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Mon, 01 October 2018
Money has come back to banking system, that was purpose of DeMo: VP

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23:45   Jaitley desperate to cover up govt 'thievery' in IL&FS case: Cong
The Congress Monday hit back at Arun Jaitley for attacking its chief Rahul Gandhi over the IL&FS issue, alleging that the finance minister was desperate to "cover up government's thievery" in the case. 
 
In a tweet, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the minister was trying to save the government in the IL&FS issue as he had done other cases. 
"One more Shirk Responsibility, Sell Family Silver, Save Cronies' excuse by FM Jaitley, like in case of 4Ms - Mallya, Modi junior 1 and 2, Mehul Bhai.
 
"An MP's a letter is not the law of land for FM to follow. Proves the desperation on FM's part to cover up Government's thievery," he said on Twitter with regard to the IL&FS issue.
Gandhi has also hit out at the government over the issue and called it a "scam". 
He attacked Narendra Modi over the financial support of LIC to debt-ridden IL&FS and asked whether the prime minister "loves financial scams".
On Sunday, he said the Life Insurance Corporation was the country's symbol of trust and the common people have saved every rupee to buy its policies.
"Modi ji, your favourite private company IL&FS is about to turn bankrupt. You are trying to save it by putting the money of LIC. Why?" he asked in a tweet in Hindi.
"...Why are you using LIC money to save fraudsters. For you, hope IL&FS does not mean I love financial scams," Gandhi had said.
In another tweet in Hindi, Gandhi alleged that in 2007, Modi as Gujarat chief minister gave the Rs 70,000 crore 'Gift City' project to IL&FS in which nothing has happened till now and alleged that a fraud had come to light.
In comparison, Gandhi alleged that in 2018, Prime Minister Modi is trying to give a bailout of Rs 91,000 crore to debt-ridden Infrastructure Leasing & Finance Services through public money in the LIC and the State Bank of India.
"Chowkidar ki dari mein tinka (the watchman is guilty conscious)," he had said. 
The Congress leader's rebuttal to Jaitley came after the finance minister attacked the opposition party for spreading "disinformation" about the government's move in relation to Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services.
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22:58   Ailing Parrikar to delegate more powers to Cabinet ministers
Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will delegate more powers to his Cabinet colleagues after October 10, a senior minister said Monday.
Parrikar, 62, is undergoing treatment at New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences since mid-September.
Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai, who met Parrikar in the hospital, told PTI that the CM wants to delegate more powers to Cabinet ministers after October 10, when the inauspicious `pitru paksha' (a period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors) ends.
He said Parrikar is recovering in the hospital where he is being treated for a pancreatic ailment.
"I met Manohar Parrikar and he is recovering. He told me that he wants to delegate more powers and also have a meeting with Cabinet ministers, which will happen after October 10," said Sardesai, who belongs to the Goa Forward Party, an ally of the BJP in the state.
"I told him (the CM) that whenever he calls for the meeting and whatever is his proposal, we (the GFP) will think over it," he added.
Sardesai said during his meeting with Parrikar, he raised the issue of restoring public confidence in sale and consumption of fish brought from outside following the formalin scare.
The Opposition Congress party had claimed the fish being imported in the state is laced with hazardous formalin chemical. Food and Drugs Administration Minister Vishwajit Rane had rubbished the Congress claim. -- PTI
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22:53   Money has come back to banking system, that was purpose of DeMo: VP
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said the "entire money" has come back to the banking system through demonetisation, and now it was up to the RBI and the Income-Tax department to identify how much of that is black money and how much is white.
 
In his address at an international conclave on human rights in New Delhi, he also said the world must come together and put in place arrangements for handing over fugitives.
As much as 99.3 per cent of the junked Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have returned to the banking system, the RBI had said late August, indicating that just a miniscule percentage of demonetised currency was left out of the system after the note-ban aimed at curbing black money and corruption.
"Demonetisation targeted black money kept by people in the country. Entire money has come back to the banking system. Criticism are bound to be there. But, I feel it is the correct thing...that is what I think was the purpose (of the exercise)," Naidu said.
"People who had stashed away money in bedrooms, bathrooms, fridges returned it, with address...And, now it is duty of the Reserve Bank of India and the I-T department to identify whether that money is black or white, how much is accounted or not accounted," he said.
Of the Rs 15.41 lakh crore worth Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation as on November 8, 2016, when the note ban was announced, notes worth Rs 15.31 lakh crore have been returned.
This meant just Rs 10,720 crore of the junked currency did not return to the banking system.
He also said, "Entire world must move towards having accountability of money, it is causing problems... Entire world must come together and have arrangements for handing over of fugitives who run away, countries must have exchange of treaty, and the UN should work on it, so there is exchange of information."
 
After the note ban, old junked notes, called specified bank notes (SBNs), were allowed to be deposited in banks with unusual deposits coming under income-tax scrutiny. -- PTI 
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21:59   SBI halves daily ATM withdrawal limits to Rs 20,000
The nation's largest lender State Bank of India has slashed the daily withdrawal limit from ATMs to half from Rs 40,000 to check fraudulent transactions.
The new limit will be effective from October 31 for the bank customers who number over 42 crore.
The limit has been reduced to Rs 20,000 on classic debit card, which is the most popular ATM-cum-debit card of the bank. There is no change in the daily withdrawal limits on other cards.
This card variant is not chip-based and so there are concerns about its security, a senior bank official said.
"The bank has been receiving many complaints regarding cloning. Due to this the decision is taken to  reduce the withdrawal limit on these cards," the official explained.

As of March 2018, the bank issued over 39.50 crore debit cards with around 26 crore actively used debit cards. -- PTI
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21:58   12 Indian firms in Forbes' best regarded companies list
Infosys, TCS and Tata Motors are among the 12 Indian companies which feature in a list of the world's best regarded firms compiled by Forbes.
 
Entertainment giant Walt Disney, with a market cap of USD 165 billion topped the list, followed by hospitality major Hilton and Italian carmaker Ferrari at the second and third spots respectively.
Rounding out the top ten in 2018 are financial services companies Visa at the 4th place, digital payment company PayPal (5th), media company Netflix (6th), Siemens (7th), internet retailer Amazon.com (8th) Marriott International (9th) and Mastercard (10th).
Housing finance major HDFC was the only company from India's banking and finance sector to figure in the list and was placed 217th.
Other Indian companies that made it to the coveted list include Infosys at the 31st place, Tata Consultancy Services (35), Tata Motors (70), Tata Steel (131), Larsen & Toubro (135), Grasim Industries (154), General Insurance Corporation Of India (156), Mahindra & Mahindra (164), Asian Paints (203), Steel Authority of India (227) and ITC (239).
US companies dominate the list with 61 of the total 250 firms.
Japan has 32 companies on the list. Video game maker Nintendo is the highest ranked Japanese company at the 11th rank, with Toyota following at 12th. Other well-represented countries are China with 19 companies, France (13), India (12) and Germany (11).
To compile this list, Forbes partnered with Statista, which surveyed 15,000 people from 60 countries.
 
