SRINAGAR, Aug 27: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah did not appear before the court in a money laundering case related to the alleged financial irregularities in the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) here on Saturday due to “health issues”.
As the case, before the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge, Srinagar, was called, Abdullah’s lawyer Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khan said the NC chief is not able to attend the court due to health issues.
The judge told Khan that Abdullah should be present in the court on the next date of hearing, which is listed on September 26. The lawyer assured it that the former J-K Chief Minister will attend that hearing.
The court had on July 23 issued summons to Abdullah on a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him and others in the JKCA money laundering case.
Abdullah, the Member of Parliament from Srinagar, has been questioned multiple times by the agency in this case.
He was the JKCA president from 2001 to 2012 and the “scam” being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED is about alleged financial misappropriation between 2004 and 2009.
The ED has attached properties worth over Rs 21 crore in the case already. This includes Rs 11.86 crore of immovable assets belonging to Abdullah.
The ED claimed that its probe so far has “revealed that Ahsan Ahmad Mirza (former treasurer, JKCA) in connivance with other office-bearers of the JKCA, had misappropriated JKCA funds to the tune of Rs 51.90 crore and utilised proceeds of crime for settling his personal and business liabilities”.
The agency initiated the money laundering probe against the JKCA office-bearers on the basis of a case registered at the Rammunshi Bagh police station in Srinagar.
The case was later transferred to the CBI on the high court’s directions.
The CBI has filed a chargesheet in the case against the former JKCA office-bearers for misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 43.69 crore. (AGENCIES)
Farooq Abdullah skips court hearing in JKCA ‘scam’ case due to ‘health issues’
Ghulam Nabi Azad to launch own party, set up J-K unit within 14 days, says G M Saroori
Jammu, Aug 27: Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is all set to launch his own party and its first unit would come up in Jammu and Kashmir within a fortnight, his close confidant G M Saroori said on Saturday.
Saroori asserted that the restoration of the pre-August 5, 2019 position of Jammu and Kashmir will be part of the party’s manifesto.
A former minister who was among several prominent Congress leaders of Jammu and Kashmir who resigned from the basic membership of the party in support of Azad, Saroori said their leader was ideologically secular and there was no question of him working at the behest of the BJP.
He also claimed that hundreds of senior Congress leaders, Panchayati Raj Institution members and prominent workers have tendered their resignations after the former chief minister ended his over five-decade-long association with the national party.
“Azad is coming to Jammu on September 4 to hold consultations with his well-wishers before the launch of our new party,” Saroori, a former vice-president of the J-K unit of the Congress, said.
Hours after his resignation on Friday, Azad said he would launch a new party soon and that its first unit would be set up in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I am in no hurry as of now to launch a national party but keeping in mind that elections are likely to be held in Jammu and Kashmir, I have decided to launch a unit there soon,” Azad, who hails from the Bhaderwah township of Doda district, had told news agency on Friday night.
Saroori, who along with several former legislators met with Azad in New Delhi on Friday to extend their support, said the veteran politician was going to announce the launch of the party within the next fortnight.
“We are happy that he is returning to J-K where he served as chief minister (from November 2, 2005 to July 11, 2008). People view his rule as a golden era and want him back to pull out Jammu and Kashmir from the present situation,” he said, adding that his support base is spread across Jammu and Kashmir.
Saroori said the new party would focus on development, unity among all sections of the society, and would struggle for restoration of the pre-August 5, 2019 position.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union territories.
Saroori said the Congress is almost finished in Jammu and Kashmir with the departure of Azad.
“There is a beeline of leaders (from J-K) coming to meet with Azad to extend their support. We have received hundreds of resignation letters from PRI members, including district and block development council members, and several municipal corporators,” he said.
Over a dozen leaders, including several former ministers and legislators, resigned from the basic membership of the Congress in support of Azad and many more such as former deputy chief minister Tara Chand are likely to resign after meeting with Azad in New Delhi on Saturday.
Referring to the statement of the Congress accusing Azad of “collaboration” with the BJP after his resignation, Saroori said those criticising him were shutting their eyes to the ground realities or were finding the earth beneath their feet slipping away.
