In yet another instances of Congress leaders making objectionable remarks against Hinduism, Telangana Revanth Reddy went on to publicly ridicule the Hindu pantheon by mocking the multiplicity of Gods and their attributes.

“How many gods do Hindus believe in? Are there three crore? Why do so many exist? There is one god for those who are unmarried — Hanuman. There is another god for those who marry twice. And there is yet another god for those who drink alcohol. For hen sacrifice, there is one; for dal and rice, there is one. Each group has its own god,” Reddy said as reported in India Today.

హిందూ దేవుళ్ళను అపహాస్యం చేయడం ప్రతి ఒక్కడికి ఒక ఫ్యాషన్ అయిపోయింది.

ఒక ముఖ్యమంత్రి స్థాయిలో ఉండి కోట్ల మంది హిందువుల మనోభావాలు దెబ్బతినే విధంగా @revanth_anumula రేవంత్ రెడ్డి గారు దేవుళ్ళ పైన కారెడ్డాలాడుతూ మాట్లాడడం దురదృష్టకరం.

ఏ ఎండకు ఆ గొడుగు పట్టే రేవంత్ రెడ్డి… pic.twitter.com/zMGmVBEA4e

— Rakesh Reddy Anugula (@RakeshReddyBRS) December 2, 2025

These statements quickly provoked backlash from opposition parties. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) accused him of insulting Hindu beliefs and demanded an immediate apology. The BJP state leadership described the remarks as shameful for millions of Hindus, while BRS leaders called the comments a crude attempt to mock faith — suggesting the remarks might be more than a slip of tongue.

Revanth Reddy had earlier courted controversy saying “Congress means Muslims and Muslim means Congress”. He also sparked controversy by questioning how many Rafale jets were shot down by Pakistan.

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The post “One God For Drinkers, One For Those Who Marry Twice”: Telangana Congress CM Revanth Reddy Makes Offensive Comment Against Hindu Gods appeared first on The Commune.

A Hyderabad Police internal memo denying permission to a Sub-Inspector to observe Ayyappa Deeksha practices while on duty has triggered a political row in Telangana, with critics accusing the Congress-led state government of applying religious rules selectively.

The memo, issued in the South East Zone in early November 2025, cited earlier head office instructions and stated that police personnel could not grow hair or beard, wear black clothing, or remain barefoot while on duty as part of religious observances. The communication advised officers wishing to take up Ayyappa Deeksha to apply for leave instead.

Hyderabad City Police has asked its officers who wish to undertake the sacred Ayyappa Deeksha to do so by taking leave, and not while on duty.

Is the Telangana Police Department now functioning under the diktats of AIMIM?

The same department grants special half-day concessions… pic.twitter.com/eD9Xu0Q6O7

— BJP Telangana (@BJP4Telangana) November 25, 2025

The order came under immediate criticism from BJP and VHP leaders, who described it as discriminatory. Suspended BJP MLA T. Raja Singh alleged that such restrictions were imposed only on Hindu personnel and questioned whether members of “a particular community” received similar scrutiny during their religious festivals. BJP state chief Ramchander Rao called the memo “anti-Hindu” and argued that the government should not restrict personal religious observances while selectively accommodating others.

Responding to the backlash, Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said he had recently come across the memo and would seek clarity from senior officials. He described it as a “sentimental issue” and added that, if such a rule existed, it should be applied uniformly. Police officials meanwhile said the memo was intended as an internal communication that had inadvertently circulated publicly and stated that the matter was being verified.

A Stark Contrast: The Ramzan 2025 Precedent

The controversy gains a deeper political dimension when contrasted with the state government’s own actions just nine months prior. In February 2025, the Telangana government, under Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, issued a sweeping official order granting all Muslim employees permission to leave their offices early at 4 PM throughout the entire month of Ramzan.

Telangana Government has issued an order permitting all Government Muslim Employees/Teachers/Contract /Out-sourcing/Boards/ Corporations & Public Sector Employees working in the State to leave their Offices/Schools at 4.00 pm during the Month of Ramzan from 2nd March to 31st… pic.twitter.com/bMXUpxPr3m

— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2025

The order permitted Muslim employees in government departments, schools, boards, corporations and public sector undertakings to leave early from 2 March 2025 to 31 March 2025 to break their fast and offer evening prayers. The order stated that employees were expected to stay back if required for exigencies of service.

