Latest news with #Jomon
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- New Indian Express
VACB registers disproportionate asset case against civil police officer in Ernakulam
KOCHI: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Wednesday registered a case against a civil police officer (CPO) for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The accused, Jomon V G, 45, a native of Puthupariyaram, Manakkadu in Idukki, is currently posted at the Njarakkal police station. The case was registered following an investigation launched by the VACB Special Cell (Central Zone) while he was serving at Vazhakulam police station in Ernakulam. Based on a tip-off, the VACB initiated a verification of his financial records. A preliminary inquiry revealed that Jomon had acquired assets worth Rs 67.03 lakh, out of which Rs 10.23 lakh was found to be disproportionate to his known sources of income. Following the registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, a VACB team under SP P A Muhammad Arif conducted a raid at Jomon's residence on Wednesday. During the search, the team seized 13 documents, Rs 25,000 in cash, and two bank locker keys. The seized materials will be scrutinised as part of the ongoing investigation. VACB officials said the accused will be summoned soon for detailed interrogation. This is the third case of wealth amassment registered by VACB Special Cell (Central Zone) against government officials in the district this month.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
CBI to probe disproportionate assets held by KM Abraham from 2003 to 2015
KOCHI: The CBI, which has registered a case against K M Abraham, the chief principal secretary to the CM, will The scope of the CBI investigation differs from Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) probe, which covered the assets Abraham acquired between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2009, before giving him a clean chit. As per the CBI FIR, it is alleged that during the 2003-2015 period, Abraham, being a public servant, amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The assets under scrutiny include an apartment at Millennium in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, valued at Rs 1 crore, an apartment in Kohinoor City, Mumbai, worth Rs 3 crore, and a shopping complex in Kadappakada, Kollam, valued at Rs 8 crore. The CBI has booked Abraham under Sections 13(2) and 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, related to misconduct by a public servant and possession of disproportionate assets. The agency has already recorded the statement of activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, on whose petition the Kerala High Court had directed the CBI to register a case against the retired IAS officer. The agency will summon Abraham soon to record his statement. Devraj P, the CBI Additional SP, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Kochi, is leading the probe. In 2015, Jomon had approached the vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram seeking an investigation into allegations of disproportionate wealth against Abraham. The VACB conducted a preliminary inquiry and concluded that Abraham had not amassed illegal wealth. The VACB report said Abraham's total assets between 2000 and 2009 were valued at Rs 1.21 crore, his income was Rs 1.81 crore, expenditures amounted to Rs 22.27 lakh, and savings stood at approximately Rs 1.59 crore. Dissatisfied with the findings, Jomon challenged the vigilance court's decision to give Abraham a clean chit in the HC. Upon reviewing the VACB's preliminary report, the HC observed that Abraham possessed substantial movable and immovable assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Japan Forward
27-04-2025
- Science
- Japan Forward
Exhibition 'Ancient DNA: The Journey of the Japanese People'
Situated within Ueno Park, the National Museum of Nature and Science is currently holding a special exhibition titled Ancient DNA: the Journey of the Japanese People . The exhibition provides an informative overview of Japanese prehistory and draws on cutting-edge DNA technology to speculate on the origin of the first inhabitants of Japan. Japanese prehistory is dominated by the Jomon period, which commenced around 16,000 BCE. It was supplanted by the Yayoi period, during which hunter-gathering gave way to paddy rice farming. Typically, the Yayoi period is dated from 330 BCE to 300 AD, although evidence exists of paddy rice farming considerably earlier. The exhibition notes that as "paddy rice farming began in northern Kyushu 2,900 years ago…. [T]here is much debate as to exactly when the Jomon period ended" and the Yayoi period commenced. The written history of Japan was initiated with the Kofun period (300 AD to 538 AD). It was a time of cultural imports from China and the Korean peninsula. The Kofun period is named after the keyhole-shaped burial mounds that were characteristic of that era. Studies of prehistory have traditionally been carried out by examining the fossil