Special move to release under trail prisoners at Tihar

In a positive move that could bring a ray of hope to a huge number of prisoners languishing in the Delhi Prisons, the higher jail authorities are in the process of identifying such under trail prisoners who have already served more than 50 percent of the maximum sentence for the charges against them. Currently, more than 10,000 prisoners are under trial prisoners in Delhi Prisons.

While interacting with media persons during the annual press conference of Delhi Prisons, Director General (Delhi Prisons), Vimla Mehra said that they are well in order to identify those prisoners who have been in detention for more than half the prescribed period of imprisonment.

"One the process is done, the final report will be forwarded to the government to take some necessary actions over the same. Ultimately, it falls under the domain of government to do the needful in a bid to release them on personal bail bond as per the sanctioned law," said Mehra.

Under section 436A CrPC -- the most radical amendment in the CrPC Amendment Act 2005 -- an under trial prisoners, other than someone accused of an offence for which the death penalty is prescribed, has to be released if he/she has been in detention for more than half the prescribed period of imprisonment.

The move could bring a ray of hope to a large umber of prisoners as a total of 10,154 inmates out of 13,552 are under trial prisoners at Delhi Prisons with an average of 74.93 percent. Last year, 8,887 were under trial prisoners out of 12,113 of total strength with an average of 73.37 percent.

According to recent studies, more than 65 percent of the inmates in India's jails are under trial prisoners.

According to Khagesh Jah, practicing advocate in Supreme Court and Delhi High Court, who is associated with Justice For All, a group that works for the rights of poor children in the Capital, said that many financially poor under trial prisoners are languishing in jails, as they do not have the money to pay for the bail bond.

“If inmates are not aware of their rights, although as per law (section 436A CrPC), such inmates should be let off on personal bonds if they have served 50 percent of their sentence. However, it has been noticed that prison departments often does nothing to inform them of their rights,” said Jha.

 Ironically, many of them have already served terms far exceeding the sentences they would have been given had they been convicted of their crimes, asserted Jha.  

The same CrPC section also provides for the release of under trial prisoners who are detained beyond the maximum period of imprisonment provided for the alleged offence. Under trial prisoners who meet these criteria will have to file fresh petitions in court to be granted relief under this section.  

Special ward for old prisoners in Tihar

At the age of 56, Suresh was charged with murder and attempted murder. He has been in jail for last six years as he was found guilty and sentenced to life in Tihar Jail. Now, he is 62 and is in need of care and support.  

Not only Suresh, there are around 200 convicts languishing in around eight sub jails of Asian largest prison. 

Noticing that older prisoners are a growing group in the jail and not because of a crime wave by senior citizens but more inmates serving long sentences are getting older,  Tihar authorizes have started a special ward – barrack – for them at sub-jail number three where a 120-bedded Central Jail Hospital is there to provide treatment to prisoners.

Convicts above the age of 60 now have an old age ward where they will have young attendants care for them.

“Young boys are deployed in the ward to help these aged inmates. Doctors visit this ward on a day-to-day basis. The aged prisoners require special treatment and this facility will provide that,” said Sunil Gupta, Tihar’s spokesperson.

While the beneficiaries for now consist of only convicts, the helpers will include undertrials as well as those serving sentences. As of now, around 20 such helpers have already been deployed in this ward. They will keep an eye on these senior citizens and help them in their daily needs and with their medicines and treatment.

“As part of the special facilities, these old prisoners will be provided cots to sleep on. Generally inmates at Tihar Jail are provided mattresses which are spread on the floor,” said Gupta. Security personnel will be deputed at the ward round-the-clock to keep an eye on any prisoner who might try to misuse the special facilities.

The need arose after doctors at the prison detected several terminally-ill patients, mostly the aged, who required regular care and treatment. Prison authorities claimed that while doctors managed to save lives of many such prisoners who had just 2-3 months to live, the round-the-clock care could be provided only in a separate facility and by younger inmates.

The number of deaths at Tihar has doubled over a period of one year. While 2012 saw only 18 inmates die, last year 36 lost their lives. Five of these deaths were unnatural, including that of hanging of terrorist Afzal Guru and suicide by December 16 gang rape accused Ram Singh.

Though the others are said to have died natural deaths, jail authorities acknowledge that better medical aid and physical assistance can save lives.

In the meantime, there is tremendous increase of under trial prisoners in the prison. There are 10158 under trial prisoners languishing in the prisons giving tough time to authorities as inmates have increased more double fold as per sanctioned capacity of 6250 inmates.

The jail authorities now are in the process of identifying such under trail prisoners who have already served more than 50 percent of the maximum sentence for the charges against them so that they can help them in getting bail.

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Now, in Tihar Jail convicts can go outside to work

Now, Asia's largest prison -- Tihar jail -- is an open jail as the well-behaved convicts can go outside for work daily and during evening can return home.

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has approved Tihar Jail’s proposal for initiation of Open Prison for inmates who have undergone conviction in the Semi-Open Prison Complex. With the help of the Open Prison, inmates will be able to go outside the jail complex for work and come back during the prescribed evening hours. The facility is likely to start within a month.

“In the process, they will be able to earn wages and familiarise themselves with outside world. Each of the selected inmate will have to go through a tough selection process,” said Tihar Jail Director General, Vimla Mehra. A selection committee has been constituted by Mehra under the chairmanship of Deputy Inspector General (Prisons).

For availing the facility, a convict must have been sentenced to more than five years of imprisonment and completed two years in the Semi-Open Prison (SOP) Complex. “They should have maintained excellent conduct inside the SOP and have performed work allotted to them with due devotion and diligence,” Mehra added.

The Tihar Jail Director General shall permit a convicted prisoner to work at a place outside Tihar campus beyond which inmates shall not go. The prisoner can be allotted work on PWD projects, horticulture work or any other private work or at Tihar outlets at various places for which they shall be eligible for minimum wages as prescribed by the Delhi government.

“No prisoner shall be employed by any jail officer for any private work or shall be assigned any menial duties. Under no circumstances shall they be asked to work as domestic help,” Mehra said.

The selected prisoner shall be directed to furnish a surety and personal bond for their maintaining good conduct while on work outside, observance of discipline, work code, timings for returning, among others. Prisoners, who do not abide by the levels of prescribed discipline while working, can be shifted back to the SOP or closed prison, and could be punished as per the Delhi Jail Manual.

Tihar Jail’s SOP Complex -- prison without bars -- was inaugurated on June 11, 2013. Transfer to SOP is extended only to convict prisoners with good prison conduct, who are physically and mentally fit and are willing to do hard work as prescribed for them.

The staff quarters had been converted into the SOP and can house up to 100 inmates. The inmates can go to work every day at around 6 am and return to their rooms by 7 pm. There are no guards, but a jail officer keeps attendance record.

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16-year-old gang raped, accused nabbed

A 16-year-old girl was gang raped by her two neighbours at north Delhi’s Timarpur on Wednesday afternoon. While one of the accused was nabbed from the spot, locals chased and caught the other.

The accused has been identified as Kapil, 23 and his friend Krishan, 24, both resident of Timarpur’s Nehru Vihar area. They have been sent to judicial custody for fourteen days, said a senior police officer.

The alleged incident took place in an isolated spot near a drain in Nehru Vihar area. The victim was returning home from the local market at around 2:30 pm on Wednesday when the two men dragged her into the bushes nearby and raped her.

“A passerby heard noises from the bushes. He informed a beat constable Ajay who was nearby. With the help of passerby, the constable managed to catch Kapil red-handed,” said a senior police officer.

Kapil’s friend Krishan, however, managed to escape from the spot. But locals chased him for some distance and managed to nab him too. The victim was sent for a medical test which confirmed the gang rape.

The girl, who dropped out of school sometime ago and was living with her parents in the area, knew the two accused from before as they have been neighbours for quite some time.

However, police said the girl has not complained of harassment in any form by the two accused in the past. “The two youths probably made the plan that day and quietly followed her till she reached an isolated spot,” said another senior police officer.

Kapil works as a carpenter whereas Krishan is employed at a stationery store in Timarpur.

“On the basis of victim’s statement and medical report, we have registered a case of kidnapping and gang rape at Timarpur police station and arrested both the accused,” added the officer.

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Two youths run over by train, one dies

Two youths, who were listening to music through earphones, were run over by a train while loitering on railway tracks at east Delhi’s Mandawali area on Tuesday evening. While one of the victims died on the spot, the other is battling for his life.

