Latest news with #Kaushal
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Time of India
Mother-son duo sentenced to life in widow's killing case
Aurangabad: Aurangabad district and sessions court on Monday sentenced a woman and her son to rigorous life imprisonment for the murder of a pregnant widow in Goh block. Calling the act "shocking to both society and humanity," judge Nishit Dayal (Sessions Judge–VII) delivered the verdict after holding the accused guilty on May 24. The convicts—Kaushal Kumar and his mother Chandramani Devi—were found guilty under IPC Section 302 (murder) and sentenced to life imprisonment with rigorous labour and a fine of Rs 50,000 each. In case of default of payment, they will face an additional one year of simple imprisonment. Under IPC Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), both were sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000 each, with an additional six months of simple imprisonment in case of non-payment. The sentences will run concurrently. According to govt prosecutor Satyendra Kumar Singh and advocate Satish Kumar Snehi, the victim, a widow from Charakawan village, was in a relationship with Kaushal and had become pregnant. She had allegedly been pressuring him to marry her, which led to tensions. On June 21, 2022, Kaushal, with his mother's help, killed the woman using a sharp-edged weapon and later disposed of her body and severed head at different locations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en San Rafael (ver precio) Verisure Undo The woman's children were not home at the time of the crime. Following the recovery of the body, police showed the children their mother's sari and remains. They confirmed her identity, which became a crucial turning point in the investigation. Based on their statements, the police arrested the accused, and upon interrogation, they led the police to the location where the severed head had been hidden. During the trial, the prosecution presented critical evidence, including the weapon used in the killing, photographs of the severed head and torso, the forensic science laboratory (FSL) report, postmortem report, and the death audit report. Investigating officer Shamim Ahmad's deposition proved decisive in establishing the prosecution's case. Invoking the Bihar Victim Compensation Scheme, 2014, the court directed the Aurangabad District Legal Services Authority to ensure adequate financial compensation to the widow's children.
Indian Express
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
To intimidate mining companies, Maoists set truck ablaze in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh
Armed members of the banned Maoist outfit Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) intercepted and set ablaze a mining truck in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district Sunday evening, in what police believe was a deliberate attempt to intimidate mining companies. They also fired indiscriminately and left a threat letter targeting major mining companies. Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee is a banned outfit that is splinter group of the erstwhile Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) – a Maoist outfit that fused with the People's War Group in September 2004 to make the present-day Communist Party of India (Maoist). The incident occurred around 8:20 pm near a site operated by BGR Company, where two Scania trucks were engaged in dumping operations. According to the police, 4-5 armed men approached the vehicles, forced drivers to get down, and roughed up a driver who resisted and eventually fired indiscriminately. The driver who was roughed up allegedly sustained minor injuries to his neck. Vicky Thakur, Pagar Outpost incharge under Keredari police station, said: 'After dousing the vehicle with petrol and setting it ablaze, the insurgents left behind a pamphlet in the name of one Kaushal ji, identifying themselves as TSPC members. The letter warned all mining lease holders, including DO holder mines and outsourced mining operators, to initiate dialogue with the group or face 'serious consequences'. 'They've named NTPC, CCL, L&T, and others in the pamphlet and said operations without prior negotiation would invite action. It's mostly addressed to operators of outsourced mines, although regular work continues,' he said. The pamphlet allegedly invoked Marxist ideology and challenged the legitimacy of police presence, stating that law enforcement does not exist for the interests of corporations and that 'criminal action' would follow any attempt to bypass the group's conditions. Security has since been intensified in the area, and police have launched a probe to identify and apprehend those involved. 'A formal report has been filed, and patrolling around key mining zones has been increased,' Thakur said. The injured driver, identified as Gautam Dubey, is associated with the mining vehicle operations and is currently stable. Shubham Tigga hails from Chhattisgarh and studied journalism at the Asian College of Journalism. He previously reported in Chhattisgarh on Indigenous issues and is deeply interested in covering socio-political, human rights, and environmental issues in mainland and NE India. Presently based in Pune, he reports on civil aviation, other transport sectors, urban mobility, the gig economy, commercial matters, and workers' unions. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More
Hans India
02-06-2025
- Hans India
Maoists torch mining vehicles in Hazaribagh, youth injured in firing
