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Sambhal mosque chief Zafar Ali’s arrest: Advocates stage ‘pen-down’ protest

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Sambhal, March 24: Advocates in Sambhal staged a ‘pen-down’ protest on Monday against the “unlawful” arrest of Shahi Jama Masjid Committee chief and senior lawyer Zafar Ali by the Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Ali was arrested in connection with criminal conspiracy for November 24 violence in the city, which left four people dead and several injured.

The police have accused Ali of inciting rioters and fabricating evidence to cause wrongful conviction, among other charges.

A couple of lawyers at the Sambhal court voice strong opposition to his arrest and also led a procession through the market, raising slogans against the police administration.

Speaking to the reporters, Advocate Shakeel Ahmad said, “Zafar Ali has been wrongfully arrested. There is no FIR against him, and the charges are baseless. He is our senior counsel, and all advocates are standing with him. If this oppression continues, protests will spread across Uttar Pradesh and the entire country.”

Ahmad further claimed that Ali had been arrested to prevent him from giving a statement against the police in court in Lucknow on Monday.

The lawyers also staged “pen-down” protest, refusing to carry out legal duties until Ali is released.

Advocate Amit Uthbal stated, “The entire advocate community is united against the police. We stand with Zafar Ali and will continue our protest.”

Following Ali’s arrest, heavy security has been deployed around Shahi Jama Masjid, with Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel stationed in the area. The administration is monitoring the city using CCTV and drone surveillance to maintain law and order. A flag march was also conducted as a precautionary measure.

Sambhal Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary told IANS, “The route march is a routine procedure to ensure peace and order. Lawyers have the right to protest.”

Ali has been arrested under multiple penal provisions, including rioting, obstructing public servants, endangering public safety, and causing property damage. His arrest is linked to one of 12 FIRs registered against 159 individuals following the Sambhal riots.

According to police sources, Ali played a key role in planning the violence, which erupted after he was informed about a proposed survey of the historical mosque by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). His role in inciting locals to oppose the survey, which was abruptly halted on November 19, 2024, is also under investigation.

During the violence, rioters allegedly used illegal foreign-made firearms, and incidents of gunfire, stone-pelting, and arson were reported in Nakhasa Tiraha, Kotgarvi, and Hindupura Kheda.

In the aftermath of the riots, several families fled the area, and around 300 properties remain locked. The police suspect that panic selling of properties occurred due to rumours of demolition, and individuals with criminal backgrounds took advantage of the situation to seize properties.

Crime

MMRDA declares airport-adjacent structure illegal; Kirit Somaiya demands immediate demolition

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Mumbai, Sep 10: Tensions have escalated near Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal 2) after the Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed that a religious structure operating near the high-security zone lacks statutory planning permissions and is unauthorised.

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirit Somaiya has alleged a deliberate attempt at unauthorised land occupation — characterising the structure as “Land Jihad” — and has pressed state authorities and site operators to initiate criminal action against the trustees and individuals responsible.

Following complaints regarding unauthorised construction near sensitive airport land, MMRDA verified that no official approvals, building sanctions, or permissions were ever granted for the religious structure.

MMRDA has issued formal notices to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) directing the immediate removal and demolition of the unauthorised structure to ensure the perimeter remains clear.

Somaiya has formally requested both MMRDA and MIAL to go beyond physical clearance by registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the managing trustees and individuals associated with the illegal construction.

The controversy highlights ongoing scrutiny surrounding unauthorised encroachments adjacent to critical national infrastructure. Officials note that unregulated structures near VIP corridors, taxi parking lanes, and terminal facilities pose significant security hazards.

The matter aligns with previous judicial observations where courts have emphasised that public safety and secure zones near international hubs supersede unauthorised religious claims or structures erected without explicit administrative approvals.

Authorities from MIAL and local police departments are currently reviewing directives provided by MMRDA regarding execution steps and necessary security arrangements during the scheduled clearance drive.

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Crime

Priyanka Gandhi office warns against her deepfake videos asking people to invest money

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New Delhi, Sep 10: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday urged people to stay cautious of misleading and fabricated videos allegedly featuring her and asked them not to fall prey to fraudulent and deceitful calls for investment in real estate projects or any other futuristic ventures.

Priyanka Gandhi’s office flagged the issue after her deepfake videos surfaced and were seen in circulation on multiple social media platforms.

It has urged the Congress leader’s followers and others to neither click on those posts nor give consent to any requests made in the AI-generated video.

Issuing a formal scam alert on Instagram, Priyanka Gandhi’s office warned the public against fake, AI-generated videos that have apparently used her face and voice to cheat the people and hoodwink them into fraudulent investments.

“Fake videos using AI-generated images and voice of Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ji is circulating on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms asking people to invest money,” Cong MP’s office informed on its Insta handle.

“These are scams. Please do not click or invest,” it further said.

The Congress MP also asked the people to block such posts at the first instance and also report them to the relevant authorities for suitable action.

Such scams using deepfake and AI-generated videos of famous personalities have mushroomed in the past few years, making many gullible investors prone to huge financial losses.

A deepfake video is made by using AI to simulate a person’s face and voice, making it a facsimile copy of the target.

The scammers distort and misuse the cutting-edge technology to generate misleading videos, featuring unauthorised images of prominent figures and then try to rob people of their money.

In the recent past, deepfake videos of industrialists like Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani also surfaced, where the online scammers and fraudsters used AI-doctored videos to lure citizens into fraudulent investment traps, leading to huge losses to investors.

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National News

Jammu Municipal Corporation demolishes 20 shops in Satwati area

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Jammu, Sep 10: Jammu Municipal Corporation officials on Thursday demolished 20 shops in Satwati area of the city even as the shopkeepers alleged that no prior notice was served to them.

Reports said the Jammu Municipal Corporation today demolished around 20 shops at Satwari Chowk, triggering anger among shopkeepers who alleged that the decades old commercial establishments were demolished without any prior information or notification.

The shops, according to the affected shopkeepers, had been operating at the location for around 50 years, with the occupants claiming that they had been regularly paying monthly rent to the municipal authorities.

Angry shopkeepers alleged that the demolition was carried out without giving them adequate notice or information, leaving them with little opportunity to remove their belongings or make alternative arrangements. The action comes against the backdrop of the long-pending issue of rehabilitation of shopkeepers affected by development works in the Satwari area.

The UT Cabinet had earlier approved a rehabilitation and resettlement scheme for shopkeepers and open-space kiosks affected by road widening at Nai Basti, Satwari Chowk.

A Jammu Municipal Corporation official, however, said that the affected shopkeepers would be relocated to another site within six months.

The assurance has failed to convince the affected traders, who said they had heard assurances of rehabilitation earlier as well, but continued to face uncertainty over their livelihood. The issue of rehabilitation of Satwari shopkeepers has been raised repeatedly by traders’ bodies.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has previously stated that affected shopkeepers had been paying rent to the municipal authorities and had sought alternate sites and rehabilitation.

Shopkeepers affected by the Jammu Municipal Corporation actions argue that relocation promises are uncertain and have demanded immediate financial compensation.

In June 2026, Jammu Development Authority (JDA) cleared over 30 illegal structures near the Jammu railway station, reclaiming state land valued at Rs 10 crore.

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