National News
JD-U yet to take a call on PFI ban despite BJP pressure
After a suspected terror module was busted in Patna’s Phulwari Sharif, there is disagreement between Bihar’s two ruling alliance partners – the BJP and the JD-U – over a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI), which was allegedly involved.
BJP leaders like state minister Jivesh Mishra, Rajya Sabha MP and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, state President Sanjay Jaiswal and MLA Hari Bhushan Thakur and others are demanding a ban on the PFI while the Janata Dal-United’s leadership is yet to decide.
Minority Affairs Minister Jama Khan, of the JD-U, said: “The investigation is currently underway. There is no clarity over whether the organisation (PFI) is involved in anti- national activities or not. Hence, you can’t declare an organisation illegal. How could a ban be imposed on an organisation only on the basis of the assumption of some people. The action will be taken against the organisation only after its guilt would be proven by the authorities and courts.
“Any organisations like the RSS, the Bajrang Dal or PFI, they are connected with political parties. The probe should take place on this line too. If any organisation is involved in wrongdoing, the state government will take action against them. Ban cannot be imposed on the demand of some leaders of a political party,” Khan said.
On the other hand, BJP Minister Mishra demanded complete ban on PFI.
“The security agencies have busted PFI terror module of Phulwari Sharif… the NIA is investigating this case. If its operatives’ terror links will be proven in future, the Centre will ban it. We are already demanding a ban on such an organisation,” he said.
“I also appeal to the Central government to identify organisations like PFI and ban it immediately. When the Narendra Modi government came to power, it made every possible effort to destroy such organisations. They have given life threats to BJP leaders but they are not worried about it,” Mishra said.
Jaiswal alleged that a “large number of sleeper cells” were active in Bihar.
“The Popular Front of India Phulwari Sharif module developed in Patna. I am hoping that the security agencies will break the chain of terror modules developed in every district of Bihar. It is an international conspiracy against the country to destroy… it will be prevented….
“Whoever had taken the training under the PFI from 2016 to 2022 will be exposed and arrested,” he asserted.
“The BJP leaders are not the soft target of terrorists but their connection from Bihar is emerging before us. Wherever terrorist activities taking place in the country, it has some connection with Bihar. This is also indicating that a large number of sleeper cells are active in every district of Bihar,” Jaiswal said.
BJP leader Neeraj Kumar Bablu sought that security agencies should scan all madarsas existing in Bihar.
“There are many madarsas in Bihar having excellent education systems while some of them have a fishy atmosphere. Hence, those madrasas need investigation and should be kept under close watch of intelligence agencies,” he said.
Why the Nitish Kumar government is not imposing a ban on PFI?
Despite a strong demand for a ban on the PFI by BJP leaders, the JD-U believes otherwise. The party think tank believes that banning an organisation only on the basis of allegations may prove dangerous in upcoming polls.
The JD-U is on the driving seat in Bihar but it is only due to the bargain and not due to its political strength. The party performed poorly in the 2020 Assembly election and won only 43 seats. It managed to win two more seats in the by-elections to reach 45, and subsequently merged an LJP MLA and an independent MLA to reach at the figure of 47. Still, it is in the third position in the house, as the RJD has 80 and the BJP has 77 MLAs.
The JD-U leadership believed that the party had reached to the third position not due to opposition but the “lethal” political moves of the BJP. In the last 21 months, these two parties were often involved in mud-slinging on almost every single issue.
The PFI issue has emerged as another flashpoint.
In the past few weeks, BJP hardliners like Union Minister Giriraj Singh and Hari Bhushan Thakur have claimed that they have received threatg calls from militant organisations. Even a number of BJP leaders were attacked during the Agneepath protest. Following that, the Centre government has given Y-category security to 10 BJP leaders including Giriraj Singh, Thakur, Ashwini Kumar Chaubey, Tar Kishore Prasad, Renu Devi, Sanjiv Chaurasia, Ashwini Kumar Chaubey and others.
Despite all provocations, no communal tension or riots occurred in Bihar under the Nitish Kumar government, which is why a sizable part of the minority community reposes faith in him. The JD-U also knows that if the state government would impose a ban on the organisation like PFI, it would be a disaster for it in the next election as the minority community will entirely swing over to the RJD.
JD-U sources are claiming that the Union Home Ministry’s handing over the probe to the NIA is a part of ploy to declare it an anti-national and terrorist organisation and ban it.
As BJP leaders are citing the example of neighbouring Jharkhand, which has imposed a ban on the PFI, the JD-U notes that the Hemant Soren government took the decision as its “core constituency” is different.
Bihar Minister and former IPS officer Sunil Kumar said: “It is a decision of Jharkhand government to impose a ban on the PFI. Bihar government will take any such decision on the basis of the investigation report and legal observations.
As the ban on PFI is an extremely sensitive matter, officials of Bihar Police are tightlipped on it and avoiding recommendation to the state government for ban.
Meanwhile, the RJD questioned the updates in the investigation so far.
