Monday, December 29, 2025

Now, IPL ticket sale scam?

By
Tehelka SIT
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Fake tickets, black marketing and selling of  ‘Not for sale’ complimentary passes are fuelling  another IPL controversy. A report by Tehelka SIT.

The Indian Premier League [IPL] is arguably the world’s most famous T-20 league. However, the popular cricket league is no stranger to controversies. Ever since its inception, way back in 2008, there has been an abundance of hullabaloo surrounding this money-spinning razzmatazz. While cricket no doubt is at the heart of product, controversies knowingly or otherwise, have  certainly helped IPL raise its profile by leaps and bounds. From spot fixing to ban on players, suspension of franchise, sacking of Lalit Modi as IPL chairman and rumoured involvement of black money in the league are some of the big controversies which have dogged the IPL over the years.

Now, fake tickets, black marketing and selling of  “ Not for sale” complimentary passes, are turning out to be another IPL scam. News from various cities is pouring in that black marketers and touts are having a field day. Selling tickets in black for the high profile matches. According to media reports, in the past a ticket worth Rs 500 at various times has been sold at Rs 3000-7000. Similarly, IPL’s final tickets have been reportedly sold for a whopping Rs 2 lakh.

The black marketers have even started selling fake tickets in hotels, at railway stations and in colonies near the stadium. In the recent past, police of various cities have arrested black marketers, touts selling fake tickets for IPL matches. In April, 2023, as the 16th IPL season gets underway, the central District Police in Delhi has busted a racket involved in printing fake tickets for IPL matches. Along with this, the police have arrested five people including three minors. Despite all these arrests in various cities of India, business of fake tickets and black marketing of tickets business is continuing unabated.

What to talk about the black marketing and fake tickets business, even the complimentary passes of the IPL carrying “Not for Sale” warning on them are being sold in the market by the touts for Rs 15,000 per pass. The Delhi police during the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi in 2010, arrested two, including a woman for selling complimentary tickets in black. The woman is claimed to have sold 50 complimentary tickets given to athletics in black.

Reports of fake IPL tickets, black marketing of tickets, and selling of “Not for Sale” complimentary IPL passes spurred Tehelka to carry out an investigation on this business, which, according to some, is turning out to be another IPL scam. In this connection, Tehelka reporters met Mukul Gupta in Delhi, a tout running a cricket academy in Faridabad, Haryana, for years. Mukul was selling “Not for sale” complimentary IPL passes  of the IPL matches of 2023 to be held  at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Ferozshah Kotla ground, in Delhi, at a fixed price of Rs 15,000 per pass. According to Mukul, the complimentary passes he is selling are the one given to Delhi & District Cricket Association Members [DDCA] the governing body of cricket activities in Delhi. Mukul claims that he purchases complimentary passes from the  DDCA members, who get these passes from their association. Mukul came to meet us to sell complimentary “Not for Sale” pass of the match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders to be played in Delhi on 20th April, 2023. To expose this corruption, we posed as a fictitious buyer, who wants to see the match after purchasing complimentary pass.

Mukul –  Actually complimentary jinse hamko milta hai na, unse bhi hum paisa dekar hi letey hain…kyunki member main hoon nahi…

Reporter- Ye toh players ke hotey honge..?

Mukul- Nahi nahi…players ke nahi,  members ke

Reporter- Jo DDCA ke members hain…?

Mukul- Haan.. unhi ko miltey hain.. baki kisi ko nahi miltey complimentary pass..

Reporter- DDCA ke members ko miltey hain..?

Mukul- Only members.

Reporter- Ye jo tu mujhe complimentary pass de raha hai ye DDCA walon ka hai ?

Mukul- Haan.. DDCA walon ka.

Reporter- Is par likha hai “NOT FOR SALE”

Mukul –Exactly

Reporter- To bhai paise kam le le…?

Mukul- Phir wahi bacchon wali baat mat karo mere se..

[Mukul told Tehelka that he has purchased complimentary “Not for Sale” IPL passes from the DDCA members who get them from the association.]

Mukul was selling complimentary “Not for Sale” IPL passes at a fixed price of Rs 15000 per pass. When asked to give us a discount, he says he is not keeping the money with himself as he is passing on the amount to his other associate members.

