LIVE! Kamal Nath's phone hacked to scam party members

LIVE

Wed, 12 July 2023

Kamal Nath's phone hacked to scam party members

Timeline Refresh

File image

23:56 IAF rescues 7 trekkers from near Chandratal glacial lake

Seven trekkers were rescued from near the Chandratal glacial lake in Himachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force said on Wednesday.

The IAF also tweeted a picture of the rescue work.

"In a daring rescue operation, braving marginal weather and near white-out conditions, an #IAF helicopter rescued seven trekkers from near the Chandratal glacial lake. #HarKaamDeshKeNaam," it tweeted.

Chandratal lake is located in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. -- PTI

Vijay Sethupathi

23:38 Vijay Sethupathi's 50th film titled 'Maharaja', Anurag Kashyap part of cast

The 50th feature film headlined by National Award winner Vijay Sethupathi is titled Maharaja, which also stars filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, the makers announced on Wednesday.

The upcoming movie is directed by Nithilan Saminathan of Kurangu Bommai fame.

Sethupathi took to his official Twitter account to share the news.

"#VJS50 Titled #Maharaja. Written and directed by @Dir_Nithilan," the actor wrote alongside the poster of the film.

Kashyap also shared the update on his Twitter page.

"Even the darkness fears his brutal politics. Beware, he's coming!! #VJS50 Titled '#Maharaja'. Get ready to handle the toughest ones in the game. Written and directed by @Dir_Nithilan. #MakkalSelvan @VijaySethuOffl," the filmmaker-actor tweeted.

Though primarily known for his directorial ventures such as Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1-2, Dev.D and Mukkabaaz, Kashyap's film credits as an actor include Akira, Imaikkaa Nodigal, and AK vs AK. -- PTI

Kamal Nath

23:14 Kamal Nath's phone hacked to scam party members

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath's mobile phone was hacked by fraudsters who made calls to four party leaders and sought Rs 10 lakh from each of them, a party spokesman said on Wednesday.

Congress office-bearers caught two persons who allegedly made the calls and then came to collect money in the Malviya Nagar area, said the spokesman, adding the duo, who hailed from Gujarat, was handed over to the police.

The police detained the accused and interrogated them, but no formal complaint has been lodged, he said.

MP Congress committee's media department chairman KK Mishra told PTI that the accused hacked the phone of Nath and asked for Rs 10 lakh each from party MLA Satish Sikarwar, treasure Ashok Singh, Indore city Congress president Surjeet Singh Chaddha and former treasurer Govind Goyal.

The fraud came to light when Goyal cross-checked details of the call with some office-bearers and came to know that the former CM had not sought money from party members, he said.

Goyal then decided to trap the fraudsters and redialled the number on which he had received request for money.

He asked the caller to come to his office located in the Malviya Nagar area and collect money from him, Mishra said.

Delhi's Saket court on Wednesday recorded the statement of Shreerjay, the brother of Shraddha Walkar who was brutally murdered by her live-in boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala.

The court is recording the statement of prosecution witnesses in the Shraddha Murder case.

Additional sessions judge Manish Khurana Kakkar recorded the statement of Shreejay Vikas Walker on Wednesday.

His cross-examination will be conducted on the next date of hearing on July 17.

The statements of the other two witnesses Manish Kumar and Kusum Lata completed on Wednesday.

The court had framed charges against Aftab Amin Poonawala for murdering Shraddha Walkar and destroying the evidence.

Shraddha Walkar was allegedly murdered by Aftab in the Mehrauli area on May 18, 2022.

Her body parts were thrown in the jungle of Chhatarpur Pahadi Area.

He was arrested in November 2022.

The court had framed the charges under sections 302 and 201 IPC for murder and disappearance of evidence. -- ANI

A view of Beas river in Kullu during heavy rains in Himachal/ANI

22:30 13 bodies recovered from Beas river in Himachal

Himachal Pradesh's acting director general of police Satwant Atwal Trivedi on Wednesday said that 13 bodies were recovered from Beas River in Kullu district.

Acting DGP said that the recovered bodies are yet to be identified.

The acting DGP said, "Yes I got information from the SP Kullu that 13 bodies were recovered by the police in Beas River in Kullu and the identification process is on, we need to send then for postmortem and I will not be able to comment much on this until we don't have confirmation of identification on it."

She further stated that many people in the state have contacted the district administration and police and over 40 foreign nationals have been rescued.

"Over 1500 people contacted Himachal Pradesh police who were stranded in different locations. Over 2000 people were rescued from the Kasol area of the Kullu district till Wednesday afternoon; others in the Lahaul-Spiti district are being moved out from the region," she said. -- ANI

A court in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Wednesday reserved till July 20 its order on a discharge application moved by social activist Teesta Setalvad, who is accused of fabricating evidence to frame innocent people in 2002 riots cases.

Additional sessions judge Ambalal Patel reserved the order after arguments of both sides concluded.

Setalvad and two others -- former director general of police RB Sreekumar and ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt -- were arrested by the city crime branch in June last year on charges of forgery and fabricating false evidence with the intent to procure conviction for capital offence in connection with the 2002 riots cases.

Setalvad was later granted bail.

The Gujarat high court had on July 1 rejected Setalvad's bail plea and directed her to surrender immediately while observing that she made attempts to unsettle the then democratically-elected government and malign the image of then chief minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But the Supreme Court passed an interim order protecting her from arrest in the case, and posted the matter for hearing on July 19.

As per the Special Investigation Team, constituted to probe the case, Setalvad was part of a larger conspiracy carried out at the behest of Congress leader late Ahmed Patel to destabilise the then Bharatiya Janata Party government led by chief minister Narendra Modi.

At Patel's behest, Setalvad received Rs 30 lakh after post-Godhra riots in 2002 that was used for the purpose, it alleged. -- PTI

The Supreme Court of India

21:54 Two HC judges elevated to Supreme Court

Two high court chief justices were on Wednesday elevated as judges of the Supreme Court.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the appointments of judges Ujjal Bhuyan and S Venkatanarayana Bhatti on Twitter.

The names of Justice Bhuyan, the chief justice of the Telangana high court, and Justice Bhatti, his counterpart in Kerala, were recommended for elevation to the top court by the Supreme Court Collegium on July 5.

The Supreme Court has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, including the chief justice, but is functioning with 30.

Once the two judges take oath, the working strength of the apex court will go up to 32, leaving two vacancies.

Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar (3rd from left) and Praful Patel come out of Delhi airport/ANI

21:30 Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel in Delhi to meet Amit Shah

Amid a standoff over allocation of portfolios in Maharashtra, senior Nationalist Congress Party leaders Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening for a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.

Talking to reporters, Patel, the working president of the Nationalist Congress Party, dismissed suggestions about a rift in the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance in Maharashtra and asserted that the issue about the allocation of portfolios has been sorted out and a cabinet expansion in the state will take place in a day or two.

In a surprise development on July 2, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP split as his nephew Ajit Pawar and almost three dozen MLAs joined the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.

Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders were sworn in as ministers.

"Do not read too much into our meetings here. It is just a courtesy call on senior BJP leaders. Ajit dada and myself have not had a formal meeting with the top BJP leadership. We will be meeting Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders here," Patel said. -- PTI

21:17 President Murmu to visit Gwalior on Thursday

President Droupadi Murmu will be on a one-day visit to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh on July 13, an official release said.

Murmu will grace the 4th convocation of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management at Gwalior, it said.

The president will have lunch at Jai Vilas Palace, the Gwalior-based residence of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and also visit the Jiwajirao Scindia Museum, a Madhya Pradesh BJP office-bearer said on Wednesday.

"Elaborate arrangements are being made for the President's visit to Jai Vilas Palace. Jyotiraditya Scindia's wife Priyadarshini Raje Scindia is monitoring preparations," the office-bearer said.

Preparations are underway at Jai Vilas Palace to welcome the President traditionally and troupes will perform cultural programmes on the occasion, he added.

