Two wanted criminals held after encounter in UP's Meerut
Meerut (UP) (PTI): Two wanted criminals, each carrying a reward of Rs 25,000, were arrested following an encounter with the police in the Jani area in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.
The accused, identified as Salim alias Sultan alias Sheikhchilli, a resident of of Meerut, and Dilshad alias Bhuri, a native of Bahraich district presently living in Ghaziabad. Both wanted for a robbery in Mundali village on January 21.
According to the police, the incident began during a vehicle check in the Sarurpur area on Monday night. Police team signalled a grey car to stop, but the driver sped away towards Bhola Jhal.
In response, Jani police set up a barricade along the Ashram canal embankment and intercepted the vehicle. Upon being stopped, the occupants allegedly opened fire at the police team.
In the retaliatory action that followed, the car driver lost control and rammed into a tree. The accused then attempted to flee on foot. Police fired in self-defence, resulting in both men sustaining gunshot wounds to their legs. They were apprehended in an injured condition and admitted to a hospital.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to their involvement in the robbery and told the police they were heading towards Delhi to evade arrest.
Two .315 bore country-made pistols, three live cartridges, two spent cartridges, three stolen gold earrings, Rs 10,050 in cash and a car were seized from them. The police added that the vehicle was purchased using money from the robbery.
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UK PM seeks inquiry into Epstein ties of former envoy, key Blair-era Labour figure Peter Mandelson
London: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has ordered an urgent inquiry into former British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson’s links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, amid mounting political pressure following the release of fresh US documents.
Downing Street said the review will examine all available information relating to Mandelson’s contacts with Epstein during his time as a government minister. The inquiry will be led by Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald.
Starmer has also said Mandelson should be stripped of his House of Lords title and barred from sitting in the upper chamber of Parliament, although he acknowledged that the prime minister does not have the direct power to remove a peerage.
The move comes after newly released US records revived scrutiny of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein. Bank documents suggest Epstein may have transferred a total of $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson between 2003 and 2004. Other records indicate that in 2009, when Mandelson was business secretary, he forwarded an economic briefing to Epstein intended for then prime minister Gordon Brown.
Mandelson, a key architect of Labour’s revival under Tony Blair in the 1990s, resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday, saying he did not want to cause “further embarrassment”. He has denied any wrongdoing, stating that he has no recollection of receiving the alleged payments and does not know whether the documents are authentic.
The Metropolitan Police said it is aware of the latest Epstein files and has received multiple reports alleging misconduct in public office. These reports, it said, will be reviewed to determine whether they meet the threshold for a criminal investigation. While police did not name individuals, several British media outlets have identified Mandelson as the subject of the complaints.
Mandelson, who was removed as UK ambassador to Washington last year over his ties to Epstein, has apologised to Epstein’s victims for maintaining a friendship with the disgraced financier.
