BeyondHeadlines

Tag: black money

  • Govt Investigates Corruption Charges Against Ramdev, aide

    Govt Investigates Corruption Charges Against Ramdev, aide

    BeyondHeadlines News Desk

    New Delhi: Baba Ramdev’s close associate Acharya Balkrishna has been missing following the June 4 clash at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. Sources say the government will probe the alleged fake passport Balkrishna holds. If the immigration department puts up a complaint, action will be taken against him.

    The going is getting tough for Ramdev too, as the Government looks to probe his assets.

    Swami Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna, (Courtesy: India Today)

    From yoga guru to would be politician to business tycoon – the meteoric rise of Baba Ramdev and his yoga and ayurveda empire is now getting as much attention as his fight against corruption.

    After being evicted from Delhi, Ramdev has gone back to Haridwar. But it looks like it’s not going to be an easy run for him anymore, as the government is hot on his trail.

    Some of the details made available by government sources to CNN-IBN reveal a maze of companies that are run and maintained by Ramdev’s key men.

    Over 200 businesses from broadcasting companies including Aastha TV to food parks are run by his trusted lieutenants Acharya Balkrishna and Mukta Anand. There are no specific charges against them that the finance ministry is looking at, but a detailed income tax survey is currently being done. Even Hindu spiritual leaders want Ramdev’s assets probed.

    “Ramdev has a lot of land and assets worth crores. These should be probed as well,” said Puri shankaracharya Swami Adhokshjanand Tirtha.

    Questions are also being asked about nationality of Balkrishna, who has mysteriously disappeared from public view after the midnight swoop at the Ramlila Maidan.

    “Balkrishna is a Nepalese citizen. He committed a crime there and came to India. He also has a Nepalese passport,” said Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh.

    If that isn’t enough, it now appears that Ramdev has run afoul of the US FDA. He has been denied permission to sell ayurveda products in the United States. The FDA has leveled allegations of misbranding, selling products that are either not listed or not approved.

    The Health Ministry says it will scrutinise the drug business of Baba Ramdev.

    “We will look at these issues separately once the dust settles down,” said Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

    This is not the first brush with controversy for Ramdev. In January 2006 also, charges of land grab had surfaced. It had then reported that Ramdev’s Patanjali Yog Peeth had grabbed government land. Now the Roorkee SDM has confirmed a farm land grab of over 2.98 hectares.

    Asked about allegations of land grab against the Divya Yog Trust in 2006, Acharya Balakrishna had reacted by saying, “Who are you to ask me…who do you think you are?”

    Baba Ramdev’s fight against corruption has opened him to many charges and many inquiries into the meteoric rise of his business in the last eight years. The Rs 1100 crore yoga-to-medicine business empire is also facing charges of land grab. But an aggressive Government probe at this point could be seen as witch-hunt of a baba, who dared the Congress and made it quite uncomfortable for them.

     

  • Hazare Shifts Day-Long Protest Venue to Rajghat

    BeyondHeadlines  Staff Reporter

    New Delhi: After not getting permission to sit on fast tomorrow at Jantar Mantar against the police crackdown on the Baba Ramdev camp, Anna Hazare along with his close aide will not stage the day-long protest at Rajghat. “The decision was made with an aim to avoid confrontation with the police, Right to Information (RTI) activist Arvind Kejriwal told BeyondHeadlines.
    Both Kejriwal and Hazare are part of the Lokpal Bill drafting panel.
    “We are shifting to Rajghat. We have spoken to the commissioner of police and will fast in the vicinity of Rajghat tomorrow from 10 am till about 6 pm. We will fast and pray the whole day,” Kejriwal said.
    “There will also be a debate on the Lokpal bill at 5 pm,” he added.
    While Baba Ramdev had held his protest at Ramlila ground, Hazare and other activists had announced a fast at the Jantar Mantar soon after the yoga guru’s eviction from Delhi.
    Police Sunday imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in areas that include the Jantar Mantar and Ramlila ground.

  • Govt Reportedly Denies Giving Permission to Anna to Sit on One-Day Hunger Strike

    BeyondHeadlines  News Desk

    New Delhi: The government today denied giving permission to Anna Hazare to stage a one-day fast, CNN-IBN reported. Hazare had applied for permission to hold a fast on June 8 but sources say that the government is in no mood to relent.

