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CBI sleuths at Pinarayi’s residence to probe assault case against Oommen Chandy

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The CBI officials on Tuesday arrived at the Cliff House — Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s official residence — to probe a complaint of the prime accused in the infamous solar scam that she was sexually attacked by the previous resident of the house, Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

While serving as the chief minister from 2011-16, Chandy, along with his family and staff, resided in the Cliff House.

The CBI has registered six cases based on the prime accused’s complaint in the solar scam that she was sexually attacked by six top leaders which includes five top Congress leaders –Chandy, Lok Sabha member Adoor Prakash, AICC general secretary
(Organisation) Hibi Eden, Rajya Sabha member K.C.Venugopal and former State Minister and Congress legislator A.P.Anil Kumar besides national BJP vice-president A.P. Abdulla Kutty.

In the presence of the complainant, the team will collect the evidence from the house.

She was called to the Cliff House in 2012 by the then security official of Chandy, the complaint reads. And she was sexually abused by Chandy there.

On April 5, the probing team, along with the ‘victim’ arrived at the high security Kerala Legislative quarters as part of evidence collection in the case against Eden.

Incidentally, the ‘victim’ had raised a complaint against Vijayan, who handed it over to the CBI.

Just before the April 2021 Assembly polls, Vijayan forwarded the petition to the CBI, which agreed to take up the probe.

Following this, the CBI by now has filed three cases at the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court, here and one case in the CJM Kochi court.

However, the Kerala Police probe had earlier found out that there was nothing to prove the crime that and Chandy all along have said he has done no wrong and does not fear anything and will fully cooperate with the probe.

One of the main reasons behind Chandy government not getting a second term in 2016 was the scams involving the ‘victim’ and few others of the Chandy’s office, which the Left used widely in their election campaign in 2016.

The woman and her then live-in partner reportedly went around selling solar schemes and collected money from several people and cheated them. In between, her links with a few office staff of Chandy surfaced, which became the biggest campaign issue of the Left.

This was one reason why the Congress-led UDF government which was aiming for a second term in 2016, suffered a rout and for all practical purpose, after this shocker, the party has never been able to regain its lost glory and it continues to haunt the top leaders.

Crime

Delhi Police seize 1,600 quarter bottles of illicit liquor, arrest interstate bootlegger

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New Delhi, July 26: The Anti Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of Delhi Police’s East District on Sunday arrested an interstate bootlegger and seized 1,600 quarter bottles of illicit liquor being smuggled from Haryana to Delhi. The Police also impounded a car used to transport the contraband.

According to Delhi Police, the accused has been identified as Anand alias Kallu, 31, a resident of Karkardooma Village. The operation led to the recovery of 32 cartons containing 1,600 quarter bottles of liquor, all bearing the label “For Sale in Haryana Only.”

Police said the seizure is part of its ongoing drive to curb the illegal transportation and sale of liquor in the national capital and dismantle interstate smuggling networks. A case has been registered under Sections 33 and 58 of the Delhi Excise Act at Laxmi Nagar Police Station.

The team, on July 23, received specific intelligence that a large consignment of illicit liquor was being transported from Sonipat, Haryana, to Delhi in a car. Acting swiftly on the input, the police laid a trap near Noida Link Road, Shakarpur Bus Stand.

At around 10.30 p.m., the suspected vehicle was spotted approaching the location. When police signalled the driver to stop, he allegedly attempted to flee by speeding away. However, the team intercepted the vehicle after a brief chase and apprehended the driver.

During the search, officers recovered 32 cartons containing 1,600 quarter bottles of liquor from the rear seat and boot of the car. The seized consignment included 23 cartons of Race 7 Metro Liquor (180 ml) and nine cartons of Falcon’s Santra Desi Sharab (180 ml), all marked “For Sale in Haryana Only.”

The car used for transporting the liquor was also seized.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted that he had been transporting illicit liquor from Haryana for illegal distribution in Delhi to earn quick money.

Police said Anand has a previous criminal record and was earlier booked in FIR No. 332/2013 under Sections 379, 411 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code at Anand Vihar Police Station.

Investigators are now working to identify the source of the liquor, its intended recipients and other members of the interstate smuggling network. Further investigation into the case is underway.

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Crime

Kanpur man detained for hoax bomb threat at Lucknow airport

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Lucknow, July 26: A hoax bomb threat call triggered a major security operation at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow on Friday night, prompting multiple security agencies to conduct an extensive search of the airport premises before confirming that the alert was false, officials said on Sunday.

Police have since traced the mobile number used to make the call to Kanpur and booked 30-year-old Shyam Sundar, a resident of the Bidhuna area in Kanpur’s Jaisinghpur, for questioning.