Reporter- Bhai 15 K se kam karwa diyo…is baar zyada le raha hai…

Mukul- Bhaiya mein nahi le raha…aapko maine pehle hi bata diya….ye to bas dene hain aagey kisi ko..

Reporter- Tera kuch nahi ismein…?

Mukul- Apna kuch nahi hai…?

Reporter- Tu Faridabad se chalkar pass dene aa raha hai..tera kuch nahi hai…?

Mukul- Ek milna bhi to hota hai…

Reporter- Haan.. milna hai to you are always welcome…

[Mukul says that the money generated out of the sale of IPL complimentary passes will not remain with him. He will give that money to other members associated with him]

Despite knowing that complimentary IPL passes are “Not for Sale”, Mukul was selling them for Rs 15,000 per pass. He told reporters that he is not selling these tickets, but has come to deliver these to us out of love.

Reporter- Complimentary pass “Not for Sale”…is par likha hua hai bhai sahib..

Mukul- Haan to sale thodi na kar raha hoon..?

Reporter- Phir kya kar raha hai..?

Mukul- Main to aapko dene aaya hoon mohabbat mein..

Reporter- Isko paise mat do..phir..

Mukul- Dene aaya hoon mohabbat mein..

Reporter- Thode to kam kar de bhai..?

[Mukul knows that he is selling “Not for Sale” IPL complimentary passes for money. But when we refused to give him money because they are free, Mukul says he has come to meet us out of love]

Before 20th April match, Mukul had also offered us complimentary “Not for Sale” IPL passes of the matches held in Delhi on 4th April 2023,  between Delhi capitals and Gujarat Titans, and on 11th April 2023 between Delhi capitals and Mumbai Indians. But we refused to purchase them. When  he continued to follow us and offered 20th April match passes, which was the third IPL match in Delhi, we decided to meet him. In the meeting, Mukul assured us that he would  provide us complimentary passes of future IPL matches as well for money.

Reporter- Acha ye kaunsa match hai Delhi mein

Mukul- 4th match hai..

Reporter- 3rd match hai..teesra.. ek to tu 7 ko de raha tha mujhe

Mukul- Haan.

Reporter- 7 April 2023 ka de raha tha mujhe, offer kiya tha mujhe…ek 11 ka..aur ab 20 ka…teesra match hai ye Delhi ka…2023 April….

Reporter- aagey matches ka scene kya hai passes ka..?

Mukul- Jaise- jaise aayegi mein bata dunga…

Reporter- wahi complimentary hongey na wo…NOT FOR SALE ?

Mukul- Haan

Reporter- Kitna rate.?

Mukul- Dekhtey hain.

[ Before the 20th April IPL match. Mukul had also offered us complimentary passes for the matches held on 4th April and 11th April 2023 in Delhi. But we rejected the offer. But he again offered us the complimentary passes for the 20th April match. This time, we agreed to meet him. During that meeting Mukul assured us that he would arrange complimentary IPL passes for the future matches, to be held in Delhi, too)

Just to expose Mukul’s corruption and to prove that he is not just bragging but actually selling complimentary “Not for Sale” IPL passes, we bought one complimentary pass for the 20th April 2023 match held in Delhi for Rs 14,000 from Mukul. He charged Rs 1000 less than the Rs 15,000 price he had initially demanded  for one complimentary pass.

Reporter – Poore 14 hazar ho gaye ye IPL ke pass ke…   [Mukul took money on camera]

Mukul – Ha ha. IPL ke pass ke nahi…mohabbat ke..

[We bought IPL complimentary pass for the 20th April 2023  match to be held in Delhi from Mukul for Rs 14,000, Rs 1K less than what he had initially demanded for the ticket)

 Tehelka purchased complimentary IPL pass to establish the story and the corruption emerging out of the business of ticket sale.  However the purchased free pass was not used. The motive of buying the complimentary pass was not of watching the match, but to nail the corruption.

