Police form SIT, arrest four

Achalpur Municipal Council serves ‘bulldozer justice’ Mumbai: Amid growing public outrage in Vidarbha, police in Amravati arrested three associates of the prime accused, 19 year old Ayan Ahmed Tanveer in the scandal involving recording and circulation of obscene videos of young women. The police also formed a 47-member Special Investigation Team even as authorities say preliminary inquiries point to a large cache of material and possible involvement of minors, prompting a rapid escalation of...

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Achalpur Municipal Council serves ‘bulldozer justice’ Mumbai: Amid growing public outrage in Vidarbha, police in Amravati arrested three associates of the prime accused, 19 year old Ayan Ahmed Tanveer in the scandal involving recording and circulation of obscene videos of young women. The police also formed a 47-member Special Investigation Team even as authorities say preliminary inquiries point to a large cache of material and possible involvement of minors, prompting a rapid escalation of the probe and local administrative action that included partial demolition of the accused’s house. Police on Wednesday took into custody Uzair Khan Iqbal Khan (20), Mohammad Saad Mohammad Sabir (22) and Tabrez Khan Taslim Khan (24) after Ayan’s arrest on Monday. Court remand for the newly arrested trio runs until 21 April as investigators intensify questioning. Officials have so far identified eight victims, but local claims and media reports suggest the scandal may involve far larger numbers — with some sources alleging up to 180 girls and as many as 350 videos circulating online. A cyber team is working to recover deleted files and trace the full extent of distribution. Unauthorised Structure The Achalpur Municipal Council deployed a bulldozer to raze part of the accused’s house, citing unauthorised construction; officials said the timing was coincidental to the probe, but the action has added to tensions in the area. Police have formed a 47 member Special Investigation Team to coordinate forensic, cyber and field inquiries and have appealed to the public not to share any images or clips, warning that doing so is a criminal offence. Female officers are assisting in victim identification and interviews to ensure sensitivity and confidentiality. Investigation Focus Investigators have seized numerous objectionable videos from the prime accused’s phone and are attempting to match faces and locations to identify victims. The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the POCSO Act where minors are involved, and provisions of the Information Technology Act for non consensual recording and distribution. Police stress that no formal FIRs from victims are required to pursue the case and have offered the option of filing Zero FIRs to protect identities and fast track action. The scandal has provoked a political storm in Amravati. Opposition leaders have demanded a high level probe and some local groups have called for shutdowns, prompting heightened security. While there have been claims about the accused’s political links, party officials say he has been expelled; nevertheless, the episode has intensified scrutiny of law and order and online safety for young women. Community leaders and activists are pressing for swift arrests of all accomplices and for systemic measures to prevent similar crimes.

India bears the brunt: Nifty crashes 1,100, Sensex nosedives 3,900 points after US trade shock

Correspondent
Apr 7, 2025
2 min read

India woke up to a financial jolt this morning as its equity markets suffered their steepest fall in nearly a year, shaken by the ripple effects of US President Donald Trump’s aggressive new tariff regime. The Sensex plunged over 3,900 points at opening bell, while the Nifty tumbled more than 1,100 points, dragging Indian stocks to a 10-month low.

This sharp decline follows a global equity rout triggered by Trump's protectionist measures, which have sent panic waves across Asia and raised the spectre of a global recession. Investors dumped shares in a massive sell-off, with Indian benchmarks reacting sharply in early trade. The Sensex dropped to 71,425.01 — down 3,939.68 points — while Nifty slipped to 21,743.65, marking a 3.5% slide from the last session.

Adding to the pressure, the Indian rupee depreciated 30 paise to open at 85.74 against the US dollar.

India Among the Hardest Hit

Trump’s latest tariff hike — framed as a push to restore fairness to global trade — has imposed country-specific duties that go as high as 50%. India has been slapped with a 26% tariff, while a 10% baseline duty applies to all nations. This has set alarm bells ringing among Indian exporters and traders already struggling with global demand volatility.

President Trump, unfazed by the financial carnage, likened the move to a bitter but necessary cure. “Sometimes you need the medicine to fix something,” he told reporters earlier today.

Analysts Urge Economic Safeguards

Market experts believe that India's current market turmoil isn't rooted in domestic issues but is rather a consequence of being tightly woven into global investment flows.

“India will face the heat, not due to domestic reasons, but as an interlinked chain in the global portfolio flows,” said Ajay Bagga, a noted market expert. “India will need a fiscal, monetary, and reform package to protect the domestic economy from this global economic winter that is threatening to settle in.”

Sunil Gurjar, SEBI-registered research analyst, warned that the Nifty50 index has breached its first support level and is approaching the next. "A further breakdown could worsen the trend and accelerate the fall," he cautioned.

Asian Markets Bleed

The tremors from Trump's announcement were first felt in Asia, with key markets suffering steep losses. China's stock markets fell over 4% amid retaliatory tariffs of 34% against the US. Hong Kong's Hang Seng nosedived more than 10%, while Japan’s Nikkei index fell 6.5% after plunging 8% earlier in the day. Taiwan saw a near-10% collapse, and Singapore dropped over 8%.

Wall Street Braces for Impact

US markets, though yet to open, appear set for a rough start. Futures contracts on the New York Stock Exchange are sharply down, suggesting heavy losses once trading resumes.

Market sentiment globally has turned bearish, with fears of a looming recession taking hold. Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management described the scene as “free-fall mode,” noting, “Trump’s team isn’t blinking. The tariffs are being treated as a victory lap, not a bargaining chip.”