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Name Change, Same Scam: Complaint Filed Against Gospel For Tribals Social Service Society Missionary NGO For ₹27 Crore Fraud & Religious Conversion Agenda

A formal complaint has been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and FCRA Division regarding alleged large-scale violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) by the NGO Grace Service Society, formerly known as Gospel for Tribals Social Service Society. The complaint, filed by NGO watchdog Legal Rights Protection Forum, highlights serious misuse of foreign contributions, diversion of funds for religious conversion campaigns, and large-scale financial fraud.

 

The NGO operates from Khammam (Rural), Telangana. The complaint recalls that on 13 May 2020, concerns were raised with the Ministry that foreign donations were being diverted to establish commercial poultry layer farms, violating Section 8(1)(a) of the FCRA and the stated objectives of the NGO.

The complaint alleges that income from these commercial activities funded Christian religious conversion campaigns and church planting. It also cites numerous speeches by Chief Functionary Bishop Jacob Marineni in India and abroad that allegedly malign Hindu and tribal cultural practices while projecting a false image of persecution of Christians to secure foreign donations.

Despite the evidence presented, the complaint notes that no decisive action has been taken, and the society changed its name from Gospel for Tribals Social Service Society to Grace Service Society, allegedly to obscure its targeted conversion activities among tribal communities.

On 15 March 2023, the Income Tax Department conducted a search and seizure operation under Section 132, supervised by Shri Karthik Manickam M, Additional CIT, Central Range-3, Hyderabad. The operation reportedly uncovered large-scale financial fraud. At Grace Children School, Koheda, over ₹56 lakhs in fees for FY 2021–22 was collected, but only ₹8 lakhs were disclosed, suppressing the remaining amount. Bogus invoices generated unaccounted cash of over ₹3 crores. The investigation identified associated entities involved in suppression of income and undisclosed investments totaling over ₹27 crores.

The complaint also details alleged diversion of foreign contributions intended for educational and social purposes toward constructing churches, training religious preachers, carrying out inducement-based conversions, acquiring immovable property, and funding commercial ventures, with minimal expenditure on orphans, widows, leprosy patients, or the elderly.

The complainants argue that these actions fall under Section 9(e)(ii), (iv), and (v) of the FCRA Act, as they allegedly violate public interest, affect India’s foreign relations by projecting false persecution narratives, and threaten inter-religious harmony.

In light of these allegations, the complaint requests the Ministry to inspect orphanages and institutions purportedly run by the NGO, freeze all bank accounts and halt foreign contribution inflows, prohibit sale or transfer of assets acquired with FCRA funds, including commercial poultry farms, restrict permitted FCRA funds strictly to orphanages and educational institutions, conduct a forensic audit of accounts for the past 15 years, including Bishop Jacob Marineni, his family, and associates, prosecute executives for inducement-based conversions, filing false declarations, and diversion of foreign funds and cancel the NGO’s FCRA registration for repeated violations.

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Delhi Riots Case: SC Adjourns Bail Hearing Of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider And Gulfisha Fatima

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned hearing on the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, and Gulfisha Fatima all accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case and booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Manmohan deferred hearing till Monday, September 22, on the batch of special leave petitions (SLPs) after an adjournment was sought on the petitioners’ behalf. In the previous hearing, the Justice Kumar-led Bench expressed difficulty in taking up the batch of SLPs and directed that the matters be listed for hearing on September 19.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had denied bail to several activists and student leaders in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the North-East Delhi riots. In its order passed on September 2, a Bench of Justices Shalinder Kaur and Navin Chawla observed, prima facie, that there was sufficient material on record to suggest that Imam and Khalid had masterminded the conspiracy.

The Justice Kaur-led Bench noted that Khalid and Imam had delivered inflammatory speeches on February 24, 2020, coinciding with the then US President Donald Trump’s State visit, which the prosecution alleged was deliberately timed to trigger riots on February 23 – 24 and draw international attention. “The alleged inflammatory and provocative speeches delivered by the appellants, when considered in totality, prima facie indicate their role in the alleged conspiracy,” the Delhi High Court said. In relation to Meeran Haider, it noted that she allegedly provided funds to the Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI), where meetings of the JCC (JMI Coordination Committee) were held.

The Justice Kaur-led bench further noted the prosecution’s submission that the completion of the investigation against Haider did not constitute a material change in circumstances to justify bail, citing pending witness examination and the gravity of the alleged conspiracy.