In 2011, the Delhi high court had directed the DDCA not to issue more than 10,000 complimentary passes for each of the four world cup cricket matches to be played at Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium. The court gave this directions while hearing a case filed by DDCA member, who had challenged the “arbitrary way” of the association’s executive committee in issuing complimentary tickets and sought a ceiling on it. The fake IPL tickets and complimentary “Not for Sale”IPL passes are sold by the black marketers and touts like Mukul at all the IPL venues in India since years. Cricket lovers have started believing that this is another IPL scam. The same has been established for the first time on camera by Tehelka.

IPL’s BRUSHES WITH CONTROVERSIES

Before this Tehelka’s expose on the illegal sale of complimentary passes, the IPL has been rocked by a number of controversies since its inception in 2008. We list the biggest controversies to have hit the IPL so far.

N Srinivasan’s son-in-law held for betting

 “Cricket enthusiast” Gurunath Meiyappan, a CSK top official and son-in-law of then BCCI president N Srinivasan, was arrested for his alleged involvement in betting in 2013 edition of IPL. During the investigation, Rajasthan Royals’ owner Raj Kundra also confessed to betting. Both franchises were banned for two years from the tournament.

The Towel Trouble

In 2013, Delhi Police arrested three Rajasthan Royals players — Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan — for spot fixing. Sreesanth allegedly used a towel as signal for the bookmakers, before conceding 13 runs in an over in which he had promised to give away 14.

Ravindra Jadeja banned

Ravindra Jadeja, currently one of the leading all-rounders in the country, back in 2010 was banned from playing in IPL after he tried to sign a new contract with another franchise (allegedly Mumbai Indians) without informing his team, the Rajasthan Royals, for whom he had played in earlier season.

TN slams door in Lankan players’ face

A huge controversy erupted in one season when the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who was eyeing a PM’s post, refused to entertain Sri Lankan players in the IPL matches to be played in Chennai. This extreme step was taken in response of the Sri Lankan Tamils issue which dominates Tamil politics. However, the surprising thing was that the all-powerful IPL governing council had to agree upon the decision and a total of 13 Sri Lankan players, including legends like Kumara Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were not allowed to play in Chennai citing security concerns.

Drug taint on Rahul Sharma , Parnell

Two players of Pune Warriors, which is now a defunct franchise, Rahul Sharma and Wayne Parnell were detained for allegedly consuming drugs at a rave party in Mumbai in 2012.The cricketers, who were found along several other well-known personalities from film and TV industry, were detained, but let off after undergoing narcotic tests.

Pakistan imposes IPL bar on its players

In the backdrop of terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008, the Pakistan government deemed it was unsafe for its players to travel to India for the following year’s IPL.

Top players such as Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Sohail Tanvir, and Umar Gul, who was playing for various franchises, were declined permission along with others.

BCCI suspends Lalit Modi

The IPL founder and chairman was suspended from his post by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after charges of financial wrongdoing emerged against him that year.

Cheerleader spills beans on cricketers

South African cheerleader Gabriella Pasqualotto (of MI) created quite a stir in the fourth edition of the IPL after she blogged about the questionable conduct of cricketers at post-match parties.

She was sacked from her role as a cheerleader by the IPL, but that did little to scuttle the controversy.

KKR dumps mighty Sourav Ganguly

The fourth season of the IPL saw the KKR dumping Sourav Ganguly after his base price reportedly increased from $200,000 (around Rs. 9 million) to $400,000 (Rs. 18 million).

The southpaw was later bought by the Pune Warriors as a late replacement for injured Ashish Nehra, but the KKR’s snub effectively ended Ganguly’s IPL career. The Prince of Kolkata however later went on to become President of BCCI.

Kochi Tuskers’ contract terminated 

The franchise made its debut in 2011, but was terminated the same year after it failed to furnish its bank guarantee by the stipulated date of March 26.

In 2015, the team won an arbitration challenge according to which BCCI was ordered to pay Rs. 550 crore as compensation with an 18 percent annual penalty. The matter has since remained unsolved.

Wankhede rendered out of bounds for SRK

The Bollywood star and KKR co-owner was involved in an altercation with security guards at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai after his side’s win over Mumbai Indians. Khan was accused of walking onto the field after the game ended and abusing the officials. Mumbai Cricket Association banned Khan from entering the stadium for five years but revoked it in 2015.

