‘Cow Hug Day’
New Delhi: The Animal Welfare Board of India has appealed to
people to celebrate ‘Cow Hug Day’ on February 14 to spread positive energy and
encourage collective happiness.
The board has issued a notice in this regard under the
Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. It stated that hugging cows will
bring "emotional richness" and increase "individual and
collective happiness".
Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 every year.
Since being announced, netizens bombarded Twitter with
hilarious comments, memes, and videos on the celebration of Cow Hug Day.
However, some have also appreciated the move.
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China’s surveillance airships
Washington: China has operated a fleet of spy balloons
targeting several countries including India and Japan, a media report has said,
days after the US military shot down a Chinese surveillance craft floating over
sensitive installations in the country.
US officials have briefed its friends and allies including
India on the finds of the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down by a
fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday.
Officials have said these surveillance airships, operated in
part by the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) air force, have been spotted over
five continents, the daily reported.
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Rescue underway in Turkey
Ankara: Rescue efforts continued on Thursday, driving up the
death toll to over 15,000 as more bodies
were found in the rubble, injuring over 10,000.
President Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday admitted there were
problems with his government’s initial response to a devastating earthquake in
southern Turkey, amid anger from those left destitute over the slow arrival of
rescue teams.
Turkish officials say some 13.5 million people were affected
in an area in the west of Diyarbakir .
India’s ‘Operation
Dosth’- the sixth plane carrying rescue personnel, essentials and medical
equipment for earthquake relief efforts reached Turkey on Thursday.
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2500 Arrested for facilitating child marriage
Guwahati: More than 2,500 people have been arrested across
the state so far, of which at least 78 are women.
Assam Inspector General (Law & Order) Prasanta Kumar
Bhuyan, said that arrests were done as
per the evidence of facilitating child marriages.
According to Delhi-based advocate Lakshya Dheer, the law
does not limit the power of police to make arrests.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, says that any
person who promote , permit, participate or fails to prevent child marriage
shall be punishable.
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RBI Governor on the Adani-Hindenburg row
New Delhi: Amid concerns over the controversy surrounding
the Adani Group and its impact on the domestic financial system, the Reserve
Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said that the Indian banking system is much larger to
be affected by any individual incident.
He reiterated that the banks are well-capitalised and have
compiled a large exposure frame of the RBI.
The stocks of various listed companies of the Adani Group
came under heavy selling pressure since January 25, after the US-based short
seller Hindenburg Research came out with a report accusing it of a ‘brazen
stock manipulation and accounting fraud’.
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Man died while cleaning septic tank
Chennai: A 47-year-old man died while cleaning a septic tank
at an apartment in Chennai on Tuesday.
Senthil Kumar and Praveen (19) developed breathing
difficulty after they entered the septic tank at Karapakkam. While Praveen
managed to get outside the tank, Kumar fell unconscious.
Police sent Kumar’s body to the Royapettah Government
Hospital for a postmortem. The cause of the death is yet to be ascertained,
they believe it could be asphyxiation.
Kumar had been living alone since his separation from his
wife a few years ago, and Praveen was engaged by a contractor to clean the
septic tank.
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AMMK withdrew candidature
Chennai: Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) founder TTV
Dhinakaran Tuesday announced that his party will not contest in the Erode (East)
Assembly by-poll.
He added that they have taken the decision as the Election
Commission (EC) did not allow them to use the pressure cooker symbol on which
the party had contested previous polls.
Dhinakaran’s party had named Sivaprashant as its candidate
and even filed his nomination last Friday.
Dhinakaran in a
statement noted that as per the recommendation of the party’s high command,
they have decided not to contest by-poll
but will contest with their old symbol in future.
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After 28 months and a long fight, I am out: Sidheeque Kappan
Siddique Kappan’s release came more than a month after he
was granted bail on December 23 by the Allahabad High Court in a money
laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate.
Lucknow: More than two years after he was arrested by the
Uttar Pradesh Police while heading to the Hathras home of a young Dalit woman
who died after a gangrape, journalist Sidheeque Kappan was released on bail
from Lucknow jail Thursday morning.
“After 28 months and a long fight, I am out today. I got a
lot of support from the media and I am happy,” Kappan told reporters.
Speaking to The Indian Express, he said, “I would not say
that I was arrested because I am a Muslim. Everyone keeps saying that, but I
don’t agree. I say I was arrested because I am a journalist and because I am
from Kerala.
I am a practising Muslim, but I believe that it was my
identity as a journalist from Kerala which was used to target me.”
Senior Jail Superintendent Ashish Tiwari said Kappan was
released at 8.30 am. “All paperwork was completed, and then he was released,”
he said.
Kappan’s release came more than a month after he was granted
bail on December 23 by the Allahabad High Court in a money laundering case
filed by the Enforcement Directorate.
