Latest news with #SIT
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Rishikesh murder: No VIP link, prime accusedsought favours which victim resisted, says SIT
Dehradun: Following the life imprisonment verdict for all three accused in the sensational Rishikesh resort receptionist murder case, questions have resurfaced over the alleged involvement of a 'VIP'— a claim that sparked widespread outrage and political debate when the case first broke in 2022. However, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which probed the case, reiterated that it found no evidence of any VIP link. P Renuka Devi, the then DIG (law & order) in Uttarakhand police, who led the SIT and is now posted as DIG, CBI, said: "Our investigation did not reveal any VIP connection. There was no evidence suggesting a high-profile visitor was expected at the resort or that the victim was being pushed to entertain one. However, the probe uncovered several instances indicating that the prime accused, Pulkit Arya — son of a former BJP leader and resort owner — who is now convicted, was seeking 'favours' from the 19-year-old receptionist, which she consistently refused. Based on this, we later added the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act to the charges." Citing more findings of the SIT probe, she said the other staffers, including some witnesses, also denied the 'VIP' involvement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo "It was found that there were two VIP suites in the resort which were not booked during the time of the crime. Staff members of the resort confirmed the same when questioned," she added. In Dec 2022, during the assembly session, govt had informed the House that "No VIP was to visit or visited the resort." The information was shared by then state minister of parliamentary affairs, Premchand Aggarwal, in reply to a question by opposition's Chakrata MLA and former Congress state president Pritam Singh.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh HC junks plea for SIT, compensation & inquiry commission in Sukma violence against tribal Christians
Chhattisgarh HC RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh High Court dismissed a writ petition filed by 20 petitioners, primarily from the Tribal Christian community, who alleged communal violence, displacement, and destruction of property in villages across Sukma district. The petitioners sought various reliefs, including compensation, the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and a Commission of Inquiry. A division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru ruled that the reliefs sought, such as compensation and the constitution of an SIT or Inquiry Commission under the Act, 1952, could not be directed in a petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. The petitioners claimed they were subjected to targeted communal violence, including assaults, displacement, destruction of homes and property, sacrilege of religious materials, and threats to life and liberty for practising Christianity. They alleged that despite repeated oral and written complaints, police and administrative authorities failed to register First Information Reports (FIRs), provide protection, conduct fair investigations, or rehabilitate victims. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Some officials reportedly refused to acknowledge complaints or rebuked the petitioners for their faith. Sanbha Rumnong and Samuel David, counsels for the petitioners, presented the case. R S Marhas, Additional Advocate General, appearing for the state, submitted that an FIR was already registered for one of the incidents reported by some petitioners, and the matter was under investigation. The Additional Advocate General argued that the petition, seeking multiple reliefs, was not maintainable under Article 226 for demands such as compensation or the formation of an SIT or Inquiry Commission. He added that if the petitioners' grievance was specifically about the non-registration of an FIR concerning an incident on April 24, 2025, they should pursue remedies available under law, such as filing an application under Section 156 (3) CrPC before the concerned court. He cited the Allahabad High Court's decision in Waseem Haider vs. State of UP (2020), which dismissed a similar petition. The court, after hearing arguments at length, found no grounds to interfere with the petition and dismissed it, granting the petitioners liberty to approach appropriate forums for redressal of their grievances. Consequently, all pending interlocutory applications were disposed of.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Gaurav likely to be quizzed over ‘Pak links'
