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India News Politics

BJP Extorting by Misuse of ED, CBI Raids: Akhilesh

The SP leader criticized the BJP for allegedly indulging in extortion under the guise of donations and misusing central agencies…reports Asian Lite News

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav stated on Tuesday that the electoral bond issue has exposed the BJP’s extortion tactics, alleging that the saffron party engages in extortion by misusing ED and CBI raids.

“The government has made extortion strategies, and now with the electoral bonds it has been proven that no one could have done extortion the way the BJP has done,” said Yadav.

He went on to express confidence that the BJP will be ousted in the Lok Sabha elections, thereby safeguarding democracy.

The SP leader criticized the BJP for allegedly indulging in extortion under the guise of donations and misusing central agencies. He emphasized, “The public will vote against the BJP due to injustice, atrocities, price rises, unemployment… The BJP misused constitutional institutions. It engaged in extortion by misusing ED and CBI raids.”

Yadav accused the BJP government of manipulating the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to solicit donations, which subsequently led to halted investigations.

“The BJP government sends the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), collect donations and then investigations get halted,” he said.

He added that electoral bonds are nothing but a way to extort money, adding to which he said, “The government is weakening the institutions and which will consequently weaken the democracy.”

He lashed out saying that the loans are not being given to small businessmen, but they forgive 15 lakh crores of big industrialists.

He even cautioned party workers and leaders to be on guard and alert against the BJP and to remain vigilant during the elections.

On Sunday, Akhilesh Yadav skipped the mega rally of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai. The mega rally was organised at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park to mark the end of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s 63-day-long Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

In a letter to Rahul Gandhi, the SP chief expressed his inability to participate in the conclusion ceremony of the Yatra due to the Lok Sabha elections 2024 schedule and his preoccupation with the preparations for the upcoming nomination process, which will commence on March 20.

The SP Chief also praised the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in his letter.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, M K Stalin, Uddhav Thackrey, Priyanka Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and several others, posed together, showcasing the ‘unity’ in the alliance, at the culmination of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Sunday evening. (ANI)

SP, Congress Form Coordination Panel in UP

A ten-member coordination committee, comprising five members each from Samajwadi party and the Congress, has been set up to improve coordination between the two parties.

A senior Congress leader said, “The coordination will start from the state level and extend up to the booth level. There will be a coordination committee each at the district level and also at each of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. The district and the LS constituencies committee will have a leader each from both the parties.”

“Apart from this, both the parties will depute two members at each other’s war rooms at their respective state headquarters”, said C.P. Rai, a UP Congress spokesperson.

This comes a week after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress UP in-charge Avinash Pande started a process for state level coordination between the two parties for the Lok Sabha polls 2024.

“Unlike the previous alliance, this time, the coordination will be formal, well-organised and right up to the booth-level for transfer of each others’ votes to the respective candidates on each of the 80 constituencies,” said an SP leader.

There will also be coordination committees for social media, other media and campaigns.

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Kerala

Kerala HC Orders CBI to Reinvestigate Violinist Balabhaskar’s Death

The Crime Branch report also had concluded that it was a road accident which was caused due to the rash driving of the driver…reports Asian Lite News

 The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to further investigate the accidental death of violinist Balabhaskar.

The order followed a petition by K. C. Unni, the father of the popular violinist, in which he claimed that the probe agency’s investigation into the accidental death of his son was not foolproof and sought the court’s intervention. 

On Thursday after hearing the plea, the court ordered a further investigation into the death. 

The Court asked the CBI to complete the further investigation and submit its report within three months.

The accident took place in the state capital district in 2018.

In June last year, a local court in the state capital accepted the CBI’s report which described it as an “accidental” death and there was no evidence to prove otherwise.

The Crime Branch report also had concluded that it was a road accident which was caused due to the rash driving of the driver.

But Unni decided to approach the High Court and after hearing the fresh order, he reacted by saying that he wanted to know the truth about his son’s death.

