New Delhi: The Patiala House Court on Saturday extended the judicial custody of Shankar Mishra, the man accused of urinating on an elderly female co-passenger in a drunk state on board a New York-New Delhi Air India flight in November last year, by 14 days.
On January 7, the court had sent Mishra to 14-day judicial custody, which was extended till February 4 on Saturday.
Earlier, in the wake of Air India banning Mishra from flying for four months on the basis of its internal committee report, his legal counsel had opposed the findings of the panel, saying that they are ready to file an appeal.
“We respect the authority and mandate of the internal inquiry committee, but we disagree with its findings and are already in the process of challenging this decision in accordance with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) civil aviation requirements for unruly passengers,” Mishra’s lawyers had said.
Aviation regulator DGCA had also imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India besides suspended the licence of the pilot-in-command for three months in connection with the Air India urination case.
Moreover, the regulator had imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakh on the director of inflight services of Air India for failing to discharge her duties on November 26, 2022.
The incident of passenger misbehaviour which occurred on the AI-102 flight from New York to New Delhi came to the notice of DGCA on January 4.
After Mishra claimed that the complainant had soiled her own seat, the latter had rubbished the allegation, saying it was “completely false and concocted”.
“The said allegation is also in complete contradiction and a complete volte-face of the statements and the pleaded case of the accused in his bail application,” she had said.
The victim had said that her intention has all along been to ensure that institutional changes are made so that no individual has to go through the “horrendous experience” she went through.
“Instead of being remorseful for the utterly disgusting act committed by him, he has adopted a campaign of spreading misinformation and falsities with the intent of further harassing the victim,” she had said.
On January 13, Mishra told the court that he is not the accused.
“There must be someone else who peed or it must be her who urinated,” he had said.
He also claimed that the woman was suffering from some prostate-related disease.
Hyderabad: Two persons were arrested for selling banned electronic cigarettes near Shezan Hotel, at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday.
The Commissioner’s Task Force, Central Zone team along with Begum Bazaar police apprehended the duo Mohammad Abdul Razzack aka Ameer Hamza, and Mohammad Abdul Qader aka Faraz based on credible information from sources.
The police said that the two accused belong to New Bowenpally, Pension Lane, Secunderabad. Since a few days the accused were posting ads for selling e-cigarettes on social media platforms Facebook, Instagram by creating the page styled as “Vapes Hyderabad” and attracting the consumers, who are mostly college students and teenagers.
The accused purchased e-cigarettes from Mumbai through courier at a rate of Rs 1200 and sold the same for Rs 2500. They delivered the products on their two-wheeler vehicle.
The banned e-cigarettes for sale, two mobile phones and a two-wheeler Activa vehicle were seized from their possession.
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Harish Chander, the man accused of dragging Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal by car for 10-15 metres outside the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on January 19 after her hand got stuck in the vehicle’s window.
Sanghamitra, the Mahila Court Metropolitan Magistrate at the Saket court complex, noted that at this point, it is not proved whether the accused might threaten witnesses or tamper with evidence.
“Considering the facts and circumstances of the present case, I am of the view that no useful purpose will be served by keeping the accused behind bars,” she said.
She granted Chander bail on certain conditions like he shall not attemot to get in touch with the complainant, her family members, witnesses, threaten them or tamper with any evidence.
Directing the accused to cooperate with the probe, she directed the accused to furnish a bond of Rs 50,000 along with a surety of the same amount.
Chander was arrested after a case under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Kotla Mubarakpur police station.
Chander’s counsel submitted that Maliwal has falsely implicated his client in the case, adding that the his client drove away the car further as he was afraid of being looted.
The court was informed that the police have declared that the matter would not need any further custodial interrogation.
Maliwal’s lawyer said that it is important to take into account the danger the individual poses to the citizens of the national capital.
The DCW chief had alleged that she was molested by a drunk man while on an inspection at night, adding that she was dragged for 10-15 metres by his car outside AIIMS after her hand got stuck in the vehicle’s window.
