was drained out from the bathroom of the flat, where the lawmaker of the Bangladeshi ruling party, was suspected of being murdered, a team of police officers were testing the drain pipes, he said.

The search for the missing MP, who reportedly arrived in Kolkata on May 12 to undergo medical treatment, began after Gopal Biswas, a resident of Baranagar in north Kolkata and an acquaintance of the Bangladeshi politician, filed a complaint with the local police on May 18.

Anar had stayed at Biswas’s house upon arrival.

In his complaint, Biswas stated that Anar left his Baranagar residence for a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon of May 13 and that he would be back home for dinner.

Biswas claimed that the Bangladesh MP went incommunicado on May 17, which prompted him to file a missing complaint a day later. 
Crime, National

Rs 263-crore income tax refund fraud case: Mumbai man remanded in judicial custody

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 Citing its investigation, the Enforcement Directorate said there is reason to believe that the person, Purshottam Chavan, is guilty of the offence of money laundering

PTI, Mumbai, 28.05.24 : A special court dealing with cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) here on Monday sent a man to 14-day judicial custody in a Rs 263-crore income tax refund fraud linked money laundering case investigation.


Citing its investigation, the Enforcement Directorate said there is reason to believe that the person, Purshottam Chavan, is guilty of the offence of money laundering.

He is “actively involved in crime” and played a “crucial role” at various stages in laundering the proceeds of crime, said ED.

The agency arrested Chavan on May 20, a day after the agency raided his premises in Mumbai.

He was produced before special PMLA judge MG Deshpande at the end of his remand on Monday. The court sent him to judicial custody as sought by the probe agency.

The ED told the court that the accused has destroyed evidence which could lead to unearthing the end utilization of the funds received by him.

The accused, during his custodial interrogation, did not share details about the amount of funds he actually received, its mode and manner as well as further utilization of the money, the ED said.

Further, in respect of property documents recovered from his residence, the probe agency said the accused did not disclose facts.

Therefore, his judicial custody is very essential as his release at this stage will definitely hamper the ongoing investigation, the ED said.

The court then remanded the accused to judicial custody.

The investigation pertains to alleged fraudulent generation and issuance of TDS (tax deducted at source) refunds from the Income-tax department to the tune of Rs 263.95 crore.

A case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the basis of the ED’s money laundering case.

The ED has earlier arrested the main accused and a former senior tax assistant Tanaji Mandal Adhikari, Bhushan Patil, Rajesh Shetty and Rajesh Brijlal Batreja in this case.

Batreja and Chavan were “in touch regularly and shared incriminating messages related to hawala transactions and diversion of the proceeds of crime”, the ED alleged.

Assets worth Rs 168 crore of various accused have been attached till now and a charge sheet was filed in September 2023 by the ED against Adhikari and ten others.
Crime, National, Politics

Sexual assault case: Will return to India and face probe, says Prajwal Revanna

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 Prajwal, 33, who is seeking re-election from his Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, had flown abroad just as the accusations against him became public, triggering allegations that he was fleeing justice
Prajwal Revanna.: File picture.

K.M. Rakesh, TT, Bengaluru, 28.05.24 : Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna on Monday released a video announcing he would return to India and, at 10am on May 31, appear before Karnataka police’s special investigation team that is probing sexual abuse allegations against him.

Prajwal, 33, who is seeking re-election from his Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, had flown abroad just as the accusations against him became public, triggering allegations that he was fleeing justice.

“I will appear before the SIT on May 31 at 10am and fully cooperate with the investigation,” Prajwal, grandson of JDS patriarch and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, says in the video.

“I am confident of coming out clean against these false allegations through the courts, since I have complete faith in the judiciary.”

It appears unlikely that Prajwal would have the chance to appear before the SIT by himself. A city court issued an arrest warrant against him on May 18, which would enable the SIT to detain him at the airport itself.

Prajwal has not, however, revealed his flight details or his current location. His father and Holenarasipura MLA, H.D. Revanna, has said Prajwal flew to Germany on a prescheduled trip.

