House of BJP Minority Morcha's Manipur president torched for supporting Waqf Amendment Act
Imphal, Apr 6 (PTI): The house of the BJP Minority Morcha's Manipur president, Asker Ali, was set on fire by a mob on Sunday night allegedly for supporting the Waqf Amendment Act, officials said.
The incident happened at Lilong in Thoubal district, they said.
Ali had expressed his support for the Act on social media on Saturday.
An irate mob gathered outside his residence around 9 pm, vandalised it and later set it on fire, officials said.
Following the incident, Ali posted a video on social media, apologising for his earlier statement. He also expressed opposition to the Act.
Earlier in the day, protests were held in different parts of Imphal Valley against the Act.
Over 5,000 people participated in a rally that disrupted the traffic on NH 102 at Lilong.
In some places, the protesters got engaged in a scuffle with the security forces, officials said.
One such incident happened at Irong Chesaba in Thoubal in the morning. The scuffle broke out after the demonstrators were stopped by the security forces from moving forward.
The demonstrators raised slogans against the BJP-led government at the Centre, decrying the Act.
"The Waqf Amendment Act is against the ethos of the Constitution. It is completely unacceptable for the Muslim community," said Sakir Ahmed, a protester.
Protests were also held in Kshatri Awang Leikai, Kairang Muslim and Kiyamgei Muslim areas in Imphal East, and Sora in Thoubal district, among other places.
Security has been strengthened in Muslim-dominated areas of the Valley, with additional forces deployed, officials said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday, and by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of Friday after marathon debates in both Houses of Parliament.
The Act aims to streamline the management of Waqf properties (assets permanently donated by Muslims for religious or charitable purposes) with provisions to safeguard heritage sites and promote social welfare. It also seeks to improve governance by enhancing transparency in property management, streamlining coordination between Waqf boards and local authorities and protecting stakeholders’ rights.
President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bill on Saturday.
Breaking:
— Dr. Lamtinthang Haokip (@DrLamtinthangHk) April 6, 2025
An angry mob of Lilong set fire to the house of @BJPManipur Minority Morcha President, Mr. Askar Ali Mkm for insulting fellow community & supporting the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025. @rashtrapatibhvn @INCIndia @INCMinority @INCAdivasi @the_hindu… pic.twitter.com/PINixnXGma
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Indian-origin councilman among several people charged with racketeering, gambling offences in US
New York, Apr 12 (PTI): An Indian-origin councilman is among several people charged in the US with racketeering, money laundering, and other crimes for allegedly playing a role in an illegal gambling scheme that netted more than USD 3 million.
Anand Shah, 42, Prospect Park, New Jersey council member and local business owner was identified as allegedly managing illegal poker games and an online sportsbook in association with the Lucchese crime family, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement Friday.
Shah is among 39 people who have been charged with racketeering, gambling offences, money laundering, and other crimes after law enforcement executed search warrants at 12 locations throughout North Jersey earlier this week.
Among those charged is Indian-origin Samir Nadkarni, 48, of Longwood, Florida, a sportsbook sub-agent/poker host.
Following a two-year investigation into illegal gambling activities tied to the Lucchese crime family, searches were conducted on April 9 on four poker clubs located in Totowa, Garfield, and Woodland Park, including two clubs where backroom poker games were hidden behind functioning restaurants; a business in Paterson storing gambling machines; and seven residences of individuals alleged to be managing the gambling activities.
The investigation uncovered additional poker clubs, the involvement of dozens of individuals alleged to have hosted poker games and worked at the poker clubs, and managed bettors on an illegal online sportsbook.
Authorities said that the upper management of the gambling enterprise allegedly oversaw the gambling activities and received a portion of the criminal proceeds.
The investigation resulted in the identification of more than USD 3 million in suspected criminal proceeds.
Members of the criminal enterprise used multiple shell corporations and functioning businesses to conceal their illegal gambling proceeds.
“Criminal enterprises like this pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of our communities, driving illegal gambling, money laundering, and racketeering operations that value profit over people,” Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan said.
According to the complaint, the gambling operations included social clubs that housed live poker games and gambling machines, as well as an extensive online sportsbook operated through several websites based outside of the United States.
Each poker club was operated by high-level managers who delegated day-to-day operations to managers who were present during poker games.
The online sportsbook was operated by “agents” — who, before the advent of computerised betting, would have been known as “bookies” – that created accounts on sports gambling websites based in foreign countries.
As alleged, the high-level management made operational decisions, settled disputes, and used threats to collect overdue debts.
The enterprise also used websites to facilitate illegal online sports betting. The websites, through the individuals that owned, operated, and controlled them, were one part of this criminal enterprise controlling illegal gambling activities in northern New Jersey and other areas.
The websites allowed traditional organized crime members and associates to use the internet and current technology to engage in the same criminal acts that traditional organized crime has engaged in since the 19th century, the statement said.
