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PAAS members level graft allegations against Hardik Patel, misuse of platform

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Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener and former Gujarat Congress working president, Hardik Patel is under attack from his one time associates and fan followers. They have also accused him of indulging in corruption. Hardik is not reachable for comment.

The latest allegation has been made by Hardik Patel’s one time associate Bhavesh Somani from Bhavnagar, who said that he had hurled ‘Chappal’ on Hardik Patel’s instruction on the then Union Minister of State Mansukh Mandaviya.

Somani has also levelled serious allegations of corruption against Hardik Patel. He said that Hardik took Rs 23 lakh bribe to give ticket for the Gariyadhar assembly constituency election in 2017. “Rs 10 lakh cash was delivered to his father Bharatbhai at his Ahmedabad flat and the rest was paid through Angadia services in two instalments,” Somani said.

Hardik Patel is tight-lipped on the issue. When IANS contacted him over phone and through text message, he did not respond.

While Hardik is cornered with various allegations, his one time associate Vandana Patel has come out in his support. She has appealed Patidars and PAAS workers to stop making allegations against Hardik Patel in public. She cited the unwritten rule of the tribal community, where no one makes allegations against their leaders if they switch sides. She said Ashwin Kotawal and Keval Joshiyara joined BJP, but the tribal community did not criticise them.

“These allegations can’t be termed baseless,” said Rajendrasinh Gohil, president of the Bhavnagar District Congress Committee. Gohil said, “I know Bhavesh Somani was one of the trustworthy and confidant of Hardik Patel in Bhavnagar. I have heard about him demanding money to organise Hardik’s public meeting in Bhavnagar district, in the run up to the elections. Gariadhar Congress candidate Paresh Kheni was a party worker as well as the PAAS worker too.”

People will question and make such allegations, argues Dhanji Patidar, PAAS worker from Unava in the Mehsana district, and said, “why is Hardik Patel not disclosing his family’s annual income before and after he headed PAAS movement. What is his source of income? Does he do a job anywhere? Does he have investment in any industry? How is he meeting his expenses and living a lavish lifestyle?”

“Once a Patidar leader joins politics, such allegations will keep cropping up,” said Varun Patel, PAAS convener and now BJP leader, on specific corruption allegations against Hardik Patel. He said, “It is difficult to either call it baseless or true, but one thing is sure, where there is a smoke, there is a fire.”

Crime

J&K: ED attaches property valued at Rs 1 crore in money laundering case

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Jammu, Nov 24: The Jammu Sub-Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Jammu and Kashmir said on Monday that the agency has attached immovable property worth Rs 1 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

A press statement by the ED said, “The Jammu Sub-Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable property worth nearly Rs 1 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

“The provisionally attached property comprises industrial land at Panipat, Haryana, of M/s Vidit Healthcare Private Ltd., Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, the ED initiated investigation in respect of case registered by the Jammu NCB against M/s Vidit Healthcare (Managing Partner, Neeraj Bhatia) Niket Kansal and others for illegal diversion of a codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS), “Cocrex”, for misuse as intoxicant/drug, from manufacturer, M/s Vidit Healthcare,” the statement added.

“ED investigation revealed that M/s Vidit Healthcare supplied CBCS to entities viz. M/s S.S. Industries, M/s Kansal Industries, M/s Nouveta Pharma, M/s Kansal Pharmaceuticals and N.K Pharmaceuticals (all operated and controlled by Niket Kansal r/o Delhi) during 2018-24, to the tune of about Rs 16.74 crore. Part of such illegally diverted CBCS was supplied to Raees Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Srinagar, from whom large quantities of CBCS was seized on January 14, 2024 by NCB.”

“ED investigation further revealed that M/s Vidit Healthcare earned gross profit estimated to be nearly Rs 2.92 crore as proceeds of crime from the sale of codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS) to entities operated by Niket Kansal viz. M/s S.S. Industries, M/s Kansal Industries, M/s Nouveta Pharma, M/s Kansal Pharmaceuticals and N.K Pharmaceuticals. Earlier in this case, ED has conducted search at the premises of Neeraj Bhatia and Niket Kansal on February 13, 2025, resulting in seizure of cash amounting to Rs 32 lakh and jewellery valued at Rs 1.61 crore from the residential premises of Neeraj Bhatia and in furtherance of investigations, ED has further attached immovable property in the form of land at Panipat of M/s Vidit Healthcare, worth nearly Rs one crore.”

“Further investigation is underway,” the statement said.

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Mumbai Press Exclusive News

Abu Asim Azmi demands action against culprits in Kalyan prayer controversy

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi condemned the hooliganism of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal at Kalyan Ideal Pharmacy College and said that in this country, there is a market of division and hatred in the name of Hindus and Muslims. Offering prayers in the country is not a crime. It is obligatory for Muslims to offer prayers at the prescribed time. Therefore, if someone offers prayers, worships and practices, then why object to it? He said that arrangements for prayer rooms are necessary in institutions where students want to worship. The way in which students were forced to apologize is completely wrong and hooliganism. I demand that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the administrative body take strict action against such sectarians so that no one can enter an educational institution and force students to apologize. He said that Shivaji Maharaj, in front of whose statue students were forced to apologize, was a secular king. There were Muslims in his army. The way in which the miscreants have committed hooliganism is worrying. Action must be taken against it. He said that praying is not a crime in the country. The administration of Ideal Pharmacy College in Kalyan’s Ambernath was responsible for protecting Muslim students, but the administration did not do so. It was negligent in its responsibility.

The students who offered prayers were forced to apologize. Azmi said, “I request Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order the provision of rooms for prayers in educational and other institutions and take strict action against this politics of hatred. Only then will brotherhood flourish in Maharashtra and the country.” He said, “Why is there a controversy over prayers everywhere and then hatred is created by giving it a Hindu-Muslim color? Now the water has risen above the head. The government should pay attention to this.”

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Maharashtra

Tension at Vashi Naka in Mumbai over the replacement of the Kali Mata idol with Mount Mary; case filed, priest arrested after protests by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists

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Mumbai: The idol of Kali Mata in the crematorium of Chembur Vashi village was changed into the shape of Mount Mary, after which tension spread in the area, but the police have claimed to have arrested a priest in this matter, who had done the above act, which had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. The police brought the situation under control and also solved the case. After this incident, an attempt was made to spoil the atmosphere, but later the priest was found to be involved in it, after which peace has now prevailed here. A shocking incident has come to light in Mumbai, in which the idol of Kali Mata installed in the crematorium of Chembur Vashi village was redesigned to resemble Mount Mary. This incident has caused a wave of shock and anger among the residents of the area.

On receiving the information, the RCF police reached the spot, assessed the situation and arrested the priest involved. The police have also registered an FIR in connection with the incident.

During initial interrogation, the accused priest told the police that he had received a “dream instruction” to redesign the idol of Kali Mata to resemble Mount Mary. Following this alleged “dream instruction”, he tried to change the shape of the idol.

Given the seriousness of the matter, police officers are conducting further investigations. The motives behind the change, and whether there was any other reason or conflict behind the change, are also under investigation.

Local people and some Bajrang Dal workers expressed satisfaction with the police action and said that any kind of change without permission at religious places is unacceptable. DCP Sameer Shaikh said that the accused who changed the shape of the idol has been arrested and the investigation is ongoing. The police are also investigating why the accused committed such a questionable and controversial act, who is behind it, and on whose instructions he changed the shape of the idol. Investigations are ongoing on all these points. However, due to the situation, the police have deployed additional arrangements here and the situation is also being monitored. At present, there is peace but tension remains.

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