A case has been registered against six persons, including the director of a private hospital in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly removing a woman's kidney during her treatment in 2017, police said on Wednesday. The court-ordered first information report (FIR) alleges illegal organ trade, they said. Shankar Prasad, Superintendent of Police (City), said, "The complaint has been lodged at Narsona police station on a court directive under Section 156(3). Complainant Kavita Devi alleges that her kidney was removed during her treatment at a Meerut hospital in 2017. An investigation is underway, and further legal action will follow." According to Devi's complaint, she fell ill in 2017 and was treated by a doctor in KMC Hospital in Meerut, news agency PTI reported. "The doctor advised surgery, assuring me it would address internal health issues. I underwent the surgery on May 20, 2017, and was discharged four days later. However, when my condition didn't improve over the years, further tests in 2022 revealed that my left kidney was missing," she said. She alleged that the hospital staff misled her with fake reports showing both kidneys were intact and confiscated her documents when she confronted them. Devi further claimed that the hospital staff had threatened her to kill her and her husband when they confronted them for accountability. The FIR accuses KMC Hospital Director Dr Sunil Gupta and his wife, among others, of being involved in illegal organ trade, PTI reported. However, Dr Gupta has denied the allegations. "All allegations against us are baseless and false. The complainant has no evidence, such as a discharge card, to substantiate her claims." He further alleged, "This is an attempt to extort money. Initially, Rs 5 lakh was demanded, which later increased to Rs 12 lakh. As we refused to pay, they filed a case." Dr Gupta also said that the matter is pending before the Ghaziabad Consumer Forum, with a hearing scheduled on March 21. The Uttar Pradesh Police have registered the case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as Section 18 of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, PTI reported. (With PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 10:36 PM IST | Bulandshahr | mid-day online correspondentNagpur Railway Station in Maharashtra, a landmark of Indian Railways has completed 100 years of service, an official statement said on Wednesday. The statement said that it was officially inaugurated on January 15, 1925, by Sir Frank Sly. The station has remained a vital link in India’s rail network, blending historical significance with modern functionality. Strategically situated at the intersection of the Howrah–Mumbai and Delhi–Chennai corridors, Nagpur Railway Station serves as a critical junction in the nation’s transportation map. Its iconic Diamond Crossing, where two major railway lines converge, highlights its unique role in connecting different parts of the country. It said, "Over the years, Nagpur Railway Station has evolved into one of the busiest hubs in Indian Railways. Currently, it handles an average of 283 trains daily, with 96 trains originating or terminating at the station and 18 trains starting their journey here. The station has also witnessed remarkable growth in passenger numbers, recording an average daily footfall of 64,541 during the financial year 2023-24, amounting to a total of 2.36 crore passengers. In the current financial year, the daily average has surged to 68,729 passengers, reflecting its ever-increasing importance." According to the railways, the station’s journey began in 1867 when the railways first reached Nagpur, heralding a new era of connectivity. It was later renamed Nagpur Junction in 1920, the same year it welcomed Mahatma Gandhi during the Non-Cooperation Movement. The current station building, inaugurated in 1925, has since stood as a testament to the city’s enduring legacy in India’s transportation history. The Nagpur Railway Station is on the cusp of a major transformation today. With a redevelopment project worth Rs 488 crore launched in December 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the statement said. It said that the station is set to offer world-class amenities, including a roof plaza, multimodal integration, and eco-friendly infrastructure. This ambitious initiative is aimed at enhancing passenger experience and operational efficiency, ensuring the station’s relevance for generations to come. The statement further said that modernisation efforts have also included the introduction of the prestigious Vande Bharat Express in December 2022, underscoring Nagpur’s role as a hub of innovation and progress within the Indian Railways network.
