The Mumbai Police had reportedly made 6 teams to find him and had also given an order barring him from leaving the country.  

According to police reports, Mihir Shah’s father, Rajesh Shah, a Shiv Sena leader from Palghar. Rajesh Shah reportedly even helped his son escape and planned to remove the vehicle from the scene. Kaveri was reportedly brutally dragged by the car for over a distance of 1.5 kms. Her husband Pradeep was also injured in the incident. The police have told in court, as per NDTV, that the driver was ‘well aware’ of his actions. 

As per News18, Kaveri’s husband, Pradeep had told the media that he was shouting at the scene of the incident to stop the car, ‘but he did not listen to me.’ 

Reports have stated that the Mumbai Police told the court that Kaveri Nakhwa was pulled off the bonnet of the BMW car and placed on the road by Bidawat and Shah. The car also reportedly ran over her again as they reversed the car.  

As per a report by Hindustan Times, Rajesh Shah arrived at the scene in a Mercedes, spoke briefly with Mihir Shah, and advised him to escape. Later, Rajesh Shah arranged to take the BMW away from the location. Rajesh Shah is a member of the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiva Sena. He was also arrested after the incident for not cooperating with the police but was soon granted bail by a Mumbai court. 

Earlier this year, a similar incident took place in Pune where a juvenile in a Porsche was accused of hitting two IT professionals while driving. The accused was the son of a prominent builder named Vishal Agarwal. Agarwal reportedly made huge efforts to make sure that his son was not prosecuted for the case of alleged rash driving and hitting the two people. The case raised a huge uproar about corruption and how the rich and famous are exempt from the rule of law. 

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The post Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader granted bail, as son arrested for alleged case of hit and run appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“It appears that several persons attended the peaceful prayer gathering on the Juhu beach. However, after the prayer gathering ended and the participants had dispersed, the Juhu police picked up 17 individuals around 10.30 a.m. [November 14]. They were taken to the police station and illegally detained there until 7 p.m. after which they were released,” said the statement, adding that four among those picked up by the police were minors who had been allowed to leave only at 4 p.m. after their parents were called.

The PUCL has stated that the detained individuals had gone immediately after the prayer gathering ended to collect posters that they had earlier voluntarily kept in the police cabin near the Juhu beach as it had been decided that the gathering was meant to be ‘silent’, without any posters or banners.

“The police present there, however, started questioning them and asked them to pose with the posters and placards and then photographed them. The police then told them they would escort them to the bus stop to ensure they leave safely. As they proceeded, they suddenly found that a police van had arrived. They were forcibly pushed into the van, detained and taken to the Juhu police station. The youngsters were frightened and many were crying,” said the PUCL statement, laying down the sequence of events.

According to PUCL, none of those detained were allowed to contact their parents or seek any legal help and call up a lawyer, condemning the police’s “gross violation of basic rights.”

“The 17th person to be picked up by the Juhu police was social activist Feroze Mithiborwala. He was picked up after the prayer gathering had ended and was made to remove posters from his bag, though he had never displayed any posters at the prayer gathering,” said the PUCL statement.

Condemning the police action as “excessive and arbitrary,” the statement said it was “a clear case of harassment.”

“Disturbingly, the attitude of the police was also intimidatory towards the young members of the minority community, especially the young girls, who had peacefully participated in a prayer gathering,” said the statement.

It censured the “arbitrary police action” which, in effect, had resulted in a complete restriction in Mumbai on public protests and peace gatherings “against the unprecedented violence and suffering faced by Palestinians, for which daily protests were taking place globally.”

The entire text of the statement may be read here:

Democracy demands that right to protest be protected not punished!

“People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Maharashtra expresses grave alarm and concern at the increasing trend of criminalising public protest or any form of public expression on social issues and deplores the manner in which police in Mumbai speedily lodge cases against those participating in such democratic events. Especially in the context of the ongoing Israeli war on Palestine resulting in civilian deaths, the Mumbai police has in effect imposed a de facto ban on any form of peaceful public protest by citizens demanding an end to the violence, including the holding of peace gatherings and prayer meetings, even candlelight vigils in public places like the Azad Maidan. In no other part of India do we see this sort of obstruction to the right to protest, as is being seen in Mumbai.

