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Bengaluru stampede: K’taka govt releases details of deceased; families raise questions

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Bengaluru, June 5: The Karnataka government on Thursday released the details of the 11 people killed in the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victory celebrations on June 4.

Among the dead, one hailed from Udumalapet near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, and the rest are from Bengaluru and other districts of the state.

According to the details shared by the Chief Minister’s Office, the deceased have been identified as 14-year-old Divyanshi, a resident of Yelahanka in Bengaluru; 26-year-old Akshata Pai, a resident of Karwar; 19-year-old Bhoomik, a resident of M.S. Ramaiah Layout in Bengaluru; 23-year-old Sahana, a native of Kolar; 19-year-old Chinmaya Shetty, a resident of Doddakallasandra in Bengaluru; 20-year-old Manojkumar, a resident of Nagasandra village in Tumakuru district; 20-year-old Shravana K.T., a resident of Kallahalli village in Chikkaballapura district; 17-year-old Shivu aka Shivalinga, a resident of Honigeri village in Yadgir district; 20-year-old Poornachandra, a resident of Rayasamudra village in Mandya district; 29-year-old Kamakshidevi, a resident of Udumalapet near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and 22-year-old Prajwal, a resident of Yelahanka New Town in Bengaluru are the deceased persons.

Laxman, the father of deceased Bhoomik (19), stated he was given information that his son was serious and asked to arrive at the hospital. “My son never watched cricket matches, he had gone along with his friends. I was informed that when the stampede occurred, there was no ambulance, and my son was shifted to the hospital in a police vehicle.”

He further expressed his outrage that he pays the government tax up to Rs 5 lakh per month, and the government wasn’t able to provide an ambulance to his son.

Suresh Babu, the father of deceased Sahana (23), stated his daughter informed him that she is going to attend the RCB victory celebrations at noon. “She had gone to the office in the morning, and later she went to the Chinnaswamy Stadium. “I wanted to see my daughter’s marriage and but now I am garlanding her dead body. She completed her engineering studies and worked at Bosch Company in Bengaluru for two years. She never caused us pain. I had asked her to be careful. The system has failed,” he stated.

The mother of the deceased, Prajwal (22), said she had to run from one hospital to another after being informed about the tragedy. She stated that Prajwal was her only son, and being a labourer, she managed somehow to complete the engineering course. “The government has snatched away my only son. Do they know how it feels to lose a son?” she asked.

The state government has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and also ordered a magisterial probe.

The BJP has said that the deaths were government-sponsored murders and demanded the immediate resignation of Home Minister G. Parameshwara.

Taking cognizance of the stampede incident, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday registered a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and sought a report from the Congress-led Karnataka government.

The division bench, headed by acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao, expressed concern over the tragedy.

Social activist Snehamayi Krishna filed a complaint with the Cubbon Park police on Thursday against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, office-bearers of the KSCA, and others. In his complaint, Krishna demanded that the police register the case under Section 106 of the BNS Act.

Crime

ED books 29 celebrities for endorsing betting apps

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Hyderabad, July 10: The Enforcement Directorate has booked 29 celebrities in Telugu states for endorsing betting apps.

The central agency has filed an ECIR against 29 actors, influencers, and YouTubers for allegedly promoting illegal betting platforms, in violation of the Public Gambling Act, 1867.

The probe, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, has been taken up based on five FIRs filed in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Film actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash and Manchu Lakshmi, and Ananya Nagella are among those who have been booked by the ED.

The names of TV actors, TV hosts and social media influencers like Sreemukhi, Shyamala, and Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Harsha Sai and Bayya Sunny Yadav also figure in the list.

Most of these celebrities were earlier booked by the Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police. FIRs were registered against them at Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam police stations.

The ED suspects endorsements of platforms like Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, Lotus365, and others involved laundering of large sums through paid promotions.

The ECIR has been booked under BNS sections 318 (4), 112 r/w 49, Telangana Gaming Act sections 3, 3 (A), 4, IT Act 2000 and 2008 section 66D.

In March, Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj and others were booked by Cyberabad police for allegedly promoting betting apps. They, however, clarified that they are not promoting any illegal app.

While Rana Daggubati and Vijay Devarakonda stated that they endorsed only legally permitted online skill-based games, Prakash Raj said he did not renew a contract to promote an app in 2017 after realising that he should not have done it.

A case against six actors and 19 social media influencers was registered at the Miyapur Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate in March.

The police registered the case on a complaint by one Phanidra Sharma, a resident of Miyapur, who stated that he found several celebrities and social media influencers actively promoting illegal betting apps, websites and other platforms. The complainant said promotion of betting apps was causing harm to individuals and society by encouraging this addictive, short-term, risky money-making behaviour, leading to financial distress.

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Crime

2002 import-export fraud case: CBI takes custody of Monika Kapoor in US

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New Delhi, July 9: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken the custody of Monika Kapoor, an alleged economic offender, in the US and will bring her back to India, ending an over two-decade-long run from the law, officials said on Wednesday.

The development comes after Kapoor’s extradition from the US.