    They point out that as Section 144 (unlawful assembly) of the Criminal Procedure Code is in force in New Delhi so the permission will not be granted.

    The sources say that the government is also unlikely to start any negotiations with Hazare or Baba Ramdev. The government is of the view that governance has a procedure and law making is its prerogative.

    Shanti Bhushan had sent a notice to the Delhi Police this morning on behalf of Anna Hazare saying that they had given a call to the public for a day long fast at Jantar Mantar on June 8.

    Social activists Aanna Hazare, Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Shanti Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal met on Tuesday to discuss the future course of action in regard to the proposed June 8 protest fast and the Lokpal Bill.

    Arvind Kejriwal said that protest called for by Hazare would be held even if it meant courting arrest.

    “We will go ahead with our plan to protest at Jantar Mantar tomorrow. Section 144 seems to be arbitrary, if there is a real law and order problem, then let the government tell us. We are also not irresponsible. The government seems to believe that it has a right to be corrupt and who ever raises their voice against corruption, they impose section 144. If the police stops us, we will court arrest,” said Kejriwal.

    Rajya Sabha Member BK Hari Prasad condemned Anna Hazare’s reaction to the midnight crackdown at the Ramlila Maidan on Saturday saying that there was nothing wrong wih it.

    “There was nothing wrong in the midnight action taken by the police at the Ramlila Maidan. It seems as if there was a conspiracy to create a Godhra like situation in the Capital.”

    Prasad also said that Hazare was the face of the RSS saying that, “Anna Hazare is a ‘Mukhauta’ for the Sangh Parivar.”

    He also took a stand against the BJP’s 24-hour Satyagraha held at Rajghat.

    “To see the leader of Opposition dancing at Rajghat is an insult for the father of the nation,” added Prasad.

  • Set Up Committee on Black Money Likely to Meet This Week

    BeyondHeadlines Staff Reporter

    New Delhi: This might give a sigh of relief to anti-black money “crusader” Baba Ramdev, the recently constituted high-level committee to examine one of the recommendations of the yoga guru to declare black money as a national asset is expected to meet this week.

    “The panel’s first meeting is scheduled for this week,” said an official with the central board of direct taxes. The government had on May 28 constituted the panel under the chairmanship of CBDT to examine ways to strengthen laws to curb the generation of black money in the country, its illegal transfer abroad and its recovery. The move was seen as part of the government’s efforts to placate the yoga guru.

    Talks with Ramdev collapsed leading to the government cancelling permission to his yoga camp and evicting him from the city late night on Saturday. The government is keen the panel gives its recommendations quickly.

    The panel is to examine the existing legal and administrative framework to deal with the menace of generation of black money through illegal means, declaring wealth generated illegally as national asset, enacting or amending laws to confiscate and recover such assets and providing for exemplary punishment against its perpetrators.

    The panel includes director, Enforcement Directorate(ED), director general, directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI), director general (Currency) and officials from CBDT and other intelligence organisations. It will submit its report in six months.

    The finance ministry has also asked three academic institutions as members to estimate black money in the country besides creating a directorate of criminal intelligence under income tax.

     

  • Ramdev Trying to Gain ‘Cheap’ Publicity: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot

    BeyondHeadlines News Desk

    New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot yesterday accused Baba Ramdev of trying to gain cheap publicity by levelling “false” allegations against United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperon Sonia Gandhi that the midninght police crackdown at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan was carried out at her behest.

    “Ramdev’s statement, that the incident happened in New Delhi at the behest of Sonia Gandhi and she will be responsible if anything happens to him, is aimed at gaining cheap publicity and shows vested interests,” Gehlot said here.

    “Opposition leaders often make false accusations against the UPA chairperson to grab public attention but she has nothing to do with these matters. She has always acted against corruption and also inspired congress-ruled states to work in this direction,” Gehlot said.

  • Left Parties To Make Views Clear on Lokpal Bill After Draft is Ready

    BeyondHeadlines Staff Reporter

    New Delhi: Following the footstep of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left parties have informed the government that hey would make their views on the Lokpal Bill clear only after its draft was ready.

