Crime
Kerala HC dismisses Swapna Suresh’s anticipatory bail plea
The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea filed by Swapna Suresh and P.S. Sarith on the grounds that the charges against her are bailable and hence her plea was rejected.
Sarith is not even an accused in the case which was filed on Wednesday.
She, the prime accused in the gold smuggling case on Thursday filed an anticipatory bail plea after the Kerala Police registered a case against her on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, she revealed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife and their daughter have all played a role in smuggling of gold and currency.
On Wednesday, she again repeated her allegations and said she said all this in her confession statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC at Kochi on Monday and Tuesday.
When the Congress and the BJP took up the issue and demanded Vijayan’s resignation, former State Minister and CPI-M supported Independent MLA K.T. Jaleel filed a case against Swapna and former seven time MLA P.C. George that they are airing baseless allegations against Vijayan to tarnish the image of the government.
On Wednesday evening after the case was filed, the Kerala Police registered an FIR against the two and charged them for conspiracy to create violence and it was against this that Swapna and Sarith, also an accused in the gold smuggling case filed an anticipatory bail plea fearing arrest by the police.
In the court, the counsel for the state government pointed out that Sarith is not even an accused and also said that the plea was filed merely to get some false information available to the public domain.
In her bail petition she had pointed out that one Shaj Kiran had approached her stating that he was close to Vijayan and CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and threatened of dire consequences if she does not withdraw her statements and in lieu of that she should issue a fresh statement absolving Vijayan and his family.
But denying of having ever said such a thing, Kiran told the media that he was a good friend of Swapna whom he came to know about 52 days back.
“We have a different relation and she is known to my wife and father also. I went and saw her yesterday and spoke to her even today. I have never met either Vijayan or Balakrishnan. All what I said to her is if she doesn’t have substantial evidence, then it might go against her. I said this just as any friend would do,” said Kiran.
Swapna then met the media from her office at Palakkad and said Kiran is and was a friend of mine.
“A few days back he was with us and when we were having dinner he said tomorrow Sarith will be picked up by the police. And on Wednesday from noon to night he was with me and said the next day a person called Nikesh Kumar who is the voice of Vijayan will come and meet me and all I should do is to hand over my mobile to him and when done, my travel ban will be lifted and I will have nothing to fear in my cases anymore,” said Swapna.
“When I was with Kiran from noon till midnight, Kiran got more than 50 calls from two additional director generals of police Vigilance – M.R. Ajithkumar and additional director general of police – Law and Order, whose name I don’t know. Tomorrow the audio clip of Kiran will probably be released by my lawyer. When you hear that everything will be very clear and if I am still alive tomorrow, we can again meet and you (media) can ask me again,” added Swapna who pointed out that she decided to file an anticipatory bail plea fearing harassment by the police.
Meanwhile, the counsel of Swapna said he told the court that the police might even arrest her.
“When I told this to the court, the court asked me to file a petition to the same. Tomorrow we will file a petition to quash the case that has been registered against Swapna as such things can never happen anywhere except in Vijayan’s domain and that’s why strange things are happening,” said R. Krishna Raj, counsel of Swapna.
Crime
Telangana Minister condemns attack on Allu Arjun’s house
Hyderabad, Dec 23: Telangana’s Minister for Roads and Buildings and Cinematography Komatireddy Venkata Reddy on Monday condemned the attack on the house of Tollywood actor Allu Arjun.
The minister took to ‘X’ to condemn the attack on Allu Arjun’s house in Hyderabad by a group of persons on Sunday over the Sandhya Theatre stampede issue.
“I strongly condemn the attack on the house of film actor Allu Arjun. There is no room for physical attacks in a democracy. No one should act in a way that disrupts peace and order. The matter related to the Sandhya Theatre incident is in court. The law will take its course,” the Minister posted.
Earlier, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also condemned the attack on the actor’s house. He directed the Director General of Police and City Police Commissioner to take strict action to maintain law and order. He made it clear that no laxity would be tolerated in this regard.
The Chief Minister also asked senior officials to prevent police personnel who are not connected with the investigations into the Sandhya Theatre incident from speaking on the issue.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Vishnu Murthy, was suspended recently following allegations of corruption, Sunday addressed a press conference about the December 4 incident at Sandhya Theatre. He accused Allu Arjun of lacking a basic understanding of the law and also targeted the film industry for criticizing the police department.
