LIVE! Complainant in Elvish Yadav case seeks protection

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Tue, 05 March 2024

Complainant in Elvish Yadav case seeks protection

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Elvish Yadav

23:50 Complainant in Elvish Yadav case seeks police protection

An activist has sought police protection claiming he received death threats on social media after he lodged a complaint over a music video featuring YouTuber Elvish Yadav in which rare species of snakes were used, officials said on Tuesday.

Saurabh Gupta, a member of animal rights organisation People for Animals (PFA), had lodged the police complaint in connection with the song, '32 Bore', by singer Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuriya that was released last year.

On February 20, PFA had filed a 13-point reply in a Gurugram court regarding the use of snakes in the video.

In a letter to the chief justice of Punjab and Haryana high court, district and sessions court judge of Gurugram and Gurugram police commissioner, Gupta said he has been receiving death threats on social media and is being pressured to withdraw his complaint, the police officials said.

He said he should be provided security as those threatening him 'are of criminal nature' and he fears that he could be attacked like Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and INLD leader Nafe Singh Rathee, both of whom were shot dead.

Gupta has also lodged a complaint regarding the death threats at Nandgram police station in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, according to the officials.

On Tuesday, the status report of the investigation into the case was to be submitted in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Manoj Rana.

A lawyer appeared in the court on the behalf of Elvish Yadav.

The court, however, fixed March 28 as the next date of hearing. -- PTI

A 42-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly smoked a beedi inside a lavatory onboard a Riyadh-bound IndiGo flight, a Mumbai Police official said on Tuesday raising concerns over security as the passenger had managed to pass through pre-boarding check-in at the Delhi airport.

He was handed over to the police by cabin crew after the Delhi-Mumbai-Riyadh flight landed at the city airport on Monday.

Shockingly, the accused managed to sneak in a lighter and a beedi with him when he boarded the flight at the Delhi airport on Monday, the official said.

A labourer by profession, the accused, identified as Mohammed Fakruddin Mohammed Ammuruddin, was flying to Riyadh on a connecting flight via Mumbai.

"The incident came to light when a flight security official noticed smoke in its lavatory mid-air after Ammuruddin exited it," the official said.

After the flight landed in Mumbai, the man was detained by the cabin crew and the police were informed, he said.

He said Ammuruddin told police that he works as a labourer in the Saudi Arabia capital.

"During questioning, he claimed to have successfully passed the security check-up at the Delhi airport by concealing a beedi and a lighter in pockets of his pants," the official added.

Ammuruddin was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and the Aircraft Act.

He was remanded to judicial custody by a local court. -- PTI

22:47 I am a thorn in BJP's path to power: Jarange

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday claimed that the report of the SIT probe against him is ready and expressed fear of arrest as he is a 'thorn in the Bharatiya Janata Party's path to power'.

Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar had last week directed the government to set up a special investigation team (SIT) and conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the controversial remarks made by Jarange against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Speaking to reporters in Beed district, Jarange said, "I came to know from a reliable source that the SIT's report is ready. I have also found out that I am going to be arrested. The person told me I was a thorn in the BJP's path to power. Hence, they want me to agree to the 10 per cent quota, or else they will trap me."

Last month, the Maharashtra legislature passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs.

Jarange, however, has been demanding a quota for the community under the Other Backward Classes category.

He claimed that a meeting of 36 MLAs was held, and legislators from the Maratha community were told to speak against him.

The activist further said that nobody from the SIT had approached him after he was discharged from the hospital.

He alleged that cases were registered against him in Beed to make him agree to the 10 per cent reservation announced by the government.

"We know this quota won't sustain (legally), which is why we have not accepted it. So, the offences are registered against me," he said.

When asked if the Marathas have decided to field candidates from villages for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Jarange said it is the community's decision.

"If the government doesn't allow people to agitate and registers cases against them, people will take appropriate steps," he said. -- PTI

Social media users across the world complained of widespread outages across several Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, on Tuesday.

Voicing their concerns on X, the users said they were not able to access the platform and were getting logged out of their accounts on Facebook and other platforms automatically.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the company was aware of the troubles being faced by users worldwide, adding that it was working to resolve the issue.

"We're aware people are having trouble accessing our services. We are working on this now," Stone posted on X.

DownDetector website showed a spike in graphs showing the widespread outage being experienced by users.

According to the outage monitoring service, the service interruption in India started around 8.30 pm.

At least 14,857 users flagged difficulty in using Facebook and 32,518 users in using Instagram, according to the website.

The DownDetector map showed outages being experienced in cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and many others.

The website also showed outages being experienced not just in India, but in several other countries as well, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Brazil.

Facebook users in Nepal also complained that they are not able to access Facebook and even Facebook Messenger.

Several social media users took to the microblogging website X -- which is now owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk -- and complained of difficulties being faced in using the platforms.

Meanwhile, taking a veiled dig at Meta over the global outages across its two popular platforms, the Tesla CEO said the server of 'X' platform were 'working'.

"If you're reading this post, it's because our servers are working," he posted from his official handle.

-- ANI

22:07 Farmers to resume march to Delhi tomorrow

The Delhi Police has directed its personnel to ensure strict vigil at the Tikri, Singhu and the Ghazipur borders, and railway and metro stations and bus stands after protesting farmers announced that they would reach Delhi for their protest on Wednesday.

The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), the two umbrella bodies that are spearheading the farmer's agitation, on March 3 gave a call to farmers from across the country to reach Delhi on Wednesday.

"We had temporally removed barriers for commuters at the Singhu and the Tikri borders. The deployment of police and paramilitary personnel is still there and (they) will ensure strict, round-the-clock vigil," a senior police officer said.