The CBI in a press release said the chase has ended after two decades “with the successful extradition of Fugitive Ms. Monika Kapoor, who is accused in a 2002 Import-Export fraud and was on run since then, from USA.”

According to the information provided by the Central agency, fugitive Monika Kapoor, Prop. of M/s Monika Overseas in conspiracy with her brothers, namely Rajan Khanna and Rajiv Khanna forged export documents viz. Shipping Bills, Invoices and Bank Certificates of Export and Realisation during the year 1998.

She obtained six Replenishment (Rep.) Licenses for the import of duty-free gold worth Rs 2.36 crore.

“In furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, they sold the said Rep. Licenses to M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad, on premium. M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad utilised the said licenses and imported duty-free gold, which caused a loss to the Government Exchequer to the extent of Rs 1.44 crore during the year 1998,” the press release mentioned.

The CBI, on the completion of the investigation, filed a charge sheet on March 31, 2004, against Monika Kapoor, Rajan Khanna, and Rajeev Khanna under sections 120-B r/w 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, District Court Saket, New Delhi, vide order dated December 20, 2017, had convicted Rajan Khanna and Rajeev Khanna.

The CBI said the accused, Monika Kapoor, did not join the investigation and trial; she was declared a proclaimed offender by the trial court on February 13, 2006. The Ld. Trial Court had issued an open non-bailable warrant of arrest on April 26, 2010, and a Red Corner Notice was also issued against her.

A request for extradition was sent by the CBI on October 19, 2010, to the US authorities. Following intense coordination with authorities in the US, a CBI team travelled to the country to take custody of the fugitive.

This extradition marks a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice and reiterates CBI’s commitment to bringing fugitives to face the law in India, irrespective of international boundaries.

The CBI team is returning to India with the fugitive. Monika Kapoor is being produced before the concerned court and will now face the trial.

The press release said that the CBI remains steadfast in its mission to combat economic crimes and will continue to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that the fugitives are brought to justice.

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National

Congress backs PM Modi’s BRICS stand, vows firm fight against terrorism

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New Delhi, July 7: Backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s firm stance on terrorism at the BRICS Summit, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday expressed his complete faith that India will fight terrorism with full resolve and determination.

His remarks came in response to PM Modi’s statement at the global summit, where he called terrorism “the most serious challenge facing humanity” and emphasised that condemning terrorism must be a matter of principle, not convenience.

Speaking to Media, Pramod Tiwari supported the Prime Minister, stating, “At the BRICS Summit, voices should have been more vocal against terrorism. The platform should also raise social, economic, and global concerns of its member nations. India has consistently spoken for global peace and justice.

“I have full faith that our country will fight terrorism with unwavering determination. I wish those responsible for the recent attack in Pahalgam had been caught — it would have revealed who trained and supported them. Such information is crucial and would have commanded greater respect globally.”

Tiwari also took a swipe at US President Donald Trump, who recently lashed out at the BRICS alliance and warned of an “additional 10 per cent tariff” on countries aligning with what he termed “anti-American policies.”

“BRICS is for protecting nations who are in it. President Trump had previously issued similar warnings during his visit to India. At that time, Prime Minister Modi should not have laughed or responded lightly. He should have stood firm and reminded Trump that BRICS works on its own principles and is committed to its founding objectives,” said Tiwari.

The Congress leader criticised the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

On Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that extensive consultations had been held with political parties and acknowledged that “no one was satisfied” with the current status of the electoral rolls.

Reacting to the development, Tiwari said, “We are not satisfied with the Election Commission of India’s response. The documents required for voter list revision are unnecessarily complicated and impractical. If the process is designed to make it difficult for traditional voters who are against the BJP, Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and minority voters, to remain on the rolls, then this raises serious questions about the Election Commission’s intent. If the ECI wants to remove them.”

He added that while some groups have approached the Supreme Court, others are considering forming “people’s courts” to ensure fairness.

“The Congress has always upheld the voter’s right to participate in democracy. We will continue to stand by that principle and ensure that all necessary documentation is provided,” he asserted.

Tiwari also took aim at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, particularly targeting Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan.

During a political rally in Saran district on Sunday, Chirag announced that he would contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and urged his party workers to prepare for all 243 constituencies in alliance with the BJP and JD(U).

Mocking the move, Tiwari remarked, “The NDA in Bihar is a sinking ship. Chirag Paswan, despite being the son of a respected leader like Ram Vilas Paswan, is trying to stay afloat in turbulent political waters. If he’s contesting all 243 seats, it means internal cracks have widened and many alliance members are already looking for the exit door ahead of elections.”

He continued, “It’s clear that NDA leaders are aware they are going to lose many seats. Their desperation is evident. While they are forming the central government, they are losing their grip on the state. This creates confusion among their own allies.”

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Chirag Paswan’s LJP had contested 137 seats but managed to win only one, Matihani. Despite this, Chirag currently holds a Lok Sabha seat and serves as a Cabinet Minister in the BJP-led central government, which includes JD(U) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) as key allies.

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