“He is a secular leader who worked to strengthen the Congress over the past five decades. In fact, all of us have given our blood and sweat, but how can you stay back in a party which is insulting and humiliating you,” he asked, blaming the Congress leadership for compelling them to take such a decision. (Agencies)
Dogra Front Jammu stages protest against horse/pony carriers strike in Katra
Jammu, August 27: A protest demonstration was held today against the strike of Horse/pony owners in Katra.
The protest was held by the members of the ‘Dogra Front Jammu’ who were demanding that the pithuwalas should call off their strike as it is causing major inconvenience to the ‘Vaishno Devi Yatra’ devotees in Katra.
A protestor said that the ‘ Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine board’ has introduced the number system for the pithuwalas so that the devotees should suffer less while booking the horses/mules ,as earlier when the devotees use book the ponies from them they were charged extra money by the pithuwalas .
He further said that the strike by the horse labourers will only take toll on their work and also on the pilgrims who are going to visit the Vaishno Devi Temple.
“What they will eat if they stop their work, and in turn this is also affecting the coming pilgrims here, which we cant tolerate”, he said.
He added that the number system is placed when the Shrine board assess the short comings, which the devotees mentioned to them and then after that they took this decision of placing numbers on the carrying turns of the pithuwalas to the temple.
“CEO Anshul Garg Vaishno Mata Devi Shrine and the honourable LG sir has taken this decision to provide more facilities to the Yatris, so keeping in view the devotees they should suspend their strike as soon as possible”, he further added.
Army rescues Hungarian trekker from Dul Kishtwar after 30-hour long search
Srinagar, Aug 27: Army on Saturday rescued a Hungarian trekker who had lost his way in Umasi La Pass in Himalayan Ranges from Dul area of Kishtwar.
Umasi La connects Kisthwar to Zanskar and it was not immediately known if the trekker was lost in Ladakh, news agency GNS reported.
“Indian Army team from Dul, Kishtwar, in a 30 hour search operation tracked and rescued a Hungarian National who lost his way in Umasila Pass in Himalayan Ranges while trekking,” army said in a tweet.
He was airlifted to Udhampur by Indian AirForce for treatment.
Kerala NEET Innerwear row: Girls allowed to re-appear for exam
Following a backlash over girls being forced to remove their innerwear at a NEET examination centre in Kerala’s Kollam, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided to allow the affected medical aspirants to re-appear for the examination if they desire on September 4.
The last months’ incident had led to a huge furore with the Kerala Police arresting seven persons in connection with it. They were released on bail soon after.
The girls’ parents had raised their voice against the “inhuman act” by the invigilators saying their wards were totally “devastated” which impacted their performance.
Consequent to this, a three-member team of officials attached to NEET conducted a probe into the incident and submitted a report on the mental agony the girls had to undergo.
Based on the report, the testing authorities decided to conduct a re-examination only for the affected girls if they wish at a new centre in Kollam district.
Those arrested then included the Mar Thoma Institute of IT’s Vice Principal ( the college where the test was held last month) And NEET exam Centre Superintendent, Priji Kurian Issac and NTA observer Dr Shamnad.
Two women staff members of the college and three others of the testing agency – Star Training Academy were also among those arrested.
They were charged under the IPC’s Section 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty) and Section 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
We will force Rahul Gandhi to become Congress chief, says Mallikarjun Kharge
NEW DELHI, Aug 27: Rahul Gandhi would be pursued to return as Congress President as there is none in the party other than him who has a pan-India appeal, veteran leader M. Mallikarjun Kharge has said.
The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said anyone aspiring to lead the Congress party should be known throughout the country and enjoy support from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and West Bengal to Gujarat.
“He should be well-recognised, accepted man to the entire Congress party”, Mr. Kharge said here on Friday. “So, no body is there (in the party with such a stature).
He recalled that all senior leaders had “forced” Sonia Gandhi to join and work for the party, and had requested Rahul Gandhi to “come and fight”.
“You tell me the alternative. Who is there? (in the party other than Rahul Gandhi)”, Mr. Kharge asked.