According to the prosecution, Gulfisha Fatima used code words to instruct protesters to undertake actions in furtherance of the alleged conspiracy and received funds for it. The February 2020 Delhi riots, which broke out during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.

-IANS

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“Dismissed” “Dismissed” “Dismissed”: Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Against Banu Mushtaq’s Invitation As Chief Guest For Dasara Festival At Chamundi Temple

Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Against Banu Mushtaq’s Invitation As Chief Guest For Dasara Festival At Chamundi Temple

The Supreme Court on 19 September 2025 dismissed a petition challenging the Karnataka High Court’s approval of the State Government’s decision to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq as Chief Guest for the Dasara festival inauguration at Chamundi Temple, Mysuru. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta heard the matter briefly before dismissing it.

Senior Advocate PB Suresh, appearing for the petitioner, argued that a non-Hindu person cannot be allowed to perform the pujas. Justice Nath simply stated, “Dismissed.” Suresh persisted, contending that puja inside a temple “cannot be regarded as a secular act. It’s purely political…no reason why they should be brought inside temple for religious activity…,” to which Justice Nath repeated, “Dismissed.”

Undeterred, Suresh further alleged that the invitee had previously made “certain objectionable remarks…hurting religious sentiments” and claimed that such a person should not be invited. Justice Nath again repeated, “Dismissed,” commenting, “We have said ‘dismissed’ 3 times. How many dismissals are required?”

The urgent listing was sought yesterday, highlighting that the event is scheduled for 22 September 2025. Chief Justice BR Gavai agreed to list it for today’s hearing.

The Karnataka High Court, on 15 September, had dismissed petitions challenging Mushtaq’s invitation. The High Court stated, “Participation of a person practising a particular faith or religion, in celebrations of festivals of other religion does not offend the rights available under the Constitution of India.” It observed that the invitation of Banu Mushtaq “did not violate any of the Constitutional values” and noted that she is an accomplished author, lawyer, and social activist.

Petitioners had argued that participation of a non-Hindu in Hindu religious rituals, including lighting the sacred lamp, offering fruits and flowers to the deity, and chanting Vedic prayers, was inappropriate. The State countered that the event is organized by the government, not a temple or religious institution, and “there can be no discrimination on the ground of religion.”

The High Court also noted that the Dasara festivities are organized annually by the State and have historically invited accomplished persons, including scientists, educationists, authors, and freedom fighters. The invitation decision was made by a committee comprising elected representatives from various parties and government officials.

The court concluded, “we are unable to accept that any legal or constitutional right of the petitioners is violated by extending the invitation to respondent No.4 to inaugurate the State sponsored Dasara festivities. In our view, the extension of invitation to respondent No.4 does not fall foul of any of the values enshrined in the Constitution of India.” It further added, “no right of any religious denomination or any Section thereon has been curtailed or restricted. None of the persons managing any religious denomination have come forward to claim that their right to maintain their institutions for religious and charitable purposes is being violated.”

(With inputs from LiveLaw)

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BJP Slams Congress’s UPA After Yasin Malik Affidavit Reveals Alleged Backchannel Talks With Terror Mastermind Hafiz Saeed And Thanks From Manmohan Singh

Yasin Malik, the incarcerated chief of the banned terror outfit, Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), has made some shocking claims in his affidavit to the Delhi high court. Malik is serving a life sentence in a terror funding case.

Amit Malviya, BJP leader in charge of the party’s IT cell, said on X on Friday, “Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) terrorist Yasin Malik, serving a life sentence in a terror-funding case, has made a shocking claim. In an affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court on August 25, Malik says: He met Lashkar-e-Taiba founder and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan in 2006. The meeting was not his independent initiative but was arranged at the request of senior Indian intelligence officials as part of a back-channel peace process.”

“After the meeting, then-PM Manmohan Singh personally thanked and expressed gratitude to him. Yasin Malik is a hardened terrorist who is guilty of gunning down three Air Force personnel in uniform. This amounts to waging war against the state, and he must be subjected to the full force of the law,” the BJP leader said in his post.

“If these new claims are true, they raise grave questions about the UPA’s handling of national security and back-channel diplomacy,” he added. In an affidavit filed before the Delhi High Court, Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik has painted a startling picture of his decades-long involvement in India’s backchannel diplomacy from intimate dinners with ministers and intelligence chiefs to a phone call with industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani.