15 January,2025 10:21 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentA sessions court in Maharashtra's Osmanabad district (now known as Dharashiv) on Wednesday sentenced a school teacher to life imprisonment after relying on testimonies of multiple people, including a 9-year-old boy, reported the PTI. The teacher was held for killing his colleague over a financial dispute nearly two years ago. District and Additional Sessions Judge Vishwas Ganpat Mohite found the accused -- Dhiraj Babu Humbe -- guilty of the offence covered under IPC section 302 (murder) after relying on testimonies of multiple people, including a nine-year-old boy, presented as an eyewitness by the prosecution, according to the PTI. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him. A detailed order was not available yet. As per case details, the accused, Dhiraj Babu Humbe and the victim, Shamrao Deshmukh, worked as teachers at a school in Osmanabad (Dharashiv), around 400 km from Mumbai, and lived in the same locality. Shamrao Deshmukh had borrowed money from Dhiraj Babu Humbe and his failure to repay it led to a dispute between the two, as per the PTI. During the trial, the prosecution relied on the testimonies of Shamrao Deshmukh's sons, police, doctors and a nine-year-old eyewitness in the murder case. The child witness had testified before the court. He had told the court that on the day of the incident (February 21, 2023), he was playing near his house when he saw Shamrao Deshmukh falling off his motorbike after being hit hard with a stone by the accused Dhiraj Babu Humbe. Blood was oozing out from the victim's head, he told the court. Shamrao Deshmukh's son, Vaishnav, had told the court that a friend called him and informed his father was lying in a pool of blood near the accused's house. Upon arriving at the crime scene, Vaishnav Deshmukh rushed his father to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and doctors declared him dead. The police had later arrested Humbe in the matter. "My father died due to an assault by means of stone by the accused. I went in the Osmanabad city police station and recorded my complaint," he had testified in the court. (with PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 08:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA special court for Maharashtra Control Of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in Maharashtra's Beed city on Wednesday remanded Walmik Karad in 7-day custody of SIT, reported the PTI. Walmik Karad, an associate of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, was on Tuesday booked under the stringent MCOCA. Subsequently, the police approached the special MCOCA court for his custody. Karad is an alleged accused in the Beed sarpanch murder case. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Maharashtra police had sought his custody for ten days. He was produced before the district court in Beed on Wednesday afternoon and remanded in fresh SIT custody till January 22. Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9. Preliminary investigation indicated that Deshmukh had tried to resist an extortion attempt targeting an energy company operating a windmill project in the area, as per the PTI. Walmik Karad was earlier arrested in the extortion case related to the murder after he surrendered before the police in Pune on December 31. The MCOCA action happened after Deshmukh’s brother Dhananjay and fellow villagers protested in Massajog on Monday demanding MCOCA and murder charges. Dhananjay had climbed up a water tank and got down only after the police assured him of action. The state government had also excluded some members of the SIT a day before, and added new officers to it, whose background was verified for any links with the accused, especially Karad. As the news of the MCOCA application spread, Walmik Karad’s supporters and kin protested in Parli town, calling for shutting shops and businesses. Karad’s mother, wife and supporters staged a sit-in protest in front of the police station all day. Supporters of Walmik Karad on Tuesday threw stones at buses and set tyres on fire in Parli town after MCOCA was invoked against him, police said, as per the PTI. Hundreds of supporters of Karad targeted buses with stones, set tyres ablaze, and tried to block roads in Parli, officials said. They raised slogans in support of Karad and called for a bandh. The demonstration was held despite prohibitory orders in place in Beed district till January 28. Police have registered two cases for damaging public property following Tuesday's incidents, an official said. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Beed district till January 28 in view of protests against the murder of a sarpanch and quota-related agitations by Maratha and OBC activists. The district administration said in a release issued on Monday that assembly of five or more persons without permission from authorities has been prohibited, and people are not allowed to carry weapons in public places. The Kej police have so far arrested seven persons in the murder case, while another accused is on the run. (with PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 08:02 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat saying that his remark that India got "true independence" after the Ram temple consecration amounts to treason and is an insult to every Indian, reported news agency PTI. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said every party worker is fighting this battle of ideologies under difficult circumstances where institutions have been captured by the BJP and the RSS and investigative agencies are being used against opposition leaders, reported PTI. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha also hit out at the Election Commission and alleged that there is a "serious problem" with the country's election system. "Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity to say to the country what he thinks about the independence movement and the Constitution. What he said yesterday is treason... Because he is stating that the Constitution is invalid and the fight against the British was invalid," he said, reported PTI. "He has the audacity to say this publicly. In any other country, he would be arrested and tried. That is a fact," Gandhi said at the inauguration of the Indira Gandhi Bhawan. "To say that India did not get independence in 1947 is an insult to every Indian. And it is time to stop listening to this nonsense that these people think they can keep parroting out and shouting," he said, reported PTI. The former Congress president said the party has worked with the Indian people and it has built the success of this country on the foundations of the Constitution and that is what this building symbolises. "It is important that we take ideas from this building and spread these ideas in the rest of the country," he said. Gandhi said "we are fighting a civilisational war with these people, they are attacking every day the ideas that we believe in" and asserted that only the Congress can fight them, reported PTI. Hitting out at the Election Commission, he said, the EC has refused to give us information about the increase in the number of voters in Maharashtra from Lok Sabha elections to assembly elections. "What purpose does it serve? Why will it damage the EC? Why are they not giving us the list? It is the duty of the EC to ensure transparency in elections. If there is an increase of one crore in (the number of) voters in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha in Maharashtra, it is the duty and sacred responsibility of the EC to show us exactly why this has happened. There is a serious problem with our election system," Gandhi said. (With inputs from PTI)
15 January,2025 02:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAfter the Centre authorised ED to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in an alleged liquor scam case, AAP national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar on Wednesday raised questions over the timing and said that this has been done when the elections are near, ANI reported. Speaking to ANI, Kakkar criticised the decision, calling it part of a political agenda aimed at defaming the party's leaders ahead of the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. "This will be the first such case in the history of the country where you jailed Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. Both were granted bail from the trial court and even from the Supreme Court...After two years, you gave sanction to prosecute and this is when the elections are near. Their same old routine is to file false cases and defame the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party. But now the public has understood everything," the AAP leader said. BJP candidate Parvesh Verma responded to the developments claiming that Kejriwal was building his house while the residents of Delhi were suffering from COVID. "We all know what a big sin Arvind Kejriwal had committed. When COVID was spreading in the whole world, people were dying, at that time he was making the liquor policy...When people were asking for medicines, asking for houses, he was building his 'Sheesh Mahal'. The person who was elected by the people of Delhi was building his 'Sheesh Mahal' but did not provide medicines to the people," he said, ANI cited. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has authorised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate prosecution against the former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for their alleged involvement in money laundering in connection to the liquor scam case. The sanction order against these AAP leaders was received earlier this month in a new development to the case connected to the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22, ANI reported. The move comes as the Supreme Court ordered Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to be released on regular bail in September of last year and August of last year, respectively, in instances involving the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The development is noteworthy since Arvind Kejriwal challenged the trial court's decision to take cognisance of the chargesheet in the absence of specific PMLA prosecution sanctions. Later a special PMLA court in Delhi postponed the filing of charges against him. (With ANI inputs)
15 January,2025 01:13 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of a recent case in Pune, where a woman working in a BPO company was allegedly hacked to death by her colleague over a money dispute, a press release said, reported news agency ANI. The crime occurred in the parking lot of the company and despite the presence of several onlookers, none intervened to stop the attack, highlighting the growing phenomenon of the bystander effect. In response to this shocking incident, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Vijaya Rahatkar, has constituted a fact-finding committee to thoroughly investigate the matter and recommend necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such crimes, the press release said, reported ANI. The Fact-Finding Committee includes: Meenakshi Negi, Member Secretary, National Commission for Women; BK Sinha, former Director General of Police, Haryana and R Sreelekha, former Director General of Police, Kerala, reported ANI. The fact-finding committee arrived in Pune on Tuesday and has started its investigation to uncover the facts. Over the next two days, the committee will focus on examining how the incident occurred in broad daylight despite the presence of many people, interview the victim's friends and colleagues, and will visit the site of the incident to find any new insights. The committee will engage with associations representing IT and BPO employees as well, reported ANI. The committee will also meet with the Commissioner of Police, District Authorities, the Investigation Officer, and other relevant authorities. The committee will submit its findings and recommendations within 10 working days. The National Commission for Women will explore ways to prevent such incidents in the future, the press release said. In another case, in December, a 54-year-old cook was arrested for allegedly killing two minor sisters, aged 9 and 8, after sexually assaulting them in Maharashtra's Pune, police said. According to officials, the accused, who worked as a cook at a local hotel, was a neighbour of the victims and known to their family. According to Pune Superintendent of Police (Rural) Pankaj Deshmukh, the girls were playing near their home when they went missing, prompting a search operation. Later, the bodies of the girls were found inside a water drum near their house. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. (With inputs from ANI)
