56 gold 'couriers' land in DRI net

June 23, 2015

Hyderabad, Jun 23: A free trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with an added cash incentive on return spelt trouble for 56 people when they landed at Visakhapatnam International Airport late on Sunday.

DRI netThe passengers were used as “couriers” by a gold smuggling cartel based in Tamil Nadu to bring the yellow metal into the country from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) stated.

In all, the 56 passengers were carrying 63 kg of gold, valued at Rs 16.85 crore, which was concealed inside the walls of microwave ovens, mini-washing machines, induction stoves, laptops and sound systems.

They arrived at the airport by three different flights – Air Asia 83 and Malindo 251, both from Kuala Lumpur, and Silk Air MI442 from Singapore – between 9:10 pm and 11:00 pm.

Most of the passengers are from Madurai, Chennai, Puducherry, Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli. They are not frequent fliers. Some are also school teachers and employees of various organisations.

The passengers were carrying gold in various shapes resembling parts of electronic goods such as magnets in amplifiers, speaker stand, central pulley of washing machine and trolley rods to conceal the precious metal in a meticulous manner so that it can escape physical and X-ray detection by Customs officials at the airport, the DRI stated.

The cartel shifted the landing airport to Visakhapatnam from major airports like the Shamshabad airport here after the Customs department tightened vigil.

Unluckily for these passengers, the DRI Chennai unit had tipped-off Visakhapatnam airport Customs officials about the smuggling.

As Air Asia flight landed at 9:10 pm, Silk Air at 10:05 pm and Malindo flight at 11 pm on Sunday, Customs officials were ready for a thorough search.

Suspects were identified and their baggage was segregated for detailed examination. Almost everyone was carrying some electronic item or a consumer durable.

The gold concealed in their baggage in various forms and shapes were identified and confiscated and all 56 of them were detained, according to Customs officials.

They will be shifted to Chennai where the DRI will subject them to further interrogation, the officials added.

Earlier, most of the gold was smuggled from Dubai through popular carriers known as “Kasargod electricians.”

The Customs department at Shamshabad airport had detected gold smuggled in the form of suitcase hand grips metal wheels and also by women in their clothing.

The couriers, instead of landing at Mumbai, often came to Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Pune, and went back by road or rail.

The couriers are paid Rs 10,000 for every 500 grams of gold they bring in plus the day’s expenses and return journey tickets, said a senior customs officer at Shamshabad airport.

“The catch is a result of increased international flight connectivity at the Visakhapatnam airport,” said Principal Commissioner of Customs C Rajendiran.

Before Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, there were hardly 50 international passengers form Dubai travelling to Visakhapatnam via Shamshabad airport.

According to Customs officials in Visakhapatnam, the numbers have gone up to 1,683 and the number of outgoing passengers shot up to 1,963.

Similarly, there is a spurt in the quantity of the precious metal seized at Visakhapatnam International Airport.

In 2013-14, Customs officials confiscated 6.67 kg of gold worth Rs 2.01 crore, in 2014-15, 7.62 kg gold worth Rs 2.04 crore was seized and until this operation in 2015, 11.06 kg of gold worth Rs 3.06 crore has been confiscated.

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News Network
February 21,2020

Aurangabad, Feb 21: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) will seek an explanation from its leader Waris Pathan over his alleged '15 crore Muslims can be heavy on 100 crore' remark he recently made in Karnataka, a party leader said here on Friday.

Pathan had made the purported remarks while addressing an anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) rally at Kalaburagi in North Karnataka on February 16.

"We have to move together. We have to take Azadi (freedom), things that we don't get by asking, we have to take it by force, remember it...(We maybe) 15 crore, but are heavy on 100 (crore), remember it," Pathan can be heard purportedly saying in a video of his speech that has gone viral.

Talking to reporters here, AIMIM's Maharashtra unit chief and Aurangabad MP Imtiyaz Jaleel said, "Our party does not support the statement made by Waris Pathan. The party will seek an explanation from him over the remarks."

"If needed, we will come out with a set of dos and don'ts for the party workers to be while giving speech," he said.

"BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Yogi Adityanath had also given some hateful statements, but none questioned them about it," Jaleel added.

On Thursday, a young woman had raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan in Bengaluru during a protest against CAA, NRC and NPR, where AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was also present. Owaisi had denounced her action.

Talking about the incident, Jaleel said, "That event was not organised by the AIMIM. It was organised by JD(S) and leaders of all parties were there. Asaduddin Owaisi stopped the woman and also condemned her act. But it is being projected that it was AIMIM's stage."

