A court in Kerala today found 13 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activists guilty in the murder of a local Communist Party of India-Marxist worker here on April 1, 2008.

Additional Sessions Court judge T K Unnimol will pronounce the quantum of sentence tomorrow.

The case relates to the murder of Vishnu at Kaithamukku.

According to the prosecution, the accused armed with swords, iron rods and other weapons attacked Vishnu and killed him. There were totally 16 accused in the case.

While one accused died in 2008, another was acquitted by the court today and one is absconding.

Charges against the accused include that of murder, conspiracy and unlawful assembly.

Representative image.

China has seized an unmanned United States naval underwater testing vehicle in the South China Sea, a US defense official said today.

'It was taken' by China, the official said, adding the craft was seized in international waters about 50 miles (80 km) off Subic Bay.

The 'naval glider' was used to test water salinity and temperatures to help in the mapping of underwater channels, the official said.

While the probe was a US Navy vessel, it was operated by civilians, the official said.

The vessels seizure comes amid continued tensions in the South China Sea. -- AFP

Representative image.

JUST IN: China seizes US naval underwater probe in South China Sea. AFP

Mumbai Police has detained three persons for possession of Rs 1 crore 40 lakh in new currency notes near suburban Andheri.

The police said the Income Tax Department has been informed. An enquiry is underway.

Yesterday, a car with Rs 10 crore in new notes was seized in Mumbai's Tilak Nagar area.

Meanwhile in Midnapore, West Bengal, police today seized Rs 8 lakh in Rs 2,000 currency notes near Debra and arrested two men in this connection.

We intercepted Purna Sankar Ganguly's car and seized Rs 8 lakh which were in Rs 2,000 currency notes. He allegedly had exchanged it with Rs 10 lakh demonetised notes, they said.

Ganguly was returning from Debra to Midnapore after exchanging the notes from someone who took Rs 2 lakh as commission.

JUST IN: A Kerala court convict 13 RSS activists in connection with murder of DYFI leader Vishnu in 2008; quantum of punishment to be pronounced tomorrow.-- ANI

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today likened demonetisation woes to 'labour pain', saying its end result would be as 'joyful' as the birth of a baby.

Prasad made the remarks at an event organised by the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell that lay emphasis on how demonetisation was an opportunity for the country's transition towards a cashless economy.

However, Prasad said the government's motive behind demonetisation was 'less cash', not cashless. He criticised the Opposition parties for not allowing the Parliament to function.

"People will face a little problem. But the pain is like the one that a woman in labour undergoes. Eventually one will experience the joy like one does hearing the first cry of a baby," Prasad said.

He asserted that the defunct notes deposited in the banks will be scrutinised and not all of it will be considered 'white'.

He said the amount deposited in the banks will help in investing in strengthening the Indian Army, assisting farmers, small traders, building roads, adding that 'naxals and terrorists' are a troubled lot due to the decision.

Petrol prices hiked by Rs. 2.21 litre, Diesel prices hiked by 1.79 per litre; New prices to be effective from midnight

* I-T department seizes Rs 1.4 cr cash, with Rs 8 lakh in new notes, from a Delhi contractor.  

India beat Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the 2nd semi finals of the Junior Hockey World Cup.

Political parties are exempted under Income Tax law to deposit old currency notes in their bank accounts: Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa

Equality before law has been denied for Muslim women in India in the matter of triple talaq: Kerala High Court.

Cap on cash withdrawal to be reviewed after Dec 30, the last day to deposit old Rs 500/1,000 notes: Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa

Tamil film Visaranai, India's official entry to the 89th Oscars in Foreign Language Film category, drops out of the final race.

All 41 pilgrims aboard a boat that got stuck in the shallow waters near Aliya Bet in Bharuch district about 100 km from Vadodara on Thursday evening were rescued after a nine-hour long operation.

India is one of the most generous countries for refugees, says Yasuko Shimizu, the chief of mission for UNHCR in India & the Maldives

President gives assent to Taxation Laws Second Amendment Bill, reports news agency PTI

With the Congress upping its ante on the last day of the Winter Session on the government's demonetisation drive, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said the opposition would have been left red-faced had Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced his opinion on the issue in Parliament.


Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said Prime Minister Modi while addressing the party's parliamentary party meeting alleged that the Congress is least bothered about the nation.


"The things the Prime Minister mentioned in the Parliamentary Party meeting, if the opposition would have allowed him to speak in Parliament then Rahul Gandhi and the opposition would have been left red-faced," he said.


"PM Modi spoke on why opposition and the Congress are going against the demonetisation policy," he added.Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel quoted Prime Minister Modi as saying that how the opposition kept talking about black money and demonetisation but never really did anything in this regard.

Times journalists are fearless when they hear statements like "Trump says he's going to sue you' or "You're not allowed in here' or "The mayor denounced your story at his press conference.'What will make them quail are the words: "The desk wants to know" -- "That means a copy editor has found something bewildering, confusing or flat-out wrong in your story. And the copy is going nowhere until the matter is resolved."

This classic served up by the NYT. Do read

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2016, which replaces the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995.


Moving the bill, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawar Chand Gehlot said the number of categories of differently-abled have been increased from seven to 21 so that the Divyangs could get the benefits of various schemes at the Centre and State level.


The bill also seeks to enhance reservation for Divyangs in government jobs from three percent to four percent.


He said there is also a provision for setting up of advisory boards at national and state levels.


The Rajya Sabha had passed the bill on Tuesday after a brief discussion.

The Supreme Court hears and turns down the petition challenging demonetisation and the extension in the use of demonetised Rs 500 currency notes for some more time.


The SC bench transfers the demonetisation matter to a five judge constitution bench and all matters pertaining to various HCs have been stayed. SC leaves it to the Centre to decide on extension of the order on depositing old Rs 500 & 1000 denominations after Dec 30.

The apex court slammed the government for failing to provide the general public with enough cash as people were still facing inconvenience even after over a month since notes were banned.


The government had requested the SC to not pass any interim order on note ban as the move will lead to more cases of black money which the SC bench did not buy, saying when common man was not getting a single note, large amounts of new notes were being recovered throughout the country.


On December 15, the government fully stopped use of Rs 500 notes as it had given some relaxation in their rules. Till Thursday, Rs 500 notes continued to enjoy their legal tender status at select outlets including at LPG centres, petrol pumps, paying for public taxes and school fees with a cap.

Parliament adjourns sine die. 

After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a demand to provide relief for debt-ridden farmers, the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the former has accepted that the situation of farmers is critical in the country, but did not commit anything on waiving off their loans.

"Prime Minister accepted that the situation of farmers is critical, But he did not say anything about waiving off their loans, he only heard the matter," said Rahul.

He further added that the farmers are committing suicide all over the country and the removal of import duty on wheat by the government is a devastating blow.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of senior Congress leaders met Prime Minister Modi to demand relief for debt-ridden farmers and to express their apprehension at not being allowed to speak in parliament.

Following this, opposition leaders would call on President Pranab Mukherjee at 12.30 p.m.

These meetings come even as the ruckus continues in parliament over several issues, including demonetisation and corruption.

On Thursday, Azad said, "It is for the first time in history of India that the ruling party is not letting the House to function," he said.

Azad gave a notice in the Rajya Sabha on the "hardships faced by farmers due to demonetisation".

"I have given notice so that the debt of the farmers is forgiven. The BJP is not in the support of the farmers," he said.

Both Houses of Parliament had to be adjourned for the day eventually.


Image: Congress leaders meet President Mukherjee to present a memorandum on the problems faced after demonetisation.

Congress's Mallikarjun Kharge briefs media after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee. Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rahul Gandhi among leaders at the meeting with the President.

Kharge says the government failed completely in running the proceedings in the Parliament. "We told the President that we wanted a discussion on demonitization in Parliament on problems faced by farmers, small traders etc. We wanted to discuss the notes ban in parliament, even gave notice but government wasn't interested in it. Due to the government's attitude, the House couldn't function."