The officer further said that additional police and paramilitary forces have already been deployed at railway and metro stations and bus stands.

"No one will be allowed to breach the law," the officer said.

The police said checking will be intensified at different locations and there may be traffic congestion in the city.

Farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal on March 3 gave a call to farmers across the nation to reach Delhi on Wednesday for a protest.

They also called for a four-hour countrywide rail roko on March 10 in support of their various demands, including a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops.

He said the sacrifice of a farmer will not go in vain and the struggle will continue until the demands are met.

The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their 'Delhi Chalo' march was stopped by security forces.

They began their march on February 13 but were stopped by the security forces, which led to clashes at the border of Haryana and Punjab. -- PTI

The Gurugram Police has arrested the manager of a local restaurant from where five people were taken to hospital after they were allegedly served dry ice instead of a mouth freshener, officials said Tuesday.

The five diners, who are friends, began vomiting and suffered bleeding in the mouth after consuming the dry ice served to them in an apparent mix-up at the La Forestta cafe-cum-restaurant in Sector 90.

According to the police, the arrested manager is 30-year-old Gagandeep, a resident of Kirti Nagar in Delhi, who joined the cafe three months ago.

He was produced in a city court which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days, the officials said.

"We will issue a notice to the owner also to join the investigation," said Manesar Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Surender Sheoran.

The restaurant in Sector 90 was found locked on Tuesday when a police team visited there, he said.

According to an official, the manager told the police during the preliminary interrogation that a packet of dry ice got mixed up with one of mouth freshener (misri) 'due to the negligence by the restaurant staff'.

"He said there was no ill-intention towards the guests and what happened was unfortunate," the officer said.

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, a cooling agent that is toxic.

Police said two of the five people are still hospitalised.

Ashwani Rustagi, a relative of one of the victims, said, "It is a very big negligence on the part of the restaurant and action should be taken against the owner."

The five diners are Ankit Kumar, Neha Samarwal, Manika Goyanka, Deepak Arora and Himani.

According to the complaint lodged by Ankit Kumar, a resident of Greater Noida, they had gone to La Forestta restaurant on the night of March 3. They were given a mouth freshener after their dinner.

As soon as they had the mouth freshener they got burning sensation in their mouth and they started vomiting, he said, adding they were taken to a hospital after their health deteriorated.

A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, showed the five friends purportedly vomiting blood.

"After getting information about the victims from the hospital, police reached the spot and an FIR was registered. We also visited the La Forestta Cafe and restaurant, but it was found locked," Sheoran said.

"Today, I again visited the restaurant but it is still locked. We have arrested the manager of the restaurant and he is being produced in a city court. We will issue a notice to the owner of the restaurant to join the investigation", he said. -- PTI

The Congress is likely to wind up internal deliberations for giving final shape to the party manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and come up with some innovative measures like an apprenticeship scheme to deal with unemployment.

The party's manifesto committee, which is headed by former finance minister P Chidambaram and has senior leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Shashi Tharoor and Anand Sharma, among others, is likely to wind up discussions on the manifesto on Tuesday.

The key members of the panel met at the party headquarters on Tuesday afternoon and gave final shape to the document.

The key members of the panel also met here on Monday.

"The committee will hold the last round of talks before finalising the party manifesto today and will make its final recommendations," a sources said.

The 50-page document will be presented before the party top leadership and then the Congress Working Committee for final approval.

Among those who participated in the discussions on Tuesday include Chidambaram and Tharoor, minority chief head Imran Pratapgarhi, Ranjeet Ranjan and Gurdeep Sappal.

Sources said the party manifesto will focus on empowering youth, women, the poor and farmers. They added the party is mulling a plan to tackle the menace of paper leaks and is likely to present its vision for bringing about transparency in government recruitments.

The 16-member panel includes Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former union minister Jairam Ramesh while former Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister T S Singh Deo is its convenor.

After raising the issues of unemployment and price rise in a big way ahead of the polls, the Congress may announce an apprenticeship scheme for the youth on the lines of those in some developed countries.

The thrust of the manifesto is likely to be on the 5-nyay (five pillars of justice) promised by the Congress during party leader Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'.

The party would also focus on giving legal guarantee to minimum support price and promising a caste-based census in the country for filling up the government vacancies.

The Congress is likely to give a thrust to some welfare measures like providing financial assistance to marginalised sections of the society and ensuring that they get justice and be part of the state welfare measures.

This comes after the Congress promises made to the people helped the party get into power in states like Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh recently. -- PTI

National Conference (NC) Tuesday said while the party will be contesting all the three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir valley, it is in talks with the Congress to decide on three seats of Jammu and Ladakh regions.

Both the parties are members of the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

The NC's announcement came after a marathon meeting of its parliamentary board at the party headquarters in Srinagar.

"The National Conference will contest these three seats from the valley on its own," NC provincial president, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani, told reporters after the meeting.

The Farooq Abdullah-led party, however, said discussions were on with the Congress for seat sharing on two seats in Jammu and one in Ladakh.

"For the rest three seats, including Ladakh, talks with the Congress are on," Wani said. -- PTI

An email address of Maharashtra Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar was hacked and an email was sent from it to the office of the state's governor, police said on Tuesday.

A case was registered at the Marine Drive police station here against an unidentified person after the hacking came to light earlier in the day, said an official.

An email was found to have been sent to Maharashtra governor Ramesh Bais's office after the account was hacked, he said.

The first information report was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 419 (cheating by personation), 170 (personating a public servant), and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, the official said, adding that further probe was on. -- PTI

19:51 ED attaches Shajahan Sheikh's apartment, land

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it has attached property worth Rs 12.78 crore of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh including bank deposits, an apartment, and agricultural and fishery land in Sandeshkhali and Kolkata.

