National News
Fadnavis applied ‘Gujarat snooping model’ in Maharashtra
Maharashtra Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe on Monday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had introduced a ‘Gujarat brand’ of surveillance tactics in Maharashtra and demanded a through probe into the matter.
His demand came amid the backdrop of the FIR lodged on February 26 by the Pune police against former city Police Commissioner Rashmi Shukla in the illegal phone-tapping case.
“IPS officer Rashmi Shukla is merely a pawn. The real culprits are those who guided her. Fadnavis was the state chief minister and he implemented the ‘Gujarat surveillance model’ in Maharashtra,” Londhe said here.
His comments also endorsed state party president Nana Patole’s demand on Sunday that the role of Fadnavis — who was handling the home portfolio during the relevant period — must be investigated in the illegal phone tapping case.
In a significant development on Saturday, the Bundgarden Police booked Shukla, currently Additional Director-General, CRPF, at Hyderabad, in the unauthorised phone-tapping case that rocked the state polity last year, leading to the resignation and subsequent arrest of former Nationalist Congress Party’s home minister Anil Deshmukh.
The FIR against Shukla followed a recommendation by a state government panel headed by ex-DGP Sanjay Pandey, invoking the Indian Telegraph Act, Section 26 and other laws for tapping phones of prominent opposition leaders between March 2016-July 2018.
Speaking to the media here, Londhe charged that the ‘Gujarat surveillance model’ — in which the government of the adjoining state allegedly snooped on people and overheard their private conversations — was introduced in Maharashtra by Fadnavis.
“After 2017, the phone numbers of Patole, Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress leaders, ministers, certain BJP leaders and their ministers, top bureaucrats and others were tapped illegally. The snooping was ostensibly to link them with drug dealers,” said Londhe.
Patole had raised the issue in the Assembly in the past and it finally culminated in the FIR against Shukla, who was the Additional DGP, Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID).
Although the case has been lodged against Shukla, what is pertinent is to unravel who ordered the phone-tapping, what was the purpose, whom did she hand over the records of the phone conversations, how did it reach Fadnavis after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government came to power in November 2019.
“There are many such questions, and the government should extend the probe to cover even Fadnavis which will reveal the real masterminds,” Londhe said.
Patole said that “Shukla would not have dared to indulge in illegal phone-tapping without the blessings of a senior government functionary” and it was imperative to investigate Fadnavis’ role and bring it in the public domain.
Referring to how his own phones were tapped and how he was given a fake identity, or having links with the drug mafia, Patole said these were intended to browbeat the opposition leaders and legislators at an opportune time.
“Phone-tapping can be done only with special permission to investigate serious matters like terror or narcotics, but our phone conversations were overheard despite us having not a remote connection to such crime,” Patole pointed out.
Referring to how the BJP at the Centre was allegedly using the Pegasus software for spying on ruling or opposition parties’ leaders, ministers, judiciary and the media, Patole said it is imperative to probe the role of Fadnavis completely in the Maharashtra phone-tapping case.
In March 2021, after Fadnavis raised a hue and cry over the phone-tapping issue, pointing to an alleged racket in the transfers-postings in the police department, the SID lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Police.
Fadnavis’ contentions came after a Top Secret report submitted by Shukla to the then DGP Subodh Jaiswal on August 23, 2020, which he (Fadnavis) later followed up with the Centre demanding a CBI probe into the thriving transfers-promotions racket.
Entertainment
Mithun Chakraborty’s Wallet Gets Stolen During BJP Roadshow In Jharkhand, Organisers Request Pickpockets To Return It
Actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty found himself in a sticky situation after his wallet was stolen from his pocket during his mega roadshow in Jharkhand on Tuesday. The actor campaigned for BJP in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, and that is when he got pickpocketed, leaving the organisers red-faced.
A video from the rally has now gone viral in which the organisers and other BJP karyakartas can be heard repeatedly requesting the pickpockets to return the veteran star’s wallet. “Whoever has stolen the wallet, please return it to Mithun Da,” a BJP member was seen urging the crowd.
Despite repeated pleas, the wallet was not returned.
Chakraborty led a massive roadshow in the Nirsa Assembly area of Jharkhand to extend his support to BJP candidate Aparna Sen Gupta. Thousands of people gathered at the venue to catch one glimpse of the star, and it led to major chaos and mismanagement at the spot.
Despite security forces in place, the crowd went out of control and rushed towards the stage to click photos and videos of the actor and see him from up close. It was during this chaos that Chakraborty’s wallet was stolen.
Disappointed by the fiasco, Chakraborty concluded the event sooner than expected and rushed back to safety.
National News
Ugly Fight Breaks Out Between 2 Groups Of Women As They Hit Each Other With Sticks Over Playing Music In UP’s Baghpat
A dispute over a seemingly trivial matter escalated into a chaotic clash between two groups of women in Uttar Pradesh’s Doghat on Thursday.
As per reports, the altercation began over playing music but tensions in the area quickly intensified when two groups of women started thrashing each other with sticks and other objects.
A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows around eight to ten women involved in a fierce brawl on a busy street. Bystanders can be seen watching in shock, with some attempting to intervene but retreating due to the intensity of the fight.
Several women were injured in the confrontation, and the footage has sparked outrage on social media.
Reports suggest that local residents eventually managed to de-escalate the situation, but not before multiple women sustained injuries.
Doghat police have initiated an investigation based on the video. As per reports, they are currently examining the video footage, and appropriate action will be taken following the investigation.
UP: Two burnt alive in truck collision in Fatehpur
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a truck driver and his helper were burnt alive when two trucks collided and caught fire in the Hussainganj area of Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, police said on Thursday.
The incident occurred around midnight on Wednesday on the Fatehpur-Lucknow road, Additional SP Vijay Shankar Mishra said.
Vinay Shukla (35), the driver of one of the trucks, and his helper, Ramraj Yadav (23), were burnt alive in the blaze. The occupants of the other truck managed to jump out before the fire spread, Mishra added.
Both victims were residents of Kherwa village in the Shivratanganj police station area of Amethi district. Their bodies have been sent for postmortem, Mishra said.
National News
J&K Assembly: Scuffle Breaks Out After Engineer Rashid’s Brother Shows Article 370 Banner In House
Srinagar: The proceedings of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were disrupted after a scuffle broke out in the House between National Conference and BJP MLAs.
According to reports, the House proceedings were briefly adjourned after Engineer Rashid’s brother, MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, displayed a banner about Article 370, which led to objections from BJP MLA Sunil Sharma.
Irfan Hafeez Lone displayed a banner on the restoration of Article 370 in the J&K Assembly. After a scuffle between Lone and BJP members, the House proceedings were adjourned for 15 minutes. BJP raised concerns over security, questioning how such actions were allowed.
Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, stated that under special status, some had built their own “palaces” and even cemeteries. This provoked anger from National Conference (NC) leaders. BJP members began chanting slogans in the House, while NC leaders also responded with their own slogans. The visuals of the incident have surfaced on the internet.
In the viral video, the lawmakers can be seen pushing each other on the floor of the house.
After the House resumed following the scuffle, several opposition MLAs causing disruption were physically removed by marshals and evicted from the Assembly.
Meanwhile, PDP moves a fresh resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly seeking the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. The BJP opposed the resolution demanding its withdrawal.
Amid uproar, the Jammu and Kashmir assembly has been adjourned till Friday. The UT assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution seeking a dialogue for “restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees” to the Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution was supported by all parties except the BJP.
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