Double-your-money firm run by two brothers shuts, leaving investors in lurch

Anita Bomani is still to get over the loss of her hard-earned money.

The Andheri-based homemaker and her relatives who together invested Rs 1.75 crore and also coaxed their relatives and friends to invest in the double-your-money scheme floated by a finance firm, Symbiosis Investment Pvt Ltd, have lost all hope of retrieving their money.

 
PERPETRATORS: Mayur and Rahul Patil (left) conned Anita Bomani and her husband (right) and Nizam Khan (in white shirt). A case of cheating has been registered against the accused. PIC/KETAN RANGA
 

"The fraudsters gave us good returns initially, and once they earned our confidence, they vamoosed without a trace," said Bomani.

She is just one of several gullible investors who were cheated of a total of Rs 1,000 crore.

The company dealt under different names for investments in gold, property and finance.  Its managing director, Rahul Patil and his brother Mayur have been on the run since February, claiming they had received threats from the underworld.

The Patil brothers have also dabbled in film production. "We were supposed to get our money back in February, but Rahul claimed he would have to shut the office temporarily as the underworld had been threatening him," said Nizam Khan, a computer engineer who invested Rs 7 lakh in the double-your-money scheme.

Hundreds of investors have been visiting the Dadar and Versova branches of the company but have not had any response.

"We have been complaining to the police since February, but an FIR had been lodged only last month," said an investor who did not wish to be named.

"Only last week did they lodge a complaint against the company's agents who have been roaming around free."

FIRs have been lodged against Patil at Shivaji Park and Versova police stations.

What cops say
"We have registered a case of cheating and are on the lookout for the accused," said a sub-inspector from Shivaji Park police station.
 

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15-year-old had intervened when his father was allegedly beating his mother

A Delhi Police constable allegedly stabbed his 15-year-old son with the hairpin of his wife. The accused was reportedly beating his wife after a minor argument. When his son tried to intervene he reportedly fished out his wife's hairpin and stabbed his son in the stomach. A senior police official said that the accused constable, Naresh, who is posted with the PCR was arrested and an FIR against him was registered with Hauz Khas police station in south Delhi.

"Akhil (name changed on request) his son, got an FIR registered against him. According to Akhil, his father Naresh often picks up arguments with his mother over petty issues. Akhil told the police that his father Naresh was slapping his mother and when he tried to pacify them he (Naresh) threatened him of dire consequences and then stabbed him in the stomach with a hairpin," said a senior police officer.

Akhil was rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital where he was discharged after treatment.

Meanwhile, a police source said that Naresh has doubts on the chastity of his wife. The officer said that Naresh had caught his wife talking to an unknow man. Naresh had reportedly threatened her several times but she did not listen to him.
 

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Air India plane hits technician at Delhi airport while taxiing

An Air India technician was seriously injured in a freak accident at Delhi airport late on Sunday evening.
Airport sources said the incident occurred at around 9:30 pm when the Mumbai-bound flight IC 602 was taxiing at the runway. After the all clear signal by the ATC, technician Ram Kishore, 45, was removing the barrier when he came under the rear wheel of the aircraft.

Occupational hazard: The technician was removing the wheel chocks
when he was run over by a Mumbai-bound Air India flight. The passengers
were de-boarded and sent by another plane. representative pic

"His legs got crushed under the impact. He was immediately rushed to the nearby Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)," said an airport official.

Doctors attending on him described his condition as "critical".
All passengers were de-boarded after the accident and the 53 passengers on board left for Mumbai on a different flight, AI-9602, at 11:45 pm.

According to sources, the aircraft involved in the accident, identified as Airbus A-321, has been withdrawn from operation. Though there was no independent confirmation, sources said, Air India has ordered a probe into the matter and the flight captain was withdrawn from the flight.   CISF, Air India and DIAL spokespersons were not available for comments.

The police said they have not registered the case against anybody as they were "enquiring" into the matter. "Ram Kishore is admitted to the ICU. We are yet to record his statement. No eyewitness to the incident has come up so far. However, investigations are on," said a police official.

"We got a call from someone in the airport. When we reached the hospital we saw that he has suffered grievous injuries on both legs," said Sarita, Ram Kishore's sister. 

Naresh, a groundsman at the domestic airport said: "We were working on the departure terminal. I saw Kishore was bleeding profusely while being taken away in an ambulance."
 

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His family, however, came to know about the incident only after 26 hours as the unidentified killers had damaged his face beyond recognition

S Satish, a 31-year-old revenue inspector from Basaveshwar Nagar was brutally murdered on Saturday night. But the parents only got the news on Monday morning, at 1 am.
 
Everybody, including the police is clueless about the muder, since Mandya is nearly a 100 kilometers away from Bangalore.  The body has been sent to post mortem at Mandya government hospital.

 
The media gathered outside Satish's house in Dasarapur near Chandra Layout soon after the news broke.
 
 

S Satish (31) of Basaveshwar nagar was revenue inspector in Dasarapur near Chandra Layout. He was very happy with his family until he received a phone call on Sunday morning.