Before Murmu, then presidents including Rajendra Prasad, Savrapalli Radhakrishnan, Gyani Jail Singh, Shankar Dayal Sharma, APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil had visited Jai Vilas Palace, he said.

The Jai Vilas Palace was built in 1874 by Jayajirao Scindia, the Maharaja of Gwalior in the British Raj.

While the major part of the palace is now the Jiwajirao Scindia Museum, a part of it is the residence of some of his descendants. -- PTI

The Delhi traffic police on Wednesday issued an advisory as the water level of the Yamuna river rose to 207.81 metre, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metre set in 1978.

Incessant rainfall in Delhi and surrounding areas has resulted in a rise in the water level of the Yamuna.

Furthermore, the release of water from Hathni Kund Barrage has heightened the risk of flood-like conditions in low-lying areas in the vicinity of the river, it said in a statement.

Waterlogging on parts of the busy Ring Road, including on the stretch between Majnu ka Tila and Wazirabad, led to traffic congestion, Public Works Department officials said.

According to them, waterlogging was reported from three locations on the Ring Road -- between the Monastery Market and ISBT Kashmere Gate, Loha Pul and the stretch between Majnu ka Tila and Wazirabad.

"Traffic is affected on Ring Road between Monastery and ISBT Kashmere Gate due to the overflowing Yamuna river. Kindly avoid the stretch," the Delhi traffic police said in a tweet.

"The Irrigation and Flood Control Department has put sandbags to stop the Yamuna from overflowing. PWD teams are using mobile pumps to pump out the water," said a PWD official.

Heavy waterlogging also affected traffic movement between Chandgi Ram Akhada and Kashmere Gate.

The Delhi police imposed prohibitory measures under CrPC Section 144 in flood-prone areas of the city on Wednesday.

Movement of traffic will be regulated on the Outer Ring Road between Wazirabad Bridge and Vikas Marg and the Mahatma Gandhi Road between Kalighat Mandir and Delhi Secretariat, the Delhi traffic police statement said.

The routes suggested for north-to-south movement are from Outer Ring Road -- Wazirabad Bridge -- Yamuna Marginal Bandh Marg -- Pushta Road -- Vikas Marg and Outer Ring Road -- Arihant Marg -- Mahatma Gandhi Marg -- Vikas Marg, it said. -- PTI

Allahabad University/Facebook

20:27 Allahabad university vandalised over student's death

Students of Allahabad university on Wednesday scuffled with teachers and vandalised some offices on the campus over the death of a student under "suspicious circumstances", the varsity said.

Some miscreants from outside led by student leader Ajay Yadav Samrat vandalised the university campus and indulged in indecent behaviour and scuffled with women in which some women teachers were injured, a university spokesperson claimed.

According to the statement, the miscreants vandalised the Hindi and Sanskrit departments besides damaging some documents at the proctor's office.

Ashutosh Kumar Dubey (22), a student in the fifth semester of Media Studies at the university, was found unconscious in front of the students' union building on Tuesday.

He was taken by other students to SRN Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, additional commissioner of police (Shivkuti) Rajesh Kumar Yadav said.

The university administration, in its statement, said that the death of the student on the campus was unfortunate and claimed that it has nothing to do with the varsity.

It was an accident that happened on campus, it said.

The spokesperson claimed Dubey was under a lot of stress due to his family circumstances and this also affected his diet. -- PTI

Neha Shalini Dua/Twitter

20:03 Delhi BJP removes Neha Shalini Dua as spokesperson

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Delhi unit on Wednesday removed Neha Shalini Dua as its spokesperson for allegedly violating the official party line while expressing her views on various issues, including the GST.

Hitting back, Dua charged a section of the BJP's Delhi unit leaders of "chauvinism" and urged the party's central leadership to take note of the action against her.

"Delhi BJP has with immediate effect relieved Neha Shalini Dua from the post of spokesperson of Delhi BJP for repeatedly violating (the) party line," a statement from the Delhi BJP's media department said.

The statement also added that "all media channels and newspapers are informed that Neha Shalini Dua's views should not be taken as (the) party line".

The news channels have been requested to not invite Dua as the Delhi BJP spokesperson, it said. Earlier this month, the Delhi BJP issued Dua with a showcause notice to explain her violation of the party line.

"Earlier also you violated the party line. Even today you uploaded a video on GST, which is not the official stand of the party," said a letter to Dua by Harsh Malhotra, the Delhi BJP general secretary, on Wednesday.

The letter added that according to the order of the Delhi BJP president, Dua is being immediately relieved from the post of spokesperson of the BJP's Delhi unit but she can continue to work as a party worker. -- PTI

Representational image

19:39 Maha police seize country-made 'machine gun' from wanted criminal in Dhule

The police on the trail of a criminal in Maharashtra were shocked when they found him possessing a country-made 'machine gun' along with other firearms, a senior Thane Police officer said on Wednesday.

Crime branch officials also seized 20 country-made steel pistols, two magazines, and 280 live cartridges from the accused, identified as Surjit Singh alias Maza Avsingh (27), after intercepting him in Palsner town of Dhule district.

He hails from Badwani in Madhya Pradesh.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Shivraj Patil told reporters that a case was registered against Singh under Arms Act at Wagle Estate police station in Thane in 2022.

He said the police had earlier arrested three persons and recovered firearms they were planning to use for carrying out an armed dacoity.

"On a tip-off that accused Singh will be visiting Palsner, a team of police officials rushed there and nabbed him. Police seized a country-made 'machine gun', 20 country-made steel pistols, two magazines and 280 live cartridges," the DCP said.

The accused was produced in a local court which remanded him in police custody till July 18. Senior police inspector (crime branch) Vikas Ghodke said the investigation is underway to unearth the network of smuggling of country-made weapons. -- PTI

File image

19:14 EU parliament to debate Manipur situation today

Ahead of a planned debate in European parliament on the situation in Manipur, India on Wednesday said it has been made clear to the parliamentarians that this is a matter "absolutely" internal to the country.

A motion for a resolution on the Manipur situation was tabled in the Brussels-based EU parliament and it was scheduled to be taken up on Wednesday.

Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said EU parliamentarians concerned are being reached out and it has been made clear to them that it is a matter "absolutely" internal to India.

Manipur has been witnessing violent clashes, especially between Kuki and Meitei communities for close to two months.

The opposition parties have been accusing the government of failing to contain the violence.

"This is a matter totally internal to India," Kwatra said, replying to a question on the matter at a press conference.

He said New Delhi is aware about what is happening at the EU parliament in Brussels.

"We made a reach-out to the concerned EU parliamentarians. But we made it very clear that this is a matter absolutely internal to India," he said. -- PTI

Three persons including a pastor have been arrested for allegedly attacking a local Bajrang Dal office bearer who claimed he is running a campaign against religious conversion.

Dipanshu Srivastava alias Deepak had registered an FIR at Nanpara police station on Tuesday night alleging that when he was returning from village Kakri to Banjaria at about 10.30 pm, pastor Anil and others attacked him with sticks and rods, additional superintendent of police Pavitra Mohan Tripathi said.

On his complaint, the ASP said, an FIR has been registered against Anil, Ram Narain, Rohit Maurya and one more person under the relevant sections of the IPC.

He said three named in the FIR have been arrested and attempts are on to nab one other person involved in the case. Srivastava is a 'vibhag sanyojak' of the Bajrang Dal.

In June, he had lodged a complaint against six persons including pastor Anil for allegedly abusing Hindu Gods and luring villagers for religious conversion.

Srivastava claimed that he was working to stop religious conversion by Christian missionaries and that was why he was threatened and attacked.

The police said that a detailed probe is on in the matter. -- PTI

Amid destrcution caused due to monsoon in several parts of the country, the ministry of finance has released Rs 7,532 crore on Wednesday among 22 state governments for the respective State Disaster Response Funds.