record and archeological artifacts. In recent decades, DNA analysis has been added to the arsenal of archeology. DNA analysis began in the 1980s, and the technology continues to develop at a rapid pace. Formerly, high-quality specimens were needed for DNA to be extracted. With every passing year, however, the range of samples from which DNA can be obtained continues to grow. The Japanese people of Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku are typically referred to as the Yamato. Hokkaido and Okinawa were incorporated into the Japanese nation in 1869 and 1879, respectively. The Ryukyu people of Okinawa and the Ainu of Hokkaido thereby joined the Yamato as distinct ethnic groups of Japan. These lines, the Yamato, Ryukyu, and Ainu, can all trace a genetic link to the Jomon. It is with the Jomon, however, at which definitive knowledge of the DNA chain presently ends. The cradle of humankind is thought to be central Africa. How did humankind first reach Japan? This is a question that the exhibition seeks to answer. The journey of humankind from the cradle of central Africa to the extremities of the globe.(Courtesy of the museum) A skeleton from the Shiraho Saonetabaru Cave Ruins on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, is the highlight of the exhibition. DNA analysis of the largely intact 27,000-year-old skeleton was successfully conducted by a collaboration of the National Museum of Nature and Science and Nobel Prize-winning Swedish scientist, Svante Pääbo. A DNA link to the Jomon people was established. "The Jomon are composed of at least two ancestral components," suggests Pääbo, "one similar to the Shiraho individual and one similar to ancient people in Northeast Asia." They are likely "a combination of two ancestral groups," he concludes, "that probably came to Japan independent of each other." "No 4" human skeleton – excavated from the Shiraho Saonetabaru Cave Ruins on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture/ Paleolithic Age / Collection: Okinawa Prefecture Archaeological Center. (Courtesy of the museum) A full-length view of "No 4" human skeleton – excavated from the Shiraho Saonetabaru Cave Ruins on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture/ Paleolithic Age / Collection: Okinawa Prefecture Archaeological Center. (Courtesy of the museum) The exhibition then examines the lifestyles and societal arrangements of the Jomon people through an examination of artifacts found at archeological sites. It also highlights those particular to the Ainu and Ryukyu people. Through DNA analysis of multiple skeletons found together at various sites, it speculates on family and societal relationships and structures. An examination of Jomon skeletons found throughout Japan suggests that the Jomon people had distinctive features such as round faces and prominent jaws. They exhibited deeply chiseled features that included high noses. An average adult male was about 158 centimeters tall, the average female 146. The Jomon had well-developed muscles and a generally robust build. Somewhat surprisingly, mountain inhabitants were more delicate than those who lived on the coast. Facial reconstruction based on DNA analysis of a male skull unearthed at the Aoya Kamijichi Sites / Collection: Aoya Kamijichi Historical Park. (Courtesy of the museum) The most substantial and impressive of the Jomon artifacts on display are ceramic pots in which the bones of babies had been placed. This ritual, it is believed, was carried out so that the baby could be reborn. It was not only humans for whom the ritual was conducted, however. The skeletal remains of boars and deer have also been found within pottery, suggesting a desire for animal populations to multiply. (5) Vessel with flange and small perforations decorated with human figure – excavated from the Imojiya Site, Yamanashi Prefecture/ Middle Jomon period, 5,000 years ago / Collection: Minami Alps City Board of Education A section of the exhibition that will likely prove popular is the journey of dogs and domestic cats into Japan. Recent DNA evidence suggests that dogs likely arrived in the Japanese archipelago around 10,000 years ago, during the Jomon period. From the ancient past until the present day, therefore, dogs have been a part of Japanese society, adapting to the needs of each era. Akita dog / Modern /Collection: National Museum of Nature and Science. (Courtesy of the museum) Writing did not evolve within Japan. It was imported from China. This has resulted in a clear divide between the prehistory of Japan and its period of written history. From the Kofun period onwards, the history of Japan is meticulously documented, whereas the study of the Yayoi and Jomon periods relies on the patience and skill of archeologists. Ancient DNA: the Journey of the Japanese People is fittingly being held at The National Museum of Nature and Science, an educational hub for Japanese youth. One hopes and suspects it will inspire the next generation to continue with the task of exploring the lives and journey of ancient Japanese people. Vessel with flange and small perforations decorated with human figure – excavated from the Imojiya Site, Yamanashi Prefecture/ Middle Jomon period, 5,000 years ago / Collection: Minami Alps City Board of Education. (Courtesy of the museum) Name: Ancient DNA: The Journey of the Japanese People Where: Ueno Koen, National Museum of Nature and Science When: On through June 15 Access: The museum is located in Ueno Park, right next to the major JR Ueno Station, with access through numerous rail and subway lines. Specifics are available online. Author: Paul de Vries
