LIVE! UK court allows sale of Nirav Modi's London flat

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Wed, 27 March 2024

UK court allows sale of Nirav Modi's London flat

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23:49 UK court allows sale of Nirav Modi's London flat

A luxury apartment in London used by Nirav Modi and held in a trust can be sold for a value not less than GBP 5.25 million after a high court ruling in London on Wednesday.

Master James Brightwell, the judge presiding over a hearing attended remotely by the 52-year-old fugitive diamond merchant from Thameside prison in south-east London, accepted representations from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to hold the proceeds from the sale of 103 Marathon House in a secure account after all 'pressing liabilities' of the trust have been cleared.

The case involves Trident Trust Company (Singapore) Pte Limited as the claimant, seeking to sell its apartment asset in the Marylebone area of central London, and the ED arguing that the trust's assets represent the proceeds of a massive fraud on the Punjab National Bank (PNB) for which Nirav is facing extradition proceedings.

"I am satisfied that it is a reasonable decision to allow for the property to be sold for GBP 5.25 million or above," Master Brightwell concluded.

He took note of ED's other objections in the case relating to the creation of the trust itself, which were not pursued at this stage of the case.

Barrister Harish Salve, appearing on behalf of ED, told the court that they had agreed to the sale in principle based on undertakings that protect the interests of the ultimate beneficiary, which may be the Indian exchequer, and averts a fire sale of the asset.

The judge noted that the case was a 'very unusual one', which involved a trust created in December 2017 in the name of Nirav Modi's sister Purvi Modi and their family as beneficiaries.

Under an arrangement with the Indian authorities, Purvi Modi and her adult children did not participate in the proceedings.

It left Nirav Modi, one of the named defendants in the case, claiming that he was the 'true settler' of the trust and should be treated as a beneficiary.

He also alleges that he gifted, or made a loan of, GBP 625,000 to the trust to procure the purchase of 103 Marathon House, which also entitles him to the proceeds from the sale.

Dressed in a casual t-shirt and sweater, Nirav followed Wednesday's proceedings from a room in the prison and interjected to flag an article in 'The Financial Times' about another money laundering case being investigated by ED.

It then emerged in court that the current tenant of 103 Marathon House and one of the main prospective buyers, who had offered to buy it for GBP 5.25 million, is an Indian-origin entrepreneur suspected in the investigation.

Nirav raised the concern that any money received from such a sale could be frozen by ED at a future date, which led the court to insert a caveat in the court order that there should be due consideration given to the proposed purchaser.

In 2022, Nirav lost his legal battle in the Supreme Court against being extradited to India in the estimated $2 billion PNB loan scam case. But his case is now said to be 'statute barred', indicating further pending litigation.

Meanwhile, he has been appearing virtually from prison for related hearings, including for pending legal costs, or fines, amounting to GBP 150,247.00, accrued over his failed extradition appeal proceedings.

Earlier this month, another high court summary judgment ordered a Dubai-based company connected with Nirav Firestar Diamond FZE to repay a loan amounting to over $8 million owed to the Bank of India.

Nirav Modi was arrested on March 19, 2019, on an extradition warrant based on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED charges against the businessman. -- PTI

Asserting that she has a 'glorious right-wing personality', Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday accused the Congress of supporting nepotism and specifically targeted its leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi.

The actor, fielded by the BJP for the Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, also said the Congress has 'always been an appalling party for me'.

She said the opposition party represents something she has long fought against in her film career.

"The Congress has always been an appalling party for me. The nepotism in the party has been hugely problematic for me because I was a target of the same system in my (film) industry. I had condemned it openly, I fought against it. Something that was exploiting me... Nepotism, groupism, dynastic politics... I despise this party," Ranaut said at the Times Now Summit 2024 - India Unstoppable event in New Delhi.

"Nepo kids," the Queen star said when she was asked to describe the Gandhi siblings in one line.

"They are weird as if they have landed from Mars," she added.

Ranaut, 37, said she has open heartedly supported the BJP.

"Regardless of whether I'm a party member or not, I have always fought for the party's cause. I have left no stone unturned. I always felt that my natural alignment and ideology is with a nationalistic government. I have a glorious right-wing personality," said the four-time National Award winner.

Days after Ranaut was named the BJP candidate from Mandi, the Congress kicked up a proverbial storm after derogatory comments about the actor and her constituency were posted on the social media handles of its leaders Supriya Shrinate and H S Ahir.

In her defence, Shrinate on Monday said many people have access to her Facebook and Instagram accounts and one of them made the inappropriate post.

She also said she had deleted the post and will take action against a parody account that is using her name.

The actor, who had publicly called out Shrinate for posts shared via her social media handles, said she was hurt by the opposition leader's remarks.

"This (incident) sets the cause of women back by many years. She has posted a very alarming content," she added.

Shrinate had also hurt the people of Himachal Pradesh by comparing Mandi, a 'devbhoomi', to a market, Ranaut further said.

"The meaning of Mandi is not what runs in the head of the Congress. The innocent people of Himachal Pradesh were deeply hurt when they branded it as if it was a flesh trade market. Mandi was named after sage Mandav," she said.

Asked if she had a message for Shrinate, Ranaut said she has nothing to say to the Congress spokesperson.

Ranaut also said it's ironic how Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who joined politics with the India Against Corruption campaign, is currently in jail on corruption charges.

Asked about her political debut, she said she is 'anxious'.

"It's a complete lifestyle change. It's nerve wracking. It's a new role... I will be a horse with blinkers on. Suddenly this world has opened up. I want to do it well. I want to be more involved with the real world as opposed to being consumed by the field of arts," Ranaut added. -- PTI

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ambitious OTT series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar will premiere on streaming service Netflix on May 1.

The release date of the much-anticipated show was announced at a drone light show event held at the Mahalaxmi Race Course in South Mumbai.

A sneak-peek into the world of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar was unveiled in the sky through a drones formation.