The amount has been released as per the recommendations of the ministry of home affairs.

In a press release, the finance ministry said the guidelines have been relaxed in the wake of heavy rains across the country, and the funds have been released as immediate assistance to States without waiting for the utilisation certificate of the amount provided to the States in the last financial year.

The Central government contributes 75 per cent to the SDRF in general states and 90 per cent in northeast and Himalayan states.

The annual Central contribution is released in two equal instalments as per the recommendation of the Finance Commission.

As per the guidelines, the funds are released on receipt of Utilisation Certificate of the amount released in the earlier instalment and receipt of a report from the state government on the activities undertaken from SDRF. -- PTI

File image

18:17 Woman jumps off 2nd floor after family refuses marriage with 'Telegram' friend

A 24-year old woman was Thursday hospitalised with injuries after she jumped off her second-floor apartment in Noida when her family opposed her marriage to a man she befriended on Telegram, the police said.

The incident took place in the Ajnara Homes society in Sector 121, a police spokesperson said.

The woman is an MBA student and the man she wanted to get married to is 23 years old and a resident of Badaun district in western Uttar Pradesh.

"The woman and the man got in touch over Telegram. When the family members of the woman came to know about the friendship, they were opposed to their relationship. The woman wants to marry the man but her family members do not agree with it," the official said.

"Today, the family of the woman had snatched the phone of the girl, that is why the girl got angry and jumped down from her flat on the second floor. She suffered injuries and was admitted to a hospital by the family members," the official said.

The police said the woman is undergoing treatment at the hospital and they have received no complaint in the case. -- PTI

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday issued a summons to West Bengal law minister Moloy Ghatak asking him to appear before its officers in connection with its ongoing probe into the coal pilferage case in the state, a senior official said.

The Asansol Uttar MLA, who skipped appearing before the ED officers several times, has been asked to reach in person the central probe agency's New Delhi office next week, he said.

"Mr Ghatak has been asked to appear in person before our officers in New Delhi next week. Till date, he has skipped meeting our officers more than 10 times, the official said. -- PTI

17:42 Bengal poll results subject to our order: HC

The Calcutta high court on Wednesday said that the panchayat elections in West Bengal and the declaration of results will be subject to its final orders in connection with matters which it is hearing over allegations of electoral malpractices on the day of polling.

The court directed the State Election Commission, the state government and the central government to file affidavits dealing with all the allegations made in three petitions alleging malpractices.

"When the court is seized of the matter, it goes without saying that whatever has been done thus far, i.e, the conduct of the elections and the declaration of results, will be subject to the ultimate orders that may be passed in this writ petition," he said.

The court directed that the SEC should inform this aspect to all the candidates who have been declared elected.

Alleging large-scale violence and electoral malpractice during the panchayat election on July 8, the petitioners prayed for a direction to the SEC to conduct repolling in around 50,000 booths.

Repolling was done in 696 booths and counting of ballots began on July 11. -- PTI

KBK Graphics

17:17 The top losers at the markets today

Benchmark equity indices ended lower on Wednesday after three days of gain amid profit-taking ahead of key macroeconomic data announcements due later in the day along with the first quarter earnings from TCS and HCL Technologies.

Fag-end selling pulled down the 30-share BSE Sensex lower, which declined 223.94 points or 0.34 per cent to settle at 65,393.90. During the day, it hit a low of 65,320.25 and a high of 65,811.64. The NSE Nifty fell by 55.10 points or 0.28 per cent to end at 19,384.30.

NDRF evacuates people from flood affected areas in Punjab & Haryana

16:51 Punjab floods: 18 dead, 10,000 people evacuated

About 10,000 people have been shifted to safer places from their water-logged localities in Punjab over the past three days, authorities said on Wednesday as they focused on relief work.

According to government data, the death toll due to rain-related incidents in Punjab and Haryana is 18. Seven of the deaths took place in Haryana.

In Punjab, nearly 10,000 people have so far been evacuated in Patiala, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Mohali, SBS Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib districts, they said. Several places in neighbouring Haryana too remained flooded and Chief Minister Manohal Lal Khattar was expected to visit worst-hit Ambala district to take stock of the situation. The weather remained clear at most places in the region for the second day on Wednesday after three days of incessant rains.

In a tweet, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said he is taking regular updates on the rain situation.

"All the dams are safe and well below the danger mark. Our priority is to provide all kinds of assistance to the most affected areas," he said in Punjabi.

"Hopefully, the situation in Punjab will improve by this evening," Mann said, adding that his government stands with the people and will compensate for any kind of loss.

According to government data, the death toll due to rain-related incidents in Punjab rose to 11 on Wednesday, with three latest fatalities reported from Faridkot district. Although Haryana's death toll stands at seven, officials said the numbers may go up as more deaths were reported in the state on Wednesday.

16:46 Maha CM to begin state tour from tomorrow

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will start a tour of the state from Thursday, a spokesperson of the Shiv Sena said. Shinde would be hitting the road days after Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state on July 2.

The CM will start his tour from his home turf Thane city on July 13, said Shiv Sena spokesperson Naresh Mhaske in a statement. He will speak at a party rally in Thane on Thursday evening, Mhaske said.

The aim of the tour was to strengthen the party and reach out to the people ahead of the next year's elections, he said.

Tax raids at Senthil Balaji's residence in May

16:34 Senthil Balaji's judicial custody extended

A city court on Wednesday extended the remand of arrested Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji to judicial custody till July 26.

Principal Sessions S Judge Alli extended the remand of Balaji on an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), following an interim order passed by Justice C V Karthikeyan of the Madras High Court permitting the Principal Sessions Judge to proceed further during the pendency of the hearing on the habeus corpus petition filed by the minister's wife.

Balaji was arrested on June 14 by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a cash-for-jobs scam when he was Transport Minister during the earlier AIADMK regime. He has been since hospitalised and undergone a coronary bypass surgery. PTI

Ravi Shankar Prasad

16:31 You have shamed democracy, a BJP MP tells...

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying, "You have shamed democracy."

The BJP MP and the fact-finding team addressed the media in Kolkata today. "You (Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee) won because the court was strict. We will visit the affected areas. I belong to Bihar, where incidents like these are a matter of past. Elections are conducted in a peaceful manner in my state. I heard that a murder was reported on the counting day as well. You have shamed democracy," said the BJP MP.

He said, "Honourable party president Jagat Prakash Nadda Ji has formed a committee of five members under my convenorship to enquire into the violence that erupted in Bengal".

Taking a jibe at the Bengal CM ,"Today I would like to remind Mamata Ji about her evolution in the Bengal politics. You fought against the ugly and cruel left regime. But what made your politics uglier than that of the left? Why has your politics become full of atrocities? What have you done? The court has to intervene in the election everytime. Even the Supreme Court has expressed its anxiety over the Bengal violence". -- ANI

Pic: Umar Ganie

16:23 Cherry on top

The cherry harvest season has begun in Kashmir. Expect prices to fall as imported cherries cost as much as Rs 250 for a 100 gm.

Security forces in ethnic violence-hit Manipur are finding it difficult to operate in 19 police stations that were denotified as 'disturbed areas' under AFSPA and have been pressing for the presence of a magistrate while performing their duties as a precautionary measure to escape false allegations, officials said.

A total of 19 police stations in Manipur have been excluded from the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 which gives sweeping powers and immunity to the army in conflict-ridden areas. Initially, it was removed from the jurisdiction of 15 police stations in April 2022, while another four were exempted in March this year.

The areas are mainly in Imphal valley while the disturbed area Act continues to be in effect in other parts of the state for another six months from April this year.

The officials claimed that security forces have been subjected to baseless allegations on social media and local media and expressed concern over the recent statement of the Manipur Bar Association asking the general public to share purported evidence of alleged atrocities. During a media briefing on Sunday, Yumnam Nimolchand, the President of the Bar Association, urged the public to provide the High Court Bar Association Manipur or All Manipur Bar Association with any available evidence, including documents, photographs, or other materials, to substantiate their complaints against the security forces.