A former domestic help of Prajwal has accused him of sexual abuse. Father and son are also accused of having abducted her to intimidate her against accusing Prajwal.

The SIT probing Prajwal is also investigating pen drives containing 2,976 files — including video clips and pictures of suspected sexual abuse of multiple women — that were found discarded in Hassan just days before the April 26 election there. While the Opposition has alleged the man in the clip is Prajwal, the SIT hasn’t yet officially confirmed it.

Prajwal begins the nearly three-minute video message saying: “I apologise to my parents, grandfather, my Kumaranna (uncle and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy), the people of my state and all the party workers.”

He claims he had no idea about the charges against him until a few days after leaving Bengaluru, which he did early on April 27.

“There was no case against me when the election was held on April 26. There was no SIT, either. My overseas trip on April 26 was already planned,” he says. “Three or four days after I reached overseas, I happened to see news on YouTube about this.”

He says he sought seven days from the police to respond, contacting the force from abroad through his lawyer, but slipped into depression after the allegations were widely discussed in public forums.

“But even after that (his May 1 tweet saying he had sought time from the police) Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi started discussing this issue in open forums. I slipped into depression and went into isolation,” he says.

Prajwal’s announcement comes after repeated appeals to him from Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy to return and face the law.

In a public statement on X recently, Deve Gowda had warned Prajwal that he would have to face the anger of his family if he did not return to India.
Crime, National, Techno/ Science

Aided by technology, new criminal laws will deliver justice within 3 years: Home Minister

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 The home minister said earlier charge sheet meant submission of volumes of documents, but once the new laws come into force the charge sheet will be contained in a pen drive and the response to it can also be delivered digitally on a pen drive. 

PTI NEW DELHI: Technology will be a key enabler for the new criminal laws that come into effect July 1 as summons will be issued by SMS, 90 per cent witnesses will appear through video calls and courts will issue orders within three years of filing of an FIR, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said.

“I can tell you with confidence that after three years, our criminal justice system will be the most modern criminal justice system in the world,” he told PTI in an interview over the weekend.

Piloted by the home minister himself, the newly enacted criminal laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act will come into effect from July 1, replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 respectively.

In the interview, Shah laid out for the first time many details of the new criminal justice system, which he said are almost entirely driven by technology. For example, all court matters will become online and FIR, court diary and judgement will be digitised. Already, officials have collected finger prints data of nine crore criminals across the country in the last five years.

After lifting finger prints from a crime scene, police will be able to identify the criminal and also if the crime has been committed by a repeat offender from that data base of finger prints within seven and half minutes, Shah said.  

“We have brought very big reforms (through the new criminal laws). After the laws come into effect, 90 per cent people will not have to go to courts. The witnesses will appear online,” he added. 

Earlier, he said, summon meant physically serving it to someone at their home. 

“Many such changes have been incorporated (in new laws). Similar is the case with regards to the charge sheet too,” he said. The Home Minister said earlier charge sheet meant submission of volumes of documents, but once the new laws come into force the charge sheet will be contained in a pen drive and the response to it can also be delivered digitally on a pen drive. “All these matters will now be online. 

The FIR, court diary, judgement will also be digitised. We have made forensic evidence compulsory in cases where there is a provision for imprisonment for a period of minimum seven years,” he said. 

Asked about the preparation for rolling out the new laws, the Home Minister said it is going on full swing and training of officials is almost over. 
Crime, International, West Bengal