The respondents were asked their opinions about the 2018 Global 2000 companies. Companies were evaluated on topics such as trustworthiness, social conduct, performance of the company's product or service and the company as an employer, Forbes said. -- PTI   
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21:49   India wants to start trade talks with US 'immediately': Trump
President Donald Trump today said that India wants to start trade talks with the United States "immediately".

Last week, Trump had said India wants to have a trade deal with the US because it does not want him to impose tariffs on their products. 

Trump's remarks came days after Assistant US Trade Representative Mark Linscott returned from India where he had detailed discussion with senior Indian officials on bilateral trade and a possible trade deal between the two countries. 

Trump has often accused India of imposing 100 per cent tariffs on American products. 

"We have a country, take India. Good relationship. They want to make a deal now because they don't want me to do what I'm going to do, with I have to. So, they (Indians) call us. They didn't want to make a deal with anybody else," he had said.

The US is already fighting a major trade battle with China, with both imposing tariffs and counter-tariffs on a range of high-volume goods. 
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21:21   Indian-American Gita Gopinath appointed as IMF chief economist
India-born economist Gita Gopinath on Monday appointed as chief economist of International Monetary Fund, the IMF said in a statement. 
         
Gopinath will succeed Maurice (Maury) Obstfeld, who would retire at the end of 2018, the IMF said.
       
She currently serves as the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University.
        
"Gopinath is one of the world's outstanding economists, with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, and extensive international experience," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said.
         
Gopinath did her Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 2001 after earning a B.A. from the University of Delhi and M.A. degrees from both the Delhi School of Economics and University of Washington. -- PTI 
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21:17   Now, railways not to mark October 2 as 'Vegetarian Day'
After drawing flak over plans to serve only vegetarian food on October 2, the Indian Railways has decided not to mark Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary as 'Vegetarian Day'.
   
In an order sent to the IRCTC, the national carrier's catering arm, the Railway Board has instructed that the option of non-vegetarian food be made available for passengers on the said day as usual.
 
Earlier, in May, it had issued orders to all zonal railways to celebrate the day as 'Vegetarian Day' as a mark of respect to Mahatma Gandhi, India's most-famous ambassador for vegetarianism.
 
"The matter has been examined by the board's office and it has been decided by the competent authority that the option of veg/non-vegetarian food which already exists in trains, will continue as usual," the letter whose subject line read 'Celebration of October 2, 2018, 2019, 2020 as Vegetarian Day', said.
 
In the circular issued in May, the board had proposed that "October 2, 2018, 2019, 2020 can be celebrated as a totally Vegetarian Day when no non-vegetarian food will be served anywhere on Indian Railways premises."
 
"All the railway staff will be requested to observe the day as Vegetarian Day," it had said.
 
The railways had plans to run a 'special salt rake' from Sabarmati on March 12 to commemorate the Dandi March and 'swachhata express' trains from Sabarmati to various stations connected with Gandhiji.
 
The national transporter will also issue tickets with watermark of Mahatma Gandhi's image among other things. -- PTI  
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21:09   Those who ask about pre-poll promises are dubbed 'anti-nationals': Sena
The Shiv Sena on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying before the 2014 polls he had made a number of promises but those who ask about it now are dubbed as "anti-nationals".
   
Hoping that the Election Commission's announcement of checking unethical practices in polls does not become a "hollow promise" like the ones made by political parties, it warned that if people's tolerance level breaches, they will revolt.
 
A country where the top lawmakers lie after taking the oath of office, the poll reforms and code of conduct in that country can only be called as "pretentious", the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.
 
"State Election Commissioner J S Saharia has said he is of the opinion of cancelling the registration of political parties that fail to implement promises made during poll campaign. In such a scenario, these promises are a fit case for such an action," it said in a veiled attack on the BJP.
 
It is the duty of the political party that comes to power to keep its promises. The state election commission should find out how many of the promises made before polls in 2014 were implemented, and accordingly take "strong" steps, it said.
 
"During the 2014 general elections campaign, Modi had made a number of promises, such as bringing the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir back under India's control, unearth black money, and deposit Rs 15 lakh into every citizen's bank account," the Marathi daily said.
 
"If someone asks about those promises, the person is labelled as 'anti-national'," said the Sena, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.
 
The Election Commission also coined an idea of developing a mobile app where voters can put forth their complaints, it said.
 
"The real question is whether the EC is going to take firm action over the complaints," the publication said.
 
It alleged that BJP workers were "caught red-handed while distributing money" in the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll held earlier this year. -- PTI
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20:33   Pak hints readiness to 'bridge gap' with US on Dr. Afridi
Ahead of his crucial meetings with top Trump administration officials, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has indicated that Islamabad may be willing to discuss the fate of Dr Shakil Afridi, one of the key issues which has hurt ties with the United States. 
 
While Afridi is hailed as a "hero" by the US security establishment for his role in the raid by US special forces in May 2011 that killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, he is viewed as a "traitor" in Pakistan.
 
The 56-year-old physician helped the Central Intelligence Agency run a fake hepatitis vaccine programme in Abbottabad to confirm bin Laden's presence in the garrison city by obtaining his DNA samples.
In May, 2012, Afridi was sentenced to 33 years' imprisonment for treason.
"Openings are always there," Qureshi said in an interview with Fox News, a channel that is known for backing President Trump and his policies.
"He is viewed in a particular light in Pakistan, he is viewed as a traitor in Pakistan. But he is viewed as a friend in the US. So we have to bridge this gap," Qureshi said when asked about the fate of Dr. Afridi.
He said that the future of Afridi lies with the courts and not with politics. He added that the now-imprisoned CIA asset went through the due legal process and was given a fair trial and a chance to plead his case.
"He was sentenced, he was convicted and is serving a sentence. We expect you to respect our legal process, as we respect yours," said Qureshi while alluding to interference by the US in the country's internal affairs.
Qureshi acknowledged that bilateral relations between the once-close allies have "soured" since President Trump took office last year. -- PTI
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20:32   Sailor Abhilash Tomy returning home after rescue from Indian Ocean storm
Injured Indian Navy sailor Abhilash Tomy, rescued in a multi-nation operation from the remote Indian Ocean near Australia, is set to return home, the Australian Navy said on Monday.
   
Last month, 39-year-old Tomy, a Kirti Chakra awardee, who was sailing his boat as part of the Golden Globe Race -- a solo sailboat race around the world -- drifted in the seas for three days. 

His boat was hit by a deadly storm, about 1,900 nautical miles from Perth, Australia. The main mast of his boat was ripped off by around 15-metre high waves.
 
Tomy, who suffered a back injury, is being picked up by the Indian Navy frigate INS Satpura for return to India, the Australian Navy said in a statement in Sydney.
 
Tomy and Irishman Gregor McGuckin, competitors in round-the-world Golden Globe race were rescued by the French fishing vessel Osiris on last Monday and taken to Ile Amsterdam, an island in the southern Indian Ocean.
 
"We are very pleased that both yachtsmen are now safe," Australia's navy chief Vice Admiral Mike Noonan said in a statement.
 