The JKLF chief was convicted and sentenced to a life term by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court for receiving foreign funding and links with militant outfits. The NIA has now appealed to the Delhi High Court for enhancing the life term to a death sentence. Malik says he accepts his fate “gleefully”, but insists his journey was shaped not in isolation, but through deep, state-sanctioned engagement.

Malik opens with a note of fatalism: “I understand the balance of scales isn’t tipped in my favour and a statement is to be made out for Kashmir using me as a precedent… being a diehard romantic, I would accept it as the ultimate endgame of my fate, gleefully”. He situates his current trial in the aftermath of Article 370 and 35A’s abrogation, which he says unleashed “fear, intimidation, and arrests of thousands of political leaders, activists, teachers, lawyers and journalists.”

In the early 1990s, Malik recalls being taken from Mehrauli sub-jail to a bungalow in Maharani Bagh, where the then Home Minister Rajesh Pilot, IAS officer Wajahat Habibullah, and senior IB officers pressed him to surrender his arms. Malik claims P.V. Narasimha Rao, then prime minister, had given specific orders to bring him back into democratic politics. After three years of negotiations, he was released in May 1994, announcing a unilateral ceasefire in Srinagar and declaring he would pursue “a non-violent democratic peaceful struggle, come what may.”

The government followed through. Bail was granted in all 32 pending TADA cases, and none were pursued. Malik insists this truce was honoured for 25 years across the tenures of Rao, Vajpayee, Gujral, Manmohan Singh and even PM Modi’s first term. At one such meeting, R.K. Mishra, trusted aide of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, once handed him a phone. On the other end was Dhirubhai Ambani.

Malik says Ambani spoke warmly about his “humble and nimble beginnings” and stressed that “sheer hard work often results in rewarding results.” The call, Malik suggests, symbolised the unusual breadth of his contacts from ministers to tycoons.

-IANS

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BNP Rejects Radical Islamist Parties’ Call For Proportional Representation, Terms Street Protests ‘Undemocratic’

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) slammed the joint street programmes announced by several radical Islamist parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, arguing that pressing for demands, such as the proportional representation (PR) system in elections, is ‘not good for democracy’.

Addressing reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka upon his return from Singapore on Thursday evening, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the remarks. “I think such programmes are unnecessary. The talks (with the Consensus Commission) have not ended yet. Talks are still going on… At a time when discussions are underway, calling such programmes only means creating unnecessary pressure,” Bangladeshi media outlet UNB quoted Fakhrul as saying. “In my view, this (movement by Islamic parties) is neither good for democracy nor helpful for taking the right decisions,” he added.

Reaffirming BNP’s position on the PR system, the BNP leader said that his party does not support such an electoral system. “We think there is no need for PR in Bangladesh. Discussions are ongoing at the July Charter. We have agreed on several issues… and those matters can be addressed when the time comes,” Fakhrul added. Meanwhile, amid escalating political conflict ahead of next year’s election, seven Islamic political parties announced a three-day programme from Thursday, pressing a common set of demands, including holding the national election in February under the July Charter and introducing the PR system.

The parties comprise Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, Nizam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA). The leaders of the Islamist parties warned that Bangladesh could face a “major disaster” if the charter is not granted a legal basis before the next polls, as they staged protest rallies on Thursday in Dhaka,local media reported.

“We have demanded that the upcoming election be held on the legal basis of the July Charter. But one party is creating obstacles, saying such constitutional reforms are unnecessary. This is going against people’s aspirations,” Bangladesh’s leading newspaper The Daily Star quoted Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, as saying, addressing a rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka.

Simultaneously, during a rally at the north gate of the mosque, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Jalal Uddin Ahmed said, “If the July Charter is not implemented, a national disaster will be inevitable. No electoral process without it will bring any good to the country or the nation.” On the other hand, Islami Andolan Bangladesh severely criticised the BNP for objecting to the PR system despite its claim of having public support. The parties that earlier collaborated with Yunus to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, are now at loggerheads over reform proposals.

-IANS

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Thiruverumbur Professor Arrested Under POCSO Act For Allegedly Harassing College Student

pocso college professor

Thiruverumbur police has taken a 52-year-old professor from a private college into custody on 17 September 2025 for allegedly sexually harassing a 17-year-old student.