The officials said that in the present environment where two communities are attacking each other, they may not find even a lawyer to defend them as all courts were within Imphal valley. This move is mainly against the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF and the BSF, they alleged. -- PTI

16:04 Czech author Milan Kundera dies aged 94

The Czech novelist found himself silenced by the communist regime at home, but achieved international fame with playfully philosophical fiction. Kundera, who explored being and betrayal over half a century in poems, plays, essays and novels including The Unbearable Lightness of Being, has died aged 94 after a prolonged illness, Anna Mrazova, spokeswoman for the Milan Kundera Library has confirmed.

The Centre on Wednesday directed cooperatives Nafed and NCCF to procure tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for distribution in major consumption centres, where retail prices have recorded maximum increase in the last one month.

The stocks of tomato will be distributed through retail outlets at discounted prices to the consumers in Delhi-NCR region from July 14, the Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

Retail prices of tomatoes have soared up to Rs 200 per kg in several parts of the country due to supply disruption caused by heavy rains in the country. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) will undertake the procurement of tomatoes.

According to the Ministry, the targeted centres for release of tomatoes have been identified on the basis of absolute increase in retail prices over the past one month in centres where prevailing prices are above the all-India average.

Key consumption centres in states having higher concentration of the identified centres will be further selected for the intervention, it said. The ministry mentioned that the periods during July-August and October-November are generally the lean production months for tomatoes.

"July coinciding with the monsoon season, adds to challenges related to distribution and increased transit losses adding to price rise," it said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged the Centre to intervene to ensure that levels of the Yamuna, flowing at an all-time high of 207.55 metres, don't rise further.

The Yamuna has breached its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978, government agencies said on Wednesday. Sharing an update on Yamunal water levels, Kejriwal said on Twitter, "Central Water Commission predicts 207.72 meter water level in Yamuna tonite. Not good news for Delhi.

"There have been no rains in Delhi last 2 days, however, levels of Yamuna are rising due to abnormally high volumes of water being released by Haryana at Hathnikund barrage. Urge Centre to intervene and ensure that levels in Yamuna don't rise further. Highest Flood Level 207.49m (in 1978). Current Level 207.55m." PTI

15:03 Love you, SRK replies to Salman

Shah Rukh Khan responds to Salman Khan's ecstatic tweet on the film, Jawaan. "Pehle Bhai, issi liye aapko hi dikhaya tha!! Thanks for your wishes and booking the first ticket already. Love you," SRK tweeted.

Salman took to Instagram and shared the Jawans preview and wrote, "Pathan jawan ban gaya, outstanding trailer, absolutely loved it. Now this is the kind of movie we should see in theatres only. I toh for sure seeing it 1st day ko hi. Mazaa ahh gaya wahhhhh.."

Three companies, including Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL), have been selected as " prospective" buyers for Future Enterprises, which is currently undergoing the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process.

The resolution professional of Future Enterprises Ltd (FEL) has finalised a provisional list of three Prospective Resolution Applicants (PRA), an exchange filing from the debt-ridden company said.

Besides RRVL, steel maker Jindal (India) and GBTL, maker of polyester viscose & blended fabrics are on the list. The deadline for submission of resolution plans by PRAs is August 24, 2023.

CIRP was initiated by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) earlier this year in March over a plea moved by its operational creditors. Interestingly, RRVL is also among the final list of prospective buyers for another Future Group flagship firm, Future Retail, which is also facing CIRP. -- PTI

A portion of the Manali-Chandigarh Highway was washed away

14:47 Family missing after car falls into river in HP

Four members of a family went missing after their vehicle plunged into the Sutlej river on the Shimla-Kinnaur road, officials said on Wednesday.

The missing persons were identified as Rajiv (33), his mother Sundla Devi (55), cousin brother Maher Singh (37) and his wife Sheetla (29), all residents of village Lahdu in Nankheri tehsil of Shimla.

Rajiv along with his cousin brother and his wife was taking his mother to Khaneri hospital in Rampur when the accident took place on Tuesday night, police said.

The spot from where the vehicle fell down into the river was damaged due to heavy rains. BJP leader Kaul Singh Negi said there was no safety board on the stretch and the driver could not see the damaged road at night.

He said danger signs should be put up in all damaged portions for commuters' safety. Search and rescue operations are underway to trace the four. PTI

The ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday looked poised to sweep the rural polls in Bengal as the overnight count of ballots gave it an unassailable lead in results declared till now by the State Election Commission.

The TMC has won in 34,694 gram panchayat seats, besides leading in 677 seats, according to the SEC as of 1pm on Wednesday. Its nearest rival BJP has won 9,656 seats and is leading in 166 seats. In all elections are being held for 63,229 gram panchayat seats.

The CPI(M) has won 2,926 and is leading in 86 seats.

The Congress won 2,528 seats and is leading in 65. The ruling TMC won 6,335 panchayat samiti seats while leading 214 seats.

BJP has won 973 and is leading in 48 seats, while CPI(M) has won 173 seats and is leading in 16 others and Congress has won in 258 seats and is leading in 7 seats.

Elections were held for 9,728 panchayat samiti seats. TMC has also won 635 zila parishad seats so far and is leading in 164 others. The BJP has in contrast won 21 and is leading in 6 seats. The CPI(M) has won 2 seats and is leading in 1 more seats, while Congress has won 6 and is leading in 6. In all, there are 928 zila parishad seats.

In South 24 Parganas' Bhangore, three persons including two activists of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) were killed and several others injured in a clash outside a counting centre late Tuesday night, police said on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had suffered an injury during campaigning thanked people for reposing trust in her on Tuesday night. "It's TMC all the way in rural Bengal. I want to thank the people for their love, affection and support towards the TMC. This election has proved that only TMC resides in the heart of the people of the state," Banerjee said in a social media post.

KBK Graphics

14:17 India sees increase in automobile production

A comparison of key indices in the automobile industry.

The Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Dr Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa called on the President of India, Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today.

Welcoming Dr Al-Issa on his first official visit to India, the President said that India appreciates the role and objectives of the Muslim World League in promoting tolerant values, moderation of consciousness and inter-faith dialogue. She stated that India, as a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, celebrates unity in diversity.

"Our more than 200 million Indian Muslim brothers and sisters make us the country with the second largest population of Muslims in the world," the President said.

Tourists being evacuated in Kasol

14:11 2,000 tourists stranded in HP's Kasol evacuated

As many as 2,000 tourists stranded in Kasol area of Kullu district owing to incessant rainfall have been evacuated safely, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday.

He also said that over 300 tourist vehicles stuck in Lahaul have left for their respective destinations. The KulluManali road was opened Tuesday evening and about 2,200 vehicles crossed Kullu. There was no mobile signal in several areas in Manali and its suburbs for the past two days and the tourists were unable to contact their families, officials said.

"Over 2,000 stranded individuals in Kasol have been successfully evacuated as of now. Our teams are working tirelessly to clear the Dunkhara landslide on the Kasol-Bhuntar road. District administration is on-site coordinating relief efforts. 2200+ vehicles have safely passed through Kullu, receiving food support at Ramshilla Chowk. I personally oversee the situation and remain committed to overcoming these challenges. Stay strong, Himachal Pradesh!" Sukhu said in a tweet.

"The tourist vehicles that were stranded in Lahaul were also evacuated at night. Over 300 tourist vehicles left for their respective destinations," he said in another tweet. ASP (Kullu) Ashish Sharma said a check post has been installed where the police are collecting details of the (stranded) people and sharing them on our Facebook page.

Relief materials are also being provided to them, and food and drinking water is being made available at Ramshilla Chowk, he said.