The rescue operation was assisted by the Indian Navy's maritime surveillance aircraft P 8i and the Australian Navy had sent one of its frigate as part of the operation.
 
Tomy's boat, the Thuriya, is a replica of Robin Knox-Johnston's Suhaili, winner of the first Golden Globe Race in 1968.
  
Tomy, who hails from Kerala, was placed third in the race when he faced the storm.
 
The Golden Globe race involves a single-handed circumnavigation of the globe -- a distance of 30,000 miles -- without using modern technology, except for satellite communications.
 
Competitors started from France on 1 July; seven boats have so far withdrawn from the race. -- PTI 

READ | How Abhilash Tomy was rescued
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20:24   I hold no grudge, says Navlakha after release from house arrest
"It thrills me no end," activist Gautam Navlakha said in New Delhi on Monday after the Delhi high court allowed his release from house arrest.
   
The activist was one of the five put under house arrest in connection with the violence in Koregaon-Bhima in Maharashtra.
 
Navlakha added that he cannot forget about his co-accused and the tens of thousands of other political prisoners who remain incarcerated for their ideological convictions on account of false charges filed against them.
 
"The period of house arrest, despite the restrictions imposed, was put to good use, so I hold no grudge," Navlakha, under house arrest since August 28, said in a statement.
 
The high court granted him the relief, saying the Supreme Court last week had given him the liberty to approach the appropriate forum within four weeks to seek further recourse, which he has availed.
 
The high court also quashed the trial court's transit remand order which he had challenged before the matter was taken to the apex court. -- PTI 
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20:14   23 cases of mob violence in Assam this year: Minister
Cases of mob violence and lynching have registered a "sharp rise" in Assam with 23 such incidents so far this year compared to only two such cases in 2017, state Parliamentary Affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told the Assembly Monday.
   
In a written reply to a query by Congress MLA Nandita Das, Patowary said 23 cases of mob violence and lynching have been registered between January and September this year, while two such cases were reported in 2017 and six in 2016.
 
Replying on behalf of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also holds the Home portfolio, Patowary said that eight persons (five men and three women) were killed in the mob violence cases since January 2018, while two men had died in 2017 and six others in 2016.
 
As many as 162 arrests have been made in these cases this year, although no arrests were made in 2017 but 32 persons were arrested in such cases in 2016, the minister said.
 
However, no one has been convicted in these cases since 2016, he added. -- PTI
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19:30   Never supported anybody in Rafale deal: Pawar on his remarks
Under flak for allegedly 'defending' Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the controversial Rafale jet deal, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar Monday rejected the charge, saying he would "never" do that.
Pawar had caused a flutter with his remarks that he didn't think that people have doubts about Modi's intentions in the purchase of fighter jets from France.
Objecting to Pawar's remark, NCP founder member Tariq Anwar and general secretary Munaf Hakim had quit the party last week.
The statement had come at a time when the Congress has launched a pointed attack on the prime minister over the deal and is trying to forge an alliance with the NCP for future polls.
"Some people have criticised me saying I supported him (Modi). I have not supported him. I did not (support Modi) and will never (do that)," Pawar said while addressing a party meeting here in the Marathwada region.
He said, "They (the government) bought the aircraft. I am saying this clearly that the government should explain it to  Parliament why the cost of the aircraft rose from Rs 650 crore (per plane) to Rs 1600 crore".
Pawar's recent comments which was inferred as defence of Modi was welcomed by the BJP and party president Amit Shah had thanked Pawar for the same.
However, the NCP had claimed that Pawar was quoted out of context by the media.
The NCP chief Monday reiterated the demand for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the Rafale deal and demanded  the government share details of the prices of the 36 fighter jets.
The former defence minister also said that there was no need to make public the technical details relating to the aircraft. -- PTI
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19:01   Cong to hold CWC meet at Wardha on Tuesday; focus on Sevagram
The Congress will hold its working committee meeting in Maharashtra's Wardha on Tuesday to mark the beginning of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations, and will give a message against the "atmosphere of fear, hate and  violence" prevailing in the country, the party said Monday.
Party chief Rahul Gandhi will be at the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha for the meeting and the Congress will take Mahatma Gandhi's message to all over the country, a party leader said.
There will be a prayer meeting, a 'shanti' (peace) march, and a public meeting at the Sevagram Ashram in which Rahul Gandhi will give his message, he said, adding holding the CWC meeting in Wardha has a lot of symbolism attached to it.
"The preliminary deliberations of Individual Satyagraha was held in Sewagram in 1940. The CWC met in Sewagram and adopted the resolution on Quit India movement on July 14,1942," he said.
The Quit India movement was launched in Mumbai on August 8, 1942.
"From March 12-14,1948,a meeting was held in Sevagram with the subject 'Gandhi has gone: who will guide us now' and among those who attended the meeting included the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Vinoba Bhave and Jaiprakash Narayan," he said.
When Gandhiji started his padayatra in 1930 from Sabarmati ashram to Dandi, he had decided not to return to Sabarmati till India was free, the leader recalled.
"Gandhiji was jailed for more than two years and on his release he spent time travelling considerably in central India. He came to Wardha in 1934, at the invitation of businessman and philanthropist Jamnalal Bajaj," the party leader said.
In April 1936, Gandhiji established his residence in the village Shegaon near Wardha which he renamed as Sevagram, which means 'village of service'. -- PTI 
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18:13   Indian judiciary strongest in the world, says outgoing CJI
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra today said that Indian judiciary is the "most robust institution" in the world and young lawyers were assets having potential to develop the jurisprudence.
 
"Our judiciary has been strongest judiciary in the world having capability to handle mind boggling number of cases," Justice Misra, who will retire as the CJI on Tuesday, said while speaking at the farewell function organised at the premises of the Supreme Court.
The outgoing CJI said, "Justice must have human face".
 
"History can be sometimes kind, and unkind. I don't judge people by their history but by their activities, perspective," the CJI said.
"In my whole career as a judge, I never dissociated myself from the lady of equity," Justice Misra said.
"I am indebted to Bar at every level and go from here with satisfaction, he added. 
He spoke after Chief Justice of India-Designate, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, praised him saying that his greatest contribution has been to civil liberties and cited his recent verdicts in this regard.
Justice Gogoi, who will be sworn-in as the CJI on Wednesday, said Justice Misra was a remarkable judge. -- PTI
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18:05   Finish off case, Bombay HC tells Preity, Ness
The Bombay high court Monday suggested that actor Preity Zinta and industrialist Ness Wadia consider "finishing off" a 2014 case lodged against him by the actress for allegedly outraging her modesty.   

A division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharti Dangre was hearing a petition filed by Wadia seeking to quash the case.   

Zinta's advocate told the court that the actor is willing to settle the matter if Wadia is ready to apologise. The lawyer said they were not insisting on a written apology.   

Wadia's counsel Abad Ponda, however, said the industrialist was not ready to apologise.   

"We want to bury the hatchet, but my client (Wadia) is not ready to apologise. The complainant (Zinta) wants to extract an apology and get media attention," he told the HC.   