Taking serious note of the suspended police official’s action, top officials initiated disciplinary action against him.
Akshansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central Zone, said in a statement that Vishnu Murthy conducted the press meeting without obtaining prior permission from higher authorities or intimating any senior officer. “This action is a clear violation of disciplinary norms. We are forwarding a report against Sri Vishnu Murthy to the Director General of Police (DGP) for initiating disciplinary action. The DGP’s office will investigate this matter and take necessary action,” he said.
“We reiterate that such actions will not be tolerated, and necessary disciplinary measures will be taken against those who violate the conduct rules,” the DCP said.
Vishnu Murthy was previously working as the DSP Task Force at Nizamabad, and later attached to the DGP Office on allegations and subsequently suspended in October 2024.
Crime
Three Khalistani terrorists who bombed Punjab Police posts killed in encounter in UP
Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 23: Three criminals accused of hurling a grenade at police posts in Punjab’s Gurdaspur were killed in an encounter with police in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit early Monday morning, a senior police officer said.
Punjab Police DGP Gaurav Yadav, while sharing details on social media platform X, stated, “In a major breakthrough against a Pak-sponsored Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module, a joint operation by UP Police and Punjab Police led to an encounter with three module members who fired at the police party. This terror module is involved in grenade attacks at police establishments in border areas of Punjab.”
He said that the three suspects were involved in the grenade attack on a police post in Gurdaspur.
Pilibhit Superintendent of Police (SP) Avinash Pandey reported that the gunfight occurred in the Puranpur police station area between the suspected Khalistani terrorists and a joint team of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Police.
The injured suspects, identified as Gurvinder Singh, Virendra Singh, and Jasanpreet Singh, sustained injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities recovered two AK-series rifles, two Glock pistols, and a large quantity of ammunition from the scene.
“Early this morning, a team from Punjab Police informed Puranpur police station that suspects in a grenade attack on a police post by alleged Khalistani terrorists might be hiding in the area,” SP Pandey said.
Upon receiving this information, police teams immediately launched a blockade and searched the area. They later received a tip-off about three suspicious young men on a motorcycle, riding dangerously and carrying potentially harmful items, heading toward Pilibhit.
“Both Punjab Police and Puranpur police station staff chased the suspects. Meanwhile, Gajrola and Madhav Thanda police stations were alerted about possible escape routes. At a canal track near an under-construction bridge, the suspects opened fire when challenged by the police. In the retaliatory firing, all three were injured and subsequently sent to CSC Puranpur for treatment,” Pandey said.
However, they later succumbed to the injuries.
Recently, multiple explosions targeted police posts in Gurdaspur. On Thursday, a grenade was hurled at the closed Bakshiwal police post.
A day later, another explosion occurred at the closed Wadala Bangar police post, which had also recently shut down due to staff shortages.
Residents in nearby areas reported being shaken by the blasts. At Wadala Bangar, frightened locals emerged from their homes at night only to discover the sound originated from the police station. Following the explosion, police vehicles patrolled the area throughout the night, with sirens blaring.
Crime
At least 18 killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza
Gaza, Dec 21: At least 18 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the central and northern Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources.
Local sources and eyewitnesses reported that Israeli warplanes targeted an apartment in the multi-story “Yaffa” tower in the al-Nuseirat camp, located in central Gaza.
A statement from Al-Awda Hospital in the camp confirmed that eight people were killed and 14 others injured, some seriously, in the attack.
In northern Gaza, Israeli shelling struck a house belonging to the “Khilla” family in Jabalia Al-Balad, killing 10 people and injuring several others, according to the Gaza Strip’s Civil Defence.
The Israeli army has not commented on these incidents.
Also on Friday, the military wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that one of its fighters had carried out a suicide attack targeting an Israeli force of six soldiers in Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza.
The Israeli army has not issued a comment on this incident.
Earlier on Thursday at least 16 Palestinians were killed by Israeli bombings in northern Gaza, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported.
At least 10 people were killed on Wednesday night and some others injured when the Israeli aircraft bombed the house of the Al-Najjar family in the town of Jabalia, WAFA said.
Six more people were killed due to Israeli bombing on the house of the Al-Zaytouniya family near the Al-Tabi’in School in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, east of Gaza City, it added.
The Israeli army has not commented on these incidents.
Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages taken.
As of Friday, the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 45,206, according to Gaza-based health authorities.
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