Deccan Chargers’ contract terminated 

The contract of the IPL franchise Deccan Chargers was cancelled by the BCCI after it failed to pay the stipulated bank guarantee of Rs. 100 crore. The team took the matter to court, alleging that the termination happened a day before the expiry of a show-cause notice. In 2020, a Bombay High Court-appointed arbitration tribunal held the BCCI guilty and ordered it to pay Deccan Chronicles Holding Ltd (DCHL), the owner of the franchise, Rs. 4,800 crore in damages. Notably, Deccan Chargers won the 2009 IPL which was held in South Africa.

Pomersbach held over molestation charges 

The RCB batsman was arrested in New Delhi over a complaint of molestation filed by an American woman, who also claimed that the Australian player had beaten up her fiancé when he tried to intervene. RCB suspended Pomersbach’s pending inquiry, but all charges were later dropped after the complainants withdrew the case.

Kohli, Gambhir almost come to blows

Things went a bit too far when Kohli and Gambhir charged at each other after the former got dismissed. Remarks were exchanged, and Delhi player Rajat Bhatia had to pacify the duo. Things were, however, much calmer when the duo met in the 2016 edition.

Preity Zinta-Wadia row re-ignites

While Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta’s much-publicized romance reportedly ended a few years ago, the businessman-actress duo decided to continue their professional relationship. However, things went sour between the two when Zinta lodged a complaint with the police, accusing Wadia of threatening and molesting her during one of the IPL games at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium.

Bombay HC’s marching orders for IPL

Acting on a Public Interest Litigation by an NGO, the Bombay High Court directed the BCCI to shift all IPL matches, scheduled after April 30, outside the state. The court said the use of water to maintain the pitches while there was a drought in the state was a waste of resources. The state missed out on hosting 13 matches, including the final.

Infact, the first  controversies in IPL came before the tournament started. The inaugural IPL season coincided with the English County Championship season as well as New Zealand’s tour of England, which is why the ECB and county cricket clubs raised their concerns to the BCCI over players. The ECB made it abundantly clear that they would not sign No objection Certificates for players to play in the IPL, making it clear to them that their duty to the country comes first. As a result, Dimitri Mascarenhas was the only English player to have signed with the IPL for the 2008 season.

After the Central government granted tax exemption on the World Cup held in India to the ICC to the tune of Rs 45 crore, a PIL was filed against the IPL and its franchisees to recover entertainment tax. The matter was taken to the Finance Ministry because it was alleged that IPL tickets were being sold at exorbitant rates and only the rich could purchase them.

Sale of IPL complimentary pass is just the one part of the corruption in cricket. Tehelka has in store other parts lined up for the future.

JKP files fresh chargesheet against Gujarat conman

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday charged conman Kiran Bhai Patel of cheating and criminal conspiracy against the J&K state in a fresh chargesheet. 

The chargesheet was filed in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, reports said. 

For four months, Kiran Bai Patel misled the Jammu and Kashmir administration by posing as a senior Prime Minister’s Office employee and obtained Z-Plus security and proper protocol in the Valley for himself. 

Patel had been to many locations in Jammu and Kashmir since October, including forward positions along the Line of Control. 

Before the police were informed that Patel was a conman, he also met with officials in several districts throughout Kashmir.

He posed as an Additional Director (Strategy & Campaigns) in the Prime Minister’s Office and duped officials and civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.

On April 25, his close aide Piyush Kantibhai Vasita was arrested by Kashmir Police for making fake visiting cards for him to dupe officials and civilians. 

The Patel couple and their two daughters traveled to Jammu and Kashmir on a holiday in October last year and February this year and stayed at the five-star hotel from where he was arrested on March 2.

After staying in the valley for two to three days, the family returned home to Ahmedabad in February. A few days later, Patel again travelled to Kashmir with his friend and was arrested.

The imposter had taken the J&K administration for a ride by securing Z-plus security cover, a bulletproof Mahindra Scorpio SUV, official accommodation at a five-star hotel, and visits to top tourist spots and strategic security locations.

Defamation case: No interim relief for Rahul Gandhi

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Ahmedabad  : The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday reserved its orders in the revision plea filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with his conviction in a defamation case that subsequently led to his disqualification as Member of Parliament.

