MAN JAILED FOR FATHERING CHILDREN WITH HIS DAUGHTER
A MAN who fathered three children with his own daughter has been sentenced to four and-a-half years in jail for committing incest at Bradford crown court.
Ashraf Khan, 81, who pleaded guilty on three charges of incest dating back to the 1980s, was sentenced by a court in northern England last Tuesday (24).
His abuse of his daughter was only discovered after she confessed to her husband on her deathbed.
“You are a very dishonourable and wicked gentleman, we all now see,” judge Jonathan Durham Hall told Khan while passing sentence.
“Her deathbed confession, how dreadful that must have been. Unburdening her soul about this awful trauma she had carried with her,” he said.
The judge also described the woman’s husband as an honourable man because he continued to care for the children even after a DNA test confirmed his wife’s revelation.
The man did not report the matter to police straightaway, with prosecutor Abigail Langford explaining: “He wished to continue to act as a father and care for the children he had brought up as his own.”
The victim, born in Pakistan, married her husband there in the early 1980s, before moving to Bradford to join him and her father. She went on to have three children before passing
away in the early 1990s.
After her confession, her husband reported the offences to West Yorkshire Police in 2012 and Khan was questioned about the allegations on his returned to the UK from Pakistan
in 2016. He initially denied the charges but pleaded guilty to incest as evidence against him mounted closer to the trial.
A medical report concerning the three children had found various ailments said to be "directly attributed to their incestual parentage”, including an inability to feel certain kinds of pain, resulting in injuries such as burns during their childhoods.
In a joint victim impact statement, the children said Khan’s offences had caused psychological damage and impacted their physical health.
They also paid tribute to their mother’s husband for his “fortitude and selflessness throughout the years”, according to local media reports.
Their joint statement read: “No amount of words can explain what we have been through or what we are going through.
“You hear and read about men who commit incest, never thinking it would happen in your own family, especially to your own mother.”
The guidelines for an offence of incest in the UK includes a maximum sentence of two years, but with 18-month sentences for each of the three counts to run consecutively, Khan will serve a total of 54 months in jail.
An Air India Airbus A320-200 aircraft takes off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, July 7, 2017. Picture taken July 7, 2017.
INDIA’s aviation regulator has warned Air India for violating safety rules after three of its Airbus aircraft operated flights without undergoing mandatory checks on emergency escape slides, according to official documents reviewed by Reuters.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued warning notices and a detailed investigation report highlighting the breach. These documents were sent days before the recent crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8, in which all but one of the 242 people onboard were killed. The Airbus incidents are unrelated to that crash.
According to the DGCA report, spot checks carried out in May found that three Air India Airbus aircraft were flown even though scheduled inspections on the escape slides – considered “critical emergency equipment” – were overdue.
One Airbus A320 was flown for more than a month before the check was completed on 15 May. AirNav Radar data showed that the aircraft operated international flights during that period, including to Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah.
In another case, an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes had slide checks overdue by over three months. A third case involved a plane where the inspection was two days late.
“The above cases indicate that aircraft were operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, which is a violation of standard airworthiness and safety requirements,” the DGCA report stated.
The report also said Air India failed to respond on time to DGCA’s queries on the issue, which “further evidenc[ed] weak procedural control and oversight.”
Air India, which was acquired by the Tata Group from the government in 2022, said in a statement that it was “accelerating” verification of all maintenance records, including escape slide checks, and expected to finish the process soon.
In one case, Air India said the issue came to light after an AI Engineering Services engineer “inadvertently deployed an escape slide during maintenance.”
The DGCA and Airbus did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, said checks on escape slides are “a very serious issue. In case of accident, if they don’t open, it can lead to serious injuries.”
The DGCA report said aircraft that miss mandatory inspections have their airworthiness certificates “deemed suspended.”
The warning notices and report were issued by Animesh Garg, deputy director of airworthiness, and were addressed to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, as well as the airline’s continuing airworthiness manager, quality manager and head of planning.
An Indian aviation lawyer told Reuters such breaches often lead to monetary and civil penalties for both the airline and individual executives.
Wilson said in a 2023 interview with Reuters that global parts shortages were affecting most airlines, but the problem was “more acute” for Air India, whose “product is obviously a lot more dated,” with many aircraft not updated since 2010-2011.