On reports that Rahul Gandhi is unwilling to take up the mantle, Mr. Kharge said he will be requested and asked to take charge “for the sake of the party, for the sake of the country, for fighting the RSS-BJP and to keep the country united”.
Mr. Kharge also referred to the party’s upcoming “ Bharat Jodo Yatra”, and said Rahul Gandhi is needed for “ Jodo Bharat”.
“We will ask him, we will force him and request him (to return as Congress President). We stand behind him. We will try to pursue him”, the former Union Minister said.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body, will hold a virtual meeting on Sunday to approve the schedule of dates for the election of the Congress president.
Sonia Gandhi will preside over the CWC meeting. Several leaders have been publicly exhorting Rahul Gandhi to become party chief again. However, uncertainty and suspense continue on the issue. Several party insiders say Rahul Gandhi is persisting with his stance that he will not be AICC president.
He resigned as Congress president after the party suffered its second consecutive defeat in Parliamentary elections in 2019.
Sonia Gandhi, who took over the reins of the party again as interim president, had also offered to quit in August 2020 after an open revolt by a section of leaders, referred to as G-23, but the CWC had urged her to continue. (Agencies)
12 Earthquakes Jolt Jammu and Kashmir in 5 Days; Local Scientists Warn of ‘Major Seismic Event’
JAMMU, Aug 27: A minor earthquake measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale jolted Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, increasing the number of temblors to strike the union territory to 12 in the last five days, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).
The NCS said the quake occurred at 4.32 a.m. on Saturday with latitude 32.87 degrees north and longitude 75.46 degrees east.
The epicentre was 26 km southwest of Bhaderwah town in Jammu division and its depth was 10 km inside the earth’s crust.
In the last five days, tremors were reported in Reasi, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts of Jammu division.
Some local earth scientists have cautioned that these small tremors could be the precursor of a major seismic event in the offing.
Others have said that these were beneficial because through these small occurrences the built-up pressure inside the earth is released that can avoid a major seismic event. (Agencies)
3 LeT terrorists arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore
SRINAGAR, August 27: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday claimed to have arrested three overground workers (OGWs) of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit in North Kashmir’s Sopore.
The arrests were made in a joint operation conducted by Sopore Police along with security forces including 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), and 179 BN Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Bomai chowk in the jurisdiction of Police Station Bomai on Friday evening.
According to Jammu and Kashmir police, the terrorists have been identified as Shariq Ashraf, Saqlain Mushtaq and Tawfeeq Hassan Sheikh.
During checking a suspicious movement of three persons coming from Goripura towards Bomai was noted and were subsequently asked to stop, but they tried to flee from the spot, however, were tactfully apprehended by the security forces, the police said.
Upon their personal search three hand grenades, nine posters, and 12 Pakistani flags were recovered from their possession.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested persons are OGWs of proscribed terrorist organisation LeT and were in constant search of an opportunity to carry out attacks on security forces and civilians including outside labourers, the police said.
Accordingly, the case has been registered at Police Station Bomai under relevant sections of law and further investigation is still going on. (AGENCIES)
Justice U U Lalit sworn in as CJI
New Delhi, Aug 27: Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was on Saturday sworn in as the 49th Chief Justice of India.
President Droupadi Murmu administered him the oath at a brief ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers were present at the ceremony.
Justice Lalit’s predecessor, Justice N V Ramana, was also present. (Agencies)
Pakistani intruder arrested along International Border in Jammu
Jammu, August 27: A Pakistani intruder was arrested along the International Border here by the Border Security Force (BSF) in the early hours of Saturday, officials said.
BSF personnel picked up on the movement of Mohd Shabad (45), a resident of Sialkot, while he was trying to sneak into the Arnia sector from across the border, they said.
They fired a few warning shots and took the man into custody, the officials said, adding that no incriminating material was found in his possession.
On August 25, the BSF foiled a major smuggling attempt when its troops seized eight kg of suspected heroin from a Pakistani intruder along the IB in Samba district.
The intruder was shot at and injured, but he managed to crawl back to the Pakistani side. (Agencies)