Latest news with #AakarPatel
Middle East Eye
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
India: Outrage after Cambridge-educated Muslim academic arrested over online posts
Outrage has erupted in India after a Muslim professor was arrested over a social media post which praised India's military operations against Pakistan while criticising attacks on Indian Muslims. Ali Khan Mahmudabad, 42, is a British-educated associate professor of political science at Ashoka University. He studied at Winchester College, a boarding school in England, and earned a PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2014. Mahmudabad was arrested on Sunday in New Delhi after a complaint was filed against him by a youth leader of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Rights groups and prominent commentators have erupted in outrage. Aakar Patel, the chair of Amnesty International India, said: "Mahmudabad is in jail not because of what he wrote but because he's Muslim." New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The academic was arrested under sections of the criminal code which pertain to acts prejudicial to maintaining communal harmony, the incitement of armed rebellion or subversive activities and insulting religious beliefs. After the ceasefire: What lies ahead for India and Pakistan? Read More » Ashoka University's faculty association released a statement condemning his arrest on what it called "groundless and untenable charges". The university itself issued a statement distancing itself from the academic's social media posts. But more than 1,000 academics have signed a letter of support for Mahmudabad, including prominent historians Romila Thapar and Ramachandra Guha. The Print, a major Indian news outlet, said that the "vicious hounding and egregious arrest" of Mahmudabad was a "shameful insult to our millenia-old democratic tradition". 'Vicious hounding and egregious arrest' Mahmudabad, who born in 1982, hails from north Indian nobility. His grandfather, Mohammed Amir Ahmed Khan, was a prominent nobleman and leader of the All India Muslim League before the partition of the subcontinent. Mahmudabad himself was a national spokesperson of the left-wing Samajwadi Party from 2019 to 2022. In a Facebook post on 8 May, Mahmudabad had responded to a press conference given by Colonel Sofiya Qureishi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, two spokeswomen for the Indian Armed Forces, on India's military operation against Pakistan. 'Mahmudabad is in jail not because of what he wrote but because he's Muslim' - Aakar Patel, Amnesty International India "I am very happy to see so many right wing commentators applauding Colonel Sophia Qureishi," Mahmudabad said, "but perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing and others who are victims of the BJP's hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens." Qureishi, an Indian Muslim, was widely praised in the Indian press. Mahmudabad argued that "the press conference was just a fleeting glimpse – an illusion and allusion perhaps – to an India that defied the logic on which Pakistan was built." He added that "the grassroots reality that common Muslims face is different from what the government tried to show but at the same time the press conference shows that an India, united in its diversity, is not completely dead as an idea." He also criticised the Pakistani military, saying it "has used militarised non-state actors to destabilise the region for far too long while also claiming to be victims on the international stage." 'Utterly condemnable' India's most prominent Muslim politician, Asaduddin Owaisi, slammed the arrest as "utterly condemnable", noting that "a mere complaint by a BJP worker" provoked the police to take action. Internet personality Ramesh Srivats, who has nearly 4m followers on social media platform X, remarked that he could see no issue with Mahmudabad's post. "Maybe these days, even long sentences can lead to long sentences." The arrest came days after the state of Haryana Women's Commission claimed on Monday that Mahmudabad's statement "disparaged women officers in the Indian Armed Forces and promoted communal disharmony" and summoned him. Mahmudabad responded that "there is nothing remotely misogynistic about my comments that could be construed as anti-women". After the ceasefire: What lies ahead for India and Pakistan? Read More » On Wednesday 7 May, India launched a deadly attack on Pakistani territory on Wednesday morning, which Pakistan said killed at least 36 people, including civilians. India said Pakistani shelling killed at least 16 people, civilians among them, in Indian-controlled Kashmir. After that came nearly four days of intense aerial incursions and shelling between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, until US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the two countries had come to a ceasefire. Conflict over the divided former princely state of Kashmir has caused three wars between India and Pakistan. Both countries accuse the other of occupying the region. India currently claims the region as "integral" to its sovereignty, while Pakistan calls for a plebiscite - including in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir - to give Kashmiris the right to self-determination.
Hans India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
HC stays ED's money laundering case against Amnesty India
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) money laundering proceedings against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd (AIIPL) and its former head, Aakar Patel. The case, which stems from a 2022 prosecution complaint, will remain on hold until further orders. Justice Hemanth Chandangoudar recently granted temporary relief to both AIIPL and Patel, instructing the ED to refrain from advancing its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court also served notice to the ED, directing the agency to respond to the petitions filed by the two seeking to quash the case. The ED had earlier filed a complaint in May 2022 against several individuals, including Patel, AIIPL, and former CEO G Ananthapadmanabhan, based on alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and linked money laundering activities. The roots of the case go back to a 2019 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Amnesty International India Foundation Trust (AIIFT), which accused the organisation of breaching FCRA norms. The ED later took over, claiming that Amnesty India received funds from its UK counterpart through commercial means, allegedly to bypass FCRA restrictions. Amnesty International India ceased operations in 2020 after its bank accounts were frozen by Indian authorities.