The deceased was identified as Danny while his friend who suffered multiple injuries in his body after the accident has been identified as Rahul, 21. Both of them were residents of railway colony at Loni in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad. Police said Rahul is undergoing treatment at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital where his condition was stated to be critical.

According to some eyewitnesses, Danny was listening to music with earphones which was why he could not hear the horn of the approaching train, which resulted in the accident and eventually claimed his life.

They had told their families at around 6:30 pm on Tuesday that they were going out for some work and would be back home soon. They arrived at Mandawali by train and sat on the station platform for some time.

According to passengers waiting at the station, the duo soon wandered out on the railway tracks soon. When people saw a train approaching, they called out to them, but the two friends did not hear the warnings.

“They were having fun at the tracks and were too busy listening to music through earphones to either hear the train sound or people’s warnings,” said Sanjay Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways).

He said both had their earphones on when they were run over by the train. It is not yet known which train was involved in the accident.

Their families were informed using the phones found in their possession. Police were immediately informed of the incident which took place at around 8 pm. A team rushed to the spot and rushed the critically injured Rahul to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in the area. Danny had died even before police could reach the spot.

The victims work together at a shop in Ghaziabad. Rahul’s mother is employed with the Indian Railways.

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Swamy claims Sunanda given ‘Russian poison’

GIVING a fresh twist to the Sunanda Pushkar case, senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday claimed the wife of Union Minister Shashi Tharoor did not commit suicide and her death was a gruesome murder.

Swamy questioned Tharoor nervousness regarding his wife’s death, even as the Delhi Police investigation in the highprofile case is still not complete.

Sunanda was found dead in a posh Delhi hotel days after she was locked in a bitter Twitter row with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar.

“ Why is Shashi Tharoor feeling so nervous? He should be one who should be standing up and say I want a complete inquiry to be done. Why did he get rushed through the cremation of his wife within a day? This is ridiculous. There are many things which are wrong with it," Swamy said, adding that Sunanda had horrific injuries above her belly and “ her nostrils were squeezed to open her mouth to administer Russian poison.” Interestingly, this is not the first time that Swamy has spoken on Sunanda’s private life. Earlier, Swamy had alleged that the Union Minister had misused his office to get his son out of prison in the UAE. " What prompted a Union minister from Kerala to use his office to get his son out of jail in UAE? Due to narcotic trafficking charges," Swamy had tweeted in the first week of January this year.

Tharoor had responded to Swamy’s charges, saying the allegations were " a bigot's perverse political agenda". The Delhi Police, on its part, has flatly rejected Swamy’s claim that he had got the details about Sunanda’s death through his “ sources in Delhi Police’’. “ I can’t comment on what grounds Mr Swamy is making these allegations when the probe is not yet complete,’’ a Delhi Police officer said.

Swamy claimed Tharoor wants to make his wife’s death seems like a natural death but the post- mortem reports stated that it was unnatural death. “ Why is Tharoor so keen to declare the case as death due to natural causes? We want to get to the bottom of the matter. What is the need to have no photos taken of her body? Whatever photos were taken was destroyed. The Delhi police probe is not moving forward.

Police sources told me in private that it is a gruesome murder,” he claimed.

The BJP leader also gave indication that when his party- led NDA comes to power at the Centre, he will “ take the case to its conclusion.’’ “ I will have to file either a public interest litigation, or when there is a government that is more responsive to the public like Narendra Modi's government. At that time, I will take it up and see that it ( the case) is brought to a conclusion,” he said.

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Sunanda death still a mystery

THE death of Union minister Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar is still shrouded in mystery with the investigators still probing whether it was a case of murder or suicide. Though the police said they haven’t yet ruled out the murder angle, they said none of Sunanda’s family members have come forward with any complaints against Tharoor.

“ She consumed poison/ medicines or was injected poison or was forcefully given some medicines is still a matter of probe,” said a Delhi Police top officer. The officer added that they can’t say anything concrete as to how she was poisoned as they are still waiting for the forensic and viscera reports.

Delhi Police Commissioner B. S. Bassi said the police were carrying out necessary inquiries.

“ The outcome will soon be submitted to the concerned quarters,” the commissioner said on Monday.

Sunanda was found dead in a suite in Leela Palace hotel in Chanakyapuri area in Delhi. Two staff members and Tharoor himself were present in the suite when they found her body.

Investigators said Sunanda’s last call from her mobile phone was to her son Shiv Menon. The investigators have also verified the call detail record of her phone and have questioned all the people who spoke to her during the last two days of her life. Police said they have found from the call records that she also spoke to Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar.

Contrary

Sources close to the case developments told M AIL T ODAY : “ Delhi Police have got in touch with Tharoor after the first questioning during recording his statement. This is contrary to what is being speculated in a section of media that he’s being quizzed by the police in the case… Police are probing on their own.” Regarding allegations being levelled against Tharoor by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, a source told M AIL T ODAY , “ It is best to ignore his despicable attempts.” The investigators said undoubtedly there were several injury marks across Sunanda’s body and it was because of a physical fight with her husband.

“ They had got into a fight,” said an investigator adding that the fight was over Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar whom Sunanda had suspected of having an affair with her husband.

The post- mortem report also stated that there were over a dozen of injury marks across Sunanda’s body but there were superficial in nature and not severe. The report also said Sunanda had minor bruises on her left cheek.

The post- mortem report also indicated that she died of poisoning.

However, the police would be able to know the nature of the poison found in her body only after receiving the viscera report.

“ It is too early to conclude anything as of now since the south district police is investigating all angles in this murder mystery,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.

The officer said Sunanda had starved herself for two days and was also consuming alcohol during her stay at the posh hotel.

Revelations

The autopsy report also stated that no food samples were found in her stomach, indicating that she hadn’t eaten anything in the last two days. A panel of three AIIMS doctors also suggested that she had not been eating.

The sub- divisional magistrate ( SDM) who recorded statements in the ‘ mysterious death’ case had also ordered the Delhi police to investigate whether it was a case of homicide, suicide or accident.

“ I have ordered the Delhi Police to further probe the mysterious death of Sunanda Pushkar as she is found to have died due to poisoning,” Alok Sharma, the SDM of Vasant Vihar, said.

The police said three empty strips of Alprax ( 0.5mg) medicine, apart from other medicines, including botox antiaging injections, was found in her hotel room.

Fashion designing student raped by her uncle

A 19-year-old fashion designing student was allegedly raped by her uncle in New Delhi’s Chanakyapuri on February 13. She reported the matter to police on February 19, but investigating officers are yet to arrest the accused.

A team of New Delhi District police is camping in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow to nab Sandeep Kohli, the proprietor of a prominent apparel store in Lucknow -- Kohli Brothers.

According to police, the victim lives in a rented house at west Delhi’s Patel Nagar. She is pursuing fashion designing course from a private institute in north west Delhi's Mayapuri.

In her complaint to police, the woman claims that Sandeep had come to Delhi on February 13 and had asked her to meet him. As directed by Sandeep, the victim went to meet Sandeep at a hotel in Chanakyapuri. She was busy, but upon his insistence, she agreed to meet him. It is alleged that she was raped in the hotel. 

“Sandeep even threatened her with dire consequences,” a police officer said. Frightened by her uncle's act, the victim apparently slipped into shock after the incident, but later she decided to inform her family members. She was told to approach police. However, Sandeep had returned to Lucknow by the time police was informed.

After the woman’s medical examination confirmed rape, a case under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code was registered with Chanakyapuri police station. Her statement has also been recorded before the chief judicial magistrate.

Investigating officers have managed to get CCTV footage showing Sandeep and the woman at the hotel. Following the complaint, a police team also went to Lucknow on February 22. However, Sandeep and his wife were found missing.

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No PCR vans present during night hours

Even after two days of a 51-year-old Danish woman was gang raped by eight vagabonds in the heart of the capital near New Delhi railway station, the area – Railway Officers Club -- still remains a hub of other street drug and alcohol addicts.  Not only places in Lutyens Delhi, there are around 700 vulnerable spots with poor lighting and 74 dark spots across the city. These places are frequented by drug addicts.

When I ventured out onto these areas, the tall claims of law enforcers of intensified patrolling fell flat. No Police Control Room vans visible at least through five hours of drive, unmanned barricade, locked police post, deserted streets with no street light are enough to give criminal a free hand.