    While giving separate replies to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s letter, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary AB Bardhan refused to respond to his questionnaire on provisions of the Lokpal Bill. While Karat said his party had views that went beyond the six queries posed by the minister, Bardhan slammed the government for “ignoring” political parties when the drafting committee, comprising government and civil society representatives, was set up.

    “Our party has definite views on the nature and scope of the Lokpal authority to be set-upa¦ The issues that need to be considered are not necessarily confined to the six questions which you have posed to be answered in yes or no terms,” Karat said. He said the government should prepare a draft of the Lokpal legislation on which the party will be able to give its views. “You can seek our views before it is presented to Parliament. If that is not possible, then we shall certainly express our views on the draft through the parliamentary procedures,” he said.

    In a letter to joint Lokpal bill drafting committee chairman and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee , CPI general secretary AB Bardhan said at no stage were the political parties involved or ever consulted during the entire process of constituting the joint drafting committee.

    Bardhan, who said the CPI did not see why it was called upon at this stage to seek views of political parties, said “we are not aware who gave the mandate to the joint drafting committee”. He said the party had no access or knowledge of the issues that came up during discussions within the joint drafting committee. “Answers are sought by you to some issues in ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as in an objective test. We think this is a very casual way of inquiring from us on such an urgent, sensitive and important matter,” he said in the letter.

    He said the CPI was keen on an effective Lokpal Bill. “We insist that such a draft should be brought in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament. There can be no further delay. We as a political party will most certainly state our views and suggestions during the discussion on the bill in the Parliament and also say and write about them whenever we find it necessary,” he said.

    Among the issues on which the government has sought the views of political parties are contentious ones like whether the prime minister and judiciary should be brought within the purview of the Lokpal. The government and civil society members have been at loggerheads on these issues. Mukherjee wrote to all chief ministers and political parties seeking their views, saying the Centre felt all stakeholders needed to be consulted on some “basic issues”.

     

  • Govt Was in Full Preparation Before Crackdown on Baba Ramdev

    Govt Was in Full Preparation Before Crackdown on Baba Ramdev

    BeyondHeadlines News Desk

    New Delhi: The government had its ‘Plan B’ ready hours before the Delhi Police picked up Baba Ramdev early on Sunday.
    The government wanted to put him on a flight away from the media glare and had stationed a BSF helicopter at Safdarjung airport to transport the yoga guru to Dehradun. As a back-up , the Delhi Police, in consultation with the Home Ministry, had the paramilitary force’s Embraer aircraft ready at Palam technical area suspecting that it might have to use this option in case its initial plan didn’t succeed.
    Courtesy: NDTV
    “Our plan to use Safdarjung airport got leaked and we had to rush Baba to Palam technical area from where he was sent to Dehradun using a BSF aircraft,” an official said.
    The official said the Centre had to inform the Uttarakhand government about Baba’s externment as he was supposed to be sent to Hardwar via Dehradun. But the information that he would be flown from Safdarjung airport got leaked from Dehradun and Ramdev’s followers and media gathered there quickly, he added.
    After seeing the gathering and TV crew outside Safdarjung airpot, the Delhi Police kept Ramdev in a government guesthouse for a few hours and then took him to Palam technical area. Two police officials accompanied the yoga guru to Dehradun in the Embraer aircraft.
    As per the externment order, which came into effect the moment police served it to him at midnight, Ramdev was not supposed to turn himself away. A section of officials in Delhi are asking whether Baba should not have been booked for defying the order when he jumped into the crowd and asked them not to obey the law.
    Sources, however, said the Delhi Police did not want to complicate matters and preferred to evict him from Ramlila Maidan and transport him as quickly as possible to Hardwar. Preparations for the midnight action began at 4 pm on Saturday.
  • PM: Police Operation in Ramlila Ground “Unfortunate” But “No Alternative”

    PM: Police Operation in Ramlila Ground “Unfortunate” But “No Alternative”

    BeyondHeadlines  News Desk

    New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the police action against Baba Ramdev as “unfortunate” but at the same time said that no alternative was left.

