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Mon, 04 April 2016
Petrol price hiked by Rs 2.19 a litre, diesel by 98 paise per litre
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23:14 Messi denies tax evasion in Panama Papers scandal
The family of Lionel Messi on Monday denied that he was involved in tax evasion after the Barcelona star emerged as one of many personalities accused of shady offshore dealings in the Panama Papers scandal, AFP reported.
"The Messi family wants to make clear that Lionel Messi has not carried out any of the acts attributed to him, and accusations he created a... tax evasion plot, including a network of money-laundering, are false and insulting," it said in a statement.
On Monday. the scandal erupted when media groups made public a year-long worldwide investigation into a trove of 11.5 million documents leaked from a Panama-based law firm that exposed a tangle of offshore financial dealings by the elite.
22:58 Mumbai Metro owes Rs 28.55 cr in rents to MMRDA: RTI
The Anil Ambani group-run Mumbai Metro is yet to pay Rs 28.55 crore rent to the regional planning body the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority for the land at the northwestern suburb of Versova
where the metro operator had put up the casting yard, reveals a Right to Information answer from the authority.
The MMRDA in a response to an RTI query filed by activist Anil Galgali said, "Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd was handed over the Home Guard land measuring 2.4 hectare at Versova for a casting yard in January 2009 for a period of 15 months."
The MMRDA said the company originally owed Rs 30.63 crore in rentals, out of which it cleared only Rs 3.97 crore to the MMRDA on July 29, 2015. But with interest and delayed fees, the total outstanding is Rs 28.55 crore, shows the RTI answer.
For using the Home Guard land, MMOPL, run by Anil Ambani's Reliance Infrastructure, had agreed to pay rent to the MMRDA. But it failed to do so, but continued to occupy the land for 55 months.
"Since metro construction jumped several deadlines, the MMOPL sought four extensions from the MMRDA to use the land. In its bid to continue to use the land, it even promised to build a training centre for the Home Guards which was never fulfilled," the MMRDA said in its RTI reply.
22:20 Petrol price hiked by Rs 2.19 a litre, diesel by 98 paise per litre
Petrol price hiked by Rs 2.19 a litre, diesel by 98 paise per litre.
Petrol price was hiked today by Rs 3.07 a litre, reversing its 3-month declining trend, while diesel rates went up by Rs 1.90 per litre.
Petrol in Delhi will cost Rs 59.68 per litre from mid-night tonight as against Rs 56.61 currently, said Indian Oil Corporation, the nations biggest fuel retailer.
Similarly, a litre of diesel will cost Rs 48.33 compared with Rs 46.43 a litre at present.
While the hike in petrol price turns the clock back on the declining trend since January, this is the third straight fortnightly increase in diesel rates.
22:19 Gen Suhag on four-day visit to US, seek greater military ties
Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag on Monday left on a four-day visit to the US during which he will hold talks with top American military officials.
The visit assumes significance in the light of enhanced defence cooperation between the two countries.
It is a part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between India and the US. The bilateral ties have been transformed in recent years with a renewed Defence Framework Agreement, supply of defence equipment, sharing of technology and military-to-military exchanges.
During his four days visit, Suhag is scheduled to meet the UNSG at the UN headquarters to strengthen Indian Army's commitment towards UN Missions, a statement by the Army said.
He will also visit CENTCOM, SOCOM and HQ 1 Corps besides Maneuver Centre of Excellence (MCoE) where he will meet the commanders and have extensive discussions.
In Washington, he will meet US Secretary of Army, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the US Army and Commander US Marine Corps, along with other officials.
22:15 Petrol price hiked by 2.19 litre
Petrol price was hiked by Rs 2.19 a litre on Monday while diesel saw a hike of 98 paise per litre.
20:42 1 dead, 23 injured in IED blast in Assam's Goalpara district
An improvised explosive device blew up near the BJP election office in the Dudhnoi area in Assam's Goalpara district today.
According to reports, the blast occcurred at 7.30 pm.
The IED blast killed one, while injuring 23 others, including 3 policemen.
According to reports, the explosive was placed inside a dust bin.
The injured are being taken to the Govt Hospital in the area, the Assam ADGP informed.
Dudhnoi is set to go to polls in the ongoing assembly elections on April 11.
Image for representation only
20:05 Waqar Younis resigns as Pakistan coach
Pakistan's head coach Waqar Younis resigned on Monday weeks after his team's humiliating exit from the World Twenty20 tournament at the group stage.
The 2009 champions had been widely blasted by fans following a lacklustre performance with just one victory against lowly ranked Bangladesh and big losses to India, New Zealand and Australia.
"I am resigning from my post today with a heavy heart," he told reporters in Lahore.
Referring to a report written in the aftermath of the World Twenty20 in India that was widely leaked in the Pakistani press, he added: "I want my recommendations to be implemented. They were not acted on when I first made them in 2015."
Read full story HERE.
20:03 Greece sends first migrants back to Turkey under new EU deal
The first migrants to be deported from Greece as part of a controversial new EU plan to tackle the migration crisis have landed on Turkish soil.
Three boats carrying 202 people departed in the early hours of the morning from the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios.
Migrants on board the first ferry were escorted ashore by Turkish police in the port town of Dikili on Monday morning, as authorities set up a tarp to prevent gathered media from seeing on board. A second boat docked shortly afterward.