The event was attended by the show's star cast including Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh, Prerna Singh, CEO of Bhansali Productions, and Tanya Bami, Director of Series, Netflix India.

Billed as an epic saga of love, power, revenge and freedom, the series explores the cultural reality of Heeramandi, a dazzling district, through the stories of courtesans and their patrons set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Indian freedom struggle of the 1940s.

The series is based on the concept by Moin Beg.

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is created and directed by Bhansali. He also serves as a producer on the show.

Top Congress leaders met in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the party's Lok Sabha poll candidates in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Goa and Jharkhand, but did not finalise the names for the key constituencies of Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary K C Venugopal and the members of its Central Election Committee (CEC), including senior leaders Ambika Soni, Madhusudan Mistry, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Salman Khurshid, were present at the meeting.

Sources said the candidates from six seats in Uttar Pradesh have been finalised.

The Congress has already announced candidates for nine seats in the state.

Asked about Amethi and Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajai Rai said there was no discussion on the two seats.

"We had conveyed our views on these seats (Amethi and Rae Bareli) the last time. It is up to the leadership now to take a decision," he said.

After the CEC meeting last week, Rai had said, "We have given our proposal that members of the Gandhi family should contest from Amethi and Rae Bareli as it is the demand of the people there. Now, it is up to the party leadership to decide on it."

There is speculation that besides his declared seat of Wayanad in Kerala, Rahul Gandhi may also contest the Lok Sabha polls from Amethi, a seat he represented earlier, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli, a seat that was previously held by her mother, Sonia Gandhi.

Both seats are considered bastions of the Gandhi family and the local units of the Congress have demanded that the two scions of the family should contest from there.

The Congress is in an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh and contesting 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The CEC meeting was held at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi.

The opposition party has already declared 194 candidates in several states and more names will be announced soon.

The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting April 19. Wednesday was the last day for filing nominations for the first phase of the election.

The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4. -- PTI

IMAGE: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge along with Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party K C Venugopal during the Congress CEC meeting for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 of Goa state, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

Union minister A Narayanaswamy

21:23 BJP denies ticket to Union minister in Karnataka

The BJP on Wednesday announced senior party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Karjol as its candidate from Chitradurga Lok Sabha seat, replacing incumbent MP and Union minister A Narayanaswamy.

According to party sources, Narayanaswamy, who is Union minister of state for social welfare and empowerment, was "facing anti-incumbency," and hence he was denied ticket.

Narayanaswamy, who does not hail from Chitradurga, had earlier been an MLA from Anekal near Bengaluru.

With this, the BJP has announced candidates for all 25 seats it will be contesting in the state, which has a total of 28 constituencies.

In the remaining three seats -- Mandya, Hassan and Kolar -- BJP's NDA partner JD-S will be contesting.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Amit Palekar, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Goa unit chief, and some other party leaders from the coastal state for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy on March 28, official sources said on Wednesday.

The AAP leaders have been asked to depose at the ED's office in Goa's Panjim on Thursday, the sources said.

Palekar, who was the AAP's chief ministerial face during the February 2022 Goa Assembly polls, had recently said there was no evidence to prove that any illicit money was sent to the state, asserting that he and his party colleagues were ready to face any inquiry.

The ED arrested AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the case on March 21.

The agency has claimed in its chargesheet that the AAP used 'proceeds of crime' to the tune of about Rs 45 crore in its Goa poll campaign, from the Rs 100 crore 'bribe' that was pumped in by the 'South Group' that allegedly involved Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leader K Kavitha.

Kejriwal will be produced before a Delhi court by the ED at the end of his remand period on Thursday. -- PTI

Image only for representation

20:51 Man assaulted for 'moving with woman of another community'

A case was registered in Hyderabad against a group of unidentified persons after they allegedly abused and beat up a man for 'moving with a woman belonging to another community', police said on Wednesday.

In the video of the purported incident that was circulated on social media, the persons were heard telling the man not to move with the woman, and said that he (the man) belongs to a particular community and was 'lying' with regard to his name.

The man, who is seen holding an infant in his arms, with the woman standing on his side, is then allegedly abused and attacked by someone in the group, even as the man is heard saying that 'she (the woman) is my wife and (the baby) his daughter'.

The group then asks the man to show his Aadhaar card. It was not clear when the incident happened.

Police said based on the video, a case was registered at Charminar Police Station and they took up further investigation. -- PTI

Representational image

20:19 BJP offered us money to switch sides, claim 3 AAP MLAs

As AAP's lone Lok Sabha MP from Punjab and an MLA joined the BJP on Wednesday, three AAP legislators from the state claimed that they received calls offering them money to join the BJP.

The Aam Aadmi Party alleged that the BJP had "again started Operation Lotus" in Punjab and was trying to break Arvind Kejriwal's party.

There was no immediate reaction from the BJP on the allegations.

AAP legislator from Jalalabad Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy claimed that he received a call from one Sewak Singh from an international number on Tuesday with an offer to join the BJP.

Kamboj told reporters that he asked the MLA to join the BJP and said, "'We will give Rs 20-25 crore'. I said I do not need it."

Similar claims were made by Balluana MLA Amandeep Singh and Ludhiana South legislator Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina.

They asserted that they would not leave the party.

Kamboj alleged that the BJP was scared of Kejriwal and AAP.

"Where they fail to win people's mandate, they try to buy MLAs, MP and other AAP leaders at any cost," he charged.

"Arvind Kejriwal is the leader who fought against corruption in politics and always did politics of work. But false cases have been registered and many AAP leaders have been sent to jail without any proof," he said.

The BJP on Wednesday fielded independent Lok Sabha member Navneet Rana as its candidate from the Amravati parliamentary seat in Maharashtra.

Rana had defeated Shiv Sena candidate and former Union minister Anandrao Adsul from Amravati in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Former Karnataka deputy chief minister Govind Karjol has been fielded from the Chitradurga Lok Sabha seat, the BJP said.

BJP leader A Narayanaswamy had won the Chitradurga parliamentary seat in the 2019 general election.