Even at the spot of Danish woman gang raped there were liquor bottles were lying nearby. Though three Railway Protection Special Force personnel (RPSC) deputed for the Railway Officers Club, areas adjoining the club is still a hub of alcoholics and drug addicts. When asked about it, a RPSC personnel Tej Singh said, “We have been deputed a day ago for club security and found that local ruffians come in the areas beside the club and consume drugs and alcohols.” The personnel stated that they are huge in numbers and present through the day and they can’t intervene as they have been asked to guard the club.

If this is the condition of areas near Connaught Place, the areas in west, east and south and even worse.  Even in the high profile VIP Zone – South Avenue where parliamentarians stay, there were unmanned police barricades, leave aside the presence of PCR or a cop in the close vicinity. This is the area not far away from five-star Leela hotel in Chanakyapuri where all police action was seen during the night.

The most shocking was the police booth outside Ram Manohar Lohia hospital was locked and no one was present in the vicinity. “This police booth is for namesake. No police officials stay during night,” said tea vendor out the hospital. 

There is no street light at the lane behind police headquarter. The areas near Mata Sundri Road and Bal Bhawan has similar look where streetlights here and there.

Around half of the 330 bus stops in the list of vulnerable spots visited on Friday night were found deserted and people struggling to find means of transportation.  The Munirka bus stop from where December 16 brutal gang rape victim was picked up was abandoned with no PCR vans or local police patrolling around five kilometers range from there. 

The entire stretch of Vansant Kunj, Vasant Vihar, Mahipalpur, Mehrauli and Dhaula Kuan where several gang rape incidents took place in last three years, there was not a single man in khaki found manning on these venerable roads. On Saturday around 1, the entire stretch from Bersarai -- between Jawaharlal Nehru University and IIT Delhi -- to Vasant Kunj, commuters were standing on bus stop and not a single police official were present over there.

Naresh Gujjar a resident of Vasant Kunj said, “When people make call to police control room then only they come. Patrolling in these areas is a joke. They are busy after 10 pm collecting money from truck.” 

The top priority of commissioner of police B S Bassi to minimize heinous and street crime seems nearly impossible with this scenario. He had stated that the PCR vans and local police have been deployed in all such vulnerable spots to prevent incidents of crimes against women and other crimes like snatching and robbery.

But the reality check exposes that the promises made by the commissioner are just on paper and not on implementation front. 

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Most of Nigerian national held are in drug trafficking

More and more African nationals, particularly from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda countries, living in India are getting involved in organized crimes here, especially drug trafficking and black dollar scam.

Three days ago, the crime branch of Delhi Police had arrested two Nigerian nationals from the city, who were part of international drug traffickers, with heroin worth Rs 5 crore.

Ifeaneyi, 34 and Progress, 36, both from Nigeria and presently residing in west Delhi were nabbed for running inter-state racket.  The police recovered 2.5 kg of fine quality heroin worth Rs 5 crore from them.

During interrogation, Ifeaneyi told police that he came to India in 2008. He is engaged in whole-sale supply of heroin and cocaine in Delhi. “He supplies contraband to his fellow nationals who further give it in retail and he get the supply from a man with a code name as Joe, who is also a Nigerian national, and normally resides in Goa,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) Ravindra Yadav.

The other accused Progress came to India in 2012 and was engaged in fake lottery scams. As he could not entice people, he entered into drugs trafficking. “Many Nigerian drug traffickers arrested by the police were involved in selling and smuggling heroin and cocaine,” said Yadav. 

These are not isolated cases.

Last year, 57 nationals from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda countries, were arrested for various criminal cases in Delhi. Around 35 of them were involved in drug trafficking. In 2012, 66 nationals from these countries were arrested for various offences.  Nigerian nationals were arrested in three incidents of heinous crimes—kidnapping, murder and extortion--in last two years.

On January 10, a Nigerian national was arrested by the Crime Branch for allegedly sending threatening text messages to jewellers across the country, asking them to pay up in exchange for “their well-being”.

The accused was identified Idehen Solomon Osazee, who had overstayed on a fake visa and had targeted another set of people earlier through a lottery scam. Several cases were registered at various police stations by distressed businessmen.

Few nationals with criminal mindset from these countries come to India on student and tourist visa and when it expires they forge documents and overstay in India. Whenever they are nabbed, during interrogation they tell investigators that they came to India for cloth trading and got influenced with drug traffickers to earn easy money.  They also run fake visa racket across the city.

Many national nabbed were also involved in fake lottery of black dollar scam. Last year, police busted various gangs involved in duping people by selling ‘black dollars’ and arrested Nigerian nationals. They claimed that it can be turned into original currency notes by cleaning them with a chemical.

Majority of these nationals lives in Malviya Nagar, Kalkaji, Munirka, Uttam Nagar, Dwarka, Dabri, Kingsway Camp and Burari. They stays mostly on metro station routes in the city.

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Somnath Bharti night raid: No one will be spared who interfere with law says police

Delhi police sounded a warning on Friday to those interfering with law and order in the capital saying nobody will be spared from now on be it ‘chief minister or anyone else’.

“We will not spare anyone from today, be it the chief minister or his ministers. Police will take legal action immediately against those persons found to be interfering with the law and order and police’s day to day work,” top sources in Delhi police said.

Delhi police today submitted a detailed report to the lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung in the morning, giving blow by blow account of the incident and highlighting the law minister’s high-handedness in the matter.

“He is a law minister but does not know the law. Whatever he did was illegal,” a senior police officer said, adding: “There is no question of taking action against our men who were abused when they refused to take action against the alleged prostitution and drug racket”.

Police said the Aam Aadmi Party minister asked the local cops to make illegal arrests and also to frisk Nigerian and Ugandan women in the absence of women constables.

“We could have booked him and his aides under relevant section of the Indian Penal Code for creating nuisance in public place and preventing government servants from discharging their duties. But this could have led to serious law and order problem and the matter could have gone out of control,” the police official added.

The Commissioner of Police B S Bassi and special commissioner of police (law and order) Deepak Mishra went to meet Najeeb Jung where chief minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his ministers Somnath Bharti and Rakhi Birla and Manish Sisodia were present.  During the meeting the police submitted two four pages report on Somnath Bharti and Rakhi Birla illegal intervention with police investigations Wednesday night.

The police chief B S Bassi coming out the meeting stated that they have submitted the report and ‘lieutenant governor will take decision on it’. The Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung in the afternoon ordered an enquiry into the dispute between ministers and the Delhi Police.

“A retired judge, B.L. Garg, will enquire into the matter. He has been asked to submit the report within 30 days,” an official said.

Over AAP ministers demand on suspension of four police officers including assistant commissioner of police Bharat Singh Jakhad, during evening the police chief said, “No action against the our men. They are not at fault. None will be suspended. Lt. Governor has announced an enquiry lets wait for outcome. Primia facia enquiry has not revealed any lapse on the part of the police.”

Excerpts of police report on Somnath Bharti’s intervention

First they detained two women and asked the PCR personnel to frisk them. But the men denied as they were not legally empowered to do so. Then their men caught hold of four more women (foreign national) from Uganda and alleged they were drug traffickers and sex workers.

The minister asked us to the nabbed foreign national to frisk them to recover drugs. When the officers denied that it was not possible in the circumstances, the minister and his men demanded that they be taken to police station. When they were told that this was not allowed after sunset they insisted they are checked inside the PCR van. When that was denied they asked us to frisk them in a religious place (read Sai temple) which the staff categorically refused.

It was then they insisted they be taken to hospital and examined and frisked there. They were taken there at 6 am and let off after they tested negative for drugs or any psychotropic substances.

Excerpts of police report on Rakhi Birla’s intervention

The minister first arrived at the Sagarpur police station at 9:30 pm and shouted out at the additional SHO saying police haven’t taken the victim’s statement and the police is shielding the accused. When the additional SHO was explained that the FIR was filed on the victim’s statement, the minister asked them to show her the scene of the crime

The minister asked the police team to show her the evidence collected. The SHO rushed to the police station and explained to her that doing that could hamper the investigation, but she was started shouting and screaming.

The minister said that that the accused were still hiding in the house and asked her party workers to check the building despite the police team said there was no need of it and as it is illegal.  Late in the night the minister forced the SHO Richhpal Singh to conduct raid the tenants of the house, which included women. The SHO said that he did not want to disturb the family in the night and he had no court order. But the minister and her supporters forcibly entered the house and misbehaved with the tenants and found that there was no one hiding. The minster also forced the SHO to break the locked keys of the owner of the house stating that there might me evidence which police might have not collected.

