Crime
Trouble brews over Bhopal’s Jama Masjid, 11th-century Bhojshala monument
Two neighbouring states of north India, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, seem to be sailing in the same boat with similar headlines they have been making in the last few days.
While the Gyanvapi mosque case in Varanasi is being debated in and outside the court, a similar issue of ‘temple vs mosque’ seems to be brewing in Madhya Pradesh with a fresh instance surrounding the 19th century Jama Masjid located in Bhopal’s Chowk Bazar area.
A right-wing outfit, Sanskriti Bachao Manch, has claimed that the Jama Masjid located in old Bhopal’s Chowk Bazar locality was built in the 19th century on a Shiva temple.
The issue gained momentum after a group of right-wing activists on Thursday met the state Home Minister Narottam Mishra and drew the state government’s attention to this matter.
Sanskriti Bachao Manch headed by Chandrashekhar Tiwari submitted a memorandum demanding a detailed survey of the Jama Masjid.
Tiwari said that he is preparing to file a petition in the local court over the issue in the coming days.
“We have demanded a detailed archaeological survey of the Jama Masjid by the state government. We will also file a petition in the court seeking a survey and excavation to bare the history of the mosque built over a temple called Sabha Mandap’,” Tiwari told the press after meeting Mishra on Thursday.
Tiwari said that he has raised demands for the survey on the basis of facts collected in Hayate-I-Qudsi (a book on Bhopal’s first woman ruler Nawab Qudsia Begum). The empress (1819-1832) built the Jama Masjid and Gohar Mahal Palace in Bhopal.
“In the book on her life, Nawab Qudsia Begum mentioned that the work on building the Jama Masjid in Bhopal began in 1832 and was completed in 1857. It is also clearly mentioned that the mosque was built on the same land where a Hindu temple known as ‘Sabha Mandap’ already existed,” Tiwari claimed.
Notably, the same issue has been raised by another right-wing outfit called the ‘Hindu Dharma Sena’.
However, this is not the only ‘temple vs. mosque’ dispute in Madhya Pradesh that is being debated these days. Earlier this month, an organisation called the ‘Hindu Front for Justice’ filed a PIL in the high court claiming that the Bhojshala monument located in Dhar district belongs to the Hindu community.
A PIL was filed challenging the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order of 2003, which imposed restriction on Hindus to worship at Bhojshala daily.
Subsequently, the Indore bench issued notices to the ASI, Centre and the MP government seeking their response on the matter.
Bhojshala is an ASI protected 11th century monument which Hindus claim is a temple of Vagdevi (Saraswati), while the Muslim community treats it as the Kamal Maula Mosque.
As per the arrangement made by ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the premises every Tuesday, while Muslims offer namaz in the complex on Fridays.
“Only the members of the Hindu community have a fundamental right under Article 25 of the Constitution of India to perform puja and rituals at the place of goddess Vagdevi within the premises of Saraswati Sadan, commonly known as Bhojshala situated in Dhar,” the petition claimed.
“Members of the Muslim community have no right to use any portion of the aforesaid property for any religious purposes,” it added.
The petitioner also urged the court to direct the Centre to bring back the idol of goddess Saraswati from the museum in London, and re-establish the same within the Bhojshala complex.
The plea has cited that the then rulers of Dhar had installed the holy statue at Bhojshala in 1034 AD and it was taken to London in 1857 by the British.
One of the petitioners, Ashish Goyal, said, “We have now started fighting legally to reclaim our religious place. The court found our petition comprehensive and issued notice.”
Crime
Delhi Police bust ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud syndicate, nab three from Bengal

New Delhi, July 1: The Cyber Police Station in Delhi’s South District has busted an organised ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud syndicate and arrested three alleged members from West Bengal in connection with a Rs 7.22 lakh online fraud case, officials said on Wednesday.
The accused have been identified as Samiran Roy of South 24 Parganas, Prince Shaw of Howrah, and Samar Chatterjee of Howrah. According to the police, none of the three has any previous criminal record.
The arrests were made during raids conducted in South 24 Parganas and Howrah after an extensive financial and technical investigation. Police said the operation exposed the banking infrastructure of an interstate and international cyber fraud network.
The case came to light after a woman, identified as ‘M.S.’, lodged a complaint alleging that she had been duped of Rs 7.22 lakh in a ‘digital arrest’ scam. Based on her complaint, an e-FIR (No. 365/2026) dated June 6 was registered at Cyber Police Station, South District, under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the police, the fraudsters impersonated officials from the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and senior IPS officers. They allegedly kept the victim under continuous WhatsApp video calls, falsely claiming she was under investigation, and pressured her into transferring Rs 7.22 lakh through RTGS.
The investigation was carried out by a team comprising Sub-Inspector Udai Singh, Head Constables Vikas Kumar and Praveen Kumar, Constables Praveen Joon, Sultan and Subhash under the leadership of Inspector Hansraj Swami, SHO, Cyber South Police Station, and the overall supervision of the ACP (Operations), South District.
During the probe, investigators found that the defrauded money was initially transferred to a Bandhan Bank account allegedly operated by Samiran Roy and Prince Shaw before being routed through multiple bank accounts to conceal the money trail. Technical analysis of digital evidence also revealed links with cyber fraudsters operating from Thailand and Myanmar.
Police said the accused were involved in supplying mule bank accounts, SIM cards and banking credentials to organised cybercriminals. The syndicate allegedly arranged bank accounts into which victims transferred money after being intimidated through fake ‘digital arrest’ calls.
During the raids, police recovered six mobile phones, one HP Victus laptop, 18 debit and credit cards, seven cheque books, 15 SIM cards, two rubber stamps and six Aadhaar cards.
Delhi Police said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate, trace the proceeds of crime and uncover the network’s interstate and international links.
Crime
Maharashtra TET paper leak: Mastermind’s wife arrested in Patna; search intensifies for Bijendra Gupta