15 January,2025 12:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCongress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the party's new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road in Delhi on Wednesday, marking a key moment in the history of the grand old party which has operated from the 24, Akbar Road premises for the last 47 years, reported news agency PTI. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K C Venugopal, among other senior party leaders, were present on the occasion, reported PTI. The event saw party leaders hoist the party flag at the new headquarters and the singing of Vande Matram and the national anthem. Sonia Gandhi then inaugurated the building, asking Kharge to join her in cutting the ribbon at the entry of the building. The new state-of-the-art AICC headquarters -- Indira Gandhi Bhawan - symbolises the Congress party's continuing mission to uphold the vision of its stalwarts, the party had earlier said. "It is time for us to move ahead with the times and embrace the new," AICC general secretary, organisation, Venugopal had said, reported PTI. The construction of Indira Gandhi Bhawan was started during Sonia Gandhi's tenure as Congress chief. "Situated at 9A, Kotla Road, New Delhi, the Indira Gandhi Bhawan is designed to meet the evolving needs of the party and its leaders, featuring modern facilities to support administrative, organisational, and strategic activities. This iconic building reflects the Congress party's forward-looking vision while paying homage to its extraordinary past, which has shaped the political and social fabric of India," he had said, reported PTI. Sources have said the party will not vacate its present 24, Akbar Road office, which has been its headquarters since 1978 after the Congress (I) was formed, and it will continue to house some of its cells. The construction of the new AICC headquarters was delayed by several years owing to "paucity of funds" ever since the Congress lost its government at the Centre. The BJP has also not vacated its old party headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road, even after shifting to its new headquarters at Deendayal Upadhyay Marg, reported PTI. Congress old-timers and romantics agree that modern amenities and a larger area are the need of the hour but the emotional connect and unfolding of history associated with the 24, Akbar Road address will always stay strong, reported PTI. The Akbar Road bungalow once housed Sir Reginald Maxwell, who was a member of Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's executive council. It was also home to a teen Aung San Suu Kyi in 1961 when her mother was appointed ambassador to India. The Congress has been its mainstay though. More than just an office for the party, the premises set in expansive lawns was witness to the tenure of seven Congress presidents. (With inputs from PTI)
15 January,2025 11:19 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has authorized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate prosecution against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for their alleged involvement in money laundering linked to the Delhi excise policy case, reported news agency ANI. The sanction order against these Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders was received earlier this month in a fresh development to the case pertaining to the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22, reported ANI. The move comes as the two leaders are out on bail in the Delhi excise policy case as the Supreme Court in September last year ordered Arvind Kejriwal to be released on regular bail as well as Manish Sisodia a month ago in August in cases linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The development is significant as a special PMLA court in Delhi had delayed the framing of charges against Arvind Kejriwal after he challenged the trial court's decision to take cognizance of the chargesheet in the absence of specific sanctions for prosecution under PMLA. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has filed a chargesheet against Arvind Kejriwal under the Prevention of Corruption Act, received the necessary sanction for prosecution in August of last year. This decision follows the Supreme Court's ruling on November 6, which mandated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) must also obtain prior sanction for prosecution under Section 197(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (now Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) in money laundering cases, similar to the requirement for the CBI, reported ANI. The framing of charges against Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case had been delayed in a Delhi court due to the lack of the necessary sanction. Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been accused of accepting bribes from the 'South Group,' a cartel that controlled the sale and distribution of liquor in Delhi and allegedly profited from the excise policy implemented by the Delhi government for 2021-22, reported ANI. To date, the ED has conducted searches on 245 locations across the country including Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and other places in the Delhi excise policy case. Over a dozen persons including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair from AAP have been arrested in the case so far. The ED arrested Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and named him in a charge sheet filed on May 17. The ED alleges that out of an alleged Rs 100 crore bribe received for favouring certain liquor traders, Rs 45 crore was used to fund AAP's election campaign in Goa, reported ANI. The ED claims Arvind Kejriwal, as the national convenor and a member of AAP's national executive, was ultimately responsible for overseeing the funds and activities. The agency labelled Kejriwal as the "brain" behind AAP, asserting that he controlled the party's operations. Citing witness statements, the ED also accused Kejriwal of playing a key role in the policy's decision-making and demanding kickbacks. The ED claims to have identified proceeds of crime totalling Rs 1,100 crore, reported ANI. Kejriwal, along with his then-deputy Manish Sisodia and former AAP media head Vijay Nair, is accused of soliciting additional funds beyond the Rs 100 crore bribe to finance election campaigns. The ED described Kejriwal as the "kingpin" behind the irregularities linked to the excise policy. (With inputs from ANI)
15 January,2025 10:54 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentOver 100 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning due to dense fog resulting in low visibility, PTI reported. As per PTI, an official claimed that no flight diversions or cancellations have been reported so far. "Low visibility and fog over Delhi may lead to some delays. We're keeping a close watch on the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly," IndiGo said in a post on X at 8.18 am. #6ETravelAdvisory: Stay updated on your flight status via https://t.co/IEBbuCsa3e for the latest information. pic.twitter.com/U7KWVVVwKi — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) January 15, 2025 Delhi airport operator DIAL said that even though landings and takeoffs continue at the airport, flights that are not CAT III-complaint may get affected, PTI cited. CAT III facility helps flight operations in low visibility conditions. As per the information available on Flightrader24.com, more than 100 flights were delayed on Wednesday, PTI reported. "Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said in a post on X at 7.35 am. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital handles around 1,300 flights daily movements, PTI reported. Last week, 15 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport as low visibility due to dense fog impacted operations for the second straight day. Due to the adverse weather conditions, many flights were delayed and the country's largest airline IndiGo temporarily put arrivals and departures on hold. An official said that 15 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport between 12.15 am and 1.30 am due to reduced visibility. "While landing and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said in a post on X at 6.56 am. CAT III facility allows aircraft to operate in low visibility conditions. Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) is operated by DIAL. "#6ETravelAdvisory: Departures and arrivals at #DelhiAirport are currently on hold due to reduced visibility," IndiGo said in a post on X at 1.05 am on Saturday. Air India said in an update on X at 1.16 am that poor visibility due to dense fog is impacting flight operations in Delhi and parts of northern India. (With PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 10:42 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Markets climb in early trade on firm Asian peers Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty began the trade on an optimistic note on Wednesday mirroring a firm trend in Asian peers and buying in bellwether stock Reliance Industries. Easing retail inflation also added to the markets' strength. The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex climbed 401.53 points to 76,901.16 in early trade. The NSE Nifty advanced 97.5 points to 23,273.55. Mumbai: Brave granny, 91, fights off robber with glass tumbler in Malad A ninety-one-year-old woman from Malad put up a brave fight after a burqa-clad woman entered her home to snatch a gold chain worth more than Rs 1.5 lakh from her neck. Despite having chilli powder in her eyes, the nonagenarian caught hold of the accused’s hair and refused to loosen her grip while being dragged from her kitchen to the front door. Eventually, the senior citizen threw a glass tumbler at the intruder, forcing her to flee empty-handed. The accused was eventually nabbed by the Malwani police with the help of CCTV cameras. Read more. Four months after injuring legs in crash, runner gears for Mumbai Marathon Four months after a September 21 accident left him with a broken right wrist, stitches on his chin, cuts and stitches inside his mouth, bruises on the head and stitches on both legs below his knees, runner Subhash Motwani is all set to run the half-marathon (21.097 km) at the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) on Sunday, January 19. Read more. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani stars to have cameos in Kartik Aaryan's Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Teri Tu Mera? Karan Johar surely knows how to play his cards right. The producer-filmmaker, who has managed to present narratives in a way that appeases the young generation, has come up with a way to gain the eyeballs of both Gen Z and millennials. Read more. It's Gambhir v Superstars? Gautam Gambhir’s position as head coach will be “revaluated” on the basis of India’s Champions Trophy performance next month amid concerns that there is discontent in the dressing room due to his push to end the long-prevalent “superstar culture” in the team. Read more.
15 January,2025 10:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