Hazaribagh: Armed militants of the banned outfit Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) torched two vehicles belonging to BGR Mining Company and opened indiscriminate fire in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district on Sunday night, leaving a youth injured and triggering panic in the area, officials said on Monday. The incident took place near Pagar-Pandu village in the Keredari police station limits. BGR Mining is involved in coal extraction work under the KD (Khalari-Dakra) project of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL). The militants targeted the company's vehicles parked at the site and fled after setting them ablaze. Eyewitnesses said the attackers, part of an armed squad, fired randomly before escaping into the nearby forests. A youth caught in the gunfire sustained injuries and was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. His condition is said to be stable. Security forces recovered a pamphlet from the scene, purportedly issued by TSPC's sub-zonal commander Kaushal. In it, the group warned NTPC, CCL, L&T, and other contractor firms not to begin any operations without prior "permission" from the organisation. The pamphlet threatened more severe action if the warning is ignored. The TSPC claimed in the note that it is working in the interest of local tribals and the general public. It accused the government of harassing innocent villagers under the pretext of anti-Maoist operations and described its own activities as a fight against exploitation. Following the attack, police from the Pagar outpost, led by in-charge Vicky Thakur, reached the spot and launched a search operation. Patrolling has been intensified in the region, and a probe is underway. Suspected individuals are being questioned. The incident has sparked fear among workers associated with mining operations in Keredari and surrounding areas. Similar incidents have been reported in recent weeks. In early May, Maoists torched six vehicles and two excavators at a mining site in Turisat village under Chandwa police station limits in Latehar district. Just a week ago, militants of the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) set fire to two vehicles, including a road roller, involved in a road construction project in Khunti district's Rania area.
What's On
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- What's On
Motorsport and Legacy-Building: Meet AKCEL Group founder Amit Kaushel
Sponsored: A powerhouse… Amit Kaushal began his career in Dubai in the late 1990s before expanding into the UK and beyond. Today, as chairman, he heads up the global AKCEL Group, a diversified business spanning IT, real estate, investments, and now motorsport. In a recent podcast, Kaushal speaks about his company's push into the world of formula racing with AKCEL GP, the group's branded real estate venture with BNW Developments, and his ambition to build a legacy that leads all the way to Formula One. Before we get into the motorsport side of things, tell us more about AKCEL Group. It's quite a diversified business: can you paint a picture for our audience? Of course. Firstly, thank you for having me. AKCEL Group is built around the concept of transforming aspiration into legacy. That idea is embedded in the name itself: 'A' stands for Aspiration , 'K' for Knowledge , 'C' for Clarity and Consistency , 'E' for Excellence , and 'L' for Legacy . So it's not just a name — it's a journey. In terms of the business, we're a global conglomerate. Our roots are in IT — specifically consulting and training — and we operate in India, the UK, the US, Ireland, and Dubai. We also own Jetking, which has over 100 IT training centres in India. We've recently entered real estate in the UAE through a branded residence partnership with BNW. Our first flagship project will launch on Dubai Islands, followed by an expansion into Ras Al Khaimah. That's a huge step for us. Then, there's motorsport — which is giving global visibility to our brand. We're proud to be the first Indian-origin group to own a racing team in this space. It's a major milestone, especially for the wider South Asian community. And finally, we have an investment arm that focuses on alternative assets — everything from angel investing to venture capital. So AKCEL Group is built on four key pillars: IT, real estate, motorsport, and investments. I personally left India around 25 years ago. I started my journey in Dubai back in 1998, then moved to the UK in 2000. And now, life is bringing me full circle — back to Dubai, which has always had a special place in my heart. Can you tell us more about AKCEL GP and why did you decide to launch it now? AKCEL GP is our motorsport arm, and we've just completed our first season here in the Middle East, competing in Formula 4 and the Formula Regional Middle East Championship. We even made it to a few podiums. The idea started in Dubai when I met our team principal, Rohit Kaul, a former Formula driver. We shared a common vision, and we realised there's very little South Asian representation in global motorsport. That inspired us. We wanted to create a platform to nurture young talent and eventually compete in Formula One. We pulled everything together in just nine months and launched at the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa in January 2025. Our drivers come from diverse backgrounds — India, the UK, Romania — and we're proud to support the Al Qubaisi family too. Amna and Hamda Al Qubaisi are now our brand ambassadors and sit on our advisory board. They're pioneers in UAE motorsport and have been a huge support. You've decided to make the UAE your global base — tell us why. Dubai is where I began my journey, and strategically it makes perfect sense. It's now at the centre of global conversations, whether it's sports, tech, AI, crypto, real estate or investment. Everything is converging here. Logistically, it's also ideal for managing operations across both the Indian subcontinent and Europe. For us, it's not just home: it's a launchpad. The business of motorsports is quite complex — it's not just what we see on track. What have