A provisional order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach these assets, the agency said in a statement.

Sheikh's supporters are alleged to have attacked an ED team that went to Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on January 5.

He was arrested by the West Bengal Police in this case on February 29.

The TMC had suspended the strongman from the party after the arrest. -- PTI

Pic: Indian Navy/X

19:17 Indian Navy firefights on Liberian ship after drone attack

The Indian Navy on Tuesday said it "swiftly" responded in assisting a Liberian-flagged commercial vessel after it came under a drone strike in the Gulf of Aden.

The fresh incident on Monday came amid increasing global concerns over attacks on various commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants.

In the last few weeks, the Indian Navy extended assistance to a number of merchant vessels in the western Indian Ocean following attacks on them.

The Navy swiftly responded to a maritime incident in the Gulf of Aden, it said on 'X'.

It said the Liberian-flagged vessel, while transiting approximately 90 nautical miles Southeast of Aden reported a fire due to "drone/ missile attack" on Monday.

"INS Kolkata, mission deployed in the region for maritime security operations, promptly responded and arrived at scene of incident by 2230 hours," it said.

The Navy said a specialised firefighting team of 12 personnel from INS Kolkata embarked the vessel early morning hours of March 5 to assist in firefighting efforts.

A specialist EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team also embarked the vessel and provided assistance in residual risk assessment, it said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received an email threatening to cause explosions at various targets of the state if they don't pay up $2.5 million, the deputy chief minister said.

Shivakumar, also state Congress chief, told reporters on Tuesday he has forwarded the email to the police officers who are now on the job to trace the sender.

"I and the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah received the mail three days ago. It is in my phone and I have sent it to the police for investigation," he said.

According to him, the sender is Shahid Khan10786, who has also shared another email ID for future communication.

The letter read, 'Alert-1- You saw our movie trailer. If you don't provide us 2.5 million USD we will cause large explosion on buses, trains, taxis, temples, hotels and public places throughout Karnataka.'

'Alert-2 -- We want to show you one more trailer. We will explode in the next one in the Ambari Utsav bus. After the blast in the bus we will raise our demand on social media and we will upload the screenshots of the mail sent to you also on the social media. We will tweet the next information about explosion on the social media,' it said.

Shivakumar said: "We don't know whether it is bogus, fraud, true, false or blackmailer. We have sent it to our police officers. They are on the job."

The mail comes close on the heels of the low-intensity blast at an eatery 'The Rameshwaram Cafe' in Brookefield area near Whitefield here on March one. -- PTI

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay high court verdict acquitting former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in a case in which he was accused of having links with the banned CPI-Maoist).

Earlier in the day, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court acquitted Saibaba, noting that the prosecution failed to prove the case against him.

The high court also set aside the life sentence imposed on Saibaba, 54, and acquitted five other accused in the case.

"The prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the case against the accused persons," the high court said. It held as "null and void" the sanction procured by the prosecution to charge the accused under anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Saibaba, who is wheelchair-bound due to physical disability, is lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail since his arrest in the case in 2014.

17:44 Yogi expands cabinet, inducts RLD, SBSP

Four new ministers were inducted Tuesday into the council headed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was administered the oath of office alongside RLD's Anil Kumar and two BJP leaders.

They were sworn-in as ministers by Governor Anandiben Patel at the Raj Bhavan in the presence of Adityanath.

Apart from SBSP's Rajbhar and RLD's Kumar, Dara Singh Chauhan and Sunil Kumar Sharma from the BJP are the new entrants into the state cabinet.

While Rajbhar represents the Zahoorabad assembly constituency of the Ghazipur district, Anil Kumar is an MLA from Purkazi (SC) in Muzaffarnagar.

Sunil Kumar Sharma is the BJP MLA from Sahibabad assembly constituency in Ghaziabad district. Dara Singh Chauhan is a member of the UP legislative council.

This is the first cabinet expansion in Adityanath's second term as chief minister.

It is being seen as an attempt by the BJP to consolidate its position in several regions of the state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party are now a part of the ruling NDA.

Three updates on the Sandeshkhali incidents.

1. The West Bengal government moves the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court order transferring the probe into the attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali to CBI.

2. The CBI approaches the West Bengal police to take over probe into attack on Enforcement Directorate officers on January 5 in Sandeshkhali.

3. National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma met President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday and recommended President's rule in West Bengal over the Sandeshkhali violence.

The rape survivor's husband receives a cheque from the govt

17:07 Can't blame India: Foreign tourist who was gangraped

A foreign tourist, who was allegedly gang-raped in Jharkhand's Dumka district last week, on Tuesday said she has no complaints against the people of India as she has safely travelled around 20,000 km across the country.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Nepal via Bihar along with her husband on their motorcycles, she said she would continue her world tour.

"People of India are nice. I don't blame the people, but I blame the criminals. People of India have treated me very well, and were very kind to me," she said.

The 28-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped at Kurumahat in Hansdiha police station area, around 300 km from state capital Ranchi, on Friday when she was spending the night in a tent along with her husband, police said.

"We chose the place for the night stay because it was calm and beautiful. We thought it would be okay if we lived there alone," she said.

The woman said that she has been travelling for more than six years.

"We have been in India for the last six months and travelled around 20,000 km. We did not have any problems anywhere. This has happened for the first time," she said.

"I have good memories from India," she added. The woman said that she would continue her tour along with her husband.

