IMC-USA Weekly News Digest – May 24th, 2010

by iamcadmin on May 23, 2010

In this issue

Announcements

News Headlines

Opinions & Editorials

Announcements

Indian Americans seek assurance from PM, Chief
Justice on intimidation free CBI inquiry into Fake Encounter Killings

Washington D.C.,
Monday, May 17, 2010

Indian Muslim Council-USA
(IMC-USA – http://www.imc-usa.org),
an advocacy group dedicated toward safeguarding India’s pluralist and
tolerant ethos is calling on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief
Justice of the Indian Supreme Court S. H. Kapadia to monitor and ensure
an intimidation free Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into
the fake encounter killings of Soharabuddin, his wife Kausarbi and his
associate Prajapati at the hands of the Gujarat Police.

Lawsuits
against the Gujarat police related to the fake encounter killings have
already landed 15 senior police officials behind bars and the Supreme
Court ordered CBI inquiry has the potential to indict several prominent
politicians and ministers in the Narendra Modi administration. The Home
Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Amit Shah, has reportedly gone into hiding
fearing arrest by the CBI.

In order to subvert and
discredit this CBI inquiry, a massive advertising campaign has been
launched in the Gujarati media by unknown entities to defame the CBI and
dub it with various defamatory labels.

In separate
letters sent to India’s Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, IMC-USA President Rasheed Ahmed said, “The advertising
campaign aims to create a political atmosphere where it would not be
possible for the CBI to conduct a fair investigation. As such, this
constitutes active interference in the judicial investigative process
and may result in the subversion of justice.”

He added that
“A sincere investigation by the CBI into these fake encounter cases
has, for the first time, the potential to implicate many powerful
politicians within Narendra Modi’s administration who have been involved
in terrorizing minorities in the state of Gujarat.”

Mr.
Rasheed Ahmed also called for strong action to be taken against the
people behind the anonymous entities running the advertising campaign
and dubbed it as a “tactic of subverting justice at the altar of
manufactured public opinion”. He further added that “Without basic
security and rule of law, no level of economic progress either lasts or
earns the nation a global leadership status it may otherwise deserve.”

Indian
Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian
Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. It is
also a founding member of the Coalition Against Genocide, which
successfully highlighted the complicity of Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi and his administration in the 2002 genocide of Muslims.
The campaign eventually led to the revocation of Modi’s visas by the US
State Department.

CONTACT:

Dr. Hyder Khan
phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270
email: info@imc-usa.org

RELATED LINKS:

Provocative ads inserted in Gujarati language dailies against CBI probe
http://www.twocircles.net/2010may08/provocative_ads_inserted_gujarati_language_dailies_against_cbi_probe.html

Sohrabuddin case: Six top Gujarat cops to be quizzed
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/537736.aspx

BJP may move court against CBI in Sohrabuddin case
http://twocircles.net/2010may12/bjp_may_move_court_against_cbi_sohrabuddin_case.html

Sohrabuddin case: Fearing for life, Prajapati wrote thrice to
judge
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5932834.cms

Police faces CBI heat in Sohrabuddin case
http://www.siasat.com/english/news/police-faces-cbi-heat-sohrabuddin-case

Cops’ probe a ruse to hinder CBI, says Prajapati’s mother
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/cops-probe-a-ruse-to-hinder-cbi-says-prajapatis-mother_100365338.html

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News Headlines

11 Sanatan Sanstha members charged in Goa blast
case (May 18, 2010, DNA India)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed charges in
the Goa blast case against 11 persons associated with the Sanatan
Sanstha for “waging war against India”. But the right-wing Hindu group
was not directly indicted by the NIA. The blast took place in Margao on
the eve of Diwali, October 16, 2009. Explosives on a scooter went off on
a street in the heart of the town around 9.30 pm, killing two. The
NIA’s charge-sheet was filed under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy),
121 (waging war against India), 122, 123 and 427 of the Indian Penal
Code, read with sections 16, 17, 18 and 23 of the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act, and sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances
Act.

The blast’s motive, the charge-sheet said, was to protest
against the Narkasur competition held in Goa every year. The accused had
written several letters to the state government to stop the
competition, to no avail. Recently, two accused were granted bail as
neither the special investigation team (SIT) nor the NIA could frame
charges within the mandatory 180 days after their arrest. For the
accused in custody, the 180-day limit will expire on Tuesday.