“I have reasons to believe that something has gone wrong somewhere and hence wish to know the truth. I suspect that there has been a conspiracy and there are financial issues also. The death was not an ordinary one,” said Unni.

Balabhaskar (40), was travelling with his wife and two-year-old daughter from Thrissur to the state capital early on September 25, 2018, when their car met with an accident in the outskirts of the state capital city.

While the daughter died on the spot, an injured Balabhaskar passed away on October 2.

His wife and driver escaped with injuries.

Soon after the accident, the issue of who was driving the car when it met with the accident came up, when some reports said the driver was at the wheels, while others said it was the violinist.

In December 2019, his father approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking his help for a CBI probe.

The government subsequently sought a CBI probe, and after 22 months of Balabhaskar’s death, the CBI took up the case, probed it in detail, and then submitted its report terming the death “accidental”.

It was against this report that Unni approached the High Court.

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Business India News Tech Lite

CBI files graft case against Rolls Royce

The FIR names Rolls-Royce PLC; Tim Jones, director, Rolls Royce India Pvt Ltd; alleged arms dealers Sudhir Choudhrie and Bhanu Choudhrie; and British Aerospace Systems as accused, the CBI stated…reports Asian Lite News

The CBI has registered an FIR under prevention of corruption and criminal conspiracy against British aerospace and defence company Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC and senior executives of the company’s India unit, London-based arms agent Sudhir Choudhrie and his son Bhanu, British Aerospace Systems, and some unnamed officials of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for alleged corruption in procurement of Hawk 115 Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft for Indian Air Force and Navy.

In 2016, the CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) into the allegations, which was later converted into a regular case on May 23 based on a complaint from Pawan Kumar Srivastava, deputy superintendent of CBI.

The FIR names Rolls-Royce PLC; Tim Jones, director, Rolls Royce India Pvt Ltd; alleged arms dealers Sudhir Choudhrie and Bhanu Choudhrie; and British Aerospace Systems as accused, the CBI stated.

According to the FIR, a British court order in 2017 had also mentioned alleged involvement of intermediaries and payment of commission by the company for swinging the deal. The FIR stated that details of the PE reveal that “unknown officers of MoD, during the period 2003 to 2012, entered into criminal conspiracy with Tim Jones, Sudhir Choudhrie and his son Bhanu, Rolls Royce, UK, M/s British Aerospace Systems, UK, and other unknown public servants and private persons with the object to cheat the Central government in the matter of procurement of Hawk Aircraft from M/s Rolls Royce, and its associate group companies.”

The FIR stated that “unknown public servants abused their official positions” and “approved and procured” 24 Hawk 115 Advance Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft for £734.21 million. Licence manufacturing of 42 additional aircraft by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) “against materials supplied by the manufacturer for an additional amount of $308.247 million”, and “£7.5 million towards Manufacturer’s Licence Fee” were also cleared “in lieu of huge bribes, commissions and kickbacks”, the FIR stated.

This is despite the fact that agreements, integrity pact and associated documents/orders related to the deal “prohibited payments to intermediaries and middlemen”, the CBI alleged.

“It was further alleged that GBP (British pound) 100 million were paid by Russian arms companies into Swiss bank account in the name of Portsmouth, a company associated with Sudhir Choudhrie, with regard to defence deals with Russia for purchase of MIG fighter aircraft,” the FIR stated. “Out of this amount, companies in the name of Choudhrie’s family — Belines Services Ltd., Cottage Consultant Ltd., and Carter Consultants Inc — received GBP 39.2 million, GBP 32.8 million and GBP 23 million, respectively, between October 2007 and October 2008.”

It stated that Choudharie and his son Bhanu are alleged to be “unregistered Indian agents/middlemen who worked for Rolls Royce/BAES in securing award of contract for supply of Hawk aircraft” concerned and allegedly used “undue influence” on Indian bureaucrats to get them to approve the deal.