"I want to tell some people, especially girls, to coach themselves to face such situations. I know it's hard and it's not easy. You don't forget, but you have to keep trying to leave it in the past," she said.

Dumka's Superintendent of Police Pitamber Singh Kherwar said the couple left for Bihar, from where they will enter Nepal. The survivor's husband thanked the police for speedy action. Three people have been arrested so far, and a search is on for the remaining four accused, police said. PTI

"I expected this. After all we knew there was no evidence, no crime committed by him," said an overjoyed Vasantha Kumari, wife of Professor G N Saibaba, who was acquitted today by the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

Yet, her joy was tempered by caution. "I don't know what they will do now," she said, "we have seen people being re-arrested as soon as they step out."

Exactly the same sentiments were expressed by Shikha, daughter of Prashant Rahi, the former journalist who is also an accused. "I want to first see my father step out of that prison," said the young film-maker. "Only then will I breathe a true sigh of relief."

Read Jyoti Punwani's report here.

16:58 The rich list

Yes, India and the rest of the world know Reliance boss Mukesh Ambani just hosted a pre-wedding bash for his son Anant and fianc Radhika Merchant, where celebrities shone as much as the jewels.

But how rich is Mukesh Ambani actually in the world order?

Take a look alongside. (And look who's a step behind him).

Thousands of contractual employees of the three state-run power utility companies in Maharashtra have threatened to launch an indefinite strike from Tuesday night over demands including wage hike.

The Maharashtra State Power Contractual Employees' Association Joint Action Committee, an umbrella organisation of various unions, has demanded a 30 per cent hike in monthly allowances with retrospective effect from April 1, 2023.

Another demand is that employees should get an assurance that their tenure would last until the age of 60, the action committee said in a statement. Contractual employees do not get any medical benefits and the government should provide health cover of Rs 15 lakh for them and their families, it said.

The Supreme Court has ruled that same wages should be paid for the same type of work, but the state-run power generation, distribution and transmission companies do not follow this norm, it claimed.

It also demanded special allowance for employees working in Naxal-affected areas, like the one paid to other government employees posted in these parts. PTI

DK Shivakumar with Pratibha Singh and Vikramaditya last week

15:54 Six disqualified Himachal MLAs move SC

Six Congress MLAs, who were disqualified after they cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday against their disqualification.

The ex-MLAs have filed a plea against the February 29 decision of the state Legislative Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania.

These Congress rebels, who had voted in favour of the BJP nominee in the Rajya Sabha polls, later abstained from voting on the Budget, defying a party whip.

The ruling Congress had sought their disqualification on this ground.

The disqualified MLAs are Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhutoo, Ravi Thakur and Chetanya Sharma. Following their disqualification, the effective strength of the House has gone down from 68 to 62, while the number of Congress MLAs has shrunk from 40 to 34. -- PTI

15:41 Four Vande Bharat trains pelted with stones

Four Vande Bharat trains were pelted with stones by unknown miscreants in different locations in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh while passing through the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, officials said on Tuesday.

Though no passenger or staff sustained any injuries, the window panes of the trains were damaged in the incident which occurred on Sunday in the Bengaluru division of SWR, they said.

Three separate cases have been registered in connection with each of these incidents of stone pelting, officials said. According to the SWR officials, the first incident occurred at 6.15 am when train (no 20661) Dharwad Vande Bharat Express was pelted with stones after passing Chikkabanavara railway station.

The second incident occurred at 3.20 pm when the train (no 20662) was running from Dharwad to Bangalore City Junction. The third incident was at 4.30 pm when the train (no 20608) from Mysore Junction to Chennai Central was pelted with stones before the Kuppam station in Andhra Pradesh. The fourth incident took place at 8 pm, when the train (no 20704) passed near Dharmavaram Junction in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Prof Saibaba with his wife Vasantha Kumari. File pic

15:38 Justice after 10 years of struggle: Saibaba's wife

Former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba's wife Vasantha Kumari on Tuesday expressed huge relief on his acquittal in the Maoist links case, saying justice is delivered after 10 years of struggle.

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted Saibaba in the case, noting the prosecution failed to prove the case against him. Kumari said her husband's reputation was never at stake as people who knew him believed in him. She also thanked lawyers and activists who supported Saibaba during the struggle.

The High Court also set aside the life sentence imposed on the 54-year-old. A division bench of Justices Vinay Joshi and Valmiki SA Menezes also acquitted five others accused in the case.

"The prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the case against the accused persons," the HC said. PTI

The Calcutta High Court orders the transfer of the ongoing probe into the attack on ED officials at Sandeshkhali to CBI. The court also orders the Bengal police to hand over Sandeshkhali strongman Shahjahan Sheikh to the CBI by 4.30 pm.

For a backgrounder read: How Shahjahan Sheikh became 'tiger' of Sandeshkhali

14:42 After resignation Calcutta HC judge joins BJP

Abhijit Gangopadhyay announced on Tuesday that he is joining the BJP, hours after he resigned as a judge of the Calcutta High Court. Addressing a press conference, he said he would join the BJP on March 7.

"I am joining the BJP as it is a national party, which is fighting against the corruption of the TMC in Bengal," he said.

He sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu with copies to CJI DY Chandrachud and the Chief Justice of the Calcutta HC TS Sivagnanam in the morning. -- PTI

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has said that no Indian military personnel will remain in the country after May 10, be it in uniform or civilian clothing, Maldives-based The Edition reported.

While addressing the residential community of Baa Atoll Eydhafushi, he said that the Indian military will not reside in Maldives in any form of clothing after May 10.

Muizzu said that people who spread false rumours are trying to twist the situation.