“The recent example of the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by Juhu police under sections 37 (1), 37 (3) and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act (MPA) against 13 individuals, 11 of whom are students, on November 14, 2023, for alleged violation of prohibitory orders, is a case in point. All of them were picked up on November 14, 2023, after they responded to a multi-city call emanating from an Instagram account ‘solidarity movement’, to observe Children’s Day in India with a quiet prayer recital of the names of children who were killed in Palestine. It appears that several persons attended the peaceful prayer gathering at Juhu beach. However, after the prayer gathering ended and participants had dispersed, Juhu police picked up 17 individuals at around 10.30 a.m. They were taken to Juhu police station and illegally detained there until 7.00 pm when they were released. 4 of them who were underage youth (2 boys and 2 girls), were allowed to leave only at 4 p.m. and their parents were called. PUCL Maharashtra has learnt that of the 17 individuals – all from the minority community, picked up by the Juhu Police, 16 individuals being 4 minors, 11 students and 1 mother of a student, had gone immediately after the prayer gathering ended to collect the posters that they had earlier voluntarily kept in the police cabin near the beach as it was decided that the gathering was meant to be silent i.e. without any posters or banners. The police present there however started questioning them and asked them to pose with the posters and placards and photographed them.

“The police then told them they will escort them to the Bus Stop to ensure they leave safely. As they proceeded under the directions of the police, suddenly they found a police van had arrived and they were forcibly pushed into the van, detained and taken to the Juhu Police Station. The youth were frightened and many were crying. At the police station, none of them were allowed to contact their parents or seek any legal help and call up a lawyer. All this is in clear gross violation of their basic legal rights. The 17th person picked up by the Juhu Police was social activist Firoz Mithiborwala. He too was picked up by Juhu police after the prayer gathering had ended and was also made to remove posters from his bag, though he had never displayed any posters at the prayer gathering. But the police were not willing to listen to any reason.

“In this manner, the 13 people illegally detained were finally released only at 7.00 pm on November 14, 2023, after being served with notices. They were asked to return the next day i.e. on November 15, 2023 at 11.00 am to submit their Aadhar Card xerox copy and 2 photographs. Then, on that day, the rest were allowed to leave by around 1.00 pm, but Feroze Mithiborwala was detained there till 6.30pm once again, when he was extensively questioned. Clearly, the police action was excessive and arbitrary, and this is a clear case of police harassment. Disturbingly, the attitude of the police was also intimidatory towards the young members of the minority community, especially the young girls, who had peacefully participated in a prayer gathering for peace.

“The youth were asked to provide all their personal details and their parents were later summoned to the police station. Activist Firoz Mithiborwala was repeatedly questioned whether he had organised the meeting, despite his repeated denial that he had only come in response to an online call and knew none of the youth involved. Even a copy of the FIR was only provided to them after an application from their lawyers. There was no occasion or ground for the police to file an FIR, that too selectively against the 13 people after the peaceful gathering had dispersed and when there was no disturbance to public order or violation of law. Moreover, in any event, none of the 13 people were involved in organizing the event but had only responded to a humane call on social media for the prayer gathering.

“Right to protest is a fundamental right of citizens guaranteed under the Indian Constitution and essential to our democracy. However, the increasing number of such instances show that the right to protest of citizens is not only being infringed upon, but even attempting to assemble peacefully in Mumbai is being met with harsh and intimidatory police action and criminal sanctions, creating an atmosphere of fear in which democracy cannot thrive or find expression.

“There has been continuous imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 37 (1) and (3) of the MPA, thereby providing ground to the police to criminalise peaceful gatherings and protests, and to selectively restrict protests. Meanwhile, most applications / intimations to the police for holding protests by citizens’ groups and civil society organisations are being denied and met with sanctions, including the peace gatherings and anti-war public protests on the ongoing Israeli war on Palestine. The police has been serving notices under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) to the applicants/organisers while denying permission to protest and the applicants/organisers have also on occasion been put under preventive detention under Section 151 of the CrPC. Just last month, the Mankhurd Police had arrested two young Mumbai activists and charged them under Section 353 and 332 of the Indian Penal Code, among other offences for violation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and Section 37 of the MPA, and also detained 4 persons under Section 151 of the CrPC, in connection with a protest against the Israeli government’s ongoing violent attacks impacting civilians in Palestine. It is unfathomable that the arbitrary police action has in effect resulted in a complete restriction in Mumbai on public protests and peace gatherings against the unprecedented violence and suffering faced by Palestinians, for which daily protests are taking place globally and even in other states in the country calling for ceasefire. Infact, it is even more shocking that public demonstrations calling for an end to the ongoing violence in Palestine are being penalized in such fashion, considering India’s own history of freedom struggle from colonial rule and its long-standing recognition of the statehood of Palestine and the self-determination struggle of Palestinians.