Meanwhile, the BJP and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) held protests in Aurangabad against Pathan, seeking stern action against him.

The BJP protested in Gulmandi area and burnt an effigy of Pathan.

"Waris Pathan has hurt the feelings of 100 crore people. He has tried to divide the people of the country. The state government should take action against him and send him out of Mumbai," BJP MLA Atul Save said.

The MNS took out a symbolic funeral procession of Pathan and raised slogans against the AIMIM.

"The language of Waris Pathan was disgusting. He should be banned from giving public speeches in the state and also be arrested," MNS lader Prakash Mahajan said.

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News Network
January 29,2020

Aurangabad, Jan 29: Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of creating a conflict between Hindu and Muslim communities in the country, former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar has said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was adding fuel to the fire.

He was speaking at a rally held on Tuesday at Pathri in Parbhani district of Maharashtra against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). It was organised by NCP MLC Abdullah Durrani.

"Modi and Shah used to create conflicts between Hindus and Muslims during the Gujarat elections. Now they are adopting the same strategy in the country," Kumar alleged.

Citizens should keep the religious conflicts aside and question the present government about unemployment and the poor state of the economy, he said.

"Through the CAA, the government is adding fuel to the fire, which is already raging in the country," he alleged.

When anyone questions the government about the problems existing in the country, it in turn asks him about his citizenship, the former JNUSU leader alleged.

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News Network
March 7,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 7: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday came down heavily on the BJP-led government at the Centre for imposing a ban on two Malayalam channels in connection with the Delhi violence reporting, saying an "undeclared emergency" was prevailing in the country.

Terming the ban as a "dangerous trend", the left leader said it was an indication of the coming dangers. "The Centre has made an infringement into the freedom of the press, crossing all limits. There is a threat that if anybody criticises RSS and Sangh Parivar, they will be taught a lesson," he said here in a statement.

The channels- Asianet News and MediaOne were suspended for 48 hours over their coverage of last month's riots in Delhi, with the official orders saying they covered events on February 25 in a manner that "highlighted the attack on places of worship and siding towards a particular community".

However, the ban was lifted on Saturday morning. Urging everyone to adopt a "democratic vigil" against such trends, the Chief Minister said the tactics of the Centre was to bring everyone under its control by instilling fear.

It was seen that such an approach had repeatedly been made on Parliament, constitutional bodies and judiciary in recent times, he said. Claiming that one of the reasons for the ban was criticism of RSS and the Delhi police by the channels, he said no one is beyond that. "How can it be illegal to criticise RSS? The Constitution guarantees the right of any citizen to express his opinion fearlessly," he said.

People have the right to know what is happening in the country and the media has the right and responsibility to report it, Vijayan said adding that the fourth estate should be allowed to act "freely and equitably". The ban on Asianet News was lifted at 1.30 am, while the ban on Media One was lifted at 9.30 am on Saturday, a source at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told PTI.

Sources said the two channels had written to the ministry seeking revocation of the bans, following which it was lifted. "Channel's reporting on Delhi violence seems to be biased as it is deliberately focusing on the vandalism of CAA supporters," the ministry order on Media One had said.

"It also questions RSS and alleges Delhi Police inaction. Channel seems to be critical towards Delhi Police and RSS." The ministry had ordered prohibition of transmission or re-transmission of Media One and Asianet News for 48 hours on any platform throughout India with effect from 7.30 pm on Friday to 7.30 pm on Sunday. The Congress and the CPI had flayed the government over the suspension of Media One and Asianet News, calling the clampdown as "stifling of media freedom".

Former chief minister Oommen Chandy said the ban on the two malayalam channels was an "affront" on the democratic rights of the media. The fourth estate is the pillar of democracy and attempts to suppress the media by the government is "extremely worrying", he said in a facebook post.

"I join all democratic minded citizens in strongly condemning such attempts to muzzle the media by the government," he said. Meanwhile, Press Club, Kerala Union of Working Jouranlists (KUWJ) and Kerala Newspaper Employees Federation (KNEF) took out a march to the General Post Office here against the Centre's action on the two channels.

Media personnel holding placards and raising slogans participated in the march against the centre's decision. Similar protests were held in various parts of the state.

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Indian
 - 
Saturday, 7 Mar 2020

All these are happening in our nation only because of EVM tamper. Unless Ballot voting criminals will spoil our nations unity and image.

 

Jai Hind

 

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