Greek authorities said there were 136 migrants on board the two boats from Lesbos -- the majority of them from Pakistan, with others from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, as well as two Syrians who had returned voluntarily.
The 66 migrants on board the boat from Chios included 42 Afghans, authorities said.
According to Greek officials, the migrants had not applied for asylum. A Turkish official said Turkey has agreed to accept up to 500 migrants per day.
Read more HERE.
19:42 Kim Philby, British double agent, reveals all in secret video
A previously unseen video of one of Britain's most infamous spies describing his career as a Soviet agent has been uncovered by the BBC.
The tape is of Kim Philby giving a secret lecture to the Stasi, the East German Intelligence Service, in 1981.
It is the first time the ex-MI6 officer can be seen talking about his life as a spy from his recruitment to his escape.
Watch the video HERE.
19:34 AMU row: Can varsity be minority institution, SC asks
"Can a university itself be termed as a minority institution," the Supreme Court today asked during the hearing of a plea seeking a direction to quash the appointment of Aligarh Muslim University's vice-chancellor Lt
Gen (Retd) Zameeruddin Shah.
The remark by a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice U U Lalit came when senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for one of the parties, submitted that it has to be seen to what extent the apex court can interefere in the matter in view of the fact that another bench was dealing with the issue whether AMU was a minority institution.
"If it is declared that it is a minority institution, then it has to be seen as to how far a direction can be given," he submitted, with Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi referring to the Centre's stand that the AMU cannot be
accorded a minority status.
19:22 93 EVMs malfunction, replaced in Assam during phase-1 polls
At least 93 Electronic Voting Machines malfunctioned and were replaced during the first phase of Assembly polls in 65 constituencies in Assam, where the two-phase election process started today.
Election Commission officials said the number was likely to go up as the day comes to an end. The highest number of malfunctioning EVMs were witnessed in Sivasagar election district.
"We have changed 12 machines at different places in three constituencies - Sivasagar, Amguri and Thowra. Besides, some other machines developed snag and were corrected by engineers," Sivasagar Returning Officer Virendra Mittal told PTI.
19:03 Rupee rally continues for 6th day, rises 5 paise to 66.21
Extending its winning momentum for the sixth straight sessions, the rupee on Monday strengthened by 5 paise to close at 66.21 per dollar on persistent selling of the American currency by banks and exporters amid sustained foreign capital inflows.
Recovery in the equity market also boosted the rupee value against the dollar, a forex dealer said.
The rupee resumed lower at 66.30 against last Thursday's closing of 66.26 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market and dropped to 66.3775 on initial dollar demand from banks and importers.
However, it recovered afterwards to 66.10 on dollar sale by banks and exporters on hopes of more foreign capital inflows before finishing at 66.21, showing a gain of five paise or 0.08 per cent.
Recovery in the equity market also boosted the rupee value against the dollar, a forex dealer said.
The rupee resumed lower at 66.30 against last Thursday's closing of 66.26 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market and dropped to 66.3775 on initial dollar demand from banks and importers.
However, it recovered afterwards to 66.10 on dollar sale by banks and exporters on hopes of more foreign capital inflows before finishing at 66.21, showing a gain of five paise or 0.08 per cent.
18:46 Jai Hind, Inquilab Zindabad slogans equally patriotic: CPI-M
Amid the raging row over chanting of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', CPI (M) today said slogans like 'Jai Hind', 'Hindustan Zindabad' and 'Inquilab Zindabad' are equally patriotic and accused the BJP of diverting attention of people from "real problems" by raking up such issues. CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury charged BJP with attempting to "convert" secular, democratic republic of India into an "RSS version" of a 'Hindu Rashtra'.
"I will say 'Jai Hind', I will say 'Hindustan Zindabad' and I will say martyr Bhagat Singh's slogan of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and I think all are equally patriotic if not more. So, is patriotism connected with only one slogan?" Yechury told reporters today.
Referring to 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan, Yechury said, "This is a deliberate diversionary tactic to take attention of people from their actual day-to-day troubles and the (BJP) government wants to escape its responsibility."
"This is a deliberate move to whip up nationalism in accordance with their (BJP) ideological construct of converting our secular, democratic republic of India into their RSS version of Hindu Rashtra," he alleged.
"Bharat Mata Ki Jai - their concept of nationalism and all this fits into that ideological project and that is what is the cause for spread of intolerance and this communalisation what we have seen," he said. "Does this issue of 'Bharat mata Ki Jai' matter today?" he said.
"I will say 'Jai Hind', I will say 'Hindustan Zindabad' and I will say martyr Bhagat Singh's slogan of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and I think all are equally patriotic if not more. So, is patriotism connected with only one slogan?" Yechury told reporters today.
Referring to 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan, Yechury said, "This is a deliberate diversionary tactic to take attention of people from their actual day-to-day troubles and the (BJP) government wants to escape its responsibility."
"This is a deliberate move to whip up nationalism in accordance with their (BJP) ideological construct of converting our secular, democratic republic of India into their RSS version of Hindu Rashtra," he alleged.
"Bharat Mata Ki Jai - their concept of nationalism and all this fits into that ideological project and that is what is the cause for spread of intolerance and this communalisation what we have seen," he said. "Does this issue of 'Bharat mata Ki Jai' matter today?" he said.
