Pimpri-Chinchwad Crime: Lawyer Defrauded Of ₹1.80 Crore By Cyber Impersonators Posing As CBI Officers

**Senior Citizen Lawyer Duped of ₹1.80 Crore by Fraudsters Posing as CBI Officers in Pimpri-Chinchwad**

In a disturbing case of online fraud, a senior citizen lawyer from Pimpri-Chinchwad was cheated out of ₹1.80 crore by imposters pretending to be officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The incident, which took place in Udyam Nagar, Pimpri, was reported to the Cyber Police Station on Wednesday.

Ganpat Balaji Kakade, a 73-year-old resident of Udyam Nagar, fell victim to the scam between September 4 and September 19. The fraudsters reportedly used Kakade’s Aadhaar card details and falsely claimed that money laundering activities were being conducted using his name. They threatened him with arrest in a fabricated money laundering case to intimidate him.

Fearing legal repercussions, the lawyer transferred a total of ₹1,80,37,000 to various bank accounts controlled by the suspects. The accused included individuals holding three different mobile numbers and four separate bank accounts.

According to police sources, the fraudsters not only threatened Ganpat Kakade but also warned him that his wife would be arrested if he failed to comply. They further cautioned the couple against discussing the matter with anyone, threatening that those people could be arrested as well. To gain the lawyer’s trust, the scammers went to the extent of sending fake PDF documents bearing the names of senior police officers.

A police official stated, “The suspects forced the lawyer to transfer funds into different bank accounts, assuring him that the money would be returned once a verification process was completed. However, the lawyer never received any refund.” Upon realizing that he had been duped, Kakade lodged a complaint with the authorities, and a formal investigation is currently underway.

This incident serves as a reminder to remain vigilant against such sophisticated scams and verify the authenticity of calls or messages claiming official authority.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/pimpri-chinchwad-crime-lawyer-defrauded-of-180-crore-by-cyber-impersonators-posing-as-cbi-officers

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian review: Course correction

Atelier, Gust’s long-running item synthesis RPG series, reached new heights with the debut of *Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout* in 2019. Gust used that momentum to sincerely attempt to reinvent what Atelier is in terms of systems and scale, leading to the massive and successful *Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land*.

At the same time, the series couldn’t escape a certain albatross hovering above Japanese RPGs. We saw *Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy & the Liberator of Polar Night* hit mobile and PC as a free-to-play game with a gacha system. The history here is as important as it is fun to write out all the titles! That’s because *Polar Night* hardly made it a year in the global market before being shut down.

The years 2024 and 2025 have been brutal for mobile spin-offs of RPG giants, with even Square Enix shutting down games left and right—some of which had been around for five or more years. Atelier really had no chance. Gust seems to have responded to the matter with today’s review subject, *Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian*.

### Part Two: Atelier Boogaloo

Set in the same world as *Polar Night*, this game is a normal Atelier adventure, featuring turn-based combat, characters who join the journey as part of the story, and no online restrictions or currency-adjacent gameplay limitations.

While it’s impossible to know if this was supposed to be a mobile game or some kind of expansion to *Polar Night*, it feels more like a course correction or a pivot than an entirely new entity—and is held back by systems that feel like a mobile game being fed into a proverbial wood chipper.

The *Red Alchemist & the White Guardian* lets you choose between two characters:

– **Rias**, a scrappy girl who sifts through ruins in search of treasure (all while avoiding her overprotective sister, who works for the local government body), and
– **Slade**, a guy whose father passed down a mysterious relic and an empty book that also seem connected to things lost civilizations have left behind.

The two meet, and their goals immediately intertwine—especially as Rias discovers she can utilize the lost art of alchemy. These characters have a lot of personality and chemistry that make this game feel like an early win.

Rias is an especially fun twist on the typical Atelier protagonist, starting her story running away from a giant, rolling Puni (think a slime from *Dragon Quest* but obnoxiously cuter) in a ruin—a goofy homage to Indiana Jones. Slade is more serious, playing the straight-man role well against Rias’s antics. I was having a good time just seeing these characters bounce off each other, but soon the game itself stepped in the way, catching me off guard with how, well, sloppy it feels.

### Slapdash Adventure

After the rising quality of the Secret series and the go-for-broke energy of *Yumia*, *Resleriana 2* (I guess we can call it that?) feels slapped together in almost every way—from its low-budget look to its grind and menu-heavy systems that are impossible not to associate with mobile game design.

