1. Priest Among 5 Held With Fake Notes of Face Value Rs 1 Crore
Police arrested five persons, including the priest of a temple, and seized from them 5,013 fake currency notes with a face value of over Rs 1 crore, police said on Sunday, 24 November.
The arrested accused have been identified as Pratik Chodvadiya, Radharaman Swami, a priest at a temple at Ambav in Kheda, Pravin Chopra and Kanu Chopra, both residents of Kamrej in Surat, and Mohan Madhav of Ankleshwar.
A team of Surat Crime Branch raided an under-construction ‘Swami Narayan’ temple at Ambav village in Kheda on Sunday and arrested Radharaman Swami. Fake notes and a printing machine were seized from his possession. Police said that the accused used to print fake currency notes of Rs 2,000 denomination from one of the rooms of the temple.
(Source: Indian Express)
2. Three Arrested for Loot of 1.8 KG Gold Worth Rs 63 Lakh
Three persons, including a former home guard, were arrested by the Local Crime Branch of Ahmedabad Sunday, 24 November, for the alleged loot of around 1.8 kg gold ornaments worth Rs 63 lakh.
According to police, the three accused looted the gold ornaments from two city-based persons on Anjali bridge in Vasna area of Ahmedabad on last Thursday, 21 November. The accused have been identified as Ghanshyam Shrim-an, Ahmed Pathan and Iqbal Sheikh. All are residents of Ahmedabad.
BV Gohil, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, said, “On 21 November midnight, Ghanshyam, a former home guard, was with his friend Kamruddin Shiekh in an autorickshaw near Shastri bridge police outpost when he received information about two persons who were intercepted with 1,841.280 gm gold ornaments. The two men, Naveen Sanghvi and Bipin, informed the police that the ornaments belong to Seth Mahaveer, a businessman. They also asked their acquaintance Ramesh bhai to reach the outpost to confirm their version.”
(Source: Indian Express)
3. Guj School That Gave Land for Nithyananda's Ashram Gets Notice
The district administration in Gujarat's Ahmedabad has issued notice to DPS (East) School for leasing out land to controversial godman Nithyananda as well as to explain discrepancies in land details it furnished to authorities, an official said on Sunday, 24 November.
Nithyananda's ashram was operating out of the premises of DPS (East) School in Hirapur village in Ahmedabad district. Two disciples were arrested recently on charges of kidnapping as well as employing child labour. Nithyananda is also an accused in the case, officials said.
Collector Pandey Sunday said discrepancies have been found in the report related to land allotment furnished by the school administration while seeking permission from the state education department.
(Source: Times of India)
4. CZA Directs Gujarat Govt to Probe Reported Deaths of Wild Animals Near Statue of Unity
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has sought an investigation and detailed report from the Gujarat government over alleged violation of wildlife norms and reported deaths of a few animals meant for a jungle safari project near the Statue of Unity, according to official documents.
The move comes following a complaint by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey who said that many wild animals, claimed to have been brought illegally into India from abroad, have allegedly died.
Citing Dubey's complaint, the CZA recently directed the chief wildlife warden of Gujarat to get the matter investigated and submit a factual report for necessary action. A copy of the CZA letter seeking the investigation and report was shared with Dubey.
(Source: Business Standard)
5. Amul, Cattle Owners Lock Horns Over Cattle Feed After 100 Calves Die in Anand
The myysterious deaths of close to a 100 cattle calves in villages of Palaj in Petlad and Ratanpura in Umreth over a period of one week after allegedly consuming cattle feed mixed with laxatives from Amul have stirred up a controversy. While Amul has passed the buck on to the cattle owners claiming that they did not follow the instructions, the milk producers have accused the company of “shifting the blame after supplying substandard feed”.
According to the local administration, close to 100 bovine calves died in the last one week. Of these, 30 died in Ratanpura, while more than 70 deaths have been reported in Palaj, where the local revenue officer has also put up a board outside his office that reads, “Any milk producer whose calf – buffalo or cow – has died after consuming the feed with laxatives should list their names.”
(Source: Indian Express)
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