18:28 Govt orders probe into posting PM's morphed photo on FB
The government is looking into the posting of a morphed picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Facebook by a journalist working with a private TV channel. The journalist, who later expressed regret for the "error", had posted a picture in which the Prime Minister is seen bowing before a Saudi leader. Modi returned from a visit to Saudi Arabia past last midnight. The fake post led to anger on the social media, with BJP MP Mahesh Giri drawing the attention of the I&B ministry.
Responding to Girri's tweet, in which he sought action against the person who had posted the fake picture, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said, "Dear Shri MaheishGirri Ji, I have instructed MIB_India to review the violations."
Rathore added in his tweet that he would also seek help of Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in this regard. Meanwhile, the journalist involved, expressed regret for his act in a tweet, saying "I sincerely regret posting a morphed picture of the PM on my Facebook page. I should have also verified its authenticity before tweeting it."
"I apologise to everyone concerned for this unfortunate error on my part," he said in another tweet. The private TV news channel also said that a morphed picture had been posted by one of its staff. "The organisation was not aware of this unfortunate lapse of judgement. We apologise to everyone for this confusion & deeply regret the error," the channel tweeted.
Responding to Girri's tweet, in which he sought action against the person who had posted the fake picture, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said, "Dear Shri MaheishGirri Ji, I have instructed MIB_India to review the violations."
Rathore added in his tweet that he would also seek help of Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in this regard. Meanwhile, the journalist involved, expressed regret for his act in a tweet, saying "I sincerely regret posting a morphed picture of the PM on my Facebook page. I should have also verified its authenticity before tweeting it."
"I apologise to everyone concerned for this unfortunate error on my part," he said in another tweet. The private TV news channel also said that a morphed picture had been posted by one of its staff. "The organisation was not aware of this unfortunate lapse of judgement. We apologise to everyone for this confusion & deeply regret the error," the channel tweeted.
18:02 Infosys Foundation to grant Rs 24cr to IIIT-Delhi for research
Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of IT software services firm Infosys, will provide a corpus grant of Rs 24 crore to Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi for three years for research on artificial intelligence. Infosys too, on its part, is investing aggressively in startups and companies working in new areas of technology like AI, robotics and machine learning.
17:33 Three months of governor rule ends in J-K
The nearly three month-long Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir came to an end today with the swearing in of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her council of ministers.
Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on January 8 this year following the demise of the then chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed a day earlier.
"Governor N N Vohra issued a proclamation today to revoke the earlier proclamation which was issued by him on January 9 to enforce Governor's Rule in the state," an official spokesperson said.
Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on January 8 this year following the demise of the then chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed a day earlier.
"Governor N N Vohra issued a proclamation today to revoke the earlier proclamation which was issued by him on January 9 to enforce Governor's Rule in the state," an official spokesperson said.
17:30 BJP pins its hopes on anti-immigrant sentiment in Assam polls
It's dusk, and a group of young boys huddle around a hawker, talking feverishly. Some are members of the local unit of All Assam Students Union, some ex-AASU office bearers, and several local college boys. The hawker '" possibly from Uttar Pradesh -- tosses chana, a popular street snack in Assam made of peanuts, peas, green gram, and chopped onions, into paper cones for the boys.In the semi-darkness, several heavily armed paramilitary force personnel can be spotted going up and down the road, most likely keeping a watch on the boys. Some distance away, a group of police personnel are hurriedly getting off a van and trooping into the office of the local superintendent of police.
No streetlights are on.
The shutters of a few shops are already down.
Having witnessed the six-year long students' agitation against illegal immigrants in the 1980s, this scene in Majuli was a moment of deja vu for this correspondent. Read
No streetlights are on.
The shutters of a few shops are already down.
Having witnessed the six-year long students' agitation against illegal immigrants in the 1980s, this scene in Majuli was a moment of deja vu for this correspondent. Read
17:10 1991 Pilibhit fake encounter: 47 cops get life imprisonment
Just in: 1991 Pilibhit Fake encounter case: All 47 convicted policemen sentenced to life imprisonment by Special CBI Court.
On July 12, 1991, the policemen stopped a luxury bus filled with Sikh pilgrims in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit and forced 10 passengers to get off. A chargesheet said they were divided into groups, taken to different areas in a jungle and killed in "cold blood."
Fifty-seven policemen were charged in the case, but 10 have died since.
The CBI investigated the case on the orders of the Supreme Court.
Awards for killing terrorists was said to be the motive behind the killings.
On July 12, 1991, the policemen stopped a luxury bus filled with Sikh pilgrims in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit and forced 10 passengers to get off. A chargesheet said they were divided into groups, taken to different areas in a jungle and killed in "cold blood."
Fifty-seven policemen were charged in the case, but 10 have died since.
The CBI investigated the case on the orders of the Supreme Court.
Awards for killing terrorists was said to be the motive behind the killings.
16:56 We loved this!
Wearable, pretty and fitted, our vote goes to these two gowns with frugal embellishments by Monisha Jaisingh.
Catch up on all that happened at LFW right here.
Catch up on all that happened at LFW right here.
16:35 1991 Pilibhit fake encounter: 47 policemen get life imprisonment
47 policemen get life imprisonment in the 1991 Pilibhit fake encounter in which 10 Sikh pilgrims were gunned down after describing them as terrorists. Terming the encounter fake, CBI Special Judge Lallu Singh held the 47 policemen guilty.