Kappan had earlier been granted bail by the Supreme Court on
September 9 last year in an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act case after
being booked by the UP Police for alleged links with the radical Popular Front
of India – the Centre banned the PFI and its affiliates days later.
Asked about the charges filed against him by police, Kappan
said, “I had gone to do reporting there (in Hathras). What is wrong with that?…
Nothing was found on me except my laptop and mobile phone. I had two pens and a
notebook too.”
Kappan and three others were held in Mathura on October 5,
2020 while heading to Hathras.
While granting Kappan bail in the UAPA case, the Supreme
Court inquired what exactly had been found against him, and also noted “the
length of custody undergone”.
In December, a Lucknow court had framed charges against
Kappan and six others in the PMLA case. The other accused were identified as K
A Rauf Sherif, Atikur Rahman, Masud Ahmad, Mohammad Alam, Abdul Razzak and
Ashraf Khadir.
The police claimed that the accused were members of the
banned PFI and its student wing, Campus Front of India (CFI).
Following his release Thursday, Kappan said, “I have lived
in Delhi since 2013 and used to cover the Supreme Court, Parliament, Congress
and issues related to Dalit and minority communities.
I was picked up by police from Mathura and was charged with
breach of peace. Those raising allegations against me that I was not a
journalist may consider that I was the secretary of the Kerala Union of Working
Journalists, and a member of the Press Club of India. Do they say that these
are so-called press bodies?”
“I would like to state that all these allegations leveled
against me are false, and all I have done in my professional career since 2009
is journalistic. Nothing more, nothing less,” he said.
On the police claim in the chargesheet that he did not write
like a “responsible”
journalist and filed reports “to incite Muslims”, he said,
“The chargesheet filed against me says that I was a Maoist-sympathiser, and
that my writings incited Muslims. I have always written on Dalit, minority and
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. It was part of my beat.”
“My work as a
journalist and my passion for writing and reporting about oppressed communities
will not be affected by anything that has happened over the last 28 months. My
resolve is intact. This period has been very difficult for my family and me. I
have a son, Muzammil, who is 19, and two minor children… One can imagine what
life would be for a family when the only earning member is jailed for more than
two years,” he said.
What is the UAPA case against him?
The Wire
An FIR has been lodged against Siddique Kappan and three
others who were arrested by the UP
police in Mathura while on their way to Hathras and were booked under provisions of the Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sedition.
Charging them under sections 124A (sedition), 153A (for
promoting enmity between groups) and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the
IPC, sections 14 and 17 of UAPA, sections 65, 72 and 76 of the Information
Technology Act.
They were arrested near Mathura with Kappan heading to
Hathras to cover the present situation in the area in light of the death of the
19-year-old woman who was allegedly gang-raped by four Thakur men.
As per section 17 of the UAPA, “Whoever raises funds for the
purpose of committing a terrorist act shall be punishable with imprisonment for
a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to
imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine”.
The Press Club of India (PCI) in its statement condemning
the arrest of the journalist and demanding his immediate release, had said, “In
these circumstances our worry is that UP Police may not fight shy of using
anti-terrorism provisions with which to charge the Kerala journalist.”
Section 14 of the UAPA reads, “Whoever knowingly holds any
property derived or obtained from commission of any terrorist act or acquired
through the terrorist fund shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.”
In the FIR, the sub-inspector accuses the four of carrying
pamphlets reading ‘Justice for Hathras Victim’ and moving towards the district
to disrupt peace as part of a “big conspiracy”.
Several journalists unions and bodies had condemned Kappan’s
arrest, saying he was trying to do his duty as a reporter. Kappan is a
Delhi-based Malayalam language journalist and secretary of the Kerala Union of
Working Journalists (KUWJ)’s Delhi unit. The Union had also filed a petition in
the Supreme Court of India, asking it to “issue a writ in the nature of Habeas
corpus or any other appropriate writ, or orders directing the
respondent…produce Mr. Sidhique Kappan before this Hon’ble court, and release
him from illegal detention.”
The three others arrested have been identified as Atiq-ur
Rehman, Masood Ahmed and Alam. While Rehman and Ahmed are members of the Campus
Front of India (CFI), the student wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI),
Alam was driving the vehicle in which they were travelling to Hathras.
The PFI had said that “the UP Police is trying to divert the
attention of the issue by creating a conspiracy theory”. According to a
statement released by the organisation, “Such acts only show their nervousness
due to the growing anger among the people of UP and rest of the country. The
Popular Front will not be intimidated by such tactics of suppression by the UP
govt.”
The UP police had claimed that the four men were stopped at
a toll after they received information that some “suspicious people were on
their way to Hathras from Delhi”. According to a statement by the police, a
laptop, their mobile phones and some literature, which ‘could have an impact on
peace, and law and order in the state’, have been seized from them. The police
allege that the arrested persons received foreign funding to organise protests.