The policy, issued ahead of Ramzan, which was expected to begin on 28 February 2025 and conclude on 30 March 2025, was widely reported at the time as a religious accommodation measure for Muslim employees.

Welcome to Congress (Sharia) rule in Telangana.

For Muslims – Leave early by 4PM for entire month

For Hindus – Apply leave if you want to take Ayyappa Deeksha

Still Hindus will vote for Congress. pic.twitter.com/VzmZQRvn9S

— Tathvam-asi (@ssaratht) November 26, 2025

A Pattern of Appeasement?

This side-by-side comparison has fueled accusations that the Congress government in Telangana practices a policy of selective secularism: one that readily accommodates the religious practices of one community while using the cloak of “uniform rules” to suppress those of another.

Critics argue that the state had no qualms about formally integrating religious observance into the official work schedule for Muslim employees during Ramzan. However, when it comes to a Hindu officer seeking to observe a deeply personal and widely respected deeksha, the same administration suddenly retreats behind a rigid interpretation of secularism, effectively branding the practice as incompatible with official duty.

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The post Congress-Ruled Telangana That Allowed Muslim Employees To Leave Offices Early During Ramzan Now Sends Internal Memo To Police Denying Permission To Observe Ayyappa Deeksha Practice While On Duty appeared first on The Commune.

The Supreme Court on Thursday, 16 October 2025, dismissed the plea filed by the State of Telangana challenging the Telangana High Court’s interim order that stayed the implementation of 42% reservation for Backward Classes in local body elections. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta clarified that the High Court should decide the main matter on merits without being influenced by the dismissal of the State’s Special Leave Petition.

At the outset, Justice Nath asked Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi why the reservation was not brought in before the elections were notified. Singhvi responded that the Governor had kept the Bill pending without granting assent. “The Bill became a law based on ‘deemed assent’ in terms of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Tamil Nadu Governor case. Without making any challenge to the law, a stay has been secured,” he added.

Justice Nath then asked, “How do you challenge a Bill?” Singhvi replied, “The Bill has become an Act now, and has been acted upon on the basis of deemed assent.”

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the respondents, said the challenge was made to the Government Order that resulted in the reservation exceeding the 50% ceiling. “As per the K. Krishna Murthy (Dr.) & Ors. v. Union of India and Vikas Kishanrao Gawali judgments, triple tests have to be fulfilled before giving reservations in local self-government institutions. Earlier, it was 15%, 10% and 25% respectively for SC, ST and OBCs within the 50% limit,” he added. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has previously held in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh that reservation should not cross 50% for local body elections.

Another counsel for the respondents submitted that the State cannot unilaterally act on the basis of “deemed assent” for the Bill, as the Tamil Nadu Governor judgment held that the State must seek a writ of mandamus from the Court if there is a delay on the part of the Governor in granting assent to the Bill.

In response, Singhvi argued that the 50% limit was not an “inflexible rule” and claimed that the State satisfied the triple tests to enhance the reservation. “Door-to-door household socio-economic surveys were done ‘painstakingly’ for one year,” he added.

Justice Nath remarked, “Based on these exercises, you have come up with the Ordinance and a Bill. That is yet to take a final shape.” Singhvi asserted that the law was in operation. Justice Mehta pointed out that the Gawali judgment did not allow crossing the 50% limit. Singhvi replied that Gawali held 50% could be crossed if there was empirical data and highlighted that Telangana was the only State to have conducted such a survey.

The bench was not persuaded by these arguments and dismissed the petition. “You may continue with your elections [without reservations]… dismissed,” Justice Nath said.

(Source: LiveLaw)

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The post Supreme Court Rejects Telangana Govt’s Plea Against High Court Stay On 42% OBC Reservation In Local Body Polls appeared first on The Commune.

Bhupathi Reddy, a legislator from the ruling Congress party representing the Nizamabad Rural constituency, has sparked a row with remarks in which he allegedly wished “death” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The MLA reportedly commented on the Prime Minister’s lifespan during a program in his constituency about a week ago.

In a video clip shared by BJP leaders on social media on 2 October 2025, Bhupathi Reddy is heard saying in Telugu, “They always say Rama as if Rama were born only because of them. As if they go, Rama too would go. If Modi dies, will Rama cease to exist? How many more days will Modi live? He is already 75 years old.”

