BJP set to retain power in Arunachal Pradesh, SKM likely to secure victory in Sikkim
Itanagar/Gangtok: The BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, seems poised to retain power as they have crossed the majority mark, leading in 30 seats in the initial trends. Additionally, the BJP has already secured 10 seats uncontested in the state. Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein have also secured victories in their respective constituencies.
According to data from the Election Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party is leading in 30 seats in Arunachal Pradesh, including areas like Lumla, Kalaktang, Koloriang, Nacho, Likabali, Basar, Along (West), and Along (East). The majority mark in the Arunachal Assembly is 31 seats.
Other parties leading include the National People's Party (NPEP) with eight seats, People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) with two seats, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with three seats, Congress with one seat, and Independents leading in two seats.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP secured 41 seats in Arunachal Pradesh. The Janata Dal (United) won seven seats, the National People's Party (NPP) secured five, Congress won four, and the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) secured one seat. Two independents also emerged victorious. All except one Congress MLA, former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, joined the BJP.
Meanwhile, in Sikkim, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) is on track for a comfortable victory, having won 7 seats already and leading in 24 seats. The opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) is leading in one seat.
Polling for 32 assembly seats in Sikkim took place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections on April 19. In the 2019 Assembly elections, the SKM won 17 seats, while the SDF secured 15 seats. Exit polls predict the return of the SKM to power in the state.
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Kasaragod: ED books Kunhahmed Musliyar Memorial Trust for FCRA violation
New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate has registered a forex violation case against a Kerala-based charitable organisation for receiving Rs 220 crore from abroad in alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
The investigation pertains to Kunhahmed Musliyar Memorial Trust located in Kasargod and its chairman Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, an NRI.
Searches were conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) at two locations in Kasargod on Thursday in connection with the case, the ED said in a statement.
The Trust, according to the ED, received more than Rs 220 crore since 2021 from Ibrahim Ahmad Ali, which was reflected in the books of accounts as "unsecured" loans.
However, no loan agreement, interest rate terms, or repayment schedule were available, and no repayment had been made till date, the probe agency said.
The probe found that these funds were received by Ali from a UAE company named Universal Lubricants LLC.
In the absence of supporting documents and in view of the clarification given under a section of the FCRA, the said loan prima facie qualified as "foreign contribution" under FCRA, the statement said.
According to the ED, the Trust is "not registered" under the FCRA and does not possess the "mandatory permission" or a designated FCRA bank account to receive foreign contributions.
It was found that a part of these foreign contributions was "utilised" for the purchase of agricultural land in India, in violation of the existing regulations.
The search action found that the Trust received Rs 2.49 crore in "cash" from Ali in violation of FEMA provisions.
"During the search, incriminating documents, ledger accounts showing unsecured loans of Rs 220 crore, the cash book of the Trust, and a hard disk containing financial data were seized," the ED said.
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