No immediate plan to withdraw troops from J&K: Min

Agencies
August 22, 2019

Hyderabad, Aug 22: The Centre has no immediate plans to withdraw security forces from Jammu and Kashmir, where Article 370 has been revoked, in view of the continued tension in the region, Minister of State for Home G Kishan has said.

"Why will we withdraw troops immediately from there when Pakistan is trying to provoke? Pakistan is trying to provoke Kashmirs and disturb the peace so that it can go to international community (to complain). The decision on whether to withdraw or not will be taken by the local administration," Reddy told PTI when asked whether the centre had any plans to with additional forces. He said the situation in J&K was peaceful now and Home Minister Amit Shah was regularly monitoring the situation.

Reddy pointed out that schools had opened, Section 144 had been withedrawn, government offices had started working and some of the controls imposed had been relaxed. Internet and telephone services had also been restored, barring in a few districts (four or five), he said.

Asked why opposition leaders were not being allowed to hold meetings in the state, he said government has taken precautions in view of Pakistan's intentions and the opposition leaders should have patience. "Pakistan would like to see peace disturbed in J&K to tell the world that the government of India's decisions vis-a-vis the state are wrong," he said.

"There is a lot of time. You can go to Jammu and Kashmir... Hold peace for some days. Let's see Pakistan's problem now. After that, Rahul Gandhi can hold any number of meetings. Who is saying no? Have patience," he said.

Asked for his comments on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the reports of violence, he said "small incidents" are not happening for the first time. Now there was no "tense situation in Jammu and Kashmir", where there used to be months-long curfew with leaders jailed for years in the past as well, he said.

"This is not new. We took some decisions like imposing restrictions as a precautionary measure, keeping in view Pakistan's attempts to provoke and conspire to somehow disturb law and order in Jammu and Kashmir. Certainly not to inconvenience people," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here on Wednesday.

He said there had been instances in the past of imposition of curfew, enforcement of prohibitory orders, closure of schools for months and arrest of Chief Ministers. Compared to the past, no such decisions have been taken now, he said.

"Pakistan is hatching many conspiracies to prove before the world what the government of India has done is wrong. Because today the whole world is in favour of India... because the world is standing by the decisions taken by the government of India in the matter of abrogation of Article 370," he said.

The government, Reddy said, was taking all precautionary measures as either the ISI or Pakistan government was trying to somehow disturb law and order "to prove that what the government of India has done is wrong". Reddy said abrogation of Article 370 would have benefits like implementation of the Constitution and reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes coming into force in the state.

"Why are you in a hurry? On the one hand, Pakistan is making efforts to tell the world that there is no peace. Now the opposition also wants to go with Pakistan. This is wrong," he said. Asked when political leaders would be released in Jammu and Kashmir and the appropriate time, he said the officers concerned would take a call on the matter.

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News Network
March 16,2024

AIE.jpg

Budget carrier Air India Express has launched a new fare family, offering travelers the option to save on flight tickets by traveling light, with an increased baggage allowance of up to 40kg or no check-in luggage at all.

The new fare categories, applicable to flights to and from the UAE and other international destinations, are:

•    Xpress Lite
•    Xpress Value
•    Xpress Flex
•    Xpress Biz

Xpress Lite offers cabin baggage-only fares, making it the most economical option for passengers traveling with the airline.

Xpress Value fare includes 15 kg check-in bag fares, while Xpress Flex offers unlimited changes with no change fees. Xpress Biz features business class seats, complimentary meals, and priority services.

A subsidiary of Air India and a part of Tata Group, the airline introduced Xpress Lite on February 20 for UAE passengers who prefer traveling without check-in baggage.

Xpress Biz fares are accessible on all the new Air India Express Boeing 737-8 aircraft. Travelers can benefit from increased baggage allowances of 25kg for domestic flights and 40kg for international flights when booking Xpress Biz fares. This fare offers priority check-in, baggage, and boarding services.

Air India Express is already operating aircraft with Biz seats across 70-plus routes in India.

In a previous interview with a news channel Aloke Singh, managing director of Air India Express, stated that the carrier was looking to increase capacity to the Gulf region, including the UAE, as well as to provide better connectivity to Gulf travelers.
 

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News Network
March 27,2024

keralaCMdaughter.jpg

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan, her IT company and some others to probe a case of alleged illegal payments made by a private mineral firm to her and the company, official sources said Wednesday.

The agency has registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is expected to summon the people involved, the sources said.

The ED case has been booked after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), an investigative arm of the Union corporate affairs ministry, they said.

The case stems from an Income Tax Department investigation that alleged that a private company called Cochin Minerals And Rutile Ltd (CMRL), made an illegal payment of Rs 1.72 crore to Veena's company-- Exalogic Solutions-- during 2018 to 2019, even though the IT firm had not provided any service to the company.

The Karnataka High Court had last month dismissed a plea filed by Exalogic Solutions against the probe initiated by the SFIO.

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News Network
March 27,2024

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday launched simultaneous raids in multiple places, including Bengaluru and Shivamogga.

Reports suggested that the ongoing raids are in connection with the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1. The blast had injured at least ten people as per the police report.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) had launched an investigation alongside the NIA, and the trail of the suspect led them to Tumakuru first and subsequently to Ballari. Investigators believe that the bomb was planted by Mussavir Hussain Shazib, a handler of the Islamic State’s Shivamogga module who was aided by another IS handler called Ahmed Taahaa.

Sources in the know said that Shazib and Taahaa had stayed in Chennai for about a month between January and February using fake credentials. The names of the suspects were identified after they traced the cap worn by Shazib to a shop in a mall in Chennai. The cap, which was abandoned by the bomber in Bengaluru after the blast, was reportedly bought by Taahaa, around January-end.

As per the NIA, Shazib hails from Masjid Road in Thirthahalli, Shivamogga district, and Taahaa from Fish Market Road, Soppu Gude, Thirthahalli Rural. Both "wanted" suspects have been termed "absconders" by the NIA.

The NIA has questioned seven jailed terror suspects so far in connection with the blast. The investigation agency had also obtained seven-day custody of a jailed terror suspect named Maaz Muneer Ahmed.

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