The party also fielded Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for the bypoll to the Karnal assembly seat, vacated by former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Saini succeeded Khattar as Haryana's chief minister earlier this month.

The BJP also released a list of 10 candidates for the Andhra Pradesh assembly election.

19:39 HC refuses to interfere with Kejriwal's arrest

The Delhi high court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam'.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice on the AAP leader's petition challenging his arrest and the subsequent remand to the ED's custody, and asked the agency to file its response to it as well as his plea for interim relief of release before April 2.

The judge, in the order, clarified the matter would be taken up for final disposal on April 3 and no adjournment shall be granted.

"This Court deems it appropriate to issue notice of the main writ petition as well as application for grant of interim relief, returnable on 03.04.2024," the court said.

"The Directorate of Enforcement will ensure that replies are filed to the main petition as well as the application for interim release of the petitioner by 02.04.2024 and copies of the same are provided in digitised form as well as hard copy to the learned counsel for the petitioner," ordered the court.

Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded to the ED's custody till March 28 by a Delhi court, sought his immediate release on the ground that the arrest was illegal.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, contended the arrest of a sitting chief minister on the cusp of elections was against the basic structure of the Constitution.

"Object of the arrest was not to find material but to disable me and my party. My prayer is, release me now," he argued.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the ED, said the 'bulky' petition was served upon them only on Tuesday, and time should be given to bring their stand on record.

For interim relief as well, appropriate time should be given to respond, he said.

On Friday, the trial court had remanded Kejriwal to the ED's custody till March 28 'for his detailed and sustained interrogation'.

The ED arrested Kejriwal hours after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the anti-money laundering probe agency.

The case pertains to the alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped. -- PTI

The Maldives government Tuesday announced that 1,500 tonnes of drinking water donated by China from the glaciers in Tibet has reached the archipelago nation amidst an acute water shortage.

The decision to provide Maldives with drinking water was reached during the official visit of China's Tibet Autonomous Region's Chairman, Yan Jinhai to the Maldives, where he met President Dr Mohamed Muizzu last November, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The 1,500 tonnes of drinking water shipment has been brought into the country, Edition.mv, a news portal said, quoting an announcement by the ministry.

At the time (in November), it was deliberated to donate water that is produced out of frozen water procured from glacial regions which are highly clean, clear and rich in minerals.

Moreover, Tibet (Xizang in Chinese) Autonomous Region is known to produce high-cost premium brands of water, the ministry said.

This is the latest aid from China that has promised to help the Maldives on multiple fronts, especially since pro-China Mohamed Muizzu took over as the President in November 2023.

In March, Muizzu announced that Maldives would get free 'non-lethal' military equipment and training from China's military under a newly inked agreement with Beijing soon after he met Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of China, and President of the Export-Import Bank of China, Ren Shengjun separately.

Previously, China had been exclusively known for its assistance towards urban and economic development of the Maldives.

The Maldives has 26 atolls and its 1,192 islands are mostly composed of coral reefs and sandbars, a combination that makes groundwater and freshwater extremely scarce and the problems are exacerbated due to climate change.

The country has tried between 2011 and 2015, a UN-funded 'Increasing Climate Resilience through an Integrated Water Resources Management Programme' but with limited success.

In December 2014, India carried out 'Operation Neer' during one of its worst water crises following a massive fire in the Male Water and Sewerage Company complex on December 4, 2014.

According to information from the Indian mission in Maldives, Indian aircraft flew multiple sorties (the first aircraft arrived in Male within 12 hours of the request from the Government of Maldives) delivering 375 tonnes of drinking water to the people in Male.

'Two Indian Ships INS Deepak and INS Shukanya also arrived in Male and delivered around 2,000 tonnes of water alleviating the pressure faced by the Maldivians,' it added.

The Maldives' proximity to India, barely 70 nautical miles from the island of Minicoy in Lakshadweep and 300 nautical miles from the mainland's western coast, and its location at the hub of commercial sea lanes running through the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) gives it significant strategic importance.

The Maldives Foreign Ministry has declared that the State has determined to distribute the water as aid to various islands in the event of drinking water shortage, the news portal said. -- PTI

Confusion prevailed in Rampur and Morababad Lok Sabha constituencies over the authorised Samajwadi Party candidates as two of them, each from both the seats, filed their nominations on Wednesday claiming themselves to be the original party candidate.

In Rampur, Asim Raja, who had contested the 2022 Lok Sabha byelection as an SP candidate, filed his nomination papers claiming himself to be the party candidate.

Mohibulla Nadvi, who is the imam of a mosque in Delhi, also filed his nominations making similar claims.

Nadvi told reporters that he is an authorised party candidate and SP president Akhilesh Yadav is backing him.

While both the candidates claimed themselves to be the real party candidate, the SP has not said anything about them.

Similarly in Moradabad, SP leader Ruchi Veera filed the nomination papers as an SP candidate on Wednesday while sitting MP S T Hasan had filed them on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters, Veera claimed that she has filed her nomination papers as an SP candidate.

SP spokesperson Farhrul Hasan Chand said the SP is a democratic party and there is no confusion.

"Whosoever the party leadership wants, will contest the polls," he said, adding that the situation will be clear by evening.

Both Rampur and Moradabad are going to polls in the first phase of elections on April 19, and Wednesday was the last date for filing of nomination papers. -- PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

18:44 Don't have 'kind of funds' to fight LS polls: Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said she declined the offer of the BJP to contest elections pleading that she did not have the "kind of funds" required for fighting the Lok Sabha polls.

The minister said that the BJP president (J P Nadda) gave her the option to contest either from Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu.

"After thinking over a week or 10 days, I just went back to say... maybe not. I do not have that kind of money to contest. I also have a problem whether it is Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. It's also going to be a question of various other winnability criteria that they use...Are you from this community or are you from that religion? Are you from this? I said no, I do not think I am going to able to do it," she said.