After a video of the incident surfaced on social media, several BJP leaders had termed the incident as a staged drama by Maliwal, intended to defame Delhi internationally by showing the national capital as an unsafe city for women. They had also claimed that the accused Chander is a prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker in the Sangam Vihar area. Incidentally, Maliwal is an AAP appointee.
Coming down heavily on the BJP’s allegations on Saturday, Maliwal said that she will keep fighting till she is alive.
Taking to Twitter, Maliwal said: “Let me tell those who think that they will scare me by telling dirty lies about me. I have done many big things in this short life, with a shroud on my head. I was attacked many times, but did not stop. With every atrocity, the fire inside me grew stronger. No one can suppress my voice. I will keep fighting as long as I am alive!”
New Delhi: An Indian Air Force officer was on Saturday arrested for allegedly making a hoax bomb call to delay the departure of the Mumbai Rajdhani Express from New Delhi Railway Station, police said.
The PCR command room informed the police regarding the call at 4.48 pm, they said, adding that the train was scheduled to leave for Mumbai at 4.55 pm.
The Bomb Disposal Squad of the railways and the central district were called. The Railway Protection Force also joined the operation, but no explosive substances were found, police said.
“The mobile number was tracked and it was found that Sunil Sangwan (35), a Sergeant in the Indian Air Force, made the call,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Hareesh HP said.
A police officer said an FIR under relevant IPC sections and the Indian Railway Act was registered against Sangwan and he was later arrested.
According to police, Sangwan was scheduled to board the train to go to his place of posting at the Airforce station in Santacruz, Mumbai. He got late and drunk dialed the railways to delay the departure of the train from Delhi.
“The caller was traced from coach B-9 seat number-1. His identity was established through his Indian Air Force Id card. The mobile handset which he used to make the PCR call has also been recovered,” the DCP said.
“The caller was subjected to a medical examination which confirmed he was drunk. Legal action, as per law, is being taken against him,” he added.
Fatehpur: A case has been registered against 10 named people, including a Vice Chancellor, and 50 others unidentified people for alleged illegal religious conversion of a man, police said on Saturday.
Police filed the case responding to a complaint filed by one Sarvendra Vikram Singh, a resident of Sultanpur district, who said he had come to Fatehpur for some work on January 25, 2021, Circle officer (City) Veer Singh said.
He later met a man named Ramchandra in Sujrahi village, who told him that the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, was giving money on adopting Christianity, and it will also bear the running expenses for his family.
Ramchandra took Sarvendra to the Indian Press Church in Deviganj, where he met a priest, who told him about the money offer and also a job upon conversion.
After this, Sarvendra went with the priest to Naini in Prayagraj where underwent the conversion, the CO said.
SHUATS Vice Chancellor RB Lal is among the 10 people named in the FIR, he said.
“Sarvendra had adopted Christianity from Hinduism. Subsequently, he again converted back to Hinduism, and then lodged a police complaint, after realizing his mistake,” the CO said.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued directions to block the first episode of the BBC Documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’ on YouTube, and other social media platforms. The social media platform Twitter was asked to block more than 50 tweets containing the links of the video on YouTube. However, by the time the direction to delete was issued, more than a lakh people had already watched the documentary.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting later issued another set of directions for people who have already watched the documentary. Ministry asks the people who have already watched the documentary to donate their eyes. The ministry used the emergency powers under the IT rules, 2021 to issue the directions.
On the other hand, UK has condemned the banning of broadcasting saying are we living in North Korea or in world under a British rule?
[ Disclaimer: With inputs from The Fauxy, an entertainment portal. The content is purely for entertainment purpose and readers are advised not to confuse the articles as genuine and true, these Articles are Fictitious meant only for entertainment purposes. ]
Fire tenders in extinguishing operations at a parking lot near Numaish.
Hyderabad: Panic prevailed at Numaish parking lot after four cars caught fire near Gruhakalpa Building at Nampally on Saturday evening.
According to officials, the fire started in a garbage heap near the parking lot. Initially one car caught fire and later it spread rapidly and engulfed three more cars parked nearby.
The vehicles were reportedly parked by visitors of Numaish within the vicinity of Gruhakalpa Building at Nampally. On information, two fire tenders were rushed to the spot and immediately the flames were doused.