1 2 Guwahati: Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and the recently appointed state president of the party, Gaurav Gogoi, is likely to be summoned soon for interrogation in connection with the case over his alleged links with Pakistan, a highy placed source in the police said. The source added that a letter would be written to the Lok Sabha Speaker, seeking permission to interrogate Gogoi, if required. Gogoi's party colleague, senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora, was interrogated by the SIT of the Assam police for about four hours on Thursday in connection with the case. He was questioned by the SIT regarding his statement during a press conference on Sunday, where he 'defended' Gaurav over the Pakistan link allegation against him. Saying that he is waiting to join the interrogation by the SIT, Gogoi told the media, "SIT has to collect all the evidence in the case on their own. Instead of that, they have sought info from Ripun Bora. What did they do in the name of investigation if Bora has to give the info to them?" He added that the people of the state have already understood the politics hatched in the name of allegations and the investigation. "We have been talking about the ongoing syndicate of coal, sand, and betel nut and the scams by the CM and a few of his close ministers, and we will take the issues to the people," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Gogoi was appointed as the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday. He succeeded Bhupen Kumar Borah. On Sunday, Bora, in a press conference, claimed that Sarma was trying to portray Gogoi as an ISI agent only because the BJP leader knows that the present govt will decisively lose the assembly elections next year if Gaurav is made the CM candidate of the opposition party. "Gaurav's wife might have visited Pakistan or got a salary for her work from Pakistan, what's the problem in that? Likewise, many Pakistani people are working in India legally," he said. Following this, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that Bora made a "startling confession" that his party MP Gogoi's wife was on the "payroll of the Pakistan govt". Earlier, Sarma had alleged that Gaurav visited Pakistan on the invitation of ISI, underwent training there, and worked closely with the establishment of the neighbouring nation.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Assam cops may interrogate Gaurav Gogoi over 'Pak links'
File photo: Gaurav Gogoi (Picture credit: ANI) GUWAHATI: Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, recently appointed president of the Assam unit of the party, is likely to be summoned soon for interrogation in connection with a case to do with his alleged links with Pakistan, a highly-placed police source said. The source said a letter would be written to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking permission to interrogate Gogoi, if required. Gogoi's party colleague and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora, was interrogated by an Assam police SIT for four hours Thursday in connection with the case. He was questioned regarding his statement during a press conference Sunday, where he 'defended' Gogoi over Pak-link allegation against him. Bora had said that CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was trying to portray Gogoi as an ISI agent only because BJP knows the present govt will lose assembly elections next year if Gogoi is made the opposition's CM candidate. Gogoi told the media, "...SIT sought information from Ripun Bora. What did they do in the name of investigation if Bora has to give them all info?" He said state's people have already understood the politics hatched in the name of investigation. "We have been talking about the ongoing syndicate of coal, sand, and betel nut and scams by the CM and a few of his close ministers, and we will take the issues to the people," he added.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Rishikesh resort murder: How position of moon helped cops clinch key evidence in case
Dehradun: The main convict's claim in the Rishikesh resort murder case was debunked by none other than the moon. Soon after Pulkit Arya was convicted in the resort murder case along with two of his associates on Friday, P Renuka Devi, who headed the special investigation team (SIT) which probed the case, told TOI that inconsistencies in Arya's statements on what happened on the night of the murder were caught with the help of a meteorological observatory. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Arya, the resort's owner and son of expelled BJP leader and former minister Vinod Arya, had claimed the 19-year-old receptionist died after accidentally falling into a barrage. He further alleged that the incident took place around 9pm and that he and his associates could see and even tried to save the victim as she was falling. "To verify this claim, we contacted the meteorological observatory in Kolkata, which confirmed the moon rose only around 11pm in that area. Thus, Arya's claim that there was natural light to see someone was false because it was pitch park at 9pm. Visibility was only possible using a mobile phone torch in the jungle near the barrage. The CCTV footage from the barrage also proved to be a key piece of evidence," Devi, who is currently serving as DIG with the CBI in Jaipur, said. She added that "in a first, doctors from AIIMS Rishikesh who conducted the autopsy also visited the crime scene." "They helped determine the height from which the victim fell into the barrage and assessed the nature of her injuries. This played a critical role in building the case." The SIT, formed on Sept 24, 2022, began its investigation into the death of the woman, who had gone missing six days earlier (Sept 18) and whose body was later found in the Chilla Barrage near Rishikesh. Soon after, the team secured the remand of Arya and his associates, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now All three were found guilty of the receptionist's murder and were sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Kotdwar on Friday. Among the three, Arya was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 354A (sexual harassment). The remaining two, Bhaskar and Gupta, were charged under IPC sections 302 and 201.
