The Indian Panorama

02/03/2024

New Delhi (TIP)- The Parliament did a “half-hearted” job in amending the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Act in 1981, the Supreme Court remarked on Thursday, February 1, pointing out though the amendments sought to include the Muslim voice in the administration of the institution, it fell short of conferring the “complete minority character” on AMU. As the seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud reserved its judgment in the case relating to minority status of AMU, the court observed that the amendments made in 1981 changed the definition of the term “university” under the AMU Act to state that it was established by Muslims and made some other changes....

02/03/2024

New Delhi (TIP)-The Supreme Court on Friday, February 2, refused to entertain a plea filed by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Hemant Soren, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering allegations minutes after he resigned as chief minister of the state on January 31. Asking Soren to rather approach the high court concerned, the top court also declined to set down a deadline for the Jharkhand high court to hear and decide his petition that seeks his arrest be declared unconstitutional....

02/03/2024

New Delhi (TIP)- The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, Feb 1, approved the signing and ratification of the Bilateral Investment Treaty between India and UAE. The government said that the treaty is expected to improve investor confidence and increase foreign investments and Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) opportunities. “The approval is expected to increase investments in India and is likely to help in realizing the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging domestic manufacturing, reducing import dependence, increasing exports etc, ” an official statement by the Cabinet said....

02/03/2024

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal skipped the Enforcement Directorate's summons for the fifth time in connection with the money-laundering probe related to irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case. The fresh summons to the Delhi CM followed the fourth summons, which he had skipped on January 18. While skipping the fifth summons, the party called it "unlawful". "Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the ED today as well....

02/03/2024

Varanasi (TIP)- Members of a Hindu priests' family started praying at a cellar in the basement of Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque after a district court February 1 ordered the administration to unseal the premises, 30 years after it was sealed on the orders of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, shortly after the Babri Masjid demolition. "Hindu side allowed to offer prayers......

02/03/2024

The Supreme Court on Friday, Feb 2, agreed to consider an AAP councillor's request seeking urgent hearing of his plea challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that refused to grant any interim relief to the party seeking fresh mayoral polls in Chandigarh. The matter was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for councillor Kuldeep Kumar, a candidate for the mayor's post....

02/03/2024

QUEENS, NY (TIP): It was pretty evident from the enthusiasm and energy exhibited at the recent gathering of the Indian Americans in the Santoor Restaurant in Floral Park, Queens, New York, that they are excited to have Tom Suozzi back in the political arena again. "The Indian Community has always admired Mr. Suozzi for standing up for issues that our community has cared for, and this gathering strongly reflects those feelings' Said Mr....

02/03/2024

H-1B visa application submission process for fiscal year 2025 to begin from March 6 WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The H-1B visa application submission process for the fiscal year 2025 would start from March 6, a US federal agency said on Tuesday, January 30, as it announced a major overhaul of its annual lottery for this specialty occupation visa. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise....

02/03/2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): On Wednesday, January 24th, 2024, Canada’s Foreign Interference Commission released the following statement, opening up inquiries concerning ways the Indian Government may have been tampering with Canadian elections: “Pursuant to its Terms of Reference, the Foreign Interference Commission has requested that the Government of Canada’s collection and production of document relating to paragraphs clause (a)(i)(A) and (a)(i)(B) of its Terms of Reference include information and documents relating to alleged interference by India related to the 2019 and 2021 elections.”...

United States | WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): On Wednesday, January 24th, 2024, Canada’s Foreign Interference Commission released the following statement, opening up inquiries

02/03/2024

Yogesh K Pancholi from Northville was also found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy, engaging in money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and witness tampering MICHIGAN (TIP): A 43-year-old Indian national in the US state of Michigan has been sentenced to nine years in prison for orchestrating a nearly $2.8 million healthcare fraud. Yogesh K Pancholi from Northville was also found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy, engaging in money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and witness tampering....

02/03/2024

TORONTO (TIP): Three Indian-origin men have been arrested in Canada and will be extradited for trial in the US for their alleged links with a network trafficking drugs between Mexico and the North American nations. A joint operation between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) dubbed "Operation Dead Hand" saw 19 people charged in two US federal indictments for their alleged roles in the organized crime ring....

02/03/2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Three former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees, including two Indian Americans, have been sentenced for a conspiracy to steal proprietary US government software and sensitive law-enforcement databases for use in a commercial venture. Sonal Patel, 49, of Sterling, Virginia, was sentenced to two years of probation in a Washington, DC, court on January 26, according to a Justice Department press release....