Rahul Gandhi had appealed to the Gujarat High Court for an interim stay of his conviction until the court pronounced its order on his petition.

However, the single judge hearing the case, Justice Hemant Prachchhak, has postponed his decision until after the summer vacation, which ends on June 4.

On April 29, Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer — Abhishek Manu Singhvi, also a Congress leader, argued in the court that his client had not committed any heinous crime or an offence involving moral turpitude, which are the two tests for denying suspension of conviction.

The case stems from a 2019 rally in Kolar, Karnataka, where Rahul Gandhi had said: “Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi. How come all the thieves have ‘Modi’ as a common surname?”

This remark led to a criminal defamation case being filed against him by Surat BJP legislator, Purnesh Modi.

Gandhi had been sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court, leading to his disqualification as a Member of Parliament.

During the previous hearing, Justice Prachchhak had emphasised that Rahul Gandhi, being an elected representative of the people, should have been more cautious while making statements.

Singhvi had argued that the maximum punishment for a bailable, non-cognizable offence of two years could result in his disqualification, leading to a “very serious additional irreversible consequence to the person and the constituency he represents”.

Earlier this year, the Sessions Court in Surat had dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking suspension of his conviction by the Magistrate court, stating that his disqualification would not result in an irreversible loss to him.

After quitting as NCP chief, Sharad Pawar forms panel to name his successor

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Mumbai- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced that he was stepping down as party chief, and also said that he has formed a panel to name his successor.

He announced a committee comprising top leaders like Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, K.K. Sharma, P.C. Chacko, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Dr. Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, and Jaydev Gaikwad.

Other ex-officio Members are: NCP Mahila Congress President Fauzia Khan, NCP Youth Congress President Dheeraj Sharma NCP Student Congress President Sonia Duhan, which will decide on the new party president’s selection.

State and national political circles greeted Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar’s decision to step down as party chief with shock, disbelief, many in tears and vociferous calls asking him to withdraw his move, here on Tuesday.

State NCP President Jayant Patil broke down, other senior leaders like Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil Narhari Zirwal, and many more said the decision was ‘not acceptable, ‘ made fervent appeals and ‘begged’ with moist eyes to their aSupremo’ to retract, and many others even threatened to resign from their posts.

Senior leaders like Ajit Pawar, state party chief Jayant Patil and others attempted to pacify the party workers and the lower rung leaders, and urged them to remain calm.

Pawar, 82, made the announcement of his retirement during the release of his autobiography, ‘Lok Majhe Sangati – Political Autobiography’.

“It will continue to strive for the growth of the party organisation, to take the ideology and goals of the party to the people, and to serve the people, as they deem fit. Even though I am stepping down from the post of president, I am not retiring from public life, ” said Pawar.

He pointed out how ‘constant travel’ has become an integral part of his life and he would continue attending public events, meetings, and would be available to all whether in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Baramati or any other part of India.

“I will be available to all of you as usual. I will continue to work round the clock to solve people’s problems. The love and trust of the people is my breath. There will be no separation from me or public retirement. I was with you; I am and will always be there till my last breath! So we’ll keep meeting, ” said Pawar in his farewell speech.

Delhi excise policy case: Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh named in ED charge sheet

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its third supplementary charge sheet in the Delhi excise policy scam has mentioned the names of AAP leaders, Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha.

Both leaders are Rajya Sabha members. The charge sheet only mentions their names, they are not shown as accused in the case.

The supplementary charge sheet was recently filed before the Rouse Avenue District Court here.

According to the charge sheet, Chadha was part of a meeting which was held at former Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s residence in connection with the liquor policy case.

Sources said that the ED was recording the statement of an accused businessman Dinesh Arora, who later became an approver in the Delhi liquor policy, when the names cropped up.

“He initially met Sanjay Singh through whom he came in contact with Manish Sisodia during a party in his own restaurant, namely Unplugged Courtyard. On request of Sanjay Singh, he spoke to many of the restaurant owners and arranged cheques amounting to Rs 82 lakh (handed over to Sisodia) for collection of party funds for the then upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi, ” the ED has mentioned quoting Dinesh Arora.