Bangladesh Police team arrives in Kolkata for MP murder probe

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MP, 26 May 2024, Kolkata: A team of Bangladesh Police led by the Additional Commissioner of Police (Addl. CP), Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Md. Harun Ar Rashid along with two other senior officers arrived in Kolkata on Sunday morning to investigate the gruesome murder case of a Bangladesh Member of Parliament (MP) Anwarul Azim. 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Police has also got in touch with the INTERPOL to bring back the mastermind of the murder Akhtarujjaman alias Sahin and arrest him. 
On Sunday around 11 am, the Bangladesh Police team landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport. 
Before leaving the airport, Rashid met the media in Kolkata and said: “For the investigation we need to visit the Place of Occurrence (PO) as well. 
So far we have exchanged information with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). We are going to check the CCTV footage. Akhtarujjaman who is the mastermind is suspected to have fled to the USA. 
The plan was hatched in Bangladesh and the crime was committed here in West Bengal. We will seek assistance and cooperation from the CID and local police.” 
Sources informed that cops from Bengal went to Bangladesh and interrogated the persons who were arrested there for alleged murder of Azim. 
The Bangladesh Police may interrogate the accused Jihad Hawaladar who was arrested for the murder of Azim to corroborate his statement with the statements of the accused arrested in Bangladesh. 
On Sunday evening, the Bangladesh Police team met the CID officials and talked about the case. 
CID has reportedly come to know that another person was given the responsibility of dumping a few body parts of Azim. Cops are trying to find out the accused and the spot where the body parts were dumped. 
Meanwhile, on Sunday a search operation was conducted throughout the day at the Bagjola canal in Krishnamati area of Polerhat to find the body parts of the Bangladesh MP. But till evening nothing was found. 
Later the search operation was stopped owing to low light and bad weather conditions.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cyclone-remal-civic-bodies-take-prep-measures-to-tackle-impact-565396?infinitescroll=1

Crime, West Bengal

Ramakrishna Mission ashram vandalism case: 2 more held

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MP, 26 May 2024, Siliguri: Bhaktinagar Police and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Siliguri Metropolitan arrested two more accused in connection with the vandalism of ‘Sewak Bhawan’, the ashram belonging to Ramakrishna Mission in Siliguri, which happened on May 19. 

Out of the two, one was arrested from Kolkata by SOG. The accused has been identified as Manoj Ghosh, a resident of Siliguri. 
According to police sources, Manoj was one of the masterminds in the vandalism case. He is involved in several land corruption cases. 
He fled from Siliguri a few days ago and was hiding in Kolkata. Based on secret information, a team of SOG raided several areas of Kolkata city and finally arrested him on Friday. 
On the same night, Bhaktinagar Police arrested another accused named Shivam Paswan, a resident of Prakash Nagar in Siliguri. 
On Friday, another Siliguri resident lodged a complaint against Shivam for demanding Rs 10 lakh and threatening him to take possession of his land. 
Manoj was taken into four days’ police remand and Shivam was sent into 14 days’ jail custody after they were produced at Jalpaiguri Court. 
Pradeep Roy, prime accused in the case, is still absconding and a search is ongoing.
Earlier five individuals have been arrested in connection with the recent vandalisation incident at the Ramakrishna Mission in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. 
The arrests were made following a complaint from the Ramakrishna Mission, and the suspects have been identified as Shambhu Das, Debashish Sarkar, Shambhu Mahato, Samuel Baidya, and Rajiv. 
The incident involved alleged hooligans led by Pradeep Roy, who attacked the Ramakrishna Mission ashram, threatened and snatched articles, and damaged CCTV cameras.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/ramakrishna-mission-ashram-vandalism-case-2-more-held-565361

Crime, Health, National

Bihar alcohol ban prevented 21 lakh cases of intimate partner violence: Lancet study

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 “Before the ban, males in Bihar increased their frequent alcohol intake from 9.7 per cent to 15 per cent, while in neighbouring states, it increased from 7.2 per cent to 10.3 per cent.

PTI, New Delhi, May 26, 2024 :  Bihar’s alcohol ban in 2016 prevented 24 lakh cases of daily and weekly consumption, and 21 lakh cases of intimate partner violence, according to new research published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal.


The ban is also estimated to have prevented 18 lakh men in the state from becoming overweight or obese, it said.

A team of researchers, including those from The International Food Policy Research Institute, Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, US, analysed data from national and district level health and household surveys.

“Strict alcohol regulation policies may yield significant population level health benefits for frequent drinkers and many victims of intimate partner violence,” the authors wrote.

In April 2016, the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act brought about a near complete halt on the manufacture, transport, sale, and consumption of alcohol throughout the state.