Sitharaman was speaking at the Times Now Summit 2024 in New Delhi.

"I am very grateful that they accepted my argument...So I am not contesting," she added.

When asked why even the finance minister of the country does not have enough funds to fight Lok Sabha elections, she said that the Consolidated Fund of India does not belong to her. "My salary, my earnings, my savings are mine and not the Consolidated Fund of India."

The ruling BJP has fielded several existing Rajya Sabha members in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, beginning April 19. These include Piyush Goyal, Bhupender Yadav, Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Sitharaman is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka.

The minister said that she will be campaigning for different candidates.

"I will also be attending a lot of media events. And going with the candidates, like tomorrow I will be going for Rajiv Chandrasekhar campaign and so yes, I'll be on the campaign trail," she added.

The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party unit has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission urging them to take action against those circulating a fake WhatsApp message on social media to bring 'disrepute' to the party.

In its complaint submitted to the State Chief Electoral Officer on March 24, it said that a fake WhatsApp message is being circulated in the social media by miscreants. It claims to be circulated by the BJP party in the following link https://bjp.org@offersnow.wiki? in=91711287069939.

The party said it is not the author of this link or site and the said link or site is fake and the message is fabricated and is intended to be circulated on the social media to bring a bad name to the BJP.

According to the complaint, the caption of the said message reads as 'BJP-Election Bonus' and it claims that the party is officially offering Rs 5,000 and more bonus to each who answers the four questions asked in the questionnaire.

Further, the same shows photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and each photo claims that it is of the year 2014, 2019 and 2024.

'It appears clearly from the question and the options given, that the content sought to be derived it is aimed at identifying the gender, age group, and the liking or disliking of the person giving the response with a fake lure of money and further this message is aimed to create doubts in the minds of the electorate that the BJP is offering money to vote for them and thereby brings a bad reputation to the party through the circulation of this misleading message,' it stated.

The BJP has requested the Election Commission to look into the matter seriously and instruct the concerned authorities, including the police, to find out the miscreants who had created such fake message and punish them in accordance with law. -- PTI

The court-mandated Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey continued for the sixth day at the contentious Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district on Wednesday.

Ashish Goyal and Gopal Sharma representing the Hindu community and a leader of the Muslim community, Abdul Samad, were present with the ASI team during the survey.

Goyal told reporters that the ASI team is engaged in the digging of the site within 50 meters of the complex.

On March 11, the Madhya Pradesh high court directed the ASI to carry out within six weeks a 'scientific survey' of the Bhojshala complex, a medieval-era monument that Hindus believe is a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) and the Muslim community calls Kamal Maula Mosque.

Acting on the court directives, the ASI team, accompanied by senior police and administrative officials, on March 22 began its survey at the disputed complex in the tribal-dominated Dhar district.

As per an ASI order of April 7, 2003, Hindus are allowed to worship inside the Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the site on Fridays.

It is believed that Raja Bhoj, a Hindu king, had installed the statue of Vagdevi in Bhojshala in 1034 AD.

Hindu groups say the British took this statue to London in 1875. -- PTI

A sessions court in Palanpur town of Gujarat's Banaskantha district on Wednesday convicted former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt in a drug seizure case dating back to 1996.

The court is expected to pronounce the quantum of punishment on Thursday afternoon.

The sessions court held Bhatt guilty of falsely implicating a Rajasthan-based lawyer by claiming that in 1996 police had seized drugs from a hotel room in Palanpur where the lawyer was staying.

Bhatt, who was sacked from the Indian Police Service in 2015, was then serving as the superintendent of police of Banaskantha district.

The district police under him had arrested Rajasthan lawyer Sumersingh Rajpurohit under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) in 1996, claiming they had seized drugs from a hotel room in Palanpur where he was staying.

However, the Rajasthan police later said Rajpurohit was falsely implicated by the Banaskantha police to compel him to transfer a disputed property located at Pali in Rajasthan.

Former police inspector I B Vyas had moved the Gujarat high court in 1999 demanding a thorough inquiry into the case.

Image only for representation

17:44 IndiGo plane grazes Air India aircraft while taxiing

In a bizarre accident at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday, an IndiGo aircraft grazed the wings of an Air India Express plane, leading to both aircraft sustaining damage on their wings, officials said.

Launching a probe, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) de-rostered the IndiGo pilots involved in the accident, they said.

The accident occurred on the taxiway near the runway of the airport around 11 am, sources at the airport said.

The Air India Express aircraft was scheduled to fly to Chennai from Kolkata, while the IndiGo aircraft was supposed to travel to Darbhanga.

Passengers were reportedly on board both aircraft at the time of the accident.

No harm to passengers or crew members was, however, reported.

The Airports Authority of India said in a statement that the wingtip vortices of both planes were badly damaged. -- PTI

17:33 18 stocks advance as Sensex ends higher

The 30-share BSE Sensex on Wednesday climbed 526.01 points or 0.73 per cent to settle at 72,996.31 with 18 of its stocks advancing and 12 closing lower.

During the day, it jumped 668.43 points or 0.92 per cent to 73,138.73.

The broader Nifty of NSE rebounded by 118.95 points or 0.54 per cent to close at 22,123.65.

As many as 22 Nifty shares gained while 27 declined and one closed unchanged.

Auto, banking and energy shares supported the recovery while FMCG and IT shares declined due to profit taking.

Among Sensex shares, Reliance Industries rose the most by 3.6 per cent, adding more than 312 points to the upside.

Maruti, Bajaj Finance, Titan, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra and Larsen & Toubro were among the major gainers.

Wipro, HCL Technologies, Nestle, Tata Consultancy Services and Tata Motors were among the laggards.

17:18 Kanimozhi declares Rs 57 cr of assets

DMK MP Kanimozhi, who has been re-nominated by the party for April 19 Lok Sabha polls from Thoothukudi in south Tamil Nadu, has declared total assets of over Rs 57 crore.