The bench then suggested the parties settle the matter.   

"Just finish it off now," Justice More said while directing both Wadia and Zinta to appear before the court on October 9.   

He said the matter would be heard in chamber on the next date.   

The alleged incident had taken place at the Wankhede Stadium on May 30, 2014, during an Indian Premier League match. Zinta and Wadia are co-owners of the Kings XI Punjab IPL team.   

According to the complaint, Wadia was allegedly abusing the team staff over ticket distribution when Zinta asked him to calm down as their team was winning.   

He, however, abused and molested her by grabbing her arm, the actor had alleged.   

Zinta had lodged an FIR against Wadia on June 13, 2014, under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult),506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (using word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).   

In February this year, the police had filed a charge sheet in the case against Wadia.   

Later, the industrialist approached the high court seeking to quash the case.   
In his petition, Wadia claimed the case arose out of "personal vengeance" and that the incident was merely a "misunderstanding".
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17:37   We live in times when what we eat is not personal: CJI-designate
Chief Justice of India-Designate, Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Monday praised the outgoing CJI Dipak Misra saying that his greatest contribution has been to civil liberties, and cited his recent verdicts in this regard.


Justice Gogoi, who will be sworn-in as the CJI on Wednesday, said Justice Misra was a remarkable judge.


He said that "if we fail in endeavour to hold true to our Constitutional ideals, we will continue to kill, hate each other", and added that the judges in the Supreme Court are all committed and they will remain committed.


"We live in times when what we should eat, wear have stopped being little things of our personal lives," Justice Gogoi said while addressing the farewell function for the CJI. Justice Misra will retire as the CJI on Tuesday. -- PTI
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17:14   Govt committed to ensuring liquidity is arranged for IL&FS: Jaitley
Government stands committed to ensuring that liquidity is arranged for IL&FS to avoid any default, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. IL&FS continued to pay dividend and huge managerial payout regardless of liquidity crisis; management has lost total credibility, Jaitley said.
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17:08   Maha police drop rioting cases against Sambhaji Bhide
The Maharashtra police withdrew old rioting cases against right-wing leader Sambhaji Bhide, six months before the violence in Koregaon-Bhima near Pune, response to an RTI query has revealed.


The cases were filed against Bhide in 2008 and 2009 in Sangli in western Maharashtra, it said. According to the RTI response, six cases against Bhide and his organisation were filed following two protests -- one against Bollywood movie 'Jodha Akbar' in 2008 and another against an artist's depiction of the assassination of Shivaji in 2009.


The protesters indulged in rioting, stone-pelting and burning of several tyres, it said. A senior police official, however, said Monday the charges against the 85-year-old in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case have not been dropped. Bhide, a former RSS activist who heads Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, is an accused in the January 1 Bhima-Koregaon caste violence case. -- PTI
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17:00   Navlakha's detention has exceeded 24 hours which was untenable: HC
Update: Navlakha's detention has exceeded 24 hours which was "untenable", the high court said.


A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel set aside the August 28 order of chief metropolitan magistrate granting transit remand of Navlakha saying there was non-compliance of basic provisions of the Constitution and the CrPC which were mandatory in nature. The bench said the trial court order was unsustainable in law.


The court made it clear that this order will not preclude the state of Maharashtra from proceeding further. When the counsel for Maharashtra government sought the court to extend Navlakha's house arrest by two more days as the apex court has also extended it by four weeks, the bench said, the counsel has overlooked that the top court has passed this order to enable the activist to avail appropriate legal remedy.


The high court allowed the petition filed on behalf of Navlakha challenging his arrest and the transit remand order of the trial court.


Navlakha was arrested from the national capital on August 28. The other four activists were arrested from different parts of the country. The Maharashtra police had arrested the activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had allegedly triggered violence later at Koregaon-Bhima village in the state.


The five activists -- Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha -- were put under house arrest on August 29 following an apex court order on the plea by historian Romila Thapar, economists Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain, sociology professor Satish Deshpande and human rights lawyer Maja Daruwala against the police action.
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16:45   Koregaon-Bhima case: Activist Gautam Navlakha freed from house arrest
The Delhi High Court Monday allowed Gautam Navlakha, one of the five rights activists arrested in connection with Koregaon-Bhima case, to be freed from house arrest. The high court granted him the relief saying that the Supreme Court last week had given him the liberty to approach the appropriate forum within four weeks to seek relief, which he has availed.


The high court also quashed the trial court's transit remand order which he had challenged before the matter was taken to the apex court. The court said Navlakha's detention has exceeded 24 hours which was "untenable".
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16:38   States asked to identify Rohingya refugees and collect biometric details: Rajnath
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that states have been asked to identify Rohingya refugees and collect their biometric data, the report of which will be sent to Myanmar.


"States have been told to identify them (Rohingya). They have to take their biometrics also. After that, they will send a report to the Centre. Then the central government will initiate action through diplomatic channels with Myanmar and then we will get it resolved," Rajnath Singh told reporters.

The development has come a day after the Railway Protection Force alerted the Kerala authorities to watch out for the movement of Rohingya refugees in groups to Kerala and hand them over to police if they are found travelling on trains.


More than 650,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Rakhine in August 2017 after Myanmar's army launched a massive crackdown in its northern state, retaliating the attacks by insurgents, Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army on the country's police posts and a military base.


A large number of Rohingya refugees, since then, have taken shelter in India and Bangladesh, and are staying in refugee camps, often raising security concerns. ANI
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16:09   GST mop-up rises marginally to Rs 94,442 cr in September
GST collections rose marginally to Rs 94,442 crore in September 2018 from Rs 93,960 crore in August and are expected to increase further in the coming months on account of higher sales in the festival season. The Finance Ministry in a statement Monday said 67 lakh businesses filed GST returns in September and deposited Rs 94,442 crore as taxes. Of this, Central GST collection is Rs 15,318 crore, State GST is Rs 21,061 crore, Integrated GST is Rs 50,070 crore (including Rs 25,308 crore collected on imports) and cess is Rs 7,993 crore (including Rs 769 crore collected on imports), the ministry said. -- PTI
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16:00   In Modi's India crony capitalists converted black money during demo
Taking a swipe at the Centre, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday said in "Modi's India", demonetisation meant "lining up and depositing money in banks" for the poor, while it was a "means of converting their black money" for crony capitalists.


He also alleged that crony capitalists got their Rs 3.16 lakh crore debt written off using public money.


"Modi's India - For Common Man: Notebandi-line up and put your money in banks. All your details into Aadhar. You can't use your own money.

For Crony capitalists: Notebandi-convert all your black money to white. Let's write off 3.16 lakh crore using common man's money," Gandhi said on Twitter.


The Congress leader also hit out at the BJP-led NDA government over a media report which, citing RBI data, stated that public sector banks had written-off over seven times the recovery amount in the last four years. Between April 2014 and April 2018, the country's 21 state-owned banks ended up writing off Rs 3,16,500 crore of loans even as they recovered Rs 44,900 crore written off on a cumulative basis -- or less than one-seventh the write-off amount, the report said.