The overnight launch and its strict enforcement made the ban an “attractive natural experiment to estimate the true causal impacts of a strict alcohol restriction policy on health and domestic violence outcomes,” according to the authors. Data from the National Family Health Surveys-3, -4, and -5 were included in the analysis.

“Before the ban, males in Bihar increased their frequent alcohol intake from 9.7 per cent to 15 per cent, while in neighbouring states, it increased from 7.2 per cent to 10.3 per cent.

“After the ban, these trends reversed, with at least weekly alcohol intake decreasing to 7.8 per cent in Bihar, while in neighbouring states it continued to increase to 10.4 per cent,” the authors wrote.

They also found evidence for reduced physical violence against women in Bihar, “with a 4.6 percentage points decrease in emotional violence and a 3.6 percentage points decrease in sexual violence”.

On the aspect of the ban’s impact on men’s health, the authors’ modelling estimated that cases of underweight men increased by four percentage points, and those of overweight or obese men decreased by 5.6 percentage points, compared to trends in the neighbouring states.

“We estimate that the ban prevented 2.4 million cases of frequent alcohol consumption, and 1.8 million cases of overweight/obesity among males, and 2.1 million cases of intimate partner violence compared to neighbouring states without a similar prohibition,” the authors wrote.

The findings will be valuable for policy-makers contemplating similar bans in other Indian states, the researchers said.

“While we do not recommend outright bans as a practical and economically viable policy, our study, combined with new evidence that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for humans, suggests that stricter alcohol regulation policies may yield significant population level health benefits for frequent drinkers and benefits for victims of intimate partner violence,” the authors wrote.
Crime, Misc, National

Seven newborns killed in fire at east Delhi hospital : Hospital Owner arrested

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 Dr Naveen Kichi had been on the run since the fire outbreak late on Saturday, police said

PTI, NEW DELHI, May 26, 2024 : A massive fire broke out at a private children’s hospital in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar, leaving seven newborns dead, officials said on Sunday.

The officials of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said the blaze broke out at the Baby Care New Born Hospital at around 11:30 pm on Saturday and soon spread to two other adjacent buildings.
Sixteen fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze, Divisional Fire Officer Rajendra Atwal said.
Oxygen cylinders kept in the two-storey building exploded due to which the adjacent buildings were damaged, he said.
Another fire official said two boutiques, a portion of IndusInd Bank operating from an adjacent building and a shop on the ground floor were also damaged besides an ambulance and a scooty parked outside the building.
Condoling the death of children, President Droupadi Murmu prayed for strength to the bereaved parents.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said those responsible for negligence will not be spared.
Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj also said strictest punishment will be given to those found negligent or involved in any wrongdoing.
In a post on X, Kejriwal said the Government stood with those who lost their children in the fire incident, and added the administration was ensuring proper treatment to the injured.
He said the reasons behind the fire were being probed and those found negligent will not be spared.
DFS chief Atul Garg said 12 newborns were rescued from the medical facility but seven of them died.
Five babies are undergoing treatment at another hospital, he said, adding some of them have received minor burn injuries.
The bodies have been shifted to the GTB Hospital for postmortem, police said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary said owner of the hospital Naveen Kichi has been booked under Sections 336 (Act endangering life of personal safety of others) and 304A (causing death by negligence) at Vivek Vihar police station.
The officer said teams have been formed to nab the owner.
Choudhary said they are checking the fire NOC of the hospital and if it is found with out it, IPC sections may be added.
According to eyewitnesses, locals and members of an NGO, Shaheed Seva Dal, were the first to rush to help.
Some residents climbed the building from the back side and rescued some of the newborns. Members of Shaheed Seva Dal, an NGO operating in the area, were also involved in the rescue efforts, an eyewitness said.
Ravi Gupta, a local resident, said some locals climbed from the back side of the building and evacuated children one by one.
Fire Department officials, local police and members of Sewa Dal joined them in the rescue operation, another resident Sanju Verma said.
A member of Sewa Dal claimed the hospital staff ran away soon after the hospital building caught fire.
Another resident, Mukesh Bansal claimed that an ‘unauthorised’ oxygen refilling cylinder work was being carried out in the building.
“We had complained about it to the local Councillor as well. But nothing was done. It was all happening under the nose of the police,” Bansal alleged.
Bansal also said that he used to live next to the hospital but due to the ‘illegal’ work of refilling cylinders, he shifted to the next lane.
Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Molestation’ case: HC stays probe against Guv’s OSD

