The Pune accident probe was on Friday transferred to the crime branch, an official said, reported the PTI. A luxury high-end car had in Pune's Kalyani Nagar crashed into a bike killing two people. The case involves a 17-year-old youngster. The case was transferred to the crime branch from the Yerawada police station on Friday evening, according to the PTI. Earlier in the day, two officials of the Yerawada police station, where the initial offence had been registered on May 19, were suspended for 'dereliction of duty'.Police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told PTI that the investigation was transferred to the crime branch to bring a coordinated approach. The crime branch was already investigating the offence registered against the father of the juvenile and owner and staffers of two liquor serving establishments (which the teenager had allegedly visited before the accident), he noted, the news agency reported. Juvenile's father, five others sent in judicial custody A Pune court in Maharashtra on Friday remanded Vishal Agarwal, father of a 17-year-old involved in a car crash that killed two persons in the city, and five other accused in the case in judicial custody till June 7, reported the PTI. The prosecution had demanded extension of their police custody for further probe. But the court remanded Vishal Agarwal and others including the owner and employees of two liquor-serving establishments -- where the teenager had allegedly consumed alcohol before his Porsche car knocked down two software professionals on a motorbike -- in judicial custody instead. Attempts were made to make it appear that the minor was not at the wheel and some adult person was driving the car at the time of the accident on May 19, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar had said earlier in the day. "We have the CCTV footage of him (juvenile) drinking liquor in the pub. The point of saying this is that our case is not alone depending on the blood report as we have other evidence also," the officer said, according to the PTI. "He (juvenile) was fully in his senses, He had full knowledge that due to his conduct, such an accident, where section 304 is applicable, can happen," Kumar said. (with PTI inputs)
24 May,2024 10:27 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentTwo police officers of the Yerawada police station in Pune were suspended on Friday for alleged dereliction of duty in connection with the Pune car crash where a 17-year-old juvenile driving a Porsche knocked down and killed two persons in the early hours of May 19, reported PTI. Inspector Rahul Jagdale and assistant police inspector Vishwanath Todkari were suspended for "late reporting" and "dereliction of duty", said additional commissioner of police Manoj Patil. The accident case was registered at the Yerwada police station following the car crash in Kalyani Nagar area of the city. Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar had said earlier in the day at a press address that internal inquiry highlighted the lapses on the part of police officials while registering the case. He admitted that there was a delay in collecting the blood samples of the juvenile who had allegedly consumed alcohol at two pubs before the accident. As per the commissioner, the accident took place around 3 am on Sunday, the blood samples were collected at 11 pm, reported PTI. Additionally, the offence was initially registered under section 304 (A) (death caused by negligence ) of IPC and later section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) was added, Kumar said. Pune car crash: Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, 'Effort was made to frame the driver' Amid the intensifying heat from the public over the Pune car crash case, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has assured that the victims will get justice and the accused will be punished. He said that the minor accused was "in his senses" at the time of the Pune car crash and that they are preparing a watertight case against the accused, reported ANI. Addressing the press on Friday regarding the Pune car crash, Kumar stated, "We are investigating both the case minutely and with full sensitivity. We are making a watertight case. The allegations of any preferential treatment given to the Minor are being investigated by an ACP rank officer...The victim will get justice and the accused will be punished." Per the ANI report, declaring that the victim will obtain justice and the accused of the Pune car crash will face punishment, he said, "We have started the process of appointing a special counsel in the case so that our side should be kept strongly in the case in court. Police are on the stringent way to handle this case."