Systems involve running a shop with identical, color-swapped fairies as staff, and a series of simple dungeons you don’t have to think much to get through (and find an endless array of said fairies to throw money at and recruit for your store). Everything you need to access is localized to a small hub, the story is told at a very slow pace, and is seasoned with shallow bonding relationship scenes with the characters you meet. Alchemy feels held back and de-streamlined compared to other recent games, seemingly in favor of encouraging grinding and resource management.

During *Ryza*’s rise and Atelier’s growth arc, Gust released other games. We saw a surprise sequel to an earlier Atelier game (*Sophie 2*) and a sequel to Koei Tecmo’s *Fairy Tail* adaptation. While I had my issues with the latter (*Sophie 2* rules), both of these titles still had the oomph, fidelity, and strong sense of identity as Gust’s bigger titles.

So this doesn’t feel like a sort of reined-in spin-off, or at least explainable as such. It’s like a massive step backwards—one that would be extremely confusing if not for what you get when you plug *Atelier Resleriana* into a search engine.

### Combat: A Bright Spot

One aspect in which *Resleriana 2* does shine is combat. It’s a move back to traditional turn-based battle from the more active systems in recent games, but the twists it brings to the table are fun to engage with.

The game places a big emphasis on characters working together with follow-up attacks, alongside a replenishing Ability Point system that means fights are more about maintaining a flow than worrying about dwindling resources. Combat moves at a fast pace and rewards paying attention to turn order and enemy weaknesses. It’s nice to command characters as a party after several years of real-time systems focusing on individual control.

### Looks Like a Duck, Quacks Like a Duck. Not a Duck?

Even if this game has its own merits—which it does (to be clear, it’s still an Atelier game with the same core loop that makes these games fun)—it’s almost immediately compromised narratively by its connections to the previous game.

Not only do characters from previous Ateliers show up as dimension-traveling Wanderers (a clear tell of mobage adjacency; sorry, *Octopath Traveler* fans, but it’s true), characters from the first *Resleriana* and allusions to its story also make appearances and are presented as a big deal.

Unless you played that game before March 2025, it’s impossible to get that context without consulting YouTube or other external sources. That’s a big problem, if you ask me!

### Final Thoughts

I’ve come to really dig Atelier over the years after kind of avoiding them for a long time (time limits stress me out, I’ll be honest), so much so that I’ve imported the physical trilogy carts for Nintendo Switch and even pre-ordered the special edition for *Ryza 2* back when I had the means to do so. I say that to emphasize the weight of my words when I state how much of a step backwards on the series’ evolutionary trajectory this experience feels like.

*Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian* looks and feels cheap (I hate to go there, but it’s unavoidable) to play, and is full of what feel like kitbashed structural systems clumsily molded into a single-player game that suffers from its connection to a failed gacha joint. It bums me out to say it, but that’s the vibe.

### Release Information

*Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian* is available on September 26, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A PS5 code was provided by the publisher for this review.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146079/atelier-resleriana-red-alchemist-white-guardian-review-score

How Much Could $500 Invested in Ozak AI Today Be Worth by 2026? A Detailed Breakdown of Potential Returns and Growth Scenarios

Crypto buyers are usually in search of projects capable of transforming small allocations into life-changing sums. In 2025, one name is set to rise above the noise: **Ozak AI**.

Currently in Stage 6 of its presale at a price of $0.012 per token, Ozak AI has already raised more than $3.4 million and sold over 915 million tokens. With its ambitious roadmap that merges artificial intelligence with blockchain, investors are asking a simple but critical question:

**If I invest $500 into Ozak AI today, how much could it realistically be worth by 2026?**

### Ozak AI’s $500 Entry Point

At its current presale price of $0.012, a $500 investment secures approximately **41,666 OZ tokens**. This relatively modest allocation offers investors a sizable stake in the project while limiting risk compared to blue-chip assets like Ethereum or Bitcoin, which already require high entry prices.

What makes Ozak AI especially appealing is its **asymmetric upside**—the potential for exponential returns without needing a massive upfront capital commitment.

### Growth Scenario 1: Conservative Gains

Let’s assume Ozak AI launches successfully and gains steady adoption but doesn’t hit the high price targets some analysts predict. If OZ tokens rise to **$0.10 by 2026**, a level reflecting the early growth trajectories of other strong altcoins, your $500 stake would grow to **$4,166**.

