In a fresh salvo against Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Yadav's family, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushil Kumar Modi today alleged that it had amassed 'benami property' worth Rs 115 crore in a posh area of New Delhi through a shell company.

The RJD, however, dismissed the allegations and dared Modi to get all the charges probed by a central agency.

"Lalu Prasad's family got control over A B Exports Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, which owned a land and an under construction house on it, valued together at Rs 115 crore at New Friends Colony in New Delhi. The company's entire share holding, directorship and properties have been given to Prasad's family," Modi alleged showing documents purportedly supporting his claim.

One Ashok Kumar Banthia's A B Exports got interest free loans of Rs 5 crore - Rs one crore each from five diamond jewellers of Mumbai - and bought an 800 sq metre plot (no D- 1088) in New Friend's Colony in 2007-08, he claimed.

"At present, the value of the plot is estimated to be around Rs 55 crore on which a four-storied building is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 60 crore," he said.

As per the balance sheet of A B Exports', it did not have any employee and did no business in the past 15 years, and later all the shares and directorship of the company were handed over to Prasad's family, Modi claimed.

Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav was made a director of the company in January 2011, followed by his elder brother minister Tej Pratap in June 2014, he claimed.

However, the two brothers were no more directors of the company, though Tejashwi held 98 per cent of its shares, the BJP leader said, adding that at present, Lalu's daughters Ragini Lalu and Chanda Yadav were the directors.

He demanded a thorough probe and asked why Banthia handed over the company to Prasad's family, whether Banthia was a genuine or fake person and why did five jewellers give interest free loans to the company.

RJD spokesman Mritunjay Tiwari said that Modi has been 'running an old cassette with the help of his 56 inch of tongue. Everything is in accordance with the law and available in public domain'.

"Our leader Lalu Prasad has already said that the BJP could get all the rubbishes uttered by Sushil Modi be probed by a central agency or even by UNO," he said.  -- PTI

Actress and Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Hema Malini has said she will take action against Bacchu Kadu, an independent MLA from Maharashtra, for his derogatory comments.

Kadu courted controversy last week with his comments over farmer suicides.

"Hema Malini drinks everyday, but does she commit suicide?" he said, seeking to counter the claims that farmers commit suicide because of alcoholism.

"75 per cent MLAs, MPs, journalists drink... even Hema Malini drinks heavily... but have they committed suicide?" he asked.

The actress said at an event here last night that at first she felt she should keep quiet.

"Initially I decided to keep quiet about this man's antics, because I didn't want to give him publicity. But then everyone close to me thought it was wrong to let him get away with it," Malini said.

"I will take action so that no one will do such a thing with me or any other celebrity again," she said.

The Lok Sabha member from Mathura, however, did not specify what action she intended to take against Kadu.

The actress also said she was happy with the Union cabinet's decision to get rid of beacon lights on VIP vehicles. -- PTI

Two terrorists have been gunned down by security forces in an encounter in Budgam's Hayatpura area of Jammu and Kashmir.

The encounter is still underway.

More details awaited.

Representative image only.

Canada's Minister for National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan visited the Western Naval Command headquarters in Mumbai today.

Sajjan interacted with Vice Admiral Girish Luthra,Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, a Defence spokesperson said.

"The minister highlighted areas of congruence between India and Canada and the need to further enhance cooperation between both nations. The discussions looked at continuing the current level of military interactions and the possibilities of increased cooperation," he said.

The current Regional and Global Security environment and the opportunities it afforded both India and Canada to work together formed part of the talks, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Enhancement of maritime and naval cooperation and visit of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Winnipeg were also discussed.

HMCS Winnipeg will visit India in mid May 2017 and will carry out professional interaction and Passage Exercise with Indian ships, the spokesperson said.

'The minister also visited the Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi. He was taken on a conducted tour of the ship and expressed his deep appreciation of the strides being made by India in their indigenisation efforts," he said.

"India and Canada are poised to enhance defencecooperation in fields of counter terrorism, cold climatewarfare, peace keeping and Naval cooperation," the spokesperson said.  -- PTI

IMAGE: Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan visits Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Kochi in Mumbai on Saturday. Photograph: @indiannavy/ Twitter

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam working president M K Stalin today urged the farmers from Tamil Nadu staging a protest in Delhi to defer their agitation and take part in the April 25 bandh called by the opposition parties in the state in support of the drought-hit farmers.

"They (the farmers protesting in Delhi) should take part in the bandh and support the other steps we are to going to take on behalf of all the political parties," he said.

Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting of leaders of various political parties, including the Congress, to discuss the agenda of the proposed bandh, Stalin said are solution has been adopted urging the farmers to postpone their protest in Delhi.