Muizzu said, "That these people [Indian military] are not departing, that they are returning after changing their uniforms into civilian clothing. We must not indulge such thoughts that instill doubts in our hearts and spread lies," The Edition reported.

"There will be no Indian troops in the country come May 10. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence," he added.

Muizzu made the statement after the Opposition started criticising the government asserting that the Indian personnel sent to Maldives as civilians are in reality military officials out of uniform and that the government has no way to discover otherwise, according to The Edition report.

14:19 The family Chandrachud

So, the answer to who CJI Chandrachud was clicking at Rashtrapati Bhavan is: His daughters.

Justice Chandrachud seen here with his wife has four children including two foster daughters (in the picture) He has four children, including two foster daughters -- Mahi and Priyanka.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday critcised RJD chief Lalu Prasad's "no family" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that people do not expect such comments from a senior leader like him. Speaking to reporters in Patna, Sitharaman said there is a need to maintain dignity in politics.

"What the PM said is correct, the entire country considers him their family. The entire country is the PM's family. Making such petty statements is not correct and is highly condemnable," she said.

"He (Lalu Prasad) has spent decades in politics and was also a CM of the state. People don't expect such comments from a senior leader like him. It disheartens the people. One has to maintain dignity in politics. The BJP has given a befitting reply to the RJD chief for making such comments against the PM," she added.

Sitharaman will travel to Saran district to attend a credit outreach programme. She was received at the Patna airport by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and senior leaders of the state BJP.

Addressing a rally here on Sunday, Prasad said, "What can we do if Narendra Modi does not have a family of his own? He keeps bragging about the Ram temple. He is not even a true Hindu. In Hindu tradition, a son must shave his head and beard upon the demise of his parents. Modi did not do so when his mother died." PTI

Google has agreed to restore delisted Indian apps on its Play Store and will work on a solution to the contentious payment issue, IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.

Google and startups had multiple rounds of discussion with the government on Monday, following which the tech giant agreed to restore the delisted apps. "We believe Google, and the startup community will be able to arrive at a long-term solution in the coming months," the minister said. PTI

14:11 SC's big relief for DKS

Update: In a big relief to Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the Supreme Court today dismissed a 2018 money laundering case against the Congress leader.

The Congress leader was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in September 2019 in connection with this case. The Delhi High Court granted him bail the next month.

Shivakumar had then accused the BJP of political vendetta and said he had full faith in the judiciary.

The ED's investigation had followed Income Tax department's raids on premises linked to the Congress leader and his aides in 2017. Officials had then said cash worth nearly 300 crore was recovered in these raids. Shivakumar had hit back, saying that the cash was linked to the BJP.

13:21 SC dismisses money laundering case against DKS

The Supreme Court dismisses the money laundering case against Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

13:19 A lawyer and a gentleman walks the gardens

That's CJI Dhananjay Chandrachud and his wife at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Whose picture is he taking?

13:06 CEC's stern warning to WB: No place for fear

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday said strict instructions have been issued to the West Bengal bureaucracy to ensure a level playing field for all political parties, and asserted that any form of violence will not be tolerated during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Kumar, addressing a press conference in Kolkata, said the goal of the Election Commission is to ensure a free, fair and violence-free elections in the state.

"There is no place for fear or intimidation in elections. Partisan approach of the bureaucracy will not be tolerated; we have made this clear," he said. Kumar said sufficient number of central forces will be deployed in West Bengal, and it will be done in an impartial manner.

"The SPs have been repeatedly told that if there is any complaint of intimidation, they should take immediate action. They have assured us that it will be done. If they don't act, we know what needs to be done to make them act. Police officials have been instructed to be impartial and be accessible to all political parties at the district level," Kumar said. PTI

BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur has accused her party legislator Sudesh Rai was running a liquor shop illegally in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district and expressed concern over the safety of women and girls. She has also demanded Rai's removal from the MLA's post.

When contacted, Rai told the mediapersons to themselves inquire into Thakur's allegations. Thakur, who has been denied renomination from Bhopal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, on Monday night said she was on a visit to areas under her constituency to launch development works when some girls came to her at Khajuria Kala and complained a liquor outlet was being run in front of their school.

"The girls were sad and teary-eyed, they complained that people gather at the liquor shop, make comments on them. They told me they are not safe and anything can happen to them. Some women said people enter their houses after consuming liquor," the BJP leader added.

She claimed a police sub-inspector who was present there said he was not aware of it. "The illegal liquor outlet found in Khajuria Kala Bangla is run by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Sudesh Rai, as people and officials told me. I am feeling ashamed. I demand from the party that the person like him, who is involved in such misdeed, should be sacked from the post," Thakur said.

The BJP MP also said she has told the authorities to suspend officials concerned of the excise department. She claimed it was an illegal liquor shop as the license cannot be given for such an establishment in front of a school. It was an 'adarsh gram' (model village) of the member of Parliament last year and a liquor shop could not be set up there, she said.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay resigned as a judge of Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, sources said. Justice Gangopadhyay sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu with copies to CJI DY Chandrachud and the Chief Justice of the Calcutta HC TS Sivagnanam, they said.

He came to his chamber at the high court in the morning, following which the resignation letter was sent.

He is scheduled to address the press in the afternoon, where he is likely to divulge his future plans, amid speculations that he will join politics.

Justice Gangopadhyay had on Sunday announced that he will resign on March 5.

11:59 Iran executed 834 people in 2023

Iran executed a "staggering" total of at least 834 people last year, the highest number since 2015 as capital punishment surged in the Islamic republic, two rights groups said Tuesday. The number of executions, which Iran has carried out by hanging in recent years, was up some 43 percent on 2022.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate India's first under-river metro tunnel built in Kolkata on Wednesday.