State RJD chief Jagadanand Singh said: “They (investigating agencies) are claiming that a person has a telephonic conversation with a Pakistani national. The investigators should release the transcript of the conversation in public domain. They should reveal what the act was done by youths of a particular community which turn threat for the nation. During Partition, a large number of Muslim families went to Pakistan and their relatives are living in both the countries. Can they clarify whether interacting with relatives in Pakistan is a crime?”
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, while referring to Patna SSP M.S. Dhillon’s now controversial comments, said: “RJD is saying right from the beginning that the RSS is a threat to the country. At present, whatever the poisonous and hatred spread in the society is only due to the RSS. It is in the agenda of RSS to communalise the society.”
Patna police have arrested 8 persons so far in these two cases, including the PFI module. In the suspected terror module case, Athar Parvez, Mohammad Jalaluddin, and Arman Malik were arrested, and have revealed the names of Margoob alias Danis and Shabbir. Margoob was running a social networking group called Ghazwa-e-Hind and connected with the youths of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The investigators claimed that Parvez was attached with the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and his brother Manzar Alam was involved in 2013 serial bomb blast in Gandhi Maidan rally of then PM candidate Narendra Modi. Jalaluddin also has some connection with the SIMI. During the raid, the joint team had recovered some objectionable documents which indicate that they were allegedly involved in brainwashing Muslim youths and working on “Mission 2047” to make India a Muslim country.
International News
PM Modi condoles death of Dubai Ruler brother, offers condolences to Royal family

New Delhi, Sep 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the death of Dubai Ruler’s brother, Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and lauded his efforts to serve the society. In his message, PM Modi offered condolences to the Royal family and the people of Dubai.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of His Highness Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. His efforts to serve society will be cherished by generations to come. I convey heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and the people of Dubai. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” PM Modi posted on X.
Earlier in the day, Dubai Ruler Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s court announced that Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum died on Monday morning. He was 76. A 10-day official mourning has been declared in Dubai.
“The Court of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, mourns the passing of the late Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum this morning, Monday. The Court has declared a 10-day period of official mourning in Dubai, during which flags will be flown at half-mast, effective today, Monday,” the Government of Dubai Media Office posted on X.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also paid a personal tribute to his brother.
Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was the fourth and youngest son of the late ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. He served as Dubai Police and Public Security’s Deputy Chairman, Group Chairman of A.R.M. Holding, and President of Al Wasl Sports Club.
After graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Shaikh Ahmed joined the Central Military Base in Dubai and later became the Commander in Chief of the base, according to the Al Wasl Sports Club website. In the early 1990s, Shaikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum established the Jebel Ali racecourse to promote horse racing in the UAE. Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has been the president of Al Wasl Sports Club for 60 years.
Crime
Bomb threat email names Somnath temple, Gujarat BJP offices; searches find nothing suspicious

Ahmedabad/Gir Somnath, Sep 21: A bomb-threat email naming the Somnath Temple and BJP offices in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar triggered a security alert across Gujarat on Monday, prompting searches by police, bomb detection and disposal teams and dog squads, officials said.
The threat mentioned the BJP office in Ahmedabad’s Khanpur area, the party’s state office, Kamalam, at Koba in Gandhinagar, and the Somnath Temple.
Police said no suspicious object was found during searches at the locations.
Ahmedabad C-Division ACP Adwait Gandhi said the State Intelligence Bureau in Gandhinagar received the input around 9 a.m., following which the Khanpur BJP office was thoroughly checked, and additional police deployment was put in place.
“At 9 a.m., we received an input from the State Intelligence Bureau in Gandhinagar. According to that, there was a threat of a bomb blast at the BJP Central Office in Khanpur. We informed the BDTS and had the entire premises checked, and police deployment has also been put in place. The situation is normal,” Gandhi said.
He confirmed that the Somnath Temple and BJP office at Koba had also been named in the threat. “Nothing suspicious has been found. The situation is normal,” he said.
Gandhi said there was no need for panic and added that police are carrying out their duties. “I do not have information about the origin of the email at this stage and action had been taken on the basis of the intelligence input,” he noted.
At the Khanpur office, police, fire brigade personnel and bomb and dog squad teams conducted a detailed search.
City BJP president Prerak Shah said the party was informed that intelligence agencies had received an email threatening to blow up the office.
“Based on that, both the police and bomb squad arrived here. The entire Khanpur BJP office was searched, and nothing objectionable or suspicious was found here,” Shah said.
At Somnath, Deputy SP M.F. Chaudhary said the police received the threat email in the morning and the entire police force was placed on alert on the instructions and guidance of the Superintendent of Police.
He said the temple has dedicated security personnel working round the clock and that devotees normally undergo two-layer frisking and checking.
Electronic gadgets and other prohibited items are not allowed inside the temple premises.
“In view of today’s situation, we put our other district branches, including the LCB, Special Operation Group, BDS and QRT, on alert and had the entire temple premises searched. The BDS searched the temple premises but found no suspicious objects,” he said.
The latest threat comes amid a series of similar email-based bomb scares in Gujarat.
