Kerala: India's first Islamic bank gets RBI approval

Bengaluru, Feb 29: Gangster Ravi Poojary, who was arrested from Senegal earlier this week, and is being interrogated by the Cental Crime Branch (CCB) police, wants to evade the Mumbai police for any kind of inquiry. Claiming that there is a serious threat to his life, he is believed to have told his investigators that he should not be sent there. Poojary is being grilled by the CCB for his alleged involvement in numerous cases.

“He is aware that he will be given to the custody of Mumbai police as he had committed several crimes before fleeing India and also made hundreds of extortion calls to the well-heeled there. Hence, he has started requesting us not to send him to Mumbai. He claimed that he has many rivals there and they may go to any extent to get him killed,” a source said. Poojary was once an associate of dreaded underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Poojary has little option but to face Mumbai cops

Poojary had left Dawood’s gang and had joined Chhota Rajan, who split from D-Company and established his own network. There were also attempts by Dawood’s men to assassinate Rajan on a few occasions. During his days in Mumbai, Poojary was also reportedly facing threats from Dawood and other gangsters. “Since Poojary had jumped bail in the murder case of a gangster in Mumbai and f l e d the country, he has no option but to face trial again. Besides, he has made over a hundred extortion calls to businessmen and celebrities in Mumbai in the last two decades.

It’s inevitable for him to face inquiry by the Mumbai police,” an official said. “Now that he knows his options are limited, he is requesting us not to send him to Mumbai under any circumstance, claiming that he faces a serious threat to his life by Dawood’s aides and others. However, when we are done with questioning him, and if Mumbai police approach the court, it will decide whether to give him to their custody or not,” the official added. Poojary, who was brought to India on February 24, has been remanded to police custody till March 7. The police are likely to seek extension of his custody as he is facing close to 100 cases in Karnataka.

Cases filed in 4 states the gangster, originally from Malpe in Dakshina Kannada, has cases against him in Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. At least 46 cases are registered in Bengaluru alone.

New Delhi, Mar 11: In the wake of the ongoing political crisis in Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Wednesday said that Bharatiya Janata Party is using Jyotiraditya Scindia to usurp power in the state and that the former Congress leader has "fallen into the trap."

"#BJP is enacting the strategy the way they did in #Karnataka. It is murder of democracy #JyotiradityaScindia has fallen into the trap. He will realise the himalayan blunder very shortly. BJP after using #Scindia will through (throw) him out. I am confident Shri Kamalnath prove majority," he tweeted.

The Chief Minister's comments came at a time of political turmoil in Madhya Pradesh after Scindia and 22 MLAs resigned from the party on Tuesday.

Scindia is likely to join the BJP today.

Gadag, Feb 20: A 33-year-old Muslim man is all set to become a seer at Muruga Rajendra Mutt in Gadag.

Ordained by Sri Murugarajendra Koraneswara Swami of the mutt, Dewan Sharief Mullah claims he was taking the step not under any duress but after being "guided by the almighty".

"Nobody asked me to do it. The almighty came in my mind and guided me.... They have put the sacred thread and given me the responsibility. They have given me the 'Ishta-linga' and this honour. I have done the 'Ishta-linga dharan'. I will walk on the path of dharma. Love and sacrifice is the message given to me. That is what I want to propagate," he said.

Sri Murugarajendra Koraneswara Swami said, "It does not matter what caste you belong to. If God appears to you for a path of goodwill and sacrifice, you will do it regardless of the manmade restrictions of birth and caste."