In a monumental development set to transform urban transportation, PM Modi is slated to inaugurate several key metro and rapid transit projects across countries, marking a significant stride towards enhancing urban mobility and connectivity.

The Kolkata Metro extension, featuring the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade Metro section, includes the first transportation tunnel in India to pass under a major river, representing a critical milestone in the country's infrastructure development.

This section not only showcases the technological prowess involved in its construction but also highlights the strategic importance of connecting two bustling areas of Kolkata, enhancing the city's public transportation network's efficiency and reach.

In addition to the underwater metro, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Kavi Subhash - Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro section and the Taratala - Majerhat Metro section, which is part of the Joka-Esplanade line.

The latter features the Majerhat Metro Station, an architectural marvel being an elevated station spanning railway lines, platforms, and a canal, further showcasing the innovative approach towards improving urban mobility. The inauguration event will not be limited to Kolkata. The PM Modi is set to flag off several other important projects across the country.

Prof Saibaba with his wife outside Nagpur jail. File pic

11:18 Prof Saibaba has been in jail for 10 years

Update: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday acquitted former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba in an alleged Maoist links case and set aside the life imprisonment imposed on him.

A division bench of Justices Vinay Joshi and Valmiki SA Menezes also acquitted five others accused in the case.

The bench said it was acquitting all the accused as the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt against them.

It also held as "null and void" the sanction procured by the prosecution to charge the accused under provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

While the prosecution did not seek the HC to stay its order, it said it was likely to file an appeal in the Supreme Court immediately.

On October 14, 2022, another bench of the HC acquitted Saibaba, noting the trial proceedings were "null and void" in the absence of a valid sanction under the UAPA.

The Maharashtra government had on the same day approached the Supreme Court challenging the decision. The apex court initially stayed the order and later in April 2023, set aside the HC order and directed it to hear the appeal filed by Saibaba afresh.

Saibaba (54), who is wheelchair-bound due to physical disability, is lodged in the Nagpur Central Jail since his arrest in the case in 2014.

In 2017, a sessions court in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district convicted Saibaba and five others, including a journalist and a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, for alleged Maoist links and for indulging in activities amounting to waging war against the country. The trial court had held them guilty under various provisions of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code. PTI

11:15 Indira Jaising on Saibaba's acquittal...

Lawyer and activist Indira Jaising on the acquittal of Prof Saibaba: "Saibaba Acquitted, but after how long? Who will give back his health to him? The courts? Shame. How many others have to wait for bail? Who pays the price of loss of liberty without authority of law?"

11:04 What Prof Saibaba underwent in jail

Read our 2022 report on Professor GN Saibaba's ordeal in jail. 'Saibaba Hovers Between Life And Death'

Bombay High Court acquits former DU professor GN Saibaba and five others in Maoist link case. The court set aside Saibaba's life sentence.

Details awaited.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday offered prayers at Sri Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Hyderabad, amid tight security. The temple priests presented Modi with a photo frame of the goddess.

Modi, who stayed in Hyderabad last night at the Raj Bhavan, proceeded to Sangareddy district after the temple visit. He will launch projects worth Rs 6,800 crore and also address a rally there.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Civil Aviation Research Organisation (CARO) centre in Hyderabad which has been set up at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad by the Airports Authority of India to upgrade and enhance research and development (R&D) activities in the civil aviation sector. Built at a cost of more than Rs 350 crore, the state-of-art facility is compliant with 5-STAR-GRIHA Rating and Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) norms.

Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation for three National Highway projects, among others. PTI

A 67-year-old former managing director of a multinational company has allegedly been duped of Rs 4.80 crore by online fraudsters who accused him of being involved in drug trafficking and threatened police action against him, an official of the Thane crime branch said.

An FIR was registered on Saturday in this connection by the Thane police's cyber cell against three persons, he said on Monday. The fraudsters posed as officials from central agencies, made the victim divulge his confidential bank details and siphoned off the money, the police said.

The victim recently received a call from the accused, who claimed to have intercepted a parcel en-route to Taiwan at a leading courier company's customs office containing some contraband, including MDMA, nine expired passports and credit cards, the official said.

They told the victim that they had his personal information, including the Aadhaar card number, to make him believe he was under the scanner, he said quoting the complaint.

They also informed the victim of an alleged case registered against him at the Andheri police station in neighbouring Mumbai, threatening him of getting arrest warrants and legal consequences under provisions for the prevention of money laundering and drug peddling, the official said.

"The accused instructed the victim to download a video calling application, assuring him that an officer would investigate the matter," he said.

Under the guise of investigation, the fraudsters, posing as officials of central agencies with fabricated logos, assured to get him absolved.

"The scammers coerced the victim into sharing sensitive information, including his bank account details, debit card numbers and CVV," the official said adding that the victim also shared with them details of his property transactions in Pune and Murbad (in Thane district).

They instructed the victim to keep the camera on during the video call for further proceedings. The next day, they sought his personal details and accused him of engaging in illegal transactions, claiming the RBI and and a private bank also had a suspicion over his activities. The accused also asked him to transfer Rs 1 crore to his wife's account which he did.

However, later when the victim consulted his UK-based son, he realised that he had been cheated, the official said.

During investigation, it was found Rs 4.80 crore was siphoned off from the victim's account, he said. Based on the victim's complaint, the FIR was registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, the police added. PTI

A study that used data from the Union health ministry's national family health survey for 2019-2021 has estimated India's prevalence of zero-food children at 19.3 per cent, the third highest after Guinea's 21.8 per cent and Mali's 20.5 per cent.