24 May,2024 09:23 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentThe State Council for Education, Research and Training (SCERT) of the Maharashtra government classified English as a foreign language and non-compulsory subject for Classes XI and XII in a draft curriculum, reported PTI. The SCERT has also sought suggestions from the stakeholders till June 3. According the curriculum currently followed, English is a compulsory subject for these two classes. The draft curriculum says that there would be eight subjects for Classes XI and XII -- two languages, four elective subjects and two compulsory subjects. Out of two languages, one has to be chosen from a group of 17 Indian languages including Marathi, Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Sindhi, Bengali, Punjabi, Pali, Telugu, Ardhamagadhi, Maharashtri Prakrit, Avesta-Pahalvi. English has been included in the category of foreign languages along with German, French, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, Persian and Arabic. The second language could be from either the first or the second group. English, thus, would not be a compulsory language. As per the PTI report, the draft also speaks of education in interdisciplinary areas with special focus on changes that are taking place due to climate change.
24 May,2024 08:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentElections to the four seats of Maharashtra legislative council (MLC) will be held on June 26, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Friday, as per a report by PTI. The counting of votes will take place on July 1, the ECI said in a release. The tenure of the sitting members of the Mumbai, Konkan and Nashik teachers and graduates constituencies will end on July 7. As per the release, June 7 will be the last date for filing nominations, while scrutiny will take place on June 10, and the last date for withdrawal is June 12. Of the seats going to polls, Mumbai teachers' and Mumbai graduates' constituencies are currently represented by Kapil Patil (Lok Bharati) and Vilas Potnis (Shiv Sena (UBT)). Konkan division graduates' constituency is represented by the BJP's Niranjan Davkhare, while Nashik division teachers' constituency is represented by Kishore Darade. The ECI had earlier planned the elections for June 10. The poll panel changed its decision after receiving a representation from teachers requesting it to hold elections after summer vacations are over. The Maharashtra legislative council is a 78-member house. The complexities of Maharashtra’s political landscape ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections Maharashtra is the only state that has seen maximum political shockers, huge change in coalition politics and power of regional parties since the 2019 elections. From BJP-Shiv Sena alliance contesting and winning elections to Shiv Sena allying with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and finally the division of Shiv Sena and NCP, the state has seen it all. Notably, Maharashtra is the state where all its prominent parties have been the part of the government in the five-year tenure- the Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress and NCP. In the five-year tenure, the state has also witnessed some rare happenings such as, the famous 80 hours government of Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, a former chief minister demoted to deputy chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis), a leader taking oath as the deputy chief minister thrice (Ajit Pawar), a big group of sitting MLAs going missing and later one of them, Eknath Shinde turning up as the chief minister, the citizens have seen a lot.
24 May,2024 07:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has served a show-cause notice to suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna asking why his diplomatic passport should not be cancelled as sought by the Karnataka government in view of allegations of sexual abuse against him, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. Official sources on Thursday had said the MEA is processing the Karnataka government's request to cancel Prajwal's diplomatic passport. Currently, he is believed to be in Germany. The show-cause notice has been served on Prajwal as part of the process initiated to cancel his passport, the people cited above said. It is learnt that the show-cause notice was served through email. Prajwal , the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, is at the centre of a mass sexual abuse case and the Hassan MP left India on April 27, a day after voting for the Lok Sabha elections took place in his constituency. It is learnt that the MEA is undertaking the process to cancel Prajwal's diplomatic passport under the provisions of the Passports Act of 1967 as well as related regulations. If the passport is cancelled, then Prajwal's stay abroad will be illegal and he may face legal action by concerned authorities in the country he is staying, a person familiar with the matter said. On Wednesday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take "prompt and necessary" actions to cancel Prajwal's diplomatic passport. The chief minister sent a similar letter to the prime minister on May 1. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Karnataka government to probe the sexual abuse charges against Prajwal wrote the MEA to cancel his diplomatic passport after an arrest warrant was issued against him by a local court. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on Revanna's whereabouts has already been issued by the Interpol following a request by the SIT. Earlier this month, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Prajwal travelled to Germany on a diplomatic passport and he did not seek political clearance for the trip. "No political clearance was either sought from or issued by MEA in respect of the travel of the said MP to Germany," Jaiswal had said. "Obviously, no visa note was issued either. No visa is required for diplomatic passport holders to travel to Germany. The Ministry has not issued visa note for any other country," the MEA spokesperson said. Prajwal's father H D Revanna, a former Karnataka minister, was also booked on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. He is currently out on bail. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 May,2024 07:06 PM IST | New Delhi | PTINarmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar was convicted by a Delhi Court in relation to a defamation case lodged against her by V K Saxena, the current lieutenant governor of the national capital, reported PTI. According to the PTI report, Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma found Patkar guilty of criminal defamation. As per section 500 of Indian Penal Code that relates to punishment for defamation, the activist may get a jail term of two years or fine or both as the punishment. The legal battle between Patkar and Saxena has been on since 2000 after she filed a suit against him for publishing advertisements against her and the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA). Saxena was then the chief of Ahmedabad-based NGO National Council for Civil Liberties. Saxena had also filed two cases against her for making derogatory remarks against him on a TV channel and issuing a defamatory press statement.