Explosion near Indian Oil fuel station in Jammu and Kashmir

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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A mysterious blast at a fuel station in Narwal area of Jammu district on Tuesday created panic among people with police saying the blast took place due to short circuit.

Quoting an official, a local news agency KNO reported that window panes of office of fuel station were also damaged due to the blast.

Soon after the blast, a police team reached to the spot to ascertain the facts.

SDPO East Jammu, Syed Zaheer Abbas Jafari said that prima facie it seemed the blast has occurred due to some short circuit.

He said that police have evacuated a nearby building and are ascertaining further details The mysterious blast follows the recent attack on an Army vehicle in Poonch on April 20 in which five soldiers lost their lives.

Why is Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh not being arrested despite POCSO Act charges: Sidhu

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi-Coming out in support of protesting wrestlers and saying the fight is for honour and dignity of every women, senior Congress leader Navjot Sidhu on Monday questioned that why accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Sharan Singh wasn’t arrested despite a case was registered against him under the “non-bailable POCSO Act”.

Also he sought the BJP MP’s custodial interrogation. Two first information reports (FIRs) were registered against him after the intervention of the Supreme Court.

“To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice. Why was the FIR delayed? Not making the FIR public reflects that the FIR is mild and not corroborative to the complainant’s complaint, ” he told the media after meeting the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar here.

Sidhu also questioned the “motive” behind protecting Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“Intent is questionable and motive is to protect the accused. Are things being swept under the carpet? Why is the officer who delayed the FIR not being tried under Section 166 of the IPC as he was duty bound to register an FIR which is mandatory in case of a cognizable offence?”

The first FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh pertains to allegations levelled by a minor, which has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty.

The second FIR has been registered for carrying out comprehensive investigations into the complaints by adult complainants under relevant IPC sections pertaining to outraging of modesty.

“Cases registered under POCSO Act are non-bailable… why no arrest so far? Is the law different for the high and mighty?” former Indian cricketer Sidhu questioned in a tweet.

“Why does the man in question continue to be in the position of influence and dominance which can make and break anyone’s career?

“With him at the helm of affairs, a fair investigation is impossible. The nation understands that committee formations are merely delay and deflect. The only way forward to a meaningful investigation and to uncover the truth is ‘custodial interrogation’, without it a fair investigation is meaningless. “The fight is for the honour, integrity and dignity of every woman, ” added Sidhu.

Kharge calls for reviving voice of workers on International Labour Day

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Mallikarjun Kharge. (File Photo: IANS)

Bengaluru- Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday in a write-up on the occasion of the International Labour Day, stressed reviving the voice of the workers in their “workplaces, in courts and in the government”, while criticising the Narendra Modi-led Central government for “rolling the rights of workers backwards”.

“International Labour Day marks the contribution and sacrifice of workers in building today’s world. Today, we remember the long struggle by workers — for fair and equal pay, safer working conditions, and the right to organise and have their voices heard in their workplaces, in the courts and in the government.

“Governments since independence have safeguarded and empowered workers, but unfortunately, the Modi government has only rolled workers’ rights backwards. The rights of all workers are being weakened, whether they work in agriculture, for public or private organisations, or in the unorganised urban sector. Their voices are going unheard, ” Kharge noted.

The veteran Congress leader said while it is true that over 40 laws have been introduced since Independence, they need to be updated to meet today’s challenges.

“However, the Modi government has used this pretext to weaken protections for workers and usurp the Constitutional powers of state governments. There are four fatal flaws in the labour codes which make them anti-worker.

“First, the codes do not apply to most workers or establishments. For example, establishments employing less than 300 people can fire workers or close units without permission. Contractors employing fewer than 50 people are exempt from workplace safety laws. Provident Fund, gratuity, insurance and maternity benefits are all unavailable in smaller establishments.

“Second, even if the codes apply to an establishment, governments have enormous flexibility to waive requirements for workplace safety, social security and protection from lay-offs, retrenchment or closure.

“Third, the codes significantly weaken the ability of workers to fight for their rights, by making it more difficult to form a union, declaring any strike without two weeks’ notice illegal, and penalising those who support such a strike.