Bhanu Choudhrie was director of Belinea Services Limited and Anterna Limited, two companies set up in the British Virgin Islands in October 2002, which made more than 200 transactions of at least $118 million between 2009 and 2014 even as three global banks kept flagging suspected “money laundering/structuring” without blocking any.

According to the CBI’s FIR, the PE noted that in 2008-10, the accused persons approved license-manufacturing of 57 additional Hawk aircraft by HAL for Rs 1,502.68 crore under a separate agreement with BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd, another entity belonging to the BAES group.

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-Top News UK News

CBI boss sacked over misconduct claims

The board appointed former chief economist Rain Newton-Smith to take the top job from Mr Danker. She left the organisation just last month to join Barclays…reports Asian Lite News

Police have launched an investigation after the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) sacked boss Tony Danker and suspended three other employees following a series of misconduct allegations.

The board of the business group said Danker’s conduct “fell short” of what was expected of him and said there had been “serious failings” in how it acted as an organisation.

Now the City of London Police has confirmed that the force is investigating the claims. Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Waight said: “The City of London Police takes all acts of sexual misconduct and violence against women and girls extremely seriously. We approached the CBI following media reports and our investigations are at a very early stage. It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this time.”

But the former boss said that he was “shocked” by the decision and claimed that allegations against him had been “distorted”.

“I recognise the intense publicity the CBI has suffered following the revelations of awful events that occurred before my time in office,” he tweeted, referring to allegations against himself and others at the CBI. I was appalled to learn about them for the first time last week. I was nevertheless shocked to learn this morning that I had been dismissed from the CBI, instead of being invited to put my position forward as was originally confirmed. Many of the allegations against me have been distorted, but I recognise that I unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable and I am truly sorry about that.”

The trade body has been rocked by allegations of a toxic workplace culture since Mr Danker was last month accused of allegedly making unwanted contact with a woman who works for the CBI.

The group launched an investigation into his behaviour and he agreed to step down in the meantime. The first part of this investigation by an outside law firm has been completed, the CBI said.

“Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him,” it said.

“The board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the director-general.”

Last week, the Guardian said it had been approached by more than a dozen women who claimed to be victims of various forms of sexual misconduct by senior members of the CBI who were not Mr Danker. One woman said she was raped at a staff party.

The board appointed former chief economist Rain Newton-Smith to take the top job from Mr Danker. She left the organisation just last month to join Barclays.

The CBI said: “The allegations that have been made over recent weeks about the CBI have been devastating. While investigations continue into a number of these, it is already clear to all of us that there have been serious failings in how we have acted as an organisation. We must do better, and we must be better. We apologise to the victims of this organisational failure, including those impacted by the revulsion we have all felt at hearing their stories. Nobody should feel unsafe in their workplace.”

The CBI said that the outside law firm would continue its investigation and the business group would cooperate fully if the police launch any investigations.

ALSO READ-CBI seeks to restore Interpol red notice on Choksi

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Asia News Crime India News

CBI seeks to restore Interpol red notice on Choksi

A case was registered against Mehul Choksi and others on February 15, 2018 for defrauding Punjab National Bank….reports Asian Lite News

The Interpol had earlier on several occasions dismissed the plea of fugitive criminal diamantaire Mehul Choksi who is wanted in Rs 13,000 crore fraud case in Punjab National Bank, the CBI said in a statement.

“Facing possibilities of imminent extradition from Antigua and Barbuda, Choksi again with a view to create diversions from the ongoing process and derail the ongoing extradition proceedings, with false claims, concocted dramatic stories and imaginary narratives, approached various international forums and also approached Commission for Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF) in July 2022 to revise its earlier decision of 2020. CCF consulted the CBI and the ED on the matter and the factual situation on the narrative of Choksi being wholly unsubstantiated and without an iota of evidence were put forth to the CCF. It was clarified that Choksi had been making all possible attempts to derail ongoing extradition proceedings in Antigua and Barbuda, to evade the process of law in India,” the agency stated.