In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on Tuesday,
the UP government claimed that the protests demanding justice to the Dalit
woman who was allegedly gang-raped in Hathras district involved a “criminal
conspiracy to spread caste conflict, instigating violence, incidents of vicious
propaganda by sections of media and political interests.” It claimed
“orchestrated efforts” have been made to malign the image of the government.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/IlF67ULvAdvBmlkpaG2zdaVI2OsJal-ufbAizFmw8VvuwgSbLn4kURxIfPJqGlAF0BUqhK4NI1PY_NSujFq_YLCzv5ldq6VlfGo6CsdKD8JPC6WpTiYJo7wj-E9AkHXbcR3GzNtr9LqgbY-f5GPosm0
What is the ED case against him?
The Hindu
Jailed Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan and six other
people were charged in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case .
The Special Judge of Enforcement Directorate (ED) matters
Sanjay Shankar Pandey asked the federal agency to produce its witnesses before
the court, on December 17.
Besides Mr. Kappan, the other accused in the case are K. A.
Rauf Sherif, Atikur Rahman, Masud Ahmad, Mohammad Alam, Abdul Razzak and Ashraf
Khadir.
The ED had booked Mr. Kappan in the PMLA case for allegedly
obtaining money from a foreign country illegally, and utilising it in acts
against the interest of the nation.
A court here has framed charges against jailed Kerala-based
journalist Siddique Kappan and six other people in a Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA) case.
The Special Judge of Enforcement Directorate (ED) matters
Sanjay Shankar Pandey asked the federal agency to produce its witnesses before
the court, on December 17.
Besides Mr. Kappan, the other accused in the case are K. A.
Rauf Sherif, Atikur Rahman, Masud Ahmad, Mohammad Alam, Abdul Razzak and Ashraf
Khadir.
The ED had booked Mr. Kappan in the PMLA case for allegedly
obtaining money from a foreign country illegally, and utilising it in acts
against the interest of the nation.
Mr. Kappan was arrested along with three others on October
6, 2020 while on their way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, to report on the
alleged gang rape and killing of a 19-year-old woman. He has been in jail since
then.
The police had initially booked the journalist for offences
under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Subsequently, the ED
also lodged a case against him under the anti-money-laundering law.
The Central agency has charged Mr. Kappan, Mr. Rahman, Mr.
Ahmed and Mr. Alam of receiving money from the now-banned Popular Front of
India to "incite riots".
Mr. Rahman is the national treasurer of the Campus Front of
India, a student body of the PFI. Mr. Ahmed is the general secretary of the
Campus Front of India's Delhi unit, while Mr. Alam is a member of the outfit as
well as the PFI.
Mr. Sherif, the national general secretary of the Campus
Front of India, had funded their trip to Hathras, the Enforcement Directorate
has claimed.
Indian Express
The ED prosecution complaint (equivalent to a chargesheet)
was filed against five office bearers and members of the Popular Front of India
(PFI) and its student wing Campus Front of India (CFI), claiming that the
organisation funded and participated in anti-CAA protests of 2019-20, the
February 2020 Delhi riots and the Hathras protests.
The ED prosecution named Kappan; Atikur Rahman, national
treasurer of CFI; Masud Ahmed, Delhi general secretary of CFI; and Md Alam, a
CFI/PFI member, as the accused in this case.
The ED claimed in its prosecution complaint that the
national general secretary of CFI, K A Rauf Sherif, raised funds through PFI
members in the Gulf and channeled them into India through fraudulent transactions.
Though the ED prosecution complaint was limited to the
Hathras case, the agency had claimed “proceeds of crime amounting to around Rs
1.36 crore was obtained as a result of criminal activity relating to the
offence of criminal conspiracy under section 120-B of IPC and part of it was
used by PFI/CFI office bearers/members/activists in India for their continuous
unlawful activities over time, which included, but were not limited to, funding
of anti-CAA protests, inciting violence and fomenting trouble which led to
Delhi riots in the month of February 2020; and in respect to the more specific
incident investigated in this Prosecution Complaint, which was the purported
visit of PFI/CFI to Hathras with intent to disturb communal harmony, incite communal
riots and spread terror”.
Why was Kappan granted bail in the ED case?
The New Indian Express
Kappan was granted bail by the Lucknow bench of the
Allahabad High Court on December 23,2022. In his order, Justice Dinesh Kumar
Singh said: “Except for allegations that Rs 5,000 was transferred in the bank
account of co-accused, Atikur Rahman, there is no other transaction, either in
the bank account of the accused-applicant or in the bank account of
co-accused.”The Allahabad HC said Kappan was entitled to be released on bail as
the “proceeds of crime is less than Rs 1 crore and there is no likelihood” that
Kappan will “commit the same offence in future”.
