Rajasthan Couple Caught Smuggling Luxury Watches Worth Rs 13 Crore In Gujarat

A couple from Rajasthan was detained at Ahmedabad airport for allegedly trying to smuggle two high-end watches worth approximately Rs 13 crore from Dubai on Friday, officials in the Customs Department said on Sunday.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Richard Mille watches, mostly spotted on the wrists of billionaires or celebrities, were seized from the man and the woman, who arrived separately at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport from Dubai. 

According to the officials, one of them spotted the woman with one of the watches on her arrival from Dubai. Upon interrogation, she said it was gifted by her husband. When she was asked about her husband's whereabouts, she said he was arriving on another flight.

The woman's husband, the officials said, was caught when he was trying to exit the airport on his arrival. He initially claimed that the watch belonged to him and that it cost around Rs 1,000. When he was asked to produce a bill, he said he did not have one. 

As authorities searched his belongings, they found the case for the watch. The man then admitted to smuggling the item, the officials said. 

The couple was subsequently detained and upon interrogation, said they belong to Pratapgarh in Rajasthan. They said they were made to travel to Dubai to bring the watches to Ahmedabad, the officials added. 

The officials said a detailed probe is underway.

(With inputs from Mahendra Prasad)

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"Saw Bouncers Behaving Recklessly": Cops On 'Pushpa 2' Premiere Stampede

Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand on Sunday issued a stern warning to bouncers against misbehaving with police personnel, stating that VIPs they accompany would be held accountable for their actions.

"In the recent incident at Sandhya Theatre, we saw 40-50 bouncers behaving recklessly. Despite the presence of the public and police, they pushed everyone aside. Their sole focus was on the VIP. This is a warning to all bouncers: if they misbehave with the police, strict action will be taken against them. The behaviour of the bouncers is the responsibility of the VIPs they accompany. VIPs cannot shift the blame to the bouncers; the liability rests with them," said Mr Anand.

The warning came in the wake of a stampede-like situation at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of the film Pushpa 2.

Meanwhile, Telugu superstar Allu Arjun responded on Saturday to allegations holding him responsible for the tragedy at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of his movie Pushpa 2: The Rule.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday evening, Allu Arjun described the incident as "very unfortunate" and criticised what he called "misinformation" and "character assassination" against him.

"It is a very unfortunate incident, completely accidental. My condolences to the bereaved family. I am receiving updates every hour about the child who was hospitalised, and his condition is improving. There is a lot of misinformation and false allegations being spread. I do not wish to blame any department or politician. However, my character is being unjustly assassinated," Arjun told the media, referring to the December 4 incident at Sandhya Theatre, where a woman was killed and her child injured.

"I'm staying updated on the child's condition. The good news is that he is improving. Despite this tragedy, the child's progress brings some solace," he added.

The tragedy unfolded on December 4, when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of his movie Pushpa 2: The Rule. A large crowd had gathered to see the star, and the situation escalated when Arjun waved to fans from the sunroof of his vehicle, resulting in the death of a woman named Revathi.

Following the incident, Allu Arjun was arrested but was released the next day after securing bail from the Telangana High Court by furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000.

Meanwhile, Allu Arjun's latest release, Pushpa 2: The Rule, directed by Sukumar and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil, continues to break box office records.

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2 Passengers Fight Over Armrest Space On Delhi-Bound Air India Flight

Two passengers on board a Delhi-bound Air India flight from Copenhagen (Denmark) came to blows over armrest space just when the aircraft was about to land at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday, a source said.

The flight landed at around 7.35 am.

An Air India official said that the passengers had an argument over some issue at its Copenhagen-Delhi flight of Saturday which was later sorted out "amicably".

According to the source, "The two passengers started an argument over the armrest space in economy class when the cabin crew was serving food and beverages, which turned into a heated exchange. The cabin crew pacified them by giving one of the passengers another seat.

"However, when the aircraft was about to land in Delhi, the passenger came to collect his baggage from the seat he was sitting earlier, they again started the fight and came to blows." The number of passengers on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating AI 158 (Copenhagen-Delhi) could not be known.

The source, however, said that the flight was almost full.

When contacted, an Air India official said, "There was an argument between the two passengers over some issue but it was resolved amicably. They even shook hands before leaving the airport."

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Chandrababu Naidu's Party Launches Its First Membership Drive In Delhi

Close to 500 people registered themselves today as members as the Telugu Desam Party or TDP, a BJP ally, launched its first-ever membership drive in Delhi, drawing an enthusiastic response.

Held at the Masonic Center of India, the membership drive marks a pivotal moment for the TDP as it expands beyond Andhra Pradesh.

