Karni Sena chief's killing: Woman associated with criminal network arrested from Jaipur
Jaipur (PTI): A woman allegedly associated with a criminal network was arrested on Monday in connection with the murder of Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, police said.
The three men, including two shooters, arrested for their alleged involvement in the case were produced before a local court and remanded to police custody for seven days by the magistrate.
Police apprehended the shooters -- Nitin Fauji and Rohit Rathore -- along with their accomplice Udham Singh from sector 22 in Chandigarh on Saturday night.
Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph said Pooja Saini and her husband Mahendra Meghwal provided weapons to Fauji who stayed in the couple's rented flat in the Jagatpura area of Jaipur for nearly a week before carrying out the killing on December 5.
Meghwal alias Sameer is a history-sheeter of Kota and is absconding, police said.
Additional Commissioner of Police Kailash Chandra Bishnoi said Fauji came to Jaipur in a taxi on November 28 and met Meghwal who took him to the flat in Jagatpura.
It was through Meghwal that Fauji remained in touch with gangster Rohit Godara, police said.
Godara, linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, had claimed responsibility for Gogamedi's killing in a Facebook post, saying the Karni Sena chief was backing his enemies.
According to police, Meghwal had procured more than half a dozen pistols and cartridges in large quantities. Fauji took two pistols and as many magazines for him and one pistol and two magazines for Rathore, they said.
Pooja also prepared food for Fauji, they said.
On the morning of December 5, Meghwal dropped Fauji on Ajmer Road where Rathore was waiting for him. The armed duo was then taken to the residence of Gogamedi, the chief of the Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, in Jaipur's Shyam Nagar area in a vehicle.
They secured access to Gogamedi's house through Naveen Shekhawat who was acquainted with the Karni Sena chief. After talking to him for a few minutes, the shooters opened fire at Gogamedi in his living room, leaving him dead. They also killed Shekhawat before fleeing from the spot.
Bishnoi said a photo of an AK-47 rifle was also recovered from Meghwal's flat.
"Substantial evidence has been recovered from the flat which indicates that a network of Lawrence Bishnoi gang was operating from there. During the investigation, it came to light that the couple had provided weapons for the crime executed by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in Jaipur," he said.
In a joint operation conducted by the Rajasthan Police and the Delhi Police, Fauji, Rathore and Singh were nabbed from outside a Chandigarh hotel and brought to Jaipur amid tight security.
Fauji, hailing from Haryana's Mahendragarh, is a lance naik in the Army.
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Marathi must for auto, taxi drivers in Maharashtra; special verification drive from May 1: Minister
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra transport department will launch a special verification drive from May 1 to August 15 to ensure effective implementation of the decision to make Marathi mandatory for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in the state, minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, the transport minister said that under the drive, licences of the drivers will not be cancelled solely for not knowing Marathi, but strict action will be taken against the violators and those engaged in illegal transportation.
"Action will be taken only as per existing legal provisions," he said.
The drive will be carried out across all 59 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in the state under the supervision of a committee headed by Additional Transport Commissioner Ravindra Gaikwad.
"If one wants to do business in Maharashtra, knowing Marathi is essential," the minister said, adding that representatives of auto and taxi unions have expressed full support to the decision.
Citing a recent special drive in Mira-Bhayander, Sarnaik said an inspection of 3,443 auto-rickshaws was conducted, during which 565 drivers failed to demonstrate the knowledge of Marathi.
"But these drivers have shown willingness to learn the language," he said.
The committee headed by Gaikwad will monitor the campaign on a daily and weekly basis, and issue directions to RTOs based on inspection reports, he added.
Facilities will be provided at RTO offices for drivers willing to learn Marathi, with training support from Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh. Booklets and e-material will also be made available, according to Sarnaik.
Drivers who complete the training will be issued certificates by the state government, which will be required at the time of licence renewal, the minister said.
"Giving an opportunity to those willing to learn Marathi is part of the state's tradition, but there will be no compromise with those violating rules," Sarnaik warned.
A comprehensive report on the 100-day drive will be submitted on August 16, based on which further policy decisions will be taken, he added.