Hindustan Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka High Court stays ED's money laundering case against Amnesty India
Bengaluru, The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering proceedings against Amnesty International India Pvt Ltd and its former head, Aakar Patel. The case, which stems from a 2022 prosecution complaint, will remain on hold until further orders. Justice Hemanth Chandangoudar recently granted temporary relief to both AIIPL and Patel, instructing the ED to refrain from advancing its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act . The court also served notice to the ED, directing the agency to respond to the petitions filed by the two seeking to quash the case. The ED had earlier filed a complaint in May 2022 against several individuals, including Patel, AIIPL, and former CEO G Ananthapadmanabhan, based on alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Act and linked money laundering activities. The roots of the case go back to a 2019 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation against Amnesty International India Foundation Trust , which accused the organisation of breaching FCRA norms. The ED later took over, claiming that Amnesty India received funds from its UK counterpart through commercial means, allegedly to bypass FCRA restrictions. Amnesty International India ceased operations in 2020 after its bank accounts were frozen by Indian authorities. At the time, the organisation described the action as part of a broader clampdown on civil society and maintained that the allegations were unfounded. In granting the stay, the High Court observed that a similar interim order had been issued earlier in February to Ananthapadmanabhan by another bench, led by Justice SR Krishna Kumar. Since the charges against Patel and AIIPL aligned with those in the previous case, the court found it appropriate to extend the same protection. 'The counsel for the petitioners pointed out that interim relief was already granted to one of the co-accused in a related case. As the allegations are similar, an interim order is granted for the petitioners as well until the next hearing,' the court stated. The matter is currently pending before the XLVI Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge for PMLA cases in Bengaluru.
Scroll.in
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Karnataka High Court stays money laundering case against Amnesty India, Aakar Patel
The Karnataka High Court on Monday stayed a money laundering case against the now-defunct human rights organisation Amnesty International India and its former executive director Aakar Patel,reported Bar and Bench. Justice Hemant Chandangoudar noted that another bench of the court had extended similar interim relief to former Amnesty International India chief executive officer, G Ananthapadmanabhan. The case dates back to 2022, when the Enforcement Directorate accused the organisation of laundering Rs 51.72 crore. The agency had initiated the case based on a complaint by the Central Bureau of Investigation filed in 2019. On Monday, the High Court issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate on the petition filed by the organisation, Patel and Ananthapadmanabhan, seeking that the case against them be quashed, Hindustan Times reported. The trial in the 2022 case is pending before a Bengaluru court. The central agency has alleged that the Amnesty International-United Kingdom was remitting funds from abroad through its Indian entities – by taking the foreign direct investment route – to evade the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. Remitting involves sending money in payment or as gifts. These funds were allegedly received to expand the organisation's activities in India despite the home ministry denying permission to the body and the Amnesty India Foundation Trust to register under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The Enforcement Directorate claimed that Amnesty International India has been involved in activities that are irrelevant to their declared commercial businesses. The organisation's working model is used to route foreign funds in the guise of business activities, it added. CBI case against Amnesty India The Central Bureau of Investigation has claimed that the Amnesty International India Foundation Trust was permitted in 2011-'12 to receive foreign contributions from the Amnesty International-United Kingdom. However, the permission was cancelled following adverse inputs from the security agencies, it said. The agency alleged that the Indians for Amnesty International Trust and Amnesty International India Private Limited were formed in 2012-'13 and 2013-'14 to 'escape the FCRA [Foreign Contribution Regulation Act] route'. In September 2020, the human rights organisation had said it was forced to shut its operations as the Indian government had frozen its bank accounts. The group had said its 'lawful fundraising model' was being portrayed as money laundering because Amnesty India had challenged the 'government's grave inactions and excesses'. The Centre had described the allegations as unfortunate, exaggerated and 'far from the truth'. Amnesty's 'glossy statements' about humanitarian work and speaking truth to power were nothing but a 'ploy to divert attention' from their activities, which were in 'clear contravention' of Indian laws, the government had said.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Karnataka HC stays proceedings against Amnesty India
The Karnataka High Court on Monday stayed proceedings against Amnesty International India under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and its former director Aakar Patel till the next date of hearing. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack India stares at a 'water bomb' threat as it freezes Indus Treaty India readies short, mid & long-term Indus River plans Shehbaz Sharif calls India's stand "worn-out narrative" Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed the order while ordering notice to the Enforcement Directorate . The ED had said that the Amnesty International India Foundation Trust had in 2011-12 been granted permission under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010 for receiving foreign contributions from Amnesty International, UK. The Government later revoked the permission based on adverse inputs. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Indonesia (Take A Look At The Prices) Container House Search Now Undo An earlier note from the Department of Revenue had said security agencies had provided adverse inputs against Amnesty. Amnesty, however, formed two new entities in 2013-14 and 2012-13 and the global nonprofit's UK arm had infused funds into its Indian entities through the foreign direct investment (FDI) route to evade compliance with FCRA regulations. Amnesty India, however, has denied any allegation of wrongdoing. Live Events In October 2018, the ED officials had conducted search operations at the Bengaluru offices of Amnesty International on the back of reports that Amnesty International (UK) and other UK-based entities were infusing foreign funds into Amnesty India through commercial channels in violation of FCRA, 2010.