The original chargesheet had held 57 policemen guilty. However, 10 of them died during the 25-year-long trial. In his order, the CBI special judge recounted the sequence of events. The incident took place on July 12, 1991, when the Uttar Pradesh police stopped a luxury bus in which a group of Sikh pilgrims were travelling.
The bus was stopped near Kachla Bridge in Badaun district where the police reportedly offloaded 10 pilgrims. They were made to board a mini bus. Later, the pilgrims were divided into three groups -- two of four each and one of the remaining two.
Separate police teams then took them to the jurisdiction of different police stations where they were killed in cold blood. The lure of awards for killing so-called dreaded terrorists was reportedly the motive behind the killings. Some of the Sikh youth had terror-related cases pending against them which the police had come to know.
16:09 Solar scam: HC rejects Saritha Nair's plea for CBI probe
Kerala high court has dismissed Saritha Nair's plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation into the solar scam.
The HC said that there should not be any politics on the eve of elections.
Earlier, a letter purportedly written by Saritha alleged that Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and a host of other leaders had sexually abused her, a charge which the CM vehemently rejected.
The HC said that there should not be any politics on the eve of elections.
Earlier, a letter purportedly written by Saritha alleged that Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and a host of other leaders had sexually abused her, a charge which the CM vehemently rejected.
15:56 Panama Papers: Jaitley responds to Express story, says such adventurism extremely costly'
In his reaction to The Indian Express story of some Indians having unaccounted wealth in tax havens, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said those who did not take advantage of the compliance window last year to declare illegal assets abroad will find such adventurism extremely costly.
The minister said global initiatives to deal with the menace of unaccounted wealth abroad will be in place by 2017, and then it would become extremely difficult for individuals to hide assets.
With G20 initiatives, FATCA and bilateral transactions in place with effect from 2017, the world is going to be a far more transparent institution and therefore, this kind of an adventurism will prove to be extremely costly for those who have indulged in it, Jaitley said while addressing the annual session of industry body CII.
His statement comes on a day when The Indian Express, based on leaked documents of Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, reported that over 500 Indians including some well known names figure in the list of persons having association with firms in tax havens.
The minister said global initiatives to deal with the menace of unaccounted wealth abroad will be in place by 2017, and then it would become extremely difficult for individuals to hide assets.
With G20 initiatives, FATCA and bilateral transactions in place with effect from 2017, the world is going to be a far more transparent institution and therefore, this kind of an adventurism will prove to be extremely costly for those who have indulged in it, Jaitley said while addressing the annual session of industry body CII.
His statement comes on a day when The Indian Express, based on leaked documents of Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, reported that over 500 Indians including some well known names figure in the list of persons having association with firms in tax havens.
15:47 George Clooney says magazine fabricated interview
UK-based publication Hello! magazine has apologized to George Clooney for using old material and quotes he never made and implying the result was an exclusive interview.
Hello! Group, which owns the magazine, said it purchased the piece from an agency it has worked with previously. But it has been established that the "exclusive interview" of the American actor had been "culled together from a series of interviews that took place over a period of time," a statement released Friday read. "Many of the quotes attributed to Mr. Clooney were never made by him." Read more
Hello! Group, which owns the magazine, said it purchased the piece from an agency it has worked with previously. But it has been established that the "exclusive interview" of the American actor had been "culled together from a series of interviews that took place over a period of time," a statement released Friday read. "Many of the quotes attributed to Mr. Clooney were never made by him." Read more
15:35
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi needs a new speech writer. Campaigning in Assam, Rahul mouths the same spiel: They (BJP) run suit-boot ki sarkar."
15:23 Coal scam: Rungtas get 4 yrs jail, to pay Rs 5 lakh fine each
A special court today awarded four year jail term to Jharkhand Ispat Private Limited (JIPL) directors R C Rungta and R S Rungta in a coal block allocation scam case.
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar, who delivered the first judgement in coal scam, also imposed Rs five lakh fine on each of the convicts held guilty for deceiving and defrauding the government to bag a coal block in Jharkhand. Besides Rungtas, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on the company JIPL, also convicted in the case.
Rungtas and JIPL are the first ones to be convicted among the several coal scam cases going on in the court which had in its March 28 verdict observed that the convicts had "fraudulently" and with a dishonest intention "deceived" the government in allocating the North Dhadu coal block in Jharkhand to the firm. In its 132-page judgement, the court had held that the "intention to defraud on the part of accused persons is writ large on the face of record."
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar, who delivered the first judgement in coal scam, also imposed Rs five lakh fine on each of the convicts held guilty for deceiving and defrauding the government to bag a coal block in Jharkhand. Besides Rungtas, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on the company JIPL, also convicted in the case.
Rungtas and JIPL are the first ones to be convicted among the several coal scam cases going on in the court which had in its March 28 verdict observed that the convicts had "fraudulently" and with a dishonest intention "deceived" the government in allocating the North Dhadu coal block in Jharkhand to the firm. In its 132-page judgement, the court had held that the "intention to defraud on the part of accused persons is writ large on the face of record."
15:14 Panama Papers: Aishwarya Rai's team says report 'Totally Untrue'
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai are among celebrities who featured on Monday in a massive leak of documents, some of which reveal hidden offshore assets.