The Congress president has often targeted the government over writing-of bad debts of industrialists and not of farmers. --  PTI


File pic.
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15:21   Why BJP can't turn India into a Hindu rashtra
"The problem of a Hindu rashtra is that it has no text which can be adapted to the modern world.

"The most prominent element of the Hindu way of organising society and the State is through caste.'

"This is not acceptable to most Hindus.

''Because a Hindu rashtra also erodes the power and the rights of the majority of Hindus, we can be assured that this is not something that the BJP, or any other force can do," argues Aakar Patel.

Read the column on Rediff.com here.
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15:18   Nobel winners discover 'brakes' that help fight against cancer
The Nobel Academy says, "this year's Nobel Prize constitutes a landmark in our fight against cancer. The discovery made by the two Medicine Laureates takes advantage of the immune system's ability to attack cancer cells by releasing the brakes on immune cells."


Tasuku Honjo discovered a protein on immune cells and revealed that it also operates as a brake, but with a different mechanism of action. Therapies based on his discovery proved to be strikingly effective in the fight against cancer.


James P Allison studied a protein that functions as a brake on the immune system. He realised the potential of releasing the brake and unleashing our immune cells to attack tumours. He developed this concept into a new approach for treating patients,
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15:08   Nobel medicine prize won by cancer researchers
The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded jointly to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo "for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation".  Two immunologists, American  Allison and Japanese Honjo, win the annual award for work on a new approach to cancer treatment.
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15:01   Desi dictionary on today's politics
gau-rakshaks: n. cow-protector (euphemism). Violent vigilantes dedicated to attacking cattle traders, herders and leather workers and sometimes killing them using the alleged sale, slaughter or consumption of beef as an alibi; see gau goondas.


haramzadae: n. plural bastards. One of the few Persian words owned by the otherwise Sanskrit-loving rhetoricians of the sangh parivar. Used to describe Muslims as republican India's bastard children who lack, therefore, the right to citizenship that is the birthright of Ramzadae, i.e. Hindus, who are, metaphorically, Ram's virtuous descendants. An early characterization of Muslims as literally illegitimate. The BJP's suggestion that the National Register of Citizens be extended beyond Assam to other Indian states lays the groundwork for a statutory all-India Inquisition dedicated to sorting out Ramzadae from haramzadae.


If you think India, Hindusthan and janmabhoomi mean the same place, you should read Mukul Kesavan's masterpiece for the Telegraph.
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14:56   Renuka Shahane's blistering post calling out Nana Patekar
The very talented Renuka Shahane has written a blistering post on Facebook, at once, shaming the Hindi film industry and backing actress Tanushree Dutta.


After a week of silence, 'no comments', 'neither is my name Tanushree, nor is it Nana Patekar' the film industry, or at least some people like Varun Dhawan, have finally found their spine, saying she should be heard. Dutta alleged that Nana Patekar harassed her on the sets of a film in 2008, Horn Ok Pleasss' and misbehaved with her on the sets.


Shahane, an actress, and a former co-host of the celebrated TV series Surabhi, wrote in on Saturday, saying:  


"Nana Patekar is known as much for his volatile temper as he is for his phenomenal talent or his social service towards farmers. Many men & women from the film industry have faced his wrath. I have never worked with either Nana or Tanushree & neither was I a part of "Horn Ok Pleassss". But there are some points in Tanushree's story that resonate with me. I'd like to share them:


1) Tanushree made it clear that she was uncomfortable with a certain step in the dance and did not like Nana's gesture/touch during that step. Even if Nana's intentions might not have been to molest her, couldn't he, the director and the choreographer come up with a step that made her feel comfortable? Is the work place meant for terrorising people or about working in a healthy atmosphere? Would the film have suffered earth shatteringly if the steps were changed so that an actor felt more comfortable?


What made Tanushree uncomfortable might not cause discomfort to other women perhaps but that is no reason for the men on the set to gang up against a person who is part of their team. If she was truly the daughter of any of the men around would they have really asked her to do something that made her feel very uncomfortable or would they want to change the step? Shayad yehi fark hai "beti jaisi" or asli beti hone mein!


2) As if four full grown men weren't enough against one girl, allegedly some members of a political party were called in to intimidate Tanushree and her parents! WTH!!! If that is not a huge overreaction then what is? Allegedly, the political party wanted Tanushree to apologise for hurting the "pride of Maharashtra". Can you believe this? Would this behaviour, to force a girl uncomfortable with a dance step, really make Maharashtra proud? Isn't the pride of Maharashtra enshrined in respecting women and making it safer for women to live life? Talk about ironies!


3) And now let's come to the aftermath. Whose career did this incident affect? None of the men had a difficult time. Their ego had won! The men got all the support that any industry ( not just the film industry) gives to powerful men. The only person who was traumatized was Tanushree. The scars have still not healed. Please do the math.


P.S: A little birdie from the set told me that the great producer of that particular film had many legal issues about non payment of dues & even talk of being funded by the underworld. But hey hey hey thats okay I guess. He must have been impeccably honest. After all he was upholding the "pride of Maharashtra"! Right???


There are small people (both men & women) with big egos in many places of power all over the world. When I see that too many people gang up against one person I consider that bullying and bullying cannot be right from any angle. It dehumanizes the victim! According to me Tanushree has been very brave, not the "victors" of that day!"


Shahane also shared the video footage of thugs of a political party  attempting to trash the car Dutta and her parents were in, in the immediate aftermath of the showdown during the Horn Ok Pleasss shoot in 2008.

Shahane writes:

"Please check the actual footage of the incident where Tanushree Dutta's car was attacked in 2008 when she wanted to leave the film set of "Horn Ok pleasss". The police were called to escort her car otherwise these supposed political party karyakartas or goons or whatever who were called by the Producer would'nt have thought twice before hitting her. Put yourself in her position in the car yourself or put your mother, wife, friends, sisters or daughters. Would you ever want this dangerous, cowardly, heinous thing to happen to them or to any human being? Tanushree was only 24 at that time. Absolutely disgusted by these scary visuals. I hope all those maligning Tanushree now realise how serious the matter was, how terribly scared she must have been and how traumatized she must have felt. Sick."


Image: Renuka Shahane. Kind courtesy her Facebook page. 
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14:48   UIDAI asks telcos to submit plan to discontinue Aadhaar-based eKYC
Days after the Supreme Court imposed curbs on the use of Aadhaar, biometric-issuing authority UIDAI Monday asked telecom companies to submit, within the next 15 days, a plan to stop using the 12-digit unique ID number for customer authentication.


A circular to this effect has already been issued to the telecom service providers, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and others. The communication, seen by PTI, says: "...all TSPs are called upon to immediately take actions in order to comply with the judgement dated 26.09.2018. In this regard, TSPs are hereby directed to submit by 15th October, 2018 an action plan/exit plan to the authority for closure of use of Aadhaar based authentication systems..."