A large number of tourists were struck in various parts of Kullu and Lahaul following landslides and flash floods leading to blocking of roads. They were being lodged in hotels, rest houses, home stays and other holiday destinations. -- PTI

13:49 Kejriwal calls emergency meet as Yamuna swells

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday called an emergency meeting as the Yamuna reached its highest level so far at 207.55 metres, posing a threat of floods in Delhi.

The meeting will be held at the Delhi Secretariat where senior officers of all departments concerned will be present, said a Delhi government official.

Thousands of people have been evacuated and shifted to safer places due to rising level of the Yamuna river in the national capital. -- PTI

13:31 The dark clouds over Indias cheetah project

Seven cheetahs have died since the project was launched. As ground staff struggle to manage the situation, experts say the plans were flawed from the start. Read more here.

The accident on the Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway earlier this month

13:26 School bus overturns in Jaisalmer, 30 children injured, staffer dead

The third bus accident today... Scroll down for the others.

A person died and around 30 schoolchildren were injured when their bus overturned in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district on Wednesday, police said.

The bus was ferrying the students to their school when the accident occurred near Pokhran town, they said.

"The driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned," Assistant Sub Inspector of Sankra police station (Jaisalmer) Kailash Chand said. He said many of the injured students were rushed to a hospital in Jaipur while some were admitted to a local medical facility. Chand further said that the parents of some other children took them to private hospitals.

The ASI said the students were in the age group of 10-15 years. The bus driver was also injured in the accident, he added. Jodhpur Collector Himanshu Gupta said 11 schoolchildren were brought to Jodhpur for treatment from Jaisalmer and all were stated to be out of danger, but a staffer, identified as Vikram Singh, succumbed to injuries. PTI

In a highly skilled maneuver, the pilot of a private aircraft made an emergency landing with a failed nose-landing gear at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) airport, authorities said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, a private aircraft, with its pilot and co-pilot having no passengers on board, took off from HAL to Kempegowda International airport, Bengaluru but the aircraft developed a technical snag with its nose-landing gear.

After noticing the gear failure, the pilot decided to return to the HAL Airport. Authorities, who were alerted by the pilot, had spread a layer of fire suppression foam on the runway to reduce damage as the flight's nose came in contact with the runway.

Visuals emerging of the landing showed the pilot balancing the aircraft on two wheels keeping the private plane's nose in the air. After the aircraft touched down, the nose crashed on the runway with a splash of foam. Both the pilot and co-pilot escaped unhurt. The airport authorities had also put the fire fighters on alert. PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to embark on an official visit to France and United Arab Emirates (UAE) from July 13-15, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

PM Modi will be the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade of France on July 14, where the tri-services of the Indian armed forces contingent would be participating.

And moreover, 3 Rafale are participating. During his France visit from July 13-14, the Prime Minister will hold formal talks with President Emmanuel Macron. President Macron will host a State Banquet as well as a private dinner in honour of the PM.

Modi is also scheduled to meet the Prime Minister of France, the Presidents of the Senate, and the National Assembly of France. He will separately interact with the Indian diaspora in France, CEOs of Indian and French companies, and prominent French personalities, according to the statement.

12:52 Modi surname remark: BJP MLA files caveat

BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, the complainant in the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court seeking that he be heard if the Congress leader moves a plea challenging the high court verdict refusing to stay his conviction in the Modi surname remark case.

A single judge bench of the Gujarat High Court had on July 7 dismissed Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the defamation case. According to the apex court website, Purnesh Modi filed the caveat on the same day in the top court through his lawyer P S Sudheer.

A caveat is filed in an appellate court by a litigant seeking an opportunity of being heard if any order is passed on the appeal of an opponent challenging the order or judgement of the court below.

In a setback to 53-year-old Gandhi, Justice Hemant Prachchhak of the high court had dismissed the appeal of Gandhi saying "it is now the need of the hour to have purity in politics. It also noted that the representatives of people should be "men of clear antecedent" and that a stay on conviction is not a rule, but an exception resorted to only in rare cases and there was no reasonable ground to stay his conviction.

A stay on Gandhi's conviction would have paved the way for his reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP. The Congress later said it will move the Supreme Court against the verdict and alleged that the government is finding "newer techniques" to throttle his voice as it is rattled by him speaking the truth. -- PTI

A vandalised polling booth in Bengal

12:48 BJP fact-finding team to visit violence-hit areas in Bengal

A BJP fact-finding team, which arrived in West Bengal on Wednesday, said it will visit areas hit by poll violence and speak to victims to assess the ground situation.

The four-member team led by former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said it plans to visit north and south Bengal districts.

"Violence and killings during rural polls are unacceptable. So many people have been killed; why have so many people had to die in this election? We will visit the violence-hit areas of north and south Bengal. Later, we will submit our report to our national president JP Nadda," Prasad told reporters at the airport.

Besides Prasad, the team includes Satyapal Singh, Rajdeep Roy, and Rekha Verma. The violence, which rocked the panchayat polls on Saturday, had claimed at least 15 lives while three more were murdered on counting day on Wednesday.

Since elections were announced last month, at least 33 people have lost their lives in poll-related violence, with the ruling party suffering 60 per cent of the deaths.

The TMC mocked the fact-finding team and said it was an attempt to divert attention from the party's humiliating defeat. They should first send a fact-finding team to Manipur, which is burning for the last two months. The BJP's fact-finding team in West Bengal is an attempt to divert attention from its own organisational failure, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

A special NIA court in Kerala on Wednesday convicted six persons, who are allegedly members of now banned radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), in the sensational hand chopping case of a college professor in Kerala in 2010.

Special NIA court judge Anil K Bhaskar found them guilty of attempted murder, conspiracy and various other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the second phase of the trial in the case.

Some of the accused were also held guilty of offences under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

It acquitted the five other accused in the case. In the first phase, 31 accused had faced trial and of them, the court had in April 2015 convicted 10 for offences under the UAPA as well as the Explosive Substances Act and the IPC and found three others guilty of harbouring the offenders.

The court had acquitted 18 others in the case back then. The right hand of T J Joseph, professor of Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki district, was chopped off allegedly by activists of now outlawed Islamic outfit PFI on July 4, 2010.

The attack took place while he was returning home with his family after attending a Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district.

The attackers, a group of seven people, pulled the professor out of the vehicle, assaulted him and then his right hand was chopped off by main accused Savad who is still absconding. According to the police that initially probed the case, the accused wanted to kill Joseph for derogatory religious remarks in a question paper he set for BCom semester examination in Newman College. PTI

Shah Rukh Khan's "Jawan" has received a thumbs up from close friend and contemporary Salman Khan, who "absolutely loved" the high-octane action thriller's 'prevue' and promised to see the movie on the first day of its release.

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday evening, Salman shared the clip from the movie and said a movie like "Jawan" should be watched only in theatres. "Pathan jawan ban gaya (Pathaan has transformed into Jawan), outstanding trailer, absolutely loved it. Now this is the kind of a movie we should see in theatres only. I toh for sure seeing it 1st day ko hi. Mazaa ahh gaya wahhhhh.. @iamsrk (sic)" the actor wrote.

Salman had made an appearance in SRK's blockbuster movie "Pathaan", which released in January and earned over Rs 1,000 at the global box office.

The first glimpse of "Jawan" showcases Shah Rukh featuring in several death-defying stunts, songs and mouthing dialogues in his quintessential style.

Directed by Atlee of "Theri" and "Mersal" fame, the upcoming pan-India movie also features Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi. It is produced by Gauri Khan and co-produced by Gaurav Gupta under the production banner Red Chillies Entertainment.

"Jawan" is slated to be released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on September 7. The cast also includes Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Girija Oak, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Lehar Khan, Aaliyah Qureshi, Ridhi Dogra, Sunil Grover and Mukesh Chhabra with a special appearance by Deepika Padukone.