New Indian Express
26-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CBI registers case against Kerala CM's principal secretary KM Abraham for disproportionate assets
KOCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Kerala Chief Minister's Chief Principal Secretary, KM Abraham, for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The FIR will soon be filed at the CBI Court in Thiruvananthapuram. The probe was taken over by the CBI following directions from the Kerala High Court, based on a petition filed by activist Jomon Puthenpurackal. The FIR cites charges of misconduct and accumulation of disproportionate assets under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. A Deputy Superintendent-ranked officer from the CBI's Anti-Corruption Unit in Kochi has been assigned to investigate the case. Abraham's statement will be recorded as part of the inquiry. Jomon had alleged at the High Court that, Abraham allegedly owns an apartment in Mumbai worth Rs three crore, another flat in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram valued at around Rs one crore, and a three-storied shopping complex in Kollam worth Rs eight crore. Jomon claims that the EMI for the Mumbai property alone is Rs 84,000, while Abraham's official salary is Rs 80,000 per month. Jomon further alleged that Abraham failed to disclose the source of funds for the loans on the Thycaud apartment and the construction of the Kollam complex. Earlier, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) had given a clean chit to Abraham, stating that the Thiruvananthapuram apartment was worth only Rs 13.56 lakh and the Mumbai flat valued at Rs 99.75 lakh. It also concluded that the shopping complex in Kollam was inherited by Abraham's two brothers and no personal funds were involved in its construction. However, the Kerala High Court, after examining the VACB's preliminary inquiry report, concluded that Abraham possessed both movable and immovable properties with substantial value, disproportionate to his known income. Given Abraham's high-profile position, the court expressed a lack of confidence in the VACB investigation and ordered a CBI probe.
The Mainichi
23-04-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
Japan cultural agency deletes ancient figurines from website after forgery claims
TOKYO -- Three artifacts described as "dogu" earthenware figurines from Japan's ancient Jomon period were removed from the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Cultural Heritage Online portal after external claims questioning their authenticity, agency sources confirmed. Until April 17, the removed items, labeled "shakoki (light-blocking device) dogu," "nyonin (woman) dogu," and "kaijin (monster) dogu," had been listed under archaeological pottery artifacts from the Jomon period (about 13,000 to 400 B.C.E.). A representative from the agency explained the deletion was made to prevent misunderstanding, noting, "We received an inquiry at our contact desk in January raising the possibility they might be forgeries. We are currently investigating to verify whether they genuinely derive from the Jomon period." The Cultural Heritage Online website was launched in 2008 to introduce cultural assets held by museums and art institutions nationwide. As of April 18, a total of 1,055 institutions across Japan have uploaded images and descriptions of over 290,000 cultural assets in diverse categories, including architecture, paintings, sculpture and archaeological materials. The portal allows administrators at each preregistered and approved institution to directly upload cultural asset images and explanations. The figurines in question appeared on the site at least several years ago, entered by a private museum in Aichi Prefecture. The Cultural Affairs Agency declined to comment on whether it will be formally appraising these artifacts or if the site's verification process was adequate, citing the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, the director of the museum strongly refuted the allegations in a telephone interview with the Mainichi Shimbun, asserting that the figurines labeled as Jomon dogu were genuine. He emphasized, "These items were purchased from collectors," but declined to go into details such as the acquisition dates, saying, "I cannot comment further by phone." He also criticized the agency's deletion decision, stating, "They understand nothing about Jomon artifacts. It's completely absurd."