Aishwarya's media adviser has rejected the documents as "totally untrue and false". The Indian Express reported that Aishwarya was director and shareholder of an offshore company, along with members of her family, before it was thought to have been wound up in 2008, according to the Indian Express.
Bachchan has not yet commented on the documents. As with many of the people named in the documents, there is no evidence offered that the Bollywood A-listers used their companies for improper purposes, and having an offshore entity is not illegal.
The Express is among more than 100 media groups which have investigated a massive leak of 11.5 million documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm with offices in 35 countries.
Aishwarya's media adviser has rejected the documents as "totally untrue and false". The Indian Express reported that Aishwarya was director and shareholder of an offshore company, along with members of her family, before it was thought to have been wound up in 2008, according to the Indian Express.
Bachchan has not yet commented on the documents. As with many of the people named in the documents, there is no evidence offered that the Bollywood A-listers used their companies for improper purposes, and having an offshore entity is not illegal.
The Express is among more than 100 media groups which have investigated a massive leak of 11.5 million documents from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm with offices in 35 countries.
15:13 Nirmal Singh, son of maharaja's security aide, becomes J-K DyCM
Son of a security aide of erstwhile Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, Nirmal Singh who holds a doctorate degree in history, was today sworn in as the deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the second time.
The journey to one of the coveted posts in J and K has been through a long wait for Nirmal Kumar Singh of BJP. After the heart-burn during the ticket distribution in last Lok Sabha election, Singh was the unanimous choice of BJP for the post of deputy chief minister when PDP and BJP decided to forge an alliance last year.
The state was put under Governor's rule following the demise of then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed when both the coalition partners failed to come close to form the government.
However, after the meeting of Mehbooba Mufti with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, both the parties decided to form the government and Singh once again emerged as the consensus candidate of BJP for the post of deputy CM. Singh has contested several Lok Sabha and state assembly elections over the past 25 years but had to wait till 2014 for his maiden victory.
The journey to one of the coveted posts in J and K has been through a long wait for Nirmal Kumar Singh of BJP. After the heart-burn during the ticket distribution in last Lok Sabha election, Singh was the unanimous choice of BJP for the post of deputy chief minister when PDP and BJP decided to forge an alliance last year.
The state was put under Governor's rule following the demise of then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed when both the coalition partners failed to come close to form the government.
However, after the meeting of Mehbooba Mufti with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, both the parties decided to form the government and Singh once again emerged as the consensus candidate of BJP for the post of deputy CM. Singh has contested several Lok Sabha and state assembly elections over the past 25 years but had to wait till 2014 for his maiden victory.
14:32 Why Kulbhushan Yadav could not be a RAW spy
"He was carrying his Indian passport.This seems a very different sort of spy than the ones we see in movies, who carry fake passports and are highly trained," says Aakar Patel. Read
14:21 DU prof Saibaba jailed for Maoist links gets bail after 11 months
The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, who was arrested in May 2015 for alleged links with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) outfit. He has been in jail since a single-judge bench of the Bombay High Court in Nagpur canceled his bail in December last year.
He was initially granted bail in July 2015.
Professor Saibaba, who is 90 per cent handicapped, spoke of his ordeal in a Nagpur jail in this December 2015 interview with Rediff.com. Read
He was initially granted bail in July 2015.
Professor Saibaba, who is 90 per cent handicapped, spoke of his ordeal in a Nagpur jail in this December 2015 interview with Rediff.com. Read
13:55
Sharad Yadav not to stand for the post of president of JD(U), which he has held for three terms.
13:50
Centre to withdraw its appeal from SC against Allahabad HC verdict holding Aligarh Muslim University as a non-minority institution.
13:49 Panama Papers: A day before, Mossack Fonseca warned clients
The revelation of #PanamaPapers, detailing the off-shore structures of many wealthy clients, is a "crime' and an "attack' on Panama, the law firm at the heart of the scandal has said."This is a crime, a felony,' Ramon Fonseca, one of the founders of the Panamanian firm Mossack Fonseca, said on Sunday."This is an attack on Panama because certain countries don't like it that we are so competitive in attracting companies,' he told AFP.On April 1, Mossack Fonseca & Co warned its clients of a media expose, saying its servers had been compromised. Read more
13:40
The young lady has reason to be proud: Her mother, Mehbooba Mufti, became the first woman CM of Jammu and Kashmir.
This is Irtiqa Iqbal has to say, "I expect her (Mehbooba Mufti) to make things better and fulfill the promises she made to the people."
This is Irtiqa Iqbal has to say, "I expect her (Mehbooba Mufti) to make things better and fulfill the promises she made to the people."
13:32 Judgement day for Virbhadra soon
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is the most worried Congressman in the country because in a couple of days will be judgement day in the disproportionate assets case. Few Confidants of the CM are in constant touch with the top BJP Union Ministers not only to understand the political implications but to ensure they will be able to switch sides at the opportune moment. There are eight to ten Congress MLAs who are unhappy with the chief minister and fence sitters will jump on to the BJP bandwagon. That is why Ambika Soni, the AICC observer to Himachal Pradesh, has been hosting parties for mediapersons who are BJP experts. Congress is worried about losing Himachal Pradesh.
