NEW DELHI, Aug 23: The Delhi High Court Tuesday dismissed a plea by Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Shah Watali, arrested by the NIA in connection with a terror funding case, seeking bail on the ground of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watali had approached the high court challenging a trial court’s order which had denied him bail in the case last year but had taken note of his medical condition that he was suffering from various ailments including diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and piles.
The trial court, early this year, had directed that Watali be kept under house arrest at his Gurugram residence till further orders for his medical treatment. On Tuesday, a bench of Justices Mukta Gupta and Anish Dayal perused the status report filed by the authorities and noted that Watali was being regularly treated and receiving prescribed medicines and that his condition was stable and satisfactory.
“As of date, it cannot be said that the COVID-19 situation was still prevalent. The life returning to normalcy would even apply to prisoners who are in custody,” the bench said. While dismissing Watali’s appeal against the trial court order, the bench directed that he be put under house arrest in his Gurugram residence till further orders and that he will be allowed to be taken to hospitals or diagnostic centers for conducting any tests, if recommended.
The high court further said that in case he is admitted to a hospital, the venue of house arrest will be shifted from his residence to the hospital and during that period, he will be allowed to meet only his immediate family members and lawyer.
“After the conditions mentioned in the order dated January 31, 2022, and the fact that the appellant was in custody in his own home, the appeal challenging the order dated 15 May 2021 declining bail to the appellant is rendered infructuous and is dismissed accordingly,” the bench said.
The NIA arrested Watali in August 2017 for his alleged links to a Jammu and Kashmir terror financing case involving Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. The agency had carried out raids on his premises and that of other suspects.
Watali, Hafiz Saeed, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahudeen and nine others have been accused by the NIA of ”conspiring to wage war against the government” and fomenting trouble in the Kashmir valley.
The NIA has said in its charge sheet that the probe was based on scientific and oral evidence, which had ”conclusively established that for carrying out all these terrorist and subversive activities, the gang of the accused persons is receiving funds from Pakistani agencies through hawala conduits such as accused Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali and others and also raising funds by generating illegal profits from LoC barter trade by doing under-invoicing and cash-dealings”.
In its charge sheet, the NIA has alleged that Watali received money from accused Syed, ISI of Pakistan, the Pakistan High Commission here, and from a source in Dubai. (Agencies)
HC dismisses Kashmiri businessman Watali’s bail plea in terror funding case
Cache of assault weapons recovered along Indo-Pak border in Punjab
JALANDHAR, Aug 23: The Border Security Force (BSF) has recovered a cache of assault weapons, suspected to have been smuggled from across the border, during a patrol along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab on Tuesday.
Three AK series rifles along with six magazines, 2 M3 sub-machine guns with four magazines and two pistols along with two magazines were unearthed by the personnel of the border force from the Ferozepur sector in the early hours, officials said.
The weapons are suspected to have been smuggled in from Pakistan, they said. (Agencies)
Check J&K Weather Forecast for next 24 hours
Weatherman on Tuesday forecast scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rain and thunderstorm in Jammu and Kashmir in next 24 hours.
A meteorological department official said that widespread light to moderate rain was expected in the subsequent two days.
In the last 24 hours till 8:30 am, he said, Katra received 14.4mm of rain while other observatory stations recorded no rainfall.
Regarding minimum temperature, the official said that Srinagar recorded a low of 19.5°C against 18.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.1°C above normal during this time of the year for the summer capital, he said.
Qazigund recorded a low of 17.2°C against 16.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was 1.7°C above normal there, he said.
In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at 14.2°C against 12.8°C on the previous night and it was 2.0°C above normal for the south Kashmir resort.
Kokernag recorded a low of 15.6°C against 15.0°C the previous night and it was 0.5°C below normal for the place, he said.
World famous Gulmarg resort recorded a low of 12.0°C against 10.0°C on the previous night. It was 1.3°C above normal for the north Kashmir place.
Kupwara town saw a low of 16.8°C against 15.3°C on previous night and it is 0.7°C above normal for the place during this time of the season, the official said.
Jammu recorded a low of 26.2°C against 25.3°C on the previous night. It was 1.4°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 17.2°C, Batote 18.6°C, Katra 23.2°C and Bhadarwah 17.9°C.
