JUST IN: Underworld don Chhota Rajan has been deported to India.

Expelled BJP MP and noted jurist Ram Jethmalani today targeted Union Minister Arun Jaitley over his 'tyranny of unelected' remark in the Supreme Court, which promptly dissociated itself from taking the matter any further.

A PIL was today moved in Delhi high court seeking enactment of a law prohibiting slaughter of cows and sale of beef and such products across the national capital region.

China today asked India to play a "constructive and positive" role in safeguarding peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea, in a guarded reaction to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's call for ensuring freedom of navigation in the strategic waters amid escalated Sino-US tensions.

A day after it raised for the first time the current crisis in Nepal at the UN, India today said there was no "international dimension" to its statement and asserted that Nepalese government has to address the political crisis which was hampering supplies from Indian side.

Voting in the five-phase Bihar Assembly Elections 2015 has now concluded. The results of exit polls conducted by various media houses will start coming in shortly.

India has revoked the passport of arrested underworld don Chhota Rajan as an investigation found that the document was procured on a fake identity by him from the Indian mission in Australia.

Noted writer Nayantara Sahgal, who recently returned her 'Sahitya Akademi' award over the Dadri lynching case, has said secularism is under threat like never before and that individual freedom and rights have to be protected even these are guaranteed in the Constitution.

Egypt's top court today postponed to January 21 the final retrial of former president Hosni Mubarak over the killing of more than 200 protesters during the 2011 uprising that brought down his 30-year rule.  

Meghalaya-based film maker Tarun Bhartiya today returned the National Award he received in 2009 joining a host of writers, filmmakers and scientists in protest against the "growing intolerance" in the country. Bhartiya who won the award for editing documentary film 'In Camera '" Diaries of a Documentary Cameraman'.

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday put West Bengal cabinet minister Madan Mitra on house arrest till November 17. A division bench comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Mir Dara Sheko were hearing a petition for cancellation of bail for Mitra filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, currently probing the multi-crore rupee Saradha scam.

Underworld don Chhota Rajans deportation from Bali to India will take place tonight. The deportation was delayed for the last two days as Indonesia extended the closure of the international airport till today, due to spewing of volcanic ash from a nearby mountain.

Yanuari Insan, Senior Interpol officer (Jakarta), told ANI, "Rajan will be deported tonight as the weather is clear. He will be escorted by special forces. All of Chhota Rajan's belongings will be handed over to Interpol India."

The Interpol officer said Jakarta will monitor the entire process until it is handed over to Interpol India.

Rajan, whose real name is Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje, is wanted in India for several years and was arrested following a tip off from Australian authorities.


An Indian Police team, which arrived in Bali on Sunday, has completed all formalities for taking custody of Rajan and flying him to India, where he is one of the most wanted criminals.

Rajan is wanted in over 75 heinous crimes, ranging from murder, extortion, smuggling and drug trafficking.

Rajan was arrested in Bali on the basis of a Red Corner Notice from Interpol and a tip off from Australian authorities to the Indonesian police. 

Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia urges students to say no to fire crackers this Diwali. Sisodia has written to 2000 educational institutions asking them to follow a no-cracker festival.


The state Environment Department last week organized, "Say No to Fire Crackers' workshop to sensitise and to create public awareness about the harmful effects of air and noise pollution emanating due to the use of fire crackers.


The Supreme Court last week refused to expand the eight-hour night-time ban period on bursting of crackers and voiced unhappiness over the government's failure to run a campaign to create public awareness during Diwali time on the ill-effects of fireworks.


Refusing to modify its direction in 2001 banning bursting of crackers between 2200 hours and 0600 hours, a bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra asked the Centre to "give wide publicity both in print and electronic media to the ill effects of fireworks" almost on daily basis from October 31 to November 12.


The National Capital has been witnessing one of the worst smog attacks in recent years, as the quality of the air continued to decline in the last few days, posing several threats to human lives. Smog engulfed several parts of Delhi after farmers in Haryana and Punjab continued to burn paddy stubble in their fields.

The daughter of India's renowned historian, Irfan Habib, has slammed "sanghis' for spreading 'lies' about her association with the junior analyst of the Moody's Analytics.


Moody's Analytics last Friday had warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the country may lose domestic and global credibility if he doesn't rein in the members of his party responsible for creating an atmosphere of hate in India.


Embarrassed by the assessment, the supporters of Narendra Modi government took to twitter making light of this warning with some linking Irfan Habib's daughter, Saman Habib, to the Moody's analyst Faraz Syed.