According to the election affidavit submitted by the DMK deputy general secretary, Kanimozhi's total liabilities stand at Rs 60,60,187. Her movable assets are Rs 38,77,79,117 and she owns three cars, including a BMW XS, valued at a little over Rs 84.11 lakh, the affidavit stated.

Her immovable assets, including residential property in Chennai, were valued at Rs 18,54,42,000. She has Rs 13,500 cash on hand.

Kanimozhi, daughter of former chief minister, the late M Karunanidhi, defeated the BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan by a massive margin of 3.47 lakh votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. She is seeking another term from the segment. She had filed her nomination on Tuesday.

Kanimozhi submitted she has not been convicted in any criminal case.

While a special CBI court in Delhi had acquitted her in December 2017 in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, the Delhi high court had on March 22, 2024, admitted the central agency's plea for an appeal against her acquittal, she stated in the affidavit.

She owed no dues to the government.

The Election Commission on Wednesday issued show-cause notices to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dilip Ghosh and Congress leader Supriya Shrinate for their offensive remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kangana Ranaut respectively.

Ranaut has been fielded by the BJP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Lok Sabha seat for the parliamentary elections.

Their remarks were 'undignified and in bad taste', the Election Commission (EC) said.

The poll panel said that prima facie, the two remarks were violative of the Model Code of Conduct and its advisory to political parties to maintain dignity during electioneering.

The two have been asked to respond to the show-cause notices by March 29 evening. -- PTI

Here's the rate of exchange of one unit of foreign currency equivalent to Indian rupees effective March 27, 2024.

Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev was discharged from a private hospital in New Delhi on Wednesday, days after he underwent an emergency brain surgery after suffering "life-threatening" bleeding in the skull, a source at the medical facility said.

According to the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, the surgery was carried out on March 17 to remove bleeding in his skull.

The Sadhguru can be seen in a video clip coming out of the hospital as his followers greet him.

Vinit Suri, the hospital's senior consultant neurologist who led a team of doctors that attended to Sadhguru, earlier said the spiritual leader faced a "life-threatening situation".

The 66-year-old is the founder of the Isha Foundation. He has launched campaigns like 'Save Soil' and 'Rally for Rivers' for environment conservation.

Five Congress legislators on Wednesday threatened to resign over the issue of Lok Sabha ticket to senior party leader and Minister K H Muniyappa's son-in-law Chikka Peddanna to contest from Kolar in the coming Lok Sabha elections, bringing into open the divisions in the outfit.

The party is yet to announce its candidate in the segment.

The five are opposed to Peddanna's candidature, which would give representation for the Left sect of Scheduled Castes.

The three MLAs from Kolar district -- Kothur G Manjunath (Kolar), K Y Nanjegowda (Malur) and MC Sudhakar (Chintamani) -- and two MLCs -- Anil Kumar and Naseer Ahmed (political secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah) -- want the ticket to be given to a candidate from Right sect of Scheduled Castes.

Sudhakar is the Higher Education Minister in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet.

S N Narayanaswamy (Bangarapet), another Congress MLA from the district, too said the ticket should be given to SC Right candidate, and that he will decide on his move, once the party decides on the Kolar ticket.

"This is continuation of a fight between two factions of the Kolar Congress, one led by food and civil supplies minister K H Muniyappa and another by former Karnataka assembly speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, vying for supremacy in the district", a party insider said.

Some even see it as pressure tactics on the part of a section of Congress leaders in Kolar against Muniyappa and his "family politics'".

The two MLCs met Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and showed their resignation letters to journalists.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

15:48 ED books Kerala CM's daughter, her IT company under PMLA

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan, her IT company and some others to probe a case of alleged illegal payments made by a private mineral firm to her and the company, official sources said on Wednesday.

The agency has registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is expected to summon the people involved, the sources said.

The ED case has been booked after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), an investigative arm of the Union corporate affairs ministry, they said.

The case stems from an income tax department investigation that alleged that a private company called Cochin Minerals And Rutile Ltd (CMRL), made an illegal payment of Rs 1.72 crore to Veena's company -- Exalogic Solutions -- during 2018 to 2019, even though the IT firm had not provided any service to the company.

The Karnataka high court had last month dismissed a plea filed by Exalogic Solutions against the probe initiated by the SFIO.

The blood sugar level of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is diabetic, is fluctuating and his health has deteriorated in Enforcement Directorate custody, AAP sources claimed on Wednesday.

Arvind Kejriwal's blood sugar level dropped to 46 Mg at one point of time and according to doctors, such a drop is "very dangerous", they claimed.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister's wife Sunita Kejriwal said in a digital briefing that she had met him in ED custody and his sugar level was fluctuating. She appealed people to pray for his health.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED last week in connection with the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He is in ED custody till March 28.

The chief minister has challenged his arrest in court. -- PTI

15:04 Trouble mounts for MVA as Nirupam targets Cong

The Maharashtra Congress on Wednesday objected to the Shiv Sena-UBT announcing its candidates for the Bhiwandi, Mumbai South Central and Sangli Lok Sabha seats, saying MVA partners must stick to "coalition dharma".

Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat urged Sena-UBT to reconsider its decision.

However, his party colleague Sanjay Nirupam adopted a more belligerent stand, attacking their leadership for letting the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit grab most of the seats in Mumbai.

Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents Congress, Sena-UBT and NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar have been holding seat-sharing discussions for the 48 constituencies in Maharashtra, where the Lok Sabha polls will be held in five phases starting April 19.

Amid the talks, Sena-UBT earlier in the day released its first list of 17 candidates for the upcoming elections and said it will contest a total of 22 seats in the state.

Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said the announcement was not right.

"Everyone must follow coalition dharma. Shiv Sena-UBT must reconsider its decision," Thorat said.

He said the Congress is still firm on contesting from Sangli, Bhiwandi and Mumbai South Central. "Unfortunately, coalition dharma hasn't been followed," he said.

Thorat said his party's state unit has apprised the central leadership of the developments.