The MLAs want Assam Rifles to be replaced

11:59 Anguished Manipur MLAs ask Shah to restore peace

A group of 31 MLAs of Manipur has unanimously resolved to urge Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reach a conclusive resolution that will bring peace in the state, said an official statement from the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Manipur on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the MLAs proposed to the Union Home Minister on replacing the 9th Assam Rifles, the 22nd Assam Rifles, and the 37th Assam Rifles with other central security forces that are more inclined towards promoting the unity of the state.

"They further said that there are concerns regarding the roles played by certain units of the Assam Rifles, which currently pose a threat to the cause of unity within the state," the statement read.

The representation to the Union Home Minister also mentioned that a comprehensive investigation must be conducted into the public display of firearms and ammunition during the Peace March held on July 5, 2023, in Churachandpur, the release stated.

The statement further said that the representation raised significant questions regarding the source of these arms and ammunitions, as well as their continuous availability which play a crucial role in this violence, and the MLAs expressed their concern for the need to address this issue and prevent further replenishment of these illegal weapons.

The MLAs urged the Union Home Minister to take stronger and more effective actions against armed insurgent/cross border armed insurgent groups operating in the state in order to restore peace and normalcy, it added. The MLAs also reiterated their commitment to initiating decisive measures against these armed groups that have violated the established ground rules of engagement. It is inconceivable for any conflict to persist for such an extended period without the support of such armed factions, the statement added.

"The MLAs also affirmed that violence in peripheral areas must be halted. The central security forces must adopt a more proactive approach to ensure lasting peace in the region, which has been elusive over the past two months. Once all forms of violence and aggression cease in these areas, we can work towards achieving a peaceful solution through extensive consultations with all stakeholders involved," the release stated.

The family is safe

11:53 Kartik Aaryan and the power of a tweet

The power of social media can be humbling. Actor Kartik Aaryan retweeted a message yesterday seeking help in finding a family of tourists missing in flooded North India.

A tweet from a person named Priyal Gala yesterday had read:

"We are looking for a family of 4 Dhiren Vira, Sunita, Shubham, Kirna.

They were on a Road trip to Leh from Mumbai last contact was on Sunday evening 9:00 PM when they were about 4kms before ATAL Tunnel.

Car details VW Taigun Yellow colour MH 01 DT 8615 RT and help find them."

Kartik Aaryan retweeted the cry for help, saying, "Please Help (folded hands emoji)."

The message was also tweeted by several others.

Today, an hour ago, Gala tweeted the good news:

"Thanks to the power of social media, they have been located and are safe!

Thank you

@TheAaryanKartik

for the help."

The family was found safe and sound at a military camp at Sissu near Manali.

A hotel gets washed away in raging waters in Manali

11:23 Want to go home, cry tourists stuck in flooded HP

Incessant rain, which has led to flash floods and landslides, has caused significant damage in Himachal Pradesh's Manali.

Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that the flash floods have damaged the national highway and disrupted water and electricity supply.

"The Manali Vidhansabha constituency has suffered significant damage due to flash floods. Houses, land, and gardens have been destroyed, and the national highway is damaged due to flash floods. The link road adjacent to the bridge is also badly damaged. There is no net connectivity, electricity and water. We have made arrangements to provide food to the stranded tourists," Negi said.

Due to incessant rainfall in the region, many tourists have been stranded in Manali.

Internet services and electricity supply have been disrupted due to the flood in the area.

Neha, a tourist from, Ludhiana, Punjab said, "We want to go home. We were scheduled to return on Sunday but we are stuck due to flood."

Another tourist, Sanjeev Arora, said they have been trying to go back for the past two days. "We are here in Manali since 5th July. The main track is damaged. We have been trying to go back for the past two days. The internet services and electricity supply is disrupted," he added.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Chief Minister's Office informed that 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area have been evacuated so far.

"So far 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area of Kullu district have been evacuated. On the way at one point named Dunkhara, there is a heavy landslide and one poclain and two machines have been deployed round the clock to clear the Kasol-Bhuntar road.

A team of the district administration has reached Kasol. More than 2200 vehicles have passed through Kullu from Manali so far and food is being distributed to them at Ramshilla Chowk.

CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is closely monitoring the situation", the CMO statement said.

Representational image

11:06 Mexican family killed in chopper crash visited India

The five Mexican nationals killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Nepal near Mount Everest on Tuesday visited India before touring the Himalayan nation for sightseeing.

The Manang Air helicopter 9N-AMV took off from Surke Airport in Solukhumbu district at 10:04 am for Kathmandu on Tuesday and suddenly lost contact at an altitude above 12,000 feet at 10:13 am.

The helicopter crashed in the Lamjura area of Likhupike Rural Municipality in the remote mountainous Solukhumbu district.

The deceased pilot has been identified as Captain CB Gurung, a Nepali national. The five passengers killed in the crash all of them Mexican nationals were identified as Fernando Sifuentes (95), Abril Sifuentes Gonzalez (72), Luz Gonzalez Olacio (65), Maria Jose Sifuentes (52) and Ismael Rincon (98).

The family also visited India as one of the victims, Abril Sifuentes Gonzalez, on July 5 posted a photo of herself on a social media platform in front of the Taj Mahal days before the accident.

Mexico's Ambassador to India Federico Salas said that the victims were family members originally from Nuevo Leon, according to Mexican News Daily.

"It was a family of five people, in effect, who were tourists. They went to Nepal. (...) They were a father and mother and three children. (...) The parents and children were adults, they were not little ones," Salas was quoted as saying by the Infobae Mexico.

Meanwhile, the bodies have been airlifted to Kathmandu and are kept at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for post-mortem, Gyanendra Bhul, Information Officer at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), The Himalayan Times newspaper was quoted as saying.

Top leaders of at least 24 political parties would attend the second Opposition unity meeting being convened by Congress in Karnataka's Bengaluru on July 17-18.

According to sources, eight new parties have extended their support to the Opposition parties' efforts to present a united front against BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

"After last month's mega Opposition meet in Bihar's Patna, top leaders of as many as 24 political parties will be attending the second meeting which is going to take place in Karnataka's Bengaluru," sources said.

"Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Kongu Desa Makkal Katchi (KDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), All India Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph), and Kerala Congress (Mani) are among the new political parties that will be joining the meeting," they said.

"Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will also attend the Opposition Parties meeting," they added.

Notably, KDMK and MDMK were previously allies of the BJP during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has also invited top opposition leaders for participation in the next unity meeting.

Congress President in a letter addressed to top opposition party leaders reminded them about their participation in June 23 opposition meeting held in Patna called by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"The meeting was a great success as we were able to discuss various important issues that threaten our democratic polity and came to a unanimous agreement on unitedly fighting the next General Elections," Kharge said in his invitation letter.

The Congress President further reminded the leaders that they had further agreed to meet again in July. "I believe that it is important to continue these discussions and build on the momentum that we have created. We need to work together to find solutions to the challenges that our country is facing," the letter further stated. -- ANI

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday took a swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks that it is not important who the director of the Enforcement Directorate is, asking why did the government then give a third extension to the probe agency's chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra.

Sibal's remarks came a day after the Supreme Court held as "illegal" two successive extensions of one year each granted to Enforcement Directorate chief Mishra, ruling that the Centre's orders were in "breach" of its mandamus in its 2021 verdict that the IRS officer should not be given further term.

After the Supreme Court ruling, Shah said who the ED director is not important because whoever assumes this role will take note of the rampant corruption of a cozy club of entitled dynasts who have an anti-development mindset.

In a tweet, Sibal said, "Sanjay Mishra (ED) Chief. Supreme Court held extension till November invalid. Amit Shah: 'ED is an institution which rises beyond any one individual...' Then why did you give him a 3rd extension?" "Some individuals serve the political interests of the party in power!" the senior advocate and former Union minister said.

The order of the top court in which it also curtailed Mishra's extended tenure to July 31 came as a setback to the Centre, even as it upheld the amendments under which a maximum of five-year tenure can be given to directors of the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI).

The amendments were made to the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Act, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Act, 2021 as well as to the Fundamental (Amendment) Rules, 2021.