‘Systemic control failure’
The DGCA report said some Air India aircraft inspected by officials also had outdated registration paperwork. Air India told Reuters that all but one of its aircraft met the required standards and said this “poses no impact” to safety.
The report criticised the airline’s internal oversight systems, stating: “Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organisation’s internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure.”
India’s junior aviation minister told parliament in February that airlines were fined or warned in 23 cases over safety violations last year. Of these, 12 involved Air India and Air India Express. One case involved “unauthorised entry into cockpit”, and the biggest fine – $127,000 – was imposed on Air India for “insufficient oxygen on board” during a San Francisco-bound flight.
Air India’s Chairman N Chandrasekaran addressed employees on Monday, calling on staff to remain focused amid criticism following last week’s crash and said the incident should serve as a catalyst to build a safer airline.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
Pro and anti-assisted dying campaigners protest ahead of a parliamentary decision later today, on June 20, 2025 in London.
UK MPs are set to hold a key vote on assisted dying on Friday, which could either advance or halt a proposed law that would allow terminally ill adults to end their lives under strict conditions.
The vote follows several hours of debate in the House of Commons and will decide whether the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny or is dropped altogether.
As MPs gather for the third reading — their final opportunity to debate the bill’s content — demonstrators from both sides of the issue are expected outside parliament.
“This is about real people facing the prospect of a painful and undignified death either for themselves or a loved one,” said MP Kim Leadbeater, who is leading the bill. “The injustice and inhumanity of the status quo means we cannot wait any longer to offer them the hope of a better death.”
The legislation would apply to adults in England and Wales with an incurable illness and fewer than six months to live.
It would require patients to administer the life-ending medication themselves, with approval needed from two doctors and a panel of experts.
If passed, the law would bring England and Wales in line with other countries that permit some form of assisted dying.
Concerns and changes
Supporters of the bill say it would offer more protection and choice to people nearing the end of life. Opponents argue it could put pressure on vulnerable individuals.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has raised concerns, stating last month that it had “serious concerns” about safeguarding people with mental illness, and said it could not support the bill in its current form.
MPs initially backed the bill by 330 votes to 275 in November. Since then, changes have been made, including a ban on advertising assisted dying and provisions allowing health workers to opt out of taking part.
The current vote comes as several MPs have shifted their stance, and political parties are allowing a free vote. The outcome remains uncertain.
Vote tally and next steps
An ITV News tally of about half of all MPs suggests 153 support the change, 141 are opposed, 21 remain undecided and another 21 are expected to abstain.
Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords must pass the bill before the end of the current parliamentary year, likely in the autumn, for it to become law.
If approved and granted royal assent, assisted dying services would not begin for at least four years.
Legal and regional developments
The government’s impact assessment, published this month, estimates that 160 to 640 assisted deaths could occur in the first year of implementation, rising to about 4,500 by the tenth year.
Prime minister Keir Starmer is expected to support the bill, but some cabinet members, including the health and justice secretaries, have spoken against it.
Assisted suicide is currently punishable by up to 14 years in prison in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Separate legislation is being considered in Scotland, and the Isle of Man passed an assisted dying bill in March, becoming the first British territory to do so.
(With inputs from agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
Mother (C) of First Officer Clive Kunder, co-pilot of the Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad last week, mourns after his mortal remains were brought to his residence, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo)
AIR INDIA said on Wednesday (18) it will cut international operations on its widebody aircraft by 15 per cent for the next few weeks, citing ongoing safety inspections and operational disruptions following last week's deadly crash of one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Authorities continue to investigate the crash of flight AI171, which killed 241 people and marked the world's deadliest aviation disaster in a decade.
Inspections had been completed on 26 of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft, and those 26 have been cleared for service, the airline said.
The cuts to some routes, effective until at least mid-July, were being implemented "to ensure stability of operations, better efficiency and minimise inconvenience to passengers," the Tata Group-owned airline said.
The remaining planes will be checked in the coming days and additional checks are also planned for its Boeing 777 fleet, Air India added.
In an interview with Indian broadcaster Times Now, Chandrasekaran said Air India flight 171's right engine was new and installed in March 2025, and that the left engine was last serviced in 2023.
The Dreamliner was fitted with GE Aerospace's engines. "The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023," Air India said.
"Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight," the airline added.
It said the pilots were accomplished flyers. "The flight was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a highly experienced pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft.
"First Officer Clive Kunder, had over 3,400 hours of flying experience."
The London-bound jet burst into a fireball when it smashed into a residential area of Ahmedabad moments after take-off, leaving at least 38 people dead on the ground.
Initial checks since the crash on Air India's Dreamliners "did not reveal any major safety concerns", the country's civil aviation regulator said earlier this week.
India's aviation investigative unit said on Thursday (19) the probe was "progressing steadily".
"Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway," the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said in a statement.
Air India also cited geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and "night curfews in many European and East Asian airspaces" as contributing factors behind flight cancellations, which have totalled 83 over the past six days.
India's aviation investigative unit said the probe was "progressing steadily" (PTI photo)
Routes with reduced frequency until July 15, 2025:
North America
Delhi-Toronto: Reduced from 13x weekly to 7x weekly Delhi-Vancouver: Reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly Delhi-San Francisco: Reduced from 10x weekly to 7x weekly Delhi-Chicago: Reduced from 7x weekly to 3x weekly Delhi-Washington (Dulles): Reduced from 5x weekly to 3x weekly
Europe
Delhi-London (Heathrow): Reduced from 24x weekly to 22x weekly Bengaluru-London (Heathrow): Reduced from 7x weekly to 6x weekly Amritsar-Birmingham and Delhi Birmingham: Reduced from 3x weekly to 2x weekly Delhi-Paris: Reduced from 14x weekly to 12x weekly Delhi-Milan: Reduced from 7x weekly to 4x weekly Delhi-Copenhagen: Reduced from 5x weekly to 3x weekly Delhi-Vienna: Reduced from 4x weekly to 3x weekly Delhi-Amsterdam: Reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly
Australia
Delhi-Melbourne and Delhi-Sydney: Reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly
Far-East
Delhi-Tokyo (Haneda): Reduced from 7x weekly to 6x weekly Delhi-Seoul (Incheon): Reduced from 5x weekly to 4x weekly2
1Suspended until June 30 .
2To operate 3x weekly from June 21 to July 5 , and 4x weekly from July 6 to July 15 .
(with inputs from PTI)
Keep ReadingShow less
Family members and relatives of Megha Mehta, who died in the Air India plane crash, during her funeral at a crematorium, in Ahmedabad, Sunday, June 15, 2025.
MORE than a week after an Air India flight crashed in Ahmedabad, 220 victims have been identified through DNA testing and the remains of 202 of them handed over to their families, Gujarat health minister Rushikesh Patel said on Friday.
The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 was carrying 242 passengers and crew when it crashed on June 12, killing all but one person on board. Nearly 29 others were killed on the ground when the aircraft hit a medical complex in Meghaninagar shortly after take-off.
Authorities have been using DNA testing to identify the victims as many bodies were charred or damaged beyond recognition. “So far, 220 DNA samples have been matched, and relatives of these victims were contacted. The mortal remains of 202 victims have already been handed over to their kin. The process to identify more victims is underway,” Patel said.
According to Patel, among the 202 identified individuals, there are 160 Indians — including 151 passengers — along with seven Portuguese nationals, 34 British nationals and one Canadian.
He added that 15 sets of remains were sent by air, while 187 were transported by road. Earlier, the state government had said DNA samples were collected from 250 victims, including those on board and those killed on the ground.
Airline says aircraft was 'well-maintained'
Air India, in a statement on Thursday, said the aircraft involved in the crash was properly maintained before the flight. “The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023,” it said.
“Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight,” the airline said.
Indian authorities have not yet released the cause of the crash involving the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said the investigation was “progressing steadily.”
“Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway,” the bureau said.
At least 38 people died in the residential neighbourhood the plane struck. The crash resulted in widespread destruction, making identification of some victims difficult. Civil hospital medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi said that by Thursday evening, 215 victims had been identified by DNA testing, all but nine of them passengers.
Joshi added that the remains of about 15 victims had been transported by air. Six people injured in the crash remain hospitalised, with one expected to be discharged soon and the others in stable condition.
Details of passengers and crew
According to Air India, the flight had 169 Indian passengers, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese and one Canadian on board, in addition to 12 crew members.
