New Delhi, Aug 24: After Indian agencies apprehended three absconding Indian gangsters in Malaysia, ensured their deportation to India, and handed them over to the police, the Union Home Ministry on Monday said that, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a safe and secure India, the agencies had facilitated the deportation of 51 hardened criminals in 2026 alone.

The Punjab Police, in coordination with central agencies, secured the deportation of three operatives of the Davinder Bambiha gang from Malaysia on August 19 in a major crackdown on transnational organised crime.

“Indian agencies got three absconding Indian gangsters apprehended in Malaysia, deported them to India, and sent them to police custody”, the Home Minister’s Office said in a post on its X handle.

“The fugitives, namely Jaspreet Singh, Ajay Singh, and Pawandeep Singh, are linked to the Bambiha Gang and are accused of multiple crimes, including extortion, cross-border arms and narco-trafficking, and a foiled grenade attack in Ludhiana. Under Modi Ji’s vision of a safe and secure India, our agencies have facilitated the deportation of 51 hardened criminals in 2026 alone.”

Earlier, the Central government said that India had successfully brought back 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2019 and July 2026 as part of an intensified drive to ensure that offenders evading Indian law while staying abroad are brought to justice.

The achievement was made possible through stronger legal provisions, enhanced international cooperation, coordinated action among multiple agencies and technology-driven investigations carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, it said.

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs said: “Previous governments lacked the political will to bring back fugitives; the Modi government has made the extradition of fugitives a ‘national priority’… Amit Shah has described the issue of fugitive offenders as one that is intrinsically linked to the country’s sovereignty, economic stability, law and order, and national security.”

According to the Ministry, the government’s approach to tackling fugitive offenders has been built around three major pillars — global outreach, stronger coordination, and smart diplomacy.

The MHA said that the legal framework for pursuing absconding offenders has been significantly strengthened through the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, amendments to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2019, along with provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which permit trials in absentia under Sections 355 and 356.

To strengthen international cooperation, the government launched BHARATPOL in January 2025, creating an integrated platform connecting more than 1,400 state and central law enforcement agencies with INTERPOL.

Nagpur, Aug 24: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, reacting to the Amravati hospital fire, called it “very unfortunate” and demanded that the administration conducts fire audit of all government hospitals and also prepare a six-month action plan.

Rohit Pawar, speaking to media, said, “This is a very unfortunate incident. Three children, all from poor families, lost their lives. A similar incident had occurred in 2021, after which a special committee was formed and tasked with auditing hospitals across Maharashtra and recommending measures that needed to be taken.”

He demanded that the government prepares a six-month action plan.

“The committee submitted its report to the government, but unfortunately, we understand that no action was taken on it. Therefore, the government should prepare a six-month action plan based on that report and inform people about the measures that will be implemented in every government hospital in every taluka of Maharashtra,” he said.

The NCP (SP) MLA further alleged that the government does not value the lives of the poor.

“Whenever such incidents occur, it is the poor who lose their lives. We feel that this government does not value the lives of the poor. If you look at the figures, around 44,000 children have died in the last three years due to various reasons, including malnutrition, serious illnesses, accidents, and snakebites, in schools and hostels for tribal children. This issue also needs to be addressed,” he said.

BJP leader Navneet Rana raised questions over the fire audit at the hospital and demanded strict action.

“How many times has the fire audit been conducted? Many poor children come to the government hospital, and we have lost three children today. I think strict action will be taken in this matter. I have just spoken to the minister and requested that an immediate letter be issued. If the fire audit was not conducted, then who is responsible for this?” she said.

According to preliminary reports, an explosion in a ventilator sparked the blaze, which quickly engulfed the unit. The ventilator explosion led to the rapid spread of fire and smoke inside the ward. The exact cause of the blaze remains unknown, and authorities are investigating the site to determine what triggered the fire.

Duty doctors, nurses, and hospital staff managed to rescue several infants from the unit as soon as the fire was detected. The third floor houses three NICU wards with a combined capacity of 39 beds (13 in each). The unit where the fire broke out reportedly had 9 to 12 high-risk, premature infants under critical care at the time.

The tragic event has sparked intense outrage and raised severe questions regarding the emergency preparedness of the medical facility. Despite the building being newly constructed — inaugurated just a year ago by the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar — the automated fire suppression system reportedly failed to activate. Authorities are investigating whether the ventilator that exploded was outdated, poorly maintained, or suffered from a critical technical failure.

Bengaluru, Aug 24: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has directed IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar to appear before the agency at its Bengaluru office on Tuesday morning for questioning in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment.

Following a nearly nine-hour search at Kumar’s Bengaluru residence on Monday, ED officials pasted a notice on the house directing him to appear before the agency’s office in the Ganganagar area of Bengaluru. The notice specifies the date and time for his appearance, officials confirmed.

The ED conducted the search as part of its investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers, in which candidates were allegedly asked to pay bribes ranging from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 80 lakh to secure appointments.

Kumar was not present at his residence when the ED team arrived. He had reportedly left Bengaluru three days earlier and travelled to Uttar Pradesh. State Home Minister Priyank Kharge said that the officer travelled there as his father was unwell.

According to sources, Kumar left his residence carrying two large bags and also took his laptop, mobile phone and other electronic devices with him. Consequently, the ED team reportedly found limited material at the residence.

The officials conducted an extensive search of the premises, checking cupboards, walls and areas beneath the floor with scanners to look for documents or other material that may have been concealed.

A diary and some records were reportedly recovered during the search. The officials also examined available bank statements and documents related to private companies allegedly entrusted with responsibilities connected with government recruitment.

Sources, however, said that most electronic devices and important documents were not found at the residence. Apart from old clothes and furniture, the team reportedly found little material of significance.

The ED team arrived at the apartment complex in three vehicles accompanied by CRPF personnel. The entrance was initially locked, and security personnel reportedly refused to allow the officials inside, stating that they had not received instructions to do so.

After the ED team contacted Kumar, the security staff allowed them into the complex. As the officer’s residence was locked, a locksmith was called to open the door. The process was reportedly videographed as part of the search procedure.

Kumar, a 2016-batch IAS officer, had served as Controller of Examinations at the KPSC until March. He was associated with conducting the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) examination and the recruitment process for veterinary officers.

The latest search comes three days after the ED searched the residence of former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and other premises in connection with the alleged recruitment irregularities.

The ED has conducted searches at multiple locations across Karnataka as part of its investigation into the alleged KPSC recruitment scam. The agency is examining documents, financial records and other material to establish the alleged flow of funds and identify those allegedly involved in the recruitment irregularities.