According to police sources, the accused, identified as S Tamil, summoned the first-year student to his room on 13 September 2025. During the interaction, he inquired whether she owned a mobile phone and even offered to purchase one for her. He then reportedly behaved inappropriately, prompting the girl to run out of the room in distress. She immediately confided in her classmates and later informed the class in-charge and the vice-principal. However, no action was initiated by the college management, police said.

The victim subsequently revealed the incident to her parents, who lodged a complaint. The case was handed over to the Thiruverumbur All-Women Police Station, where an FIR was registered under the POCSO Act.

Following an investigation, the professor was arrested on Wednesday and remanded to Trichy Central Prison. Police further noted that the girl’s parents have demanded accountability from college staff who failed to act on her initial complaint. Officials assured that further inquiry would determine action against those responsible.

(With inputs from Times of India)

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Mayiladuthurai: Mohamed Abrith Arrested For Spying On Women Using Mobile Monitoring App

spying mobile monitoring app

On 17 September 2025, police in Mayiladuthurai district arrested a 28-year-old man, identified as Mohamed Abrith, on charges of spying on a college student and four other women by secretly monitoring their mobile phone activities without their consent.

The accused, a resident of Agaravallam village near Perambur, worked at a browsing centre near the Old Bus Stand in Mayiladuthurai. According to police reports, a first-year college student from a nearby village visited the browsing centre on 10 September to register for a passport. Abrith allegedly told her to install a widely known parental control application on her phone, falsely claiming it was required for the passport registration process.

Unbeknownst to her, Abrith used the app’s screen mirroring and surveillance features to monitor her phone remotely. He gained unauthorized access to her photo gallery, WhatsApp messages, and even activated her phone’s camera to track her daily movements. The student grew suspicious after noticing unusual notifications and rapid battery drainage. Concerned, she informed her parents, who promptly filed a complaint with the local police.

Sub-Inspector C. Arun Kumar from the cybercrime unit led the investigation, which confirmed that Abrith had been digitally stalking the student. He was arrested by a police team on 17 September.

Further inquiry revealed that Abrith had similarly spied on four other women who had visited the browsing centre for unrelated services. He was later produced before a judicial magistrate and placed in judicial custody.

Mayiladuthurai Superintendent of Police G. Stalin urged the public to be cautious about installing unfamiliar apps and warned against sharing personal devices in public browsing centres. He emphasized the importance of digital awareness and vigilance to prevent such violations of privacy.

(With inputs from Times of India)

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“I’ve Been To Pakistan And I Feel At Home”: Rahul Gandhi’s Motormouth Aide Sam Pitroda Expresses Love For Islamist Terror State Pakistan

sam pitroda pakistan rahul gandhi

Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda is back in the spotlight with his latest remarks about India’s neighbours.

On 19 September 2025, Pitroda called for India’s foreign policy to prioritise relationships with neighbouring countries, saying he “felt at home” during visits to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

“Our foreign policy, according to me, must first focus on our neighbourhood. Can we really substantially improve relationships with our neighbours? They are all small, they all need help, they are all going through difficult times, and there is no need to fight. Of course, there is a problem of violence, terrorism, all that is there. But at the end of the day, in that neighourhood, there is common gene pool. I’ve been to Pakistan, and I must tell you; I felt at home. I’ve been to Bangladesh, I’ve been to Nepal, and I feel at home. I don’t feel like I’m in a foreign country. They look me, they talk like me, they like my songs, they eat my food. So I must learn to live with them in peace and harmony, that is my first priority.” Pitroda said.

Watch: Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda says, “Our foreign policy, according to me, must first focus on our neighbourhood. Can we really substantially improve relationships with our neighbours?… I’ve been to Pakistan, and I must tell you, I felt at home. I’ve been to… pic.twitter.com/DINq138mvW

Pitroda’s statement adds to a growing catalogue of his controversial interventions on India’s foreign policy matters, which the BJP has repeatedly cited to question the Congress party’s stance on national security.

This is not the first time Sam Pitroda has been at the centre of a political row. Earlier in February, when ties with China were still strained, he sparked controversy after suggesting that India exaggerates the threat from China. Speaking in an interview to IANS, he argued that New Delhi should stop treating Beijing as an enemy and instead adopt a collaborative approach.

“I don’t understand the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has a tendency to define an enemy. I believe the time has come for all nations to collaborate, not confront. Our approach has been confrontational from the very beginning, and this attitude creates enemies, which in turn garners support within the country. We need to change this mindset and stop assuming that China is the enemy from day one,” Pitroda had said.