That’s more than an 8x return in just a few years—much stronger than what most traditional investments typically offer.

### Growth Scenario 2: Moderate Expansion

In a more optimistic yet reasonable scenario, Ozak AI could trade at **$0.50 by 2026**, especially if its partnerships and adoption within the AI-blockchain ecosystem continue to gain momentum.

At that price, your $500 investment would be worth **$20,833**—a 40x return, placing Ozak AI among tokens delivering exponential profits to early believers.

### Growth Scenario 3: The Bold 100x Projection

Some analysts are even more bullish, projecting that Ozak AI could reach **$1.20 by 2026** if it successfully executes its vision and achieves widespread traction.

At this valuation, the 41,666 tokens acquired with a $500 investment now would be worth **$50,000**—the kind of life-changing multiple early investors in Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon once experienced.

This is why Ozak AI is attracting both retail buyers and whales during its presale.

### Why These Projections Are Plausible

Skeptics may argue that 100x forecasts are overly ambitious, but Ozak AI has several factors working in its favor:

– **Innovative Mission:** Ozak AI aims to compress information latency and deliver real-time predictive signals, positioning itself at the intersection of two powerful tech narratives—artificial intelligence and blockchain.

– **Strong Partnerships:** It has already secured collaborations with credible names such as:
– Perceptron Network (@PerceptronNTWK), boasting over 700,000 active nodes,
– SINT, known for autonomous AI agents and voice-driven interfaces,
– HIVE, a blockchain data API that pairs seamlessly with Ozak’s 30ms predictive signals.

These partnerships provide a robust technological and strategic foundation that sets Ozak AI apart from hype-driven projects.

– **Whale Accumulation:** Large investors have been actively accumulating OZ tokens during the presale, a bullish signal. Whales typically look beyond hype, focusing on long-term scalability and infrastructure that can drive exponential growth. Their involvement not only validates Ozak AI’s potential but also creates scarcity, making presale allocations more valuable.

### Ozak AI’s Risk Factors

Of course, like all presale tokens, Ozak AI carries risks:

– Execution challenges,
– Market volatility,
– Competition within the AI and blockchain sectors.

However, the low entry price combined with high upside potential makes it attractive even for risk-conscious investors. The worst-case scenario limits losses to the initial presale investment, while the best-case offers life-changing rewards.

### Summary: Potential Returns on a $500 Investment by 2026

| Price per OZ Token | Value of 41,666 OZ Tokens | Return Multiple |
|——————–|—————————|—————–|
| $0.10 | $4,166 | 8.3x |
| $0.50 | $20,833 | 41.6x |
| $1.20 | $50,000 | 100x |

With over $3.4 million raised, growing whale confidence, and strategic partnerships strengthening its roadmap, Ozak AI is positioning itself as one of the most compelling opportunities in the AI altcoin era.

### The Bottom Line

For investors, the question isn’t whether Ozak AI will rise in 2026, but **how high** it can climb. For those willing to take the leap, a $500 investment today could potentially turn into a fortune tomorrow.

### About Ozak AI

Ozak AI is a blockchain-based crypto project specializing in predictive AI and advanced data analytics for financial markets. By leveraging machine learning algorithms and decentralized network technologies, Ozak AI delivers real-time, accurate, and actionable insights to help crypto enthusiasts and businesses make smarter decisions.

### Learn More

– **Website:** [Insert Website URL]
– **Telegram:** [Insert Telegram Link]
– **Twitter:** [Insert Twitter Link]

**Disclaimer:** This is a press release provided by a third party responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before making any investment decisions.
https://blockonomi.com/how-much-could-500-invested-in-ozak-ai-today-be-worth-by-2026-a-detailed-breakdown-of-potential-returns-and-growth-scenarios/

Punjab: Amritsar Police arrests six, recovers 4.03 kg heroin and two pistols

Acting on intelligence inputs, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police on Thursday arrested six operatives involved in cross-border heroin and weapons supply. During the operation, authorities recovered 4.03 kg of heroin and two pistols, effectively dismantling a major narcotics and arms network, according to the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Police.