“PUCL Maharashtra expresses concern on the misuse of penal law against peaceful protestors, thereby criminalizing and silencing voices of democratic expression and dissent. PUCL Maharashtra demands that the FIR lodged against the 13 civilians by Juhu police on November 14, 2023 be dropped forthwith and that the constitutional right of citizens to protest and to give peaceful expression to their views or feelings be protected.

“Besides, PUCL Maharashtra notes with distress, that there appears to be a concerted attempt to silence peaceful protests against war and violence. PUCL Maharashtra demands an end to the excessive, continuous and restrictive imposition of prohibitory orders under Sec 144 of the CrPC and Section 37 of the MPA. These orders, ostensibly issued to maintain public order, actually result in a curb on the constitutional right to public protest or gatherings and instead facilitate the criminalization of peaceful and democratic protests. This creates a chilling effect, amounts to censorship and is against the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, association and assembly. PUCL Maharashtra reiterates its demand that the legitimate right of citizens to protest be protected fiercly in the interest of our nation which is built on the fulcrum of that very right.*

The statement has been issued by Mihir Desai, President Lara Jesani, General Secretary PUCL Maharashtra.

Related:

“Don’t pray for Palestine,” Delhi Police reportedly warns mosque imams

Withdraw FIRs filed against protestors for participating in pro-Palestine protests: PUCL

The post Mumbai police’s FIR against individuals at prayer gathering commemorating children killed in Palestine condemned: PUCL appeared first on SabrangIndia.

After a gap of two minutes, as the boys are walking away, two police officers can be seen approaching the group with their sticks. One of the officers is the same as before while a new one can also be seen. The video then shows the police officer mercilessly beating one young man as he continuously keeps on screaming that you are beating a student.

“I’m a student, you’re beating me for no reason,” the boy can be heard saying in the video.

The police officers can also be heard using abusive language while subjecting the students to physical abuse. The officers also used derogatory language directed towards women.

The video also contains the pictures of the wounds that the young boy sustains. In the picture, the boy can be seen with a deep bleeding wound on his forehead. In one of the pictures, the boy can be seen lying in a hospital bed with a drip attacked to his arm. One of the photos is of the FIR filed in the case.

The video can be viewed here:

इस वीडियो में मुंबई के इंद्रा मार्किट पोस्ट ऑफिस इलाके, सायन में 10 अक्टूबर को सायन पुलिस स्टेशन के अधिकारीयों द्वारा एक युवक अयान रिज़वान खान से ऐसे भाषा का प्रयोग करना जिसमे शब्दों को जोड़ने के लिए माँ-बहन की गालियों का इस्तेमाल किया गया और की गई बर्बरता घोर निंदनीय है तथा कड़ी… pic.twitter.com/oIO1hNRIBY

— Abu Asim Azmi (@abuasimazmi) October 16, 2023

The aforementioned disturbing visual were shared by Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi on ‘X’. Through his post, Azmi demanded immediate action from Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Mumbai Police Commissioner. Azmi also urged them to investigate the incident thoroughly and ensure that appropriate measures are taken against the involved police officers.

As per a report of the Observer Post, this incident took place in the Indira Market Post Office area of Sion, Mumbai on October 10. The young boy being physically and verbally abused by the police officer had been identified as Ayaan Rizwan Khan. Notably, the police officers in the video were from the Sion Police Station.

During the altercation, Ayaan is heard pleading with the officers, claiming he is a student and that he was being subjected to unwarranted violence.

The team of SabrangIndia tried to reach out to the police from the Sion Police Thana for comments and more information. After having told the officer on the call that we want to inquire about the said incident, the officer got angry and refused to comment. He also stated that reporters have a tendency to print wrong information and that is why they will not be giving any byte. In addition to this, the officer, who refused to state his name but said that he is a senior officer, stated that the reporter will need to come to the station to get any more information.

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Police shoot dead a Muslim man in custody

The post Sion, Mumbai: Police officers beat young student with stick while the boy decries innocence appeared first on SabrangIndia.

According to a report by a news agency, widely reproduced by several other publications, only one percent of Mumbai temples applied for permission to use loudspeakers, all of which were granted. This data has been attributed to the Mumbai Police who also said that 83 percent of the city’s mosques applied for and got the permission as well.