The airline also shared details of the flight crew. “The flight was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a highly experienced pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft,” it said. “First Officer Clive Kunder had over 3,400 hours of flying experience.”
The aircraft caught fire shortly after take-off and crashed within minutes, turning into a fireball as it fell onto the ground.
India’s civil aviation regulator said preliminary checks on other Dreamliner aircraft had not revealed any major safety concerns since the incident.
ASIAN businessmen have donated generously to the ruling Labour party and the Liberal Democrats in the first quarter of 2025, the latest data from the Electoral Commission has revealed.
Property tycoon Maqbool Ahmed was the biggest Asian donor, contributing more than £75,000 to Labour, while Amin Hemani gave £50,000, and Lord Waheed Alli contributed £35,000 in January. Businessman Sudhir Choudhrie made six donations totalling more than £23,000 to the Liberal Democrats, data from January to March showed.
Choudhrie was the top donor among Asians in the preceding quarter.
Meanwhile, Reform UK received donations from Mohamed Amersi and Bassim Haidar, who each gave £25,000 during the first quarter.
The data, published by the Electoral Commission last Tuesday (10), also showed that Asians have demonstrated an increasing interest in Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, while support for the Conservatives has declined.
Labour donor Ahmed was the second biggest individual contributor to the party during the period as he gave £75,180 in February. Lords minister and former Labour general secretary Reginald Collins was the top individual donor with £350,000. Ahmed began his journey in property development in 1984, after qualifying as an accountant. He made his first purchase in inner-city Birmingham, renovating neglected properties into family homes. He later expanded into commercial properties.
Ahmed brought in his brother Fazal in 1992 to help manage the increasing number of developments. Their firm, MIA Properties (Birmingham) Limited is one of the leading property development groups in the Midlands.
Hemani, who donated through Scottish Labour in January, is a major shareholder in Fieldgate Properties (UK) Limited, a London-based property development company established in 2004. It focuses on building project development and operates out of the City of London. Hemani shares ownership of the company with Christopher Attwood.
Media entrepreneur Lord Alli has been a long-time supporter of the Labour party. Over the past three decades, he has built a diverse business empire spanning the media, retail, entertainment and technology industries. Born to a Hindu mother and a Muslim father of Indo-Caribbean descent, Lord Alli ranks among Labour’s most significant donors, having contributed over £700,000 from his estimated £200 million fortune to the party.
London Hotel Group, led by directors Gauhar Nawab and Meher Nawab, donated £3,750 to Labour in March.
PG Paper Company Ltd, with Puneet Gupta and Poonam Gupta listed as directors, donated a total of £3,928 to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s party during the period.
The Conservatives, under Kemi Badenoch, raised more d o n a t i o n s than any other major political party in the first quarter of 2025, according to the data. Bansols Beta Limited, with director Moonpal Singh Grewal, contributed £3,000 to the Tories, and Faith Hotels Limited, under the directorship of Tejinder Chetal, donated £5,000 to the party in February.
The Tories received over £3.3m, while Labour collected £2.3m during the same period. Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats each secured £1.5m.
Businessman Ramesh Dewan, who has interests in commercial real estate and publishing, emerged as a notable donor to the Lib Dems. He made a onetime donation of around £3,000 to the party in January.
Other recent contributions to the Lib Dems include Nagwa MSA Abdelmottaleb and Ahmed AA Hindawi, each donating £12,500. London-based care provider, Goodcare Limited, led by Dr Arujuna Sivananthanan and Karthika Sivananthanan, made two donations to Reform UK, totalling £15,000 in January.
Jackie Killeen, director of electoral administration and regulation at Electoral Commission said: “Over £12.95m in donations was accepted by political parties in the first quarter of 2025. The UK political finance regime has high levels of transparency, and we know that voters are interested in where parties get their money from. This publication is an important part of delivering this transparency for voters. “
However, there are parts of the system that need strengthening, and we have been calling for changes to the law in three key areas: to limit company donations to the money that they have made in the UK; to legally require parties to conduct know-your-donor checks on donations to assess and manage their risks; and to ensure that those who donate to unincorporated associations are permissible donors.”
“The UK government is currently considering these recommendations as part of reforms to the political finance regime. Addressing the gaps would help to improve coverage of the donation controls and ensure voters can have confidence in the political finance system.