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MP, 25 May 2024, Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday imposed a stay on the investigation against the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of Governor C V Ananda Bose and other Raj Bhavan staff in connection with the case registered for alleged sexual harassment. 

The woman staff of the Raj Bhavan had alleged that she was restrained from lodging a complaint by the OSD but later she somehow escaped the room where she was restrained. 
The lawyer appearing for the OSD to the Governor, who is the petitioner here appealing to quash the proceeding and the FIR that has been lodged, mentioned that if the woman was wrongfully restrained, then how did she manage to leave the room. 
Therefore, the petitioner claimed that the allegation of wrongful restraint is not proper. It was also pointed out that when the complaint was lodged, the petitioners’ name was not there. Later on May 7 his name was included in the complaint with the allegation that she was restrained from lodging the complaint. 
Opposing the appeal of the OSD to the Governor, Advocate General Kishore Datta mentioned that there is no hurry in passing any order to restrain the investigating officer to carry on with the probe. 
He also mentioned that the petitioner already obtained bail and the investigation in this stage should not be halted. 
After hearing both the parties, Justice Amrita Sinha rejected the petitioner’s appeal and directed the police to submit a report of investigation made till date on June 10 before the regular bench. The investigation has also been stayed temporarily till June 17.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/molestation-case-hc-stays-probe-against-guvs-osd-565184?infinitescroll=1
Crime, National

Medha Patkar convicted in defamation case

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PTI, 24 May 2024 : More than 23 years after the complaint was registered, a Delhi court on Friday convicted Narmada Bachao Andolan leader and activist Medha Patkar in a defamation case lodged against her by VK Saxena, the incumbent lieutenant governor, saying reputation is one of the “most valuable assets” and significantly impacts one’s standing in society.


Holding Patkar’s statements as “defamatory per se” and “crafted to incite negative perceptions”, metropolitan magistrate Raghav Sharma convicted the activist of the offence of criminal defamation under the IPC which entails a maximum punishment of simple imprisonment of up to two years or fine or both.

Saxena had filed the case in November 2000 when he was the president of the National Council of Civil Liberties over a “defamatory” press release issued against him by Patkar.

“Reputation is one of the most valuable assets a person can possess, as it affects both personal and professional relationships and can significantly impact an individual’s standing in society,” the magistrate said in his 55-page judgment.

He said Patkar’s statements calling Saxena “a coward, not a patriot and alleging his involvement in hawala transactions were not only defamatory per se but also crafted to incite negative perceptions.”

Also, “the accusation that the complainant was mortgaging the people of Gujarat and their resources to foreign interests was a direct attack on his integrity and public service,” the magistrate said.

The court said Saxena’s testimony, supported by two court witnesses, showed Patkar falsely associated him with activities contrary to his public stance.

It said Patkar failed to provide any evidence to counter these claims or to show that she did not intend or foresee the harm caused by her statements.

“The resulting inquiries and doubts raised among the complainant’s acquaintances, as well as the shift in perception highlighted by the witnesses, underscore the significant damage to his (Saxena’s) reputation,” the court said.

It said it was clear that Patkar’s actions were “deliberate and malicious, aimed at tarnishing the complainant’s good name, and indeed caused substantial harm to his standing and credit in the eyes of the public.”

Noting the evidence before it, the court said it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that Patkar had published the statement knowing that it would harm Saxena’s reputation.

“The accused, therefore, committed an offence punishable under Section 500 (defamation) of the IPC. She is hereby convicted of the same,” it said.

The arguments on the quantum of sentences will be heard on May 30.