The
3,000-page charge-sheet – filed before sessions judge UV Bakre – has
named: Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Dilip
Mangaonkar, all in jail; Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, killed when
explosives went off on their scooter before they could plant them at the
designated place; Prashant Juvekar, Sarang Akolkar, Jayaprakash, alias
Anna, Rudra Patil and Prashant Ashtekar, absconding. The NIA’s probe has
revealed that Dhananjay Ashtekar, an electronics engineering student,
prepared 12 detonator circuits in Pune, of which five were brought to
Goa in August, 2009.

The test IED was prepared with the help of
gelatine sticks and exploded in the jungles adjoining Talaulim village
on August 24-25, 2009, behind the house of Laxmikant Naik, the brother
of deceased accused Yogesh. The charge-sheet says that Maganokar was
active in the conspiracy and unexploded material was found in his
possession. It also names 250 witnesses, who are likely to be examined
by the local court during trial.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_11-sanatan-sanstha-members-charged-in-goa-blast-case_1384335

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Investigators have neglected Hindu terror for a
long time (May 19, 2010, DNA India)

On Monday, the newly-formed National Investigative Agency (NIA) filed
a 3,000-page charge sheet in the Goa bomb blast case, charging eight
accused of terror activities and waging war against India. Last month,
the Rajasthan police had arrested some men – owing alliance to Hindu
fundamentalist groups – for their alleged involvement in the October
2005 New Delhi bombings, Samjhauta Express bomb blasts and the Mecca
Masjid blast in Hyderabad.

Prior to that, in September 2008, the
Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) arrested Sadhvi Pragya Singh
Thakur and lieutenant colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit in the Malegaon
blast case. All these arrests are an indication that investigators are
slowly shifting their focus to the once neglected ‘Hindu terror’ groups
and are waking up to the potent threat of ‘Hindutva terrorism’. Even
though evidence of such groups existing has been there since 2002,
investigative agencies have always turned a blind-eye towards them.
Timely action on part of investigators could have helped saved many
lives and prevent certain blasts.

In December 2002, an improvised
explosive device (IED) was found outside Bhopal railway station. Exactly
a year later, a similar IED was found in Bhopal, and it later
transpired that the IEDs were made by two individuals – Ramnarayan
Kalsangra and Sunil Joshi – belonging to a local Hindu fundamentalist
group. However, no action was taken against them and later the duo was
found to be allegedly involved in the Malegaon blast case.

Similar,
in 2006, a scrap dealer from Ahmednagar district was arrested with a
huge quantity of explosive in his possession. Investigations revealed
that there was a huge flourishing underground market for such
explosives. In the same year, two activists of the Bajrang Dal were
accidentally killed in Nanded while the bomb they were making exploded.
It was later found that the duo was linked to three mosque blasts in
Parbhani, Purna and Jalna.

Surprisingly, investigative agencies
have time and again neglected cases that have allegedly had the ‘Hindu
terror’ angle. The New Delhi Jama Masjid blasts, Samjahuta Express
blasts, Ajmer blasts, Nanded blasts, Mecca Masjid blasts and the Jaipur
bomb blasts, all these cases have been on the backburner. However, in
cases like the 11/7 Mumbai train blasts, the Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park
blasts in Hyderabad and the New Delhi serial blasts, arrests have been
quick and the investigation more forthcoming.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_investigators-have-neglected-hindu-terror-for-a-long-time_1384754

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Sohrabuddin case: BJP trying to rein in CBI? (May
22, 2010, DNA India)

A senior IPS officer and two senior IAS officers from Gujarat
travelled to Delhi recently to meet some officials in the central
government, allegedly in a bid to rein in the CBI, with who the state
BJP is at loggerheads after it arrested suspended IPS officer Abhay
Chudasama. A senior IPS officer and the two senior IAS officers have
reportedly intervened to prevent the possible arrest of a political
leader in the state in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake
encounter and Kausar Bi’s killing.

Sources said the CBI is getting
closer to some influential people in the state, who were directly or
indirectly connected either to Sohrabuddin’s fake encounter or to
killing Kausar Bi and disposing of her body. The CBI has questioned a
few IPS officers in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, who reportedly have
revealed startling information relating to Sohrabuddin’s fake encounter.
The CBI had earlier indicated that two senior IPS officers – one each
from Rajasthan and Gujarat – as well as two political leaders, one each
from these states, are under its scanner.

