Engr accused of spying for Pak seeks bail
Ravindra Verma (27), who worked with a defence technology firm, was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on May 28. He is currently in judicial custody. In his bail plea, Verma pleaded innocence, contending that the allegations "are subject to proof beyond reasonable doubt during trial". The probe is substantially complete and primary evidence, including mobile phone containing WhatsApp chats and audio files has been seized, hence his judicial custody was no longer necessary, the plea said.
pti
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
42 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Woman, posing as SI at Rajasthan Police Academy for two years, held
The Rajasthan Police have arrested a woman, who was impersonating as a police sub-inspector for almost two years at the Rajasthan Police Academy (RPA) using a fake identity and forged documents. The accused, identified as Mona Bugalia, also known as Mooli, was taken into custody earlier this week in Sikar district. She had been absconding since 2023 when a complaint was first registered against her in Jaipur, according to a report by NDTV. According to media reports, Bugalia never cleared the sub-inspector recruitment exam, but still managed to enter one of the state's top police training institutions. Police recover uniforms, forged documents Following her arrest, police searched a rented room linked to Bugalia and found ₹7 lakh in cash, three police uniforms, and some Rajasthan Police Academy exam papers. They also recovered forged documents she had used to fabricate her identity. Bugalia hails from Nimba Ke Bas in Nagaur district, and her father works as a truck driver. Official records confirmed she failed the sub-inspector recruitment exam in 2021. After that, she allegedly created fake documents under the name 'Mooli Devi' and spread a message on social media claiming she had been selected. Joined WhatsApp group for recruits, attended drills She also joined a WhatsApp group meant for sub-inspector trainees and appeared at the Rajasthan Police Academy, claiming she belonged to an earlier batch through the sports quota. Bugalia was regularly seen in full uniform on the RPA parade grounds, taking part in outdoor drills, appearing in social media reels, and posing for photos with senior police officials. She even posted motivational messages while pretending to be an officer. In one instance, she gave a career guidance talk from a public stage, dressed in full police uniform, standing beside senior officers, including those from the Indian Police Service. Entered academy through special gate It has also come to light that Bugalia avoided entering through the academy's main gate to escape ID checks. Instead, she reportedly used a special gate reserved for officers and their families. Investigators found that she never used the RPA's main entrance, fearing identity verification. Police are now trying to identify those who may have helped her. It also emerged that while staying in Sikar, she allegedly used WhatsApp calls to threaten individuals. However, Bugalia's impersonation began to fall apart when some trainee sub-inspectors expressed doubts about her credentials. Senior officers were alerted, and an internal probe was launched. When questioned, Bugalia admitted that she had faked her identity. She told police she had done it partly to impress her family — especially her four sisters — and partly to enjoy the privileges associated with being a police officer. 'Example of system failure' The case has sparked a strong reaction from netizens. Social activist Vijay Kumbhar even called the incident a sign of a failing system. "Mona Bugalia failed the cop exam in 2021. So she changed her name, forged documents, and got into the Jaipur Police Academy as 'Mooli Devi.' For two years, she trained, made reels with IPS officers, played tennis with ADGs, and extorted people. Nobody noticed she wasn't even real. Now arrested. No background check. No verification. Nothing," he wrote on social media. "You verify the whole world, but not your own recruits? This isn't just a lapse. It's institutional rot," he added. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Police have confirmed that an investigation is underway to find out how Bugalia managed to get through security checks and who may have assisted her.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Court declares arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari 'fugitive economic offender'
A Delhi court on Saturday officially declared UK-based arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari a "fugitive economic offender". This was done in response to a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), according to a report by the Press Trust of India, quoting officials. The ruling was made under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), 2018. The FEOA was introduced in 2018 by the Modi government to deal with economic offenders who flee the country after committing financial frauds involving sums over ₹100 crore. In February 2017, the ED registered a money laundering case against Bhandari and others. This was based on a charge sheet earlier filed by the Income Tax department under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. A formal charge sheet was later submitted by the ED in 2020. Bhandari, aged 63, left for London shortly after the I-T department raided his premises in Delhi in 2016. The ED's case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) followed soon after. Alleged links to Robert Vadra Investigations have also focused on Bhandari's alleged ties to Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. In a supplementary charge sheet filed in 2023, the ED claimed Bhandari bought a house at 12, Bryanston Square, London in 2009 and renovated it 'as per the directions of Robert Vadra and the funds for renovation were provided by Robert Vadra'. Vadra has strongly denied any involvement, saying he has never owned any property in London, directly or indirectly. He described the allegations as a 'political witch-hunt' and stated he was being 'hounded and harassed' for political reasons. Last month, he received fresh summons in relation to the ED's 2023 charge sheet. Accused of hiding overseas assets Bhandari, who was considered a tax resident of India in 2015, is accused of concealing foreign assets, using backdated documents, and misleading Indian tax authorities by claiming he held no assets abroad. However, he has denied all such allegations. Opposing the ED's plea to label Bhandari a fugitive, his lawyer argued, 'Client's stay could not be called illegal in the UK as he has a legal right to reside in the UK and the GOI is bound by the judgment of the UK court... Bhandari is legally living there, and declaring him a 'fugitive' in that scenario is legally wrong.' The ED has attached Bhandari's assets worth around ₹21 crore under the PMLA. 16th declared fugitive economic offender With this declaration, Bhandari becomes the 16th person to be named a fugitive economic offender by Indian courts. Others on the list include Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Girl, 11, dies after being run over by private bus near Erode
ERODE: An 11-year-old girl was killed after being run over by a private bus while crossing the road near Bhavanisagar here on Saturday. The Bhavanisagar police identified the deceased as R Shaileshini of Periya Kallipatty in their jurisdiction. She was a Class VI student of a govt higher secondary school at Thottampalayam. According to an investigation officer, Shaileshini left her house for a local shop around 7.40am to buy chocolates. The incident took place while she was returning home after buying chocolates. 'She crossed the Bhavanisagar-Bannari state highway without noticing the oncoming vehicles. A private bus belonging to Tirupur-based SCM Textiles knocked her down and she was crushed under its wheels. The girl succumbed to her head injuries on the spot. ' The bus driver, identified as M Gopalsamy, 35, of Sathyamangalam, went to the Bhavanisagar police station and reported the accident. Police visited the accident spot and sent the girl's body to the govt hospital at Sathyamangalam for a postmortem. Following the accident, locals urged police to install a barricade on the spot to prevent further accidents and loss of life. The Bhavanisagar police registered a case and arrested the bus driver, who was produced before a judicial magistrate and lodged in the Gobichettipalayam sub-jail under judicial custody. Further investigation is on.