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Somnath Bharti night raid at Ugandan national house

Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti’s attempt to carry out a surprise raid to bust a prostitution and drug peddling racket in a house of Ugandan women at south Delhi’s Khirki Extension ended in a roadside heated argument with Delhi Police on January 14 night.

During the three hour long visit, Bharti alleged that police refused to conduct a raid and arrest several foreigners accused of being involved in flesh trade. The minister further claimed that he tried to contact Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi and Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) B S Jaiswal, but they remained unavailable.

Police have set up a probe over the incident and will report to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.

According to Bharti, he went to the area at midnight after recieving multiple complaints during Jan Sammelan. Apart from being the minister, the 39-year-old Aam Admi Party leader represents Malviya Nagar constituency in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

“I had received people's complaints about a sex trade and drug peddling racket flourishing in the locality with the help of foreign nationals, mostly Nigerians. Locals claim that they are facing trouble because of this,” he said.

As Khirki Extension falls in his constituency, the minister decided to visit the area along with police and catch the women red-handed. “Some of the women tried to run away when I went here with police. Two of them were stopped,” Bharti said, adding that people were heard discussing rates for prostitutes.

Police claim that Bharti then tried to force them to conduct a search on a building without a warrant, and question women, which is prohibited after dark. The minister says in “emergency situations”, a warrant is not necessary. Bharti was also involved in a heated argument with an Assistant Commissioner of Police, while his supporters created a lot of commotion.

“Police were not ready to conduct a search or raid the premises. They did not even listen to me, the law minister. Will they listen to people?” Bharti said.

Bharti said that Malviya Nagar police station SHO Vijay Pal had come to the spot, but went away without taking any action. He was present there for around three hours during which at least six foreigners were detained and taken to Malviya Nagar police station. One of the women, a Nigerian national, was sent for a medical examination to AIIMS and was found drug-free.

A day after on January 16, the Delhi Police reacted strongly to Law Minister Somnath Bharti asking them to conduct a raid at two foreign national’s house at Khirki Extension in Malviya Nagar late night on Wednesday.

Calling his behaviour ‘irresponsible’, the senior officials have written a letter to the Lieutenant Governor, giving him a blow by blow account of what Bharti did on Wednesday night. The officials also maintained that if there is a need, they will take a legal action against Bharti.

According to the police, Bharti called them to a house in Khiri Extension late at night and told them that two foreign national (Nigerian) women are running a prostitution racket from the house. “He made a call to the control room, after which a PCR van reached the spot and later when the local police reached there Bharti asked them to conduct raid at the house and arrest the housemates alleging them to be sex-workers and drug addicts. When a senior police official denied conducting a raid without a search warrant, Bharti forced the officer to conduct a raid, accused him of not performing his duty and also alleged in a verbal spat with him.”

After a brief attempt to convince Bharti on not being able to conduct a raid without a warrant, the senior officer finally asked the two Nigerian nationals to come for a medico legal test at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The test did not confirm any amount of drugs or psycotropic substances in their blood and the women were released subsequently, added the officer.

 According to the Delhi police officials, Bharti had no right to ask the police to raid a house as they did not have a search warrant and as per the amended CrPC provisions police cannot take action against women after sunset.

The officials have mentioned all these details in the letter written to the LG. According to sources, the letter mentions that the Delhi government ministers Somnath Bharti and Rakhi Birla behaved in an irresponsible manner. The points that they have given to prove their argument are- Minister did not follow the laid down protocol of conducting a raid, they visited a crime scene/incident without keeping the police in the loop, interfered with police's work, rather than informing the police first, the minister reached the spot on his own and took an action.

Later in the day, the Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said that the force is ‘competent enough’ to ensure the safety of the people of the city.

Bassi said: “I would like to assure the people of the city that Delhi Police is competent enough to ensure the safety and security of its citizen. Delhi police is taking every possible step to keep you safe.”

The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had demanded suspension of the police officers in Malviya Nagar whom he claimed did not co-operate with Bharti on Wednesday.

Replying to a question whether the concerned police officials would be suspended, Bassi said “I will seek information about the incident and appropriate action will be taken after that”

Danish woman gang raped, robbed

On January 14, a 51-year-old woman tourist from Denmark was confined, beaten and gang-raped at knife point by eight perpetrators at Central Delhi’s Paharganj on Tuesday evening, police said.  The woman was also robbed of her valuables.  None of the accused has been arrested till Wednesday night while police claimed to have identified all the perpetrators.

The incident took place between 5 pm to 7.45 pm on Tuesday night at a secluded place situated behind Railway Officers Club, close to the New Delhi railway station.

The victim came to India on January 1, on a tourist visa alone to visit various historical monuments. After visiting Agra in Uttar Pradesh, she returned to the national capital on January 13 morning and checked-in a room for two nights at Hotel Amax Inn.  As most of the monuments were closed on Monday, she visited Connaught Place and India Gate area.

On Tuesday afternoon, she went to visit the National Museum. While she was walking down to the hotel with the help of a travel map, she lost her way and reached near B block, Connaught Place, where she a group youngsters. 

The victim asked a youngster for correct direction of the hotel. He tricked her and directed to take State Entry Road straightaway. She started walking down the road and found at the end an isolated place surrounded by bushes. 

In the meantime, two youngsters were following her ever since she enquired. When saw no way out of the road, she turned only to find herself being overpowered by the youths on knife point.

The accused robbed her of valuables including Rs 3,000, 750 euro, I-Pod and cell phone. The rest of youngsters in the meantime reached at the spot. They dragged her to the bushes and eight of perpetrators took turn to rape her, said a senior police officer adding that the victim resisted them but she was beaten up.

The perpetrators then fled from the spot threatening her of dire consequences. The injured and traumatised victim managed to come out of the road and took auto rickshaw to her hotel and rang her friends and family in Denmark from the hotel at around 8 pm. She, thereafter, called up embassy and then informed hotel manager identified as Pushkar who made a call to police control room at 9: 30 pm.

Immediately, a team comprising senior police officers reached the spot and met the victim at her hotel, where they recorded her statement. A police officer said that the woman was ‘highly traumatised’ when she reached the police station. “She was bruised on her face and neck,” said the officer.

A case of gang rape, robbery and kidnapping has been registered at with the Paharganj police station against the accused.  The Danish Embassy has also been informed by the police in this regard.

Where the incident took place, the Railway Officer Club’s employees said that there were uprooting a tent on at the time the gang rape took place and they have no idea the perpetrators were.

“The Lohri festival was celebrated last night. The labours were inside the premises. It is difficult to believe that a group of people took the woman and raped her,” the employee added.

The Joint Commissioner of Police (Central), Sandeep Goel told Mail Today, “All the perpetrators who are around seven to eight in numbers, have been identified. Several dedicated teams of senior police officers have been formed, pressed into service and the accused would be landed in police net soon.” 

The woman had refused to be medically examined and that the police were trying to gather other evidence. “The victim was supposed to fly to her hometown on Wednesday and she had left the hotel,” the hotel manager.

In the meantime investigating sleuths have detained around 32 people who are interrogated at Paharganj police station in the presence of senior police officers. The investigators said that the victim has promised to cooperate with the probe agency whenever required.

Foreigners raped in Delhi

January 4, 2014: A Polish woman was drugged and raped as she travelled to Delhi with her two-year-daughter. The woman, 33, and her daughter were travelling in a taxi from the city of Mathura where they live to New Delhi when she was allegedly raped by the driver. The woman woke up on a bench outside a Nizamuddin railway station in New Delhi with her toddler crying by her side, the officer said.

June 19, 2013 : Two sisters, hailing from Uzbekistan, have alleged that they were gangraped for several months by unknown men after being kept in confinement by a woman from their own country. The girls, who came to Delhi in January, claimed they were promised jobs by the Uzbek woman. They stayed in a hotel in Paharganj where they met the woman. The woman took the sisters to a guest house in Vasant Kunj where they were allegedly raped after they were served with soft drinks laced with sedatives, police said quoting the girls.

