World has huge expectations from India at this time of "global crisis," says PM Modi
Bengaluru (PTI): In the times of a "global crisis," India was being called a "bright spot" by economic experts and analysts across the globe and the world has huge expectations from the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.
He also said that by ending the policy level crisis, his government has created an atmosphere of "red carpet" for investments, instead of pushing investors into the "web of red tape".
Delivering inaugural address at the three-day Global Investors' Meet, 'Invest Karnataka 2022', via video conferencing, while pitching the state as the destination for investors, he said Karnataka also has the power of "double engine", with the same party in the government at both the State and Centre.
"Last year India got about 84 billion (US) dollars of record FDI. This is an achievement amid post COVID and war-related situations across the globe," Modi said.
Despite the impact of covid-19 and war (in Ukraine), the whole world is looking at India with a huge expectation, he said adding that at the time of global economic uncertainty the whole world is confident that the Indian economy's fundamentals are strong.
"This is the time of market fluctuation, but the expectation of 130 crore Indians is a guarantee of our domestic market's strength. This may be the time of global crisis, but experts across the world, analysts and those with knowledge of the economy, are calling India a bright spot," the PM said.
India is continually working on its fundamentals, so that the economy becomes much stronger, he said. "The free trade deals that we have done in recent times, shows the world our preparedness."
'Invest Karnataka' is said to be the first such large scale investors' meet in the country after COVID.
Claiming the country was suffering from a crisis at the policy level 9-10 years ago, Modi said, "there was a need to change our approach to bring the country out of it. Instead of pushing investors into the web of red tape, we created an atmosphere of red carpet for investment."
Rather than making new laws that may lead to more confusion, the government rationalised things, he said. "Instead of running the business ourselves, we prepared the ground for others to come forward to do business. We allowed youth to increase their capability."
Building a New India is possible only with "bold reforms, big infrastructure, and best talent."
Listing out the measures taken, and achievements made towards reforms, infrastructure, and talent or skill, he said only with the focus on investment and human capital, progress can be achieved.
Suggesting India's achievements in the renewable energy sector is an example for the whole world, the PM said steps taken by India in green growth and sustainable energy have attracted more investors.
Observing that Karnataka has the power of "double engine", with the same party (BJP) in the government at both state and Centre, Modi said that is one of the reasons why the state is growing at a fast pace in several areas and holds top position in ease of doing business and FDI inflow.
The state also has about 400 'fortune 500 companies', and more than 40 of the 100 plus unicorns in the country, he said. "Karnataka is today known as one among the world's largest technology clusters. From industry to IT, fin-tech to biotech, startup to sustainable energy, new records of progress are being written here."
Karnataka is not only challenging other states in India, but a few countries too, he said, adding that "whenever there is a talk about talent and technology, the name that first appears in the mind is -Brand Bengaluru. It is established across the world."
Speaking of "developed India" by 2047, the PM said the combination of investments by investors and country's inspiration is important for this.
Development of inclusive, democratic and strong India will give pace for world's progress, he said.
"Investment in India means - investment in inclusion, investment in democracy, and invest for a better, cleaner and safer planet."
Governor Thawaarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi and Rajeev Chandrasekhar were among those present at the function.
This edition of the GIM is being held under the theme "Build for the World" reflecting on the role Karnataka aims to play in the global supply chain, officials said.
The key topics to be addressed during the event will revolve around the sub-themes of innovation, sustainability, equity, and resilience, they said.
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Actress sexual assault: Court says Prosecution 'miserably' failed to prove conspiracy against Dileep
Kochi (PTI): The prosecution had "miserably" failed to prove the conspiracy charge against Dileep in the sensational 2017 actress sexual assault case, a local court has observed while citing inconsistencies and lack of sufficient evidence against the Malayalam star.
The full judgement of Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Court Judge Honey M Varghese was released late on Friday, and has revealed the judge also pointing out at unsustainable arguments put forth by the prosecution.
"The prosecution miserably failed to prove the conspiracy between accused No.1 (Pulsar Suni) and accused No.8 (Dileep) in executing the offence against the victim," the court held.
It examined in detail, the prosecution's allegation that Dileep had hired the prime accused to sexually assault the survivor and record visuals, including close-up footage of a gold ring she was wearing, to establish her identity.
On page 1130 of the judgment, under paragraph 703, the court framed the issue as whether the prosecution's contention that NS Sunil (Pulsar Suni) recorded visuals of the gold ring worn by the victim at the time of the occurrence, so as to clearly disclose her identity, was sustainable.
The prosecution contended Dileep and Suni had planned the recording so that the actress' identity would be unmistakable, with the video of the gold ring intended to convince Dileep that the visuals were genuine.
However, the court noted that this contention was not stated in the first charge sheet and was introduced only in the second one.
As part of this claim, a gold ring was seized after the victim produced it before the police.
The court observed that multiple statements of the victim were recorded from February 18, 2017, following the incident, and that she first raised allegations against Dileep only on June 3, 2017.
Even on that day, nothing was mentioned about filming of the ring as claimed by the prosecution, the court said.
The prosecution failed to explain why the victim did not disclose this fact at the earliest available opportunities.
It further noted that although the victim had viewed the sexual assault visuals twice, she did not mention any specific recording of the gold ring on those occasions, which remained unexplained.
The court also examined the approvers' statements.
One approver told the magistrate that Dileep had instructed Pulsar Suni to record the victim's wedding ring.
The court observed that no such wedding ring was available with her at that time.
During the trial, the approver changed his version, the court said.
The Special Public Prosecutor put a leading question to the approver on whether Dileep had instructed the recording of the ring, after which he deposed that the instruction was to record it to prove the victim's identity.
The court observed that the approver changed his account to corroborate the victim's evidence.
When the same question was put to another approver, he repeated the claim during the trial but admitted he had never stated this fact before the investigating officer.
The court noted that the second approver even went to the extent of claiming Dileep had instructed the execution of the crime as the victim's engagement was over.
This showed that the evidence of the second approver regarding the shooting of the ring was untrue, as her engagement had taken place after the crime.
The court further observed that the visuals themselves clearly revealed the victim's identity and that there was no need to capture images of the ring to establish identity.
In paragraph 887, the court examined the alleged motive behind the crime and noted that in the first charge sheet, the prosecution had claimed that accused persons 1 to 6 had kidnapped the victim with the common intention of capturing nude visuals to extort money by threatening to circulate them and there was no mention about Dileep's role in it.
The court also rejected the prosecution's claim that the accused had been planning the assault on Dileep's instructions since 2013, noting that the allegation was not supported by reliable evidence.
It similarly ruled out the claim that Suni attempted to sexually assault the victim in Goa in January 2017, stating that witness statements showed no such misconduct when he served as the driver of the vehicle used by the actress there.
The court also discussed various controversies that followed Dileep's arrest and the evidence relied upon by the prosecution, ultimately finding that the case had not been proved.
Pronouning its verdict on the sensational case on December 8, the court acquitted Dileep and three others.
Later, the court sentenced six accused, including the prime accused Suni, to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment.
The assault on the multilingual actress, after the accused allegedly forced their way into her car and held it under their control for two hours on February 17, 2017, had shocked Kerala.
Pulsar Suni sexually assaulted the actress and video recorded the act with the help of the other convicted persons in the moving car.