Shocking and disgraceful remarks of Telangana Cong MLA Bhupati against Prabhu Shri Ram & also PM Modi

Shows Sanatan Virodhi mindset of entire Congress that has time & again attacked Hindus

After abusing PM Mother now they want PM Modi dead ! Muhabbat Ki Dukan or Nafrat Ki? pic.twitter.com/trwNkpPjuI

— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) October 2, 2025

The BJP has strongly condemned the remarks, calling them “shocking” and “insensitive.” In a post, the party stated, “Bhagwan Shri Ram is the eternal embodiment of Bharat’s civilisational pride and cultural greatness. The vile and disgraceful remarks of Telangana Congress MLA Bhupati are not an individual outburst but a reflection of Congress’s deep-rooted contempt for Hindu sentiments. By repeatedly attacking Bhagwan Shri Ram and ridiculing the faith of crores of Indians, Congress exposes its anti-Hindu mindset and its politics of appeasement.”

The post added: “Let’s unite and fight against Congress’s divisive and destructive agenda in Telangana and across Bharat.”

Telangana BJP spokesperson Rachna Reddy commented that the MLA’s remarks reflect the frustration of the Congress party.

Bhupathi Reddy has previously courted controversy for using abusive language against actor Allu Arjun and warning that he would not tolerate criticism of the state government or Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

(With inputs from Zee News)

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The post “How Many More Days Will Modi Live? He Is Already 75”, Says Telangana Congress MLA Bhupathi Reddy appeared first on The Commune.

The “Marwadi go back” campaign launched recently by a section of traders and locals in Telangana gathered momentum with a shutdown observed in parts of the state on Friday on a call given by the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OUJAC), which was supported by various traders’ associations.

Traders downed their shutters in a few commercial areas in Hyderabad and in various towns, including Yadadri, Gajwel, Dubbaka, Narayanpet, Mahabubabad, Khammam, Jangaon, Amangal, and Nalgonda. Educational institutions were also closed in some towns in response to the bandh call, which was supported by the Arya Vysya, Viswabrahmins, and Viswakarma associations.

The traders and locals took out rallies in various parts of the state. They raised slogans of ‘Marwadi go back’. They alleged that Marwadi businesses were “committing atrocities on locals and snatching away their livelihood”. Owners of kirana shops, mobile phone shops, and associations of traders participated in the protests.

Traders took out a rally in Mahbubabad. Police arrested 50 protestors for taking out a rally without permission amid tight security arrangements to prevent any untoward incident. In Hyderabad, police took OUJAC Chairman K. Tirupathi Reddy and Telangana Kranti Dal President Sangamreddy Prithviraj into preventive custody in view of the bandh call. OUJAC and Adivasi Students Union staged a protest at Habsiguda in Hyderabad.

Wearing back badges, the protestors burnt tyres in front of the jewellery shops of Marwadis. Police arrested the protestors. Tirupathi Reddy had appealed to people to participate in the bandh. He accused Marwadi businessmen of exploiting traders of Telangana through deceptive strategies. He said Telangana state was achieved after fighting the atrocities of rulers from Andhra in the united Andhra Pradesh, but Marwadis from Rajasthan and Gujarat were looting Telangana. The Vaisya Vikas Vedika and other trade associations supported the Telangana bandh.

The ‘Marwadi go back’ movement started recently after an altercation between some Dalit youths and Marwadis over a parking issue at the Monda Market in Secunderabad. A round table organised in Hyderabad passed a resolution demanding that businesses and industries established by people from other states should provide 89 per cent of jobs to locals.

The participants also demanded legislation to protect local businesses and prevent non-Telangana residents from purchasing land in the state. They also urged people to refuse assistance to Gujarati and Rajasthani traders and boycott their goods. Telangana Kranti Dal President Prithviraj had urged Telangana residents to refuse assistance to Gujarati and Rajasthani traders and boycott their goods.

“We are fighting against the exploitation of our resources. The government must ensure that outsiders do not start businesses in towns with less than 5 lakh population,” he said and alleged that outsiders were not even employing locals.

Last week, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar slammed the ‘Marwadi go back’ movement and alleged that the Congress, the BRS, and the MIM were behind the campaign to divide Hindus.

“Marwadis have never fought for political power, nor have they looted Telangana. They have generated wealth through business and contributed significantly to GDP while upholding the Hindu Sanatana Dharma. Why should they leave Telangana?” he asked, alleging that the real threat was from the Rohingyas.

-IANS

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The post ‘Marwadi Go Back’ Campaign Triggers Bandh In Parts Of Telangana appeared first on The Commune.