The traffic police diverted the traffic since there was a heavy rush for Numaish for the weekend.
Hyderabad: The Vanakalam season has brought good luck as 64.30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy worth Rs.13,750 crore was procured from 9.76 lakh farmers in the state.
This is a huge increase when compared to 2014-15 where 11.04 lakh metric tonnes were
Hyderabad: The Vanakalam season has brought good luck as 64.30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy worth Rs 13,750 crore was procured from 9.76 lakh farmers in the state.
This is a huge increase compared to 2014-15 where 11.04 lakh metric tonnes were procured.
The Vanakalm season concluded after 94 days. It began on October 21 last year.
Consumer Affairs Food & Civil Supplies Minister G Kamalakar said on Saturday that those who harvested late during the season can still procure till Tuesday, January 24.
According to the minister, 7,024 procurement centers were set up ensuring no farmer should be left behind.
“Considering the hardships faced by farmers from remote areas in transporting their stocks, procurement centers were set up within their reach. Already, 12,700 crores were deposited into the farmer’s account and the balance will be credited in a week,” he said in a meeting with officials.
Nizamabad stood first with 5.86 lakh metric tonnes of procured paddy followed by 4.75 lakh metric tonnes from Kamareddy and 4.13 lakh metric tonnes from Nalgonda.
New Delhi: Majority of pilots feel that the DGCA action on the pilot-in-command (PIC) of the Air India aircraft, in which a man urinated on a fellow woman passenger on-board, was not necessary.
Noting the fact that the PIC had informed the senior management of the airline about the urination incident on November 26, 2022 soon after it happened, sources claimed that pilots’ body – Indian Pilots’ Guild may take legal recourse or choose other options following action by the aviation regulator DGCA in which the licence of the PIC of the flight was suspended for three months.
Sources claimed that the action of the regulator on the PIC has not gone down well with most of the pilots and they are mulling on options against this.
A senior pilot claimed that the PIC concerned had acted very maturely and timely in the case.
“The matter was reported to the senior management of the company at that time. We believe that he has been punished unnecessarily in this matter,” he added.
Email exchanges have disclosed that Air India’s senior management was made aware of the incident two hours after it took place.
As per reports, Air India CEO, Campbell Wilson also received an e-mail from the woman passenger’s son-in-law on the same evening, and forwarded the mail to the head of customer care, asking that it be attended to.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India and suspended the license of pilot-in-command for three months in the Air India urination case.
Moreover, the regulator also imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakh on Director-in-flight services of Air India for failing to discharge duties.
The incident of passenger misbehaviour which occurred on AI-102 flight on November 26, 2022 from New York to New Delhi, came to the notice of DGCA on January 4, 2023 wherein a male passenger conducted himself in a disorderly manner and allegedly relieved himself on a female passenger, said a senior DGCA official.
DGCA had earlier issued showcause notice to Accountable Manager of Air India, director in-flight services of Air India, all the pilots and cabin crew members of that flight as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations.
DGCA received the written reply of Air India and the personnel involved and were examined.
Accordingly, enforcement actions have been taken in the instant case.
“Financial penalty of Rs 30,00,000 has been imposed on Air India for violation of applicable DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements. License of Pilot-In-Command of the said flight has been suspended for a period of three months for failing to discharge his duties as per Rule 141 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and applicable DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements. And, a financial penalty of Rs 3,00,000 has been imposed on Director-in-flight services of Air India for failing to discharge her duties as per applicable DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements,” said the regulator on Friday.
These past few days have been dominated by events that took place in Turkey and followed up in Hyderabad. Nawab Mir Barakat Ali Khan who was popularly known as Mukarram Jah Bahadur passed away in Istanbul, Turkey at 89 on January 14. His body was shifted to Hyderabad in a chartered aircraft the next day evening. A few selected groups of people were allowed to pay him their last respects that night.
The next day the general public was facilitated to enter the Chowmahalla Palace to see him for the last time between 8-00 am and 1-00 pm. The body was later shifted to Makkah Masjid where he was interned in a grave alongside the other Asaf Jahi rulers.