“However, based on mere imaginary conjunctures and unproven surmises, a five member CCF chamber has taken a decision on deletion of Red Notice, communicated in November, 2022. Thereafter, CBI has taken up with CCF the serious shortcomings, procedural violations, overreach of mandate and mistakes committed by CCF in the manner of reaching this unfounded and perfunctory decision,” said a senior CBI official.

A case was registered against Mehul Choksi and others on February 15, 2018 for defrauding Punjab National Bank. The CBI has already filed two charge sheets in the case against Choksi and others under sections 120-B read with 409, 420, 477A, 201 of IPC and sections 7 & 13(2) read with 13(1)(c)&(d) of PC Act.

In 2022, the CBI registered five more criminal cases against Choksi and others for defrauding banks and financial institutions.

“The CBI as National Central Bureau for Interpol had issued a diffusion to locate Choksi in February 2018. The movements of the criminal were tracked by the CBI in close direct coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies and he was geo-located to Antigua and Barbuda. Extradition request against Choksi was sent through diplomatic channels to competent authorities of Antigua and Barbuda in August 2018,” the official said.

In 2018, Choksi approached CCF making a request for non-publication of Red Notice. CCF is a separate body within Interpol that is not under the control of Interpol Secretariat and is mainly staffed by elected lawyers from different countries. CCF had studied his request and consulted the CBI. CCF dismissed representation of Choksi and Interpol published a Red Notice.

Interpol published a Red Notice against Choksi in December 2018 on request of the CBI and the ED. This was subsequent to geo-location by the CBI of wanted criminal and subsequent to initiation of extradition request. The purpose of a Red Notice issued by Interpol was to seek location of a wanted person and to seek their detention, arrest or restriction of movement for purpose of extradition, surrender or similar action.

“It may be noted that Choksi was already located prior to publication of Interpol Red Notice and steps also initiated for his extradition. Although the primary purpose of Red Notice was already achieved, the same was retained as a precautionary measure.

As the extradition proceedings against Choksi were proceeding in Antigua and Barbuda, Choksi had been approaching various international forums with fully concocted and imaginary narratives to create diversions. In 2019, Choksi again approached CCF seeking removal of Red Notice. CCF studied his request, consulted the CBI and based on inputs, again in 2020, dismissed his plea,” the CBI said.

Later on, when he again reached the Interpol and concerned authorities, a decision was taken in his favour.

Thereafter, CBI took up with CCF the serious shortcomings, procedural violations, overreach of mandate and mistakes committed by CCF in the manner of reaching this unfounded and perfunctory decision. CBI continues to exercise available remedial and appellate options within Interpol for rectification of this faulty decision and for restoration of Red Notice. CBI pointed out that even Antigua authorities consider there is sufficient evidence to substantiate that the applicant concealed material facts or made false representation when he applied for his Antigua and Barbuda citizenship, a fact which reflects on previous conduct of this criminal.

CCF has subsequently clarified to CBI that its decision in no manner has any determination on any guilt or innocence of Mehul Chinubhai Choksi for crimes he remains charged in India. CCF has reiterated that it has not established factual certainties and there is no factual finding in their decision that Choksi will not have fair trial. Based on new information and serious errors in the decision, CBI is taking steps for the decision of CCF to be revised.

The CBI remains in active communication with CCF and other bodies in Interpol in an ongoing process relating to this case.

It may be noted that an Interpol Red Notice is neither a pre requisite nor a requirement for extradition proceedings. The Global Operations Centre of CBI continues to closely monitor movements of wanted criminals like Mehul Choksi in close direct coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies and not reliant only on Interpol channels. Extradition request made by India is under active consideration before authorities in Antigua and Barbuda and remains fully unimpacted by Red Notice related communications with Interpol.