February 7, 2013:  A 23-year-old national from China was raped by her Indian friend at Hauz Khas in south Delhi on Monday night, after the two had attended a party. The accused, Tariq Sheikh, 28, a management graduate who works as a party organizer, was arrested.  The victim, who works as a trainee executive for a firm in Gurgaon, told the police that she and Sheikh were at a party in Malviya Nagar in south Delhi where he offered her more drinks and forced himself on her.

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Government mulling to introduce bus facility at airport

After the crisis-hit airport metro service built at a cost of thousands of crore fails to attract commuters, the Ministry of Urban Development is seeking alternative plans to provide transportation to flyers at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The ministry is mulling to introduce bus facility for flyers at the airport.

The ministry is carrying out a survey and studying the pattern of means of transportation flyers generally takes after they come of the airport and they take to reach the airport. “The study is being carried out to see whether bus facilities could be introduced at the airport,” said an official from the ministry. 

As buses and auto-rickshaws are not allowed to ply to both domestic and international airport, people are left with only one option – hiring private taxis.  On the need of carrying a study, the official said, “A commuter living in Defence Colony or New Friends Colony will not use airport metro service. They will use their vehicle or hire private taxis,” said the official. 

He also said that very less number of 23-km airport metro express line are being used by commuters as they will not take pain to reach at the airport with heavy luggage at the metro and then will move towards airport. “It is not feasible. A proper analytical study is needed to know the pattern,” added the official.

On other hand, the use of taxis and private vehicles by the flyers most of time create traffic chaos at both domestic and international airport. People sometimes face parking problems. The foreign tourists face problems as they are being targeted by the touts, who in form taxi driver, are very active outside the airport. “Many touts are active in the area and we have been regularly taking action against them,” said a senior police officer.

Despite that the problems persist. The only saviors are pre-paid taxi booths managed by traffic police and private taxi operators -- Meru Cabs and Mega Cabs. But the commuters also face problems as they have to wait for long to get taxis.

This has also led the ministry to conduct the study. 

The ministry sought help from Delhi Traffic police to study the pattern of traffic flow. The police provided of 20 days figure of flyers using various mode of transportation from the airport.  Last year, between November 16 to December 5, 48606 commuters used pre-paid taxis and 28178 flyers used Meru and Mega cabs from terminal 1.  During the same period, 45815 people used pre-paid taxis and 35000 used Meru and Mega cabs from terminal 3.

The ministry is planning to introduce bus services to various parts of the city and for that they are checking all the pros and cons before introducing it. A ministry official also opined that airport metro service has not become a successful venture. 

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Spy cameras sales up after AAP sting idea

It’s very simple and affordable. In less than Rs 500, one can buy spy gadget and can do sting operation of corrupt officials without being exposed. 

From spy cameras installed inside mangalsutra, necklace, ear rings, wrist watch to pen and key rings, gadgets ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 50,000 are easily available in the city. Gadgets accessible are trendy and are user friendly. Be it amateur or professionals, one can use it effortlessly.

After the announcement of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal that everyone can do sting operation to expose corrupt officials, I visited hub of spy gadgets – Palika Bazaar – on Thursday and witnessed that there is tremendous spurt in sale of sting equipments.

No doubt, business is up but one can’t get guarantee of such gadgets as they are all manufactured in China.

The shopkeepers are busy throughout the day explaining about the use of various spy gadgets to motley of buyers lined up at various stores.  They thanked Kejriwal for making such announcement and proclaimed to cast their vote in favour of Aam Aadmi Party.

“The sales of spy gadgets have increased almost 90 percent in a single day. Generally, we used to manage to sell around 12 spy gadgets but today, I have sold around 25 such gadgets so far and few buyers came to shop and mentioned about AAP,” said Sachin Kumar, owner of Royal Palace shop.

Explaining about devises, he said that six spy gadgets are in demand as people buy mostly spy cameras installed inside pen, key rings, button, watch, pen drive and goggles. “They are handy and user friendly. One can charge the battery with Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable and the battery backup ranges from five to eight hours depending on its usage,” said Manoj, owner of Electronic Palace shop. 

All these devised are price ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 2500. The pen and key rings are available at just Rs 500 but only after proper bargaining. “The pen spy cameras are almost similar at all the shops but the designs and quality of key rings vary,” said Manoj. 

Spy cameras installed in electronic car keys are also available but it price ranges from Rs 1500 to Rs 2000.  The spy goggles with funky and plain designs are also in demands.  One cannot notice cameras installed inside these equipments as they are very tiny and effective and record everything in audible range.

A spy camera with physical appearance of small tiny box is also available.  It’s called SIM spy camera. “Once can put a mobile SIM card inside it and leave it wherever he wants to a conduct sting. After calling on that number from anywhere, it gets activated and records video and audio of the entire room area as it tiny cameras installed every side and send it on mobile phone,” said Ajay, owner of Electronic Solutions shop.

Ajay said that whenever something audible is there where the box is placed; one will get a call on mobile phone automatically and can hear it on phone. The device has International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI). The cost of devise ranges from Rs 2500 to Rs 5000.

Spy cameras installed inside mangalsutra, necklace, ear rings, Ipod and various other gadgets ranges from Rs 8000 to Rs 50,000 depending upon the range and focus of the cameras. “One can plug in Ipod head phones in their ear and can adjust the focus of revolving cameras installed inside Ipod and can hear and record from few hundred meters,”  said Ajay adding that its costlier and they bring it on demand.

Some of the shopkeepers were dismissive about it and said that people have been buying these gadgets for their personal use. “Most of the buyers are school and college going students and they buy it for various purposes. Few for them purchase to get help in their studies where the record the lecturers and few to settle scores,” said Setia owner of Voice and Visions.  He added that every day he manages to sell around ten spy pens.

Manoj the owner of Electronic Palace shop claimed to have sold around 100 such gadgets to AAP volunteers a few days ago and have bulk orders in pipe line.  “It true, sales have gone up tremendously,” he added. 

Features of different spy cameras

Pen: Pen spy camera is stylish that have hi-resolution to shoot video with audio and battery last for around three to four hours.

Sun Glasses: Available in variant colours and have high quality video images.  Flexible design suits for different faces for different races and ages. Fashion and cool design keeps up closely with vogue steps. Easy connection with computers and laptops.

Button: Button spy camera is so small that it can fit inside a chewing gum package, cigarette box, or to any button up shirt and in undetectable covert surveillance. While small in size, it makes up for it with technique. And can record for not more than two hours.

Key chain: Key chain spy camera is available in various colours and design and has it has pinhole lens and in-built memory. The battery backup is around four to five hours and has two cameras installed inside it. Easy to handle and one can switch on the recording device and place on the table or keep it in hand to record.

Wrist watch: Easy operation, efficient working and easy maintenance. Its battery support up is for three hours and have cameras built inside the dials and numbers. It can click images and record audio and videos.  

SIM spy camera.  A mobile SIM card is placed inside it. It kept hidden the area wherever sting is to be conducted. After calling on that number from anywhere, it gets activated and records video and audio of the entire room area as it tiny cameras installed every side and send it on mobile phone. If there is any audible one will get call on mobile and can hear everything happening faraway.

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North East student Nido Tania beaten to death

Nido Tania, a 19-year-old college student and the son of Arunachal Pradesh MLA Nido Pavitra, was allegedly beaten to death by a group of six to seven people led by a shopkeeper at Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi.

The gruesome incident took place on Wednesday afternoon at around 1: 30 am when the shopkeeper of a dairy products shop made obscene remark on Tania’s spiked and pale golden colour hair and allegedly called him “Chinki”, a racial slur, to which the youth and his two friends objected.

The incident comes in the backdrop of the recent alleged racial slur against African women living at Khirke Extension in south Delhi by Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti and his party’s volunteers on the suspicion that they were involved in a sex and drugs racket.

A preliminary probe revealed that Tania was a first year student at Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar and had come to Delhi for a vacation. His father Nido Pavitra is a sitting MLA in Arunachal Pradesh from Raga constituency and also holds the position of parliament secretary (Health & Family Welfare and Food and Civil Supplies).

Tania had gone to Lajpat Nagar area to meet an ailing friend from North-East when a shopkeeper of Rajasthan Paneer Bhandar at A block in Lajpat Nagar Part-I area made “unsavoury” remark on Tania’s blonde hair colour.

According to his cousin Arun Chamrak, “Tania was looking for an address with his friend. They approached the men present at shop to help them find the address.” He was accompanied by his two friends from North East.