Admin making efforts to make youth reach their goals: LG Sinha
SRINAGAR, Aug 23: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said that Union government and J-K administration is making every effort to make impossible things possible so that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir reach to their goals.
Speaking on the occasion of opening ceremony of 28th Masters National Table Tennis Championship at Indoor Stadium Srinagar, Sinha, said that those who have talent in sports activity, they are being given every opportunity to showcase their skills and talent.
He said that J-K Sports Council and Youth Services and Sport Department are making every efforts in J-K to reach out to the youth and provide them a platform so that they can make J-K and the entire country proud in the sports field.
“Be it water sports, cricket, football, wushu, table tennis, hockey and every other sports discipline, efforts are being made to provide better coaching and better sports infrastructure so that sports players are provided with every kind of support,” he said.
LG Sinha also thanked Table Tennis Association for organizing Table Tennis Championship in Srinagar in collaboration with J-K Sports Council and provide the youth of J-K a platform to showcase their skill and talent in this field.
He added that with the efforts of J-K Sports Council and Youth Service and Sports Department, table tennis championships are being held in over 5000 higher secondary schools across Jammu and Kashmir. (KNO)
1989 Kidnapping Case: Court issues bailable warrant against Mehbooba Mufti’s sister Rubaiya Sayeed
JAMMU: Rubaiya Sayeed (PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s sister) was summoned by Tada Court, Jammu. She was supposed to present for cross-examination, but she didn’t appear. Court issued a bailable warrant against her. Next date of hearing is Sep 21, says Monika Kohli, CBI lawyer
J&K Govt Orders Reshuffle In Administration
JAMMU, Aug 23: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday ordered a reshuffle in the administration.
According to Government Order No 962-JK(GAD) of 2022 issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), Narinder Singh, Private Secretary in the Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, J&K is transferred and posted in the Jal Shakti Department.
Manohar Lal, I/c Private Secretany, Jal Shakti Department (Irrigation & Flood Control), is transferred and posted in the ARI & Trainings Department.
Saudat Jan, I/c Private Secretary, ARI & Trainings Department, is transferred and shall await orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department.
Naresh Kumar, I/c Private Secretary (HoD Cadre), is transferred from J&K Services Selection Board and posted in the Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, J&K.
Sunil Kumar, Junior Stenographer awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department is posted in the Jal Shakti Department to work with Administrative Secretary.
Further, Dalip Dhar, Senior Assistant, presently deployed in the Jal Shakti Department (Irrigation & Flood Control), is repatriated to his parent Organization viz; State Procurement and Supplies Agency (SPSA), Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, with immediate effect.
All the above officials shall be deemed to have been relieved, reads the order.
Over 30 lakh sports persons to participate in Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Olympic games
Claiming it to be for the first time in the country, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said over 30 lakh sports persons including men and women of all age group have registered for ‘Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Olympic Games’ in 8-days of season beginning on August 29 in villages in the state.
The games of Kabaddi, Tennis Ball cricket, volleyball, hockey, shooting volleyball, and Kho-Kho will be organised at Gram Panchayat, Block, District and State level in Rajasthan for the first time, Gehlot said while releasing Logo at the stadium here last night.
CM said about two lakh teams have been set up and the games would held as per the standard norms to not only boost of the young and senior players but also drive them for a better career in sports field. An atmosphere and culture of sports would be developed right from villages, he added.
The state government has sanctioned a sum of Rs.40 crore for this very feature in its annual budget 2021-22.
Among others who spoke on the occasion included Krishna Poonia, an international gold-medalist of Indian discus thrower and Chairman of Rajasthan State Sports Council and Ashok Chandana, MoS Sports and DIPR
Lumpy skin disease: CM approves Rs.30 cr for medicines, vaccines
To control the rising trend of Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle in the state, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved a budget of Rs.30 crores enabling the Animal Husbandry and other concerned departments to purchase medicines and vaccines for treatment of bovines.
Earlier the state Animal Husbandry Department has submitted a proposal for additional provision of Rs.30 cr in the current fiscal year 2022-23 under the Pashudhan Nishulk Arogya Yojana for districts to purchase essential drugs and vaccines to cure the animals’ lives. Yesterday, the CM approved the extra grant for this purpose.