The CBI remains committed seeking return of fugitives and criminals to India to face process of criminal justice. Systematic steps have been initiated in close coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies for geo-locating and return of wanted criminals and economic offenders. In the last 15 months, over 30 wanted criminals have returned to India.

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India News

ED-CBI actions to keep temperatures up in 2nd half of Budget session

In the Rajya Sabha, the opposition parties are preparing to attack the government as well as Vice President and Chairman Dhankhar…reports Asian Lite News

Chances of uproar and tussle between the ruling party and the opposition have risen as the second phase of the Budget Session of Parliament commences on Monday.

The second session is likely to continue till April 6.

During the first phase of the budget session, the opposition parties created ruckus in both the Houses of Parliament — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — over the Hindenburg report on the Adani group.

On the last day of the first phase of the Budget Session on February 13, the proceedings of the Lok Sabha went on smoothly throughout the day, but the uproar continued in the Rajya Sabha on the last day as well, following which Chairman Jaideep Dhankhar adjourned the House proceedings till March 13.

The relations between the ruling party and the opposition have soured further in the month-long break, which will likely affect the proceedings of Parliament.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). K. Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister KCR and involved in the expansion campaign of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), has been questioned by the ED in Delhi. The investigating agency is continuously tightening its grip on RJD supremo Lalu Yadav’s family as well.

While the ruling BJP is accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting the citizens and Indian democracy in foreign countries, the opposition parties like Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC) and BRS are alleging the misuse of investigative agencies and the investment in private companies by LIC and SBI.

They are preparing to corner the government on many other issues, including inflation and women’s reservation.

Appearing before the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha on Friday, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused Rahul Gandhi of habitual breach of privilege and demanded cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership, while Congress as well as Trinamool Congress and DMK MPs were defending Gandhi.

In the Rajya Sabha, the opposition parties are preparing to attack the government as well as Vice President and Chairman Dhankhar.

A new political controversy has arisen regarding the appointment of personal staff by Dhankhar in parliamentary committees. Opposition parties have been criticising and are preparing to raise this issue in the Rajya Sabha.

However, Dhankhar has defended his decision by saying that the chairpersons and members of some committees had suggested to him that he should do something to increase the productivity of the committees and make them more effective, and accepting these suggestions, he made the appointments in the committees. These appointments have been made to provide more skilled and trained manpower.

Rejecting the criticism, he said that before deciding on these appointments, extensive consultations were held with the members and chairpersons of the committees.

Dhankhar has also called an all-party meeting on Sunday to appeal to all parties to cooperate in the smooth running of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha.

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-Top News India News

LS passes Bills extending tenure of CBI, ED Directors

Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high esteem for the CBI and the ED, he said that these should work independently and in tandem…reports Asian Lite News.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed, by voice vote, the Bills extending the service tenure of Directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.

The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Act, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021, seek to amend the present laws to give one-year extension of the heads of both agencies, up to five years.

Responding to the long debate, Minister for Personnel and Training, Jitendra Singh said that there was a detailed discussion on these Bills.

Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high esteem for the CBI and the ED, he said that these should work independently and in tandem.

Explaining the process of giving extension of one year each to the CBI Director, the Minister said that the same constitutional body consisting of the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition/largest party in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India will take a decision on this.

“We have fixed the tenure of these posts as it was not prescribed in the past. Even during the previous governments, extensions were given for many times. Through this Bill, we have put a cap of five years,” he added.

Responding to questions why the Ordinances were promulgated just two weeks ahead of the Winter Session, he said that with the experience of the last session in which was washed out because of Opposition’s protests, the government was not sure whether the session would be working or not.

Earlier, initiating the discussion on the Bills, RSP member N.K. Premchandran said the Supreme Court has reiterated time and again that the government should avoid giving extension to the officials. The apex court also has made it clear the law making power lies with the Parliament, not with the President or Governor, he added.

Congress member Manish Tewari appealed to the government to approach the SC and ensure that the legality of the CBI is adjudicated.