24 May,2024 07:05 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentDrugs worth Rs 8.5 crore have been seized and four persons have been arrested in two separate operations in Assam's Cachar district on Friday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, reported news agency PTI. In a post on X, the cheif minister said,"In two successful anti-narcotic drives conducted by @cachar police, it seized a huge swath of narcotic substances" As per the PTI report, the operation was conducted jointly with the Assam Rifles. The seized contraband include 20,000 Yaba tablets and 418 gms of brown sugar. 'The price of the seized items are Rs 8.5 crore and four accused have been arrested', the chief minister added. In another incident in Mizoram, more than 1 kg of heroin worth Rs 8.4 crore has been seized by Assam Rifles and Mizoram police from Champhai district, an officer of the paramilitary force said on Friday. As per the PTI report, the joint team of Assam Rifles and Mizoram police acted on a tip-off. The joint team seized the heroin from a car at Ngur Village in east Mizoram's Champhai district on Wednesday, an officer said. The contraband was believed to be smuggled from Myanmar, she said, reported PTI. No person has been arrested in connection with the seizure, the officer added. Earlier this month, the Mizoram Police Check-gate duty at Chalbawia Junction Khankawn, while conducting random checking of vehicles on May 11, recovered 99 soap cases containing powder suspected to be heroin from one vehicle. The said vehicle was plying from Champhai towards Aizawl and the soap cases were kept concealed inside the car dashboard and within the panels of the four doors. The suspected heroin, weighing a total of 1.110 kgs with value of Rs 33,30,000 (approx.), were seized. The accused Paumuansanga was arrested and investigation to locate the origin of the contraband has been launched. On the same day, Zokhawthar Police Staff and 42th Assam Rifles, Zokhawthar Post conducted joint operation near Thangkhup Kai, Zokhawthar Village and recovered suspected Crystal Methamphetamine weighing a total of 3105 grms i.e 3.105 Kgs value of Rs 9.1 crore (approx.)