Read more

Taking a stand against Nepal for the first time at an international forum, India told a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council Wednesday that it was "concerned' over "lack of political progress' and incidents of "violence, extra-judicial killings and ethnic discrimination' in the Himalayan country. 
Read more

The first victim of Saturday's plane crash over Egypt was laid to rest today following a funeral service in a medieval church in city in northern Russia. Russia's Airbus 321-200 crashed over the Sinai Peninsula en route from the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, killing all 224 on board.


An overwhelming majority of the passengers were Russians flying home from their Red Sea vacation. Grief has struck St Petersburg and its suburbs as mourners continue to bring flowers, candles and paper planes to the city's imperial-era square and the airport where the Metrojet flight had been due to land.

Rescuers have pulled nearly 100 people alive from the rubble of a collapsed bag-manufacturing factory in Lahore as the death toll in the disaster today rose to 18, officials said.


The incident occurred yesterday in Sundar Industrial Estate area where the expansion work of the factory was going on at the four-storey building when it caved in, reports said.


"So far 18 people have been killed. Another 96 injured were recovered and shifted to hospitals," Rescue official Jam Sajjad said, adding that 99 people have been rescued so far.


The search and rescue operation went on throughout the night as there are reports of people trapped inside the rubble, he said. It is believed that about 100 people are still trapped in the fallen building. With the passage of time, the chances of survival of victims are getting dim.

"Dipan wasn't an activist. Just look at the books he published: Novels, short stories, essays, poetry, travelogues. And, in amongst these books, were those by Avijit Roy -- his childhood friend Gullu.Dipan just had the tremendous misfortune of being alive in a time when men murder each other for the thoughts in their heads, for the words printed on a piece of paper. The calamity that befell him was to be a citizen of a land where apathy is the order of the day."

A classmate remembers Faisal Arefin Dipan, the secular publisher hacked to death in Bangladesh. Read

Nine Congress MLAs in Assam are likely to join the BJP tomorrow in Guwahati in the presence of the party national general secretary Ram Madhav. It's a development that will make a serious dent in the ruling Congress party's fortunes in Assam.


The MLAs include Pijush Hazarika, Jayanta Malla Baruah, Pallab Lochan Das, Pradan Barua, Rajen Borthakur, Bolin Chetia, Binanda Saikia, Kripanath Mallah and Abu Taher Bepari. All nine are known to be Dr Himanta Bishwa Sharma loyalists. Sharma is the former Congress minister who had joined the BJP in September this year.


All these nine MLAs had met BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi on September 5 along with Dr Sharma to express their willingness to join the party. The BJP leadership then told the Congress MLAs to wait till the elections in Bihar were over to formalize their Saffronisation.


Dr Sharma while joining the BJP said, "We can bring more MLAs from the Congress as almost all in the Congress barring Tarun Gogoi is willing to join the BJP. But still, everything depends on the absorption capacity of the BJP."


With these nine leaving its fold, the Congress' strength in the 126-member Assam Assembly will be reduced to 69 which will be still be enough for chief minister Tarun Gogoi to retain his chair.


Gogoi has remained unfazed over the desertions and described the BJP as a party which is surviving on leaders and workers borrowed from other parties.


"The BJP has no leaders in Assam. The party is run by one Mahendra Singh in Assam. The BJP needs leaders from various political parties, students and youth organisations to survive in Assam and yet it hopes to win power in the state," Gogoi quipped.


-- K Anurag in Guwahati

Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, who had announced the plans to scrap his upcoming concerts in India, has agreed to perform in Lucknow Mahotsav on December 3, said the district administration in Lucknow. Ali, who was scheduled to perform in Delhi on November 8, cancelled his forthcoming shows yesterday, saying he did not want to get involved in any kind of politics.


The Lucknow Mahotsava Samiti, however, spoke to the singer's son later in the day and got a confirmation. "Lucknow Mahotsava Samiti talked to Ghulam Ali's son Aamir last night at about 10.30 pm and he has confirmed that on Dec 3, Ali will perform in Mahotsava here," District Magistrate, Rajshekhar told PTI.


"He will send the confirmation on his letter head along with a video message", he added. The 74-year-old singer's son Aamir had earlier said his father did not want to perform after what happened in Mumbai where his scheduled concert last month was cancelled following Shiv Sena's threat to disrupt it.


"The November 8 concert (in Delhi) is not happening now. After what happened in Mumbai, we don't want to take any risk. The atmosphere should be right for music. We don't want to get involved in any kind of politics. So much is happening there, it would not be right for us to come at this time," Aamir had said.


The singer was invited to perform in Delhi by the Aam Aadmi Party government after his show could not take place in Mumbai. Besides AAP government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also extended an invite to the ghazal maestro to perform in Kolkata.