On April 16, it was decided at a meeting of political parties, chaired by Stalin, to observe a statewide bandh on April 25.

The Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Makkal Manadu Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League are among the parties that have pledged support to the bandh.

A key demand of the parties is that the drought situationin Tamil Nadu be declared a 'national disaster' by the Centreand adequate relief provided as per law.

Also, the Centre and the state government should accede to the demands of farmers and farm labourers in view of the drought and related protests, the parties had said.

Stalin said employees in the transport sector, traders and members of the film fraternity were among those who had pledged their support to the proposed shutdown.

To a question, the Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly said efforts to get the protesting farmers in Delhi an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi had yielded no result so far.

Today marks the 40th day of the ongoing protest of the Tamil Nadu farmers in Delhi. -- PTI

United Airlines says its Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz lost the opportunity to be promoted to the post of chairman after his handling of the forced removal of a doctor from a flight which was overbooked.

According to CNN Money, Munoz will not take broader control of the company as previously planned after the high profile incident that damaged the company's reputation.

The airline's parent company, United Continental Holdings, said in a public filing on Friday that Munoz asked that his employment agreement be changed to remove terms that would have made him chairman of the board of directors.

Munoz is currently a member of the board and was scheduled to take on the role of chairman at the company's 2018 annual stockholder meeting.

"The Board believes that separating the roles of chief executive officer and Chairman of the Board is the most appropriate structure at this time. Having an independent chairman of the Board is a means to ensure that Mr Munoz is able to more exclusively focus on his role as Chief Executive Officer," according to the filing.

The company also revealed that a new 2017 compensation programme for Munoz, along with that of other executives, will be more closely tied to improved customer satisfaction.

United said it wants 'directly and meaningfully progress in improving the customer experience'. -- ANI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his advice to bureaucrats asking them not to use social media for self-promotion, saying he should lead them by example.

'Leading by example is clearly overrated,' the Congress vice-president said on Twitter, after Modi told babus yesterday not to use social media for self-promotion or spend too much time online.

The prime minister actively uses the social media to connect with the public and is the most followed leader on Twitter and Instagram in the country.

Modi had said yesterday that he does not lack the political will required to carry out reforms and rather has an 'extra bit' even as he exhorted bureaucrats to break silos andwork together as a team to perform and transform the country.

Addressing civil servants, Modi had said they do not needto be afraid of any consequences for taking fast decisions ashe will stand behind the officers taking honest decisions inpublic interest.  -- PTI

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader T T V Dinakaran today appeared before police in New Delhi for questioning in connection with an alleged attempt to bribe an Election Commission official for retaining the 'two-leaves' party symbol.

Dhinakaran arrived after 3 pm at the Crime Branch Inter-State Cell office in Chanakyapuri. There was heavy security outside the office and mediapersons weren't allowed to enter the premises.

The controversial AIADMK leader had earlier been served summons by Delhi Police at his Chennai residence in the case.  -- PTI

A local Bajrang Dal leader was found dead close to an estuary at Alivebagilu near Mangaluru, police said.

The body of Jagadish Suvarna, 35, convenor of Bajrang Dal's Bengre unit was found with injuries yesterday and he was suspected to have been killed, police said.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. Jagadish had left home on April 20 night to attend a Mehendi function and did not return. He was working for a passenger boat, police said.  -- PTI

Grabbing eyeballs with their novel way of protest, Tamil Nadu farmers today drank urine in another desperate bid to draw the government's attention towards their plight.

Over the last 39 days, they have shaved half of their moustache and head, kept mice and snakes in their mouth, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and carried skulls of other farmers, who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.

The farmers, whose protest entered the 40th day today, drank urine even as police tried to stop them. They have been demanding a loan waiver, a revised drought relief package and better support prices for their produce.

P Ayyakkannu, who is leading the protest, said: "The Union government is not giving us water. So we are consuming urine."

The protesters had yesterday said they would drink urine if the Centre failed to offer a solution to their problems within a day.

On April 10, they had stripped in front of the prime minister's office in New Delhi to press for their demands.  -- PTI

The death toll from Friday's Taliban-led terror strike on an Afghan military base in Mazar-i-Sharif is said to have risen from 50 to about 140 soldiers, local media reports said.

The Express Tribune quoting other media said many others have been wounded and that the toll is likely to be higher.

The final death toll, however, is yet to be confirmed.

As many as 10 Taliban fighters, dressed in Afghan army uniforms and driving military vehicles, talked their way onto the base and opened fire on soldiers eating dinner and leaving a mosque after Friday prayers.