Meanwhile, cracks have developed within the Opposition over a Congress delegation meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi separately on Friday. Miffed with the development, several non-Congress opposition parties boycotted the Opposition march to Rashtrapati Bhavan today. Rahul was accompanied by Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Capt Amarinder Singh and Anand Sharma among others.


"Is there any unity in the opposition? Parties move forward according to their convenience," HD Deve Gowda, former PM, said. The CPIM's Sitaram Yechury added, "Humne pehle hi kaha tha president isme karenge bhi kya? Humara maan na tha janta ke paas jayein."

DMK President M Karunanidhi has undergone Tracheostomy to optimise breathing. He is being treated now, and is stable, says a release from Kauvery Hospital. Karunanidhi was admitted to Kauvery hospital in Chennai late last night after he complained of difficulty in breathing. The hospital said Karunanidhi was readmitted with breathing difficulty due to throat and lung infection. In a tracheostomy, an incision in the windpipe is made to relieve an obstruction to breathing.

A day after facing embarrassment due to BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani's outburst against the government's attitude in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attempted to divert the attention of his critics while accusing his predecessor and Congress leader late Indira Gandhi of snubbing the demonetisation recommendation suggested by the Niranjan Nath Wanchoo-led committee.

Sources quoted the Prime Minister as saying, "Indira Gandhi told Y.B. Chavan that don't you want to contest polls? This was Congress plank but they did not implement."

Meanwhile, Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari urged all leaders in the Rajya Sabha to introspect on the distinction between dissent, disruption and agitation.

Prime Minister Modi earlier today urged the nation to embrace digital payment methods to ensure that corruption and black money is rooted out of the country.

A delegation of Congress leaders gave a memorandum to Prime Minister Modi to demand relief for debt-ridden farmers.

The Winter Session of Parliament has been a washout with both sides not permitting the other to speak.

While the opposition accused the government of being insensitive to the common man, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dug up Agusta Westland matter to charge the Congress.

With the Congress highlighting the plight of the farming community and submitting a memorandum in this regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said that the grand old party that has ruled the nation for almost 60 years must introspect its action before putting the onus on others.


BJP's Siddharth Nath Singh said that the Congress has every right to raise the issue of farmers with Prime Minister Modi, but only if they introspect and realise that they themselves could not deliver on their promises made to the farming community.


"There is nothing wrong in democracy, if the opposition wishes to meet the PM and raise the issue. But when you are going to raise an issue, you have been in the government for last 60 years and in those 60 years, what have you delivered to the farmers and particularly when you talk about irrigation facilities," Singh told ANI.


"You must introspect that why after ruling India for 60 years you could not deliver. And if they have realised that they have done a mistake and they could not deliver, they have all the right to raise the issue with the Prime Minister," he added.

SP, BSP to stay away from joint Opp delegation meeting President on demonetisation and Parliament logjam.

Army Major Anita Kumari allegedly committed suicide by shooting herself with her personal weapon. Prima facie she shot herself on the intervening night of December 14-15 in Jammu. The officer did not come to the unit and no one was aware about her whereabouts till her neighbours broke the door. Further details are awaited.


Representational image

December 16 marks the 45th anniversary of the secession of the eastern wing of Jinnah's Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. Much has been written about the traumatic events of the time and the political repercussions of the country being cleaved into two. But the loss of East Pakistan was not just devastating on a psychological, economic or political level. In very real terms, it also affected Pakistan culturally and socially. One of the things lost in the discourse is how the events of 1971 affected Pakistan's film industry. Read more

Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Vice President Hamid Ansari spoke in his valedictory remarks at the end of winter session. "I fervently hoped that I would not have to repeat what I said at the conclusion of the the 221st session in December 2013. My hope stands belied. Continuous disruptions characterised the session. The symbolism of dignified protest, so essential for orderly conduct, was abandoned."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged the nation to embrace digital payment methods to ensure that corruption and black money is rooted out of the country.


Briefing the media about Prime Minister Modi's assertion at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Ministers Ananth Kumar said, "The Prime Minister appealed to the people of India that digital economy should be a way of life, it will be transparent and effective. The Prime Minister has said today is 'Bangla Vimochan Diwas'. The opposition had not demanded proof then but now it demands proof."