The membership drive was led by the Krishna Mohan Alapati, TDP's Delhi leader. He addressed the members about the party's vision of progress and development. Mr Alapati also praised the leadership of N Chandrababu Naidu, party chief and the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

"It is not just a TDP drive, it is a drive to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and TDP...The drive is very good. A large number of people are arriving to participate in this drive...The party is doing well under the leadership of Nara Lokesh and Chandrababu Naidu...Andhra Pradesh is also growing fast...," Mr Alapati said. 

The alliance of TDP, BJP and Janasena won a landslide victory in the state, bagging 21 parliamentary and 164 assembly seats. The TDP won 16 Lok Sabha seats, BJP three and Janasena two, decimating the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). Out of 25 Lok Sabha seats, NDA won 21 seats while the YSRCP managed to win only four seats.

Six years after severing ties, the TDP joined the BJP-led NDA alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
 
Andhra Pradesh also played a crucial role in Lok Sabha elections with its 25 parliamentary seats, making the TDP's influence pivotal in the NDA's overall strength.  

The party's alliance with the BJP in the NDA adds diversity and depth to the coalition, ensuring that Southern India has a strong voice at the center. This nationwide membership drive sends a strong message about the party's inclusivity and its intent to represent regional interests on a national platform.

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Indian Businessman Ravi Pillai Receives Bahrain's Topmost Award

Indian businessman Dr Ravi Pillai has been awarded Bahrain's prestigious national honour, the Medal of Efficiency, in recognition of his significant contributions to the progress and development of the kingdom, making him the only foreign national to receive the title.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of Bahrain, awarded the prestigious national honour to Mr Pillai, chairman of RP Group, on December 16.

“This esteemed award reflects His Majesty's deep appreciation for Dr Pillai's outstanding contributions to the Kingdom, particularly in the fields of refinery operations, local community development, and the strengthening of Bahrain's global position,” the Royal Order said.

“We appreciate Dr Ravi Pillai for his exceptional service and contributions to the Kingdom, and we are honored to present him with this distinguished award as a sign of our deep gratitude,” the king said in the royal proclamation.

With a turnover of USD 12 billion, his business is the largest employer of Indians outside India, the release said, adding, with 1,26,000 employees, his group is one of the largest remitters of foreign currency to India.

Mr Pillai is also one of the largest investors in India, where he has six five star hotels, two hospitals and three shopping malls and plans to invest USD 2 billion in the next two years in India.

Expressing his heartfelt gratitude, Mr Pillai said, “This award is a reflection of the collective efforts of my team, the support of the people of Bahrain, and the unwavering trust of the Kingdom. I dedicate this award to all the hardworking employees who supported me all these years.” He also added that he dedicates the honour to “all the Indians, especially the expats in the Gulf, whose contributions have been instrumental in the growth and prosperity of the region.” 

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Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Seeking Review Of Bail Order To Senthil Balaji

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea seeking review of an order granting bail to Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji in a money laundering case related to a cash-for-jobs scam.

A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih also dismissed a prayer for conducting open hearing on the review petition.

"Application seeking oral hearing of the review petition is rejected. The review petition seeks review of judgment and order dated September 26, 2024. Having gone through the review petition and the connected papers, we do not find any ground to review the order sought to be reviewed. There is no error apparent on the face of the record," the bench said in its order passed on December 17, and uploaded on the top court website on Saturday.

The bench noted that an application for recall of the same order is pending and is being heard by the court.

The review petition was filed by one of the complainants in the case.

On Friday, while hearing a petition for the recall of the September 26 order, the bench observed it was "terribly wrong" to appoint Balaji as a minister in the Tamil Nadu government days after he was granted bail in the case.

It had said a large number of witnesses were public officials and sought response of the state government on the pending cases against Mr Balaji.

"It can't be axiomatic that the moment a person is released he becomes a minister, there is something terribly wrong. Because there maybe cases and cases where somebody is being framed. In the facts of the case we will have to consider," the bench had remarked.

On September 26, the top court granted bail to DMK strongman Balaji, in the money laundering case after over 15 months, noting there was no possibility of the completion of trial in the near future.

Senthil Balaji, 48, was sworn-in as a minister by Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on September 29 and was assigned the same key portfolios -- electricity, non-conventional energy development, prohibition and excise -- that he held previously in the Chief Minister M K Stalin cabinet.

The ED had arrested Mr Balaji, representing Karur assembly constituency, on June 14, 2023, in the case, when he was the transport minister during the previous AIADMK regime between 2011 and 2015.

On February 13, the TN Governor accepted Mr Balaji's resignation from the council of ministers. The top court reprieve on September 26, ended his 471-day incarceration.

