Terror link: Bengaluru cleric Anzar Shah Khasmi finally let off as investigators find no proof

coastaldigest.com news network
October 18, 2017

Bengaluru, Oct 18: Maulana Syed Anzar Shah Khasmi, a city-based outspoken cleric, who was arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad of Delhi police nearly two years ago on suspicion of terror links, was finally acquitted by a Delhi court.  

During charge proceedings, Additional Sessions Judge Siddhartha Sharma discharged Qasmi stating that there was not sufficient evidence against him. However, the other accused in the case — Mohammad Asif, Abdul Rehman and Zafar Masood — were charged under sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, to which they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The case dates back to December 2015, when the main accused Asif (41), who hailed from Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, was arrested from Delhi’s Seelampur flyover where he had allegedly gone to meet a contact.

Investigators suspected that he was sent to India by Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri for recruiting youths for an Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) module. Three mobile phones, a laptop and other incriminating articles were seized from his possession, Delhi Police Special Cell had said.

Khasmi was arrested in January 2016 as his mobile number was there in Asif’s seized mobile. Khasmi’s advocate M S Khan said that evidence against Khasmi was fabricated and hence he was discharged.

“It was alleged that Khasmi had met Asif and that a letter was supplied to him for recruiting members of AQIS. Police had said that the meeting with Asif was based on a testimony of an eyewitness who could not prove the meeting in the court. Khasmi did not know the other accused and the police could not recover the letter being given to him.”

Khan said the police had also alleged that Khasmi had been giving sermons asking people to join AQIS, which was a baseless allegation. “There was no evidence to substantiate this claim,” he added.

Also Read: Clerics rubbish terror link allegations on Khasmi; demand CM’s intervention

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News Network
June 9,2020

New Delhi, Jun 9: Petrol price on Tuesday was hiked by 54 paise per litre and diesel by 58 paise a litre - the third straight daily increase in rates after oil PSUs ended an 82-day hiatus in rate revision.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 73.00 per litre from 72.46, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 71.17 a litre from Rs 70.59, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

This is the third daily increase in rates in a row. Oil companies had on Sunday restarted revising prices in line with costs, after ending an 82-day hiatus.

Prices were raised by 60 paise per litre each on both petrol and diesel on Sunday as well as on Monday. In all, petrol price has gone up by Rs 1.74 per litre and diesel by Rs 1.78 a litre in three days.

Oil PSUs - Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) - had put daily price revisions on hold soon after the government on March 14, hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre each.

Oil companies did not pass on that excise duty hike, as well as the May 6 increase in tax on petrol by Rs 10 per litre and Rs 13 a litre hike on diesel by setting them off against the decline in retail prices that should have effected to reflect international oil rates falling to two-decade low.

International rates have since rebounded and oil companies having exhausted all the margin are now passing on the increase to customers, an industry official said.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 21,2020

Mangaluru, July 21: Putting an end to all speculations, district in charge minister Kota Srinvas Poojary on Tuesday said that the lockdown in Dakshina Kannada will not be extended beyond Wednesday.

In a video message, the minister said that all the shops in the district will remain open from July 23 morning. He said district administration will make a formal announcement soon.  

Meanwhile chief minister B S Yediyurappa said: “There’ll be no lockdown from Wednesday, people need to get back to work, economy is also very important. We have to fight COVID-19 while maintaining stable economy. Lockdown is not the solution, now restrictions will be placed only in containment zones.”

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 18,2020

Bengaluru, May 18: Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa today announced lockdown relaxations from tomorrow (May 19) across the state. As per new guidelines public transport services will start operations outside COVID-19 containment zones in the state. 

 “To facilitate easy movements of citizens, services of the BMTC, KSRTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC will start from Tuesday morning, except in containment zones. Even private buses can ply,” Yediyurappa said, after discussing the Centre's Lockdown 4.0 guidelines with his Cabinet colleagues and officials. 

“The only condition is that only 30 people should travel in one bus so as to ensure social distancing,” the CM said. 

He also clarified that bus fares will not be hiked. “I know there will be losses incurred. The government will bear the losses,” he said. 

Auto rickshaws, taxis and maxi cabs (six-passenger vehicles) will also be allowed to operate. “Auto rickshaws and taxis will have a driver and two passengers. Maxi cabs will have a driver and three passengers,” Yediyurappa said. 

All parks in the state will be open 7 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. 

Starting Tuesday, all shops except malls and theatres can open. “This includes salons,” the CM said. 

All relaxation will cease to exist every Sunday, the CM said. “Every Sunday will be a complete lockdown. There’ll be no shops and the movement of people. It’ll be a complete rest day,” he said. 

The existing curfew from 7 pm to 7 am will continue on all days, which means public transport services will not be allowed during this time. 

Trains will run within the state, but interstate trains will not be allowed till May 31, the CM said. 

It is mandatory for citizens to wear masks in public. “Not wearing a mask will be penalised,” Yediyurappa said. 

On the classification of zones, Yediyurappa said the government's main focus was containment zones. “We're particular about containment zones. In the Karwar district, for example, Bhatkal will be a containment zone and no other taluk will have restrictions,” he said. 

However, the government will review the relaxation based on how things pan out. “States have been given the freedom, so we can withdraw or modify as necessary,” he said.

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