Latest news with #SIT
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
5 held in Koderma gold theft case
Koderma: Five persons were arrested for looting gold from a Bihar resident at Koderma ghati on June 15. Police have also recovered majority of the looted gold, it said on Friday. Deepak Kumar Gupta, a trader from Bihar, was on way back to Chapra from Kolkata in his car, carrying gold worth Rs 80 lakh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As he was passing through the Koderma ghati on Ranchi-Patna road, he was ambushed and looted. An FIR was lodged with Koderma police on June 16. SP Anudeep Singh said that four special investigating teams (SIT) were set up under SDPO Anil Kumar Singh, which conducted intensive raids across Jharkhand and Bihar. The breakthrough came near Ratanpur mode in Koderma ghati when police intercepted a suspicious vehicle. "Police arrested four individuals from the car and another key accused, Tinku Kumar was arrested from Narhat village in Nawada," said the SP. Police have recovered 673.7gm of gold worth Rs 70 lakh.
India Gazette
9 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Cheating row in police recruitment: Ex-Himachal CM demands CM's resignation, SIT probe into exam scam
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 20 (ANI): Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Friday launched a blistering attack on the Congress-led state government over the recent allegations of mass cheating and irregularities in the police recruitment examination, calling it 'a betrayal of the youth of Himachal Pradesh'. Thakur demanded that the government immediately constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the scam and that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu resign on moral grounds. 'The entire recruitment process has been reduced to a mockery. Videos show blatant cheating, discussions inside exam halls, and candidates solving papers in groups. This is not just mismanagement, it's criminal. If the Chief Minister has any moral standing left, he should step down,' Thakur told reporters at a press conference in Shimla. Thakur called the police recruitment drive the only significant recruitment drive in the past two and a half years of the Congress government's tenure, claiming that the entire process was compromised. 'This government shut down the Staff Selection Commission. After two and a half years, it held one police recruitman, which is now under serious question. The candidates have submitted video proof of cheating taking place inside examination halls in Shimla, Palampur Road, and Chamba,' he said. 'If the government claims transparency, then why not release the CCTV footage from these centres? What are they afraid of?,' Thakur asked. He further said that there were allegations of mobile phones being allowed inside the examination halls, and that no invigilators stopped students from openly cheating. The former CM pointed out that two individuals, Vikram and Balwinder from the Dehra area of Kangra district, were arrested in the case. But he added that just two arrests cannot cleanse a scam of this magnitude. 'Reports suggest that candidates were called to Haryana and promised success in the exam in exchange for lakhs of rupees. Transactions of up to Rs 35 lakh have been cited. Who made these promises? Who were these candidates? At least 15-16 people were summoned for investigation,' he said, adding that the matter must be investigated at a state-wide level. 'In our tenure, when similar allegations emerged, we immediately cancelled the exam and announced a SIT investigation the very next morning. We even handed over cases to the CBI when required. This government is silent and evasive.' Thakur added. Thakur warned that candidates feared the CCTV recordings could be destroyed, much like the pen drive in the Vimal Negi case, which was formatted and later recovered. Revisiting the promises made by Congress before the 2022 Assembly elections, Thakur said, Congress's 'guarantees' are now exposed, no jobs, no action. 'They promised 5 lakh government jobs in 5 years, and 1 lakh in the first year. But now the Chief Minister says they never made such a promise. I was in the Assembly when the Congress Guarantee Document was read out, which clearly mentioned the 5 lakh jobs. Why the contradiction now?,' Thakur said. He alleged that most appointments during the current regime were the result of recruitment processes initiated by the previous BJP government, for which budgetary and financial clearances were already secured. 'These are not new jobs. The only new recruitment was for police, and look what happened. Even in the nursing recruitment drive, Congress is outsourcing jobs through agencies linked to their own leaders and relatives,' he said. Thakur also criticised the outsourcing model, saying it was being used to bypass transparency and provide jobs to Congress loyalists. He also attacked the use of outsourcing agencies in nursing and other sectors, alleging that these agencies are run by Congress leaders and their relatives, with youth getting only Rs 6,000 out of the Rs 10,000 allotted per position. 'Candidates are getting Rs 6,000 while Rs 10,000 is allocated, where is the rest of the money going? To the agencies, which are run by Congress leaders. Even in my own constituency, such practices are taking place.' He said. Thakur said the Congress government is struggling with internal trust issues, pointing to the resignation of a young minister and the subsequent resignation of his father, a senior cabinet minister. 'Despite having a majority, their own MLAs have no faith in the leadership. In such a situation, the Chief Minister has no moral right to remain in office,' he said. Thakur said that despite the central government providing Rs 2,006.40 crore in additional disaster relief, and over Rs 4,000 crore in total, the state government has failed to distribute aid effectively. 'Even 93,000 homes were sanctioned, but affected people are still homeless. The state government is thankless and shameless. PM Modi stood with the people of Himachal, but the state administration continues to falter.' He said. Thakur demanded that the results of the police recruitment examination be withheld until the investigation is complete, and a statewide probe under an SIT be ordered immediately. 'This government has completely collapsed on the employment front. If serious allegations like cheating during exams are not probed, it sends a dangerous signal to the youth. I demand the Chief Minister step down and let an impartial SIT uncover the truth,' Thakur said. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ex-Himachal CM demands CM Sukhu's resignation over cheating row in police recruitment
Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Friday launched a blistering attack on the Congress-led state government over the recent allegations of mass cheating and irregularities in the police recruitment examination, calling it "a betrayal of the youth of Himachal Pradesh". Thakur demanded that the government immediately constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the scam and that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu resign on moral grounds. "The entire recruitment process has been reduced to a mockery. Videos show blatant cheating, discussions inside exam halls, and candidates solving papers in groups. This is not just mismanagement, it's criminal. If the Chief Minister has any moral standing left, he should step down," Thakur told reporters at a press conference in Shimla. Thakur called the police recruitment drive the only significant recruitment drive in the past two and a half years of the Congress government's tenure, claiming that the entire process was compromised. "This government shut down the Staff Selection Commission. After two and a half years, it held one police recruitmant, which is now under serious question. The candidates have submitted video proof of cheating taking place inside examination halls in Shimla, Palampur Road, and Chamba," he said. "If the government claims transparency, then why not release the CCTV footage from these centres? What are they afraid of?," Thakur asked. He further said that there were allegations of mobile phones being allowed inside the examination halls, and that no invigilators stopped students from openly cheating. The former CM pointed out that two individuals, Vikram and Balwinder from the Dehra area of Kangra district, were arrested in the case. But he added that just two arrests cannot cleanse a scam of this magnitude. "Reports suggest that candidates were called to Haryana and promised success in the exam in exchange for lakhs of rupees. Transactions of up to ₹35 lakh have been cited. Who made these promises? Who were these candidates? At least 15-16 people were summoned for investigation," he said, adding that the matter must be investigated at a state-wide level. "In our tenure, when similar allegations emerged, we immediately cancelled the exam and announced a SIT investigation the very next morning. We even handed over cases to the CBI when required. This government is silent and evasive." Thakur added. Thakur warned that candidates feared the CCTV recordings could be destroyed, much like the pen drive in the Vimal Negi case, which was formatted and later recovered. Revisiting the promises made by Congress before the 2022 Assembly elections, Thakur said, Congress's 'guarantees' are now exposed, no jobs, no action. "They promised 5 lakh government jobs in 5 years, and 1 lakh in the first year. But now the Chief Minister says they never made such a promise. I was in the Assembly when the Congress Guarantee Document was read out, which clearly mentioned the 5 lakh jobs. Why the contradiction now?," Thakur said. He alleged that most appointments during the current regime were the result of recruitment processes initiated by the previous BJP government, for which budgetary and financial clearances were already secured. "These are not new jobs. The only new recruitment was for police, and look what happened. Even in the nursing recruitment drive, Congress is outsourcing jobs through agencies linked to their own leaders and relatives," he said. Thakur also criticised the outsourcing model, saying it was being used to bypass transparency and provide jobs to Congress loyalists. He also attacked the use of outsourcing agencies in nursing and other sectors, alleging that these agencies are run by Congress leaders and their relatives, with youth getting only ₹6,000 out of the ₹10,000 allotted per position. "Candidates are getting ₹6,000 while ₹10,000 is allocated, where is the rest of the money going? To the agencies, which are run by Congress leaders. Even in my own constituency, such practices are taking place." He said. Thakur said the Congress government is struggling with internal trust issues, pointing to the resignation of a young minister and the subsequent resignation of his father, a senior cabinet minister. "Despite having a majority, their own MLAs have no faith in the leadership. In such a situation, the Chief Minister has no moral right to remain in office," he said. Thakur said that despite the central government providing ₹2,006.40 crore in additional disaster relief, and over ₹4,000 crore in total, the state government has failed to distribute aid effectively. "Even 93,000 homes were sanctioned, but affected people are still homeless. The state government is thankless and shameless. PM Modi stood with the people of Himachal, but the state administration continues to falter." He said. Thakur demanded that the results of the police recruitment examination be withheld until the investigation is complete, and a statewide probe under an SIT be ordered immediately. "This government has completely collapsed on the employment front. If serious allegations like cheating during exams are not probed, it sends a dangerous signal to the youth. I demand the Chief Minister step down and let an impartial SIT uncover the truth," Thakur said.
New Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Land row: Relief for HD Kumaraswamy as Karnataka High Court stays formation of SIT
BENGALURU: IN a relief to Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday stayed the order issued by the State Government constituting the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the dispute over the ownership of certain parcels of land owned by him at Kethaganahalli in Ramanagara and also the summons issued by the SIT to him. Hearing the petition filed by the JDS leader challenging the legality of the order constituting the SIT and also the summons issued to him, Justice ES Indiresh passed the interim order of stay till the next date of hearing and issued notice to the Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department and the tahsildar of Ramanagara taluk. The court observed that prima facie, there appears to be no formal notification issued pursuant to the government order forming SIT. The tahsildar issued a summons dated May 29, 2025, under Section 28 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, following the constitution of SIT headed by the Regional Commissioner of Bengaluru Division by way of issuing the order dated January 28, 2025, by the Revenue Department. Stating that he is the absolute owner of the land in question, Kumaraswamy contended that he acquired the said agricultural land in 1985 under different sale deeds for a valuable sale consideration and revenue entries stand in his name. However, the tahsildar of Ramanagara intimated to him in March 2025 that a resurvey would be conducted on land bearing Sy. No.7 and 8 which are part of the land owned by him. This notice was stayed by the HC while hearing his petition challenging the amendment to Section 104 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act. Proceedings, however, were initiated against him pursuant to the constitution of the SIT under Section 195 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act and Section 8 of the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act. But there is no notification issued by the State Government in this regard. Therefore, the order issued constituting SIT is unsustainable, as the notification is mandatory as per the provisions under which the SIT was constituted, Kumaraswamy's counsel argued.
New Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Lokayukta SIT gets court rap for making accused witnesses
BENGALURU: Special Court for Lokayukta Cases on Thursday castigated Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing illegal mining for making the accused witnesses for reasons known only to them. Philip J Jacob, the proprietor of M/s Amalgiris, allegedly exported 13,400 MT ore to China from Belekeri port out of 14,483 MT purchased by him. But except accused No.1 (G B Shivakumar, proprietor of M/s GBS Transports) and 2 (G S Gopala Krishna, partner of M/s Balaji Roadlines), who are the first purchasers, the rest are not the accused in the case despite the existence of sufficient material to reveal their prima facie involvement in committing the alleged offences, said KM Radhakrishna, Judge, Special Court for Lokayukta Cases. The SIT registered the crime in 2015 against Jacob, who has been made a witness in the charge sheet now, and unknown government officers, officials and private individuals under the provisions of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, on the charges of exporting iron ore 38,300 MT illegally from Belekeri port to M/s Devi Trading Company Limited in China, in 2009 and illegally gained Rs 4.72 crore and caused crores of rupees loss to the state's exchequer. Noting that there are no reasons to cite them (the accused) as prosecution witnesses instead of accused persons, the court noted that when the entire transaction in respect of stolen 39,861 MT of iron ore is alleged to be illegal, such illegality and the transportation of the ore from one destination to another is highly impossible, in the absence of active participation or cooperation by the officers and officials from departments of mines and geology, forest, commercial tax, transport authority, port and customs authority including the service providers, the court said.