13:13 Fate of Assam's Big 3 to be decided today, 35% polling so far
More than 35 per cent of the 95,11,732 voters, including Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, exercised their franchise amidst tight security till mid day during the first phase of voting today.
The fate of Gogoi, BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and his alliance partner AGP's Working President Atul Bora will be decided in today's polls. Voters were seen standing in long queues at 2,190 polling stations to exercise their franchise for the 539 contestants in 65 of the 126 Assam Assembly segments going to the polls in the first phase today.
The fate of Gogoi, BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and his alliance partner AGP's Working President Atul Bora will be decided in today's polls. Voters were seen standing in long queues at 2,190 polling stations to exercise their franchise for the 539 contestants in 65 of the 126 Assam Assembly segments going to the polls in the first phase today.
12:50 Mukesh Ambani the star
Reliance Industries CMD Mukesh Ambani was the star attraction on Saturday night in New Delhi at the golden jubilee wedding celebrations of V Balasubramanian.
Known as Reliance Balu in Delhi circles, he was a close confidant of Dhirubhai Ambani and now Mukhesh.
In the massive attendance of invitees was seen Congress working committee members and general secretaries.
Buzz is that a few Congress leaders from Himachal Pradesh including Anand Sharma and six MLAs were seen talking to Mukesh Ambani.
At a corner we spotted a strategy meeting begin held, likely for the way ahead in Himachal Pradesh.
Known as Reliance Balu in Delhi circles, he was a close confidant of Dhirubhai Ambani and now Mukhesh.
In the massive attendance of invitees was seen Congress working committee members and general secretaries.
Buzz is that a few Congress leaders from Himachal Pradesh including Anand Sharma and six MLAs were seen talking to Mukesh Ambani.
At a corner we spotted a strategy meeting begin held, likely for the way ahead in Himachal Pradesh.
12:08 Bihar will be biggest loser if Cabinet is reshuffled
Intense lobbying has begun with speculation about a possible Union Cabinet reshuffle.
An auspicious day is being chosen between May 11 and 19, or a day before the five assembly poll results which will be announced on May 19. And so began a laborious exercise in the PMO and a rethink for master strategist and BJP president Amit Shah.
A senior BJP leader who is privy to
sensitive information says Bihar will be a major loser.
The reshuffle will focus on Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab with at least eight new faces expected from these three states. This means four or five ministers from Bihar will be dropped.
Modi has been meeting junior ministers
frequently to gauge their performance and what is being heard is that only a few ministers may be elevated to Cabinet status.
An auspicious day is being chosen between May 11 and 19, or a day before the five assembly poll results which will be announced on May 19. And so began a laborious exercise in the PMO and a rethink for master strategist and BJP president Amit Shah.
A senior BJP leader who is privy to
sensitive information says Bihar will be a major loser.
The reshuffle will focus on Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab with at least eight new faces expected from these three states. This means four or five ministers from Bihar will be dropped.
Modi has been meeting junior ministers
frequently to gauge their performance and what is being heard is that only a few ministers may be elevated to Cabinet status.
11:57
HRD ministry's list of top 3 Universities:
1. IISc Bangalore
2. ICT Mumbai
3. JNU
1. IISc Bangalore
2. ICT Mumbai
3. JNU
11:52 Jawan, civilian injured in pressure bomb blast
A police jawan and a civilian were today injured in a pressure bomb blast triggered by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Kanker district, police said. The incident took place near Maoulimor village, around 7 kms away from Rawghat Police Station limits at around 9 am, Kanker Superintendent of Police, Jitendra Singh Meena said.
On getting information that Naxalites had installed banners, posters and blocked Raoghat-Moulimor road by felling trees, a joint team of district force and Border Security Force (BSF) approached the spot. The Naxalites had erected banners on trees, the SP said.
On getting information that Naxalites had installed banners, posters and blocked Raoghat-Moulimor road by felling trees, a joint team of district force and Border Security Force (BSF) approached the spot. The Naxalites had erected banners on trees, the SP said.
11:44 Sumitra Mahajan likely to be Modi's choice for President
With President Pranab Mukherjee's tenure entering the last lap -- he will step down in 2017 -- speculation over his likely successor has begun.
Ask the top BJP leadership about their likely candidate for the top office in the country and pat comes the answer: Watch the next Union Cabinet reshuffle which will open up the various possibilities before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Another straw in the wind will be BJP chief Amit Shah's new team of office-bearers.
Party insiders feel both these exercises will reveal the Modi-Shah duo's mind as well narrow down their choice for next President.
But it would be safe to state that Pranabda's successor is likely to be a woman. And the BJP will go in for a consensus candidate.
With one year to go, the hot money right now, it seems, is on Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
11:22 Is your IIT in the top three?
Meanwhile, the HRD ministry has announced the India rankings 2016 for engineering and management.
Top 3 in Engineering
1. IIT Madras
2. IIT Mumbai
3. IIT kharagpur
Top three in Management
1. IIM Bangalore
2. IIM Ahmdabad
3 IIM Calcuta
Top 3 in Engineering
1. IIT Madras
2. IIT Mumbai
3. IIT kharagpur
Top three in Management
1. IIM Bangalore
2. IIM Ahmdabad
3 IIM Calcuta
11:16 BJP's Nirmal Singh sworn as deputy CM
Twenty-three ministers being sworn in with Mehbooba. PDP leader Ghulam Nabi Lone takes oath as Minister of state, by Governor NN Vohra. BJP MLA Bali Bhagat takes oath as a minister. BJP's Nirmal Singh sworn as deputy CM in by Governor Vohra. Chaudhary Lal Singh takes oath as a minister in J&K government in Dogri.