Read the story here.

The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday launched multiple raids across seven states in connection with a case related to radicalisation of prisoners by a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist in Karnataka, an official said.

The raids, being conducted in connection with the Bengaluru prison radicalisation case, are underway at 17 places across seven states and further details are awaited, the official said.

In January, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a charge-sheet against eight people in the case. The charge-sheeted accused included T Naseer of Kerala's Kannur, who is serving life sentence in the central prison in Bengaluru since 2013, and Junaid Ahmed alias "JD" and Salman Khan, who are suspected to have fled abroad.

The case was originally registered by the Bengaluru City Police on July 18 last year following the seizure of arms and ammunition, hand grenades and walkie-talkies from seven of the accused persons.

The seizure was made when the seven men were in the house of one of the accused. According to the NIA, which took over the case in October last year, the investigations revealed that Naseer, who was involved in several blast cases, had come in contact with the other accused while they were all lodged in the Bengaluru prison during 2017.

Naseer had managed to get all of them shifted to his barrack after a careful assessment of their potential with a view to radicalise and recruit them into the proscribed terror group, LeT.

Former top Twitter executives, including Parag Agrawal, have sued Elon Musk, claiming the Tesla CEO had withheld USD128 million in severance payments after the billionaire took over the social media company in 2022 and dismissed them, according to The New York Times.

After paying USD44 billion to acquire Twitter, Musk sacked the company's chief executive, Parag Agrawal; chief financial officer, Ned Segal; head of legal and policy, Vijaya Gadde; and general counsel, Sean Edgett.

Twitter was later renamed as X by Musk.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday, claimed that because the executives' contracts stated they would receive severance payments if Twitter was taken private by Musk in October 2022, they were entitled to the payments.

Agrawal's offer letter for the position said that he would get a USD1 million annual salary in addition to USD12.5 million in shares, The New York Times reported.

According to a Twitter securities filing, Agrawal was entitled to a so-called golden parachute payment of USD60 million in the case of an involuntary termination. According to the document, Segal would receive USD46 million and Gadde would receive USD21 million in the identical circumstances.

Musk claimed he could fire the executives "for cause" at the time of the takeover in order to avoid having to pay them severance.In order to save himself roughly USD200 million, Musk informed Walter Isaacson, his biographer, that he would refuse the executives' severance benefits. He vowed to "hunt" the executives "till the day they die" in front of Isaacson, according to The New York Times.

"This is the Musk playbook: to keep the money he owes other people, and force them to sue him. Even in defeat, Musk can impose delay, hassle and expense on others less able to afford it," the lawyers for the executives wrote in court documents, according to The New York Times.

China on Tuesday increased its defence budget by 7.2 per cent to USD 232 billion as it continues with the massive modernisation of its military amid prevailing tensions over Taiwan, the disputed South China Sea as well as border frictions with India.

China, which is the second highest spender on defence after the US, has allocated 1.67 trillion yuan (about USD 232 billion) for defence spending.

The increase in terms of the percentage was the same as last year.

China last year hiked its defence budget by 7.2 per cent to 1.55 trillion yuan (about USD 225 billion), marking the eighth consecutive year of increase in its military spending.

Like its previous budgets, this year's defence budget of China was almost three times higher than that of India.

India's defence allocation this year amounted to Rs 6,21,541 crore (about USD 74.8 billion).

China has simmering territorial disputes with some of its neighbours. -- PTI

Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani has dared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to have a debate on the "difference" between the 10 years of UPA rule and the Narendra Modi government.

"If my voice is reaching Rahul Gandhi, then he should listen with open ears. Let there be a discussion on what is the difference between your (UPA) 10 years and Modi's 10 years," she said on Monday while speaking at the 'Namo Yuva Maha Sammelan' organised by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Nagpur.

"Maidan tum chunno, karyakarta hum chunenge (you choose the platform, we will choose a functionary to represent the BJP)," she added.

She said that if she asked to discuss it with Rahul Gandhi, he would not come. He would not be able to stand even in front of an ordinary worker of the BJP.

"I guarantee that even if an ordinary worker of Yuva Morcha starts speaking in front of Rahul Gandhi, he will lose the strength to speak," she said.

Smriti said in her address that the BJP has fulfilled the three major promises made to the public in the party manifesto in the last 10 years.

She said that the abrogation of Article 370 that ended the special status of the then state of Jammu and Kashmir, women's reservation in the legislature and the construction of Ram Mandir were these promises and they were fulfilled. -- ANI

An Indian national was killed and another two were injured on Monday when an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon struck an orchard near Israel's northern border community of Margaliot, officials said.

All three victims hail from the southern state of Kerala.

The missile hit a plantation in Margaliot, a moshav (collective agricultural community), in the Galilee region in the north of Israel around 11 am on Monday, Zaki Heller, spokesperson for rescue services Magen David Adom (MDA), told PTI.

Patnibin Maxwell from Kollam in Kerala was killed in the attack. His mortal remains were identified in Ziv hospital, official sources said.

Bush Joseph George and Paul Melvin were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment, they said.

"George was taken to the Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva after suffering injuries on face and body. He underwent an operation, is recovering well, and has been kept under observation. He could speak with his family in India," an official source told PTI.

Melvin was slightly injured and is hospitalized at Ziv Hospital in the northern Israeli city of Safed. He is from the Idukki district of Kerala.

MDA earlier said one foreign worker was killed and seven others were injured in the attack.

The attack is believed to have been carried out by the Shi'ite Hezbollah faction in Lebanon, which has been launching rockets, missiles, and drones at northern Israel daily since October 8 in support of Hamas amid the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Monday accused the media of "distorting" her comments made after she was denied renomination from the seat for the 2024 elections and refused to entertain any questions from journalists on the issue.

