Malaysian ex-PM Muhyiddin arrested, faces graft charges
Putrajya (Malaysia) (AP): Malaysia's former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been arrested and will be brought to court to face corruption charges, the anti-graft agency said Thursday.
Muhyiddin, who led Malaysia from March 2020 until August 2021, will be the country's second leader to be indicted after leaving office.
Ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak was hit with multiple graft charges after he lost in 2018 general elections, and began a 12-year jail term in August after losing his final appeal in the first of several trials.
The anti-graft agency said Muhyiddin will face several charges Friday related to alleged abuse and money laundering linked to government projects awarded under his rule.
Muhyiddin, 75, went to the anti-graft agency earlier Thursday to answer questions for the second time in three weeks.
He was first questioned in February over the award of projects, including COVID-19 economic aid programs.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who took power after November's general elections, had ordered a review of government projects approved by past administrations for allegedly not following the rules.
Two senior leaders from Muhyiddin's Bersatu party were also recently charged with graft.
The anti-graft agency froze Bersatu's bank accounts for investigations into alleged illegal proceedings.
Muhyiddin, who leads a strong Islamic-dominated opposition, has denied any wrongdoing and accused Anwar's government of trying to crush the opposition ahead of state elections.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Chhattisgarh: FIR against Vedanta group chairman Anil Agarwal, others after blast kills 20 workers
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The Chhattisgarh police on Thursday registered an FIR against Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal and others in connection with the blast at the firm's power plant in Sakti district that claimed 20 lives, an official said.
The explosion occurred on April 14 at the Vedanta plant in Singhitarai village when a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine burst, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries. The incident claimed 20 lives and left 16 persons injured.
A case has been registered at Dabhra police station under sections 106 (causing death by negligence), 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Sakti Superintendent of Police Prafull Thakur said.
"Eight to ten individuals, including Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal, have been named in the FIR. If more persons are found responsible during the investigation, their names will be added," Thakur told PTI.
Investigation into the incident is underway and several reports are awaited, including post-mortem reports of the deceased and findings from the forensic science laboratory and the industrial health and safety department, he said.
"A technical team has also been constituted to probe the cause of the blast. Further sections will be added if required after all reports are received," the SP said.
Following the incident, the opposition Congress had demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into it.
