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‘The Man Who Knows Too Much’- Witness hammers NCB on cruiser raid

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The stunning revelations by an ‘independent witness’ on the circumstances preceding the cruise ship party raids seem to knock the wind out of the sails of the Narcotics Control Bureau’s claims in the sensational operation with 8 youngsters arrested, including Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.

Prabhakat R. Sail, 40, released the affidavit of October 23, on Sunday with startling revelations on his ‘boss’, Kiran P. Gosavi, currently absconding, on the events prior to the rave party raided by NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede and his team on October 2.

He mentioned how he was ordered to remain present near the NCB office on October 2 morning when Gosavi was closeted with the agency sleuths, came out with one officer and left with him and at noon summoned him to the Green Gate.

There, Sail and Gosavi bought lot of foodstuff including Frankie rolls, cold drinks and water which they took inside the Green Gate near the boarding pad of the cruise ship, and he distributed the eats to Wankhede and other NCB staffers.

Sail remained in the waiting area of the International Cruise Terminal and that afternoon Gosavi sent him few pix on WhatsApp with instructions to keep a lookout for them.

He identified one of the persons and informed Gosavi who replied that he along with 12 others was caught by the NCB.

At 7 p.m. that day, Gosavi asked Sail to bring his Innova car inside after telling the CISF security personnel Sameer Wankhede’s name, but the security did not permit the vehicle, forcing him (Gosavi) to come out, change his clothes and again entered the Green Gate.

That night, around 10.30 p.m., Gosavi summoned Sail to the cruiser boarding area where he noticed Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and others in one of the cabins with the NCB sleuths who had just ‘raided’ the ship.

Shortly after midnight, Gosavi and an NCB officer took Aryan Khan in the Innova car to the NCB office, while Sail walked down.

Just then, Sail said he got a call from Gosavi instructing him to become a ‘witness’ in the case, and at the NCB office, Wankhede directed him to one aide named Salekar who took his signature on 10 blank papers, and provided a soft copy of his Aadhaar Card.

Later, Gosavi came down to meet one person named Sam D’Souza, after their brief meetings around the NCB office.

Then, Sail said he and Gosavi left in their Innova, while D’Souza followed them in his Innova Crysta, till the Worli Big Bazaar.

During the early morning ride, Sail said he heard Gosavi telling D’Souza to “put a bomb of Rs 25 crore” and finally settle at Rs 18 crore as “we have to give Rs 8 crore to Sameer Wankhede”.

Subsequently, SRK’s manager Pooja Dadlani reached there in a blue Mercedes car, after the quick meeting, Sail and Gosavi went near Mantralaya to meet someone, and then they went to Vashi.

Again, Gosavi asked Sail to go near the Indiana Hotel at Tardeo and collect cash, from someone who came in a white car around 9.45 a.m., handed over two bags full of cash which he (Sail) promptly took to his ‘boss’ in Vashi.

That evening, Gosavi called D’Souza and told Sail to go and hand over the cash bags to him near Inorbit Mall in Vashi, but D’Souza asked him to come near Trident Hotel instead.

After D’Souza counted the cash it was only Rs 38 lakh and Sail returned to Vashi.

“I say that Gosavi is missing now and I now fear that NCB officials and other persons involved may kill me or abduct me like Gosavi. As seen in big cases, witnesses often are killed or taken away and I therefore want to state the truth,” Sail signed off.

Though Wankhede has denied Sail’s allegations, the NCB Deputy Director, South West Region Mutha Ashok Jain has taken strong congnisance and sent them to the NCB headquarters, New Delhi for suitable action.

Sail’s closing sentence is reminiscent of the brutal end to Manshukh Hiran, probably the man who knew too much, about the sensational incident of planting a car with some explosives near the home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in February.

Crime

‘Rise against your govt, army for encouraging terrorism,’ Sunni cleric’s appeal to Pakistanis

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Lucknow, April 24: In a strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack, senior Sunni cleric and Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, on Thursday called on the people of Pakistan to rise against their government and military for facilitating acts of terror on Indian soil.

The remarks come after 26 people, most of them tourists, were gunned down in a brutal targeted terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam on Tuesday.

The Resistance Front, a Pakistan-based terror outfit and offshoot of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, is suspected to be behind the massacre.