The senior Congress leader also lamented that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar has announced a separate list of candidates.

Ambedkar on Wednesday announced candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, accusing the MVA allies of trying to use his outfit to promote dynastic politics.

"Considering the prevailing political situation in the country, the Congress made a genuine attempt to reach out to all parties who believe in democracy and the Constitution," he said.

Meanwhile, former Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam slammed his party leadership for allowing Sena-UBT to grab most seats in Mumbai.

Talking to reporters, Nirupam said "all options were open" before him.

"I will wait for a week and then take a decision," he said.

Nirupam, who is keen to contest the Mumbai North West parliamentary constituency, said the party leadership hasn't got in touch with him in the last fortnight.

"The leadership isn't bothered that injustice is being done to its leaders and workers. Shiv Sena-UBT is making us bend and we are doing it," he said.

Nirupam criticised Sena-UBT for declaring its candidates in four out of six seats in Mumbai. "It is likely that the candidate for the fifth seat will also be declared tomorrow," he claimed. -- PTI

Two days after the 36-year-old daughter of a mayor in Nepal was reported missing from Goa, she was traced to a hotel in the coastal state on Wednesday, police said.

The woman, Aarti Hamal, was found at the hotel located at Chopdem village in North Goa, around 20 km away from where she went missing on March 25, they said.

"Hamal was reported missing from the Osho meditation centre near Mandrem in North Goa, where she arrived from Nepal a month back. The management of the centre had lodged a missing person's complaint at Mandrem police station," a senior police official said.

Before going missing, the woman was last seen at Siolim (North Goa) on March 25, he said.

"A massive search operation was launched across the state to trace her," the official said, adding that the eyewitnesses claimed that she was very much in her senses when they last saw her.

Police had also started looking for her at another Osho centre in the state located at Canacona, he added.

"She has been frequently visiting Goa. She had left her phone back at the Osho centre, due to which she could not be traced with the help of technical surveillance," he said.

The state police had started searching all the hotels in and around Pernem and Mandrem areas of North Goa, the official said. -- PTI

14:50 ED summons TMC MP Mahua Moitra in FEMA case

The Enforcement Directorate has issued fresh summons to Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra and businessman Darshan Hiranandani for questioning in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) contravention case on March 28, official sources said Wednesday.

The 49-year-old Trinamool Congress leader was called for questioning earlier also by the central agency.

Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December for "unethical conduct", has been renominated by her party from West Bengal's Krishnanagar seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had raided her premises in connection with the cash-for-query case on Saturday, days after anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal directed the federal agency to investigate the allegations levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.

Dubey, a Lok Sabha member, has alleged that Moitra asked questions in the House in exchange for cash and gifts from Dubai-based Hiranandani to mount an attack on industrialist Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others.

Transactions linked to a non-resident external (NRE) account are under the ED's scanner apart from a few other foreign remittances and fund transfers, the sources said.

Moitra has denied any wrongdoing and claims that she is being targeted as she raised questions on the deals of the Adani Group. -- PTI

Four women were arrested for allegedly beating up, stripping and parading a 30-year-old woman over a dispute at a village in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district , police said on Wednesday.

A video of the purported incident that occurred during the Holi celebrations also surfaced on social media.

"On Monday, four women forcibly pulled the victim out of her house, beat her up and humiliated her by stripping her naked in public at Bachhora village of Gautampura police station area," Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sunil Mehta said.

All four accused women were later arrested, he said.

Mehta visited the village on Wednesday, and said peace prevails there now.

But as the victim is disturbed due to her humiliation, she has gone to her parents' home, he said.

One of the accused suspected that the victim was instigating her mother-in-law against her. She also suspected that the victim had taken her mother-in-law to Mandsaur without informing her, the police official said.

The victim and the accused women belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, he added.

According to him, some onlookers in the village shot the video of the humiliating act and circulated it.

These people are being identified and appropriate legal steps will be taken against them, he said.

Eyewitnesses said the accused women dragged the victim out of her house and stripped her.

They said that the victim woman kept pleading for mercy at the time of the incident, but the accused did not relent and they openly stripped her by tearing her clothes. They also took her to some distance on the common road of the village in the same condition. -- PTI

Representational image

14:06 All juveniles must be kept out of jail

We need to respect the dignity of our Children, says Sheela Barse, veteran activist and journalist often credited with introducing the concept of child rights in India.

Barse, who played a major role in enactment of a uniform Juvenile Justice law in the 1980s, and led several public interest litigation cases before the Supreme Court of India, was also instrumental in framing policies against human trafficking, child sexual abuse, and child labour.

In a conversation with Anurag Bhaskar for LiveLaw, Barse says, "Our children are the most vulnerable segment of society. We need to respect their dignity. We need to make a better future for them."

You can read the interview here.

13:51 Govt summons US diplomat over Kejriwal remarks

India on Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat and lodged a strong protest against a US state department official's remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Ministry of external affairs officials summoned the acting deputy chief of mission Gloria Berbena to their office in South Block. The meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes.

Reports had it that a US state department official had said that Washington "encouraged a fair, transparent and timely legal process for chief minister Kejriwal".

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam'.

The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped.

Arvind Kejriwal with V K Saxena

13:20 Govt will not be run from jail, asserts Delhi L-G

The government will not be run from jail, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena said on Wednesday against the backdrop of statements by AAP leaders that Arvind Kejriwal will continue as chief minister even if he is behind bars.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case and subsequently remanded to the agency's custody till March 28 by a Delhi court.

Speaking at the Times Now Summit, Saxena said, "I can assure the people of Delhi that the government will not be run from jail."

Dilip Ghosh

13:10 BJP's Dilip Ghosh apologises for remarks on Mamata. Or does he?

Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday apologised for his remarks on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that triggered a massive controversy.

The apology came hours after the BJP sought an explanation from Ghosh, who was heard mocking the family background of Banerjee in a purported video clip.

Maintaining that his party and other people have reservations about his choice of words, Ghosh said, "If it is so, I am sorry for that."