In compliance with the approval of the budget the concerned departments would be able to buy drugs as per the required quantity to contain the spread of the disease in cattle.
Over 2000 bovines, mainly cows, have died of this LSD virus in parts of the state in about a month.
LSD is a viral disease and after the onset of SW Monsoonal rains causing high humidity, the outbreak of ‘unknown virus’ (Lumpy Skin) is spreading very fast and getting common in cows (both domestic and wild) with clinical signs of fever, lacrimation, hypersalivation and characteristic skin eruptions
Budgam grenade attack case: Hybrid terrorist arrested
Srinagar: A hybrid terrorist of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was arrested in a grenade attack case in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Monday. A statement of the J&K Police issued here said that during the investigation of case FIR No 147/2022 of Police Station Chadoora about the grenade attack in Budgam, two hybrid terrorists were arrested earlier.
“During the investigation, one more hybrid terrorist of LeT identified as Suhail Ahmad Malik, son of Abdul Hamid Malik of Panzan, Chadoora has been arrested,” the statement said. “Incriminating material of LeT and a hand grenade has been recovered from his possession.”
It said that further investigation into the case was going on and more arrests and recoveries were expected.
25 per cent additional seats, no entrance tests for overseas university students
Twenty-five per cent of additional seats are being created for foreign students in educational institutions across India. These foreign students will not have to undergo the process of appearing for entrance tests. All students who have foreign passports will be considered foreigners.
Indian students who are living abroad with foreign passports will also be able to take admission in reputed higher educational institutions across India without appearing for entrance tests.
Foreign students will not have to give entrance tests, but a fixed admission process is being formulated which will be completely transparent. Along with this, keeping in mind the interests of foreign students, higher education institutions will have to set up an ‘office of international affairs’.
Not only the Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) are taking major initiatives for the admission of foreign students in Indian educational institutions, but also in the field of Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and visa, extensive facilities are being made available to such students.
Single point contact is being established for the registration of foreign students along with FRRO or e-FRRO.
Higher educational institutions across the country will now be able to create 25 per cent additional seats in their universities. UGC has given approval to higher educational institutions across the country for this arrangement.
The UGC in its 560th meeting on August 18 has given this approval along with guidelines for admission of international students and supernumerary seats (means seats which are over and above the sanctioned intake approved by the appropriate authority and the government) in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at Indian higher educational institutions.
The basic objective of allowing higher educational institutions to increase seats for foreign students is to facilitate smooth and easy admission of international students to higher educational institutions in India, to create a conducive environment for Indian higher education to attract international students and to make India a preferred destination for foreign students.
UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar told IANS that the higher educational institutions would be allowed to admit international students through a transparent admission process which will be similar to that being followed by foreign universities.
Foreign students do not have to go through the admission process for seeking admission to higher educational institutions in India.
According to the UGC Chairman, all higher education institutions will have an ‘office for international affairs’ which will be responsible for carrying out various activities.
This includes dissemination of information related to the admission process of foreign students, coordination of all matters relating to foreign students, brand-building campaigns abroad, redressal of grievances of foreign students in various matters, facilitating networking with fellow students, provide all possible assistance to foreign students to adapt to the new cultural environment and to make their stay comfortable and prosperous in India.
Kumar told IANS, “Internationalisation of higher education is an essential aspect of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. Opportunities to attract international students, academics and funding are increasing and many Indian Higher Educational Institutions are now committed to expanding their reach. In order to facilitate internationalisation of Indian higher education institutions, the UGC has prepared guidelines for admission and creation of additional seats for international students.”
NEP, 2020, envisages a new and forward-looking vision for India’s higher education system. It lays the foundation for the much-needed transformation and overhaul of the current education system by focusing on key issues such as access, equity, multidisciplinarity, holistic and value-based education.
According to the UGC, the Indian higher education system is one of the largest in the world and such a vast system has led to transformation, including in the areas of leadership, funding, quality of education delivery, accountability, management, teaching-learning and education. There is a need to change the system or processes for higher education sectors.