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‘Picture very disturbing’, SC grants protection from arrest to ex-Mumbai CP

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The Supreme Court on Monday termed the legal battle between former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh as “very disturbing”, stating that a former commissioner seems to show lack of faith in the police.

The top court also granted protection from arrest to Singh in the cases lodged against him in Maharashtra, and directed him to join the investigation.

A bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh said: “We do find the picture very disturbing. An earlier commissioner seems to show lack of faith in the police! We wonder what would happen to the common man and what kind of faith they would have in the police. The matter has become curiouser in the battle between the then home minister and the then police commissioner.”

The bench added that the only question which has to be examined is whether in view of the CBI looking into the matter, the other aspects arising are also to be entrusted to the CBI.

The bench said the stands of the CBI and the state government are also not known as the writ petition stands decided on a threshold point of sending it to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

The bench said: “Prima facie, this may not be the appropriate course of action. The notices issued to the respondents are returnable on December 6. In the meantime, the petitioner shall join the investigation, but shall not be arrested.”

Senior advocate Puneet Bali, representing Singh, submitted that his client is very much in India, but apprehends action being taken by the Maharashtra government.

He also submitted that the prayer in the petition was for directing respondent No. 2 (CBI) to inquire and investigate into the criminal conspiracy charges.

Bali submitted that the petition was dismissed at a preliminary stage on the ground that the petitioner must approach the CAT, as the issue raised is of the service of the petitioner with the state government.

Bali said that FIRs against his client have been lodged by bookies, extortionists etc., against whom he had taken action.

He submitted that his client was broached by the commissioner, whom he handed over the charge, who advised him not to fight against the system and in effect withdraw the letter sent to the Chief Minister making complaints against Deshmukh, as otherwise the consequences could be varied.

Singh had levelled sensational charges of Rs 100 crore extortion against then Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. Bali urged the top court to allow Singh to appear before any officer of the court of the CBI.

On November 18, the Supreme Court had asked Singh’s counsel to disclose which part of the world or the country he is in, and without these details, the court would not entertain his plea seeking protection.

The top court had directed Singh’s counsel to disclose his location on Monday. Singh had moved the top court seeking protection in FIRs registered against him in Maharashtra.

Crime

NIA raids multiple locations in Kashmir in terror funding-conspiracy case

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Srinagar, June 5: Sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out raids at multiple locations in Kashmir Valley as officials said these raids are part of an ongoing investigation into a terror funding and conspiracy case.

Assisted by police and the CRPF, NIA sleuths raided many locations in the Reban area of Shopian district, Nildoora and Chak-e-Choland in Kulgam district; Manzgam, Devsar, Sonigam and Bugam in Pulwama district; Sopore in Baramulla district and Kupwara district.

Reports said the NIA raids are going on at 32 locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

NIA sources said a statement would be issued by the agency after the conclusion of the day’s operations by its sleuths.

By the time this report was filed, there was no information available regarding any arrests or recoveries.

More details are awaited.

Sources said the searches were being conducted in a terror conspiracy case against overground workers (OGWs) of various terrorist organisations.

All high-profile crimes, including some dastardly terror attacks in the union territory, are being investigated by the NIA. The April 22 terror attack carried out by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam is also being investigated by the NIA.

Terrorists killed 26 civilians, including one Naeplai national, after segregating them on the basis of religion in Baisaran. The innocent victims of terrorists included 25 tourists and a local pony owner who sacrificed his life while trying to save the tourists. All the victims, except one, were Hindus.

NIA is also investigating the Reasi terror attack carried out by terrorists on June 9, 2024, on a bus carrying pilgrims. Nine pilgrims were killed and 33 others, including women and children. They were killed when terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims to Katra from the Shiv Khori temple.

The NIA arrested and investigated cases against JKLF chief, Yasin Malik, senior separatist leaders, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and MP Engineer Rashid.

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Crime

Man arrested for raping, murdering 80-year-old woman in Karnataka

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Kolar, June 4: A man has been arrested on charges of raping and murdering an 80-year-old woman in Srinivasapura town of Karnataka’s Kolar district.

The police have apprehended the accused, who has since been remanded to judicial custody.

The accused has been identified as 37-year-old Baba Jaan, a resident of Gaffar Khan Mohalla in Srinivasapura.

According to the police, the victim’s body was discovered on Monday evening at a garage near an open field on Mulbagal Road in Srinivasapura town.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim had been raped and murdered.

The victim had left home two days ago, informing her family that she would visit the church at Srinivasapura.

The woman stayed in Srinivasapura for two days, and on Monday evening, when the woman was waiting for a bus to return home, the accused targeted her.

The accused spoke to her to ensure she was alone.

He then allegedly lifted and carried her to an isolated place, where he brutally raped her before strangling her to death.

The accused also robbed Rs 15,000 from her bag.

During their investigation, the police obtained CCTV footage from a nearby shop, which captured the accused lifting the victim and hurriedly carrying her away.

While the police were gathering information, the accused returned to the crime scene to observe the unfolding events. Alert police personnel identified and apprehended him.

The accused later confessed to committing the crime to rob the victim’s money and jewellery.

The victim’s family has urged the police to “kill” the accused due to the heinous nature of the crime.

More details regarding the incident are yet to emerge.

On August 21, 2024, the Chintamani police had arrested a 28-year-old labourer for sexually assaulting a 65-year-old woman on the hospital premises in the wee hours.

Based on a complaint by the staffers at the Chintamani government hospital, the police launched a hunt and nabbed the accused.

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Crime

After Jyoti Malhotra’s arrest, another YouTuber held in Punjab for espionage

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Chandigarh, June 4: After YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, Punjab Police on Wednesday claimed to have unearthed a critical espionage network linked to another YouTuber, Jasbir Singh, a resident of Rupnagar.

Jasbir Singh, who operates a YouTube channel called ‘JaanMahal’, has been found associated with Pakistani intelligence operative Shakir, alias Jutt Randhawa, part of a terror-backed espionage network.

He also maintained close contact with Haryana-based Jyoti Malhotra and Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, a Pakistani national and expelled Pakistan High Commission official, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav informed on X.

Investigations have revealed that Jasbir attended the Pakistan National Day event in Delhi on Danish’s invitation, where he met Pakistani army officials and bloggers.

He travelled to Pakistan on three occasions (2020, 2021, 2024), and his electronic devices contained multiple Pakistan-based numbers, now under detailed forensic scrutiny, said the DGP.

After Jyoti Malhotra’s arrest, Jasbir attempted to erase all traces of his communications with these Pakistani intelligence operatives to avoid detection.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered in Mohali, near here. The DGP added that investigations are underway to dismantle the broader espionage-terror network and identify all collaborators.

A day earlier, Counter-Intelligence Punjab, in a joint operation with Tarn Taran police, had arrested a man linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for sharing sensitive information concerning army movements during Operation Sindoor.

The accused was identified as Gagandeep Singh, alias Gagan, a resident of Tarn Taran town.

DGP Yadav had said preliminary investigation has revealed that Gagandeep Singh was in direct contact with Pakistan-based Khalistani supporter Gopal Singh Chawla for past five years, through whom he was introduced to Pakistani intelligence operatives.

Investigations also revealed that the accused had been sharing classified information, including troop deployments, strategic locations, and army movements during Operation Sindoor, posing a serious threat to national security.

The DGP had said police teams have recovered two mobile devices from the possession of the accused, containing sensitive intelligence that he shared with the Pakistani intelligence operatives, as well as the details of over 20 ISI contacts.

The accused also received payments from operatives via Indian channels.

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