“Tania approached Farhan, one of the shop owners, for direction as he was new to the area but he made some bad remarks on his colour of the hair to which the former protested. It was led to heated exchange of words between the two and followed by a scuffle…,” said Rakesh arora, an eye-witness who runs a mobile repairing shop in the vicinity. Around 50 other people living in the area came on the streets and were watching the fight.

In the melee, Tania vehemently protested and challenged them for making fun of him and allegedly smashed the glass of the shop after the shop-keeper called him “Chinki”

It was then Farhan 25 and his brother Akram 23 - owner of shop– demanded Rs 10,000 from Tania and his friends for the damage to his shop as scuffle continued. A nearby shopkeeper called up at police control room van and police officials arrived on the spot and took Tania and his friends and the two brothers to Lajpat Nagar police station. They asked the two Tania’s friends to leave for their houses.

Instead of taking any action against the shop owner for making racial slur, police chose to strike a deal for settlement.

“The cops asked Tania and his friends to pay Rs 10,000 to the shopkeeper for breaking the glass which they did finally. It’s shocking that the policemen refused to register a complaint of racial slur against the shopkeeper saying the matter was now settled amicably and asked the two shop-owners to leave,” alleged J.P Tamang, a student leader from North East, now based in Delhi.

Tania, however, insisted that the two brothers had in fact made the racial remarks for nothing.

However, the family members have different tale. “He was beaten by sticks and rods and it was the two cops made him to sit between them on a bike and brought on the spot from the police station where the scuffle had taken place for an inquiry. But they did not say anything to the co-owners of the shop and asked Tania to leave saying a compromise had already been taken place between the two,” Nido Jose Apil, uncle of the deceased, said.

A group of seven people led by the shopkeeper attacked Tania with rods and lathis when returned to the area looking for his friend house, alleged his Dinesh Gupta, a family friend.  From there he and his friends fled away.

“He sustained severe internal injuries and his friends took him to his sister place in Green Park Extension where he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday evening,” said Tamang. Apil said police took cognizance into the matter on Thursday only after they informed them of his death. Tania’s elder sister Luco Nedo studies in Kamla Nehru College in the capital.

Police are yet to arrest the culprits.

“A murder case has been registered against the accused persons. We have detained both Farhan and Akram and interrogation is on to identify all accused persons involved in the incident and they are being interrogated,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (south east) P Karunakaran.

After few days six people were arrested in which two were juveniles and others are Farman, 22, Sunder, 27, and Pawan, 27.

On request of Nido's father before home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi the matter has been given Central Bureau of Investigation for further probe.   

ENDS

DPS student molested, accused fled to Saudi Arabia

A 30-year-old spoilt brat made life torturous of a Class XI girl of south Delhi’s top school for last three months.  He started chasing her wherever she used to go.  He paid the victim’s housemaid around a lakh for acting as his informer. Four days ago, when the victim’s parents left for their respective offices, he barged into her house and proposed. After the victim’s refused his proposal, he molested her and bashed her and fled from the spot and later from the country.

The 16-year-old victim, student of Delhi Public School R.K. Puram, lives with her parents at B K Dutt colony.  The accused identified as Bunty Kumar, son of a businessman, too stays in the same locality and two months ago saw the victim in local market.  Thereafter, he chased her till her house to know the exact address of the victim.

Bunty started chasing her and used high-end cars like BMW to make an impression on the victim.  He started following her to her school and used to wait outside it for a glance. The victim noticed him, however, maintained distance and ignored him.

He approached her two month ago and tried to talk to her but she snubbed him.  Bunty kept following her and inked friendship with her the victim’s housemaid Anju.  He gave Anju an expensive smart phone and over thousands of cash to inform him about the victim and her parents’ whereabouts.

Gradually, Bunty came to know about the victim likes, hobbies and other details with the help of Anju.  The victim noticed that Anju was in contact touch with accused and she reported it to her parents about it.  The parents warned Anju and appreciated their daughter for coming forward.

For days ago, Bunty through Anju came to know that she was all alone in the home during afternoon. He barged into her house and proposed her over which she got furious and asked him to leave the house.

Furious Bunty misbehaved, molested and bashed her up.   The victim screamed for help from the neighbours.

Fearing of being caught he ran away on foot leaving his BMW car outside the victim’s house.  The victim informed police and her parents.  A case of molestation and assault was registered against the accused at Lodi Colony Police station.  “We have arrested the housemaid for conspiring with the accused,” said a senior police officer.

But Bunty, who is in property and other businesses, fled from the country and flied to Saudi Arabia. “He had fled from the country and we would seek help from Interpol to trace him and bring back to the country,” said the officer.
ENDS

Narco-terrorism: Terrorist nabbed with heroin

This is the first time a banned terrorist outfit Hizb-Ul-Mujahidin member was caught with huge haul of drugs worth Rs 35 crores in the national capital meant to raise funds to carry out terror strikes in India.

The anti-terror unit of Delhi Police – Special Cell -- exposed narco-terrorism trail with arrest of constable of Jammu and Kashmir police who is a member of Pakistan-based Hizb-Ul-Mujahidin and was carrying out drug trafficking in India.

The constable has been identified as Khurshid Alam, who is a resident of Guthali Bagh in Ganderbal of Jammu and Kashmir Police. “He was arrested from Humayun Tomb in Nizamuddin while he was giving drugs to two truck drivers of Perambudur district of Tamil Nadu -- B. Ganesh, and M. Senthil,” said Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) S N Srivastava.

A total of 10 Kgs of heroin, worth approximately Rs 35 in the international market has been recovered from their possession.

“As per the investigations conducted so far, the kingpin of this syndicate is a Kuwait-based Ali,” said Srivastava adding that Ali orchestrates the activities of this drug cartel over phone and through internet telephony. Ali co-ordinates with Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Hizb-Ul-Mujahidin members for channeling drug supplies into India.

Arrested Constable Khurshid revealed that Fayyaz, an area commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahidin, presently based in Abottabad in Pakistan has been sending consignments of drugs through his conduits active in Uri sector of Jammu  and Kashmir. “Fayyaz uses the money they he get from this trade to carry out terror activities,” said the officer.

The officer said that Fayyaz has pumped around contraband worth around 200 crore in India and most of the time Khurshid Alam was involved. “From August last year, Khurshid Alam has came to Delhi around eight to ten times with drug consignment,” said the officer.

Fayyaz is a known cadre of Hizb-ul-Mujahidin who was active in Ganderbal area of Kashmir valley till 2006 and thereafter, returned to Pakistan and has been since acting as a launch commander for terrorists who infiltrate into India to carry out terrorist strikes.

In August, 2013, Fayyaz  sent five militants sent who were killed in a counter-insurgency operation in Penag area of Ganderbal in Jammu and Kashmir. “We are probing whether Khurshid Alam was involved in five killed terrorists to infiltrate in the country,” said the officer.

The police is probing Alam role of provide logistic support to these terrorists.  During interrogation, the police have also found that Alam and Fayyaz were distant relatives.

“They were on nabbed on January 19, following a tip-off. The police came to know that two people from Tamil Nadu, who had come to Delhi, will be collecting drugs from a Kashmiri supplier near the Humayun Tomb in Nizamuddin. A raid was conducted and accused B. Ganesh, M. Senthil  and Constable Khurshid Alam were apprehended with heroin,” said the officer.

During interrogation, Alam told police he was in touch with Fayyaz had received consignments from his several conduits in Srinagar which was onward carried by him to Delhi, where South Indian members of this cartel received the consignments’ for onward delivery in Chennai.

He further disclosed that he had been visiting Delhi for over the last one year and has, so far, supplied around 80 kgs of heroine to several conduits and cartel members. On every occasion, persons belonging to South India had been the receivers from Khurshid.

During interrogations of Ganesh and Senthil, they told police disclosed that they are member of an international drug syndicate being run by Ali, who hails from Tamil Nadu and is presently based in Kuwait.

A man named of a code name of man - Gopi (identity yet to be established) -- operates as the resident manager on behalf of Ali and looks after South India operations by managing carriers and suppliers and controls their movements. Ganesh and Senthil were roped into the trade by some downward links of Gopi against the promise of handsome money for each successful receipt of consignments from Delhi and their safe delivery in Tamil Nadu.

“Efforts are underway to probe deeper into the narco-terrorism nexus and to establish the identities of other Indian as well as overseas-based terrorist of this syndicate,” added the officer.