Mishra, 62, was first appointed the ED director for two years on November 19, 2018. Later, by an order dated November 13, 2020, the central government modified the appointment letter retrospectively and his two-year term was changed to three years. PTI

More than 100 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in ongoing violence that risks cleaving the state in two. Read more here.

The Aironics Media office in Bengaluru

10:17 B'luru double murder: 4 teams to find accused

A day after the sensational double murder of a managing director and chief executive officer of a private firm in the city allegedly by a former employee and his two associates, police on Wednesday said a person working for a rival business was picked up in connection with the case while the investigating team is in hot pursuit of the absconding accused.

Police reportedly picked up the person in connection with the case. However, senior officials did not want to comment on this stating investigations are still on. Four special teams have been formed to track down the main accused after a case was registered on Tuesday.

Phanindra Subramanya (36) and Vinu Kumar (40), who were MD and CEO of Aironics Media Private Limited, respectively, were killed inside the office on Tuesday evening at Pampa Extension near Amrithahalli, a residential area in Bengaluru.

Aironics is functioning from a house converted into an office building, police said.

The accused, armed with daggers, barged into the Aironics office and attacked Subramanya and also Kumar, who came to rescue him, in the presence of other employees with sharp weapons, and escaped from the spot, according to the police. Both persons died on the way to the hospital, they said.

According to the police, the main accused named Felix is said to be a former employee of Aironics, who had quit to form his own company, which is said to be a rival business. He is also said to be active on social media with a good number of followers.

Stating that the motive behind the murders is yet to be established, police sources said they suspect business rivalry could be one of the reasons. Police have got some leads, and are trying to trace the whereabouts of the accused, they said. PTI

10:07 Rupee may face stronger headwinds this month

After witnessing a 0.16 per cent appreciation in the past six months, the rupee may face headwinds in July due to the strengthening of the dollar as major central banks hint at more rate hikes during this calendar year.

The median of a Business Standard poll of 10 respondents puts the rupee at 82.05 versus a dollar at the end of July. A majority of respondents see the Indian currency depreciating up to the 82.25 level by the end of this month. Analysts now expect the dollar index to rise, thus weighing on the Indian currency.

"Most central banks have been hawkish against the expectation and they are not yet done with their interest rate hikes. So, expect one or more interest rate hikes in the US, UK, and Europe," said Ritesh Bhansali, vice-president at Mecklai Financial Services.

"The data coming out of the US is firmer than expected. Additionally, the previous expectation was that central banks would start cutting rates by the end of the year, but the market is now coming back to reality -- there are going to be rate hikes and central banks will not reduce rates. So, you will see the dollar index well supported at higher levels."

The rupee appreciated by almost 70 paise in the first six months of this calendar year, on the back of strong FPI inflows.

A few analysts are of the opinion the positive domestic growth outlook may keep attracting foreign portfolio flows into Indian equities, which may keep supporting the rupee. "FPI inflows have been really strong, creating a very strong sentiment, which is obviously supporting the rupee," said Kunal Sodhani, vice-president at Shinhan Bank.

"Also, inflation is moving left in the comfort band of 2-6 per cent. Good growth prospects, along with Brent crude prices consolidating between $70 per barrel and $80 per barrel, have been portraying a strong macro outlook for India."

-- Anjali Kumari/Business Standard

TMC supporters celebrate their victory in the panchayat elections

10:02 TMC won polls but this party is the most important

The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) emerged as the most important political party in West Bengal's northern hills, with its candidates winning a large number of panchayat seats in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts in the rural polls.

Two-tier panchayat elections, as against three-tier polls in the rest of the state, were held in the area under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a semi-autonomous council already controlled by the BGPM, after 23 years on July 8.

The BGPM, which is led by GTA chief executive Anit Thapa, won 349 of the 598 seats in 70 gram panchayats in Darjeeling district, according to the latest results issued by the district administration.

The BJP, which led an eight-party United Gorkha Alliance against the BGPM in the rural polls, bagged only 59 seats, while Independent candidates secured 185 seats and the TMC won five.

The BGPM also won 96 of 156 panchayat samiti seats in Darjeeling district, while BJP won only 19 and Independent candidates emerged victorious in 41.

In neighbouring Kalimpong, the BGPM bagged 168 of the 281 seats in 42 gram panchayats, while the BJP won 29 and Independent candidates emerged victorious in 82 seats. The TMC won only one seat, according to a document issued by the district administration.

The BGPM won 39 of 76 panchayat samiti seats in the district, while the BJP won seven seats and Independent nominees 30.

The BGPM, which shares close ties with the ruling Trinamool Congress, faced the united might of an eight-party United Gorkha Alliance, which included the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha led by Bimal Gurung, Hamro Party of restaurateur-politician Ajoy Edwards and Gorkha National Liberation Front, which was formed by Subhash Ghisingh.

Thapa, smeared in yellow 'abir' (gulaal) while celebrating his party's victory, told reporters on Tuesday evening, "This is people's victory. They have given us a chance to work for them. We will bring development to the grassroots level."

And another bus accident!

A woman was killed and 19 persons were injured when a bus operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) fell into a deep gorge in Nashik district on Wednesday morning, an official said.

The injured have been rushed to a state-run hospital, the official said.

The incident took place around 5.45 am near a Ganesh temple at Vani on the Saptashrungi Garh ghat section in Kalwan taluka, the official said. On Tuesday night, the MSRTC bus had come to Saptashrungi Garh from Khamgaon in Buldhana district.

The bus was going back on Wednesday morning when the driver lost control of the vehicle and it fell into a 150-foot-deep gorge, the official said. Local residents, police and other agencies reached the spot and started rescue and search operations, he said.

A woman died and 19 persons, including the driver and conductor of the bus, sustained injuries in the accident, he said. Sources said district guardian minister Dada Bhuse was on his way to the accident spot. PTI

25 passengers travelling in this bus were charred to death earlier this month

09:38 Accident on Samruddhi Expressway again! 22 injured

At least 22 passengers were injured, including four seriously, after the private luxury bus they were travelling in hit a trailer truck on the Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district in the early hours of Wednesday, the police said.

The incident on the Mumbai-Nagpur high-speed carriageway took place near Phulambri in the district around 2.30 am, an official said.

The private bus was going from Nagpur to Pune, while the trailer truck carrying steel was on its way from Jalna to Surat, he said.

The driver of the bus lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into the rear side of the trailer truck. At least 22 passengers on the bus sustained injuries, he said.

Among the injured, four are in serious condition and undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The rest were taken to a state-run hospital in Aurangabad city, he said.

The accident comes days after 25 passengers were charred to death when a private bus they were travelling in caught fire after hitting a divider on the Samruddhi Expressway in eastern Maharashtra's Buldhana district. PTI

As many as 50-60 reporting entities (REs), mainly co-operative banks, nidhi companies, forex dealers, and sub-registrars dealing in immovable properties have come under the income-tax(I-T) department's scanner.

The tax department has prepared a list of reporting entities that have failed to file specified financial transaction (SFT) reports in the past two financial years for spot and physical verification.

"These reporting entities did not file SFT reports regarding certain high-value dealings for the reporting period financial years 2021-2022 and 2022-23, and calendar years 2021 and 2022. Also, some of the reportable accounts filed were not accurate,' a government official said.Scrutiny of REs follows unusual defaults in filing certain transactions, especially related to cash deposits and credit card purchases in the past 2-3 years. The department is of the view that monitoring compliance by reporting entities for submission of transactions is critical for widening and deepening the tax base.

The tax department is in the process of issuing notices to these entities under Section 133 (6), which deals with obtaining information for verification of a transaction.

SFT is an annual report that certain prescribed entities (banks, non-banking lenders, companies issuing dividends, and issuers of debentures, bonds and shares) have to file with the tax department regarding transactions above a specified monetary threshold.