Sony LIV’s new political drama Mayasabha, set in the turbulent political climate of 1990s Andhra Pradesh, draws loose inspiration from landmark political events, including the 1982 confrontation between Rajiv Gandhi and then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister T Anjaiah, an episode that reshaped state politics and gave rise to the ‘Telugu atmagauravam’ (Telugu self-respect) movement.

Mayasabha series :

Shows how Rajiv Gandhi insulted Dalit Congress CM anjayya in Begumpet , got viral in media & led to birth of Telugu pride movement by TDP in 1982

4yrs 4CMs rotation & insults ,led to Indira Gandhi washed out in 1983 AP election pic.twitter.com/VpH9lXZJfz

— 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘺 (@vibeofswetha) August 7, 2025

Created by filmmaker Deva Katta and co-directed with Kiran Jay Kumar, the series traces the friendship-turned-rivalry between two young politicians from opposing parties, Kakarla Krishnama Naidu (Aadhi Pinisetty) and MS Rami Reddy (Chaitanya Rao). Their parallel rise to political prominence unfolds against a backdrop of party coups, betrayals, and shifting loyalties. Divya Dutta features as Iravati Basu, with production by Vijay Krishna Lingamaneni and Sree Harsha under Hitmen & Proodos Productions LLP.

The scenes show a Chief Minister summoning MLAs to a hotel to expel 35 members, before shifting focus to Naidu and Reddy’s evolving camaraderie and rivalry. The narrative culminates in a high-tension sequence echoing Chandrababu Naidu’s 1995 Ashram Hotel political manoeuvre, where key figures such as Harikrishna, Daggubati Venkateshwara Rao, and K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) were aligned with Naidu’s camp.

Mayasabha series :

Last scene of Chandrababu Naidu in Ashram Hotel scene :

Starring : Harikrishna, Daggubati venkateshwar rao, KCR in CBN camp pic.twitter.com/KPBOsgMhbn

— 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘺 (@vibeofswetha) August 7, 2025

Historical Parallel: The 1982 Airport Incident

The series references the February 1982 Begumpet Airport incident in which Rajiv Gandhi, then Congress general secretary, publicly rebuked Chief Minister T Anjaiah for what he considered an ostentatious welcome. Anjaiah, a loyal Congress leader from Medak district who had risen from a labour union background to the chief ministership at Indira Gandhi’s behest, had arranged elaborate state-sponsored reception arrangements, including a hired plane, band party, and hundreds of supporters.

Rajiv Gandhi, reportedly irritated by the display, chastised Anjaiah in front of assembled party workers, allegedly calling him a “buffoon” and threatening to cut short his visit if the reception did not end quickly. Refusing garlands and departing for Tirupati without the Chief Minister, Gandhi’s public rebuke was widely covered in the media and perceived as an affront to Andhra Pradesh’s dignity.

Weeks later, Anjaiah was removed from office by Indira Gandhi. While the Congress cited municipal election losses in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada as the official reason, the airport episode was seen as a catalyst.

Rise of Telugu Desam Party

The perceived humiliation of a state leader by a national party figure became a rallying point for Telugu pride. Actor N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) capitalised on this sentiment, founding the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) later in 1982. Running on the platform of ‘Telugu atmagauravam’, NTR’s party defeated the Congress in the 1983 state elections, ending its uninterrupted rule since Independence.

Congress briefly returned to power in 1985, but NTR reclaimed the chief ministership in 1989. The TDP also became the launchpad for Chandrababu Naidu, who joined the party after losing a 1983 election as a Congress candidate. In 1995, Naidu orchestrated a political coup against NTR, forming a new government and inducting KCR into his Cabinet.

From Telugu Pride to Telangana Movement

KCR, denied a Cabinet berth after the 1999 elections and instead offered the deputy speakership, quit the TDP in 2001 to launch the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), spearheading the statehood movement. Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, with KCR’s party, now the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), dominating state politics until recently.

(With inputs from India Today)

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The post The ‘Buffoon’ Insult: Mayasabha Reenacts Rajiv Gandhi’s Humiliation of Congress Leader Anjaiah That Triggered The Telugu Pride Movement And Birth Of TDP appeared first on The Commune.

A formal complaint has been lodged with the Bhadradri Kothagudem District Collector by NGO watchdog, Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), alleging that three Christian pastors in Yellandu Mandal are fraudulently holding Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates in violation of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. The organization has sought immediate cancellation of these certificates, as well as criminal and departmental action against both the beneficiaries and officials involved in their issuance.