What did the Supreme court say while granting him bail?
The Hindu
Asking several pointed questions which struck at the Uttar
Pradesh government’s claims of a ‘conspiracy’ by the journalist, Chief Justice
of India U.U. Lalit said in court on Friday, September 9,2022 that the “Supreme
Court will grant Kappan bail.”
“Every person has the right to free expression. He is trying
to show that victim need justice and raise a common voice. Is that a crime in
the eyes of the law?” he asked, according to LiveLaw‘s tweets of the hearing.
The bench, also comprising Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, said
that Kappan will be taken to the trial court within three days and shall be
released on bail on conditions which include the stipulation that he has to
stay within the jurisdiction of Jangpura in New Delhi for the first six weeks.
Kappan will also be required to record his presence at the local police station
every Monday for that duration, after which he can go to Kerala, where he will
be required to report to the local police station every Monday.
Kappan is originally from Kerala. At the time of his arrest
his workplace was Delhi.
His passport will have to be deposited with the
“investigative machinery,” the court dictated.
“The appellant shall not misuse the liberty and shall not
get in touch with any of the persons connected with the controversy,” the court
pointed out.
As Kappan’s counsel Kapil Sibal noted in court, Kappan will
also need to attend proceedings to secure bail under the PMLA case which has
been slapped against him. “The conditions as stated above shall stand relaxed
to the extent the appellant is required to avail of the relief of bail,” the
apex court noted.
The Uttar Pradesh Police charged him under stringent laws,
alleging that he was part of a conspiracy to ignite violence.
Kappan was booked under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (for
promoting enmity between groups) and 295A (outraging religious feelings) of the
Indian Penal Code, Sections 14 and 17 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
Sections 65, 72 and 76 of the Information Technology Act.
In response to the Supreme Court’s latest notice it opposed
his bail alleging that has “deep links” with the Popular Front of India, which
is not a banned organisation.
These claims were repeated by senior advocate Mahesh
Jethmalani, representing Uttar Pradesh, in court today. “On October 5, they had
decided to go to Hathras to incite riots. He was funded with Rs 45,000 to
create riots,” he said.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court had earlier
rejected Kappan’s bail application, saying the journalist had “no work” in
Hathras. Kappan had challenged this order at the Supreme Court.
The CJI asked several pointed questions to the opposing
counsel in court today, in large part following up on the Uttar Pradesh
police’s claims, according to LiveLaw‘s tweets from the hearing.
After ascertaining if Kappan had “done anything in
furtherance of the literature” and being told by opposing counsel that Uttar
Pradesh government has “statements of co-accused,” the CJI noted that
“statements of co-accused” cannot be used as evidence.
The CJI also countered claims by Uttar Pradesh that the case
was fit for trial soon by noting that if it was in the process of finding an
approver over the above fact, then the case wasn’t going into trial.
“At best you can say this man was traveling in a car, and he
was apprehended with three others, there was some literature in the car, the
other three are linked with PFI?” CJI Lalit then said.
The CJI also further questioned the cops’ claim on
literature found with Kappan having been dangerous.
Kappan’s time in jail was fraught with what his family and
the Kerala Union of Working Journalists have repeatedly alleged were severe
human rights impingements. In December
2020, it said Kappan had been “beaten thrice and subjected to mental torture
during custody”.
His prolonged incarceration has attracted global
condemnation and is often noted as a marker of India’s declining press freedom.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists, in a statement
released after the bail order, noted that it will continue the legal fight till
Kappan is “relieved of all false charges imposed on him.”
“The order is historic in the context of the continuing
attacks against the freedom of press and independent journalism,” the KUWJ also
noted.
The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) also issued a statement
on September 9, welcoming the top court order on Kappan’s bail, saying, “The
DUJ appreciates the efforts taken by the family, colleagues and friends of Kappan, the KUWJ and advocates including senior
lawyer Kapil Sibal to ensure justice for Kappan.”
“The DUJ will continue to stand with Kappan in the legal
fight against the false cases filed against him. The bail order, it feels, is
historic as it upholds and protects the freedom of expression in the face of
multiple threats today,” it added.
What was the delay in Kappan’s release in the ED case?
The Indian Express, The Mint
Kappan’s lawyer, advocate Mohammad Danish K S, said that the
delay was due to the verification of the local sureties. “In the UAPA case, it
took 90 days for the verification of sureties. In the ED case on January 6, we
had presented our sureties and the verification began on January 12. The delay
in his release was on account of the verification of the sureties,” Danish told
The Indian Express.
(Kappan's attorney Ishan Baghel said that there was a delay
in authenticating the two sureties for ₹1 lakh that he was required to submit
before being granted bail. The sureties could not, however, be submitted in
court after being vetted on due to the lawyers' strike.)
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