The TMC filed a complaint with the Election Commission against him over his comments, alleging that it violated the model code of conduct (MCC).

Ghosh, the former state BJP president, said he has no personal enmity with the chief minister.

"This is not the first time that a controversy has erupted over my comments since I say it on the face of anyone who does any wrong," he said.

Ghosh claimed that he had only protested Banerjee's political statements. He, however, hastened to add that though the issue of women's respect was raised over his comments, a TMC leader had used derogatory words against Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and his father Sisir Adhikari.

"Does Suvendu not expect respect because he is a man?" he asked, speaking to reporters in Durgapur.

The Medinipur MP, who has been fielded from the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat this time by the BJP, on Tuesday mocked TMC's slogan of "Bangla Nijer Meye ke chai (Bengal wants its own daughter)".

"When she goes to Goa, she says she is the daughter of Goa. In Tripura, she says she is the daughter of Tripura. First, let her clarify...," he said.

BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said his party does not support such remarks about women and that too against someone who is a chief minister, and that is why an explanation was sought from Ghosh.

Proceedings of the Delhi assembly were adjourned for 15 minutes shortly after the House convened on Tuesday as AAP MLAs protested against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in a money laundering case.

Before the commencement of the session, the AAP MLAs staged a protest outside the assembly and raised slogans demanding Kejriwal's immediate release.

Party leaders, including Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, were among those who were part of the protest. They were dressed in yellow T-shirts with slogans like "Main Bhi Kejriwal" and "Modi ka Sabse Bada Dar Kejriwal" written on them.

"Today, all AAP MLAs are protesting against the illegal arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Efforts are being made to end democracy in the country. For the first time in the history of the country, a sitting CM has been arrested and that too just before the national elections," Atishi told reporters.

Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last week in connection with the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He is in ED custody till March 28.

The chief minister has challenged his arrest in court. -- PTI

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore which collapsed after being struck by a container ship in the early hours on Tuesday was named after an American attorney who wrote the lyrics of a song that eventually became the US national anthem -- The Star Spangled Banner.

The visuals of the collapse incident caught on camera have been widely shared on TV channels and social media platforms.

The Singapore-flagged container ship "Dali" with crew - all Indian, 22 in total - rammed into one of the pillars of the major bridge in Maryland's Baltimore at approximately 1:30 am local time, causing it to snap and plunge dramatically into the river below.

There was no official confirmation on the deaths, but the accident may have killed six people and brought one of the most important ports in the northeast US to a grinding halt.

As the sun rose over the horizon revealing the full scale of the impact of the incident, it also put a spotlight on the history of the bridge that was opened to traffic in this very month in 1977.

On March 23, 1977, the Francis Scott Key Bridge that spans the Patapsco River in Baltimore was opened to traffic, according to the website of Preservation Maryland, an over 90-year-old Baltimore-based organisation that works for historic preservation.

Baltimore is a major American city just outside of Washington.

"Besides the famous name, the bridge was a major milestone in Maryland's transportation planning and remains the second longest continuous truss bridge in the United States," it said.

The Key Bridge was a "major milestone" for the development of the Maryland highway system as it completed the Interstate 695 circuit around Baltimore. It was also a significant engineering accomplishment - and one of the longest continuous truss bridges in the US, according to Preservation Maryland.

Construction of the bridge, named after Francis Scott Key, began in August 1972.

And, the lyrics of The Star Spangled Banner also have a Baltimore connection.

"On September 14, 1814, US soldiers at Baltimore's Fort McHenry raised a huge American flag to celebrate a crucial victory over British forces during the War of 1812.

The sight of those broad stripes and bright stars inspired Francis Scott Key to write a song that eventually became the United States national anthem."

"Key's words gave new significance to a national symbol and started a tradition through which generations of Americans have invested the flag with their meanings and memories," according to the website of the National Museum of American History. -- PTI

Jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal today said that the AAP chief will present a detailed reply on "so-called Delhi liquor scam" in the court on March 28.

"Two days ago, Arvind Kejriwal sent a letter to water minister Atishi regarding the water and sewer problems in Delhi. The central government filed a case against him. Do they want to destroy Delhi? Do they want the people to keep suffering," she asked during a brief press conference in Delhi.

"In the so-called liquor scam, the ED has conducted more than 250 raids. They are searching for the money of this so-called scam. They have found nothing yet. Arvind Kejriwal has said he will reveal everything in the court on March 28. He will reveal where the money of the liquor scam is. He will also provide proof," she added.

The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with the now-scarpped Delhi excise policy case linked to a money laundering case and remanded the next day to the ED till March 28.

Representational image

12:11 Banks in fix after illegally taking money from customers for govt schemes

Many across the country have protested unauthorised debits from their bank accounts for the government's insurance schemes, reports Hemant Gairola in article-14.com.

Apart from life insurance, banks have also been enrolling customers without consent in the accident insurance scheme, called Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). These complaints also extend to the centre's micro-pension scheme, called Atal Pension Yojana (APY), writes Gairola.

'While the PMJJBY premium is Rs 436 a year, PMSBY costs Rs 20 a year. Once a customer is subscribed to these schemes, the fees are deducted automatically from his/her account annually. The PMJJBY provides a cover of Rs 200,000 to a policyholder's nominee in the event of death due to any reason. The PMSBY provides Rs 200,000 in case of death due to an accident and Rs 100,000 in case of a severe accident injury. The APY offers a monthly pension of up to Rs 5,000 after the age of 60. The monthly fee depends on the pension plan selected.'

'Often, those enrolled in insurance schemes without consent are not aware that they are paying a premium for an insurance cover. This prevents family members from availing the schemes' benefits, rendering their premium payments -- unauthorised to begin with -- futile,' reports Gairola, here.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar has announced that there will be no alliance with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance for the April-May general elections.

Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar, has announced candidates for some Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

Despite the efforts, Ambedkar and three MVA allies -- Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT) -- failed to reach a consensus over seat-sharing.