As per the information shared by the city police, only 24 out of 2,400-odd temples applied for police approval of loudspeakers. Meanwhile, 950 out of the 1,140 mosques applied and got permissions. Information on other structures like churches, gurdwaras, Buddha viharas and synagogues is still being collected. The information was shared during a meeting held between police personnel, local leaders and religious heads of the city, including Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey, Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order) Vishwas Nangre Patil and others.

All religious places were asked to take these measures to ensure peace during Eid. Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray demanded that all mosques in Maharashtra remove their loudspeakers if they did not want Hanuman Chalisa chanted on their doorstep.

However, citizens instead worked together and ensured all places of worship followed the necessary guidelines to use loudspeakers within the prescribed decibel limits between 6 A.M and 10 P.M.

“Law is equal for all and we have asked religious places to obtain permission to play loudspeakers,” the official said.

Accordingly, the permission to use loudspeakers will be given conditionally to shrines for one month and the approval will be renewed periodically. Khardanda Temple Trustee and attendee at the meeting Chintamani Nevate said politicians should not play with the religious sentiments of people.

Meanwhile, a secretary of a Dadar Jain temple complained about the decibel limit at religious places (50 decibels). He argued that mixers and grinders create louder noises.

Related:

VHP backs out on MNS’ Hanuman Chalisa event
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SC impact: No Dharm Sansad as peace prevails in Roorkee
Bajrang Muni Das granted bail within 10 days of being arrested!

The post 950 mosques and 24 temples approved for loudspeakers: Mumbai Police appeared first on SabrangIndia.

While Mumbai Police arrested three accused in the Bulli Bai case, Delhi Police arrested one more, calling him the ‘mastermind’. He was identified as Neeraj Bishnoi arrested from Jorhat, Assam, who allegedly created the app on the GitHub platform. Now according to Times Now’s anchor Rahul Shivashankar, “Mumbai police claim that with arrest of ‘mastermind’ case solved ‘completely’” Interestingly he added that the ‘mastermind’ “has no links to saffron groups”.

Latest on Bulli Bai APP probe. Mumbai police claim that with arrest of ‘mastermind’ from Jorhat case solved ‘completely’. The ‘mastermind’ has no links to saffron groups. Were ‘secular’ rights activists fear mongering and dividing society? Who atones for this fake propaganda?

— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) January 6, 2022

According to  Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit KPS Malhotra, “Evidence has been found from his phone & laptop, including details of all the profiles uploaded on the app on #github.”

DCP (IFSO) KPS Malhotra on #BulliBai accused #NeerajBishnoi: “He is the mastermind. Evidence has been found from his phone & laptop, including details of all the profiles uploaded on the app on #github. Bishnoi to be produced in a #Delhi court today.”@TheQuint pic.twitter.com/wY7IqU6ZzU

— Somya Lakhani (@somyalakhani) January 6, 2022

However while the news anchor is happy to conclude that Neeraj Bishnoi, arrested from Assam by Delhi Police Special Cell’s IFSO team, is not connected with the “right wing”, the 21-year-old Bishnoi is a second-year engineering student of a Bhopal-based institute has radical views reported India today. His Quora account activity revealed that Bishnoi “seemed to have been radicalised at a very young age” stated the news report. He also had answers that hinted his views of Islam and Muslims, “A religion who thinks that increasing their followers would grant them a higher level in the society cannot be classified as a religion, especially those for whom killing other religion’s followers would grant them a ticket to heaven. I’m not pointing at anyone. I’m not pointing at any religion. My words are enough for that.”

His “view on ‘terrorism has no religion’”, was, “there is a direct relationship with religion and Terrorism,” and according to India Today, quoted an anonymous ‘international leader’ saying, “Every Muslim may not be Terrorist, true. But how’s it that every Terrorist is a follower of Islam.”

After his arrest Neeraj Bishnoi, has shown “no remorse for his actions during police interrogation,” reported NDTV.  He has reportedly claimed to have done what he thought was “right”. Bishnoi was presented in court on Thursday, and has been sent to seven days’ police custody. According to the NDTV report, Bishnoi, a resident of Assam, was tracked down via digital surveillance of a Twitter handle – @bullibai_ – that he created. According to the report, the app itself was “developed in November and it went public on December 31, at which time another Twitter handle – @sage0x1 was created to spread the word” and “Bishnoi reportedly also created a @giyu44 handle that he used to mock Mumbai Police – he referred to them as “slumbai police” after the other accused were arrested.” Strangely this handle remains active, and its pinned tweet mocks the police over the arrests, as well as a ‘confession’ that he is the creator himself.