BJP’s Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that the long-term effects of the Bills are good, and urged the Opposition to support them.

Opposing the Bill, NCP’s Supriya Sule said: “All your (BJP’s) allies have cases against them. When they were your allies, there were no cases against them but the minute they left you, all the cases started. They have had raids, their colleagues have raids. Please stop this vindictive business.”

She also said that the Enforcement Directorate raided the residence of former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh seven times and asked what was missed in the first six times. She also alleged that the agencies were questioning the family members of those involved in the case and questioned the reason behind it.

BJD’s Bhartruhari Mahtab questioned the move to bring an amendment bill regarding the tenures of the CBI and ED Directors, while Trinamool Congress’ Sougata Ray said that the present ED Director was to retire on November 17 and just three days before his retirement, the government brought the ordinance.

“The ED and CBI have been accused of catering to the political masters,” he said.

AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, while opposing the bill, said that fixed tenure cannot be on the whims and desires of the government and if the extension is given on good behaviour, it creates an inbuilt mechanism of control. Both the directors (CBI and ED) must be subordinate to the present government, he said.

CPI-M’s A. Arif, BSP’s Ritesh Pandey, Trinamool’s Kalyan Banerjee and Shiv Sena’s Vinayak Raut also spoke against the bills.

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-Top News London News UK News

CBI cuts growth forecasts

With exports still weak, household spending would drive 90% of growth next year and two-thirds of it in 2023 thanks to a strong jobs market and savings racked up during the pandemic…reports Asian Lite News.

Britain’s economy looks set to grow more slowly than previously thought this year and in 2023 due to global supply chain problems and the government must encourage longer-term business investment, an employers group said on Monday.

The Confederation of British Industry cut its forecasts for economic growth to 6.9% in 2021 and 5.1% in 2022 from previous estimates of 8.2% and 6.1%.

It said the downgrade mostly reflected weaker growth since its last forecasts in June and the supply chain problems that have slowed the recovery from last year’s coronavirus slump were likely to end in mid-2022.

With exports still weak, household spending would drive 90% of growth next year and two-thirds of it in 2023 thanks to a strong jobs market and savings racked up during the pandemic.

Business investment looked set to grow by 8.2% next year and go above its pre-pandemic level but the bounce would probably prove short-lived with corporate investment falling back in mid-2023 when a tax incentive is due to expire.

“One policy in place for 18 months can’t change under-investment over four decades,” Rain Newton-Smith, the CBI’s chief economist, said.

The CBI called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to introduce regulations to spur investment and innovation to help build new markets in clean energy and other sectors.

The new forecasts from the group saw inflation peaking at 5.2% in April and remaining above the Bank of England’s 2% target for around another year while unemployment would fall to 3.8% by the end of 2023.

The CBI’s forecasts were made before the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus which has led to tighter Covid rules. Rain-Smith said she was hopeful that Britain’s high levels of vaccinations would minimise the growth hit.

Trade minister to seek closer ties on US trip

Britain will seek to strengthen its trading relationship with the United States this week when trade minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan visits New York and Washington, but a full free-trade agreement remains a distant prospect.

Trevelyan will meet US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Washington on Tuesday, and promote Britain at a meeting with investors in New York, reported Reuters.

Despite a trade deal with the United States being touted as one of the biggest prizes of Britain’s exit from the European Union in the years following the 2016 Brexit vote, US President Joe Biden has since made clear that any such deal is not a priority for his administration. 

That has forced Britain to take a different approach of pursuing smaller agreements to remove specific trade barriers, solve long-running trade disputes, and work together on world trade reform.

Anne Marie Trevelyan MP

Trevelyan’s visit, her first since becoming trade minister in September, will pursue that strategy, including a push to resolve a long-running dispute over steel and aluminium tariffs.

Former US President Donald Trump imposed 25% and 10% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from the EU in 2018. The tariffs were withdrawn in October of this year, but they remain in place for Britain due to its exit from the EU.

