IELTS scam: HC directs JMFC court to decide closure report afresh
Earlier, the magisterial court had accepted the police's closure report, citing insufficient evidence. However, this was overturned by the district court earlier this year. Upholding the district court's verdict, Justice L S Pirzada directed the magisterial court to reconsider the closure report, without being influenced by any observations made by either the high court or the sessions court.
The high court, however, quashed a portion of the sessions court's order that had instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) to have the matter investigated by "an honest and competent" officer.
You Can Also Check:
Ahmedabad AQI
|
Weather in Ahmedabad
|
Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad
|
Public Holidays in Ahmedabad
The alleged scam surfaced in 2022 after four youths were caught crossing the Canada-US border illegally. During their appearance in a US court, they sought translators, stating they could not understand English—despite having officially cleared the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.
This contradiction led the US Consulate General in India to alert local authorities in Gujarat. The Consulate cited a TOI report from May 2021 highlighting irregularities in the IELTS score process.
A preliminary inquiry led to the filing of an FIR at the Mehsana B Division police station against 45 individuals. The investigation was led by deputy superintendent of police Dinesh Chauhan, who filed a B summary (closure) report in April 2023, stating insufficient evidence. The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) accepted the report on Oct 9, 2024.
However, the then Mehsana superintendent of police (SP), Achal Tyagi, raised objections and challenged the report before a sessions court, which overturned the JMFC's acceptance and ordered further investigation.
That sessions court decision was then challenged in the high court by the accused persons.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Dharali flash floods: FIR against 5 for 'Nature's bulldozer' comment; cops flag fake news
A sudden cloudburst near the Kheer Ganga river triggered a massive flash flood in Dharali village, Uttarkashi, washing away homes, roads, and shops in a matter of minutes. DEHRADUN: A case was registered against one unidentified and four identified men for allegedly posting and commenting on Facebook an update related to the Dharali flash floods with the caption "this is nature's bulldozer". The case was registered on Friday at Dehradun's Kotwali police station on a complaint by sub-inspector Vikky Tamta after police took suo-motu cognisance of the matter. The FIR was registered under sections 299 (deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings of a group) and 353(2) (circulating false information with intent to promote enmity) of BNS. Kotwali station house officer inspector Pradeep Pant told TOI, "As per the complaint, a man uploaded two photographs of Dharali, before and after the tragedy, with the caption -- 'Uttarakhand ke Dharali gaon me ka bulldozer (Disaster in Dharali nature's bulldozer)'. The other four accused wrote objectionable comments under that post aimed at hurting the sentiments of people. A probe is on to track all the accused and arrest them. " Meanwhile, Uttarakhand police on its social media handles flagged at least six posts related to the Dharali devastation as 'fake news'. The six-member social media team of the state has been working to scan social media to check fake news and posts related to the tragedy. "We urge people not to share any content without proper verification. If anyone comes across fake posts, they should inform police," said Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘CCTV in every room, microphone in bathroom': Gujarat HC dissolves marriage citing cruelty; pilot ordered to pay Rs 1 lakh monthly alimony
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court directed a Mumbai-based pilot to pay his wife Rs 1 lakh per month as permanent alimony for her lifetime, while granting divorce on grounds of cruelty. The court cited the husband's installation of CCTV cameras in every room of his house and microphones in the bathrooms, as well as the wife's hunger strike, as reasons for its decision. The case involved a teacher from Ahmedabad who married the pilot in Mumbai in May 2023. This was the pilot's second marriage, his first wife having died by suicide, leaving behind a son. The woman agreed to marry on the understanding that she would not have children of her own and would take care of the pilot's son. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad Their relationship soured quickly. Despite owning three houses in Mumbai, the pilot transferred his properties and moved into a rented flat. He then installed CCTV cameras in every room and microphones in the bathrooms. The wife alleged cruelty, and their disputes escalated to police involvement. The pilot admitted to the installations but claimed he was concerned for the safety of family members - a defence the court rejected. Tensions worsened when the wife went on a hunger strike, prompting the husband to file a police complaint. The couple's cohabitation lasted only two years before the wife returned to Ahmedabad in July 2015, where she has lived since. The husband sought divorce, while the wife filed for restitution of conjugal rights. A family court in Ahmedabad rejected the divorce plea on grounds of cruelty by the husband and said that it was a sacrifice on the part of the wife, who gave up her right to have children while agreeing to the marriage. The matter then reached the High Court. After hearing the case, the bench of Justice A Y Kogje and Justice N S Sanjay Gowda said, "This is a case where continuation of the cohabitation of the husband and wife would only amount to perpetuating cruelty upon both of them. The fact that the husband installed CCTV cameras in all the rooms and also a microphone in the bathroom in the initial period of their marital life would itself clearly indicate that the question of there being a normal marital life between them is beyond the realm of possibility. " Dissolving the marriage, the court further stated, "Given the passage of time since they are separate and their apparent animosity to each other which has resulted in multiple litigations, it is clearly apparent that the marriage is beyond repair." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Rajkot cops bust high-tech gambling racket: School dropout turns millionaire via YouTube tricks; marked cards, gadgets seized in Rs 2.7 lakh haul
RAJKOT: In a rare operation, the Rajkot city's Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) unearthed a sophisticated gambling cheating racket that combined high-tech gadgets, online research, and specially designed playing cards. What made the case stand out was that its mastermind, a Class 10 pass man had turned into a millionaire after learning how to cheat in card games through YouTube tutorials. DCP (crime) Parthraj Singh Gohil said they had received a tip-off on Thursday about suspicious activities at the residence of one Vipul Patel (38) in Punitnagar locality of the Vavdi area of Rajkot. A team led by police inspector Mehul Gondaliya raided the house and found gadgets that were used to facilitate cheating during gambling. The team found 4,260 chemically coated playing cards, 75 soft contact lenses, 4 sensor-enabled Android smartphones, bluetooth earpieces, and other gadgets worth Rs 2.7 lakh. Patel confessed that he had been procuring these cheating kits from Delhi for the past three years. Demand spikes during the Shravan month, especially around the Saatam-Aatham festivals, when gambling is common across Saurashtra. Patel told cops about using and selling these kits, earning large sums by cheating and reselling the kits for Rs 32,000 to Rs 60,000, depending on the buyer's requirements. Speaking to TOI, PI Gondaliya said that such cheating methods are commonly used in private clubs and underground casinos. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