You have arrested the wrong person, slumbai police

I am the creator of #BulliBaiApp

Got nothing to do with the two innocents whom u arrested, release them asap mf https://t.co/QJA078wSnH pic.twitter.com/ycbDuc7cNS

— . (@giyu44) January 5, 2022

According to a report in The Quint, Neeraj’s father Dashrath Bishnoi, said he was shocked when the police landed at their home on Wednesday January 5. He added that Neeraj “used to watch one news channel”, and “maybe that had some impact on him… He stopped watching that channel a year ago, though.” By Thursday, VIT’s vice-chancellor issued an order which stated that Niraj is “suspended with immediate effect from the university till further notice, in view of bringing disrepute to the University and defaming the name of the Institute.”

His is the fourth arrest in the case, and the first one by Delhi Police, earlier three were arrested  by the Mumbai Police – Vishal Kumar aka Vishal Jha from Bengaluru, and Mayank Rawal and Shweta Singh from Uttarakhand. Vishal, a 21-year-old engineering student was detained on Monday from Bengaluru, and arrested by the Mumbai cyber police on Tuesday. He has been remanded in police custody till January 10. According to reports, Vishal was running one of the Twitter handles used to upload the content from the app.

Mumbai Police arrested 18-year-old Shweta Singh, on Tuesday, reportedly as being the prime suspect. Her name was “revealed by Vishal Kumar” who said that he was in touch with the woman and claimed that she was in touch with the people who were working on the posts and activities on the Bulli Bai app. She was using a fake Twitter handle with the name JattKhalsa07.

The third arrest was from Uttarakhand, of 21-year-old student, Mayank Rawal, and was arrested by the Mumbai cyber police from Uttarakhand. The FIR in the case was registered under sections 153A, 153 B, 295A, 354D, 509, 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Section 67 Information Technology Act against unknown persons on Sunday.

Earlier Right wing affiliated handles had tried to pin the blame on Muslims, and later Sikhs, and shared claims that the vile social media app #SulliDeal was developed by someone named Javed Alam. Thereby suggesting that even ‘bulli bai’, may have a similar ‘ownership’. 

That #SulliDeal app was developed by a guy named Javed Alam.

How many of you know that? How many of you shared this info on other social media platforms?

It’s never too late, share this info everywhere. Don’t let I$lamists make Hindus feel ashamed for their own deeds.

— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) January 4, 2022

However, all those attempts fell flat when these three accused were arrested. However the big question that remains is, who funded these three “students” to carry on with the vile ‘Bulli Bai’ app project.

In July 2021, nearly 80 Muslim women were targeted and put up “for sale” on “Sulli Deals”, and this time it is over 100 Muslim women who have been targeted on “Bulli Bai”. The app’s interface used Punjabi language or the Gurmukhi writing script in the app. Both Bulli and Sulli are derogatory words used for Muslim women. In both cases, there was no real sale of any kind – the purpose is to degrade and humiliate Muslim women by sharing their personal images.

The RSS mouthpiece Organiser, in August 2021, had published a “massive revelation about the mobile app ‘Sulli Deals’” claiming that a private conversation suggests the app was developed by one Javed Alam of Uttar Pradesh. An expose account @sullidealsXpose, it reported, “put out a private conversation between Alam and a Muslim woman in which Alam claims to have developed the app.” According to the Organiser’s report, on the “leaked conversation”, Alam, 23, reportedly “created the app and doesn’t regret it. He further claims that it will teach a nice lesson to those Muslim women who post their pictures on social media platforms. The RSS mouthpiece claims that according to the media the “Sulli Deals” was “handiwork of some Hindu elements”. However, it was an ‘editor’ of Opinida who had tweeted an endorsement of the Sulli Deals. 

Related:

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I am A Muslim Woman
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I’m a vocal Indian Muslim woman, not an object to be auctioned
CJP approaches Twitter over sexually violent content against Muslim wom

The post Four foot-soldiers arrested, but who is the real mastermind? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Mumbai Police are in the process of withdrawing externment notices that had been previously issued to students and activists who had protested the January 5 violence at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as well as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The protests took place in Mumbai on January 6, 2020, at two locations; Gateway of India and Hutatma Chowk. Following this, three police stations; MRA Marg, Colaba and Tardeo, issued notices under sections 107 (security for keeping the peace) and 110 (security for good behaviour from habitual offenders). As per the terms of the bond, if these people engage in any act that threatens law and order, it would lead to not only confiscation of the surety amount, but also externment from the city! This effectively discourages them from being part of peaceful protests in future, and is thus a violation of the rights to freedom of speech and expression and the right to protest.