In its order, the court considered three questions-whether the press note was proved to have been issued by Patkar; whether the press note made certain imputations against Saxena; and whether the accused by publishing the imputations intended to harm his reputation.

It said there was no reason to believe Patkar’s “bald averments and excuses” against having issued the statement and that “the gravity and precision of the accusations” highlighted that her action was deliberate and that her “primary objective” was to undermine Saxena’s credibility and integrity in public.

Patkar and Saxena have been locked in a legal tussle since 2000 after she filed a suit against him for publishing advertisements against her and the Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Saxena had also filed two cases against her for making derogatory remarks against him on a TV channel and issuing a defamatory press statement.
Crime, International, West Bengal

Bangladesh MP murder: Police arrest butcher; takes his help to locate body parts

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PTI, Kolkata, May 24, 2024 :  The West Bengal CID on Friday claimed to have arrested a Bangladeshi, working as a butcher in Mumbai, from Bangoan in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal here for his alleged involvement in the grisly murder of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar whose body was cut into pieces and disposed of in different locations.
    
The arrested man has admitted during interrogation to helping the other accused in chopping the victim’s body in a flat in New Town area near here before disposing of the parts in different locations, a police officer claimed.

“The accused is a butcher by profession. He had entered India illegally and was staying in Mumbai hiding his identity.

“He was called to Kolkata a couple of months back as a part of the plan to kill Anar. He has admitted that he was an accomplice to the four men who murdered the politician inside the flat and helped them in skinning and chopping the body,” the police officer told PTI.

The arrested man, when produced before a court in Barasat on Friday afternoon, was sent to the remand of the CID for 12 days, he said.

CID sleuths have confirmed the murder of Anar, an Awami League MP from Jhenaidah-4 segment in Bangladesh, on Wednesday after the victim went missing from Kolkata on May 13.

A team of CID officers were in the process of searching for the victim’s body parts at the Krishnamati village in Bhangar where the butcher had led them, he said.

The CID has employed deepwater divers at ponds in Bhangar also to find out the body parts of the Bangladeshi politician, he said, adding that drones were also used for the same purpose.

An initial probe revealed that the MP’s close friend Akhtaruzzaman, a US citizen, had paid around Rs 5 crore to those involved in the crime, the senior police officer said.

“We will talk to him (butcher) to get a clearer view of the crime. How did he get in touch with the US-based friend of Anar and who all were his partners,” the officer said.

A team of the West Bengal CID visited Bangladesh on Thursday to interrogate the three accused who were arrested by Bangladesh police in connection with the case.

The MP’s friend has a flat in Kolkata, and is probably in the US at present, he said.

Circumstantial evidence indicated that the MP was first strangulated and killed after which his body was chopped into pieces, police claimed.

The search for the missing MP, who reportedly arrived in Kolkata on May 12 to undergo medical treatment, began after Gopal Biswas, a resident of Baranagar in north 
Kolkata and an acquaintance of the Bangladeshi politician, filed a complaint with the local police on May 18.

Anar had stayed at Biswas’s house upon arrival.

In his complaint, Biswas stated that Anar left his Baranagar residence for a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon of May 13, while stating that he would be back home for dinner.

Biswas claimed that the Bangladeshi MP went incommunicado on May 17, which prompted him to file a missing complaint a day later.
Crime, National, Politics

Manipur Violence: Can’t go by sentiments, says Supreme Court; declines contempt petition

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The top court was hearing a petition claiming the respondents had committed contempt of its September 25 last year order on protecting the properties of those displaced during the ethnic conflict

PTI, New Delhi, 24.05.24 : The Supreme Court said on Friday it cannot go by sentiments and has to act in accordance with law, as it refused to entertain a petition seeking contempt action for alleged non-compliance with the apex court’s order on protection of properties of people displaced during the Manipur violence.

A vacation bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal said it was not satisfied with the contention that a case of contempt was made out against the respondents, including the chief secretary of Manipur, and the petitioners can take recourse to remedy which may be available under the law.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Manipur, told the bench that no case of contempt was made out, and the state government and the Centre were on the ground doing everything they can to assuage public concerns.