Quoting Prime Minister Modi, Kumar said earlier the government used to commit scams and the opposition used to oppose it, but the incumbent NDA regime has now started a mission to eradicate black money and the opposition is opposing it.

Expelled Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) parliamentarian Sasikala Pushpa has said it would be wrong to nominate Sasikala Natrajan as the general secretary since she was expelled by late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa for conspiring against her.


"It would too wrong to nominate Sasikala Natrjan as the general secretary of the party. Because nowhere madam (Jayalalithaa) has mentioned her name. She has not even given her a councilor or an MLA seat. It shows that political life is not fit for her. She was earlier expelled by Amma for conspiring against her and trying to kill her," Pushpa told ANI.


By citing a by-law of the AIADMK, Pushpa said, "There is a rule in Class-30 sub clause-5 that a person being a primary member for five consecutive years can contest the elections. However, if this is implied, then, Sasikala is not fit to be the general secretary."


Pushpa demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of Jayalalithaa "since the time she was admitted into the hospital, there was no transparency about the status of her health.""What happened to Jayalalithaa is something everybody is questioning. Even the cadres feel the same," she added.


Sasikala said she has filed a case in the Madras High Court stating that the election of general secretary of the AIDMK be done in a democratic manner.


The AIADMK on Thursday said Sasikala Natarajan, the confidante of Jayalalithaa, will be the party's next general secretary."It is clear that Chinnamma (Sasikala) will be the next general secretary of the party," said AIADMK spokesperson C. Ponnaiyan.

Congress VP RahulGandhi, top Cong leaders meet PM Modi and handover a memorandum on farmers' demand, including loan waiver, and the problems they dace due to demonetisation.

On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi represented opposition leaders from as many as 15 parties and accused the PM of personal corruption. "Read my lips," he told reporters at parliament, before claiming that PM Modi is "terrified" by the likelihood of "detailed information about his personal corruption" being shared in parliament.


Pic: The Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi hands over a memorandum seeking loan waivers for farmers to the PM

Rajya Sabha adjourns sine die. 

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said the announcement of the next army chief would be very soon. Parrikar along with three service chiefs paid tributes to the bravehearts who laid down their lives during 1971 India-Pakistan war on the occasion of Vijay Diwas.


"I don't have to stress the importance of the day. It's a day when we achieved a decisive victory and created a new country,' Parrikar said.


On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops had surrendered unconditionally to the allied forces consisting of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, led by General Jagjit Singh Aurora in Dhaka after their defeat in the war.


The end of the war also resulted in subsequent secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh.Special programmes are also being organised at the headquarters of the Eastern Command at the Fort William in Kolkata to celebrate the day.

Columnist Rajeev Sharma tells us: Veteran BJP leader L K Advani has been restive and has shown signs of late of rocking the Modi government's boat.
Another BJP bigwig of yesteryear and a member of the Margadarshak Mandal, Murali Manohar Joshi, too is likely to break his silence.
Dr Joshi has told his confidantes that he will maintain his cryptic silence about the way the Modi government has been functioning only for the rest of 2016.
Dr Joshi may well break his silence in the first week of next year. 

Just in: Congress VP Rahul Gandhi to meet PM Modi in Parliament and demand loan waivers for farmers. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi made the explosive claim two days ago that he has information on "personal corruption" of the Prime Minister. The BJP has dismissed it as "the joke of the year" and said Rahul's commedy quotient is growing even as his political quotient falls. The BJP has challenged Rahul to make public the information he claims to have.

1971 war: Pakistani soldiers lay down their weapons to surrender in East Pakistan.

Just in: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Balakot sector of Poonch. 

Dhaka residents cheer a convoy of Indian troops during the 1971 Bangladesh War.

December 5, 1971.

Six Gorkha soldiers and I were on a reconnaissance patrol on the western border in Punjab, along the Ravi river, when the Pakistani army launched a sudden attack through that area. We were literally caught between a rock and a hard place as we were initially shelled by Pakistani guns, and later, as they overran the small border pocket, by Indian artillery. Thankfully, neither side hit us, and less than 48 hours later, the active war ended for me and my six men.

