Alleged terror module: Disbelief writ large as kin meet 5 of the 10 arrested by NIA

News Network
December 28, 2018

New Delhi, Dec 28: A day after the National Investigation Agency arrested 10 persons after claiming to have busted a an Islamic State-inspired terror module, a Patiala House court here on Thursday allowed the family members and relatives of six of the accused to meet them inside the courtroom on Thursday.

However, the father of one was denied permission later as he did not possess the original identity proof.

The accused were arrested by the NIA in a joint operation with the Delhi police’s Special Cell from various locations in Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh. Parents of Anas Younus, Saqib Iftekar, Mohammad Azam, Zaid Malik and Zubair Malik met their children, while Rashid Zafar’s father could not meet him.

“The NIA took away all the documents from our house, including our identity proofs during the raid. I am just left with a photocopy of the ID proof and the court refused to accept it. I pray that my child gets back home at the earliest,” said Rashid’s father Iqbal Ahmad.

Mohammad Younus, father of Anas, said he was allowed to meet his son for just five minutes inside the court in the presence of policemen. “I asked him if he had any problem, but he refused to interact and just gestured to me that he was fine. I never imagined that one day I will see my son stand inside the court as a terror suspect with a masked face,” he said, adding that he believed his son was innocent and would be out soon.

Arguments in court

Counsel for the accused, M.S. Khan, said the NIA, during arguments in court, was unable to explain the “foreign-based handler” who masterminded the module as also the “instruments” recovered from the house that were intended to carry out “fidayeen attacks”.

“They are students. What the NIA has recovered includes a tractor’s power nozzle, which they planted and called a rocket launcher. What they [NIA] are calling explosives are actually ‘sutli bombs’ that are used during Diwali. There is a lot of fabrication,” Mr. Khan argued in court.

The court remanded the accused in 12-day police custody.

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News Network
March 3,2020

Mumbai, Mar 3: The country will turn "peaceful" if Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "bhakts" follow him in quitting the social media, the NCP said on Tuesday, taking a dig at the PM over his tweet that was thinking of giving up his social media accounts.

NCP chief spokesperson and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik also said that Modi's decision will be "in the interest of the country".

His comments came a day after Modi said he is contemplating giving up social media presence.

"This Sunday, thinking of giving up my social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube. Will keep you all posted," the prime minister said on the micro-blogging site.

Taking a swipe at the prime minister, Malik in a tweet said, "Yesterday, Modi ji gave hint of giving up the social media from Sunday. Some leaders are also talking about giving up (the social media). The country will turn peaceful if all the bhakts (followers) give it up."

"Modi ji's decision will be in the interest of the country. We welcome it, Modi ji take decision," Malik tweeted with the hash tag "ModiQuitsSocialMedia".

Earlier, the Congress took a swipe at the prime minister, with Rahul Gandhi tweeting "Give up hatred, not social media accounts" after tagging Modi's post.

Within minutes of Modi's tweet on Monday, scores of netizens urged him not to quit the various social media platforms as 'No Sir' trended on Twitter.

The prime minister is one of the most-followed world leaders on social media. He has 53.3 million followers on Twitter, 44 million on Facebook and 35.2 millionon Instagram.

The Twitter handle of Prime Minister's Office has 32 million followers.

In September 2019, PM Modi was the third most followed world leader on the microblogging site, behind only US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Barack Obama.

The Prime Minister was the first Indian to cross the 50-million followers mark on Twitter.

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News Network
June 25,2020

New Delhi, Jun 25: Diesel price in the national capital crossed the Rs 80 per litre-mark for the first time ever on Thursday as oil companies raised prices for the 19th day, taking the cumulative rate to Rs 10.63 a litre.

Petrol price, after a day's hiatus, was hiked by 16 paise and the increase in less than three weeks now totals Rs 8.66 per litre.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 79.92 per litre from Rs 79.76, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 80.02 a litre from Rs 79.88, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

Diesel had for the first time become costlier than petrol in Delhi on Wednesday and has now crossed the Rs 80 per litre-mark.

Rates differ from state to state depending on the incidence of value-added tax (VAT).

However, diesel is costlier than petrol only in the national capital where the state government had raised local sales tax or VAT on the fuel sharply last month. It costs less than petrol in other cities.

The 19th daily increase in rates since oil companies on June 7 restarted revising prices in line with costs after ending an 82-day hiatus in rate revision, has taken diesel prices to fresh highs.

In 19 straight days, diesel price has gone up by Rs 10.63 per litre. Petrol price has been hiked on 18 occasions since June 7 and now totals to Rs 8.66 a litre.

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News Network
July 9,2020

New Delhi, Jul 9: India reported the highest single-day spike of 24,879 new positive cases and 487 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 7,67,296, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Out of the total number of cases, 2,69,789 are active, 4,76,378 have been cured/discharged/migrated and 21,129 have died.

Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state due to COVID-19 with as many as 2,23,724 cases, including 91,084 active, 1,23,192 cured/discharged and 9,448 deaths.

It is followed by Tamil Nadu (1,22,350) and Delhi (1,04,864).

Meanwhile, a total of 1,07,40,832 samples have been tested for COVID-19 till July 8. Of these, 2,67,061 samples were tested yesterday, stated Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

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