Lodged complaint with the District Collector, Bhadradri Kothagudem @Collector_BDD seeking cancellation of illegal SC certificates held by Christian Pastors and action against officials who issued them, violating the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. https://t.co/rERi0Kls4c

— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) July 21, 2025

The complaint names Muppalla Poul Dhinakar (40), Ubbani Laxmaiah (64), and Ginnarapu Jacob (45), all residents of Yellandu Mandal, who are reportedly active members of the Yellandu Mandal Pastors Fellowship. According to LRPF, these individuals have been openly professing Christianity and engaging in evangelical activities, including distributing religious pamphlets and Bibles, while simultaneously availing benefits reserved for Scheduled Castes.

It is noteworthy that one of the pastors, Muppalla Poul Dhinakar, filed an FIR with the Yellandu Police on 18 July 2025 in which he explicitly declared his identity as a Christian Pastor. In the complaint, Dhinakar stated that on 17 July 2025, he and his church members were distributing gospel pamphlets in the 21 Pit area of Yellandu when they were allegedly attacked by a group of ten individuals. The assailants reportedly tore and burned the pamphlets and Bibles, hurled caste- and religion-based insults, and attempted to incite communal disharmony.

The FIR was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 189(2), 126, 191, 196, 299, 307, and 326, along with Sections 3(1)(r)(s) and 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Those named in the FIR include Narasimha Reddy, Janakiram, Prashanth, Ramesh, Rajath Kumar, Satish Kumar, Sandeep, Pawan, Akhil, and Jayaprakash.

While the complaint was initially filed to report the alleged assault, LRPF has pointed out that the pastors’ own admission of their religious identity in the FIR establishes that they are ineligible for SC status under Paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, which excludes persons professing any religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism from being considered Scheduled Castes.

The complaint also referenced a 2019 circular (No. 12017/02/2018-SCD (R.L. Cell)) from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, directing states to cancel such caste certificates and take legal action against both the holders and the issuing officials.

Calling the case a “serious systemic failure,” LRPF demanded retrospective cancellation of the certificates and prosecution of the beneficiaries for alleged offences such as cheating, forgery, and fraud under BNS provisions. They also urged disciplinary action against the revenue and welfare officials involved.

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The post Christian Pastors Accused Of Illegally Holding Scheduled Caste Certificates In Telangana; FIR Filed Seeking Cancellation Of Certificates Held By Accused appeared first on The Commune.

A shocking incident has gone viral, where a communist party cadre made threatening phone calls to a YouTube news women journalist ‘Navatha’ for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The journalist’s recent coverage, which portrayed Modi and the BJP in a positive light, upset the communist cadre, who expressed their displeasure by calling and telling her that her praise “wasn’t nice.” The caller also threatened to visit both her office and home. The journalist, in response, recorded the entire conversation and shared it on her channel, “R-Voice,” where it quickly went viral.

The communist cadre immediately called the journalist and said, “What you said on your channel is not nice.” The journalist, confused, responded, “What did I say?” He replied, “If you want to praise Pawan Kalyan, you can, but…” She interrupted, asking, “Is it because of Chandrababu Naidu?” He replied, “You can even praise Chandrababu Naidu.” She followed up, “Is it about Jagan Reddy?” He said, “I don’t have a problem with any of them.” She then asked, “So what’s it about?” He responded, “I’m saying this because you are praising the BJP, that’s why I’m saying this.” She questioned, “Did you watch it?” He replied, “Yes, I just saw it on your channel now.”

The journalist clarified that she was not praising the BJP, but the cadre kept insisting that she was. She then asked him to point out exactly where she had praised the BJP. Frustrated with her response, the communist cadre, who seemed to be annoyed that the journalist wasn’t intimidated by the call, started threatening her, saying, “Tomorrow they are coming there. The communist members from Hyderabad, those boys, are coming to your channel tomorrow.”

The journalist fired back, “Oh, are the CPM guys threatening me now? I’ll share this on my channel, that CPM members are coming to threaten me. I’ll even put your number up and file a police complaint. Tell me your name and where you’re calling from.” The cadre then asked, “Why are you praising the BJP?” To which she responded, “Why is that your problem?”