“The effort is to keep the pot boiling which is very unfortunate,” Bhati said, adding that the state was duty bound to protect all and can file an updated status report on the issue.

The top court was hearing a petition claiming the respondents had committed contempt of its September 25 last year order on protecting the properties of those displaced during the ethnic conflict.

“Who according to you are in contempt?” the bench asked the petitioner’s counsel who said the chief secretary and others are.

“They are not the encroachers,” the bench shot back.

When the advocate said the petitioners are living outside Manipur and are not in a position to go anywhere near Imphal, the bench said, “That does not mean that notice be issued against chief secretary”.

Bhati referred to the September 25 last year order which said the state of Manipur and the Centre are given one week to respond to the directions, including on ensuring protection of properties of displaced persons and preventing their encroachment.

“We had filed a status report. We can file an updated status report,” she said, adding the state was duty bound to protect its citizens and their properties.

“Manipur is still in a situation of uneasy calm as we speak. There are conflicting views and the state and central government are trying to assuage everyone,” Bhati said. When the counsel for the petitioners claimed that their properties have been looted in the presence of police and they can place those videos before the court, the law officer objected to it and said wild allegations were being made.

“They (authorities) are duty bound to protect the properties. They are duty bound to carry out the orders of this court and the government. No doubt about it,” the bench said.

Observing that no contempt was made out against the chief secretary and the other respondents, the bench observed, “Don’t pressure the officers like this”.

It said the petitioners may file appropriate proceedings as permissible under the law.

“All sympathies for you. Your properties need to be protected but that does not mean that we have to issue contempt notice to the respondents.,” the bench said.

When the petitioners’ lawyer said, “Your lordships may kindly see the message that goes out today…”, the bench observed, “We have to go as per the law. We cannot go by sentiments.” The bench said it was not satisfied with the claim that contempt proceedings were maintainable against the respondents in connection with the September 25, 2023 order.

“It is needless to say that petitioners shall be at liberty to take recourse to the remedy as may be available under the law if they are aggrieved by any other action or inaction on the part of the respondents,” it said.

Manipur descended into chaos and violence in May last year over a high court order directing the state government to consider including the non-tribal Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

More than 170 people have been killed and several hundred others injured since ethnic violence first broke out in the state on May 3 last year when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for ST status.
Crime, International, West Bengal

Bangladeshi MP’s friend paid money for murder: Police

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The Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar’s close friend, who is a US citizen, had paid around Rs 5 crore to kill the former, according to preliminary investigation in connection with his murder.

SNS | Kolkata | May 24, 2024 : The Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar’s close friend, who is a US citizen, had paid around Rs 5 crore to kill the former, according to preliminary investigation in connection with his murder.


Mr Anar, Awami League MP of Jhinaidah-4 constituency in Bangladesh, had been missing in Kolkata since 13 May and was found murdered in the New Town area.

On Wednesday, Bangladesh home minister Asaduzzaman Khan had said that Mr Anar was found murdered and three people have been arrested.

The deceased MP’s friend, who is probably in the US at present, owns a luxurious flat in the New Town area, according to sources in the West Bengal CID.

Sources in the CID probing the incident of alleged murder of the Bangladeshi MP also said that the flat in the New Town area, where the Bangladesh MP was last seen entering, was rented to his friend by its owner, reportedly an excise department employee.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that it was a well-planned murder. A huge amount of money, around Rs 5 crore was paid by an old friend of the MP to kill him. Investigations are still on to find out the exact reasons behind the incident,” an officer of the CID said.

“We have ‘reliable inputs’ that Anar may have been murdered but his body is yet to be recovered,” he said requesting anonymity.

Asked whether the investigating team found blood stains in the New Town flat where the MP’s whereabouts were last traced on 13 May. The officer said, “Our forensic team is exploring all angles and examining the suspected crime scene also. It’s too early to speak about that.”

It’s learnt that the state CID has spotted blood stains inside the flat and also recovered several plastic bags, which they believe were used to dump the body parts.