"Whatever we speak, you people show it in a distorted and twisted manner. I don't like such things, neither earlier nor today. From today onwards, I will not speak to the media as you people have been defaming me for the last five years (after she became an MP) to raise your TRP ratings," Thakur told reporters.

The Hindutva activist was talking to media persons who went to her residence to seek reaction to reports in a section of media that she was denied a BJP ticket from Bhopal because certain controversial comments she made in the past may have displeased Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Thakur declined to give clarification on the reports and asked the media to refer to her video posted on Facebook after the BJP on March 2 did not renominate her from the Lok Sabha seat in the Madhya Pradesh capital.

"I have posted the original video on Facebook. That is the original video. By defaming me, you won't be able to earn anything," the Lok Sabha member said, adding from today onwards she will not talk to journalists and whatever she wants to convey, she will use her "own media" for the purpose. -- PTI

File image

01:23 SI Suman Kumari becomes BSF's first woman sniper

Sub-Inspector Suman Kumari hailing from Himachal Pradesh became the Border Security Force's first woman sniper after completing an 8-week course at its Indore-based Central School of Armament and Warfare Skills, an official said on Monday.

"BSF is truly becoming an inclusive Force where #ladies are taking rapid strides everywhere. In a step in this direction, after rigorous training, #BSF has got the First #Mahila Sniper, " the CSWT wrote on social media platform X.

"Suman (28) hails from Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh and had joined BSF three years ago. She expressed a desire to undergo sniper training. She was among 57 personnel who received eight weeks of training at CSWT," the official said.

She completed the rigorous course with the grade of 'Instructor', which means she was now qualified to provide sniper training to other personnel, the official added. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met with legendary actress Vyjayanthimala in Chennai.

Taking to X, PM Modi shared pictures from her meeting with Vyjayanthimala. In one of the images, PM Modi can be seen greeting Vyjayanthimala with folded hands.

"Glad to have met Vyjayanthimala Ji in Chennai. She has just been conferred the Padma Vibhushan and is admired across India for her exemplary contribution to the world of Indian cinema," he wrote.

Recently, veteran actress Hema Malini also met Vyjayanthimala at her residence.

Taking to Instagram, Hema Malini shared a series of pictures of herself with the Jewel Thief star.

Vyjayanthimala looked as evergreen as ever in a yellow saree. On the other hand, Hema Malini was dressed in a green suit. -- ANI

In a major relief for Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Monday, allowed the former President to appear on the ballot in Colorado, CNN reported.

The top court ruling reverses the Colorado order, which disqualified Trump over his conduct around the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

The development follows months of debate over whether the frontrunner for the GOP nomination violated the "insurrectionist clause" included in the 14th Amendment.

The opinion is a massive victory for Trump, vanquishing one of the many legal threats that have both plagued and animated his campaign against President Joe Biden.

However, the decision has no impact on the four ongoing criminal cases that Trump is facing, including the federal election subversion case that covers some of the same conduct surrounding January 6, 2021, as reported by CNN. -- ANI

Tremors were felt in parts of Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti after a magnitude 3.2 earthquake hit the district on Monday afternoon, officials said.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 5 km. No reports of loss of life or property have been received so far, they said.

The tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti falls in seismic zone IV, which is a high damage risk zone. -- PTI

Louise Khurshid

00:40 Congress leader Salman Khurshid's wife, 2 others laundered govt funds: ED

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday alleged that senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid's wife Louise Khurshid and two others "laundered" Rs 71.50 lakh in central government funds for their personal gain through a trust run by them for specially-abled persons.

The federal agency, in a statement, also said that it has provisionally attached 15 agricultural plots located in the Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh and bank deposits, worth a combined Rs 45.92 lakh, of the Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The plots are valued at Rs 29.51 lakh and the amount kept in four bank accounts of the trust is Rs 16.41 lakh, it said.

The Enforcement Directorate last month registered the statement of Louise Khurshid at its zonal office in Lucknow.

A probe found that "grant-in-aid of Rs 71.50 lakh received by the trust was not utilised for holding camps sanctioned by the government of India but was laundered by the late Pratyush Shukla, a representative of the trust, Mohammad Athar alias Athar Farooqui, secretary to the trust, and Louise Khurshid, project director of the trust, for the interest of the trust and their personal gain", the agency claimed.

In this way, the fund received as grant-in-aid was laundered for their personal gain, leading to generation of proceeds of crime, it said. -- PTI

A view of the Allahabad high court/ANI Photo

00:35 Gangster's assets in wife's name can be seized: HC

The Allahabad high court on Monday said properties acquired by a gangster in the name of his wife can be attached under the Gangsters Act.

The court said this while dismissing a criminal appeal filed by Meena Devi, the wife of alleged gangster Rajendra Yadav of Azamgarh, challenging a May 4, 2023 order of a special judge, Gangsters Act, upholding a property attachment order issued by the district magistrate.

Dismissing Meena Devi's plea, Justice Nalin Kumar Srivastava said, "This court is of the view that the properties which were attached were acquired by gangster Rajendra Yadav, husband of the appellant, in the name of his wife by way of commission of offence triable under the Gangsters Act."

"It also appears that relevant materials were supplied to the district magistrate, Azamgarh to have reason to believe that the properties in question were acquired by gangster Rajendra Yadav, the husband of the present appellant, as a result of commission of any offence triable under this Act and the burden upon the claimant to prove that the properties were not acquired... as a result of commission of any offence under the Act has not been discharged sufficiently," he said. -- PTI

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