In a social media post on X, the DGP revealed that preliminary investigations showed the arrested individuals were in contact with a Pakistan-based handler through social media platforms. They were receiving consignments of heroin and weapons in the Khemkaran and Ferozpur sectors. These consignments were being pushed by Pakistani smugglers using drones for supply in the Amritsar area.

The official post stated:
“In an intelligence-led operation, Amritsar Commissionerate Police dismantled a major narcotics and arms network. Six operatives involved in cross-border heroin and weapons supply were apprehended, and 4.03 kg heroin along with two pistols (one Glock 9mm and one .30 bore pistol) were recovered.

Preliminary investigation revealed the arrested accused were in contact with Pakistan-based handler Shah through social media platforms. They were receiving heroin and weapons consignments in Khemkaran and Ferozepur sectors, being pushed in by Pakistan smugglers through drones for supply in the Amritsar area.”

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at the Gate Islamabad Police Station, and further investigations are underway to expose the entire nexus, including both backward and forward linkages of the network.

The DGP emphasized:
“Punjab Police reiterates its commitment to dismantling narco-terror and organised crime networks to safeguard Punjab.”

In a related development the day before, the Punjab Police, acting on a backward linkage, busted a significant hawala network and recovered ₹2.05 crore. This operation was spearheaded by the Kapurthala Police, who arrested an associate involved in funding operations linked to a Ludhiana-based hawala operator.

DGP Punjab Police, Gaurav Yadav, commented:
“Acting swiftly on backward linkages, Kapurthala Police busted a major hawala network, recovering ₹2.05 crore of hawala money. Our police team identified a Ludhiana-based hawala operator and arrested an associate involved in funding operations through hawala.”

He also highlighted ongoing efforts in combating cybercrime, stating:
“Last week, Kapurthala Police unearthed a large-scale online cyber-fraud scam in Phagwara. A case was registered at PS Cyber Crime, Kapurthala, leading to the arrest of 38 accused, along with the seizure of 40 laptops, 67 mobile phones, and ₹10 lakh of suspected hawala money linked to the scam.”

DGP Yadav added:
“Further investigation is underway to expose and neutralise the entire nexus. Punjab Police remains resolute in dismantling organised financial crime networks, curbing cyber fraud, and safeguarding citizens’ hard-earned money.”

*Note:* This story has been sourced from a third-party syndicated feed. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for the dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, or data of the text. Mid-day management and mid-day.com reserve the sole right to alter, delete, or remove content without notice at their absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/punjab-amritsar-police-arrests-six-recovers-4-03-kg-heroin-and-two-pistols-23595756

PBA says Northport sale to Pureblends ‘almost a done deal’

MANILA, Philippines – The PBA expects the sale of the NorthPort franchise to Pureblends Corporation to be approved soon, commissioner Willie Marcial said on Thursday.

Marcial disclosed that only a few minor details are being sorted out before the league gives its go-signal for the food manufacturing company to take over the Batang Pier’s lock.

https://sports.inquirer.net/641661/pba-says-northport-sale-to-pureblends-almost-a-done-deal

TRP Report Week 37: Anupamaa, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 3 And Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Continue To Be In Top 3

The TRP report for Week 37 has been released by BARC, and according to Gossips TV, the rankings remain competitive among popular television shows.

Anupamaa continues to hold the first position with a TRP of 2.4, maintaining its strong viewership base. Following closely at second place is Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2, which has shown notable growth this week, securing a TRP of 2.1. At the third spot, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai remains steady with a TRP of 1.9.

Sharad Kelkar’s Tum Se Tum Tak holds the fourth position with a TRP of 1.8, showing consistent performance. Udne Ki Aasha makes a comeback into the top 5, registering a TRP of 1.7.

Meanwhile, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, which was fifth last week, has dropped to the sixth position with a TRP of 1.7. Zee TV’s Vasudha makes a remarkable jump from the 10th spot last week to the seventh position this week, scoring a TRP of 1.4.

Close behind Vasudha is Mangal Lakshmi at the eighth position, also with a TRP of 1.4. Colors TV’s Mannat has entered the top 10 this week, landing at ninth place with a TRP of 1.3.

Rounding off the top 10 is Lakshmi Ka Safar, holding a TRP of 1.3. Bigg Boss 19, which entered the top 10 last week at ninth place, has slipped to the 11th position this week with the same TRP of 1.3.

With Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 gaining momentum, it will be interesting to see if the show can overtake Anupamaa and claim the top spot in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more updates!
https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/trp-report-week-37-anupamaa-kyunki-saas-bhi-kabhi-bahu-thi-3-and-yeh-rishta-kya-kehlata-hai-continue-to-be-in-top-3

Western Railway’s Coach Care Depot, Mumbai Central Celebrates Swachhata Hi Seva 2025

In a remarkable display of innovation and environmental responsibility, the Coach Care Centre at Mumbai Central has launched a unique “Best from Waste” initiative. The team has successfully created an intricate model of a locomotive—crafted entirely from discarded and scrap materials.

According to a press release issued by Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, this inspiring initiative reflects not only the exceptional creativity and craftsmanship of the Mumbai Central team but also their strong commitment to sustainability. By repurposing unused items into a symbol of pride, the team has demonstrated the immense potential of recycling and resourcefulness.

The model now proudly stands at the Coach Care Centre as a testament to the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, encouraging others to adopt eco-friendly practices in their daily operations. Aligned with the Government of India’s “Swachhata Hi Seva” campaign, this effort underscores the powerful message that waste, when viewed through the lens of innovation, can be transformed into something meaningful and inspirational.

This initiative has garnered appreciation from across the board and serves as a motivating example of how small actions, driven by creativity and collective effort, can lead to impactful outcomes for both the environment and society.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/corporate-gallery/western-railways-coach-care-depot-mumbai-central-celebrates-swachhata-hi-seva-2025

MSNBC Analyst Blames ICE Policies After Shooter Opens Fire on Dallas Facility [WATCH]

During Wednesday’s broadcast of *Katy Tur Reports* on MSNBC, network Security and Intelligence Analyst Christopher O’Leary discussed the recent shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Texas. He argued that federal law enforcement practices should be reviewed alongside calls to reduce heated political rhetoric.

O’Leary began by characterizing terrorism as a form of communication aimed at shaping perceptions beyond those directly affected. “So, terrorism is theater. It’s intended to influence an audience beyond its immediate victims. It’s putting a message out. And terrorism falls into really three categories: It’s either religiously motivated, ideologically motivated, or, in this case, politically motivated,” he said.

He added, “The politically motivated ones don’t happen in a vacuum. It happens because conditions have been set that people start acting out against.”

According to O’Leary, the current environment has fueled anger and contributed to violent acts targeting government institutions. He cited several factors, including diminishing confidence in institutions, economic inequality, and the operational methods of federal law enforcement agencies.

“The conditions are distrust in institutions that’s been building for quite some time, attacks on institutions, the wealth gap, oppressive policies—at least this is what people perceive—and then the militarization of ICE and other federal law enforcement, the wearing of the masks, the aggressive tactics,” O’Leary explained.

He argued that these conditions create a sense among some individuals that violent acts are the only available means of protest. “So, the people who are starting to act out against this feel it’s their only recourse. Again, this is predictable. We see this happening throughout our history and in other places as well,” he said.

While noting that toning down heated political rhetoric is important, O’Leary maintained that addressing underlying policies and enforcement methods is equally necessary.

“So, we can tone down the rhetoric, and that’s the right message. But you also have to start looking at what policies you’ve implemented and what tactics you’re using, because if you tone down the rhetoric but you leave those other pieces in place, nothing’s going to change,” he emphasized.

O’Leary’s comments followed reports of gunfire directed at an ICE facility in Texas, which authorities confirmed is under investigation.

His remarks highlighted an ongoing debate over the relationship between public discourse, government policy, and violent acts targeting federal agencies. He framed the Texas shooting as part of a broader pattern in which political motivations drive individuals to target institutions they see as symbols of oppressive or unfair practices.

As the investigation into the ICE facility shooting continues, O’Leary’s analysis suggests that federal agencies may face increasing scrutiny—not only over the incidents themselves but also over the policies and tactics that critics argue contribute to the conditions in which such attacks occur.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/09/msnbc-analyst-blames-ice-policies-after-shooter-opens-fire-on-dallas-facility-watch/

What do you use Eridium for in Borderlands 4?

How to Use Eridium in Borderlands 4

The mystical ore called Eridium is central to the lore of the Borderlands series and has always played an essential role in its endgame. This remains true in Borderlands 4, where Eridium is used for several valuable endgame progression and farming purposes.

