Saudi Arabia withdraws diplomat accused in rape case

September 17, 2015

New Delhi: Sep 17: Saudi Arabia has withdrawn its diplomat, who has been accused of raping two women from Nepal at his residence in Gurgaon near New Delhi.

saudiindiaThe Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi late on Wednesday confirmed that the diplomat had left India. “We learn that Saudi embassy First Secretary, Mr Majed Hassan Ashoor, who is allegedly accused of abusing two Nepali maids, has left India,” Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson of the MEA, said in a statement.

Though the MEA did not clarify the circumstances leading to the diplomat’s departure from India, it is understood that Riyadh opted to withdraw him after New Delhi nudged it to do so.

“The First Secretary being a diplomat is governed by the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” Swarup added in his statement on Wednesday.

Ashoor enjoyed immunity from any criminal investigation or arrest in India in accordance with Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961.

New Delhi had clearly conveyed to Riyadh that it should either waive the immunity of Ashoor to allow Haryana Police to question him in connection with the case, or he should be withdrawn.

With Saudi Arabia not ready to waive the immunity of the diplomat, his withdrawal was the only way out for New Delhi and Riyadh to make it sure that the incident does not strain bilateral ties, particularly ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to the kingdom later this year.

Deccan Herald had reported on September 10 that Saudi Arabia might withdraw the diplomat.

The women, who hailed from Morang and Banglung district of Nepal, were rescued by police during a raid in the fifth floor flat the Ambience Island Caitriona apartment in Gurgaon early last week.

The women lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at DLF Phase II police station in Gurgaon, alleging that they were kept confined and raped frequently. They later told media-persons that not only the residents of the flat raped and tortured them and forced them into “unnatural sex”, but guests of the family had also sexually assaulted them on several occasions.

The women did not name the alleged perpetrators in their statements to police and the judicial magistrate. The cops, however, found that the flat was being used by Ashoor as residence.

The diplomat and his family enjoyed immunity from any criminal investigation or arrest in India in accordance with Article 31 and Article 37 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961. Saudi Arabia, however, could have waived the immunity under Article 32 of the convention.

Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Saud Bin Mohammed A Al Sati met Thanglura Darlong, Joint Secretary in the Gulf Division of the MEA, and lodged a protest over police raid into the residence of the diplomat, alleging that it was in violation of diplomatic norms.

Police, however, claimed that they were not aware of the identity of the residents of the flat, when they had conducted the raid following a complaint by a non-profit organisation.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to India, was also called in to the MEA headquarters at the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhavan on September 10 and had a meeting with Joint Secretary (Protocol) Jaideep Majumdar.

Majumdar conveyed to Al Sati the request of Haryana Police for cooperation in the investigation, by waiving the diplomatic immunity of Ashoor and making him available for questioning.

With Riyadh not ready to accept the request, his withdrawal from New Delhi was the only way out.

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News Network
July 21,2020

Lucknow, Jul 21: Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon, a veteran political figure in Uttar Pradesh where he had served as a cabinet minister, died at a hospital here early Tuesday.

The 85-year-old was admitted to the hospital on June 11 with breathing problems, fever and difficulty in urination.

He died at 5:35 am in Medanata Hospital, according to his son Ashutosh Tandon, a UP cabinet minister.

Lalji Tandon is survived by wife and three sons.

His body will be kept at his official residence in Hazratganj and later at his Sindhi Tola residence in Chowk to enable people to pay their last respects.

The last journey will start at 4 in the evening for the Gulala Ghat where his last rites will be performed later in the day, Ashutosh Tandon said in a statement.

The UP government has announced three days mourning as a mark of respect to Lalji Tandon, a former cabinet minister, a government spokesman said.

Belonging to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani era of BJP leaders, Lalji Tandon proved himself as an able administrator during his decades-long political career in Uttar Pradesh.

A former Lok Sabha MP, he was later given gubernatorial responsibility.

He took oath as Madhya Pradesh governor on July 29, 2019, when the Congress was in power in the state, after serving in the same post in Bihar for nearly 11 months. 

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News Network
February 13,2020

New Delhi, Feb 13: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has congratulated AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal for his party's stupendous victory in the Delhi Assembly polls, saying the people of the national capital will continue to benefit from his leadership.

Responding to the Dalai Lama's statement, Kejriwal in a tweet on Wednesday said, "Am humbled by the kind words and blessings from His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Thank you very much @DalaiLama."

Referring to the Happiness Curriculum for government schools in Delhi, the Dalai Lama said he has a deep admiration for the efforts the AAP government has made towards "shaping better, happier human beings with improved values".

"These measures will have a positive impact on children's overall education, as well as helping the poor to fulfil their dreams of improving their lives," he said.

He also lauded the AAP government's initiative to incorporate aspects of inner mental development into the school curriculum.

"Through such initiatives, you are showing a path to the rest of India," the Dalai Lama added.

In a near-repeat performance of 2015, the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday retained power with a stunning victory, winning 62 of the 70 assembly seats and leaving the BJP with just eight seats.

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Agencies
July 1,2020

Sopore, Jammu And Kashmir: A three-year-old boy survived as his grandfather was killed in a terror attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore town this morning. A CRPF jawan was also killed in the line of duty as terrorists opened fire on a patrol team.

In heart-wrenching images, the child is seen sitting on the blood-splattered body of his grandfather, a civilian caught in the crossfire. The boy was numb with fear when he was picked up by policemen, according to the police.

The Kashmir police also tweeted a photo of the child being carried to safety by a policeman.

"Jammu and Kashmir police rescued a three-year-old boy from getting hit by bullets during the terrorist attack in Sopore," said the tweet by the Kashmir Zone Police.

The child was travelling in a Maruti car with his grandfather from Srinagar to Handwara when it was hit by a spray of bullets in Sopore town, which is in Baramulla district about 50 km from Srinagar.

The police said terrorists hiding in a mosque fired indiscriminately at the patrol team as it was getting off a bus. The CRPF troops retaliated but the terrorists managed to escape.

According to the CRPF, the grandfather stopped the car and got out to run to a safe spot but was shot dead in the firing by terrorists. The boy was later rescued by a policeman standing nearby.

Last week, a six-year-old boy was killed during a terror attack on the CRPF in Anantnag.

Little Nihaan Bhat was sleeping in a parked car when he was hit by a bullet. Police say the terrorist was on a bike and opened fire from a pistol on a CRPF patrol. One jawan was killed. The child's killing drew widespread anger and condemnation.

The terrorist believed to be involved in the Anantnag attack escaped yesterday after an encounter with security forces. Police said two other terrorists who were hiding with him at a village were killed.

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