The Supreme Court, last week, struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act, which allowed private companies to use the 12-digit biometric ID-based eKYC. Following this, private companies like telecom operators will not be able to use this instantaneous and inexpensive Aadhaar eKYC route. This would mean that the industry will have to revert to alternates like legacy paper-based technique (collect physical paper forms with signature, photographs, ship to verification centre and call up the customer to cross-verify submitted details). The turn around times in this route is between 24-36 hours. 
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13:59   Apple exec death: Police complaint against Kejriwal for 'Hindu' remark
A police complaint has been filed against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his recent 'Hindu' remark in connection to the death of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari in Lucknow on Saturday.


BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay lodged the complaint at the Tilak Marg Police Station in Delhi against the chief minister and tweeted: Complaint lodged in Tilak Marg Police Station under Sections 153A, 295A, 504 & 505 of the IPC and Section 67 of the IT Act against @ArvindKejriwal Ji. Request @CPDelhi @DelhiPolice to take apposite steps in accordance with law @LtGovDelhi @HMOIndia @rajnathsingh @KirenRijiju


Upadhyay also demanded an FIR against Kejriwal.


He has also claimed that Kejriwal is "promoting enmity on grounds of religion & doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony. You (Arvind Kejriwal) are defaming @BJP4India leaders & insulting daughters of 125cr Hindus. It's public mischief with intent to provoke breach of peace. Apologize by 10am or face Law."


Attacking the BJP, Kejriwal in a tweet on Sunday said, "Vivek Tiwari was an Hindu, then why did they kill him? BJP leaders are sexually harassing Hindu girls across the country and getting away with it. Please take off the curtain from your eyes. BJP is no protector of Hindus. They will not even think twice if they have to kill all Hindus to gain power."

Kejriwal`s tweets drew sharp reactions from several counters.

Vivek Tiwari, a 38-year-old sales manager at Apple, was shot dead on Saturday, post midnight, by policemen in Lucknow on suspicion of being a miscreant.


Image: Vivek Tiwari was cremated on Sunday.
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13:37   Indian airspace violation: PoK 'PM' claims chopper was within Pak limits
PoK's "Prime Minister" Raja Farooq Haider has claimed that the white chopper he was travelling in was "very close" to the LoC but within Pakistan's airspace, and that there was no need to inform the Indian authorities about the flight as it was not a military helicopter.


The Indian Army said on Sunday that a Pakistani chopper violated the Indian airspace along the line of control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir but turned back after it was "engaged by air sentries".


Indian officials claimed that the white helicopter crossed into the Indian airspace in Gulpur sector and hovered over there for sometime before turning back.


Three forward posts fired small arms after noticing the airspace violation, the sources said. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir leader Haider said he was travelling with two ministers and his personal staff officer in a civilian white-coloured aircraft on Sunday when it was attacked near Abbaspur village.


Talking to Dawn, Haider said the incident took place at around 12:10 pm. "I had gone to Forward Kahuta to condole the death of the brother of one of my ministers and meet the residents of the area adjacent to the LoC. While we were passing through Abbaspur, the Indian army suddenly opened fire at my helicopter. Luckily, we remained unhurt and the helicopter was not damaged," he said.


"We were very close to zero line but we were within our space. Moreover, it was a civilian helicopter so the Indian army should not have opened fire at it," Haider said.


He said that military helicopters, on both sides, intimate each other before flying according to the standard operating procedure. As it was a civilian helicopter, there was no need to intimate about it, Haider said, adding that he frequently travels in the area but such an incident had never happened.


He said that he would formally take up the matter with the government of Pakistan to pursue the issue and take appropriate action.


Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif said the attack was a severe violation of international and bilateral laws and also against the diplomatic norms. Sharif's PML-N rules PoK and Haider is a leading member of the party. Pakistan's Foreign Office has so far not commented on the incident. -- PTI
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13:29   Pak bureaucrat suspended after video of him stealing Kuwaiti dignitary's wallet goes viral
A video showing a senior Pakistani bureaucrat stealing the wallet of a visiting Kuwaiti dignitary has gone viral on social media, prompting authorities to suspend the high-ranking official, according to media reports.


The dignitary was part of a high-level delegation which was in the country to discuss bilateral trade. Zarrar Haider Khan, joint secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Production and a BS-20 officer of the state bureaucracy's elite Pakistan Administrative Service, was caught on CCTV cameras while pocketing the wallet which had a significant sum of Kuwaiti dinars, Dawn news reported.


In the six-second video clip, the bureaucrat could be seen lifting the wallet from the table and putting it into his pocket at a time when the Kuwaiti delegates and officials of the ministry had left the hall of the Economic Affairs Division after their meeting.


The guilty joint secretary has been suspended from service on disciplinary grounds after he was caught stealing. But so far, no complaint has been registered with the police.


The issue came to light when a member of the Kuwaiti delegation lodged a complaint with Pakistani officials regarding his missing wallet.


A search was conducted in the ministry and all rooms and offices were combed. Even lower grade employees of the ministry were quizzed and physically searched but nothing was initially found.


The footage captured by a CCTV camera installed in the hall was examined later, which revealed that the theft was committed by the senior officer.


When the officer was approached, he first denied his involvement. However, when the CCTV footage was shown to him, he produced the wallet, the sources stated. When the Kuwaiti officials were informed of the recovery of his wallet, the delegation asked the authorities to provide them with the identification of the culprit.


The Pakistani officials initially showed reluctance and assured the guests that legal action would be taken against the person. However, the sources said, it was on the insistence of the delegates -- who were extremely angry over the incident -- that Pakistani officials divulged the individual's identity and shared the CCTV footage. Sources said that an internal inquiry was in progress against the bureaucrat and further action will be taken. -- PTI
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13:23   Bandhan Bank shares crash 20%
Shares of Bandhan Bank crashed 20 per cent Monday as the Reserve Bank restrained the company from opening new branches and also ordered freezing of remuneration of its CEO Chandra Shekhar Ghosh for not meeting the licensing conditions.


The stock after a weak opening further tumbled 20 per cent to Rs 451.20 its 52-week low -- on BSE. At NSE, shares of the company tanked 20 per cent to hit one-year low of Rs 452.20, The stock also touched the lower circuit on both exchanges.-- PTI
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12:33   Emotional CJI holds court for last time
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra held court, along with his successor Ranjan Gogoi, for the last time Monday, stopping a lawyer who broke into song to wish him a long life to say he was "responding from the heart" but will speak from his mind in the evening.


CJI Misra, who presided over benches that delivered a series of key verdicts like the one on Aadhaar and homosexuality during the last 10 days, appeared to be emotional during the brief court proceedings that lasted about 25 minutes. The chief justice in his inimitable style stopped a lawyer who started singing at the fag end of the proceedings. "Tum jiyo hazaron saal..." the lawyer crooned, singing the opening lines of a Hindi film song from the late 1950s usually played on birthdays.


CJI Misra immediately stopped him and said, "Presently I am responding from my heart. I will respond from my mind in the evening."


Justice Gogoi, who will take over the baton from Justice Misra on October 3, and Justice A M Khanwilkar were sitting on the bench, which said it will hear no urgent mentioning of matters Monday and added that the matter could be heard later on October 3 by the bench headed by the next CJI.


