Gutkha scam: CBI raids residences of TN Minister, DGP
Chennai, Sep 5 : The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday raided several places in Tamil Nadu, including the residences of Health and Family Welfare Minister C. Vijayabaskar and Director General of Police (DGP) T.K. Rajendran in connection with a gutkha scam, said a CBI official.
In April, the Madras High Court ordered CBI to probe the multi-crore gutkha scam in which Minister Vijayabaskar, DGP Rajendran and several other top police and other state government officials were alleged to be involved.
The court ordered the CBI probe on a petition filed by DMK legislator J. Anbazhagan.
The case is related to an Income Tax Department raid in the offices, residences and godowns of a gutkha manufacturer in Tamil Nadu in 2016.
A diary was then seized which listed alleged bribe payments made to various officials amounting to about Rs 39.31 crore.
The Tamil Nadu government has banned the manufacture and storage of gutkha -- a tobacco product. However, the product was reportedly available in the market with the alleged connivance of police officers and others.
Several political parties had demanded the CBI probe into the scam but the AIADMK government did not agree.
In June, the Enforcement Directorate registered a money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against unnamed government officials in Tamil Nadu's gutkha scam based on the first information report (FIR) registered by the CBI in May.
Despite the opposition from the opposition parties Rajendran was given a two year extension in 2018.
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UP electricity department contract worker dismissed for waving Palestine flag
Saharanpur, Apr 6 (PTI): An electricity department contract worker has been dismissed from service in this Uttar Pradesh district for allegedly waving a Palestine flag on Eid, officials said on Sunday.
The termination notice was issued after photographs of him waving the Palestine flag became circulated on social media.
Saqib Khan, who worked in the Kailashpur power house, waved the flag after Eid 'namaaz' on March 31, the officials said.
Electricity department executive engineer Sanjeev Kumar said the department deemed his action "anti-national" and promptly took steps.
"Saqib Khan, a contract worker in the Kailashpur power house, waved a flag of Palestine after offering 'namaaz' on Eid and posted of it a picture on social media," Kumar said.
"When the matter came to the department's notice, it was considered an anti-national activity and action was taken immediately. A letter was written to the contract company concerned and it was directed to remove Khan from service," he added.
The department has instructed the contract company to immediately terminate Khan's employment and confirm the action.
The incident follows action against eight individuals in the district who were also seen in a video waving Palestine flags and raising slogans.
The authorities are identifying other individuals involved based on widely-circulated footage and plan to initiate legal proceedings against them.
Superintendent of Police (City) Vyom Bindal had said on March 31, "A video has come to our notice through social media in which some youngsters are seen waving the flag of another country. The matter is being investigated, following which further action will be taken."
Vyom had said that, after offering 'namaaz' at the Ambala Road eidgah, some youngsters raised slogans while waving flags of another country that were promptly removed by police.
