Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 14: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged Messi event fraud linked to Reporter TV and its owners, even as the former Finance Minister and CPI-M leader K.N. Balagopal refused to answer questions on alleged GST dues connected with the visit of football superstar Lionel Messi to Kerala in 2025, which failed to take place.

State BJP General Secretary S. Suresh demanded that the V.D. Satheesan government hand over the investigation to the CBI, saying that the controversy had international dimensions involving Argentina, Embassies, apart from alleged financial irregularities.

He alleged that the state government’s name had been misused in the proposed Messi event and called for a comprehensive probe into the financial transactions involved.

He also demanded a criminal case into the alleged GST evasion and said those found responsible should face legal action, including arrest wherever warranted.

Suresh also alleged that serious charges had surfaced against the previous LDF government and sought a probe into allegations of political protection being extended to those involved.

He warned the Satheesan government against entering into any political understanding with former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to suppress or delay the investigation.

The BJP leader also claimed that the alleged intermediary (sponsor) in the Messi event faced around 19 cases, including cheating cases, and demanded that the entire financial and international dimensions of the controversy be examined by Central agencies.

Meanwhile, Balagopal, who served as the Kerala Finance Minister from 2021 to 2026 and now sits in the Opposition front row alongside Vijayan, faced questions on the alleged non-payment of GST linked to the principal sponsor of the Messi event.

Known for his sharp responses on public finance during his ministerial tenure, Balagopal offered little on Friday.

He said he did not have any papers on the matter and suggested that officials might know more.

The response was particularly notable given Balagopal’s repeated criticism of the Centre over Kerala’s finances and devolution of funds while he was the Finance Minister.

Guwahati, Aug 14: Drugs worth an estimated Rs 39.4 crore were seized in Guwahati after police intercepted a truck near the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT), leading to the arrest of two persons, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Taking to his official X account on Thursday, Sarma praised the Guwahati Police for the operation and said the seizure would help protect the younger generation from the growing threat of drug abuse.

“Mirror mirror on the wall, tell me how much drugs in all? Rs 39.4 crore!” the Chief Minister said in his X post, while highlighting the quantity of narcotics recovered during the operation.

According to the Chief Minister, the police intercepted a truck near the ISBT and recovered 10 soap cases containing heroin along with 1,40,000 YABA tablets.

YABA tablets, which commonly contain methamphetamine, are a synthetic drug associated with serious health and addiction risks.

The seizure represents a significant disruption to an alleged narcotics trafficking network operating through Assam.

Two accused persons were apprehended in connection with the seizure.

Police are expected to investigate the source of the consignment, its intended destination and the wider network involved in transporting the drugs.

The operation comes amid intensified efforts by Assam Police to curb the trafficking and distribution of narcotics in the state.

Assam has emerged as an important transit route for drugs because of its geographical location and proximity to international borders and neighbouring states.

Sarma, in his X post, credited the Guwahati Police for the “excellent” operation and described the seizure as an effort aimed at “saving the future of our youth”.

The recovery of such a large quantity of YABA tablets and heroin is likely to trigger further investigation into the movement of narcotics through Guwahati, which serves as a major transportation hub connecting Assam with other parts of the Northeast.

The police action also underscores the increasing focus on intercepting drug consignments before they reach their intended markets and preventing narcotics from reaching young people.

Further details about the identities of the arrested persons and the exact value and weight of the seized substances are awaited.

New Delhi, Aug 14: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested another accused in connection with the targeted killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab’s Nangal town.

The accused, identified as Manveer Ram alias Ashu, was intercepted by immigration authorities at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Thursday based on a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the NIA. He was subsequently taken into custody by the agency and is expected to be produced before the Special NIA Court for further legal proceedings.

The case, registered as RC-06/2024/NIA/DLI, pertains to the murder of Vikas Prabhakar, a local VHP leader who was shot dead in April 2024. The NIA assumed charge of the investigation on May 9, 2024, and has since filed a chargesheet along with two supplementary chargesheets.

According to the agency, investigations have revealed that the conspiracy to assassinate Prabhakar was orchestrated by Germany-based operatives of the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The key conspirators have been identified as Harjit Singh alias Laddi and Kulbeer Singh alias Sidhu.

The NIA said Manveer Ram played an important role in the conspiracy by arranging firearms intended for use in the killing. Operating from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he acted as a key intermediary between the foreign-based handlers and individuals involved in procuring weapons and coordinating activities in India.

Investigators have found that his role extended to facilitating communication between the overseas conspirators and their associates in India, thereby helping to execute the planned attack.

The agency is continuing its probe into the broader conspiracy and is examining the involvement of other individuals linked to the case.

Earlier in 2024, a 22-year-old arms supplier, Dharminder Kumar, was arrested by a joint team of the Delhi Police Special Cell and the NIA in connection with the murder. A resident of Ludhiana, Kumar was allegedly involved in arranging weapons for the accused.

During questioning, Kumar reportedly disclosed that after being released from jail in April 2024, he came into contact through social media with an individual based in a Middle Eastern country who instructed him to procure firearms.

Vikas Prabhakar, the president of the VHP’s Nangal unit, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at his confectionery shop in Punjab’s Nangal town on April 13, 2024.