ENDS

Traffic management system lying dust at MHA

A mega traffic management project worth Rs 500 crore for city to ensure smooth clearance emergency response vehicles at busy traffic intersections is laying dust for around for one year at Ministry of Home Affairs due to financial crunch. Despite getting it evaluated by a private consultant in 2012 end, the project is still a no go at the ministry.

The emergency response vehicles – police control room vans, fire tender vehicles and ambulances – reach late at hospitals or on the spot as they get stuck at various traffic congestion. Though the city cops help them out manually to give green light wherever they are stuck, however, lack of modernisation of traffic management system have forced the people to suffer on daily basis.

Taking note of this, the ministry planned mordernisation of over traffic scenario of the city and thereafter had engaged a private consulting firm -- Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) – to evaluate of technology-based remedies to such problems.

In March 2013, the PwC prepared the project – Intelligent Traffic Management System -- and submitted before ministry but so far the lawmakers are still thinking over it.

“If the system is implemented than the emergency response vehicles will have to no more get stuck in traffic intersections. The system was conceptualised to improve mobility, discipline and safety of the commuters on the city roads,” said a senior police officer.

The intelligent traffic systems would be internet protocol based and all the 800 traffic intersections of the city would be monitored by various cameras. It will have traffic detecting sensors, closed-circuit television cameras and speed-detection radars and traffic violations cameras.

The system will also have speed control, speed detection, dynamics and variable cameras. “It will also have message display boards. It will also help in congestion management and active management of traffic lights,” the officer said.

The system will not only ease traffic management but also automatically detect traffic violators and challan them. The system will also be able to calculate the number of cars at the intersections and accordingly change signals to clear traffic. “It will ensure that maximum number of vehicles is cleared at any given time by giving precedence to roads with larger volumes,’ add the officer.

Not only that, there are around hundreds of people killed in road accidents by unidentified vehicles during night hours. “The various cameras installed will help in identifying the errant drivers,” he said.

In the existing traffic management system, things are being handled manually. But once the intelligent traffic system would be in place, there would be seamless functioning of the entire network. All the 800 traffic intersection will be connected with internet.

The evaluation was not only based on today need of traffic management but visualizing traffic problems the city will witness 20 years down the line.

Unlike metropolitan cities in western countries where this traffic system is in place for last several years, city is still stuck in outdated obsolete traffic system.

Fine for not allowing emergency vehicles 

For not giving way to emergency response vehicles, one would be challened Rs 2000 as the city police has sent a notification to the state transport department to make the fine to Rs 2000.

Under Section 115 of the Motor Vehicle Act the state government or any authority authorised in behalf by the government has power to restrict the use of vehicles and the state transport department.

The emergency vehicles include ambulance, fire brigade vehicles and PCR vans. But VIP vehicles with red beacon are not considered as emergency vehicles.

In Motor Vehicle Act the provision is the violator would be challaned Rs 100, however, under section 115 of the Motor Vehicle Act the state government has power to increase the fine.

ENDS

North East students raped in Delhi

Sexual Assault Cases against north east students in Delhi 

May 2005: The targeting of northeastern girls for sexual abuse was highlighted the first time when a call centre employee from Mizoram was gang-raped in Southwest Delhi in 2005, infamously referred as the “Dhaula Kuan gang rape case”, which grabbed the attention of the national and international media at that time. The 20-year-old Delhi University student was abducted by four carborne accused in the wee hours of May 8, 2005. They later dumped her in Dhaula Kuan after raping her.

October 2009: Ramchanphy Hongray, a 19-year-old girl from Manipur was sexually assaulted, strangled to death and burnt at her rented apartment at Munirka in south Delhi by Pushpam Sinha, a PhD scholar working at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

December 2010: A 30-year-old call centre employee, hailing from Manipur, was picked up by four drunken men in south Delhi and gang-raped for over 40 minutes in a moving vehicle. According to the police, the woman had been staying in the area for the past four years. She and her colleague, also from the Northeast, had told the cab driver to drop them outside the gate of their colony. They were walking towards the gate and were barely 100 metres from it, when four men who were sitting inside a tempo goods carrier, grabbed one of them. The other woman managed to escape.

May 29, 2013: A.S. Reingamphi from Choithar village, Ukhrul district of Manipur, was found dead in her rented accommodation in Chirag Dilli of South Delhi. There were signs of brutal assault on her nose, face and legs.The deceased girl’s relatives submitted a complaint to the police station charging the landlord and his brother-in-law of sexually assaulting and murdering Reingamphi, but no action was taken. It was only after three days of sustained pressure after hundreds of protesters gathered in various parts of Delhi, that the police finally lodged a complaint.

February 8, 2014: A 14-year-old tribal girl from Manipuri was allegedly raped by her landlord’s son on Friday night at Munirka, a suburb in south Delhi. The accused identified as Ashish Tokas,19, alias Vicky, was arrested. A preliminary probe revealed that Friday’s sexual assault took place at 10.30 pm when the victim, who used to live with her relative’s family, had stepped out to buy some household items -- Vim Bar -- from a shop near her house. “While she was returning Vicky grabbed her from behind, gagged and dragged her inside his house nearby. He beat her up and confined her for over an hour and raped her.,” said a senior police officer.

Two Manipur youths beaten over racial remarks

Two youths from the Manipur were beaten up by sticks by a group of five local residents in the national capital’s Ambedkar Nagar on Sunday night.

The gruesome incident took place on Sunday at around 9 pm when the youths after buying chicken from local market at Madangir were returning home. They were beaten by the assailants when the ignored the remark of ‘Chinki and Nepali’, racial slurs, at a shop they stopped to buy a cigarette.

The shocking incident comes in the backdrop of a racial attack against a 19-year-old Nido Tania who was assaulted by a group of shopkeepers in south Delhi resulting in his death last week. Tania was attack by some shopkeepers at Lajpat Nagar market in south Delhi leading to his death when he objected ‘unsavoury’ remark on his blonde hair colour.

A preliminary probe revealed that two youths – Gin Khansuan Naulak, 24, and his cousin Vunsuanmung Naulak, 25, -- had gone to Madangir market to buy chicken.  While returning they stopped at a cigarette shop for smoke where two assailants after buying chicken and while they were returning, the passerby made a racial slur ‘Chinki’. Gin Khansuan and Vunsuanmung ignored and walked up.

Suddenly, five assailants on three bikes came from behind and stopped both the cousin brothers. They started abusing them and thereafter slapped the brothers and pinned them on ground and started beating them with sticks.

Gin Khansuan’s elder brother Siam said, “While returning home, a minor argument ensued between the victims and two passersby at a cigarette shop after which the duo decided to leave the area. As they were heading towards their house, they were waylaid by a group of bike-borne attackers armed with and sticks.” 

Following a brief exchange of words, the accused started thrashing the duo on the road. They hurled abuses and racial words at the victims and mercilessly beat them up after which they fell unconscious. The accused then fled the spot leaving them severely injured.

The victims then somehow managed to recover and straightaway went to their house where they washed their bruises flooded with blood. The victims then reached the AIIMS Trauma Centre own their own. The doctors at the trauma centre admitted the duo and in the meantime informed police.

Following the treatment, Vunsuanmung was discharged from the hospital this afternoon while his cousin is recuperating to his injuries at the hospital. According to the doctors at the hospital, Gin Khansuan has sustained severe injuries all over the body. He has sustained six stitches behind his ear.

Meanwhile, senior police officers said that they have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code with the Ambedkar Nagar police station against the unknown accused and investigating the case.

A team comprising of senior police officers has been formed and pressed into service to nab the accused who are absconding. Cops are finding if there is any closed circuit television footage available which captured the incident. “We have registered a case and started the investigation,” said Delhi police Commissioner B S Bassi.

Meanwhile, the discharged victim said that the accused, who were unknown to them, did not rob them. He could recognise the perpetrators if they are confronted. Further investigations are underway.

Past incidents  

1. January 24: At Kotla Mubarakpur two Manipur girls were beaten and molested. While they were walking in a narrow lane a dog strap got tangled with a woman’s shoes. Frightened with this, they panicked and in a bid to get rid of the dog, she started kicking the animal. Meanwhile, the dog managed to run away. Seeing this, the owner started arguing with women and he started beating them with the assistance of a few men who were present at the spot. The accused not even thrashed the them,  even they molested them in full public view. Police have arrested five people in the case and have already been sent to jail.

