Friday, December 26, 2025

DRI arrests Jet Airways air hostess for smuggling USD worth Rs 3.21 crore

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Tehelka Web Desk
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JET-SMUGGLING_3220451f The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested a female flight attendant of Jet Airways for allegedly trying to smuggle out USD 4,80,200 (approximately Rs 3.21 crore) wrapped in a foil out of the country.

According to an official statement, the 25-year-old Jet Airways air-hostess was stopped by the officials when she was on a flight to Hong Kong on January 8.

During the investigation, it was found that she had already carried 10 lakh dollars during her trips over the past two months and for each trip, she was paid Rs. one lakh.

According to reports, she was working for a hawala operator named Amit Malhotra who used crew members for money-laundering network.

“Malhotra would collect money from some bullion dealers in Delhi and send it via some air hostess to select foreign destinations. The money was being used for purchasing gold abroad. The gold would then be sent to India illegally,” an official said.

Malhotra has also been arrested.

National anthem not mandatory in cinema halls, SC modifies earlier order

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Tehelka Web Desk
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national-anthemThe Supreme Court on January 9 modified its earlier order on playing of National Anthem before movie screenings in cinema halls and made it non-mandatory.
In 2016, the initial order made it compulsory to “stand up in respect” in theatres till the anthem ended.
“The practice would “instill a feeling within one, a sense of committed patriotism and nationalism,”  the bench led by Justice Dipak Misra had ruled in 2016.
After an appeal to recall the order, another bench of the court, which also included Chief Justice Misra modified its last order.
“People do not need to stand up at a cinema hall to be perceived as patriotic,” the court said. It “cannot be assumed that if a person does not stand up for national anthem, then he is less patriotic,” it added.

Missing AMU scholar joins Hijbul Mujahideen

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Tehelka Web Desk
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mannan-wani-gunManan Bashir Wani, research scholar at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh has joined Hizbul Mujahideen, confirmed the terror group. The scholar, who was said to missing while he was on a break to visit his family in Kashmir, was seen holding an assault rifle in photos that went viral on social media.

According to a statement released by Hizbul, educated youth of India are joining the terror group to take forward their freedom movement.

“It is a negation to India’s propaganda that youth are joining militant ranks because of unemployment and economic problems. Educated youth are are joining Hizb to take the freedom movement forward” said a statement by the chief of the banned outfit, Syed Salahuddin.

On January 8, the university expelled Wani and ordered an inquiry into his activities in the campus. The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad has also launched an investigation into the matter. According to the reports, they have seized “suspicious” material from his hostel room.

Section 377: SC to review 2013 verdict which criminalises homosexuality

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Tehelka Web Desk
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lgbtThe Supreme Court on January 8 said it will review its 2013 verdict on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalised homosexuality.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, said it would reconsider the SC’s December 2013 verdict and re-examine the Constitutional validity of Section 377, which has upset the individuals on its choice on sexual identity.

The Court has also issued a notice to the Centre seeking a response on a writ petition filed by five members of LGBT community, who say they live in fear of Police because of their natural sexual preferences, as reported by a news agency.

In December 2013, the bench of Justices GS Singhvi and SJ Mukhopadaya dismissed the Delhi High Court verdict of 2009 that decriminalised homosexuality or consensual sex among homosexual adult.

India cancels Rs. 32,640-crore minesweepers project with South Korea

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Tehelka Web Desk
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warshipIndia has cancelled Rs. 32,640-crore minesweepers (warships) project with South Korea owing to differences over cost, technology transfer and other issues, according to media reports.

The project that aimed to construct 12 advanced minesweepers for the Indian Navy could have been the costliest initiative under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship ‘Make in India’ programme.

According to reports, the Indian Navy requires 24 advanced warships to protect the east and west coasts. At present, India has only four 30-year-old minesweepers and these four vessels will be decommissioned between 2018 and 2020.

With deal failing with Seoul, Goa Shipyard has been asked to issue a new global expression of interest (EoI) for the MCMVs. The fresh RFP (request for proposal) or tender will follow thereafter, said a media report.