Separately, tax authorities are also finalising a standard operating procedure (SOP) for prescribed financial institutions (custodians and depository) which are required to maintain and report on account holders "resident' in foreign counterparts.

This is to curb defective filing about account holders, said two government officials in the know.For FY23, the last date to file a statement of financial transactions was May 31, 2023. "The gaps in information have been identified and accordingly a list has been prepared,' another official said.

Delay in filing SFT may entail a penalty of up to Rs. 1,000 for each day of default. Non-filing or filing inaccurate statements may also lead to a penalty of Rs. 5,000.

-- Shrimi Choudhary/Business Standard

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said that 'the state cabinet will be expanded soon'.

Shinde was speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with Maharashtra deputy CMs, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, at his official residence, on Tuesday night.

Ahead of Shinde's comment, Fadnavis and Pawar were spotted leaving his official residence after the meeting. -- ANI

08:36 Kedarnath Yatra stopped due to heavy rains

The Kedarnath Yatra has been stopped at Uttarakhand's Sonprayag and Gaurikund due to continuous heavy rains, informed officials on Wednesday.

In view of the safety of the passengers, the district administration stopped the passengers at Sonprayag and Gaurikund due to continuous bad weather.

Due to rain, four state roads and 10 link roads are closed due to debris. Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers are in spate, the officials said.

Amid the heavy rains in Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for July 12 on Monday.

'Orange Alert: #Uttarakhand and adjoining areas of Western #UttarPradesh likely to get Heavy to Very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4mm) on 12th July,' IMD shared in a tweet.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that the state administration is on alert.

Talking about the precautionary arrangement made in the state, Dhami said, "Every year during monsoon time here, we have to face natural calamities. There are landslides due to excessive precipitation, and the water level of the rivers increases. We are in full alert mode. All district administration officials and those in our disaster management are doing their work. All of them have been asked to stay in alert mode to face any situation. Our other organisations are also working on this. NDRF, Army, and our PWD department are all ready to face any situation and we are constantly in touch with the people to help them in any situation."

On Tuesday, four persons died and 10 people were injured due to falling debris on Gangotri National Highway near Gangnani in Uttarakhand. -- ANI

Edappadi K Palaniswami

01:49 Expelled partymen may join party again if they apologise: AIADMK

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday said those who were expelled from the party should tender an "apology" if they choose to join the party again.

Hours after expelled leader O Panneerselvam's camp said it would hold a statewide protest on August 1 seeking expeditious probe into the Kodanad heist-cum-murder case, Palaniswami recalled the party norm for re-admission since the days of party founder MG Ramachandran.

The practice has been the same during the tenure of late party matriarch J Jayalalithaa as well, EPS, the top party leader said in a statement.

It was a usual practice to take disciplinary action against those who violated party ideology, its goals and policies.

Realising their mistakes, when such persons furnish a letter of apology to the general secretary, they would be considered as party members following formal re-admission.

Hence, those who were expelled from the party, if they choose to join again, must follow the norm, Palaniswami asserted.

Though EPS's statement appeared to be an "open invite" to OPS and his loyalists to strengthen the party, it is also seen as a veiled taunt against them.

The AIADMK has repeatedly dubbed the OPS's camp as DMK's 'B-team', and EPS has also insisted on an "apology" for reinduction, which may not serve as a face saver for the expelled leaders.

AIADMK leaders had also in the past ruled out taking OPS back into the party and had labelled him a "betrayer". -- PTI

Meghalaya minister Ampareen Lyngdoh/ANI

01:34 Meghalaya minister's home attacked, 1 arrested

A man was arrested after he allegedly threw stones at the residence of Meghalaya minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Tuesday evening, the police said.

The incident happened around 7.30 pm, superintendent of police of East Khasi Hills Sylvester Nongtynger said.

The man, identified as Teibor Lyting -- a resident of Malki, is being interrogated to know if he acted alone or with a group, and also to find the motive of the attack, the officer said.

According to the minister's family, they heard noises of glass shattering.

"The attacker pelted stones twice following which we alerted the police," a family member said.

The incident happened days after the nearby police station at Laitumkhrah was attacked, and four vehicles parked on its campus were torched.

The incident happened after a drunken brawl inside the police station escalated. -- PTI

Former ISRO chairperson and head of new education policy's drafting committee K Kasturirangan underwent angioplasty and is currently recovering, doctors treating him said on Tuesday.

The 82-year-old had suffered a heart attack in Sri Lanka and was airlifted to Bengaluru for treatment on Monday.

"A preliminary assessment was conducted, leading to the decision to proceed with a cardiac MRI to assess heart function, determine the presence of myocardial ischemia, and evaluate myocardial viability. Following the cardiac MRI, an angioplasty (PTCA) with stent placement was performed on the left anterior descending artery," said Dr Bagirath R, senior consultant cardiology adult; and Dr Uday Khanolkar, senior consultant cardiology adult from Narayana Health City.

The angioplasty was a complex procedure that involved using Intravascular Lithotripsy to soften the dense calcium deposits within the artery followed by stent placement using a medicated stent, the doctors were quoted as saying by Narayana Health in a medical bulletin.

"Dr Kasturirangan demonstrated good tolerance to the procedure and is currently recovering in the coronary care unit," they further added.

Kasturirangan has previously been chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University and chairman of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission.

He has been a former member of the Rajya Sabha (2003-09) and a former member of the now-defunct Planning Commission. -- PTI

A court in Delhi on Tuesday extended by six days the Enforcement Directorate custody of businessman Dinesh Arora in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam.

Arora had been on November 16 declared an approver in a corruption case related to the alleged scam being probed by the CBI.

Special judge MK Nagpal extended Arora's ED custody till July 17 after he was produced before the court on the expiry of his four-day custodial interrogation granted earlier.

Seeking the businessman's custody for seven more days, the federal probe agency told the court that his interrogation was required to unearth a larger conspiracy in the matter.

Arora was arrested under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act late on the night of July 6 after a long session of questioning.

Sources said he was evasive in his replies and was not cooperating with the agency following which he was arrested.

He was allegedly a close associate of Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia who is also an accused in the excise policy case and has been arrested by the ED as well as the CBI.

The ED, in a supplementary charge sheet, has accused Sisodia of receiving bribes from Amit Arora, another businessman also an accused in the case, through Dinesh Arora.

The federal probe agency has described this bribe amount as "proceeds of crime" under PMLA. -- PTI

File image

00:25 Nepal national booked for ruckus onboard AI flight

The Delhi police registered a case against a Nepal national for abusing a cabin crew member onboard and breaking the lavatory door inside the Air India flight after taking off from Toronto, officials said.

According to the FIR, the victim cabin supervisor, Aditya Kumar, stated that a passenger named Mahesh Singh Pandit, a resident of Nepal changed his seat from 26 E to 26 F and started abusing the economy class crew members.

Aditya in the FIR said that after the passenger started abusing the crew members, they informed the pilot in command and give him an oral warning.

Later after lunch service, the smoke alarm sounded and after opening the LAV door, he caught the passenger with a cigarette lighter and smoking smell.

"When I opened the door in front of the passenger, he pushed me back and ran to his seat 26F. When I tried to stop him, he pushed me and abused me also. Later he broke the LAV door 3F-RC. Then I informed the captain immediately and as per captain instruction with the help of cabin crew Punit Sharma and other four passengers we tried to restrain him as per SOP," Aditya added.

Cabin supervisor Aditya in his FIR also mentioned that they were able to restrain the accused passenger with the help of 10 other passengers and but later got the information that the accused was trying to beat the passengers also.

"With the help of 10 passengers and two cabin crew, we successfully restrained the accused passenger. After that I came back to my allotted first class but got the information that he is still trying to beat the passengers," Aditya said.

The Delhi police registered a case under sections 323/506/336 Indian Penal Code and 22,23,25 Aircraft rules at IGI Police station.

Further investigation into the matter is underway. -- ANI

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES