Pak could be ‘smuggling’ fake currency via diplomatic route

Pakistan may be using a complex but clandestine diplomatic route to push fake currency into India.

This was revealed during investigations into the recent fake currency rackets busted by the Maharashtra ATS and other agencies, as also the arrest of LeT operative Mohammed Omar Madni, who was found in possession of fake currency worth lakhs by the Delhi police.

According to ATS sources, the fake currency found with Madni was of the same series as that recovered in various recent busts in Hyderabad, Goa and Mumbai (by the ATS).

ATS officers say that this proves that all the notes had been printed in the same press, and as the quality of the notes was top-notch, they could only have been printed in a government press (of Pakistan).

Investigations into several of these busts, as also the interrogation of Madni, for which an ATS team had recently gone to Delhi, have revealed a complex web of fake currency smuggling from Pakistan to India. ATS officers say Pakistan may be using diplomatic channels to push fake currency into India.

An ATS officer said, “Recently, a lot of fake currency has been pushed into India, as is evident from the many rackets busted in the recent past. We have learnt that some of this money is pushed through diplomatic channels to neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, and then smuggled into India in smaller batches. As diplomats or their assistants and office staff have diplomatic immunity and pass through green channels without their baggage being checked at airports, fake currency in large numbers is pushed through them. Once the money reaches, say, Bangladesh, it is then handed over in small amounts to people who smuggle it into India.”

Additional CP, ATS, Parambir Singh said, “We had this information from intelligence agencies, and suspicions were also raised during our investigations. But as yet we have not been able to apprehend anyone. Thus, it is difficult to pinpoint how exactly the racket operates. It is, however, true that Madni was carrying fake currency of the same series that we had seized a couple of months ago.”

The RBI, in a recent investigation, had said that at least Rs 2,000 crore in fake currency has been pushed into India in the past five years.

The ATS and intelligence agencies had found that much of the profit from this racket was being used to fund Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in India, and there were indications that some of this money had also funded the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

IB sources say ISI raises Rs 1,800 crore annually to fund terror operations, and that a major chunk of it comes from fake currency rackets. ATS sources say that Rs 30 lakh of the Rs 50 lakh spent on the attack on Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in December 2005 was obtained through such a racket.

Mamata Banerjee presents rail budget for 2009-10

New Delhi (IANS): Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee began presenting her ministry's budget for the current fiscal shortly after noon Friday with the promise of addressing the concerns of average passengers.

"People all over the country have high expectations from the railway budget," Banerjee told the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, switching between English and Hindi.

She started with a question if Indian Railways, which runs the world's second largest railroad network under single management, should function purely on the basis of economic viability or address the social commitment.

"Time has come when our economic and social philosophers have to change their old mindset of economic viability and replace it with social viability and upliftment," she said.

Ms. Banerjee said her focus would be on better passenger amenities, good food at affordable prices, clean toilets at stations and trains.

"Fifty stations will be developed into world class facilities," she said naming those at Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Varanasi Guwahati, Chennai, Mangalore, Porbundar and Kochi, among others.

This is her first rail budget for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and third in her political career.

PTI report adds:

Ms. Banerjee says an expert committee will be set up to advise her on implementation of the so-called economically unviable but socially desired projects.

She also stated that the priorities will include better passenger amenities, safety and security and provision of good quality food and drinking water.

The Railway Ministry has plans to develop important stations through private-public partnership. These include CST Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Howrah, Sealdah, Varanasi, New Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, Chennai Central, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad, Bangalore City, Byappanahalli, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Agra Central, Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Puri and Kochi.

The Railways are to develop multi-functional complexes with shopping malls, food stalls, medicines and variety stores in different parts of the country.

The Infotainment services to be provided in major long-distance trains, Ms. Banerjee said.

Ms. Banerjee said that SMS updates on wait-listed tickets are to be introduced.

The Auto-vending machines will be installed in large and medium stations, she said.

The high-capacity air-conditioned double-decker trains to be introduced on select inter-city routes, Ms. Banerjee said.

She also stated that unreserved ticketing terminals to be expanded from 5000 to 8000. Automatic ticket vending machines to be increased.

Ms. Banerjee, in her speech, said arrangement with Department of Posts for issuance of tickets.

An Integrated Security System is being developed for 130 vulnerable stations to provide security to passengers, she said.

She stated in her speech that seven nursing colleges to be set up on railway land in places including Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Railway medical colleges to be developed along with rail hospitals on public-private partnership.

Ms. Banerjee said that better representation to be given to minorities, women and the economically backward in railway recruitment. Special recruitment drive to be launched to fill vacancies in physically-handicapped category.

18,000 wagons to be acquired during the current year, she said.

The Railway Minister added that the Railways making efforts with Department of Heavy Industries for takeover of ailing wagon manufacturing units like Burn Standards.

Ms. Banerjee added that a new policy is to be launched for construction and operation of private freight terminals.

The Railways are to develop cold storages for farmers to store vegetables and fruits, she said. The Railway Minister added to say that superfast parcel express trains to be started on a pilot basis between Delhi and Chennai and Delhi and Mumbai.

The freight loading target for 2009-10 set at 882 million tonnes, an increase of 39 million tonnes, Ms. Banerjee said.

She said that photo-ID cards cum credit cards to be given to accredited journalists. Travel concession has been increased from 30 to 50 per cent for them.

During peak hours, ladies' specials to be introduced in suburban trains.

She also stated that twelve non-stop point-to-point trains between select cities are to be introduced. The sections include -- Howrah-Mumbai, Delhi-Lucknow, Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Pune, Delhi-Allahabad, Howrah-Delhi, Sealdah-Delhi and Ernakulum-Delhi.

Another Nithari? 22 slum kids go missing

NEW DELHI: Is another Nithari unfolding at New Sanjay Amar colony in east Delhi? This slum cluster behind the Karkardooma courts has seen at

A man holds up a photo of his children. Three of his daughters are missing. (TOI Photo) More Pictures

least 22 children go missing in past four years. And just like in the case of the Noida murders, cops seem to be in denial, saying there is no pattern to the disappearances.

The latest cases occurred less than a week ago. On February 11, as many as six teenagers went missing on the same day. "We filed a police complaint, but cops took no action," said Rajkumar Dhingane, a social worker from the area.

Police say the children of New Sanjay Amar colony, the largest JJ cluster in east Delhi housing 15,000 people, have been willingly eloping. But residents point out that barring the latest incidents, most of the missing kids are below 15 years, which makes the elopement theory unlikely.

Babulal, a rickshaw-puller whose three daughters disappeared three years ago, says the helplessness of knowing that they could be in trouble and still not being able to help them, eats him from within. "My daughters, Nisha and Ashu, twins who were seven when they went missing, and Sushila, 6, had gone out to play and never returned. I filed a police complaint and went searching for them, but all in vain. I still hope that one day, my daughters just return home and everything will be alright," he said.

Worried parents losing hope

Tansukh Lal’s daughter Poonam, 15, disappeared on January 27. "My daughter had gone out with two women my wife knew. They were from the neighbouring Bhikam Singh Colony. Neither Poonam, nor the two women, ever returned. Police say that Poonam may have eloped. Even if she has, why don’t they just find her for me?" said Tansukh. Similarly, auto-driver Satyadev’s 3-year-old daughter Lado had gone out to play sometime in December 2008 and never came back. "We filed a police complaint but no policeman ever came home to even check on her," he said.

Meanwhile, with each passing day, parents of the six teenagers who went missing on February 11 are losing hope. "We went to the cops to complaint. However, no action seems to have been taken so far," said Saroj, the mother

of one of the missing girls, Pooja. Billu Singh, father of Durga, who too went missing on February 11, said that he doesn’t care if she eloped but just wants her to come back home.

DCP (east) Anand Mohan said four out of the six children missing since February 11 were in relationships and the two couples appear to have fled with their friends after planning it through. "However, considering that they were minors, we registered a case of kidnapping and are trying to trace them," he said. Another senior official added that teams were sent to neighbouring states to trace them.

According to a report compiled by Bachpan Bachao Andolan, 102 children, mostly in the age group of 6-17 year, have gone missing in the last two-and-a-half years from areas in Sangam Vihar, Madanpur Khadar, Badarpur and Nangloi in the city. As in the case in New Sanjay Amar colony children, no action was taken in most of these cases. So where have all the children gone?

The cops are not alarmed. They say Nithari was a one-off incident and there is not much evidence to suggest that the same is repeating itself in Delhi.

"There is no pattern to any of these cases. Mostly, parents of these children are daily wage workers and are barely educated. Many times, children just wander off and forget how to get back home. Sometimes, they return to their native village with the help of someone. Many minors elope by choice. Around 60% of these cases are worked out," said Delhi Police PRO Rajan Bhagat.

He said the police would get worried if some organized gang of traffickers was behind these disappearances.
"But there is no evidence to suggest that," he added. According to another senior officer, regular studies are conducted by Delhi Police to look for a pattern in the cases of missing children. "We have not observed any pattern so far," he said.

India capable of facing any security threat: Antony

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India is capable of facing any threat to its security coming from any quarter, defence minister A K Antony said in wake of a warning from a top al-Qaida commander. ( Watch )

"One thing I can tell you. Whatever threat coming from any quarter, our armed forces are always ready to face them," Antony said on the sidelines of a function here.

He was replying to a question on reports about a top al-Qaida commander warning India of more Mumbai-style terror strikes if it tried to attack Pakistan.

Antony, however, said he had not come across this particular report.

Commenting on Pakistan's demand for more information from India to complete its probe into the Mumbai terror attack, Antony said he had nothing more to add than what external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee had said on the matter.

"My senior colleague Mukherjee had already made India's position clear on the matter. He had already explained this categorically. We are one Government, one voice," he added.

The al-Qaida commander who was reported killed in a US drone strike last year, has appeared in a video warning India of more Mumbai-style attacks if it tried to attack Pakistan.

"India should know that it will have to pay a heavy price if it attacks Pakistan," Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, believed to be al-Qaida's military commander in Afghanistan and ranked behind No 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri, said in a 20-minute video in Arabic received by BBC.

Yazid, who the Pakistani military said may have been killed in fighting last August in the Bajaur tribal region, said: "The Mujahideen will sunder your armies into the ground, like they did to the Russians in Afghanistan.

"They will target your economic centres and raze them to the ground.

Underworld may be out to kill Kasab

MUMBAI: Terror groups may have approached Dawood Ibrahim to kill Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive after the November 26 Mumbai attacks.( Watch )

According to TV reports, quoting sources in intelligence agencies, underworld don Chhota Shakeel, a close aide of Dawood's, has been given a contract to kill Kasab. Shakeel is believed to be hiding in Pakistan and taking help from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.

According to the sources, the plot came to light on January 29 when a Research and Analysis Wing branch of Gujarat's Bhuj district intercepted a telephone conversation from across the border. The matter has already been discussed at the January 10 National Security Council meeting.

The information has been now handed over to the Mumbai police by the Centre. An official said Kasab's death would mean there won't be any evidence to nail Pakistan in the Mumbai attacks.

Refuting the claims, Mumbai’s joint commissioner of police (crime) Rakesh Maria said, "If that had been true, we would be the first one to be informed as Kasab is in our custody. There is always a threat to his life right from the day he was arrested and that is the reason we don’t take him to court for extending his custody. We will also ensure his safety in the jail once he is remanded to judicial custody."

Maria said various countries whose citizens were killed in the 26\11 terror attack were also conducting separate probes into the carnage. ‘‘If they are conducting probes, it implies that they have registered criminal cases. The fact came out during our meetings with representatives of these countries,’’ he said.

Maria, however, ruled out that these countries were asking for extradition of Kasab. Of those killed in the attack, 26 were foreign nationals, including those from the US, Germany, Malaysia and Israel.

Union minister Mahavir Prasad booked in murder case

GORAKHPUR: In a major embarrassment to the government at the Centre, Union minister Mahavir Prasad has been booked for alleged conspiracy in a murder case, a senior police officer said on Wednesday. ( Watch )

The case was registered on the direction of the Allahabad High Court under section 120 B IPC (conspiracy) against the Union minister for micro, small and medium Industries in Gagha police station here on Tuesday night, senior superintendent of police Aditya Mishra said.

Two other accused, village head of Ujjarpar, Rajesh Singh and one Gauri Shankar have been booked under sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of public peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and the SC/ST Act.

According to police, a woman called Subhavati of village Ujjarpar, the native village of the minister, had move a local court for lodging the cases against the accused.

She had alleged that the village head and Gauri Shankar were involved in the murder of her husband on January 28 and charged the minister with helping the accused.

She moved the High Court after the local CJM's court rejected her plea.

Police said the case was registered on the direction of the high court.

Earlier, the police had registered the case as a road accident. No arrest has so far been made in this connection, the SSP said.

In Delhi, Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said "currently, it seems as the Allahabad High Court has passed an order but we have not seen the order and if an FIR has been registered, we don't have a copy of the FIR at the moment."

After scrutinizing the order, the FIR and talking to the minister, "we will come to an appropriate conclusion and respond to it,” he said.

"It is inappropriate to come to any conclusion before scrutinizing the documents," Tiwari said.

Police said that the Union minister was among the three accused that included Gauri Shankar Gupta, a relative of Prasad.

"What we plan to do is to carry out fair and completely impartial investigations so that we can ascertain whether the facts lead to the case being chargesheeted as the murder or again as that of an accident," Mishra said.

"That is our task ahead in the next few days and I am sure within 7-10 days we will be able to clear up the confusion," he said.

Senior Software Engineer / Software Engineer - Java

Experience:

2 - 6 Years

Location:

Hyderabad / Secunderabad

Compensation:

Best in the Industry

Education:

UG - B.Tech/B.E. - Computers, Electronics/Telecomunication

PG - MCA - Computers

Industry Type:

IT-Software/ Software Services

Functional Area:

System Programming

Posted Date:

16 Jan

Job Description

- To study technical feasibility of the new product
- Understanding Product requirements and giving Feedback
- Design and develop coding and review
- To work on systems integration
- Adhering to the project deadlines
- To work on product maintenance

Desired Candidate Profile

- Candidate should have atleast two years hands on experience on Java and other internet technologies
- Working experience on Oracle Database
- Working experience in software product development
- Candidate should have good academic background

Company Profile

Its a premier provider of software products and solutions. They are number one in their segment and known globally for many successful online products.

Contact Details

Company Name:

Client of Ak & S Associates

Website:

Not Mentioned

Executive Name:

Akesh. K - 09293151118

Address:

Not Mentioned

Email Address:

akesh@akands.com

Telephone:

Not Mentioned

Reference ID:

Java