Eridium has three main uses in the endgame of Borderlands 4, and you’ll need to be judicious about how you use it, as they can get exceedingly expensive:

  • Respec your Specializations. Cost: 5,000 Eridium per instance.
  • Activate the weekly Moxxi’s Big Encore machine. Cost: 100 Eridium per instance.
  • Use the Firmware Transfer machine. Cost: Variable.

Spend Eridium to Respec Specializations

Specializations are unlocked in the endgame, providing permanent upgrades to your characters that can scale infinitely. Since 5,000 Eridium is a substantial amount, it’s important to be intentional about where you spend your Specialization points.

One or two points may not offer a massive upgrade immediately, but they accumulate over time. Keep in mind that Specializations are build-agnostic and might not work well with every setup. If you decide to completely respec your character into a new build, you might end up spending that 5,000 Eridium — or risk losing a significant chunk of DPS.

Spend Eridium to Use Moxxi’s Big Encore Machines

Moxxi’s Big Encore machines are an exciting endgame feature that rotates weekly. They allow you to fight a select boss out in the world again with, according to Gearbox, “an even more rewarding loot pool.”

For example, if you want to fight The Bod, you’ll need to wait for Axemaul to be the featured Big Encore boss, and so on. Don’t underestimate the 100 Eridium cost per instance either. Even with increased drop chances, RNG can be cruel—you could easily spend 10,000 Eridium and not get the item you want.

Spend Eridium on Firmware Transfers

The Firmware Transfer machine is the third major way you’ll spend Eridium. While not as frequent as the other two uses, it can still consume a significant amount of resources. Costs vary depending on the type of gear to which you’re transferring firmware.

If you use this machine regularly, it can quickly deplete your Eridium reserves.

How to Get More Eridium in Borderlands 4

Most missions in the game award at least some Eridium, and killing Vile enemies and world bosses also provides a modest amount. However, the most effective way to obtain Eridium is by completing Vile Bounties.

You unlock access to Vile Bounties once you activate Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode. These are higher-difficulty Vile enemies found and killed in the overworld. Each kill grants a modest but significant amount of Eridium instantly, usually several hundred when leveling, with increasing rewards as you progress deeper into the endgame.

You can also farm Eridium somewhat efficiently by completing weekly Wildcard missions, provided you can finish them quickly. While these won’t give you as much Eridium per hour as Vile Bounties or base patrols, they still add up.

It’s likely that an activity with a better Eridium farm will be introduced within the first few DLC cycles. This will be necessary, as Borderlands DLCs historically add increasingly powerful Legendaries as the game’s life cycle progresses.

https://www.shacknews.com/article/146107/what-do-you-use-eridium-for-in-borderlands-4

1984 riots case: Sajjan Kumar’s appeal listed for hearing in SC after Diwali

Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi, while hearing the matter, asked the counsel for the parties to specify the allegations, testimony of witnesses, and findings by the trial court and the high court in the case. “When the reversal was made, what persuaded the high court to make a reversal,” the bench inquired.

The high court had set aside the trial court’s 2010 verdict, which acquitted Kumar in the case. Senior advocate R S Cheema appeared for the CBI, while senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan represented Kumar in the top court.

Besides Kumar’s appeal, the pleas of co-convicts Balwan Khokhar and Girdhari Lal were also listed for hearing in the apex court.

The case relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment’s Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and the burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The anti-Sikh riots broke out after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards.

Kumar surrendered before a trial court in the capital on December 31, 2018, to serve the sentence following the high court’s December 17, 2018 judgment awarding him life imprisonment for the “remainder of his natural life.” After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party.

The high court convicted and sentenced Kumar to spend the remainder of his life in jail for the offences of criminal conspiracy and abetment in the commission of crimes including murder, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, acts prejudicial to the maintenance of communal harmony, and defiling and destruction of a Gurdwara.

It also upheld the conviction and varying sentences awarded by the trial court to five others, including Khokhar and Lal.

The high court’s verdict noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots, describing the event as a “carnage of unbelievable proportions.” The court labeled the riots a “crime against humanity” perpetrated by those who enjoyed “political patronage” and were aided by an “indifferent” law enforcement agency.

*Note: This story has been sourced from a third-party syndicated feed/agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, or data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete, or remove (without notice) the content at its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.*
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/1984-anti-sikh-riots-sc-to-hear-sajjan-kumars-plea-against-conviction-post-diwali-break-23595748

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