Speaking to Media, Firangi Mahali said, “The people of Pakistan should understand that no one will support such activities. They should raise their voices against their own government and army, which are encouraging these acts of terrorism.”

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a series of stringent measures in response to the attack.

These include the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari-Wagah border, cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, expulsion of Pakistan’s military attaches from New Delhi and a reduction in diplomatic staff at both High Commissions.

Calling these actions “necessary and timely,” Firangi Mahali stated, “The horrific incident of terrorism in Pahalgam has been condemned in the harshest terms. This tragic event has shaken the entire country. The steps taken by the Government of India — whether on the water agreement, diplomatic expulsions, or visa cancellations — are absolutely appropriate.”

Appealing for national unity, he urged political parties to come together on a single platform in support of the government’s decisions.

“This is not the time for political division. All parties must stand united so that a positive image of national solidarity is conveyed internationally,” he said.

The cleric also warned against communalising the tragedy. “My appeal to fellow Indians is not to view this terror incident through a religious lens. No religion condones violence or terrorism,” he said.

“Some of the posts circulating on social media are sending out a very negative message. In this hour of crisis, every Indian — regardless of religion or political affiliation — must stand together,” he added.

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Crime

Security forces release sketches, photos of terrorists who carried out Pahalgam attack

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Srinagar, April 23: Security forces on Wednesday released a photograph and sketches of terrorists suspected to be responsible for the Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were killed and several others were injured on Tuesday.

Three terrorists suspected to have carried out the dastardly attack have been identified as Asif Fuji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha.

The attackers, believed to be members of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), opened fire on tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam area, 6 kms away from Pahalgam town.

Security forces said at least five to six terrorists, wearing camouflage outfits and kurta pyjamas, came to Baisaran meadow from the dense pine forest surrounding the Baisaran meadow and opened fire with AK-47 rifles.

The group included Pakistani terrorists, who infiltrated the Valley just days before the attack, Intelligence sources said.

Intelligence agencies have identified Saifullah Kasuri, alias Khalid, a top LeT commander, as the mastermind behind the massacre.

Security forces have launched a massive anti-terror operation and deployed helicopters to spot the terrorists who took advantage of the forest cover to flee the spot.

Preliminary forensic analysis and testimonies of survivors indicate that the terrorists used military grade weapons and advanced communication devices, which indicates definite external logistical support.

The probe also found that the terrorists wore body cams and helmet-mounted cameras to record the entire sequence of events.

The attackers came with full preparation and had stocked up dry fruits and medicines.

Sources said the terrorists also did a recce of Pahalgam with the help of some locals.

Eyewitnesses said that while two terrorists spoke in Pashto (indicating Pakistani origin), two of them were locals (Adil and Asif). The local terrorists are from Bijbhera and Tral.

The precision and planning of the attack also points to the involvement of trained handlers and not local amateurs.

According to Intelligence sources, digital footprints of the attackers were traced to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, strengthening cross-border terror link evidence.

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Crime

WBSSC recruitment: Calcutta HC to hear contempt petition against Bengal govt today

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Kolkata, April 23: The Calcutta High Court will hear the contempt petition against the West Bengal government in connection with the cash for job case on Wednesday.

The Calcutta High Court’s divisional bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi will hear the contempt petition against the state government for failing to implement the Supreme Court’s order.

The state government is supposed to tell the court why it is taking so long to implement the Supreme Court’s order.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also supposed to clarify to the same division bench on why their investigating officials have not yet completed the process of interrogation of those candidates who have already been identified as “tainted”.

Notably, the job losers’ protest in front of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) office continued for the third day on Wednesday. They are seeking the publication of lists segregating “genuine” and “tainted” candidates.

In a major development, the protesters allowed WBSSC chairman Siddhartha Majumdar, stuck in his office for the last 45 hours as all the entry and exit gates of the commission’s office were blocked since the beginning of their protests, to leave the office on Wednesday morning.

Last year, the bench had cancelled 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs, which is the entire panel of WBSSC for 2016. The state government approached the Supreme Court challenging the order.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court division bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld the order of the Calcutta High Court last year and also accepted the observation that the entire panel had to be cancelled because of the state government and the commission’s failure to segregate the “genuine” candidates from the “tainted” ones.

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