Latest news with #SavukkuShankar
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Udyog Bhawan IED threat email similar to those sent to Mumbai airport, Jaipur collectorate etc
Representational image NEW DELHI: An email threat received by secretary, ministry of heavy industries warning of the use of 'suicide IEDs' in Udyog Bhavan, prompted an alert on Friday afternoon, though a search mounted by the Delhi Police and CISF eventually found it to be a hoax. Udyog Bhawan is located in a high-security area of the Capital that houses Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House and key Central government offices. An email dated 30.05.2025 was delivered to secretary, heavy industries, with a threatening message about the use of suicide IEDs on Udyog Bhawan premises and asking that they the building be evacuated by 3.15 pm. This prompted the ministry of heavy industries to inform the Delhi Police, which rushed its personnel and bomb disposal squad there. Sources told TOI that CISF, which secures Udyog Bhavan, was not simultaneously informed about the email and possibly learned of it when the Delhi Police arrived there. CISF eventually also received a formal letter from the ministry of heavy industries, with the threat email attached. A look at the email prima facie led the CISF to view it as part of the pattern of similar email threats received over the past couple of months warning of bomb attacks in different high-value buildings across the country, but which were later found to be a hoax. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo These email threats, suspected to be originating from the same IP address outside the country, have a common link – the mention of the 'unjust arrest' of Tamil YouTuber Savukku Shankar, though the sender is careful to also bring in the 'unjust hanging' of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and 'custodial death' of 2G accused Shahid Balwa. Anyway, not wanting to leave anything to chance, CISF along with Delhi Police conducted a thorough search of the Udyog Bhawan premises, even though no evacuation was carried out to avoid panic among the people. After floor-by-floor search of the area, the CISF declared the premises to be safe and ruled out the presence of any IED. Similar email threats were received earlier, warning of bomb threats at the Mapusa deputy collector's office in Goa on April 3, the Jaipur collectorate on April 4, the Taj Palace Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji airport terminal in Mumbai on May 17 and the Punjab and Haryana High Court premises on May 22. All were found to be a hoax.
India Today
19-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Supreme Court halts order on plea against Tamil Nadu sanitation scheme
The Supreme Court halted a recent order by the Madras High Court in a case filed by YouTuber Savukku Shankar against a government sanitation scheme. The top court questioned the urgency with which the high court heard and disposed of the matter during court vacation. The case pertains to Shankar's petition challenging the Tamil Nadu government's 'Sanipreneur' development occurred during the hearing of a Special Leave Petition filed by the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) and a private firm, Gengreen Logistics, before a Bench led by the Chief Justice. Savukku Shankar was represented by counsel, who responded to the court's pointed query about the 'grave urgency' in rushing through the matter without giving other parties a chance to be heard. The Supreme Court permitted DICCI and Gengreen Logistics to file impleading applications and directed that the High Court's order would remain in abeyance until both parties were impleaded and allowed to file dispute traces back to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Shankar in the Madras High Court, where he alleged corruption in the Sanipreneur scheme. The programme, short for Sanitation Entrepreneurs, is a Tamil Nadu government initiative aimed at eradicating manual scavenging by engaging former manual scavengers as sanitation contractors using machines and modern equipment. Shankar contended that the scheme had been outsourced improperly to a private Madras High Court, while hearing the PIL, had questioned the Tamil Nadu government on whether Veeramani Radhakrishnan, the nephew of Tamil Nadu Congress president Selvaperunthagai, was indeed a director of Gengreen Logistics, the firm now facing corruption allegations. The High Court also granted the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) time till May 21 to submit full details of the a statement to India Today, Shankar had alleged: 'The Tamil Nadu government has adequate resources to implement any scheme on its own. It does not require the services of any private firm. However, it strangely chose a private company to implement the 'Sanipreneur' scheme.'He had further claimed that DICCI president Ravi Kumar Nara and Veeramani Radhakrishnan had started Gengreen Logistics specifically for the purpose of securing contracts under the scheme. 'The entire Sanipreneur scheme appears to be a scam. The so-called beneficiaries are not genuine and are reportedly members of the Congress party's SC/ST wing,' he had has also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter. IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Mumbai airport, Taj Mahal Palace hotel get hoax bomb threats
MUMBAI: The Mumbai police on Friday received an email claiming that bombs have been planted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and the Taj Mahal Palace hotel. However, the threats turned out to be a hoax, officials said, as the police did not find any explosives at both locations following thorough searches. The police have registered a case against the unidentified sender of the email and are trying to ascertain their identity. 'The email was discovered by constable Mahesh Kadam, who works at the Airport police station, around 5.30 pm on Friday,' said a police officer. The email said that the bombs were planted to commemorate the 'unjust hanging' of the 2001 Parliament attack mastermind Afzal Guru and YouTuber Savukku Shankar, who runs a media platform that exposes alleged corruption among politicians and government officials. To be sure, while Guru was executed in 2013 following his conviction in the Parliament attack case, Shankar is still alive. The sender also demanded that the drug smuggling case against film producer Jaffar Saddiq and the money laundering investigation against Indian Police Service officer Jaffar Sait be dropped. The email stated: 'On this holy day, the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai and the Chatrapathi Sivaji Airport will fall victim to a devastating pipe bomb blast. This act commemorates the unjust hanging of Afzal Guru and Savukku Shankar!' It added, 'We dare the authorities to attempt a rescue operation in the name of our Almighty. Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs) were strategically placed over the weekend for this very day. The fusing systems were engineered in the Mechanical Department, and all materials were sourced through indigenous means for this sacred mission. Jaffar Sadiq's meth case and Jaffar Sait IPS's RCS Gattleo files should be dropped.' Constable Kadam immediately informed his seniors about the email, after which the police followed protocol and carried out a search at the airport and the hotel for around an hour, the officer said. 'After finding nothing at both places, we registered the case under sections 353 (public mischief), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 125 (acts endangering human life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,' added the police officer. The email was addressed to the Maharashtra chief minister and the inspector of the local police station, the officer said, adding that the police have started investigating the matter. The hoax bomb threats were received days after Mumbai was put on high alert following the escalation of the conflict between India and Pakistan.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Give details on entrepreneurship scheme for sanitary workers: HC
Chennai: Madras high court on Wednesday directed Tamil Nadu govt to furnish records pertaining to Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme (AABCS), through which 100 crore was allotted for the upliftment of sanitary workers as entrepreneurs. Through the scheme, beneficiaries were provided financial aid to purchase sewage tanker a public interest writ petition filed by YouTuber Savukku Shankar on Wednesday, a vacation bench of Justice G R Swaminathan and Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed the state to produce the records on Friday. The petitioner wanted the court to order a CBI probe into the petitioner said state govt allotted 524 crore over a span of seven years for sewerage management through the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the department of municipal administration. The state further announced AABC scheme by allotting 100 crore during 2023-24. A GO to this effect was issued by MSME department of the state on May 12, 2023. However, in blatant violation of the rules, the responsibility to implement the scheme was delegated to Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI), a private entity, he not only defeated the purpose of the scheme but led to large-scale misappropriation of funds intended for the welfare of sanitation workers, he alleged. He alleged Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai and DICCI national president Ravikumar Narra were involved in the scam."Initially, DICCI recommended 87 people, of whom 39 are legal heirs of deceased sanitary workers and 48 people currently engaged in sanitary work to be benefitted under the scheme. Subsequently, another 133 people belonging to SC and ST communities were recommended, who are all members of the Congress party's SC/ST wing," he alleged.