you learned so far? A lot! We started with a technical partner, but now we're building our own in-house technical team for our European F4 and FRACA campaigns. That gives us better control, allows us to build in-house performance models, and elevate our drivers. We're also setting up a second base in Milan, Italy to manage the April to October European racing season. After that, we'll compete in Macau and return to the UAE for the 2026 season. Every person on the team — from our technical director Matthew Norman, to logistics and operations — plays a critical role. It's a true team sport behind the scenes. Do you attend every race yourself? I try to attend as many as possible, but our team principal Rohit Kaul leads the operations on the ground. My role is more strategic: managing partnerships, sponsor relations, and ensuring smooth execution throughout the season. Sponsors are crucial. Who are some of your key partners? We're fortunate to have a great mix. BNW Developments is one of our lead partners. Gulf Business is on our car too — which we're very proud of. We also have Century Financial, and LifeCoin as sponsors. Each one plays an important role in the ecosystem we're building. You're competing in Formula 4 and Formula Regional — can you explain the difference? F4 is the first major step after go-karting — the entry point into the Formula ladder. From F4, drivers move to FR (Formula Regional), which is more powerful and covers specific regions — we just raced across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Jeddah. After FR, drivers can progress to F3, F2 and ultimately F1 — the dream. The difference lies in engine power, car weight and complexity. But every step is crucial. You mentioned AKCEL Academy: what is its role in terms of your overarching approach to motorsport? The Academy supports the entire talent pipeline. We identify young drivers early. One of our drivers started go-karting at four and is now eight, and is already a champion from Singapore. We also have a focus on inclusivity. For example, we've reserved one seat for a female driver, and we're proud to support Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi. We're also planning an announcement in Barcelona to enter the endurance-based Le Mans series with them. And we're supporting Atika, the first Indian female driver to enter an F1 Academy. She's an inspiration. So what's next for AKCEL GP in the next five to ten years? The short-term focus is to strengthen our presence in F4, F3, and F2. Simultaneously, we're scaling our Academy and merging racing with IT and engineering. The long-term aspiration is to reach Formula One and to see our driver on the F1 podium one day. That's the vision, and we're fully committed to it.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Time of India
Tech for tech: Illegal phones are now mute in Bhondsi jail
Gurgaon: The days of gangsters running their criminal empires from behind the bars at Bhondsi jail are numbered. For, authorities at the facility have armed themselves with a phone detection system that leaves no stone — or the jail's concrete walls — unturned. At the centre of this detection system is the ' Non-Linear Junction Device ' (NLJD) — an equipment that can sniff out electronic devices whether they're powered on or off, closing a crucial security loophole that inmates previously exploited. Complementing the NLJD is a deep earth metal detector capable of discovering gadgets buried up to three feet below the ground or concealed within walls. Consequently, the jail — which accommodates around 3,000 inmates — has turned into a fortress against digital contraband. The impact has been immediate and striking. According to police records, extortion calls to businessmen and influential people from within the prison's walls have plummeted to zero in recent months. This represents a turnaround from 2019, when the recovery of mobile phones from inmates, criminals operating their gangs and making threat calls from the premises made headlines almost every other day. It was the same year when dreaded gangster Kaushal revealed that during his stay in Dubai, he stayed in touch with his aide Amit Dagar — lodged in Bhondsi jail — over phone. Many businessmen reported receiving extortion threats from gangsters who were behind the bars at this facility. Senior jail superintendent Naresh Goyal said jammers were installed on the premises following the increasing complaints, but they were unable to keep pace with 4G and 5G upgrades by telecom companies. The jail authorities soon realised that blocking the mobile frequency wouldn't help. They needed to detect the phones and other electronic devices that help with communication. "NLJD is the most effective device in such cases. These advanced detection systems have significantly enhanced our ability to maintain security inside the jail. Previously, inmates would go to great lengths to hide their phones. But now, there's virtually nowhere to conceal them," Goyal told TOI. Regular security sweeps have made the system more effective. Jail officials said they conducted random checks, and an entire barrack was examined once or twice a week. "The equipment is used daily. Random checks ensure that no barrack goes uninspected for long. This systematic approach has created an environment where attempting to smuggle or hide electronic devices has become increasingly futile," Goyal said. But Bhondsi jail's technological transformation has extended beyond detecting equipment. The authorities have also installed 50 video conferencing facilities, which has significantly brought down the need to transport hundreds of prisoners for court hearings daily. This virtual court system has not just enhanced security but also streamlined the judicial process, effectively closing another potential avenue for contraband smuggling.
