Riyadh, June 4: Indian Hajj pilgrims are assisted by ‘Team India’ officials as the movement to Mina from Mecca begins, marking the start of the Five-Day Core Hajj Period in Saudi Arabia.

The team, in coordination with Saudi Authorities, is facilitating a smooth journey for all the pilgrims, underscoring India’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of all its citizens.

“Movement of Hajj pilgrims to Mina started today! ‘Team India’ officials are on duty to facilitate the movement of Indian Hajj pilgrims to smoothly avail the transport services to reach their designated camps in Mina,” the Indian Hajj Pilgrims office posted on X on Wednesday.

Indian officials were assisting vulnerable Hajj pilgrims in catching buses to Mina.

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju extended wishes to the Indian pilgrims performing Hajj and ensuring assistance to them as the journey to Mina begins.

“My heartfelt wishes to all Indian pilgrims performing Hajj this year. Our Hajj Mission, led by officials & teams, is fully prepared in coordination with Saudi authorities. Admin and medical teams will be present in all Mina camps. For any assistance, use the Hajj Suvidha App or toll-free numbers. May your Hajj be smooth, blessed and spiritually fulfilling,” Rijiju posted on X.

Earlier on Monday, India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Suhel Ajaz Khan, addressed the Indian Hajj pilgrims ahead of the core rituals.

He extended his best wishes and assured them of full support, highlighting the presence of administrative and medical deputationists to assist pilgrims throughout the journey.

Meanwhile, India’s Consul General of Jeddah Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri chaired a briefing on arrangements for medical care and assistance in the Mashaer Region (Tent city of Mina and plains of Muzdalifah & Arafat) for Indian Hajj Pilgrims.

The session was attended by the Indian Consul (Hajj), Muhammed Abdul Jaleel, and officials, doctors and nurses from ‘Team India’ deployed in Hajj 2025.

Last week, Indians who embarked on Hajj pilgrimage appreciated the arrangements and quality of facilities offered by the Indian government to ensure a smooth and seamless journey for all in Saudi Arabia.

“Indian pilgrims who went for Hajj 2025 through the Hajj Committee of India are very happy with the management of the Government of India and the facilities being provided there. It is the constant endeavour of the Ministry of Minority Affairs to ensure a comfortable and dignified journey for every Hajj pilgrim,” the Ministry of Minority Affairs posted on X.

Additionally, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian also highlighted the dedicated efforts of the Centre in ensuring a smooth and successful Hajj for pilgrims.

New Delhi, June 4: The Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has issued summonses to former AAP Ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over alleged corruption in the construction of classrooms in government schools.

Satyendar Jain was summoned to the ACB office on June 6, and Manish Sisodia was asked to appear on June 9.

The ACB issued the summonses on Tuesday over alleged corruption of Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of 12,748 classrooms or semi-permanent structures in government schools during the previous AAP government’s tenure.

On April 30, the ACB registered an FIR against the two AAP leaders.

Jain was the minister of the Public Works Department (PWD), which carried out the constructions, in the Arvind Kejriwal-led government, and Manish Sisodia was the Education Minister.

The anti-corruption body has alleged that the scam involved awarding contracts at highly inflated rates, with classrooms in government-run schools reportedly built at Rs 24.86 lakh each, nearly five times the usual cost.

It has also been alleged that the project was awarded to 34 contractors, and a majority of them were linked to the AAP.

The ACB has alleged that the construction involved Semi-Permanent Structures (SPS) with an expected lifespan of 30 years, yet costs matched those of Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) structures, which typically last up to 75 years.

The project’s cost was increased by Rs 326 crore without bringing new tenders, the ACB has said in its report.

The anti-corruption body said that “significant deviations and cost escalations” were noticed, but not a “single work was completed within the prescribed period”.

The Delhi government’s vigilance directorate recommended a probe into the alleged scam in 2022 and submitted a report to the chief secretary. In March this year, President Droupadi Murmu gave her approval for the registration of an FIR against Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain.

The AAP has criticised the move, saying the case against its leaders was registered to “pressure and scare” them.

Mumbai: Mumbai Malad Police has arrested a clever prince thief who used to disguise himself as a woman to escape from the police and used railway tracks to avoid CCTV cameras. Malad Police has seized a gold melting machine, 36 tolas of gold and silver jewellery, women’s clothes and cash from the thief. Police investigation has revealed that the accused thief has many bungalows and flats. He was committing such thefts for a long time, but was not caught yet. However, he has committed dozens of such thefts so far. Malad Police has arrested Prince Aamir Kabir thief after a lot of hard work and further investigation is on.

According to ACP Hemant Sawant of Malad Division, the clever accused Ranjeet Kumar Upendra alias Munna (44) is a resident of Babuganj in Bihar. He was arrested from Malad Malwani area. To escape from the police, the accused used to steal by disguising himself as a woman and sometimes used to walk on the railway track in the guise of a beggar to steal. According to senior Malad police officer Vijay Panhale, property worth about 57 lakhs has been seized from the accused, which includes 16 lakh cash deposited in the bank and jewelry and goods worth 41 lakhs. So far 8 cases have been registered against this clever thief, but he has not been arrested anywhere.

This disclosure has been made after the team of Malad Police Station’s investigating officer Tushar Sukhdev, Santosh Satwase, Amit Govind, Avinash Jadhav, constable Mahesh Doifode examined more than 150 CCTV cameras from the railway track and other places. The police is expecting more such serious revelations as the accused has been cleverly escaping from the spot while committing countless such crimes for the last 10 years and has become the owner of flats, land and bungalows worth crores.