According to airport sources, a bomb threat was reported through a call made to Dial 112 at around 11:45 p.m. on Friday, setting off an immediate response from security and emergency agencies.

Teams from the bomb disposal squad, dog squad, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the fire brigade rushed to the airport and launched a comprehensive search operation.

Following the alert, the entire airport complex, including the cargo terminal and all entry gates, was thoroughly inspected.

Security personnel also carried out detailed checks of passengers and their baggage between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. as part of the precautionary measures.

Despite the intensive hour-long search, no suspicious object or explosive material was found anywhere on the premises.

Officials said that when security agencies attempted to contact the person who had made the bomb threat, the mobile phone was found switched off.

After completing the search and verification process, authorities concluded that the threat call was a hoax, bringing relief to airport officials and security personnel.

Taking the matter seriously, police registered a non-cognisable report (NCR) at around 11 a.m. on Sunday based on the mobile number provided by Sub-Inspector Nishu Chaudhary of Sarojini Nagar police station.

The number was subsequently tracked through surveillance, which revealed its location in the Kanpur district.

Acting on the surveillance inputs, a police team detained Shyam Sundar.

The accused is currently being questioned by the police to ascertain the motive behind making the false bomb threat call and to determine the circumstances under which the fraudulent alert was issued.

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Crime

Manipur Police arrest woman for routing drug money to Myanmar; DGP reviews security along border

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Imphal, July 25: A 56-year-old woman was arrested by the Manipur Police in Churachandpur district for allegedly routing a huge amount of money to suspected beneficiaries of the illegal drug trade in Myanmar, officials said on Saturday.

In a separate development, Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Singh, accompanied by the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), visited the India-Myanmar border in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district and reviewed security preparedness, policing and inter-agency coordination.

A senior police official said that, in continuation of the investigation into an FIR registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, at Churachandpur police station, police arrested the woman, identified as Zenngaihniang (56), a resident of New Lamka in Churachandpur district. An amount of over Rs 28.78 lakh, suspected to be proceeds of drug-related crime, was recovered from her possession.

“The arrestee is involved in sending huge amounts of money to suspected beneficiaries of the drug trade in Myanmar. Five cash registers and a cash-counting machine were also recovered from her possession,” the official said.

The mountainous Churachandpur district shares an inter-state border with Mizoram and an unfenced international border with Myanmar.

Meanwhile, in separate operations, the security forces recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from Imphal West district. The recovered items included 12 pistols with magazines, four rifles, two modified .303 rifles, four bolt-action single-barrel guns, four hand grenades, including one of Chinese origin, three detonators, assorted live rounds and empty cases, 15 barrel cartridges, magazines, military fatigues, bulletproof jackets, magazine pouches and wireless communication sets.

The security forces also arrested an active cadre of the banned Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) militant outfit from Wangoo Sandangkhong area in Kakching district. The arrested militant was identified as Moirangthem Gandhi alias Loingamba Singh (19).

The police official said that DGP Mukesh Singh, during his visit to Tengnoupal district along the India-Myanmar border, reviewed the overall security preparedness, policing arrangements and inter-agency coordination.

At the Tengnoupal District Police Office, the DGP reviewed the prevailing security situation and policing arrangements in the strategically important border district.

According to the police official, while interacting with officers of the district police, Singh stressed the need for sustained operations against anti-national elements, effective investigation of criminal cases, intensified anti-drug measures, recovery of illegal arms and ammunition, and close coordination among all security agencies to ensure peace and security in the border district.

During his visit to Moreh town, the DGP interacted with representatives of various communities, including the Tamil, Kuki, Nepali and Meitei Pangal communities, as well as members of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). People belonging to the Tamil, Nepali, Kuki and Meitei Pangal (Muslim) communities have been residing in the border town of Moreh for several decades.

The DGP also held interaction sessions with Commandants of Assam Rifles battalions, along with officers of the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police Commandos. During the meeting, he reviewed the prevailing security scenario, operational preparedness, border management and inter-agency coordination, while emphasising the importance of continued synergy among all security forces deployed in the sensitive border region.

Singh further visited Gate No. 1 and Gate No. 2 at Moreh to review the security arrangements and deployment at the international border crossing.

Moreh is an important border town and an international trading hub located on the India-Myanmar border in Tengnoupal district, around 110 km from the Manipur capital, Imphal. On his return journey, the Manipur Police chief visited Kwatha village, where he interacted with Meitei villagers as well as officers and personnel of the district police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Assam Rifles deployed in the area.

“The visit reaffirmed the commitment of the Manipur Police and all security agencies towards strengthening border security, enhancing inter-agency coordination and ensuring lasting peace and public safety,” the police official said.

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