No CBI official has
revealed the names of any of the officers or the concerned leaders, but
movement has been observed in the state government and some officers are
trying to intervene in the case. Sources said that the focus of the CBI
investigation was mainly on the killing and disposing of the dead body
of Kausar Bi, who was allegedly kidnapped, raped and killed, allegedly
by some police officials of the state. But the scenario has now,
reportedly, changed.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_sohrabuddin-case-bjp-trying-to-rein-in-cbi_1386173

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Fake encounter case: Rathod says Sohrabuddins wife
was cremated (May 23, 2010, The Hindu)

The arrested police inspector, V. A. Rathod, is believed to have
revealed before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that the body
of Kausarbi, the wife of Sohrabuddin, was cremated at Illol village in
Sabarkantha district, the native village of the former deputy inspector
general of Gujarat police, D. G. Vanzara, the principal accused in the
Sohrabuddin fake encounter case. Mr. Rathod, who was earlier picked up
by the state CID (Crime), which was investigating the case before the
CBI, has reportedly told the investigating officials that he was among
those present at Kauserbi’s cremation at Illol village and had also made
arrangements for firewood to burn the body.

Kauserbi’s
“disappearance” since the elimination of Sohrabuddin in an alleged fake
encounter in November, 2005, remained a mystery for the investigating
officials as nothing concrete so far was not found about her. The police
only believed that Kauserbi was killed in a farm house on the outskirts
of Gandhinagar, where she was lodged with her husband for a couple of
days before Sohrabuddin’s encounter, and later the body was taken to
Illol. But investigating at the spot in Illol also did not yield much.
Mr. Rathod’s confession would help to solve the mystery and the CBI to
re-construct the entire event. Mr Rathod was also believed to have told
the CBI the names of some other police officials to be present at Illol
on that day and the roles each played in taking the body from
Gandhinagar till the cremation of the body. He, however, said he had no
idea how and where Kauserbi was killed and by whom.

Mr. Rathod
along with Deputy Superintendent of Police N. K. Amin were taken on four
days remand by the CBI for questioning and they will be in the police
custody till May 24. The CBI sources, however, said Mr. Amin had so far
refused to reveal anything and maintained his stand that he had been
falsely implicated in the case and had played no role in the Sohrabuddin
alleged fake encounter. The two were among the 15 policemen arrested in
connection with the Sohrabuddin encounter by the State CID (Crime),
while the CBI arrested one more IPS officer, the Deputy Commissioner of
Police (crime branch), Abhay Chudasma, after it took over the
investigation in February at the behest of the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile,
the state CID (Crime), is looking for two police constables, Ajaypal
Yadav of the Gujarat police and Dalpat Singh of the Rajasthan police,
who were believed to have taken Tulsiram Prajapti, a close associate of
Sohrabuddin and also a victim of fake encounter, in a car to Chhapri
village on the highway near Ambaji on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border,
where he was killed. Both the policemen are reported to be missing since
the arrest of police inspector Ashish Pandya, who was said to have
opened the first shot at Prajapti even when his hands were tied behind
his back. Ajaypal Yadav is also linked with the Sohrabuddin encounter as
he was the person who was believed to have procured the motorbike found
near Sohrabuddin on which the police claimed he was travelling and had
fired at the police before he was “killed in the encounter.”

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/23/stories/2010052356281200.htm

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Hyderabad silently marks third anniversary of
blasts (May 18, 2010, Rediff)

As Hyderabad observed the third anniversary of the bomb blast at the
Mecca Masjid, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has for the first time
publicly confirmed the involvement of Hindu extremists in the blast in
Mecca Masjid. On a day when Muslims in Hyderabad observed a bandh by
shutting down their businesses and shops and police was on a high alert
fearing further terror attacks to avenge the blast and the firing,
Chidambaram told a television channel that those arrested in connection
with the blast in Ajmer Dargah, were also involved in Mecca Masjid
blast.

Meanwhile Hyderabad police, still reeling under last
Friday’s attack by three unidentified persons killing a constable in old
city, had a sigh of relief as the anniversary day passed off
peacefully. With the Intelligence Bureau warning of possibility of more
such attack on the anniversary, elaborate security arrangements were
made in the city. Additional police force was brought from other
districts and deployed in sensitive places. Armed pickets were deployed
in the old city and patrolling was intensified. In view of the incidents
of attacks on the unarmed police men both this year and last year,
Hyderabad police commissioner A K Khan had ordered every policemen to
carry a weapon.