"I'll be back in 10 minutes," were his last words, before he took his car out, and drove away, but never returned. His body was found with the limbs cut off, and the face was damaged beyond recognition.

The police have recovered his car and mobile phone. The family believes that it could be someone known to him, because he had no enmity with anyone.

Another reason could be that his sudden rise in the department, which may have made someone jealous.

Satish had got this job when his father, who was also employed with the same  department died of a heart attack.
 
Satish was an ambitious worker, and rose quickly through the ranks. He had wanted to get to the post of Tahasildar. For that, he was studying for a degree in science.

S Uma, his sister told MiD-DAY, "I believe that he was being blackmailed by someone, but he never told us."

Gouri Shankar, an on duty police constable, who broke the news of his death to the family said, "We are discussing the case with our Mandya counterparts."

Satish is survived by his mother and sister, a two-year-old daughter, and wife Suman, who is expecting their second child.
 

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Businessman complains to Lokayukta against area MLA

Even as former BJP MP from Delhi B L Sharma 'Prem' was caught on videotape talking to alleged terrorists, 
Defiant: Anil Jha 'Vats' has accused his detractors of defaming him
 
another party leader is battling charges of extorting money from the people in his constituency.

The chief of the resident's welfare association (RWA) of Kirari in northwest Delhi has claimed, in a complaint to the Lokayukta, that BJP MLA from the area Anil Jha 'Vatsa' has been abusing his position for financial gains.

Bhagwan Sharma, the RWA chief, has levelled charges of extorting money against Jha and has submitted two CDs and a list of witnesses as proof to the Lokayukta.

Sharma, who is also the Managing Director of Shiva Credit and Thrift Cooperative Society Limited, alleged that the MLA had demanded Rs 1 lakh and a window air conditioner from him.

"Somewhere in mid July 2009 at about 5 PM, the MLA along with three-four people came to my office and threatened my of dire consequences, if I would not pay up. Jha also got a false complaint registered against me with the Registrar of Co-Operative Societies," Sharma alleged in his complaint to the Lokayukta.

Bhagwan Sharma submitted before the Lokayukta that "Jha is also running a parallel administration through his own council of ministers which functions as a mediator to achieve his corrupt and ulterior motives".

"The MLA through his men charges Rs 800-1000 for issue of election Identity Card, Rs 1000-1200 for grant of pension to widows and old, Rs 1500-2000 for issue of ration card and Rs 300 for supply of water tanker. Every owner of the ration depot, kerosene depot, private schools and water tanker is also forced to pay him regularly. Brokerage for the police is also undertaken," read the complaint.

The Lokayukta has issued a notice to Anil Jha for an inquiry under Section 7 of the Lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act for allegedly extorting money from residents of his constituency. The MLA has been asked to submit his reply by July 27.
 

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Students of Radha Nayak Govt School celebrate as SC clears suspended Mumbai police encounter specialist of charges

It was celebration time yesterday for students of Radha Nayak Government High School funded by Daya Nayak, encounter specialist and sub-inspector with the Mumbai police, who remains under suspension.
 
With the Supreme Court on Wednesday clearing him of charges of having truck with the underworld, the students were treated to food and music at the school.

 Students assembled at the playground of Radha Nayak Government High School where a fireworks display was organised to celebrate the verdict
 Nayak had moved the apex court against the 2007 Bombay High Court order that refused to interfere in the proceedings initiated against him by a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court.

Named after his mother, Radha Nayak Government High School is located at Yennehole, Karkala in Udipi district. It was inaugurated by Amitabh Bachchan along with many other Bollywood personalities.

The school management organised a function to celebrate the SC ruling. After an indoor function, students assembled at the playground where a fireworks display was organised.

The SC ruling came in the case filed by Journalist Ketan Tirodkar.

In his complaint, Tirodkar had alleged that Nayak indulged in extortion and was linked to gangster Chhota Shakeel.

"The SC quashed the case against Nayak as prior sanction of the government was not obtained by the complainant," said Nayak's counsel Shivaji Jadhav.
 

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BJP insiders say that the CM wants condition to go downhill that the party high command is forced to dump the Bellary Reddy brothers

The illegal mining issue has divided the BJP. While the miffed Reddy brothers are doing all they can to pressure the CM into acting in ways that are not harmful to their mining business, the B S Yeddyurappa camp is reportedly waiting for the situation to worsen so the party high command dumps the Reddy brothers.

The Bellary legislators maintain that CM Yeddyurappa is using the opposition's ongoing dharna at the Vidhan Soudha against illegal mining to settle old scores with them. Among other demands, the opposition has called for a CBI probe into illegal mining in the state.

 Bellary legislators maintain that Yeddyurappa is using the opposition's ongoing dharna at the Vidhan Soudha against illegal mining to settle old scores with the Reddy brothers. Meanwhile, the aggression of those sitting on the dharna seems to have gone astray with passing time.
 