Such notices had reportedly been served to as many as 25 people including college students, cultural activists and human rights defenders. The most shocking case was that of Suvarna Salve, a college student and cultural activist who is a part of Samta Kala Manch, who was asked to sign a bond for Rs 50 lakh! 

Now, The Wire reports that police have initiated a process to withdraw said notices. Last week, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Azad maidan division withdrew notices against eight people including Suvarna Salve. ACP Milind Khetle who is heading the proceedings told The Wire that police are in the process of closing the file on others too, however, he did not confirm grounds for doing the same.  

Related:

JNUTA stands by Suvarna Salve
25 anti-CAA protesters face externment!

The post Mumbai police withdraw ‘externment notices’ against activists, students appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Just yesterday, Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Prakash Javadekar had called out sections of the Indian media and said that a “re-think on TRPs” was needed, adding that “responsible journalism should not suffer due to the pressure of TRP”.

We believe in self regulation and freedom of the media. But media needs to re-think on TRPs. There should be a better way to monitor popularity. Responsible journalism should not suffer due to the pressure of TRP.

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) October 7, 2020

Twenty-four hours later, right-wing inclined news channel Republic TV and its owner Arnab Goswami have been accused of TRP fraud along with two other channels. Mumbai Police told the media that they have uncovered a TRP fraud racket by Republic TV, and will soon question its owner and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami over it. The announcement was made by Mumbai police chief Paramvir Singh himself, who added that the bank accounts of Republic TV and the other two accused channels, who he said were ‘small time channels’ will also be investigated. 

Singh said the owner, directors will soon be called for further investigations into the TRP fraud where they are accused of spreading “fake narratives and gaining ad revenues”. According to NDTV, the Mumbai police have already arrested two persons, one of them is a former employee of an agency that installed “people metres” in homes to assess Television Rating Points or TRPs.

Republic TV has been claiming high TRPs, even as it has focused most of its reportage on the aftermath of the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. According to the Mumbai Police chief the TRP rigging scam came to light after an analysis on manipulation of news trends and how a “false narrative” was spread. Singh told the media that the findings have “been shared with the central government,” adding that the “biggest name to emerge is Republic TV. The directors and promoters of Republic TV are being investigated for ratings fraud.” 

While the three accused channels’ bank accounts will be investigated, Singh added that the probe will also look at the funds they receive from advertisers and “whether they are from proceeds of crimes”. More channels could also be examined, he said. NDTV reports that when Singh was asked if the inquiry would include Arnab Goswami, the Editor-in-Chief of Republic, he said, “Anyone involved in the channel, no matter how much in the top, how senior, will be questioned, and if involved they will be investigated. No one, no matter how senior, will escape.”

Singh also said that household data being revealed to channels and being used to manipulate ratings, “based on these ratings they received illegal advertising funds. This will be considered proceeds of cheating. There was false TRP spreading. TRP ratings were being bought. The manipulation was mainly for advertising revenues.” It is being reported that former employees of Hansa, the agency that placed “ratings metres” in select households, shared confidential data with the three channels.

The police added that the accused media organisations allegedly bribed the households to keep their channel switched on all the time. “If you see the data, poor uneducated households that don’t speak English were watching only English TV channels,” Singh is quoted by news reports as claiming that people were offered a “monthly payment of Rs 400-500 for their role in pushing up ratings.” 

Meanwhile, Arnab Goswami, the Editor-in-Chief of Republic, has responded that he will “sue the Mumbai Police commissioner”.  Goswami claimed that the top cop was making false allegations “because we have questioned him in the Sushant Singh Rajput case investigation”. He issued  a statement seeking a “public apology” from the police

Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s statement pic.twitter.com/axhbJZ47eA

— Republic (@republic) October 8, 2020

The other two channels are identified as Fast Marathi and Box Cinema, and according to a report in India Today, they have been arrested for TRP fraud. The Criminal Intelligence Unit of the Crime Branch arrested the two TV channel owners and seized 28.5 lakh rupees from them, reported IT. 