2. January 29: A 19-year-old Nido Tania from Arunachal Pradesh was assaulted by a group of shopkeepers in south Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar resulting in his death. The shopkeepers mocked and made racial slur the colour of his hair. Three people were arrested.

3. 4 February: A 20-year-old girl hailing from Assam was allegedly trafficked to the national capital on the pretext of providing job but was sold off to three persons including a woman in the walled city. The incident came to light on February night, when the victim, who was confined and held hostage by the accused, managed to flee from their clutches and approached the police. Three people were arrested.

4. February 7: A minor tribal girl from Manipuri was allegedly raped by her landlord’s son on Friday night at Munirka, a suburb in south Delhi.  The accused was arrested and special investigative team formed to probe into the matter.

5. February 9: A youth from Manipur was robbed off his belonging at south east Delhi’s Nizamuddin area. The police have arrested four miscreants who looted his mobile and money.

Tihar Jail inmates take parole to get married

Rakesh Singh 35, who is lodged in Tihar jail and is serving a life term for murder, can’t wait to get married.

He had written to Delhi government seeking permission to be released on parole for four days to tie the knot with his long time acquaintance Roshni. In his letter he has written how he was committed to Roshni and his long-cherished dream to marry her.

Rakesh is not alone.

Tihar jail authorities are literally flooded with such requests from convicts languishing in Asia’s biggest prison over the past few years – several of them seeking parole to marry.

“Several of such convicts marry after being granted parole. This is a growing trend and we do not have any complaints. It is a positive thing and would also help them in rehabilitating once they get out of prison after serving their term,” said a senior prison official.

Over last two years around 150 convicts have got married after being allowed parole. In total, around 800 inmates have gone on parole for various reasons. 

“Another good thing is that the promise of an ordered family life after jail made such convicts to be on good behaviour inside prison. After marriage they become more disciplined and well-mannered, he added.

But there are others who misuse the relief and go missing after being granted parole --- 26 convicts have gone missing in the last two years after they were granted relief.

“This is why we have written to the Delhi government to make parole rules more stringent and amend the existing guidelines,” another official said.

In 2011 end, Delhi high court granted Manu Sharma, serving a life term for the 1999 murder of Jessica Lal, parole for five days to attend his brother’s wedding but laid down a condition -- he wouldn’t visit nightclubs or discotheques during the five days.

In 2009 Delhi government had landed in a soup after recommending parole to Sharma who was found partying in a discotheque in the capital the last time he had been granted parole to visit his ailing mother in Chandigarh and attend his grandmother’s last rites.

According to the official jail authorities get 20-25 applications every month from convicts seeking parole on several grounds including marriage.

“Only those who are well-behaved and have never been involved in any untoward incident inside prison are allowed,” said Sunil Gupta, law officer Tihar jail 

Parole is granted to convicts on grounds of sickness in the family, perform funeral rite, attend marriage, sorting out property dispute, construct a house or repair a damaged house, education or any other sufficient reasons. It is granted by the governor, Delhi, and the high court if the appeal is pending there.

The relief allows a convict to leave the prison for a period of maximum one month on condition that he would behave appropriately after release and report back to the prison on termination of the parole period.

At present 12,000 inmates are lodged in Tihar jail and 25-30 percent of them are convicts.

“Inmates in Tihar are relatively young and the average age being 25-40. We are very happy that some of them are getting married on parole. It helps them in rehabilitation after serving their terms,” Gupta said.

According to jail norms wives are allowed to meet their husbands twice a week which is a normal procedure.

Last year Punjab government announced that they may allow select male inmates to have sex with their partners in a designated area of the jail. If the proposal, which is part of the jails reforms programme, is allowed then Punjab will become the first state to allow sex in prison.

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35 death reported in Tihar in 2013

Lack of prompt medical facilities and proper surveillance in the Asia’s largest prison – Tihar Jail --, the death of inmates doubled compare to last year. 

The Tihar Jail has witnessed 35 deaths, including two suicides and two murders, during 213, an official said.  In 2012, sixteen inmates died inside the jail and two prisoners committed suicide.

In 2013, Delhi gang-rape prime accused Ram Singh committed suicide by hanging himself. Ram Singh was found hanging inside jail number 3. He was rushed to the jail hospital but declared dead on arrival.

Magisterial inquiries were conducted in every death but inquiry reports in the suicide cases and murders are yet to come.

Though, the jail authorities claim that the most of the death were natural and round-the-clock medical attention is given to jail inmates. There is a 150-bedded hospital in central jail number 3 and dispensaries attached to other jails. However, sources said that lack of proper surveillance and medical attention; the inmates have died in the jail.

But interesting incidents of murders were not reported earlier years. Last year, two murder incidents took place inside the jail premises.

In one of the incident, Mohammad Javed was brutally murdered inside the jail premises during roll call in month of March 2013. Javed, a resident of Seelampur, was lodged in jail for a murder case. The jail authorities were tight-lipped over the matter and said that the magisterial inquiry is still pending. 

As many as 14,000 prisoners are lodged inside nine jails, out of which 600 are women.

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MPs spooked by threat calls

It's a phoney business but the fear and loathing is quite real in Lutyens' Delhi. Members of Parliament have been inundated by threatening and abusive calls from people describing themselves variously as Maoists, gangsters, voters and loan recovery agents that many have had to go to the police.

No less than 18 MPs have made written complaints to the police in connection with incessant calls of abusive and foul content.

Police officials of New Delhi district say the complaints from parliamentarians want the callers traced and brought to book. Meanwhile, the calls continue, and senior police officials have no clue on how to stop these unwanted calls on the MPs' official residence phone lines.

In April this year, Lok Sabha MP Laxman Tudu - who represents Mayurbhanj constituency in Orissa - received an extortion call from an alleged Maoist demanding Rs.10 lakh. The police later found that an engineering student, Premanshu Kumar Mahapatra, was terrorising the minister by posing as a Maoist and had made several extortion calls to the ruling Biju Janata Dal leader.

In May, BSP MP Seema Upadhyay complained of receiving threat calls from alleged Maoists asking her to stay off the Parliament premises. "During an inquiry, we found that some voters had called her and threatened not to vote for her in the approaching Lok Sabha elections," a senior police officer said.

Most of the 18 complaints made in the last six months reported "abusive" calls from anonymous people. While most of the numbers were traced to some PCOs, two of the callers were identified as they had called from their mobile phones, the police officer said. "They told us that they are angry as the MP from their constituency had failed to deliver the promises they had made," he said. "People seem to be very disillusioned with their MPs and this is how they express their frustration. What can the police do in such cases except ask the people not to indulge in these practices," another senior police officer said.

A few ministers have also complained of being harassed by bank officials and agents. In June, a parliamentarian lodged a complaint saying he had not taken any bank loan and was yet getting threat calls from loan recovery agents.

The police later found that the bank officials had confused the MP with a former MP who had failed to repay a loan.

Another MP from the Samajwadi Party registered a police complaint last month that he was being harassed by some anonymous callers. An inquiry into the case found out that loan recovery agents were calling the MP because he had gone out of Delhi and failed to pay loan EMIs for two months without prior information to the bank.

Another senior cop expressed helplessness.

"People seem to be very disillusioned with their MPs and this is how they express their frustrations. Also the fact being election is around the corner. What police can do in these matters except asking people not to indulge in such practice."

If unwanted calls are a big worry for Parliamentarians then thieves are also on the prowl targeting the Lutyen’s bunglows.

Last year in September a gang of thieves had decamped with an air-conditioner from the house of Congress MP Jhansi Lakshmi Botcha from Andhra Pradesh. A case of theft has been registered.

Botcha represents Vizianagaram Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh.

The MP had lodged a complaint saying the outdoor unit of a split air-conditioner was stolen and requested police to provide 24X7 security at his bungalow.

 In November last year thieves broke in at MP Santosh Pargodia's bunglow and fled with expensive metallic water taps in the bathrooms. Three beat constables were suspended for negligence.

With several theft cases reported in the high profile zone, Delhi Police has written to New Delhi Municipal Council to light up the dark patches of lanes of the high profile area.

 “During inspection we found that rear and front service lanes of MP bungalows were in complete darkness, giving enough cover for burglars to break in. We have asked the NDMC to provide more lights,” the police official said.

According to him the NDMC has decided planned to put octagonal lights on the lanes of South and North Avenues.

"The project cost is estimated to be nearly Rs 1.30 crore and it will be completed by the end of this year."

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