Circumstantial evidence indicates that the MP was first strangulated and then his body was mutilated in several parts, police claimed.

The search for the missing MP, who reportedly arrived in Kolkata on 12 May to undergo treatment, began six days later after Gopal Biswas, a resident of Baranagar area and an acquaintance of the Bangladeshi politician, filed a complaint with the local police station on 18 May.

Anar had stayed at Biswas’s house upon arrival. According to the complainant, Anar left his Baranagar residence for a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon of 13 May and he was scheduled to come back home for dinner. 
Crime, Regional

Main accused in Jalpaiguri child-trafficking case gets bail after 7 yrs

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Dibyendu Sinha, MP, 20 May 2024, Jalpaiguri: Chandana Chakraborty, the main accused in the Jalpaiguri child-trafficking case, was granted bail after spending almost 7.5 years in jail. 

On Monday, the Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court in Jalpaiguri, comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta approved her bail plea, as stated by Sourav Ganguly, the lawyer representing the accused. It has been reported that there were three cases against Chandana Chakraborty related to the child-trafficking incident. 
In 2016, the Jalpaiguri Child Welfare Committee alleged that 17 children were illegally adopted from the Specialized Adoption Agency’s Bimala Children’s Home in Jalpaiguri, which operated under the North Bengal People’s Development Centre, Jalpaiguri. The centre was affiliated with the Central Adoption Resource Authority. Following this complaint, the CID initiated an investigation in mid-January 2017. 
Chandana Chakraborty, chairperson of the North Bengal People’s Development Centre in Jalpaiguri, was arrested in February 2017. Sonali Mondal, Jalpaiguri District Child Protection Officer Sushmita Ghosh, Darjeeling District Child Protection Officer Mrinal Ghosh, and Chandana Chakraborty’s brother, Manas Bhowmik, were arrested. 
Sourav Ganguly, Chandana Chakraborty’s lawyer, stated: “Among the 7 accused in this case, 4 have already been granted bail. Besides Chandana, Mrinal Ghosh and Sonali Mondal are currently in jail custody. 
Last November, the Supreme Court rejected Mrinal Ghosh’s bail plea and ordered the case to be completed within 6 months without extension. However, it appears that the trial was ongoing in the trial court even after the stipulated period. 
The bail was granted only after raising these issues.” Nilay Chakraborty, assistant public prosecutor of the circuit bench, said: “There was a Supreme Court order in this case and the testimony of most of the 73 witnesses has been accepted. Hence, the division bench granted bail.” 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/main-accused-in-jalpaiguri-child-trafficking-case-gets-bail-after-7-yrs-564593
Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Three Raj Bhavan staff summoned by police seek more time

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MP, 20 May 2024, Kolkata: Three Raj Bhavan staff, who were summoned by the police in connection with the probe relating to a case where a woman had accused the Governor C V Ananda Bose of sexual harassment, is learnt to have sought more time from the police. 

It was reportedly learnt that the complainant had alleged that the three staff had kept her confined within the Raj Bhavan premises. 
The police had hence summoned all three of them at the Hare Street Police Station on Sunday. However, none of them appeared at the station. The police have again summoned them on Tuesday but it has now come to light that the staff members have sought more time for appearance. 
Sources said that the police do not want to give them more time, especially when they were summoned three times and each time they failed to appear. It was learnt that the police, if needed, may consider the arrest of these three staff. 
It reportedly came to light that one among the three staff, S S Rajput has informed that he is out of station and has sought time for 10 days along with the copy of an FIR from the police. The other two have sought seven days-time and a copy of the same. 
It was learnt that apart from these three, the police have also summoned four others and have sent notices under Section 160 of the CrPC. The summon list also includes the supervisor of the complainant who was contractual staff at Raj Bhavan. 
The complainant is also learnt to have recorded her statement with the magistrate. She has alleged that the day she was sexually harassed, she was restrained from egressing Raj Bhavan. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/three-raj-bhavan-staff-summoned-by-police-seek-more-time-564627