 

"Leave alone supporting us when the opposition was attacking us in the house, a section of leaders in our party is working against us," said an MLA from the Reddy camp. "We have to find means to fight the opposition while we tackle adversaries in our own party."

Following Revenue Minister Karanukara Reddy's meeting with the CM, MLAs and MLCs from Bellary went into a huddle at his residence.

"There is no other option but to approach the people," explained Mritunjaya Jiniga, a Bellary MLC, who attended the meeting. "We are chalking out a programme. We will go ahead no matter who decides to support us."

Prior to this, Health Minister Sriramulu, a close confidant of the Reddys, said BJP leaders from Bellary will take out a rally from Bellary to Mysore to counter the march planned by the Congress and JD (S) under the stewardship of Siddaramiah, the leader of opposition in the Assembly.

"We will go to the Assembly constituency of Siddaramiah in Mysore to put facts before the people," said Sriramulu. "We will show that nobody can take us for granted."

While the message appeared ostensibly for the Congress and JD (S), insiders in the Reddy camp said Sriramulu was actually targetting the Yeddyurappa camp.
 
The rally will be an exhibition of their strength against Yeddyurappa who they desperately want to topple.

CM Yeddyurappa could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

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Suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi failed to appear before the BCCI's Disciplinary Committee for the hearing on Friday.

He will be represented by his lawyers.

A team of four legal representatives has arrived before the committee that comprises of Chirayu Amin, Arun Jaitley and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

On Thursday, the Bombay High Court has rejected Modi's plea to quash the order of suspension and the disciplinary action initiated against him by the BCCI.

A two-member division bench that heard Modi's writ petition said it would only consider the appeal to reconstitute the BCCI disciplinary committee formed to inquire into charges of corruption in the IPL by Modi.

Modi had moved the court a week ago, challenging all decisions taken by the BCCI, including the decision to suspend him from his position as IPL Commissioner, and had asked for an independent panel to probe the matter.

The BCCI had in May delivered a show cause notice to Modi on charges of financial irregularity.

There are five main charges against Modi, ranging from receiving kickbacks, for allotting TV broadcast rights to indiscipline and leveling baseless charges against the BCCI.

He is also facing charges of rigging the bidding of two new IPL teams, which were eventually won by Sahara and the Kochi IPL consortium and also for being a ghost owner in three IPL teams.

Modi has claimed that he has submitted most of the relevant IPL documents.

They include all franchisee agreements, global media rights agreements, the global media rights packages, bid documents, media rights licensee agreements, eligibility letters of all bidders with details and all sponsorship agreements entered into by IPL.
 

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A German man has been banned from joining the police because of his fake genitals.

According to rules, male cops must have "at least one functioning testicle".

Thomas Dahner, 35, had passed all physical tests and exams with ease but his bid to join the force hit the buffers when, during his medical examination, medics discovered that he underwent a sex change op 15 years ago.

"I could swim underwater for longer than anybody, climb better, and run faster," the Sun quoted him as saying.

"I could shoot better and I had better martial arts skills than anybody. I also know the law book inside out," he added.

Police bosses in Hessen, Germany, said that the rulebook states, "At least one functioning testicle is necessary to be a German policeman."

Dahner is now taking legal action.
 

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British energy giant BP stopped the oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico for the first time in three months as it began key tests hoping to stem the spill for good.

Shortly after BP engineers shut down the last of three valves on a giant new cap placed on the blown-out well, senior vice president Kent Wells announced no oil was leaking into the seas. "I'm very excited to see no oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico," Wells told reporters, but cautioned it was only the start of a testing process set to last 48 hours to analyse the condition of the underground wellbore.

The announcement was the first sign of real hope for desperate Gulf residents who have had their livelihoods ravaged by the worst environmental disaster in the nation's history, now in its 13th week.

Teeming fishing grounds have been closed and tourists have been scared away - two vital economic lifelines for the southern region still struggling to recover from the 2005 Hurricane Katrina. Endangered wildlife has also been increasingly threatened by huge ribbons of oil fouling the shores of five states - Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

The costly, massive clean-up is likely to last years. The tests are intended to determine whether the wellbore, which stretches four kilometre below the seabed, was damaged during an April 20 explosion on the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig which sank two days later.

BP is hoping to choke off the oil flow out of the well, estimated at between 35,000 to 60,000 barrels a day. But cutting off the flow of oil from the top could force oil out in new leaks if the wellbore was damaged. "We would like the result that says there is perfect integrity," Wells said, but cautioned it was too early to say whether the leaking well had been completely choked off.

During the test, engineers will be taking multiple readings from the 10-metre capping stack placed on top of the wellhead on Monday to monitor the pressure inside. High pressure readings would allow the three valves to remain shut and the well would effectively be sealed, but low readings could mean there is a hole somewhere in the casing of the well where oil is escaping.

"If we have very low pressure readings, it'd be the equivalent of putting your thumb over the garden hose and the water's going someplace else because there's no pressure," said the official in charge of the US response, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen.
 

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