Patna, June 30: The investigation into the alleged Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) paper leak has gathered pace with the arrest of Suman Kumari, the wife of the alleged mastermind, Bijendra Gupta, from Patna.
Police are questioning her over her suspected role in the examination paper leak and related financial transactions.
According to information shared by the Maharashtra Police and Patna Police sources, Suman Kumari was arrested in Patna and is currently being interrogated.
Investigators suspect that Suman Kumari played a role in handling financial transactions linked to the alleged paper leak operation.
Police also believe she remained in contact with her husband, Bijendra Gupta, and other members of the alleged network after the TET question paper was leaked.
Her interrogation is expected to help investigators trace the flow of money and identify other individuals connected to the case.
Before Suman Kumari’s arrest, Maharashtra Police had taken three other accused, Rajiv Shah and Akash Kumar from Patna, and Dheeraj Kumar from Panipat, Haryana, into custody.
According to investigators, interrogation of these three accused pointed to Bijendra Gupta as the alleged mastermind behind the operation.
Police teams are conducting raids in Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, and Agra to apprehend Bijendra Gupta, who is originally from Sherpur village under the Vidyapati police station area of Samastipur district in Bihar.
Investigators believe he played a central role in organising the alleged paper leak network.
Bijendra Gupta’s father, Baleshwar Gupta, said the family had lost contact with him years ago after he left the village for further studies in Begusarai.
According to his father, the family was unaware of the nature of Bijendra’s work and was deeply distressed after learning that his name had surfaced in connection with the alleged paper leak case.
Police records indicate that Bijendra Gupta has previously been linked to criminal cases.
According to investigators, he was the prime accused in a murder case registered in 2003 and has also been associated with investigations into alleged paper leak cases involving examinations such as NEET-UG and the Odisha Staff Selection Commission examination.
These allegations form part of the ongoing police investigation, and the case remains under inquiry.
Maharashtra Police teams remain in Bihar as part of the operation to arrest the alleged mastermind.
Investigators are examining financial records, communication details, and the roles of other suspected members of the network.
Police have indicated that further arrests are possible as the investigation progresses and additional evidence is collected regarding the alleged examination malpractice.
Crime
Delhi woman alleges sexual harassment in moving car; records incident, FIR registered

New Delhi, June 30: A 24-year-old woman has accused a man of sexually harassing her inside a moving car in East Delhi’s Mandawali area.
According to her complaint, the accused (known to the victim) allegedly lured her out on the pretext of eating momos and later insisted on stopping for CNG before diverting the vehicle to a deserted stretch.
The woman alleges that the man began making obscene remarks and pressured her into having sex. He touched her inappropriately and wouldn’t let her get out of the car. She recorded the entire incident on her mobile phone and reported the matter to the police. Based on the complaint, Mandawali police registered an FIR against the accused under relevant sections of the BNS. The accused has been caught. Further investigation is underway.
In a disturbing video, the woman could be heard pleading with the man to let her go. The man, as seen in the video, makes unwanted sexual remarks, pushing the woman to a breaking point, NDTV reported.
She recorded the incident on her mobile phone during the alleged assault.
“If you even touch me, I’ll jump in front of a vehicle and end my life,” the woman is heard saying in the shaky video that is replete with cuss words and sexually suggestive remarks.
A month ago, a similar incident came to light in Pune. A female lawyer was sexually assaulted in a moving car. Police arrested three suspects in this case. Now, a similar incident has surfaced in the national capital, Delhi.
The man who sexually assaulted the woman is known to her. According to the complaint, he lured her out on the pretext of offering her momos and then attempted to exploit her in a secluded area. However, the woman recorded the entire incident on her mobile phone.
Earlier on June 29, the Delhi High Court cancelled the bail granted to a 57-year-old private school caretaker accused of raping a three-year-old girl on the premises in west Delhi’s Janakpuri area, and asked him to surrender on July 1.
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