Actor Anil Kapoor does not think returning awards in protest against growing intolerance in the country is justified. The "24" star feels intolerance always existed in the country and is not happening for the first time. Many writers and filmmakers including director Dibakar Banerjee have returned their national honours.


When asked if it is right to return the awards, Anil said," No I don't think so." The debate stirred up after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, on his 50th birthday, came out strongly against what he called "extreme intolerance" in the country and said insularity towards creativity and religion will hurt the country.


Anil, 58, who was in the capital to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to take measures for cyber protection, said he has not heard Shah Rukh's comment. "I haven't heard what he (Shah Rukh) has spoken. As far as I know him, I don't think that there would be any such thing in his mind.


"My stand is this thing (intolerance) is not something that's happening only in this government or in the previous government. We have been telling this irrespective of whether it was the Congress government or the BJP, that we should live together in harmony.

FLASH: Fresh incident of alleged disrespect to religious text in Punjab's Tarn Taran. FIR lodged against unknown persons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched India's first-ever gold coin and inaugurated two gold related schemes, including the gold monetisation scheme, aimed at luring tonnes of unused gold from households into the banking system.

"20,000 tonnes of gold is just lying unused. That is the reason we are poor," he said and added that "If we make some effort in the right direction, we can be free of this tag."
 
Under the gold monetisation scheme, people can deposit a minimum of raw gold (bars, coins, jewellery excluding stones and other metals) equivalent to 30 grams. There is no maximum limit for deposit under the scheme.

The aim of the scheme is to tap unused gold in private possession, bank lockers and deposit boxes lying idle. This will raise bank deposits and help them generate more liquidity.

The PM also unveiled the first-ever Indian gold coin with the National Emblem Ashok Chakra engraved on one side. These gold coins will be available in denominations of five and 10 grams.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam today comes as the two communist countries seek to mend ties strained over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Bilateral relations plunged to their lowest point in years following China's parking of a giant oil rig near the Paracel islands in an area Vietnam claims is within its exclusive economic zone.


The incident sparked deadly anti-Chinese protests in Vietnam. The two countries have since then been trying to repair ties with high-level contacts and exchanges of visits including the visit to China by Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in April.

Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 2002 till 2007,was recently in the news (while in India) for the launch of his book Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider's Account of Pakistan's Foreign Policy. This had less to do with the contents of the publication, and more with extraneous circumstances, writes MK Narayanan, India's former National Security Advisor. Read

Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi launches three gold schemes -- Sovereign gold bonds, Gold monetisation scheme and Indian gold coin. The PM launched three schemes aimed at reducing physical gold demand and fishing out 20,000 tonnes of idle yellow metal.

Just in: A petition alleging PM Narendra Modi had violated election rules when he was Gujarat Chief Minister has been rejected by the Gujarat High Court.


On April 30, 2014 while polling for the Lok Sabha elections were on in Gujarat, Modi had addressed a meeting after voting in the Ranip area of Ahmedabad. During the meeting Modi was seen holding his party symbol 'lotus' while showing his inked finger. He also clicked a 'selfie' and posted it on his Twitter account.


Following this an FIR was filed against Modi and others on directions of the Election Commission of India for violation of provisions of Sections 126 (1) (a) and 126 (1) (b) of Representation of People (RP) Act 1951, for holding public meeting, under IPC section 188, for violating election notification and CrPC section 144 which prohibits more than four people from gathering for a specific purpose.

As per the section 126 (1) (a) of RP Act, there is a prohibition of public meetings during period of 48 hours ending with hour fixed for conclusion of poll.

"IS is the monstrous child of both the American invasion of Iraq and the failure of the world to support the Syrian revolution."


Excerpts from an interview with French journalist Nicolas Henin, who was captured by Islamic State terrorists. He remained in captivity for 10 months after which he was released.   Read

New analysis of kangaroo farts suggests their low methane levels could have implications for farmers in the fight against climate change.It has long been known that kangaroos -- unlike sheep and cattle -- produce little of the potent greenhouse gas methane.


For some time, researchers intent on breeding less windy flocks and herds hypothesised kangaroos might have a unique mix of micro-organisms in their stomachs that produce less of the gas. Read more

Nearly 50 years after Raman Raghav terrorised Mumbai (then Bombay) by murdering 41 people, there's renewed interest in the serial killer -- a film made for television in 1991 had its first public screening a fortnight ago and Raghav is also the subject of a feature film being made by indie director Anurag Kashyap. Read

Virbhadra Singh DA case: The Supreme Court transfers case to the Delhi High Court. Relief granted to Singh from Himachal Pradesh HC to continue.