In 2024, he made racist remarks about Indians and said, “We could hold a country together as diverse as India where people on the East look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arab, people on the North look like maybe White and people in the South look like Africa. Doesn’t matter. 

In May 2019, Sam Pitroda faced backlash for his dismissive response, “hua toh hua” (“so what”), when questioned about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots although he later apologized. He deflected attention to the current government’s failures, avoiding accountability for the tragic events of 1984.

(With inputs from NDTV)

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Complaint Filed Against Sivaganga Govt Hostel Warden For Allegedly Forcing Students To Read Bible

sivaganga warden bible

In a controversial and alarming incident, a formal complaint has been lodged against the warden of a government girls’ hostel in Kalayarkoil, Sivaganga district, accusing her of coercing students into reading the Bible and attempting to convert them to Christianity.

The hostel, located opposite the Kalaiyarkoil Government Teachers Training Institute, houses 68 female students from classes 6 to 12. The warden in question, identified as Lakshmi from Karaikudi, has come under scrutiny following allegations raised by a concerned parent.

Manimekalai, a resident of Maruthanganallur and the mother of one of the students, submitted a complaint to District Collector P. Porkodi. In her statement, she alleged that Lakshmi was pressuring her daughter and other students to read the Bible daily and participate in religious worship services, claiming it amounted to an attempt at religious conversion. She further complained about poor living conditions, stating that meals were being prepared with spoiled vegetables.

“My daughter is being forced to take part in Bible readings and worship sessions. The hostel food is also being made with rotten vegetables. I’ve brought this to the collector’s attention,” Manimekalai stated in her complaint.

Responding to the allegations, warden Lakshmi clarified, “During quarterly and half-yearly examinations, students were encouraged to sing hymns and read the Bible for moral support. After receiving the complaint, we immediately stopped the practice. I have already submitted a written explanation to the District Adi Dravidar Welfare Office.”

The matter is currently under review by district authorities, and further action is expected following the investigation.

(With inputs from Dinamalar)

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“Cannot Be Shown Leniency Because Of His Celebrity Status”, Gujarat High Court Declares TMC MP Yusuf Pathan An Encroacher, Orders Him To Vacate Vadodara Govt Plot

"Cannot Be Shown Leniency Because Of His Celebrity Status", Gujarat High Court Declares TMC MP Yusuf Pathan An Encroacher, Orders Him To Vacate Vadodara Govt Plot

The Gujarat High Court has declared former India cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan an encroacher on government land in Vadodara, directing civic authorities to remove the encroachment. The single-judge bench of Justice Mona Bhatt issued the ruling last month, rejecting Pathan’s petition to retain control of a disputed plot adjacent to his bungalow in Vadodara’s Tandalja area.

The court stressed that celebrities cannot be above the law and exempting them sets a wrong precedent. “Just because of his celebrity status, Pathan cannot be shown any leniency. She also stated that granting any kind of leniency to Pathan will send a wrong message to the society,” the judgment said.

Citing Supreme Court principles, the court observed: “As a national representative and public figure, Pathan’s responsibility to follow the law is greater. Celebrities, due to their fame and public presence, have a profound impact on public behaviour and societal values. Granting concessions to such individuals despite flouting the law sends a wrong message to society and undermines public trust in the judicial system.”

The dispute dates back to 2012, when the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) issued a notice to Pathan asking him to vacate government land he had occupied since that year. Pathan had approached the VMC in 2012 seeking to purchase the open residential plot at market price, citing “security concerns for himself and his family as an international cricketer.”

In his petition, Pathan stated that he and his brother, former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan, should be permitted to purchase the land to ensure their family’s safety. “He also requested permission from the state chief minister to buy the plot on the grounds that he and his brother Irfan Pathan are both internationally renowned sports personalities and, considering their family’s security, the plot should be allotted to them,” the petition said.

The municipal authorities evaluated the request and forwarded it to the state government, which rejected the proposal in 2014. Despite the rejection, Pathan continued to occupy the property.

In 2024, after Pathan won the Lok Sabha election from Baharampur in West Bengal, the matter resurfaced and the VMC again issued a notice asking him to vacate the land. Pathan challenged this notice in the Gujarat High Court, but the bench found him to be in unauthorised possession.

Justice Bhatt’s order has now directed the civic body to act against the encroachment and ensure the property is vacated in accordance with law.

(With inputs from NDTV)

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