AAP approaches Modi over IAS officers' 'strike'
New Delhi, June 14: Delhi's ruling AAP on Thursday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to end the "strike" by the IAS officers as there has been no communication from the Lt Governor's office over the sit-in protest by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues.
The sit-in by Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Cabinet ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai at the Lt. Governor's office entered its fourth day on Thursday, after which Kejriwal wrote to Modi urging him to intervene in the matter of the "strike" by the IAS officers, accusing Lt Governor Anil Baijal of doing "nothing" in this regard.
In the letter, Kejriwal informed Modi the officers have not been attending meetings with ministers for the past three months and cited instances when the government work was affected.
He also said that he hope Modi will allow them to work for the people of Delhi, adding that "no one should be allowed to trample upon people's will".
Recalling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said: "I hope sir that Modiji will also follow in the footsteps of Atalji, respect people's will and allow opposition-ruled states to work for the people."
On social media, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a campaign #ModjiForgiveDelhi. Party members, by posting videos, are requesting Modi to let the elected government work by asking the IAS officers to join back the work.
Social Welfare and SC/ST Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, in his video, said: "Modiji, don't take revenge from the people. Please ask your IAS officers to join back the work."
Durgesh Pathak, in-charge of the National Organisation Building Team, also posted a video saying: "Modiji, Namaste. We know that people of Delhi had defeated you very badly in the election. And you are just taking revenge from the people. This is not right. There will be elections after two years. You can contest that election. Do some good, positive work. Please ask your IAS officers to join back the work."
Atishi Marlena, who served as an advisor on education to the Delhi government for three years, said in a video: "Namaste Modiji. The people of Delhi are upset. You have ordered the strike by the IAS officers. The work related to de-silting of drains is not able to complete due to this strike. the monsoon is approaching, the roads will be flooded. So we are requesting you to order the IAS officers to call off the strike."
Similarly, Sisodia's former media advisor Arunoday Prakash and other people from the party also posted their videos.
AAP leader Dilip Pandey, in his video, asked Modi to not punish the people of Delhi.
"Punish us the way you want, but don't punish the people of Delhi. Your officers are not working, due to which the work is affected...Please ask your IAS officers to join back the work," he said.
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.
Three company directors held in Rs 100-crore investment fraud in Kochi
Kochi (Kerala) (PTI): Police on Sunday arrested three directors of a firm accused of cheating hundreds of investors of over Rs 100 crore through a fake investment scheme linked to agricultural tourism here, officials said.
The accused were identified as Muraleedharan, Ashik Murali and Akhil Murali, all natives of Thrissur.
The arrests were made by the Kalamassery police in connection with a fraud involving ATCOS (Agri Tourism Cooperative Society), a firm headquartered at Pathadipalam here.
Police said the company had promised high returns by collecting investments from the public in the agricultural tourism sector, but allegedly cheated hundreds of people and fled with the money.
ATCOS was registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and operated 13 branches across various districts in Kerala, besides a branch in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, officials said.
When investors failed to receive their promised returns or the invested amount, complaints were filed with the police.
Officials said around 54 cases have been registered against the firm in 32 police stations across the state, including 29 cases at the Kalamassery police station alone.
Following instructions from Kochi City Police Commissioner K S Mahesh Kumar, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shehensha and Thrikkakara ACP Manoj Kumar.
The team traced the accused to an apartment in Amala Nagar in Thrissur, where they had been hiding after secretly renting the flat, officials said.
The bank accounts of the accused have been frozen, and steps have been initiated to trace their assets, officials said.
Police also conducted a raid at the company’s office at Pathadipalam and seized several documents related to the case.
The accused were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kalamassery, which remanded them to judicial custody and sent them to Kakkanad jail.
Police said they would seek the custody of the accused for further interrogation as the investigation continues.