“Finally, and most importantly, the codes ignore key challenges facing workers. How can crores of workers with no written contract be helped? How can contract workers’ position be improved? A worker struggles when they lose their job or suffer an injury — how can this struggle be reduced? The codes are silent, ” Kharge said.

The Congress president said that “clearly, the Modi government thinks of labour laws as an inconvenience to be removed. It does not understand that labour laws, when well-designed and enforced, both protect workers and create certainty for businesses”.

He further said that “this is why BJP governments in states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have been unable to attract foreign investors in manufacturing despite waiving key labour laws for three years, citing Covid-19 as an excuse”.

The Congress president also said that PM Modi and the BJP think that “re-branding schemes and re-jigging laws will help workers”.

“I am a labourer’s son, and led a labour union — I know that that much more is needed to tackle the real problems facing workers today. The crucial first step is to stop ignoring workers in decision making, and instead to revive the voice of the worker in the government, ” he said.

Maha building crash toll climbs to 8

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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The death toll in the Bhiwandi building crash in Maharashtra’s Thane district rose to eight with two more bodies recovered from the debris, officials said here on Monday.

The two bodies were retrieved nearly 48 hours after the tragedy struck The work of clearing the debris continued for the third day, the officials said.

The ground plus three storied residential-cum-commercial building housed several godowns on the ground and first floors and at least four families on the two upper floors.

Constructed in 2014, it suddenly collapsed around 1.45 p.m. on Saturday at Wardhaman Compound of the Mankoli area on the outskirts of the powerloom town.

The officials also said that now nobody is missing in the tragedy in which another six were injured and over a dozen rescued in the first major pre-monsoon building disaster in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region area.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakhs to the kin of each deceased and full free treatment for all the injured victims.

How free are “free” IPL tickets?

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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“There is no such thing as a free lunch” is a popular adage suggesting that it is impossible to get something for nothing. This aptly applies to the IPL.  The “complimentary tickets” of the Indian Premier League are often distributed “free of cost” as a gesture of goodwill to government officials, consultants and others. Whenever the authorities decide to levy GST on complimentary tickets, the IPL franchisees of the Board of Control for Cricket in India are quick to contest these arguing that there is no element of consideration and it was just for the promotion of business.  

How free is free has often been a question because there have also been instances when even the complimentary tickets are sold at very high rates. During the ongoing IPL matches, the police registered three separate cases when persons carrying fake IPL tickets with copied barcodes sneaked into the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad during the IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians held on April 18.  Also, a case was registered for illegal entry into the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi during a match between Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians. Earlier the Marine Drive police registered a case of cheating and forgery for selling fake tickets outside the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai for IPL matches.

As the IPL is embroiled in one controversy after the other, a Special Report in this issue of Tehelka delves into how fake tickets, black marketing and selling of  “Not for Sale” complimentary passes, are turning out to be yet another scam. Tehelka reporters recorded on camera a tout, who runs his cricket academy in Faridabad but “specialises” in selling “Not for sale” complimentary IPL passes. He offered to provide complimentary “Not for Sale” passes to the Tehelka reporter who posed as a decoy customer to buy these for the match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders to be played in Delhi on April 20.  We actually purchased a complimentary IPL pass to establish the story and to nail the accused. Tehelka SIT has done its job and now the ball is in the court of regulatory authorities to initiate action.

The current issue also carries exhaustive reports as to how water is becoming the next new weapon of mass destruction; how law relating to defamation is being allegedly misused; and explosive revelations by former Governor, Satyapal Malik. As we go to print, top wrestlers continue their sit-in-protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against WFI chief accusing him of sexual harassment and intimidation. Tributes are still pouring in for five terms CM of Punjab and a powerhouse of politics, Parkash Singh Badal, who passed away on April 25. Author and journalist, Tarek Fateh who represented renaissance in Islam too is no more and his daughter Natasha Fatah in a tweet described him as the lion of Punjab, son of Hindustan and voice of the down-trodden.  

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TEHELKA is the fastest growing national news group for English & Hindi news magazines. The core value of the brand is to uphold the truth with a free, fair and fearless attitude. The company has a high standard of excellence in journalism and a commitment to assist in India’s fight against corruption. News is published in the maximum number of languages to maintain a stronger circulation base across the country.
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