My ordeal, however, had just begun.


They say memories of stress and extreme danger remain with us forever. The memories of that time are as fresh in my mind as if it all took place yesterday.


Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) relives his time as a PoW in Pakistan during the 1971 War. Do read


Pic: Then Captain Anil A Athale on his return to India

Senior ministers and the PM at the BJP Parliamentary meet. The PM's speech will be telecast live.

The Winter Session of Parliament is ending today though the chaos continued to reign in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha yesterday following continuous uproar on issues such as demonetisation and Agusta Westland case.


Both treasury and opposition benches traded charges on each other for continuous disruption.


PM Modi will address the meeting shortly. The speech is likely to be on demonetisation, and the Parliament stalemate and he may take on Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of graft. 


Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi made the explosive claim two days ago that he has information on "personal corruption" of the Prime Minister. The BJP has dismissed it as "the joke of the year" and said Rahul's commedy quotient is growing even as his political quotient falls. The BJP has challenged Rahul to make public the information he claims to have.

The Winter Session of Parliament is ending today though the chaos continued to reign in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha yesterday following continuous uproar on issues such as demonetisation and Agusta Westland case.


Both treasury and opposition benches traded charges on each other for continuous disruption.


The fate of many important legislative bills are still stuck as they were listed for business but did not come up for discussion even once due to protests and sloganeering.


The standoff between the treasury and opposition benches in both houses severely hit the legislative business of the month-long session.


The Rajya Sabha which took up the discussion on demonetisation on first day of the session could not resume it yesterday following ruckus in the house.


In the Lok Sabha, the members were not allowed to complete their speech on the issue by the agitated opposition.However amidst din, Payment of Wages Amendment bill was introduced in Lok Sabha. Parliament functioning in this session has dropped to a mere 17 per cent.


At the beginning of the session, 19 bills were listed for consideration and passage but only one was passed by Parliament.


Out of the nine bills listed for introduction, only three were introduced.

PM Modi to address meeting with BJP MPs shortly. The meeting is likely to be on demonetisation, and the Parliament stalemate. 

A 20-year-old-woman who had come to Delhi looking for a job, was allegedly raped by a taxi driver.

Sources said that the woman was waiting for a taxi near AIIMS when a cab driver offered her lift to Noida on Thursday.

Midway, the driver stopped the car at a secluded place near Moti Bagh in South Delhi and allegedly raped her. However, the girl managed to raise an alarm and after she saw a police patrol.

Sensing trouble, the driver fled from the spot, leaving his car behind. The girl was rescued and taken to the nearest police station where where she filed a complaint.

Later in the night, the driver was arrested and remanded in police custody. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the car was bearing a sticker of the Ministry of Home Affairs but the driver not a ministry employee.

Further investigation is on.


Pic: The taxi driver who allegedly raped the girl

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar and and the heads of all three wings of the Indian armed forces pay homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi. The day marks India's military victory over Pakistan in 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The victory resulted in the secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh. 

A prominent Pune-based jeweller is under the scanner of Income Tax department after depositing Rs 60 crore in bank shortly after the demonetisation of high value bills was announced last month, an official said on Thursday.

"The jeweller had deposited Rs 60 crore in bank account after the demonetization exercise was announced on November 8, and when the investigation was done it was found that they (jeweller) were backdating and inflating the sales," said an IT official on a condition of anonymity.

While giving the instance of inflating of sale, he said the jewellery shop was showing the price of diamond at Rs 4 to 5 lakh per carat.

"Post demonetisation, the store was showing the price of diamonds at Rs 4 to Rs 5 lakh per carat and at this price, best diamonds are found in the world and they are generally not found in India," he said.

According to the official, there are other jewellers in the city, who are also under the scrutiny for back dating sales and inflating the sales.-- PTI

Image only for representation.

3 Manipur policemen killed in militant ambush

Congress workers heckle Urjit Patel at Kolkata airport

Terrorists rob yet another bank in Kashmir

Another day, more hidden currency is flushed out in crores

This Winter Session, it's been all shouting and hardly any work

Read yesterday's live commentary HERE