11:08 Cong stays away from Mehbooba's swearing-in ceremony
The Congress party has decided to stay away from the swearing-in ceremony of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister-designate Mehbooba Mufti, terming the PDP-BJP coalition as unholy alliance.
We have decided to stay away from tomorrows swearing-in ceremony of chief minister-designate Mehbooba Mufti as this coalition was unholy from the very beginning and they have once again forged this unholy alliance, chief state spokesman of Congress Ravinder Sharma said.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Raj Bhawan in Jammu at 11 am.
Both PDP and BJP have disrespected the mandate of the people, as they won the mandate by pitting people against each other on all ideological and core issues of Jammu and Kashmir and for the greed of power they decided to come closer, Sharma said.
He said even PDP had admitted that forging an alliance with BJP was an unpopular decision.
He said Congresss decision to stay away from the swearing -in ceremony was also aimed at marking the protest against the undemocratic removal of the Congress governments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
The BJP-RSS combine has dislodged two democratically-elected governments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. They are involved in a conspiracy to dislodge and destabilise Congress-ruled states, hence we decided to stay away from the swearing-in ceremony, Sharma said.
We have decided to stay away from tomorrows swearing-in ceremony of chief minister-designate Mehbooba Mufti as this coalition was unholy from the very beginning and they have once again forged this unholy alliance, chief state spokesman of Congress Ravinder Sharma said.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Raj Bhawan in Jammu at 11 am.
Both PDP and BJP have disrespected the mandate of the people, as they won the mandate by pitting people against each other on all ideological and core issues of Jammu and Kashmir and for the greed of power they decided to come closer, Sharma said.
He said even PDP had admitted that forging an alliance with BJP was an unpopular decision.
He said Congresss decision to stay away from the swearing -in ceremony was also aimed at marking the protest against the undemocratic removal of the Congress governments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
The BJP-RSS combine has dislodged two democratically-elected governments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. They are involved in a conspiracy to dislodge and destabilise Congress-ruled states, hence we decided to stay away from the swearing-in ceremony, Sharma said.
11:02 Mehbooba takes oath as the first woman CM of J-K
Mehbooba Mufti takes oath as the first woman CM of Jammu and Kashmir.
10:56 IISc tops 'India Rankings 2016'
The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, has grabbed the first spot in 'India Rankings 2016'.
The 'first-ever' 'India Rankings' were launched on Monday, with Union Human Resource Development minister Smriti Irani tweeting about it a day before.
'Look forward to the launch of the first ever #IndiaRankings2016 tomorrow under the National Institutional Ranking Framework', she tweeted.
The Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai has been ranked second, while the Jawaharlal Nehru University was placed on the third spot under university ranking.
The 'first-ever' 'India Rankings' were launched on Monday, with Union Human Resource Development minister Smriti Irani tweeting about it a day before.
'Look forward to the launch of the first ever #IndiaRankings2016 tomorrow under the National Institutional Ranking Framework', she tweeted.
The Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai has been ranked second, while the Jawaharlal Nehru University was placed on the third spot under university ranking.
10:45 Two new BJP MLAs in Mehbooba's cabinet
Two new Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs -- Sham Lal Choudhary and Ajay Nanda -- will be inducted in Mehbooba Mufti's cabinet.
On Monday morning, Governor N N Vohra inspected the arrangements at Raj Bhawan for Mehbooba's oath taking ceremony.
Apart from Union ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Jitendra Singh, BJP leader Ram Madhav will attend the ceremony.
Former J&K CMs Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah will also be present.
The Congress, however, has decided to stay away from the swearing-in ceremony. They have termed the PDP-BJP coalition as 'unholy alliance'.
On Monday morning, Governor N N Vohra inspected the arrangements at Raj Bhawan for Mehbooba's oath taking ceremony.
Apart from Union ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Jitendra Singh, BJP leader Ram Madhav will attend the ceremony.
Former J&K CMs Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah will also be present.
The Congress, however, has decided to stay away from the swearing-in ceremony. They have termed the PDP-BJP coalition as 'unholy alliance'.
10:27 Modi arrives home after successful three-nation tour
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New Delhi on Monday morning after his successfully three-nation tour of Belgium, United States and Saudi Arabia.
Modi was received by Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Satish Upadhyay and Vijender Gupta, on his arrival at the Palam Technical Airport.
Prior to his departure from Riyadh, Modi tweeted, 'Thank you Saudi Arabia. Joined several programmes during my visit, which will deepen economic & people-to-people ties between our nations.'
Modi was received by Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Satish Upadhyay and Vijender Gupta, on his arrival at the Palam Technical Airport.
Prior to his departure from Riyadh, Modi tweeted, 'Thank you Saudi Arabia. Joined several programmes during my visit, which will deepen economic & people-to-people ties between our nations.'
10:08 Amitabh, Aishwarya named in tax leak by Panama law firm
A massive leak of 11.5 million tax documents has exposed the secret offshore dealings of aides to Russian president Vladimir Putin, other world leaders and Indian celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai.
