The Evening Wrap: NIA files supplementary charge sheet in Khalistan Tiger Force case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed the first supplementary charge sheet in the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) case involving smuggling of arms and explosives from Pakistan. Among those arraigned are Amritpal Singh alias Ammy and Amrik Singh, who were both deported from the Philippines; Jassa Singh, and Gagandeep Singh alias Mithi. The supplementary charge sheet was submitted before a special court in New Delhi. It is alleged that Canada-based “listed individual” Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, in association with accused Manpreet Singh Peeta, had indoctrinated and recruited Ammy, Amrik Singh, Jassa Singh and Mithi into his banned terrorist group. Operating from the Philippines, Ammy and Amrik Singh were actively engaged in inducting the youth into the KTF. Their activities extended to smuggling of arms and explosives from Pakistan, as well as carrying out extortion and the subsequent channelling of the crime proceeds for terrorist activities, the agency said. The accused facing charge sheet, at the behest of Arsh Dalla, raised funds for the KTF. The terrorist group had carried out targeted killings and firings at the residences of potential victims, coercing them into complying with their extortion demands. The NIA probe allegedly revealed that extortion funds were being systematically transferred to various foreign countries through both banking and non-banking channels. “These illicit financial transactions were aimed at fuelling terrorist activities in India,” it said. The KTF operatives were involved in regular recruitment and handling of their terror syndicate associates from abroad. They are also involved in the smuggling of arms, ammunition, and explosives from across the border through drones, the agency added. Earlier, the NIA had filed a charge sheet against nine accused persons in the same case on July 22. The anti-terror agency said that 12 other members of the KTF and their associates linked to the Babbar Khalsa International are currently under investigation. Wheat MSP at ₹2,700, rice at ₹3,100 and houses to Ladli Behna beneficiaries among BJP’s promises in M.P. Days ahead of the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its manifesto titled Sankalp Patra with a slew of promises, such as increasing the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat to ₹2,700 per quintal and that of paddy to ₹3,100 per quintal. The manifesto launched by BJP national president J.P. Nadda, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and other party leaders also promised concrete houses to more than 1.30 crore beneficiaries of M.P. government’s flagship scheme Ladli Behna Yojana. The BJP also promised that beneficiaries of Ladli Behna and the Centre’s Ujjwala Yojana would receive LPG cylinders at a subsidised rate of ₹450. The Congress has already released its manifesto in which it had promised to purchase wheat at ₹2,600 per quintal and rice at ₹2,500 per quintal. It had also promised an Indian Premier League (IPL) team for the State; ₹25-lakh health insurance cover, including an accident insurance cover of ₹10 lakh for all families; a caste-based survey; 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs); farm loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh; and implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), among others. The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003 barring a 15-month period between December 2018 and March 2020 when the Congress ruled the State with Kamal Nath as Chief Minister. The BJP has also promised to establish one engineering institute named Madhya Pradesh Institute of Technology, on the lines of Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs), in each division of the State. Mr. Nadda said that if the BJP forms the government in the State, it will also set up one medical college — Madhya Pradesh Institute of Medical Sciences, on the lines of Centre’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) — in each division. A medical city named Atal Medicity would also be established. The party has promised free education from kindergarten to postgraduation for girls from below poverty line (BPL) families, Eklavya Model Residential Schools in all Scheduled Tribe-designated blocks of the State and one medical college each in all tribal districts. The BJP also proposes a Bundelkhand Development Board with an investment of ₹5,000 crore for the underdeveloped region of the State. It has also promised similar development boards for the Vindhya and Mahakoshal regions. The ruling party, in an attempt to woo the State’s 21% tribal population, has promised that ₹3 lakh crore would be spent on the development of the community. The BJP also said that the financial assistance to girls under Ladli Lakshmi Yojana will be increased from ₹1.43 lakh to ₹2 lakh. Gaza’s main hospital goes dark in intense fighting as Israel’s attacks put it at odds with allies Israel’s prime minister pushed back Saturday against calls from Western allies to do more to protect Palestinian civilians, as troops encircled Gaza’s largest hospital where doctors said five patients died, including a premature baby, after the last generator ran out of fuel. Israel has portrayed Shifa Hospital as Hamas’ main command post, saying militants were using civilians as human shields there and had set up elaborate bunkers underneath it - claims Hamas and Shifa staff deny. In recent days, fighting near Shifa and other hospitals in the combat zone of northern Gaza has intensified and supplies have run out. “There is no electricity. Medical devices stopped. Patients, especially those in intensive care, started to die,” said Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Shifa, speaking by phone over the sound of gunfire and explosions. Abu Selmia said Israeli troops were “shooting at anyone outside or inside the hospital,” and prevented movement between the buildings in the compound. The claim that Israeli troops were the sole source of fire could not be verified independently. Asked about reports of troops firing into the Shifa courtyard, the Israeli military would only say that troops are engaged with fighting Hamas in the vicinity and take all feasible measures to prevent harm to civilians. It said soldiers have encountered hundreds of Hamas fighters in underground facilities, schools, mosques and clinics during fighting in Gaza. At Shifa, five patients died after the generator shut down, including a premature baby, said Medhat Abbas, a spokesman for the Health Ministry. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the responsibility for any harm to civilians lies with Hamas, repeating long-standing allegations that the militant group uses civilians in Gaza as human shields. He said that while Israel has urged civilians to leave combat zones, “Hamas is doing everything it can to prevent them from leaving.” His statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron pushed for a cease-fire and urged other leaders to join his call, telling the BBC there was “no justification” for Israel’s ongoing bombing. Following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which at least 1,200 people were killed, Israel’s allies have defended the country’s right to protect itself. But now into the second month of war, there are growing differences in how many feel Israel should conduct its fight. England’s imposing total kicks Pakistan out of World Cup Ben Stokes scored 84 in what is likely to be his last one-day international as England made 337-9 against Pakistan in the World Cup at Kolkata on Saturday. Stokes — dropped on 10 by Shaheen Shah Afridi off his own bowling — rode his luck during a 76-ball innings. Joe Root added a 72-ball 60 after England won the toss and batted. When Jos Buttler won the toss, it effectively left Pakistan out of the semi-final race as they needed to beat England by 287 runs had they batted first to go ahead of New Zealand in the standings on net run-rate. Stokes and Root built on a solid opening stand of 82 between Jonny Bairstow (59) and Dawid Malan (31), taking full advantage of a slow Eden Gardens pitch and some wayward bowling. Bairstow hit seven boundaries and a six in his 61-ball knock -- his second fifty in an otherwise lacklustre performance in the tournament. Malan was the first to go, miscuing a reverse sweep off spinner Iftikhar Ahmed while Bairstow was caught in the covers off Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s best bowler with 3-64. Once Stokes, who came out of ODI retirement for the World Cup, got a life he continued to bat like he did during his century against the Netherlands in Pune three days ago, cracking 11 boundaries and two sixes. He was finally yorked by Shaheen in the 41st over. Root hit four boundaries in his third half century of the World Cup before he was caught off a leading edge against Shaheen who finished with 2-72. Harry Brook made 30, with two sixes and as many fours, and Buttler hit 27 with a six and three boundaries as the pair added a quick 45 with England scoring 97 runs in the last ten overs. With Pakistan all but out of the race, New Zealand will be the fourth team for semifinals and will face undefeated India. Australia and South Africa will meet in the other semifinal. In Brief: Moody’s has lowered its outlook on the U.S. credit rating to “negative” from “stable” citing large fiscal deficits and a decline in debt affordability, a move that drew immediate criticism from President Joe Biden’s administration. The move follows a rating downgrade of the sovereign by another ratings agency, Fitch, this year, which came after months of political brinkmanship around the U.S. debt ceiling. Federal spending and political polarisation have been a rising concern for investors, contributing to a selloff that took U.S. government bond prices to their lowest levels in 16 years. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 11 November 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( NIA files supplementary charge sheet in Khalistan Tiger Force case The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday [filed the first supplementary charge sheet in the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) case]( involving smuggling of arms and explosives from Pakistan. Among those arraigned are Amritpal Singh alias Ammy and Amrik Singh, who were both deported from the Philippines; Jassa Singh, and Gagandeep Singh alias Mithi. The supplementary charge sheet was submitted before a special court in New Delhi. It is alleged that Canada-based “listed individual” Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, in association with accused Manpreet Singh Peeta, had indoctrinated and recruited Ammy, Amrik Singh, Jassa Singh and Mithi into his banned terrorist group. Operating from the Philippines, Ammy and Amrik Singh were actively engaged in inducting the youth into the KTF. Their activities extended to smuggling of arms and explosives from Pakistan, as well as carrying out extortion and the subsequent channelling of the crime proceeds for terrorist activities, the agency said. The accused facing charge sheet, at the behest of Arsh Dalla, raised funds for the KTF. The terrorist group had carried out targeted killings and firings at the residences of potential victims, coercing them into complying with their extortion demands. The NIA probe allegedly revealed that extortion funds were being systematically transferred to various foreign countries through both banking and non-banking channels. “These illicit financial transactions were aimed at fuelling terrorist activities in India,” it said. The KTF operatives were involved in regular recruitment and handling of their terror syndicate associates from abroad. They are also involved in the smuggling of arms, ammunition, and explosives from across the border through drones, the agency added. Earlier, the NIA had filed a charge sheet against nine accused persons in the same case on July 22. The anti-terror agency said that 12 other members of the KTF and their associates linked to the Babbar Khalsa International are currently under investigation. Wheat MSP at ₹2,700, rice at ₹3,100 and houses to Ladli Behna beneficiaries among BJP’s promises in M.P. Days ahead of the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday [released its manifesto titled Sankalp Patra with a slew of promises]( such as increasing the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat to ₹2,700 per quintal and that of paddy to ₹3,100 per quintal. The manifesto launched by BJP national president J.P. Nadda, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and other party leaders also promised concrete houses to more than 1.30 crore beneficiaries of M.P. government’s flagship scheme Ladli Behna Yojana. The BJP also promised that beneficiaries of Ladli Behna and the Centre’s Ujjwala Yojana would receive LPG cylinders at a subsidised rate of ₹450. The Congress has already released its manifesto in which it had promised to purchase wheat at ₹2,600 per quintal and rice at ₹2,500 per quintal. It had also promised an Indian Premier League (IPL) team for the State; ₹25-lakh health insurance cover, including an accident insurance cover of ₹10 lakh for all families; a caste-based survey; 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs); farm loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh; and implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), among others. The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003 barring a 15-month period between December 2018 and March 2020 when the Congress ruled the State with Kamal Nath as Chief Minister. The BJP has also promised to establish one engineering institute named Madhya Pradesh Institute of Technology, on the lines of Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs), in each division of the State. Mr. Nadda said that if the BJP forms the government in the State, it will also set up one medical college — Madhya Pradesh Institute of Medical Sciences, on the lines of Centre’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) — in each division. A medical city named Atal Medicity would also be established. The party has promised free education from kindergarten to postgraduation for girls from below poverty line (BPL) families, Eklavya Model Residential Schools in all Scheduled Tribe-designated blocks of the State and one medical college each in all tribal districts. The BJP also proposes a Bundelkhand Development Board with an investment of ₹5,000 crore for the underdeveloped region of the State. It has also promised similar development boards for the Vindhya and Mahakoshal regions. The ruling party, in an attempt to woo the State’s 21% tribal population, has promised that ₹3 lakh crore would be spent on the development of the community. The BJP also said that the financial assistance to girls under Ladli Lakshmi Yojana will be increased from ₹1.43 lakh to ₹2 lakh. Gaza’s main hospital goes dark in intense fighting as Israel’s attacks put it at odds with allies Israel’s prime minister pushed back Saturday against calls from Western allies to do more to protect Palestinian civilians, as [troops encircled Gaza’s largest hospital where doctors said five patients died]( including a premature baby, after the last generator ran out of fuel. Israel has portrayed Shifa Hospital as Hamas’ main command post, saying militants were using civilians as human shields there and had set up elaborate bunkers underneath it - claims Hamas and Shifa staff deny. In recent days, fighting near Shifa and other hospitals in the combat zone of northern Gaza has intensified and supplies have run out. “There is no electricity. Medical devices stopped. Patients, especially those in intensive care, started to die,” said Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Shifa, speaking by phone over the sound of gunfire and explosions. Abu Selmia said Israeli troops were “shooting at anyone outside or inside the hospital,” and prevented movement between the buildings in the compound. The claim that Israeli troops were the sole source of fire could not be verified independently. Asked about reports of troops firing into the Shifa courtyard, the Israeli military would only say that troops are engaged with fighting Hamas in the vicinity and take all feasible measures to prevent harm to civilians. It said soldiers have encountered hundreds of Hamas fighters in underground facilities, schools, mosques and clinics during fighting in Gaza. At Shifa, five patients died after the generator shut down, including a premature baby, said Medhat Abbas, a spokesman for the Health Ministry. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the responsibility for any harm to civilians lies with Hamas, repeating long-standing allegations that the militant group uses civilians in Gaza as human shields. He said that while Israel has urged civilians to leave combat zones, “Hamas is doing everything it can to prevent them from leaving.” His statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron pushed for a cease-fire and urged other leaders to join his call, telling the BBC there was “no justification” for Israel’s ongoing bombing. Following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which at least 1,200 people were killed, Israel’s allies have defended the country’s right to protect itself. But now into the second month of war, there are growing differences in how many feel Israel should conduct its fight. England’s imposing total kicks Pakistan out of World Cup Ben Stokes scored 84 in what is likely to be his last one-day international as England made 337-9 against Pakistan in the World Cup at Kolkata on Saturday. Stokes — dropped on 10 by Shaheen Shah Afridi off his own bowling — rode his luck during a 76-ball innings. Joe Root added a 72-ball 60 after England won the toss and batted. When Jos Buttler won the toss, it [effectively left Pakistan out of the semi-final race]( as they needed to beat England by 287 runs had they batted first to go ahead of New Zealand in the standings on net run-rate. Stokes and Root built on a solid opening stand of 82 between Jonny Bairstow (59) and Dawid Malan (31), taking full advantage of a slow Eden Gardens pitch and some wayward bowling. Bairstow hit seven boundaries and a six in his 61-ball knock -- his second fifty in an otherwise lacklustre performance in the tournament. Malan was the first to go, miscuing a reverse sweep off spinner Iftikhar Ahmed while Bairstow was caught in the covers off Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s best bowler with 3-64. Once Stokes, who came out of ODI retirement for the World Cup, got a life he continued to bat like he did during his century against the Netherlands in Pune three days ago, cracking 11 boundaries and two sixes. He was finally yorked by Shaheen in the 41st over. Root hit four boundaries in his third half century of the World Cup before he was caught off a leading edge against Shaheen who finished with 2-72. Harry Brook made 30, with two sixes and as many fours, and Buttler hit 27 with a six and three boundaries as the pair added a quick 45 with England scoring 97 runs in the last ten overs. With Pakistan all but out of the race, New Zealand will be the fourth team for semifinals and will face undefeated India. Australia and South Africa will meet in the other semifinal. In Brief: [Moody’s has lowered its outlook on the U.S. credit rating to “negative”]( from “stable” citing large fiscal deficits and a decline in debt affordability, a move that drew immediate criticism from President Joe Biden’s administration. The move follows a rating downgrade of the sovereign by another ratings agency, Fitch, this year, which came after months of political brinkmanship around the U.S. debt ceiling. Federal spending and political polarisation have been a rising concern for investors, contributing to a selloff that took U.S. government bond prices to their lowest levels in 16 years. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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