One question that has lingered on in the minds of the people is: Why he did not choose to be buried next to his grandfather, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Seventh Nizam, in the foreground of Masjid Judi located in the premises of King Kothi? It was the Seventh Nizam who had chosen him over his first son Azam Jah Bahadur to be his successor.
In the night of January 20th, Mukarram Jah’s first son Mir Mohammad Azmat Ali Khan Azmet Jah has been anointed as the new head of the family. The press note issued by the Palace said that the successor of Mukarram Jah was declared in the presence of “immediate family members, trustees, close friends, well-wishers, and staff members.”
Leaving out Muffakham Jah
Surprisingly, among these “immediate family members…” Muffakham Jah, the only brother of the late Prince, was not present. According to Palace sources, Muffakham Jah who was there at the Palace and later at Makkah Masjid during the last ceremonies was not informed about this succession ceremony. Why?
Muffakham Jah
What is left of the grand old Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan who owned huge tracts of land in Hyderabad and on its outskirts, Golconda Fort, several palaces, etc.? (For reference please refer to the Blue Book, a document spread over several pages. Copies of this book are available with some resourceful persons in Hyderabad).
It is sad but true that Mukarram Jah did not value his lineage or heritage and quietly left Hyderabad in 1971 never to return and stay here for long.
Yes, he did make a few sojourns to the city, visited a mosque near Katora House in the precinct of the Golconda Fort, and met a few friends and acquaintances. He is also said to have held a ceremony or two in these last 51 years in Hyderabad.
Mukarram Jah Trust
Mukarram Jah School
However, he did establish Mukarram Jah Trust for Education and Learning and, roped in some big names to be part of that trust but nothing beyond that has happened. An educational institution for boys and girls has been set up somewhere in the mid-eighties. He made a few visits to the school whenever he was in the city.
City watchers ask what he has done beyond establishing that school for Hyderabad and its people. There are many other people who have done a similar or even better job. For instance, you have Sultanul Uloom Education Society, Deccan Education Society, Madinah Education Society, Shaadan Education Society, etc. where thousands upon thousands of boys and girls are graduating every year. Hundreds of them are medical, engineering, pharmacy, education, and business management graduates.
So what is the big deal if Mukarram Jah has established one school? People ask.
Nazri Bagh in dispute
The Purdah gate of the King Kothi palace, which was the residence of Osman Ali Khan, the 7th and last Nizam of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad (Photo: Yunus Y. Lasania)
The status of King Kothi Palace of which only a portion—Nazri Bagh—is left with the family is not known. Even Nazri Bagh is said to have become a disputed property with no clarification from quarters that claim proximity to the Prince and his heirs.
Prince Neglects Chiran Palace
Some six acres of property spread over different parts of the premises of KBR Park belong to the late Prince. It is known by its original name Chiran Palace. The Prince and the people appointed by him have held long but unending negotiations with the State government over the status of the land. The negotiations are in limbo.
KBR Park
Mosque in Chiran Palace
Chiran Palace is occasionally used by the family. This writer interviewed Prince Mukarram Jah and his son Azmet Jah there a few years ago.
Chowmahalla Palace opened
Now we come to the Chowmahallah which has been renovated and opened for the public by Princess Esra Jah, former wife of the Prince, who holds a general power of attorney over his properties in Hyderabad. She has done a fine job. Whoever visits the palace comes out praising it. It was the Durbar Hall of this palace where the body of the Prince was kept for the people to pay their last respects.
Princess Esra accepting condolences from Telangana CM KCR
Now, the questions that the people of Hyderabad would like to ask: Princes Esra, whenever she is in Hyderabad, stays at Falaknuma Palace where a separate luxurious portion has been left aside for the family by Taj Falaknuma management. Would Azmet Jah stay in the same area as her mother? Or would he like to stay at Chowmahalla Palace where an exclusive portion has been left for occasional use?
What role would he like to play within his extended family that includes a host of hostile relations? What relations would he like to have with Hyderabad as such (that also means the government of Telangana). Finally, the most important question: Would Azmet Jah stay in Hyderabad at all, or would like to fly back to his cozy corners in the UK and the USA?