Bangalore’s Kailash Bar fire kills 5

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Tehelka Web Desk
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bengaluru_bar_fireA major fire broke out in the early hours on January 8 in Bangalore’s Kailash Bar taking lives of five persons. Authorities have suspected short circuit as the reason behind the fire. The deceased are known to be staff members of the bar and had been sleeping when the incident occurred.

“The victims got trapped as the Bar had no second exit door, which caused the death of five people,” said Karnataka home minister R Ramalinga Reddy.

While talking to the media Reddy said, “Preliminary investigations have revealed that the bar had only one entrance. The victims are all employees of the bar. They could not come out as the fire had broken out near the entrance around 2.30 am, they were trapped as there was no fire exit or a second door. While two of the victims died because of the burns they had suffered three died because of asphyxiation.”

The excise department and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will be ordered to probe the fire safety norms and regulations of the Bar, he added.

Panchkula violence: SIT arrests doctor charged of castrating 300 Dera followers

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Tehelka Web Desk
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ram Rahim1 (1)Haryana Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing Panchkula violence case that erupted on August 25 after Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s concivtion, has arrested his close aide and surgeon Mahinder Pal Singh on January 7.

The doctor who was arrested from Dera headquarters in Sirsa has been reportedly accused of performing castration on 300 followers of Dera chief.

According to reports, he has been absconding since August 2017.

The self-styled godman is currently jailed in Rohtak’s Sunaria prison in Haryana.

Fodder scam case: Lalu cites health issues before Court

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Tehelka Web Desk
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2705012018034552 (1)In an attempt to secure minimum punishment, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on January 5 moved an application before the Ranchi Special Court citing health issues of diabetes and heart surgery.

In his application, Lalu Prasad said that the Birsa Munda jail does not have adequate medical facilities and clean drinking water which may worsen his kidneys

The special CBI court will pronounce the quantum of sentence on January 6 in Ranchi, Jharkhand, in the fodder scam case which held former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad guilty.

The CBI court on December 23 had convicted Lalu Prasad and 15 others in the fodder scam case. The court had acquitted six accused including former Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U leader Jagannath Mishra (former Congress leader).

US freezes another security aid to Pakistan

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Tehelka Web Desk
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pakistan (1)The Trump administration on January 4 suspended more than USD 1.15 billion security assistance to Pakistan on the accusation of providing safe haven to terrorist networks operating in Islamabad.

The move came exactly three days after US President Donald Trump tweeted on the first day of the New Year attacking Pakistan of hoodwinking the US with “lies and deceit” in return for “33 billion dollars aid for over 15 years.”

Earlier, this year, the US also suspended USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan expressing the same concern of terrorism and for delayed action in destabilising Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani militant groups.

“Today we can confirm that we are suspending national security assistance only, to Pakistan at this time until the Pakistani government takes decisive action against groups, including the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network. We consider them to be destabilising the region and also targeting US personnel. The US will suspend that kind of security assistance to Pakistan,” said State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert.

Delhi Ashram case: 'Your conduct is suspicious', HC tells defence counsel

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Tehelka Web Desk
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rohini-ashram_650x400_41513845966In Delhi Ashram sexual assault case, the Delhi High Court on January 4 rebuked the defence counsel for not able to present Virendra Dev Dixit.  “Is he (Virendra Dev Dixit) an incorporeal entity?” asked the HC.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar told Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit reports on the whereabouts of the fake Godman within two weeks of time.

The court also warned the council for providing “blatant lies” in the name of evidence,  “obstructing the Court” and “misusing the power of law” for which the judiciary could take an action.

According to prima facie evidence found in a report by the panel appointed by the Court, the Dixit-run ashram “caged minor girls and women” and motivated them to lodge false complaints against their family members.

“False complaints have been lodged against the family to dissuade, discourage and motivate parents from pursuing the law against Dixit and his ashram,” said the court.

“In the 21st century, which organisation confine girls and women in a cage like infrastructure where not even rays of sunlight could pass in? Why the ashram confines girls and women, why not boys and men?” the court asked the counsel.

The court in its statement said that it will not interfere in any “bonafide legitimate spiritual activity, but, will act against any fraudulent activity.”

The next date for the hearing is scheduled on February 5.

In December 2017, more than 41 girls were rescued from ashrams of Delhi and Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh run by Virender Dev Dixit. They were found living in animal-like condition and under heavy influenced by drugs.

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