On September 2, the top court refused to appoint a special public prosecutor for the trial of the case involving Balaji.

The top court had further underscored the prosecutors dealing with cases of MPs and MLAs were aware of the nature of their responsibilities as these cases were being monitored by the top court.

The Enforcement Directorate had filed a case of money laundering in July 2021 to probe the allegations after three FIRs were registered by the Tamil Nadu police in 2018 and on the basis of complaints by those aggrieved of the alleged scam.

The agency's chargesheet claimed the entire recruitment process in the Tamil Nadu transport department during the tenure of Balaji as minister was turned into a "corrupt chiefdom", and the scam was executed under his authority.

Being a public servant, Mr Balaji "misused" his official capacity as the then transport minister and obtained pecuniary benefits by corrupt and illegal means and directly acquired the proceeds of crime that were generated out of a criminal activity related to a scheduled offence, the agency alleged.

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How Bashar al-Assad's Inner Circle Fled Syria After His Fall

A lightning rebel offensive early this month caught Syria's ruling clan off guard.

President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia on December 8, leaving behind many of his collaborators, some of whom sought refuge in neighbouring countries.

According to two sources, the ousted president, who fled to Moscow via the Russian military airfield in Hmeimim on Syria's coast, was accompanied by only a handful of confidants.

Among them were his closet ally, the secretary-general of presidential affairs Mansour Azzam, as well as his economic adviser Yassar Ibrahim, who oversees the financial empire of Assad and his wife, Asma.

"He left with his secretary and his treasurer," an insider who requested anonymity said, mockingly.

Bashar's brother, Maher al-Assad, commander of the elite Fourth Division tasked with defending Damascus, did not know about his sibling's plans.

Leaving his men stranded, Maher took a separate route, fleeing by helicopter to Iraq before travelling to Russia, according to a Syrian military source.

An Iraqi security source told AFP that Maher arrived in Iraq by plane on December 7 and stayed there for five days.

Maher's wife, Manal al-Jadaan and his son briefly entered Lebanon before departing through Beirut airport, said Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, without disclosing their final destination.

Another Assad government heavyweight, Ali Mamlouk, the former chief of Syria's security apparatus, fled to Russia via Iraq, said a Syrian military source.

His son passed through Lebanon before leaving for another destination, according to a Lebanese security source.

'Wanted'

The Iraqi Interior Ministry denied on Monday the presence of either Maher al-Assad or Mamlouk in Iraq.

Both are wanted men.

Maher - and Bashar al-Assad - are wanted by France for alleged complicity in war crimes over chemical attacks in Syria in August 2013.

The French courts have already sentenced Mamlouk and Jamil Hassan, former head of Syria's Air Force Intelligence, in absentia to life imprisonment for complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes.

On Friday, the Lebanese authorities received an Interpol alert relaying a US request to arrest Hassan and hand him over to the US authorities, should he enter the country.

The United States accuses Hassan of "war crimes", including overseeing barrel bomb attacks on Syrian people that killed thousands of civilians.

A Lebanese judicial source told AFP that they had no confirmation of Hassan's presence in Lebanon, but assured that he would be detained if found.

Last-minute escapes

Other prominent figures also made hasty escapes.

Bouthaina Shaaban, former translator for Hafez al-Assad - Bashar's father who founded the brutal system of government his son inherited - fled to Lebanon on the night of December 7-8.

Shaaban, Bashar al-Assad's long-time political adviser, then travelled to Abu Dhabi, according to a friend in Beirut.

Kifah Mujahid, head of the Baath Brigades - the military wing of Syria's former ruling party - escaped to Lebanon by boat, a party source told AFP.

Other officials took refuge in their hometowns in Alawite regions, some of them told AFP. Assad hailed from Syria's Alawite minority.

Not all escape attempts were successful.

Ihab Makhlouf, Bashar al-Assad's cousin and a prominent businessman, was killed on December 7 while trying to flee Damascus.

His twin brother, Iyad, was injured in the same incident, said a military official from the former government.

Their elder sibling, Rami Makhlouf, once considered Syria's richest man and a symbol of the regime's corruption, managed to survive. Rami, who fell out of favour with the Assad regime years ago, is believed to be in the United Arab Emirates.

Several other figures close to Assad's government crossed into Lebanon, according to a security source and a source in the business world. These included Ghassan Belal, head of Maher's office, and businessmen Mohammed Hamsho, Khalid Qaddur, Samer Debs and Samir Hassan.

A former Lebanese minister with close ties to Syria said that several senior Syrian military officers were granted safe passage by the Russians to the Hmeimim airbase.

They were rewarded for instructing their troops not to resist the rebel offensive in order to avoid further bloodshed, he said.

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