The communist cadre who called the journalist expressed that he was upset because she was praising what he referred to as “looters,” and he was irritated by her praise for them. The journalist quickly responded, stating that she didn’t run her channel to please anyone. After a while, growing frustrated, she challenged the communist cadre, asking what his party had done for students, auto unions, and other groups. In response, he attempted to defend the usual narrative, bringing up issues from the past. The journalist sharply fired back, saying, “Don’t bring up the old days when my grandfather was alive—talk about what’s happening now.”

The communist cadre was thoroughly roasted during the phone call by the journalist, and the conversation quickly went viral on social media.

Why Are You Supporting Modi , Threatening Call to Journalist Navatha . https://t.co/Ees1ZmqgmS@AmitShah @narendramodi @bandisanjay_bjp @kishanreddybjp @Arvindharmapuri @PawanKalyan @BJP4India @BJP4Telangana @PMOIndia @AmitShahOffice @RSSorg @BJP4Telangana @KattaRajgopal1

— Journalist Navatha (@navathajurnalst) February 28, 2025

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The post ‘Praising BJP Isn’t Nice’: Telangana Communist Cadre Threatens Journalist, Gets Roasted In Viral Call appeared first on The Commune.

A man linked to the Pakistani terrorist organization Khalifa was arrested at Chennai International Airport while attempting to travel to Sri Lanka. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken him into custody for further investigation.

The arrested individual, Mohammed Zakriya, originally hails from Pakistan and has been residing in India for the past 25 years. He first settled in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, before moving to Hanamkonda, Warangal district, Telangana, where he has been living for the last 20 years. Zakriya is known to operate a food business in Warangal—Royal Bawarchi Biryani.

He is said to have converted 10–12 individuals to the Khalifa and operated several businesses, including three to four biryani centers in Warangal and Hanamkonda. In addition, he owned 16 auto-trolley vehicles used for selling sweets (Kovas) and ice creams in various local neighborhoods.

Authorities believe Zakriya is the Indian head of the Khalifa terrorist outfit. His arrest comes in the wake of the recent death of Khalifa’s leader, following which he was reportedly traveling to Sri Lanka to attend a gathering meant to elect a new leader. The NIA intercepted him at Chennai airport before he could board his flight.

Zakriya lived in Hanumankonda with his two brothers and has two wives and ten children. Investigators are now probing his activities, network, and deeper connections with the Pakistani-based terror group Khalifa. The NIA is currently interrogating him under custody.

The Khalifa organization, originally established by a Pakistani national who recently passed away, is in the process of electing a new leader, which led to Zakariya’s travel. Authorities intercepted him at Chennai Airport, where they discovered literature associated with Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, an entity believed to have an influence on minority communities in India.

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Telangana’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday began questioning Nikesh Kumar, Assistant Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Department, who was arrested earlier this month in a disproportionate assets case.

A day after a court granted the ACB custody of the tainted official for four days, the anti-graft agency’s sleuths took him into custody from Chanchalguda prison. He was brought to the ACB office in Nampally, where investigating officers questioned him.

The ACB officials had found assets valued at ₹17.73 crore owned by Nikesh Kumar and his family members, which are disproportionate to his known sources of income. In one bank locker, they found gold jewellery weighing 1.5 kg.

The market value of his assets, including a villa, flat, plots, agricultural land, and gold ornaments, is pegged at over ₹100 crore. The official, who joined the job a decade ago, was said to be earning at least ₹2 lakh a day, allegedly through corrupt means.

The ACB officials were shocked to find the value of the disproportionate assets. Their questioning is likely to reveal more facts about the sensational case.

The agency will also try to find out if Nikesh Kumar was acting as a ‘benami’ of any other person. In May, the ACB team trapped Nikesh when he demanded and accepted a bribe of ₹2 lakh along with three other officials working in the irrigation and revenue department. A major chunk of Nikesh Kumar’s illegal wealth came allegedly through No Objection Certificates (NOCs), which he issued for building permissions through the TG-bPASS portal.

This is the ACB’s second-biggest catch after the apprehensions of the former director of Insurance Medical Services (IMS), Ch Devika Rani, in 2019 and HMDA Director (Town Planning) Shiva Balakrishna earlier this year.

While Devika was seized with disproportionate assets worth ₹30 crore, Balakrishna was seized with unregistered properties worth ₹9 crore.

The value of the two tainted officials’ seized assets was only as per the government record. The market value is estimated to be hundreds of crores.

–IANS

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