While media reports focus on the delay in the deportation of Chhota Rajan to from Bali to India because the airport in Bali had suspended operations after Mount Rinjani, an active volcano on Lombok island, had spewed ash clouds into the airspace, there is another person who remains stranded. Vice president Hamid Ansari. Read more

Former US president claims Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney's reaction to 9/11 attacks were too hawkish, used excessive force and damaged his son, according to his biography. Read

Evidence now suggests that a bomb planted by the Islamic State militant group is the likely cause of last weekend's crash of a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula, US and European security sources said on Wednesday.Islamic State, which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria and is battling the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula, said again on Wednesday it brought down the airplane, adding it would eventually tell the world how it carried out the attack. Read more

Slamming BJP MP Yogi Adityanath's tirade against Shah Rukh Khan, Union minister M Venkiah Naidu said the party also does not approve of the comments against the Bollywood badshah.


Shiv Sena, BJP's ally in Maharashtra, too supported SRK saying the superstar should not be targeted only because he is a Muslim. "Muslims in our country are tolerant," said the Sena. Sena MP Sanjay Raut slammed Adityanath saying he should not mix up the intolerance issue with Pakistan.


BJP's UP in-charge Om Mathur warned of chastisement of Adityanath saying, "Action will certainly be taken against motor-mouths. They're directed not to come out with such statements, they would again be directed not to do so. Obviously, they can't be shunted out of the party for making such remarks."

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today met the families of the two youth killed in police firing during a protest against a sacrilege incident in the district last month.


Rahul, who arrived by train early this morning, spent some 30 minutes with the family of Gurjit Singh, a motor mechanic killed during the protests, Congress leader Kulwant Rai Singla said.


The Gandhi scion shared his grief with the family and sought details about the incident. Later, Rahul walked for about seven km to reach the house of another deceased youth Krishan Singh at nearby Niamiwala village.


Rahul consoled the family members and expressed grief over what happened at Behbal Kalan village where the two persons were killed in police firing on protesters staging a demonstration against sacrilege at Bargari village on October 14.

Niti Aayog's member Bibek Debroy is a renowned economist who is known for speaking his mind. In an interview to TOI, Debroy reflects on the issue of intolerance and cites examples to show the need for multiple views.
Read the excerpts from the interview. 

The fifth phase of polling in Bihar on Thursday witnessed 11.23 percent electorates casting their votes till 9 am. The highest polling was recorded in Supaul district which saw 14.25 percent voters turning up to cast their votes before 9 am, while Saharsa recorded least turnout of voters with 7.18 percent. The fifth and final phase of the Bihar Assembly polls began at 7 am today for 57 seats spread across nine districts.

Returning her National Award for Best Screenplay, which she won in 1989, Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy said that she was "so proud" to join the writers, filmmakers and academics, who have returned their awards to protest against attacks on minorities, murder of rationalists, threats to free speech, enforcement of beef bans, and the vicious remarks bandied about by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.Roy, the author of The God of Small Things, said that this "political movement" by artists and intellectuals "is unprecedented, and does not have a historical parallel." Her National Award was for the film - In Which Annie Gives it Those Ones. 

A dark satirical film like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro or its hilarious climax sequence with a stage-performance of the Mahabharata may not see the light of day in "today's atmosphere", claimed the film's director Kundan Shah. 

Search officials have found the debris of a Pawan Hans chopper after it crashed into the Arabian Sea minutes after take off from an ONGC platform in Mumbai. The 14-seater VTPWF Dauphin aircraft of 2001-make took off from the ONGC installation at 7:12 pm and contact with it was lost eight minutes later. 

The high level of pollution being witnessed in the national capital will reach its peak today, as per the forecast by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research. According to Gurfan Beig, chief project scientist of SAFAR, PM2.5 level is expected to reach 252 and PM 10 unit at 413 mark today, which has been classified as "severe". This is much more than the safe limits of 60 mcgm/cubic meter for PM 2.5 and 100 for PM 10.

Underworld don Chhota Rajan, who is presently being held in Indonesian city Bali, will not be deported to India today. His deportation has been deferred due to the closure of the airport in Bali as a result of the spewing of volcanic ash from a nearby mountain. Bali airport and airspace remain closed till Friday. 

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will meet the families of the victims in Faridkot who were killed in police firing at Behbal Kalan near Kotkapura when the Sikhs were protesting against the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib at Argari village in Faridkot on October 14. Rahul, who arrived in Faridkot early this morning, will also meet farmers in Bathinda district during his two-day visit.