'PFI crackdown mere preventive measures, not raids': Karnataka CM

New Delhi, Sept 21: Stepping up its crackdown on Khalistani terrorists, the NIA on Wednesday announced cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of five Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, including Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias 'Rinda' and Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias 'Landa'.

The federal agency announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh each for Rinda and Landa and Rs 5 lakh each for Parminder Singh Kaira alias “Pattu”, Satnam Singh alias “Satbir Singh” alias “Satta” and Yadvinder Singh alias “Yadda”.

A spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said these five terrorists are wanted in a case registered early this year related to the BKI's terrorist activities aimed at disturbing India's peace and communal harmony and spreading terror in the state of Punjab.

'The wanted terrorists are accused of commission of terror acts and activities, besides raising funds for the BKI, a banned terror outfit, through smuggling of terrorist hardware and narcotics into Punjab and also through extensive extortion from businessmen and other prominent individuals.

'They are also wanted in cases relating to commissioning of targeted killings as well as targeting of law enforcement agencies in order to create an environment of terror in the state of Punjab,' the spokesperson said.

The official said investigations have shown that the five terrorists have been engaged in recruiting new members of the BKI by promising them monetary benefits.

'They have also established a network of operatives in various countries to further their terror activities in different parts of India,” the official said.

Rinda, originally a resident of Maharashtra, is a Pakistan-based 'listed individual terrorist' and member of the BKI, while Landa, Khaira, Satnam and Yadvinder are residents of Punjab.

'Any specific information leading to the arrest of the five wanted terrorists can be shared with the NIA headquarters in New Delhi or the NIA Branch Office in Chandigarh,' the spokesperson said, sharing the telephone and WhatsApp numbers.

Meanwhile, the NIA released two lists of 54 individuals with their photographs who are wanted in the investigation of two cases, registered last year, to dismantle terror-gangster networks in the country.

The lists, one naming 11 persons and the other 43 persons, were shared by the NIA on its official account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The list included several wanted gangsters, including Goldy Brar, Lawrence Bishnoi, Anmol Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh Gill.

'If you have any information about properties/assets/business owned by them in their name or in name of their associates, friends and relatives, please WhatsApp,” the agency said, sharing the mobile number. 

Mohammed Siraj produced a magical spell, 6 for 21, to decimate Sri Lanka for 50, and place India on the brink of a victory in the Asia Cup final on Sunday, Sept 17.

Sri Lanka elected to bat first after winning the toss, despite heavily overcast conditions, and the match started 40 minutes after the scheduled 3 pm beginning.

But a storm of a different kind was awaiting Sri Lanka – a peak Siraj. His spell ensured that Lanka batted just 15.2 overs, and this was also their lowest ODI total against India.

The pacer became only the fourth bowler in ODI history to take four wickets in an over, and he matched former Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas as the fastest to a five-wicket haul in one-dayers.

However, the beauty of Siraj bowling was beyond mere numbers. He got into action after Jasprit Bumrah jettisoned Kusal Perera in the third ball of the first over – a regulation caught behind.

In conditions that resembled more London than Colombo, Siraj just had to pitch the ball in the right areas.

Siraj made his dance of destruction in the 4th over – 3.1, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.6 balls. The victims were Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samaraiwickrama, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya De Silva.

Nissanka tried to place the ball around Ravindra Jadeja at point, but the placement went awry as the fielder completed a fine tumbling catch.

Samarawickrma could not deal with a delivery that came in that little bit after pitching on a length, and the umpire did not have to think even for a moment to uphold Siraj's appeal for leg-before.

In the very next ball, the left-handed Asalanka pushed at a fuller delivery from Siraj with zero footwork, and the uppish shot ended in the hands of Ishan Kishan at covers.

De Silva managed to avert the hat-trick, but he lasted only for another ball, a push away from body resulted in an easy collection of Rahul behind the stumps.
But Siraj was not done yet. He castled Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis with peaches to complete their destruction.

Once Siraj finished his spell, there was nothing left in the Lankan innings. Hardik Pandya applied the finishing touches, taking three wickets.

Bengaluru, Sept 26: The so called ‘love jihad’ of Bengaluru wherein a woman techie lodged complaint against her former boyfriend, also a software engineer from Jammu and Kashmir, turned out to be a drama enacted by her to frame him.

Investigations revealed no so called love jihad angle to the case and that the woman had made false allegations after break up, police said on Monday.

Though the love jihad charges against the accused man were dropped, charges of rape, cheating and criminal intimidation will be probed, they added.

During the probe, the police found that the complainant woman from Bengaluru and the accused from Kashmir had broken up two years ago.

Recently, the man got engaged to another girl.

Unable to accept it, the woman, who is five years his senior, had made love jihad allegations against him, police said.

The police had arrested 32-year-old Mojeef Ashraf Baig from Jakura in Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir last week following the complaint by the woman techie.

He was arrested on charges of rape, unnatural sex, criminal intimidation and cheating.

The woman software professional had claimed that the man -- with whom she was in a relationship -- forced her to adopt Islam. She also alleged that the accused, after promising to marry her, exploited her sexually "as part of love jihad".

A special team of police was sent to Jammu and Kashmir to apprehend the accused considering the sensitivity of the issue.

The FIR has been booked against Mojeef Ashraf Baig, who used to reside at Shikaripalya in Electronics City in Bengaluru.

According to police, the accused had met the techie in Shikaripalya and befriended her. Soon, they began liking each other and entered into a relationship.

The woman claimed that after Baig promised to marry her, they got physically intimate.

Baig had promised that he would get married to her in court without any religious traditions. She claimed that after they got into physical intimacy, the accused began forcing her to get converted to Islam.

The woman refused to do so, and insisted he stick to his earlier stand.

She also claimed that Morif Ashraf, Baig's brother, called her and issued life threats to her.

The police had also booked a case under the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act.

Further investigation is on.