    File photo of PM Dr Manmohan Singh

    When asked about police actions, in his first response Dr Singh said, “It is unfortunate that operation had to be conducted but quite honestly, there was no alternative.”

    He reiterated that “the government is serious and we are concerned about corruption and black money. There is no doubt. But there is no magic wand.”

    He, however, refused to comment on whether prime minister should come within the ambit of the proposed Lokpal Bill.

    Oppositions BJP and CPI(M) have meanwhile criticised the PM.

    Reacting to the PM’s statement, BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, “The statement of the Prime Minister vindicates BJP’s stand that it seems the unleashing of midnight terror on innocents was orchestrated by the PM and his office in consent with 10 Janpath.”

    He alleged that the PM office has “fallen in grace for all times to come” and that he has lost credibility by justifying the “terror…unleashed on common man” instead of condoning it.

    Birinda Karat of CPI (M), who in 2006 had accused Baba Ramdev of using human bones in his ayurvedic medicines, too expressed regret over PM’s statement.

    She told media, “I feel sorry that he has not expressed regret.”

  • NHRC Seeks Report of Police Action at Ramlila Ground

    NHRC Seeks Report of Police Action at Ramlila Ground

    M Reyaz  BeyondHeadlines

    New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices on the police action at the Ramlila ground on Saturday night where stamped like situation was created after the cancellation of permission for holding ‘yoga’ camp was cancelled and crowed dispersed.

    Police used tear gas to disperse supporters of Swami Ramdev (Courtesy: The Hindu/PTI)

    The  Rights panel issued statement saying it is “pained to see media reports and complaints alleging unconstitutional police action in the midnight involving shelling of tear gas shells, lathicharge and forceful eviction of a large number of people sleeping under the pandal, the venue of a protest at Ramlila Ground.”

    It has accordingly issued notices on Monday to the “Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary, Government of NCT Delhi, and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, calling for their reports within two weeks in the matter.”

    The commission has specifically asked three points: Reasons for resorting to such an action in the midnight; how many people have been injured and is there any proposal to compensate them; how many people have been missing and what steps have been taken to trace them out.

    About 60 people are reported to have been injured in the skirmish between police and supporters of Baba Ramdev, who had gathered on his call against black money and corruption.

    Ramdev have alleged that police indulged in “barbarism and atrocities.”

    The Supreme Court too has issued suo motu notice to the government.

  • Shoe Brandishing at Congress Spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi

    Shoe Brandishing at Congress Spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi

    BeyondHeadlines Staff Reporter

    New Delhi: Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi was brandished with shoe at a press conference today as he launched a fierce attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Baba Ramdev.

    The man, who posed as a journalist and allegedly identified as Sunil Kumar, was caught by Congressmen.

    Soon after being greeted with slippers, Dwivedi said that the attack was carried out in a planned manner.

    Courtesy: Sahara Samay

    Earlier, Dwivedi had mocked yoga guru Ramdev for dressing as a woman to avoid being arrested by the police on Saturday night. He also alleged that “people with same ideology that killed Mahatma Gandhi to go on dharna on the Rajghat.”

    The yoga teacher’s hunger strike against corruption was interrupted by the Delhi Police on late Saturday night. The government had ordered the police to dismantle the camp and force the yoga icon out of Ramlila Maidan. There were 65,000 people at the Baba’s camp when the police lathicharged and teargassed the crowd. After a dramatic chase that ended with the yoga icon being discovered dressed as a woman, the Baba was flown to Uttarakhand.

    Sunil Kumar, a resident of Jhunjhnu in Rajashtan, initially claimed that he is a journalist and associated with Nav Samachar Patrika. Patrika has, however, denied that he is associated with them.

    Initial reports suggested that he is an English teacher from Rajashtan.

    Congress leaders have  alleged that they  “won’t be surprised if later it comes out that he is associated with either RSS or BJP.”

    Police has taken Sunil into custody and he is being interrogated at the Tughlaqabad Police station.

    The government has been submerged in criticism since then by every major political party and social activists. Dwivedi was defending the government’s decision to pull the plug on the Baba’s camp at the official Congress briefing this evening.