An investigation into the documents by more than 100 media groups, described as one of the largest such probes in history, revealed the hidden offshore dealings in the assets of around 140 political figures -- including 12 current or former heads of states.
The investigation yielded 11.5 million documents from around 214,000 offshore entities, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said. The leaked documents came from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm with offices in more than 35 countries.
Over 500 Indians figure on the firm's list of offshore companies, foundations and trusts.
According to an Indian Express report, the list includes Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, DLF owner K P Singh, former Mumbai ganglord Iqbal Mirchi and scores of other businessmen -- including Gautam Adani's elder brother.
The huge data leak from the law firm in Panama has threatened to dramatically boost the country's reputation as an offshore haven for money laundering.
Read the ICIJ report HERE
Also read:
The Panama Papers: how the world's rich and famous hide their money offshore
About the Panama Papers
Paying for real estate deals: Karnal to London via Bahamas, the route Indiabulls promoter took
An investigation into the documents by more than 100 media groups, described as one of the largest such probes in history, revealed the hidden offshore dealings in the assets of around 140 political figures -- including 12 current or former heads of states.
The investigation yielded 11.5 million documents from around 214,000 offshore entities, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said. The leaked documents came from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm with offices in more than 35 countries.
Over 500 Indians figure on the firm's list of offshore companies, foundations and trusts.
According to an Indian Express report, the list includes Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, DLF owner K P Singh, former Mumbai ganglord Iqbal Mirchi and scores of other businessmen -- including Gautam Adani's elder brother.
The huge data leak from the law firm in Panama has threatened to dramatically boost the country's reputation as an offshore haven for money laundering.
Read the ICIJ report HERE
Also read:
The Panama Papers: how the world's rich and famous hide their money offshore
About the Panama Papers
Paying for real estate deals: Karnal to London via Bahamas, the route Indiabulls promoter took
09:45 Tamil Nadu polls: Congress to contest in 41 seats
Seat sharing talks between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for Tamil Nadu assembly elections have resulted in the Congress getting 41 out of the 234 assembly seats in the state.
The talks began early on Monday morning when Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad arrived at DMK chief M Karunanidhi's residence in Chennai.
The talks began early on Monday morning when Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad arrived at DMK chief M Karunanidhi's residence in Chennai.
08:47
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi casts his vote, says 'I don't think it's a tough battle.'
08:21 First phase voting begins in Assam, Bengal amid tight security
The first of the two-phase Assam the six-phase West Bengal assembly elections began at 7 am today amid strict security.
In Assam, 65 of the state's total 126 constituencies are going to polls in which the main contenders are the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party-Asom Gana Parishad-Bodoland People's Front alliance.
An electorate of 95,11,732, including 45,95,712 women, are able to exercise their franchise in 12,190 polling booths to decide the fate of 539 candidates.
As many as 1,241 polling stations have been identified as 'critical' polling stations, 1,992 as 'hypersensitive' and 3,739 as 'sensitive'.
In all 535 companies of security forces have been deployed in the 65 constituencies.
Out of them 433 companies are central forces and 102 are from the state police. In WB, 18 constituencies in the Left-wing extremism-affected areas are going to polls today.
A tight multi-layered security ring was thrown in the three districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura to tackle any threat by Maoists.
Phase 1(a) of the election will decide the fate of 133 candidates, including 11 women, fighting from the 18 constituencies.
Out of them, 13 seats have been roughly classified as LWE-affected areas by the Election Commission where voting will end early at 4 pm due to security considerations.
In the remaining five constituencies of Purulia, Manbazar, Kashipur, Para and Raghunathpur voting will go on for two extra hours till 6 pm.
Total number of voters in the constituencies are a little over 40 lakh out of which 20,47,202 are males.
The third gender category list shows only a handful of 16 voters.
There are total 4,945 polling stations out of which 1,962 have been classified as critical ones by the Election Commission.
In Assam, 65 of the state's total 126 constituencies are going to polls in which the main contenders are the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party-Asom Gana Parishad-Bodoland People's Front alliance.
An electorate of 95,11,732, including 45,95,712 women, are able to exercise their franchise in 12,190 polling booths to decide the fate of 539 candidates.
As many as 1,241 polling stations have been identified as 'critical' polling stations, 1,992 as 'hypersensitive' and 3,739 as 'sensitive'.
In all 535 companies of security forces have been deployed in the 65 constituencies.
Out of them 433 companies are central forces and 102 are from the state police. In WB, 18 constituencies in the Left-wing extremism-affected areas are going to polls today.
A tight multi-layered security ring was thrown in the three districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura to tackle any threat by Maoists.
Phase 1(a) of the election will decide the fate of 133 candidates, including 11 women, fighting from the 18 constituencies.
Out of them, 13 seats have been roughly classified as LWE-affected areas by the Election Commission where voting will end early at 4 pm due to security considerations.
In the remaining five constituencies of Purulia, Manbazar, Kashipur, Para and Raghunathpur voting will go on for two extra hours till 6 pm.
Total number of voters in the constituencies are a little over 40 lakh out of which 20,47,202 are males.
The third gender category list shows only a handful of 16 voters.
There are total 4,945 polling stations out of which 1,962 have been classified as critical ones by the Election Commission.
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