Some of the family members of the victims of the
blast as well as the police firing gathered at the Mecca Masjid and
prayed. Sabira Begum, mother of a blast victim Nayeem Shaiq was among
them. Holding a photo of her son, Sabira Begum broke down. “Every
anniversary, those memories keep haunting me. I can never forget it.
They (perpetrators) of the blast have destroyed my family and many other
families”. Normally jam packed roads of the old city wore a deserted
look as Muslim shopkeepers in Madina, Patthargatti and Chariminar area
observing a bandh.

http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/may/18/hyderabad-blasts-third-anniv-passes-peacefully.htm

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Cleric arrest case: Police file closure report in
court (May 16, 2010, Deccan Herald)

The Delhi Police has filed a report in a court here seeking closure
of a case against an Islamic cleric who was arrested for allegedly
making suspicious remarks onboard a London-bound flight. The report was
filed in a Dwarka court on Saturday, sources said.The action came after
Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal said it appeared to be a case of
“miscommunication” and the Home Ministry intervened to ensure the
cleric’s release.

Nurul Huda, a Deoband cleric and resident of
Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was offloaded from an Emirates Airways
flight from Delhi to London via Dubai after a woman co- passenger
complained about his “suspicious” talk over phone. The woman told the
cabin crew that she heard him saying over phone that “jahaz udne wala
hai, ham udane wala hai” (the plane is about to take off, we are about
to blow up), police said. The cleric told police he was only telling
somebody that “jahaz udne wala hai (the plane is about to fly)”.

Earlier
on Saturday, Huda left the capital for Deoband after he was freed on
bail. The court granted him bail as the police did not press the offence
registered under non-bailable Section 505 (creating rumour resulting in
public nuisance) of IPC. He had also been charged under Section 341
(wrongfully restraining a person) which is a bailable provision.

Home
Minister P Chidambaram had instructed Home Secretary G K Pillai who
told Dadwal that “a wrong case” has been slapped on Huda and since there
was no reason to keep him behind bars, he should be set free, MHA
sources said.Sources close to Huda said they were yet to take a call on
suing the Delhi police for arresting the cleric on “false charges”.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/69817/cleric-arrest-case-police-file.html

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Narendra Modi in trouble after calling Maoists
apne log (May 20, 2010, Rediff)

The Gujarat government on Thursday swung into damage-control mode
after Chief Minister Narendra Modi reportedly referred to Maoists as
‘our own people’ at a function in Aligarh. Modi also suggested that a
dialogue should be held to end the violence perpetrated by the Left-wing
extremists, which is in sharp contrast to his party’s rhetoric of
taking strong action against the Maoists. Modi reportedly exhorted the
Maoists to give up violence and resolve issues through talks, but some
TV channels claimed that the Gujarat CM had asked the Centre to hold
talks with them and expressed his opposition to the use of security
forces to rein in the extremists.

The Gujarat government hastily
issued a statement claiming Modi did not suggest anything about the
issue to the Centre and never said anything on the matter. According to
the press note, Modi was replying to a question by a student at a
meeting in Mangalayatan University of Aligarh, who asked him what his
message was for youths resorting to violence in the name of Maoism. Modi
- claimed the statement – said that the youth should abjure violence
and try to find a solution to their issues through dialogue.

However,
a video clip made available to this correspondent by a source in
Aligarh quotes Modi as stating, “Hamare apne hi logon ko samjhana hoga
ki hinsa samasya ka samadhan nahi. Samvidhan ki maryadaon me rahkar
shashtron ko chhod de kyunki baatchit ka rasta hi samadhan ka rasta
hai.” (Our own people will have to be convinced that violence is not a
solution to problems. Within the purview of the Constitution, they
should give up arms because dialogue is the only way to a solution.)

The
press note reaffirms that Modi is towing along the party’s line over
the issue – that the Centre and state governments should not surrender
before violence but take the sternest action. “Stern action is warranted
against those killing innocent citizens, so as to remove the violent
mentality from its roots,” the press note added, quoting Modi.

http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/may/20/narendra-modi-in-trouble-after-calling-maoists-apne-log.htm

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Madhya Pradesh BJP MLA arrested by CBI (May 21,
2010, Times of India)

Madhya Pradesh BJP MLA from Harda constituency Kamal Patel has been
arrested by the CBI here in connection with destroying evidence related
to a murder case in which his son’s name has figured, CBI officials
said.

