
UP Police find Pak terror links, Ghazwa-e-Hind videos in Thane duo's chats
The suspects were also asked to circulate provocative videos shared on both WhatsApp and Signal platforms. - EndsWith inputs from Santosh Sharma Must Watch
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Time of India
8 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Latin American Cartel Assassins Flooding Ukraine, Europe Blocking Peace': Medvedev's Shocking Claim
Russia's Dmitry Medvedev has dropped a bombshell claim — that Ukraine is secretly hiring cold-blooded hitmen from Latin America's most feared drug cartels. He says Mexico's Sinaloa gang, Colombia's Clan del Golfo, and Jalisco Nueva Generacion are sending assassins to fight in the Ukraine war. Medvedev alleges a Medellin-based company is recruiting them, but insists they crumble quickly under Russian fire. He taunts that so many die that their coffins can't be shipped fast enough. Medvedev also blasted European leaders for blocking peace moves, accusing them of pushing Kyiv into desperate, dangerous alliances.#UkraineWar #Medvedev #CartelKillers #NarcoAssassins #RussiaUkraine #DrugCartels #BreakingNews #WaronDrugs #Geopolitics #Ukraine Read More
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Business Standard
8 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Luxembourg visa scam: Over 40 Indians lured with fake short-stay permits
The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested four men for allegedly duping more than 40 people by providing fake business visas for Luxembourg in Europe. Those arrested include Mumbai resident Tabrez Kashmiri and his associates Mayank Bhardwaj, Tejendra alias Kishan Gajjar, and Manish Patel, all from Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad, according to an ATS release issued on Friday. But what exactly is the Luxembourg business visa, and who can apply for it? The Luxembourg business visa is a Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) valid for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. It is intended for non-EU nationals, including Indians, travelling for purposes such as meetings, conferences, contract negotiations or providing intragroup services. €90 for adults (around ₹7,500) ₹3,500 for children aged 6–12 No fee for children under 6 Additional VFS Global charges: ₹2,112 service fee plus optional extras such as courier (₹800), SMS alerts (₹400), prime-time submission (₹3,500), premium lounge, and others. What documents are required? Applicants must provide: • A completed and signed visa application form • Two recent passport-size photographs (35 × 45 mm, ICAO compliant) • A valid passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least three months beyond departure date • Flight reservations (return or onward) • Proof of accommodation (hotel booking or host invitation) • Evidence of sufficient funds (bank statements, credit cards, or sponsorship letter) • Travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000, valid across the Schengen area, including repatriation • A business invitation letter on official paper detailing purpose, dates, itinerary, costs, and personal details of the applicant Biometric data (fingerprints and photo) may also be required if not provided in the past 59 months. Where can you apply in India? Applications are submitted via VFS Global, which manages Luxembourg visa applications in India. Applicants must appear in person at one of the centres located in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Goa, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pondicherry, Pune, and Trivandrum (some centres may be temporarily closed). Those holding official or diplomatic passports can apply directly at the Luxembourg Embassy in New Delhi with a Verbal Note from the Ministry of External Affairs. How long does it take to process? Processing typically takes 10–15 working days. The visa can be issued for single or multiple entries but does not allow paid employment. For work, a Type D long-stay visa is required, according to the Luxembourg government. In 2024, India recorded a Schengen visa rejection rate of 14.9 per cent across all member countries—over 165,000 refusals. Luxembourg's overall Schengen visa rejection rate was 12.7 per cent, with no country-specific breakdown given. How did the scam work? The ATS acted on a tip-off about a gang offering bogus visas. Bhardwaj and Gajjar were questioned, and 'during interrogation, the duo admitted to taking fees ranging from ₹8 lakh to ₹12 lakh from four individuals after promising them valid Luxembourg visas,' said the ATS release. Manish Patel allegedly sourced the clients, while Tabrez Kashmiri handled what victims were told was the 'approval process.' To verify the claims, the ATS sent five visas issued by the accused to the Luxembourg Embassy in New Delhi. The embassy confirmed these were fake. 'It was further revealed that these five individuals had previously applied for short-term business visas, but their applications were rejected as the job offer documents submitted by them were found to be bogus. After failing to get a visa, these five individuals approached the accused, who promised to get them valid business visas,' the release said. According to ATS, the accused took ₹38.5 lakh from four of these five individuals and issued them fake visas for stays of two to three months. Investigators later found that bogus visas had been prepared for at least 39 more people. What does the embassy say about scams? On its official portal, the Embassy of Luxembourg has warned of fraudulent websites and so-called 'agents'. 'Luxembourg does not deliver any e-visas and it does not cooperate with any agents for the issuance of visas. The embassy wishes to clarify that applications for short-term and long-term visas can exclusively be processed through our external service provider VFS Global,' it said. Deepika Kumari, partner at King Stubb & Kasiva, Advocates and Attorneys, told Business Standard that under Indian laws, it is only agents who are registered with the Ministry of External Affairs under the Emigration Act, 1983, who are authorised to provide overseas placement services. "Engaging in such fraudulent immigration schemes can attract criminal liability under Section 316 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (cheating), while human trafficking-related offences may invoke stringent provisions under Sections 359 and 360 of the BNS, 2023," she explained. Checking registered agents The MEA advises people to verify recruiters on the eMigrate portal. Steps to check registered agents: 1. Go to 2. Click on the 'Recruiting Agents' tab 3. Select 'List of Active RA'


Scroll.in
38 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
SC upholds conviction of activist Medha Patkar in defamation case filed by Delhi LG VK Saxena
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the conviction of activist Medha Patkar in a 24-year-old defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, Live Law reported. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh, however, set aside a penalty of Rs 1 lakh imposed on the activist. It also modified the probation condition requiring her to appear before the trial court periodically, instead allowing her to furnish bonds. The case was filed in 2001, when Saxena was heading the Ahmedabad-based non-governmental organisation National Council for Civil Liberties. Saxena alleged that Patkar had defamed him in a press note titled 'True face of patriot', which the activist had issued in November 2000. The case, filed in an Ahmedabad court, was transferred to the chief metropolitan magistrate's court in Delhi in 2003. Patkar pleaded not guilty to the charges in 2013. In May 2024, Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma convicted Patkar in the case. She was found guilty of criminal defamation and held liable to serve two years in jail, pay a fine, or both. On April 2, Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh upheld the verdict convicting Patkar. On April 8, however, Singh granted Patkar one year's probation in the case, noting that the offence she had committed was not grave enough to warrant imprisonment. However, Patkar had been expected to appear before the court on April 23, furnish probation bonds and deposit a fine of Rs 1 lakh. As the activist did not appear in court or comply with other orders, Singh said that Patkar was deliberately violating the directions and issued a non-bailable warrant. On April 25, Patkar was arrested but released hours later from custody. Her release came after her counsel told the court that the probation order was still valid and that the activist would furnish the probation bonds. The activist had earlier moved the Delhi High Court against her conviction. On July 29, the High Court upheld Patkar's conviction. It said that there was no illegality in the decisions taken by the trial court and the appellate court to convict the Narmada Bachao Andolan leader in the case, adding that the orders were passed after consideration of evidence and law. The May 2024 judgement had said that Patkar's press note was a direct attack on Saxena's personal character and loyalty to the nation. The court also observed that Patkar had accused Saxena of 'mortgaging the people of Gujarat and their resources to foreign interests' and held the allegation to be a 'direct attack' on his integrity and public service. 'Such allegations are particularly grave in the public sphere, where patriotism is highly valued, and questioning someone's courage and national loyalty can cause irreversible damage to their public image and social standing,' the court had said.