In a strange turn of events, lawyer R P Luthra mentioned two alleged controversial tweets by senior lawyer Indira Jaising and advocate Prashant Bhushan against the outgoing CJI, criticising his recent judgements, including the verdict in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case. He urged the court to take cognisance of the alleged controversial tweets. But the bench didn't respond after perusing the tweets.


CJI Misra has headed various benches of different combinations, and delivered several verdicts in the recent past. These include upholding the Centre's flagship scheme Aadhaar with certain riders and decriminalising consensual gay sex and adultery.


The verdicts also include judgements in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case and allowing all women entry into the Sabarimala temple. -- PTI


Also read: From Section 377 to Aadhaar: 5 key judgments by CJI Dipak Misra
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12:20   Cong loyalist Priya Dutt sacked as AICC secretary
Congress loyalist and former Lok Sabha MP Priya Dutt tweeted to say she has been relieved of her duties as secretary All India Congress Committee.


"I received a letter relieving me of my duties as secretary AICC, I am very Thank full and extremely grateful to Mrs Gandhi and Rahulji to have given me this opportunity to serve the party for all these years. I thank all my colleagues in AICC for their help and guidance," she writes.


So, is Dutt quitting the Congress? No confirmations on that, but it may be recalled that Dutt has been critical of her party after its debacle in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.


Dutt had tweeted in the the immediate aftermath of the UP polls, which saw the BJP sweeping the polls with a 3/4 th majority of 325 seats.


Cong has shown repeatedly that it suffers from an autoimmune disease... Cong destroys Cong... We need to be treated from within to be healthy again,  Dutt had tweeted.


Campaign face Rahul Gandhi has dismissed his abysmal failure in Uttar Pradesh as a little down in UP which is fine, we accept it.


Dutt has been on a sticky wicket ever since former MLA Krishna Hegde, her right hand man, joined the BJP in January 2017.  Hegde had blamed Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam for ignoring loyalists, which led to his exit.


Also read our 2016 interview with Krishna Hegde: 'Why will Priya Dutt resign from the Congress?'


Image: The letter from Congress party national general secretary Ashok Gehlot informing Priya Dutt that she has been relieved of her charge.
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11:35   Slain Apple exec's wife: CM promised help, have faith in UP govt
Family members including the wife of slain Apple executive Vivek Tiwari met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya this morning.


Kalpana Tiwari, the wife of the deceased said that she had presented all her demands including compensation and securing her family's future before the CM.


"He heard what I had to say and assured help. I had earlier also said that I have faith in our state government and today that faith has been strengthened", Kalpana Tiwari told India TV.


Vivek Tiwari was shot dead early on Saturday morning by a policeman in Lucknow when he allegedly refused to stop his car for checking in Lucknow's posh Gomti Nagar neighbourhood, police said.


Two constables were arrested on the basis of a first information report lodged by Apple executive Vivek Tiwari's colleague Sana Khan, who was travelling with him. Read about the incident here.
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11:20   Rupee slips 36 paise against US dollar
The rupee weakened by 36 paise to 72.84 against the US dollar Monday even as the RBI announced plans to purchase government bonds worth Rs 36,000 crore to boost liquidity.


The domestic unit rupee had gained 11 paise to close at a one-week high of 72.48 against the US dollar On Friday.


In recent weeks, the rupee has taken a beating amid volatility in global markets and strengthening of the greenback. The central bank has been taking various measures to shore up the rupee. The rupee was trading at 72.84 against the dollar in the morning as investors are waiting for the RBI policy decision later this week. It opened at 72.61. -- PTI
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11:19   Gandhi and the Punjab in 1919
Before the 1919 Jallianwalla Bagh tragedy, Gandhi had never visited Punjab. The massacre, however, changed him forever. It transformed him from an Empire loyalist to an implacable opponent of British rule, writes Ramachandra Guha. Do read
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11:11   Dissenting opinions enrich public discourse
At a time when a majoritarian ideology threatens to crush alternative views, the fact that Supreme Court judges hold sharply divergent views on crucial issues is deeply reassuring. Read Manini Chatterjee's column here.
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11:01   Slain Apple exec's family meets UP CM
Lucknow: Family members of Vivek Tiwari who was shot dead by police constables in Gomti Nagar area on 29 September, meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Vivek Tiwari, 38, was shot on Saturday by constables Prashant Chowdhury and Sandeep Kumar while he was going to drop his colleague Sana Khan.

He was cremated Sunday in the presence of Uttar Pradesh ministers and family members. Read the report here.

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10:54   Chetak chopper crashes in TN, crew safe
Just in: A Chetak CH442 crashes during a training sortie at Rajali, Tamil Nadu. The accident happened while carrying out dry winching dual sortie and chopper crash landed. There has been damage to the main and tail rotors. The crew is safe. Details awaited.
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10:51   ED attaches Rs 637 crore assets of Nirav Modi, family in 5 countries
Update: Initiating a fresh round of action, the Enforcement Directorate Monday said it has attached assets worth Rs 637 crore of absconding jeweller Nirav Modi and his family in India and four other countries in connection with the USD 2 billion alleged fraud in the PNB.


The agency said the properties, jewellery, flats and bank balances are in India, UK and New York among others,. There are only very few cases where Indian agencies have attached assets abroad in a criminal probe.


The assets have been attached as part of five separate orders issued by the central probe agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act it said.


The agency, a senior official said, also got issued an Interpol Red Corner notice (global arrest warrant) against Aditya Nanavati, an accused in the same case, on charges of money laundering.


Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are the main accused in the case where it is alleged that the two diamond jewellery businessmen allegedly duped and defrauded the Brady House branch of the Punjab National Bank in Mumbai for an amount of USD 2 billion (about 13,000 crore) in purported connivance with bank officials. -- PTI


Image: One of Nirav Modi's properties that have been attached by the ED.
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10:48   ED attaches properties, bank accounts of Nirav Modi in Mumbai, New York
Two immovable properties having a total value of USD 29.99 million (Rs 216 crore approximately) and beneficially owned by Nirav Modi in New York, have been attached by the Enforcement Directorate under section 5 of the Prevention of Money laundering Act.


Five overseas bank accounts belonging to Modi with a balance of a total of Rs 278 crore have also been attached by the ED.


Diamond studded jewellery worth Rs 22.69 crore has been brought back to India from Hong Kong. A flat in South Mumbai worth Rs 19.5 Crore also attached.


Modi, 47, has been on the run since February after authorities launched an investigation into his alleged involvement in a Rs 13,400 crore scam against the Punjab National Bank.


Modi and his uncle and business partner Mehul Choksi are accused of defrauding banks by raising loans from overseas branches of Indian lenders, using fraudulent guarantees. They have denied wrongdoing. 
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10:27   Hear her out, it takes great courage to speak: Bollywood supports Tanushree
A week after Tanushree Dutta alleged that Nana Patekar harassed her on the sets of a film in 2008, stars like Varun Dhawan and Swara Bhasker among others came out in support of the actor, saying her voice deserved to be heard.


