Fresh evidence against Nirav Modi to be submitted in UK court in few hours
Just before the crucial hearing on diamantaire Nirav Modi, the CBI and ED team met Crown Prosecution Service in London. Fresh evidence has been handed over to Crown Prosecution Service by the Indian agencies. This evidence will be submitted in the court today (March 29). Crown Prosecution Service has been briefed.
Sources have told that the motive of this new evidence will make the Indian government's case stronger against Nirav Modi as efforts are being made by the investigative agencies to keep Nirav Modi behind bars in London.
The Westminster Magistrates' Court will hear Nirav Modi's bail application today (Friday).
ED sources have told that prime accused in Rs 13,000 crore PNB fraud case remains a flight risk. The Crown Prosecution Service on behalf of the Indian government will be highlighting that Modi has traveled out of UK thrice when his passport was canceled by Indian authorities.
CBI sources have told that Nirav has made an attempt to resume business in the UK with the help of his associates based in the country. The agency, however, is still investigating the source of the capital used in setting up this business.
A top government official told, "We will try our best to keep him behind the bars. Along with the existing evidence, we have shared additional evidence so that CPS can convince the Westminster Magistrates' Court that Nirav Modi is a flight risk and a person with a lot of money power."
The Indian agencies fear that if Modi is out on bail, he may try to flee or hide.
In the last hearing, the London court rejected his bail application stating Nirav Modi is a flight risk.
To bring back the fugitive, Indian agencies and government, have stepped up efforts to expedite Nirav Modi's extradition to India after the fugitive businessman was arrested in London on March 19. His bail was rejected by the London court and he was sent to jail till March 29.
Officials have also informed CPS that an application has been filed in the court to declare Nirav Modi a fugitive economic offender.
On the other hand, Nirav Modi has also prepared his case and top lawyers will be presenting a strong defense for him before the court. His lawyers, according to sources, are going to argue that he is a law abiding citizen and the case against him is over politics in India.
Should Nirav Modi get bail?
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US To Begin Accepting New H-1B Visa Petitions From April 1
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would start accepting new H-1B visa petitions for the fiscal year 2020 starting April 1.
The employment start date for these visas would be October 1.
Like previous years, the regular visa cap limit for H-1B, this year remains at 65,000.
Additionally, another 20,000 petitioners, who possess a Master's, or a higher degree from a US university, will also get the visas.
But, according to many lawyers, this year may be extraordinary, mostly because of the continued scrutiny as well as some subtle rule changes announced earlier this year.
In January, the USCIS introduced a change in the order in which allocations would be counted.
The agency will now put all the petitions including the ones with an advanced degree in the regular cap. In the second round, it will select the remaining petitions. The new order is expected to increase the chances of petitioners with a US Master's degree.
According to the USCIS, the new change would result in an estimated 16 percent rise, or an increase of 5,340 workers, in the selected H-1B petitioners with an advanced US degree.
Florida-based paralegal Vishal Ghadia told: "In the last six years, USCIS has received enough H1-B applications to fill the 85,000 caps within the first five working days of the month of April. This time, too, we can expect the cap to reach within five days and the number of H-1B applications similar to the last few years."
However, some lawyers have said that an apparent crackdown on H-1B and the overall negative sentiment around immigration would reflect on the filings.
Prominent immigration attorney Sheela Murthy told: "We expect fewer H-1B filings since many employers are frustrated with the system and the administration that has its head in the sand regarding the shortage of high-skilled workers to keep up the momentum of our economy."
Do you think the new change would result in the rise?
China Hints At Blocking Move On Masood Azhar Again Ahead Of UN Meeting
Hours before the United Nations Security Council is to take up a resolution on listing Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, China on Wednesday hinted that it may once again block the move, saying only "the solution that is acceptable to all sides" is conducive to resolve the issue.
The fate of the proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council will be known in less than 24 hours when the deadline to raise objections to the bid expires.
The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, UK, and the US on February 27.
"I could reiterate that China will continue to adopt a responsible attitude and participate in the deliberations in the UNSC 1267 Committee," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a
media briefing here.
China, a veto-wielding member of the UNSC, has blocked the move by India and other member nations three times in the past.
China has been insisting that the solution should be acceptable to all.
Asked to clarify whether the issue has been listed for discussion for March 13 and China is in talks with all the parties concerned, Lu said, "First I want to clarify that I don't recall saying anything about the deadline about the UNSC committee and other UN subsidiary bodies".