24 May,2024 06:13 PM IST | Guwahati | mid-day online correspondentA Pune court in Maharashtra on Friday remanded Vishal Agarwal, father of a 17-year-old involved in a car crash that killed two persons in the city, and five other accused in the case in judicial custody till June 7, reported the PTI. The prosecution had demanded extension of their police custody for further probe. But the court remanded Vishal Agarwal and others including the owner and employees of two liquor-serving establishments -- where the teenager had allegedly consumed alcohol before his Porsche car knocked down two software professionals on a motorbike -- in judicial custody instead. Attempts were made to make it appear that the minor was not at the wheel and some adult person was driving the car at the time of the accident on May 19, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar had said earlier in the day. "We have the CCTV footage of him (juvenile) drinking liquor in the pub. The point of saying this is that our case is not alone depending on the blood report as we have other evidence also," the officer said, according to the PTI. "He (juvenile) was fully in his senses, He had full knowledge that due to his conduct, such an accident, where section 304 is applicable, can happen," Kumar said. On the allegations of preferential treatment given to the juvenile, Kumar said an ACP rank officer is investigating the claim. On reports of the juvenile being served pizza after the incident, Kumar said, "We have clearly said that a pizza party didn't happen in the police station. But yes, something had happened on which we have initiated an internal investigation," the news agency reported on Friday. "We are trying to make this a water tight case. We have already filed a case against the father of accused and the bar owners. The technical analysis of the evidences is underway," he said. He said an internal inquiry has pointed to lapses on the part of some cops while registering the case and action will be taken against them for destruction of evidence. "During our investigation, it has clearly emerged that the juvenile was driving the car and we have already collected all the necessary chronological evidence. For example, when the juvenile left the house, the entry on the security register shows that he left with the car," he said. On the basis of technical and CCTV evidence, it is confirmed that the car was being driven by the juvenile, the police chief said. Eyewitnesses have also corroborated that the teenager, son of real estate developer Vishal Agarwal, was driving the Porsche at the time of the accident, he said. (with PTI inputs)
24 May,2024 05:41 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentDr. Krishna Ella, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, has been awarded the prestigious Dean’s medal by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The award was presented to Dr. Ella during Bloomberg School’s Convocation Ceremony on May 22 in Baltimore, Maryland, for his exceptional leadership, enduring vision and contribution to improving public health. "John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health acknowledges Dr. Ella’s pioneering work, remarkable influence, and determination to develop an indigenous, innovative, and safe vaccines focused on global public health," stated a media statement by the company. On receiving the Dean’s Medal from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Dr. Krishna Ella said, “I acknowledge this medal as a global recognition of India’s scientific excellence, and dedicate this medal to Bharat, which has shown remarkable success by advancing science and R&D, to our exemplary team of scientists, and the results of our strong commitment to public.” Under Dr. Ella’s guidance, Bharat Biotech during the COVID-19 pandemic, developed COVAXIN, India’s first Indigenous COVID-19 vaccine in a record time, conducting the largest-ever human clinical trials and peer-reviewed by world-leading medical journals. "COVAXIN has been instrumental in the country’s vision of self-reliance, in the fight against the virus, demonstrating significant efficacy and safety. The vaccine has been distributed globally, reinforcing Dr. Ella’s commitment to advancing healthcare accessibility and innovation worldwide. He now serves as the President of the Indian Vaccine Manufacturers’ Association (IVMA)," the statement stated. Who is Dr Ella Dr. Ella is a first-generation entrepreneur, who established Bharat Biotech in the year 1996 is widely acknowledged for not only leading his company into paediatric and adult vaccine development, but also establishing other enterprises focused on human health, animal health (Biovet India), food processing (Ella Foods), and contract research services.
24 May,2024 04:49 PM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe West Bengal CID on Thursday evening detained one person for his alleged involvement in the "murder" of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar, an officer said. Anar, who went missing in Kolkata on May 13, was found murdered and three people have been arrested, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Wednesday. As per an official, the detained person, who is a resident of an area in West Bengal close to the international border with Bangladesh, had met one of the prime accused in the murder case, reported PTI. Further investigation is underway to find out the reason of their meeting and what they discussed, the officer said, without revealing the identity of the detained person. As per a PTI report, police suspect that the MP could have been "lured" into a flat in Kolkata's New Town area and then murdered by contract killers. An initial probe also found out that the MP's close friend, a US citizen, had paid around Rs 5 crore to those involved in the crime, the senior police officer said. The Awami League MP's friend owns a flat in Kolkata, and is probably in the US at present, he said. Police also said that the flat in Kolkata's New Town area, where the Bangladesh MP was last seen entering, was rented out to his friend by its owner, an excise department employee. "Investigation indicated that the Bangladeshi parliamentarian fell into a honey trap laid by a woman who was also close to the victim's friend. It seems, Anar was lured into the New Town flat by the woman. We suspect he was murdered soon after he went to the flat," he said. The CID is examining the CCTV footage which showed Anar entering the flat with a man and a woman, the officer said. "It was a well-planned murder. A huge amount of money, around Rs 5 crore, was paid by an old friend of the MP to the contract killers to execute the crime. Further investigation is underway," he said. "In the CCTV footage, the politician was seen entering the flat with the two persons. The duo was later seen coming out and again re-entering the flat the next day but the MP was not seen again," the officer told PTI. Police said the duo was later seen coming out of the flat with a big trolley suitcase. The state CID, which is investigating the case, has found blood stains inside the New Town flat and also recovered several plastic bags, which they believe were used to dump the body parts. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the MP was first strangulated and then his body was cut into several pieces, police claimed. "We suspect that after killing Anar, the murderers mutilated the body, segregated the flesh from the bones and mixed those with turmeric powder to delay decomposition. "Then the body parts were probably put inside plastic bags as well as in the trolley bag and scattered at different locations. We also suspect that some parts were kept in a refrigerator and we have collected samples," the officer said, adding search for the body parts was underway. Messages were also sent from his mobile phone to a few of his contacts asking them "not to contact him as he was travelling to Delhi". "It seems these messages were sent from the MP's mobile phone to confuse his family members and friends and prevent them from launching a search for him... there is a possibility that these messages were sent after his murder," he said. The search for the missing MP, who reportedly arrived in Kolkata on May 12 to undergo medical treatment, began after Gopal Biswas, a resident of Baranagar in north Kolkata and an acquaintance of the Bangladeshi politician, filed a complaint with the local police on May 18. Anar had stayed at Biswas's house upon arrival. In his complaint, Biswas stated that Anar left his Baranagar residence for a doctor's appointment in the afternoon of May 13, while stating that he would be back home for dinner. Biswas claimed that the Bangladesh MP went out of communication since May 17, which prompted him to file a missing complaint a day later.
24 May,2024 04:43 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentA three-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped and killed by her 32-year-old neighbour in southwest Delhi, the police said on Friday, reported the PTI. The girl's body was found in a drain and the accused was arrested after a brief exchange of fire, an official said. According to police, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the victim's family reported the kidnapping of their daughter from the Kapashera area in Delhi. "A police team was sent to the spot immediately. The victim's mother told police that they have been staying here in a rented accommodation for the last five years," Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest), Rohit Meena said, according to the PTI. "She told us that her daughter was playing outside of the house and at around 6 pm, her daughter was kidnapped by a neighbour," the DCP said. On her complaint, an FIR was lodged by the police and a massive search operation was launched by a team of police officials to trace the girl and the suspect. The police, while examining the CCTV footage spotted the suspect and the child, an official said. "In one of the CCTV camera footage, the accused was seen with the girl going towards a drain at around 7.05 pm. In the same camera, he was found returning alone without the girl at around 7.25 pm," DCP Meena said, as per the PTI. The accused who was identified as Anil (34), was traced and detained at about 11.55 pm, the same day from a bus heading towards Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, he said. "He was interrogated and initially denied having played any role whatsoever in the kidnapping. But during sustained interrogation, he broke down and admitted to having killed and dumped the girl in a marshy drain located at the border of Gurgaon and Kapashera," DCP said, as per the PTI. The police said that Anil then led the team to the drain, where they launched a search operation, he said. The crime and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams were also called to the spot, he said. "After a long search operation lasting more than an hour in the dark, the girl's body was finally found dumped in the marshy drain," he added. "At that moment, the accused sensed an opportunity to escape. He grabbed the loaded service revolver of a police officer, tried to escape from custody, and fired at the team. The police fired in self-defence and hit him. He was immediately rushed to Indira Gandhi Hospital," Meena said. "The body was examined by the FSL and crime team. The accused was arrested and is now in judicial custody. The body was sent for post-mortem," Meena said. "Police are probing all angles including if the girl was sexually exploited," DCP Meena added. (with PTI inputs)
24 May,2024 04:34 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