In a recent TV interview, Dutta had claimed that Patekar misbehaved with her on the sets of "Horn Ok Pleasss" 10 years ago. Asked about Bollywood's stand on the issue, Varun said that the emphasis should be on creating a workplace where everyone is respected.


"We have to make our industry safe for women men and children. Everyone should be given equal respect. The issue is being covered everywhere, though I don't know too much about it.


"If someone is speaking about it, you should hear the person out. It takes great courage to talk like that. I applaud that courage," the actor told reporters. Varun was speaking at the 9th Jagran Film Festival on Sunday. Joining him for the award ceremony of the festival were directors Anurag Kashyap and Sudhir Mishra, who also insisted on creating a safe environment for women.


Swara said having a safe workplace is everyone's right. "Sexual harassment at workplace is a huge issue for our society. It receives very less attention and serious conversations. We are mostly unaware about this. "Good thing is that now these issues are coming out. We should speak about it responsibly. In a collective way, we should make our workplace safe," the "Veerey Di Wedding" star said.


Anurag said introspection is the need of the hour. "It is important to change, acknowledge and accept our mistakes. It's important that we '" this goes even for me '" introspect and look back at our lives and see the wrongs we have done, what our understanding was. It's time we all grew up. It's the fault of the entire system, the conditioning," he said.


Actor Pankaj Kapur said while he cannot say "who's right or wrong", an investigation should be pursued. "Whatever wrong has happened at any point of time, it must be investigated," he said.


Pooja Bhatt said whenever someone voices their complains, they need to be heard. "Whenever someone complains about it, you shouldn't count it out. I don't think we should silence those voices... I find it a very frivolous conversation that 'if Bollywood stands with you or not'.


Truth doesn't need PR. If you believe it, go out there and speak it. "Do not expect anyone to hold your hands and support you. Bollywood is a great place, you can expect support for award ceremonies, weddings and funerals... But in the test of life, I walk alone." PTI
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10:04   Fuel price hiked again, LPG to costs Rs 502.4 per cylinder
Fuel prices continue to surge across the country with petrol being sold at Rs 83.73 per litre and Rs 91.08 per litre in Mumbai. The price of diesel also climbed as it was retailed at Rs 75.09 per litre in Delhi and Rs 79.72 per litre in Mumbai.


Adding on to the woes of the common man, the prices of CNG was also hiked by Rs 1.70/kg and is now being sold at Rs 44.30/kg.


Similarly, the subsidised LPG cylinders will now cost Rs 502.4 per cylinder.


Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier on Sunday reiterated that the spike in the price of petrol and diesel in the country was because of the depreciation in the value of the Indian Rupee against the US dollar. -- ANI
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09:59   Telangana cop babysits while its mom writes exam wins hearts
A Telangana policeman holding a baby and calming it, his face in a moue, while its mother wrote her exam at the Boys Junior College in Mahbubnagar, has won hearts.


The photograph of Head Constable Mujeeb-ur-Rehman trying to comfort the crying baby outside the exam centre went viral after it was shared on Twitter by IPS officer Rema Rajeswari.


"Head Constable Officer Mujeeb-ur-Rehman (of Moosapet PS) who was on duty for conducting SCTPC exam in Boys Junior College, Mahbubnagar, trying to console a crying baby, whose mother was writing exam inside the hall," Rajeswari wrote alongside the image.


Rahman, who is posted at Moosapet police station, was deployed at the examination centre at the college as part of the security arrangement for the police constable examination on Sunday.  -- ANI
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09:27   Krishna Raj Kapoor's funeral at Chembur
Update on Krishna Raj Kapoor's death:


Son Randhir Kapoor told PTI, "My mother passed away at about 5 am today due to a cardiac arrest... old age was another factor. We are deeply saddened by her demise."


In May 1946, Raj Kapoor married Krishna Malhotra and the couple had five children -- three sons, Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv, and two daughters, Ritu and Rima.


The last rites will be performed at Chembur crematorium, Randhir said.
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09:07   Raj Kapoor's wife Krishna Raj Kapoor passes away
Raj Kapoor's wife Krishna Raj Kapoor passed away on Monday morning. She was 87.

Sharing the news on Twitter, Raveena Tandon wrote, "Condolences to the entire Kapoor family. An era passes away,#KrishnaRajKapoor .God give you strength,and may the soul rest in peace. Om Shanti. @chintskap"

Suhel Seth too took to Twitter and shared his condolences. He wrote, "Deeply saddened to learn the passing on of Krishna Raj Kapoor ji. A formidable woman, the Kapoor Khandaan anchor and an amazing human being. @chintskap @realnikhilnanda."

Krishna Raj Kapoor, who tied the knot with Raj Kapoor in May 1946, is survived by Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Ritu Nanda and Reema Kapoor.
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08:43   Made-for-India rafale jets won't be part of Bengaluru air show: Air Force
The Rafale fighter jets India ordered would not be ready to fly at the Bengaluru air show in February, an IAF official said.

"Rafale for India will not be ready by February. We expect Dassault to fly some other Rafale at the Aero India show here on February 20-24, 2019," Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal RK Singh Bhadauria said.

French aerospace major Dassault Aviation is set to deliver 36 Rafales multi-role medium combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force in fly-away condition from September 2019 onwards.

The 12th edition of the 5-day biennial air show will be held at IAF's Yelahanka base on the city's northern outskirts as before.

"We hope Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate it though the Ministry of Defence will take a call on it," said Air Marshal Bhadauria when asked who would flag off the mega show.
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08:09   Kejriwal roasted for "Hindu" jab on Lucknow man's killing
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted up a controversy by linking the death of a 38-year-old multinational executive, shot dead by an Uttar Pradesh policeman in Lucknow, with his religion in an attack on the ruling BJP.

"Why did they kill Vivek Tiwari, a Hindu? BJP leaders are freely raping women and getting away with it. Open your eyes to the fact that the BJP is not a well-wisher of Hindus. They will not think twice before murdering all Hindus to get to power," he tweeted in Hindi early on Sunday morning.

Three minutes later, he replied in the negative to another user who wanted to know if a proper investigation would be conducted into the incident. "No, even though Vivek Tiwari was a Hindu. BJP does not protect the interest of Hindus."

The CM's observations were met with criticism by a number of netizens, who counter-accused him of being "silent" on the alleged stabbing of 23-year-old Ankit Saxena by the family of his Muslim girlfriend in west Delhi's Raghubir Nagar earlier this year. Even Tiwari's widow, Kalpana, expressed disapproval over Kejriwal's statement.

"He does not know what I am going through. No politics should be played over my husband's death. Please do not link everything with faith and religion," Kalpana was quoted saying.

On Twitter, BJP supporters shredded Kejriwal's comment using the hashtag #VultureKejriwal, which became one of the top trending topics with nearly 10,000 posts.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya, who visited the victim's house on Sunday, also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party leader for "politicising" the incident. 

"The two policemen who committed this horrendous crime have been sent to prison, and the entire police force cannot be questioned just because of them," he said, adding that incidents like this will not recur in the future.

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