Earlier this month, threats were received by courts, schools and the Gujarat Assembly, while separate threats on September 15 and 17 reportedly named courts, Mahatma Mandir and port facilities.
Searches in those cases also did not result in the recovery of explosives.
Gujarat Police had also recently arrested two men in connection with an alleged interstate network involved in sending hoax bomb-threat emails.
Investigators recovered details of 513,847 Gmail accounts and passwords allegedly linked to the network.
Police are examining whether the latest threat has any connection with that network.
Crime
13 foreigners found with immigration issues in north Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 21: In a coordinated effort to strengthen surveillance and ensure compliance with immigration laws, Delhi Police have launched an intensive combing and verification exercise to identify foreign nationals staying in the North district and verify their immigration status.
As part of the exercise, two teams were constituted on the directions of senior officers to trace foreign nationals overstaying in India and also verify the status of foreigners against whom criminal cases have been registered.
The first team was formed under the supervision of ACP/Burari Shashi Kant Gaur and headed by Inspector Girish Chandra Raturi, SHO, Burari Police Station. The team comprised Head Constables Kamlesh and Ankit and Constable Nishant.
The second team was formed under the supervision of ACP/Operations/North Vishesh Dhatterwal and led by Inspector Rohit Saraswat, I/C Special Staff, and SI Pradeep Katoch, I/C Foreign Cell, in coordination with Head Constable Bal Kishan of Special Staff.
During a systematic search and verification in the area of Burari Police Station on September 7, the team detected three Nigerian nationals, identified as Victory Isimah, Godspower Ikechukwu and Aliou Cisse, who were found staying in Burari’s Baba Colony.
During verification, Victory Isimah produced his passport, but his visa was found to have expired. The other two foreign nationals, Godspower Ikechukwu and Aliou Cisse, failed to produce valid documents establishing their identity or lawful stay in India.
Necessary proceedings were therefore initiated against all three at Burari Police Station. Subsequently, the three foreign nationals were produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Delhi.
Vide three separate Restriction Orders dated September 7, their movement was restricted to Sewa Sadan, Lampur, Narela, Delhi.
Following the orders, all three were handed over to the Restriction Centre at Sewa Sadan, Lampur, Narela, for further necessary action in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures.
In another operation, a joint team of Special Staff, Foreign Cell and Anti-Narcotics Cell of North District Police conducted a coordinated checking operation during the early hours of September 16 at identified premises in Chandan Vihar, Pragati Enclave and Maurya Enclave in Burari.
The operation was conducted on the basis of specific intelligence regarding the unauthorised stay and overstay of foreign nationals.
Police said the intelligence was developed by the joint team through sustained field verification and identification of locations where foreign nationals were reportedly residing.
During the operation, 10 foreign nationals belonging to Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Uganda and Cameroon were found present at the identified locations. Their identity documents, passports, visas and immigration status were thoroughly checked and verified by the police team.
The verification found four foreign nationals overstaying in India on expired visas, while two others failed to produce valid passport or visa-related documents.
Those identified for necessary immigration action were Ann Favorite Michael, a Ghanaian national whose visa expired on August 13, 2023; Elise Djonba, an Ivorian national whose visa expired on January 5, 2018; Ebuh Happiness, a Nigerian national whose visa expired on August 18, 2026; and Godstime Ikechukwu Chukwuma, a Nigerian national whose visa expired on October 12, 2019.
The other two, Costa Abraham and Raymond Maduka Eze, both Nigerian nationals, failed to produce a valid passport or visa-related documents during the verification process.
After completion of all requisite formalities, including medical examination, the six foreign nationals were produced before the FRRO for necessary immigration action, including deportation proceedings wherever applicable.
Subsequently, as per the orders and proceedings of the competent authority, all six were sent to Restriction Centres at Lampur and Sarai Rohilla for further necessary action.
During detailed verification of the 10 foreign nationals, three were found to be involved in criminal cases presently pending trial before the competent courts.
They were identified as Ndagire Mizzy, daughter of James Mukuye, who is involved in Court Case No. DRI-SC/399/2022; Emmanuel Owusu Nsiah, son of Owusu, who is involved in FIR No. 28/2024 of Police Station Special Cell; and Sunday Chikezie, son of Chikezie, who is involved in FIR No. 11/2022 of Police Station Crime Branch.
Since the cases are pending adjudication before the competent courts, the three foreign nationals were relieved from the present immigration action.
Another foreign national, Samuel Enow Ebot Manyienow, son of Manyienow, was also relieved after verification established that his visa was valid.
Accordingly, necessary immigration action was taken against the remaining foreign nationals in accordance with the applicable rules and prescribed procedures.
North District Police said it remained committed to maintaining vigilant surveillance, strengthening actionable intelligence and ensuring prompt and lawful action against violations of immigration laws.
Further verification and necessary immigration and legal action are being undertaken in close coordination with the concerned authorities, officials said.
-
Crime4 years agoClass 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra2 years agoFalse photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News2 years agoMinistry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMaharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News2 years agoJ&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface
-
Crime2 years agoBaba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