Officials in the United States and Britain last week rejected a report in the Financial Times that said talks on resolving the tariff row were stalled due to concerns about post-Brexit trade rules affecting Northern Ireland. 

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Defence India News

Subodh Jaiswal appointed CBI Director

Jaiswal, who is currently the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force, was considered the front runner for the post…reports Asian Lite News

IPS officer Subodh Kumar Jaiswal was on Tuesday named the new Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In an order, the Department of Personnel and Training said: “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has, based on the panel recommended by the Committee, approved the appointment of Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, IPS, (Maharashtra 1985) as Director, CBI for a period of two years from the date of assumption of the charge of the office or until further orders whichever is earlier.”

The appointment of Jaiswal comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi-header Committee comprising also of Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury discussed the names of the new CBI chiefs.

Jaiswal, who is currently the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force, was considered the front runner for the post.

He also has served as Mahrashtra’s Director General of Police and has a stint in India’s external intelligence agency, R&AW.

The CBI had got an acting Director in the form of Praveen Sinha after the term of R.K. Shukla ended on February 3 this year.

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British Biz Forum CBI Seeks Support For India’s Covid Fight

Lord Karan Bilimoria, President of Confederation of British Industry, appeals to the British business community to support India to overcome the current pandemic crisis … If your business can help, make your voice heard … A special report by Asian Lite International from London

CBI President Lord Karan Bilimoria, India-born founder and Chairman of Cobra Beer, has issued a statement on the need for the support of the business community to assist in the growing Covid-19 crisis within India.

“Business stands in solidarity with India in light of the devastating health crisis which is unfolding,” he said in a statement. “At this crucial moment we are urging UK firms to donate critical resources and supplies where they can. This includes: ventilators and breathing apparatus, lateral flow tests, empty refillable oxygen cylinders with 10 litres and 45 litres LMO capacity, ISO containers to facilitate transport of liquid oxygen to deficient areas, oxygen concentrators, in situ oxygen manufacturing plants for hospitals, oxygen generator plants, bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) machines, PPE, warehousing, transport & logistics. There is also an urgent need for Remidisvir and Favipiravir to help treat those with the virus.”

Lord Karan Bilimoria

“The UK and India share a close bond based on our enduring ties and ongoing close cooperation. The global challenge of the pandemic must be tackled on a united front. If we are not able collectively to control the spread of the virus it will remain a huge risk for lives and economies around the world. The B7 Summit hosted by the CBI on 11th and 12th May will be a crucial moment to show solidarity and strong support to our Indian friends in a moment of need and ensure a resilient global recovery from this devastating pandemic.

“In recent weeks the CBI has been rallying UK businesses to support Indian companies. I’m delighted to say that businesses including BOC Ltd, Gilead Sciences, Peak Scientific, Air Liquide, Penlon (are exploring various options to support this), PG Paper Company LTD , DHL, CEVA Logistics part of the CMA CGM Group, Wincanton, Heathrow Airport, Mott MacDonald, Accenture, KPMG, and trade associations including Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) are stepping up to the plate and supporting, just as they have done here in the UK throughout the crisis.

“Our goal is to help others do the same and ensure the overall response is amplified, relevant and focused in a way that helps India.  For instance in addition we have be working with the MOD and the NHS regarding the possibility of setting up nightingale / field hospitals at speed in India. We are also working with the British Asian Trust to help raise funds for 200,000 oxygen concentrators to be distributed throughout India.”

The CBI, representing over 190,000 British firms, is working closely with the Indian High Commission to support the struggling Indian firms.

“We are working very closely with the Indian High Commissioner, Gaitri Issar Kumar, and her team in London and the British High Commissioner, Alex Ellis, and his team in Delhi. Our CBI office in Delhi is involved throughout and we are in constant touch with the CII our sister organisation in India,” Lord Bilimoria added. “I say to any business out there – If your business can help, make your voice heard.”

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