The TRP ratings of Republic Media’s Republic Bharat had shot up exponentially raising suspicions of foul play, stated India Today adding that Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the body that gives rating points to TV channels in India, had earlier suspected Republic TV of manipulating the system. Hansa Research, the company that installed these rating boxes called barometers on behalf of BARC, had filed a case with the Mumbai Police saying some of Hansa Research’s former employees had leaked or sold the data of the households where these barometers were installed. The data about these households are closely guarded and supposed to be top secret.

Related:

Delhi High Court tells Arnab Goswami to calm down and stop his media trials
Bombay HC stays FIRs against Arnab Goswami
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Maha gov’t moves SC accusing Arnab Goswami of ‘browbeating’ police

The post Republic TV, two others accused of TRP fraud appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In January this year, Suvarna Salve, a cultural activist associated with the Samta Kala Manch participated in the ‘Occupy Gateway’ protest demanding justice for students who were injured in the attack that took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) the previous day. In February, Salve was arrested along with 30 others, but later let off on bail. However, her troubles didn’t end there.

Now, The Wire reports that the Mumbai police have sought a surety of Rs 50 lakh from the 24-year-old. What’s worse, despite the fact that she had been booked in connection with only one instance, the police have labeled her a “habitual offender”.

According to The Wire report the notice was issued on August 24 and it seeks an explanation as to why Salve a proceeding should not be initiated against her under Section 110 (e) of the CrPC. The notice also requires at least one of two persons to appear as a “surety”, pledging an amount of Rs 50 lakh, ensuring her good behaviour for the next two years. If she fails, the amount or the property would be confiscated by the state.

Image Courtesy: The Wire

It is noteworthy that the Occupy Gateway protest saw over 300 people, mostly students and activists coming together to protest the brutal attack on JNU students. However, the manner in which Salve has been targeted suggests that this is nothing but an intimidation tactic to silence dissenters.

The protesters had been named in two separate FIRs at Colaba and MRA Marg police stations and were booked under sections 141, 143 and 149 (unlawful assembly) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code, along with section 37 of the Bombay Police Act, 1951.

Now, the JNU Teacher’s Association has come out in support of Salve. In a statement released JNUTA said, “The JNUTA expresses its concern at reports that the Mumbai Police has slapped a notice on student and cultural activist Suvarna Salve of the Samata Kala Manch whereby it is seeking surety of a whopping Rs 50 lakhs from her.”

Further expressing gratitude and solidarity JNUTA said, “The JNU community is eternally grateful for the solidarity and support it received from across the country and the world when it was targeted in a systematic orgy of violence that was aided and abetted by the Police, the University Administration and the JNU Security. It therefore is duty bound to raise its voice when one of those who came out in JNU’s support is singled out to be targeted and persecuted in this way in what appears to be an attempt to silence the voice of someone who has been raising her voice against the injustices that remain a feature of India’s social reality.”

The JNUTA has urged “the Maharashtra Government, a Government with which many who had also spoken out against the violence in JNU are associated, to intervene and ensure that this reprehensible action against Suvarna Sule is withdrawn immediately.”

The entire statement may be read here:

Related:

Mumbai comes in to ‘Occupy Gateway’ in solidarity with JNU students
M’trs home minister to review FIR: ‘Free Kashmir’ poster

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The President of Centre of Indian Trade Unions- Mumbai District Committee, K Narayanan found himself in a quarantine centre on April 21, while he was doing his good deed of distributing food to stranded migrant labourers. He was ‘locked up’ by Mumbai Police in quarantine despite of not showing any symptoms for COVID19. He spent the next two weeks in quarantine during which, Mumbai Police hid his COVID19 test results from him, which they had made him undergo.

As per his own account, Narayanan, along with his colleagues was out distributing food and supplies to migrant workers and the poor. Later, he arrived near Ajmeri Masjid carrying flags and placards to participate in the nationwide protest called by CITU against the apathetic attitude of the Centre towards the plight of workers and farmers, while also distributing food packets to the other participants. This was done by giving prior notice to the tahsildar as well as the police. “We were wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing protocols,” Narayanan told The Indian Express.

Reportedly, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 9) Abhishek Trimukhe and senior Inspector Parmeshwar Gamane of D N Nagar police took Narayanan to a private lab for test and from there he was escorted to the police station where he was arrested under section 41 (power to arrest without warrant) of CrPC and he was booked under sections 188 disobedience to order promulgated by government servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as under the Disaster Management Act.