Patel, a former Revenue Minister, was questioned by the
CBI, after which he was arrested on Thursday night, they said. Patel
will be produced later in the day in the CBI court at Indore where he
will file his bail application.

On March 5, 2008, Patel’s son
Sudeep had gone with his friends to a farm house belonging to Congress
leader, Rajendra Patel at Deotalao where an altercation took place,
killing one Durgesh Jaat. Sudeep was later arrested and was then
released on bail.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5956817.cms

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Former DGP using some CBI officers (May 16, 2010,
Times of India)

Reacting to reports in the media that the CBI has found no proof
against former Haryana DGP S P S Rathore in the fresh FIRs registered
against him, S C Girhotra, father of Ruchika Girhotra, on Saturday
alleged that some CBI officers were working under Rathore’s influence
and that the disgraced officer was using them.

Girhotra also
alleged that Rathore had planted news stories to influence the verdict
on the enhancement of his sentence in the molestation case to be
pronounced by the Chandigarh district court on May 20. Girhotra said
that he wasn’t blaming the CBI as a whole, but only a handful of
officers. He said he has full faith in CBI and its investigation which
is currently on.

Asked about the identity of the officers
allegedly in cahoots with Rathore, Girhotra said they would be exposed
“when the time is right” and that he and Anand Prakash, the father of
Aradhana, are collecting evidence against those officers. Girhotra also
said they had contacted DIG Satish Golcha, who is heading the
investigation, and SP Vanita Thakur, who informed them that probe was on
and they had neither reached any conclusion nor given a clean chit to
Rathore.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5936017.cms

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Torching of Dalits houses: 8 more held (May 17,
2010, Indian Express)

Eight more people from the Jat community have been arrested for their
alleged involvement in torching a dozen Dalit houses at Mirchpur
village of Hisar district on April 21, in which polio-stricken Suman and
his father Tarachand were burnt alive. On Sunday, they were produced
before the Hansi court and sent to jail, said police sources. With this,
the total number of those arrested in the case has gone up to 41.

In
a case registered with the local police station soon after the torching
incident, the Dalits had named 47 persons. In a fresh complaint, they
named 104 persons. DSP Ramphal, supervising the security arrangement at
Mirchpur village, said more than 250 Haryana Armed Police personnel and
local police had been deployed for round-the-clock patrolling to infuse
confidence among the families of the victims.

Strict action would
be taken against those trying to disturb law and order situation, he
added. Hisar Senior Superintendent of Police Subash Yadav said the
situation was under control and efforts to maintain peace had already
been initiated.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/619801/

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Opinions and Editorials

Hindu militancy – Editorial (May 19, 2010, DNA
India)

That 11 people associated with a Hindu group have been charged with
waging war against India is a clear indication that the state can no
longer disregard the possible menace of extreme Hindu right-wing
violence. Members of the Sanatan Sanstha have been accused of being
responsible for the pre-Diwali blasts in Goa last year, where two of
their own members died while carrying explosives. The explosives were
meant to disrupt the Narakasur festival, which is very popular in Goa,
and which the group had objected to.

Of course, this is not the
first time groups associated with the Hindu extreme right have been
accused of acts of terror. Sanatan Sanstha members were accused of being
responsible for a blast in a theatre in Thane some years ago and, of
course, there were the more high-profile Malegaon blasts, where the
Abhinav Bharat is suspected to have been involved, along with Sadhvi
Pragya Singh Thakur. However distressing as this rise is, there is no
cause to start a campaign against Hinduism or against religion in
general: in fact, that would be distinctly counter-productive. At the
same time, it is vital that the law be allowed to run its full course
and the law-enforcing agencies be given a free hand, without political
interference. It may be argued that Hindu militancy is not new to India -
the actions of Nathuram Godse and his associates in the assassination
of Mahatma Gandhi stand out prominently here.

But while Hindu
militancy may be reviving, it has not yet become a global menace the way
Islamist terrorism, or even Sikh terrorism born out of the Khalistan
movement, became in India in the 1980s. This gives the authorities an
advantage. They can work hard to stamp out Hindu right-wing militancy
while it is still in its early stages, before it becomes a
Frankenstein

Related posts:

  1. IMC-USA Weekly News Digest – August 24th, 2009
  2. IAMC Weekly News Digest – January 24th, 2011
  3. IMC-USA Weekly News Digest – February 1st, 2010
  4. IMC-USA Weekly News Digest – January 11th, 2010
  5. IMC-USA Weekly News Digest – February 15th, 2010

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