The attackers used rocket-propelled grenades and rifles.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on Saturday said that the attack was retribution for the recent killing of several senior Taliban leaders in northern Afghanistan. -- ANI

IMAGE: Afghan national Army troops near the site of attack on army headquarters in Mazar-i-Sharif . Photograph: Anil Usyan/ Reuters

Pro-Kannada activists have withdrawn protests and called off bandh against movie Baahubali 2, Vattal Nagraj of Karnataka Rakshine Vaikeke informed on Saturday.

However, in a veiled warning to actor Sathyaraj, whose alleged comments had triggered the protests, Nagraj said, "Ensure you don't use derogatory terms against Kannadigas. If you do, your future movies will be banned in Karnataka."

On Friday, the actor, who plays Kaatappa in the Baahubali series, appeared on TV and apologised for his comments which were made several years ago when some people in Karnataka reportedly assaulted Tamilians in the state over the Cauvery issue.

He was in the middle of a storm in Karnataka as pro-Kannada groups were blocking the release of the film.

'I have got to know that what I had spoken during the Cauvery water crisis has created a lot of tension among the people of Karnataka. I am not against Kannadigas or Karnataka,' the actor said, in a statement. -- Agencies

Newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Sulkhan Singh on Saturday said strict action will be taken against those indulging in vigilantism in the name of 'gau raksha'.

Addressing his first press conference, DGP Singh assured people that the state police would work with total impartiality and added that Chief Minsiter Yogi Adityanath had issued clear instructions that will not spare anyone involved in criminal activities.

"We have zero tolerance towards corruption. Anybody indulging in criminal activities will not be spared, whether from ruling party or not. We have strict orders from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister YogI Adiyanath," Singh said.

Speaking about the anti-Romeo squads, the UP DGP said, "Personnel will be in plain clothes, this does not include questioning people. The personnel on duty for anti-Romeo squads will act and take action only on people with objectionable behavior."

In a major reshuffle, the Uttar Pradesh government yesterday, transferred 12 IPS officers including, state DGP Javeed Ahmed and seven IAS officers.

Other IPS officers include Surya Kumar, Jawahar Lal Tripathi, Alok Prasad, Aditya Mishra, Bhavesh Kumar Singh, Vijay Kumar, Daljeet Singh, Alok Singh, Sanjay Singhal and Navneet Sikera. -- ANI

Archis Mohan/Business Standard reports:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet all the 13 chief ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states and five deputy chief ministers.

The meeting is expected to discuss the party's preparations for the upcoming Presidential polls, besides the need for the BJP-ruled state governments to implement pro-poor policies more effectively.

The electoral college for the election of the President comprises elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of all the legislative assemblies.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is marginally short of the majority mark and hopes to cross the line comfortably with the support of some of the regional parties.

The meeting will also be attended by senior Union Cabinet ministers Rajnath Singh, M Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari. This is the second such meeting. The first was held in August 2016.

An Islamic State terrorist, linked to the deadly New Year's eve attack on Istanbul's Reina nightclub, was killed in Syria last month by the American forces, United States' Middle East command confirmed.

Abdurakhmon Uzbeki was killed by American forces near the eastern Syrian city of Mayadin on April 6, reports Anadolu.

Uzbeki was a close associate of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Central Command spokesman Col John Thomas said.

Uzbek is said to have helped carry out the deadly attack that killed 39 victims at the nightclub.

'We've clearly linked him with the Istanbul' attack, Thomas said.

Thomas further said that Uzbeki was a key facilitator of IS' funds and foreign fighters. -- ANI

At least five people including a nine-year-old girl have been injured in an attack by 'gau rakshaks' in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

India-US ties have significantly improved over the last few decades, becoming more "stronger" and "matured" and defying changes in governments in both the countries, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the terror attack on a military base in northern Afghanistan. "Strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-i- sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones," he said in a tweet. 

Setting the stage for a unified AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, the two rival factions in the party are said to have agreed upon a deal to reinstate rebel leader O Panneerselvam as the chief minister while current CM E K Palaniswami will take charge as the organisation's general secretary in place of the jailed V K Sasikala.

US'surgeon general Vivek H Murthy was on Friday dismissed by the Trump administration, and replaced by his deputy, Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams.

The makers of Rajinikanth's "2.0" have postponed the film's release date from Diwali this year to January 25, 2018. 

Two FIRs were registered against 12 persons and over 300 unnamed people in connection with two incidents of violence in Janakpuri on Friday late night, police said. 

A massive power outage threw San Francisco into chaos for most of the work day, knocking out traffic signals, paralysing businesses and halting the city's famed cable cars.

AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran leaves for Delhi to appear before the police in the bribery case.