Narayanan said that his phone was taken away and he was not allowed to contact other CITU members of even his lawyer. He was kept at a quarantine facility at West Blue hotel

The matter reached the Bombay High Court when a CITU member Mahendra Singh filed a habeas corpus petition stating that Narayanan’s detention shows “abuse of power exercised as a punitive measure to make an example of him”. In the hearings that followed, Narayanan got his phone back, court ordered he be given fresh clothes, then the police claimed that the BMC had detained him and BMC denied any knowledge of the same. Ultimately, the police said, “He was detained since he was seen coming out of a red zone area in Andheri (West) and was found to be residing in a containment zone.”

Later the court was informed that Narayanan had tested negative and that his 14 day quarantine had ended on May 4, a day before the hearing. The judge, Justice Revati Mohite-Dere, observed, “Quarantine cannot be used for preventive detention or a punitive measure” by the police to keep away people, who according to them, are of “nuisance value… A COVID-19 negative person may catch coronavirus in the facility.”

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Police asks family for whereabouts of Vernon Gonsalves even as he is lodged in Taloja jail

The post Bom HC raps Mumbai Police for using quarantine as preventive detention appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Cracking a whip on “admins” of social media and messaging platforms, the Mumbai Police on Friday issued orders saying that these designated admins would be personally responsible for the spread of misleading, provocative and derogatory messages and strict action will be taken against them.

In a tweet, the Mumbai Police has also urged all citizens to act responsibly and refrain from sharing any misinformation or derogatory content, apart from urging “admins” to moderate all content being shared and bring to the police’s notice if anyone violates the norms. 
 

In order to curb the spread of misleading, provocative & derogatory messages on social media & messaging applications, strict action will now be taken against designated ‘admins’ of the platforms that are found guilty of indulging in the same.#TakingOnCorona (1/2)

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) April 10, 2020

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) for Greater Mumbai, Pranaya Ashok, issued a letter which stated that there has been widespread dissemination of fake news, incorrect information, misinformation and other objectionable content in the form of messages, videos (edited and self-created), images or memes, audio clips and other forms of such content on internet messaging and social media platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, etc. which has caused panic, confusion and mistrust towards the government and its efforts and animosity towards various communities.

We appeal all citizens to act responsibly & refrain from sharing any such content and urge ‘admins’ to moderate all content being shared.

Any violation should be brought to our notice immediately. We promise to take action while protecting your anonymity.#TakingOnCorona (2/2) pic.twitter.com/lpEVyZcAyO

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) April 10, 2020

Stating that such misinformation and objectionable content could lead to a law and order situation and disturbance to public tranquillity, the Mumbai Police issued a prohibitory order vide the powers conferred under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code 1973.

“Prohibitory order for restricting any dissemination of information through various messaging and social media platforms which are found to be incorrect, derogatory and discriminatory towards a particular community, distortion of facts, causing panic and confusion among the general public, inciting mistrust towards government functionaries and their actions taken in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus and thereby causing danger to human health or safety or a disturbance of the public tranquility,” the order said.

Issuing a warning to “admins”, the order read, “All persons designated as “Admin” on messaging and social media platforms, either by self or by allowing any member of the group, shall be personally responsible for any such information being disseminated from a group administered by them.”

“It shall be the personal responsibility of all persons designated as “admin” on messaging and social media platforms to report any such malicious, incorrect or derogatory content posted by a member of the group to the police immediately,” the letter added.

The order is valid from April 10 to April 24 and all those found contravening the order will be punishable under Section 188 of the IPC.

According to a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau, Mumbai, on April 10, the Maharashtra Cyber Branch has registered 161 offenses against social media, fake news, rumours and hate speech. The highest number of 22 cases have been registered in Beed while Kolhapur has 13, Pune Rural 12, Mumbai 11 and Jalgaon 10.

Rumours have been circulating about Covid-19 and its treatment. There has also been a growing trend towards hate speech on social media. In this regard, 73 offenses have been registered. A total of 39 accused have been arrested.

In the last 48 hours, in Maharashtra, 30 first information reports have been filed regarding fake news, hate speech and rumours on social media and other online message channels about the Corona epidemic. The WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok are often misused.

Related:

Covid-19: No escape for cyber crooks as police tightens net to control fake news

Maharashtra Cyber Police issues advisory for WhatsApp users and admins to curb fake news

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