On the issue of listing Azhar, he said, "I want to say that China always adopts a responsible attitude, engage in consultations with various parties and properly deal with this issue."
"The discussions, I want to say must follow the rules and procedures of the relevant bodies and only the solution that is acceptable to all sides is conducive for resolving the issue," he said.
Recently, China's Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou traveled to Pakistan and held talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other officials.
India on Saturday said all UNSC members were aware of the JeM training camps and the presence of terror group's chief Masood Azhar in Pakistan and urged them to designate him as a global terrorist.
Do you agree with China blocking the move to ban Masood Azhar at UN?
Robert vadra's money laundering cases
Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate or ED for its money laundering case into the alleged possession of illegal foreign assets, days after he was directed by a city court to appear before the central probe agency. Mr. Vadra has denied any wrongdoing and said the cases are a political witch-hunt driven by the BJP to target the Congress leadership.
United Kingdom assets case
Late last year, the Enforcement Directorate had filed a case of money laundering in the purchase of property worth 1.9 million pounds (over Rs. 17.77 crores) located at 12, Bryanston Square, London, which allegedly belongs to Robert Vadra.
Apart from the Bryanston Square mansion, two more properties worth 4 million pounds (around Rs. 37.42 crores) and 5 million pounds (more than Rs. 46.77 crores), as well as 6 other flats, are also suspected to be owned by Mr. Vadra, according to Enforcement Directorate sources.
The total value of these properties is believed to be 12 million pounds and was bought between 2005 and 2010.
Bikaner land deal money laundering case
In September 2015, the ED registered a money laundering case alleging that Robert Vadra-owned Sky Light Hospitality had acquired land in Kolayat, Bikaner, which was meant for rehabilitation of poor villagers.
It was alleged that Mr. Vadra bought 69.55 hectares of land at a cheaper rate and sold to Allegheny Finlease for Rs. 5.15 crore through illegal transactions.
According to the Enforcement Directorate investigation, the buying company Allengenery had no real business and shareholders were also found to be fake.
2009 petroleum deal case
According to the Enforcement Directorate, Robert Vadra and his associates received kickbacks in a petroleum deal signed in 2009 during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.
The BJP alleged that Mr. Vadra benefited from the deal and used the money to buy posh properties worth several crores in London.
The ED claims that an initial probe has revealed that these London-based assets are part of kickbacks Mr. Vadra received in a petroleum deal.
The money was allegedly transferred to Santech International, FZC, a company based in UAE and controlled. Santech then purchased the 12 Bryanstone Square mansion from Vortex, a private holding, and later Vortex shares were transferred to Skylight Investment, FZE, which is led by NRI businessman C Thampi.
Haryana land case
An FIR was lodged against Robert Vadra and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in September last year for alleged irregularities in land deals in Gurgaon. He faces allegations that his company Skylight Hospitality sold 3.5 acres of land in 2008 in Shikohpur village to DLF at a rate much higher than the prevailing rate.
In all the cases, Mr. Vadra has denied any wrongdoing
Do you think Robert Vadra is really corrupted
For the first time, a big blow to Trump, an offer against Trump's decision has been passed
For the first time in the US Senate, President Donald Trump suffered a major setback. An offer against Trump's decision has been passed with the majority. Indeed, the US Senate has passed an important resolution against the decision of President Donald Trump's decision to recall troops from Syria and Afghanistan.
In favor of this proposal, Trump's own Republican Party MPs also voted which clarifies the differences within the political party. Republican leader Mitch McConnell in the Senate placed the proposal on the floor of the House. He had said last week that in the proposal, the clear fact will be acknowledged that al-Qaeda, ISIS, and their affiliated organizations in Syria and Afghanistan remain a serious threat to our nation.
The proposal was passed by a huge majority. 70 votes in favor of the proposal while 26 votes in the opposition. Only three of the 53 Republican Senators of the House opposed it. Ultimately this amendment will be incorporated into a comprehensive security law involving South-West Asia.
According to the proposal, recalling the army from any of the two countries, we can easily break the success of the hand and risk US national security as well.
In December, Donald Trump tweeted a plan to withdraw 2,000 US troops from Syria, which argued that the Islamic State Group was conquered. However, last week US intelligence chiefs reported that these jihadi groups are still a serious threat and are in a hurry to spread their legs. Significantly, many prominent Republican senators, along with Democrats, have also been criticizing Trump's move.