Last week, Ambedkar expressed displeasure with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) for their "unequal attitude" towards his party, and offered support to the Congress on seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

Elections to Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha seats will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20, and votes will be counted on June 4.

Pic: Courtesy Pavan Davuluri/X

11:41 IIT Madras alumnus to lead MS Windows and Surface teams

Microsoft has internally merged the Windows and Surface teams once again, appointing IIT Madras alumnus Pavan Davuluri to lead development on both fronts.

According to Windows Central, a news site that tracks developments at Microsoft, the decision comes after a brief separation, during which Windows briefly fell under Microsoft's new AI organisation.

The reunion of Windows and Surface teams marks a return to a familiar structure within Microsoft's Engineering and Devices organisation, headed by Rajesh Jha.

Pavan Davuluri, previously overseeing Microsoft's hardware endeavours, will now take the helm of Windows engineering as well.

The reshuffle follows the departure of ex-Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay last September, whose role was effectively split between Davuluri and Mikhail Parakhin.

Parakhin took charge of Windows, alongside his existing responsibilities as CEO of Web and Advertising at Microsoft, overseeing products such as Bing, Edge, and Copilot.

However, recent developments within Microsoft, including the appointment of DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman as CEO of a new AI division, prompted a re-evaluation of team structures.

With Parakhin's team absorbed into the new AI division, he has announced his intention to explore other roles, likely outside the company.

As a result, Windows is now realigned under Rajesh Jha's leadership, ensuring that development is overseen by the same individual who guides Surface development.

Over the past year, Pavan Davuluri has been instrumental in driving Microsoft's efforts to optimise Windows for Arm-based devices.

On March 22, Davuluri posted on X "Today, we announced our first ever #Surface AI PCs built exclusively for business: Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business! I'm incredibly proud of the team for the work they did to bring these devices and experiences to life for our customers #Copilot."

Anticipation is building for May 20, when Microsoft is expected to unveil new next-generation AI features and Arm-based Surface hardware, offering further insights into the company's vision for Windows and AI integration.

11:25 Kejriwal plea: ED seeks more time from court

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday urged the Delhi high court to grant it time to file reply to a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the agency, said the "bulky" petition was served upon them only on Tuesday, and three weeks' time should be given to bring their stand on record.

For interim relief as well, appropriate time should be given to respond, he said.

Senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for the AAP leader, alleged that the request to file response was a delay tactic.

Challenge is to the foundation of arrest and there are several "glaring issues" that need immediate decision by the high court either way, the senior lawyer added.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said she would take up the matter again after some time.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, who has sought his immediate release on account of the arrest and the subsequent remand to ED, was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded to the ED's custody till March 28 by a Delhi court.

On Friday, the trial court had remanded Kejriwal in the ED's custody till March 28 "for his detailed and sustained interrogation".

The ED arrested Kejriwal hours after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency.

The case pertains to the alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped.

Ramakrishna Mission president Swami Smaranananda died on Tuesday night due to age-related ailments, doctors treating him said.

Swami Smaranananda, 94, was the 16th president of Ramakrishna Mission, which was founded by Swami Vivekananda.

"Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, most revered President Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission attained Mahasamadhi today at 8.14 pm," said a statement issued by the organisation.

The monk was admitted to the Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan in Kolkata on January 29 with an existing urinary tract infection. He later developed respiratory failure for which he was put on a ventilator on March 3, doctors said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee paid rich tributes to Swami Smaranananda.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "He left an indelible mark on countless hearts and minds. His compassion and wisdom will continue to inspire generations."

"I had a very close relationship with him over the years. I recall my visit to Belur Math in 2020 when I had interacted with him. A few weeks ago in Kolkata, I had also visited the hospital and enquired about his health," he added.

The chief minister said the monk would remain the source of solace for millions of devotees across the globe.

"This great monk during his lifetime has given spiritual leadership to the world order of the Ramakrishnaites and remains the source of solace for millions of devotees across the globe," she said.

The Ramakrishna Mission said that the cremation will take place at its headquarters Belur Math in Howrah at 9 pm on Wednesday. -- PTI

In an unprecedented move, six judges of the Islamabad high court sought intervention by the Supreme Judicial Council against the alleged interference in the working of the judiciary by Pakistan's powerful intelligence agencies.

A letter signed by six Islamabad high court (IHC) judges demanded the SJC initiate a judicial convention against such interference in judicial affairs.

The six judges who signed the March 25 dated letter include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz.

The letter also advocated adopting a stance to ensure the judiciary's independence through the convention.

The SJC is the highest body authorised to take action against judges of high and supreme courts.

"We are writing to seek guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a judge to report and respond to actions on part of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, that seek to interfere with discharge of his/ her official functions and qualify as intimidation, as well as the duty to report any such actions that come to his/her attention in relation to colleagues and/or members of the courts that the High Court supervises," the letter stated.

It goes on to highlight the interference of the executive and agencies in judicial matters, including the kidnapping and torture of the brother-in-law of a high court judge to put pressure on the judge regarding a case.

"We will also note that the code of conduct for judges prescribed by SJC provides no guidance on how judges must react to and or report incidents that are tantamount to intimidation and interfere with judicial independence," it said.

The judges further said they "believe it is imperative to inquire into and determine whether there exists a continuing policy on the part of the executive branch of the state, implemented by intelligence operatives who report to the executive branch, to intimidate judges, under threat of coercion or blackmail, to engineer judicial outcomes in politically consequential matters."

The development came days after the top court declared the removal of former IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui illegal, directing that he may now be considered a retired judge.

The verdict noted that the SJC proceeded against Justice Siddiqui on the assumption that the truth or falseness of the allegations levelled by the former judge was "irrelevant".

Siddiqui was sacked on October 11, 2018, by the SJC based on a speech he had delivered weeks ago at the Rawalpindi Bar Association in which he accused the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) -- the powerful intelligence agency of the country-- of influencing the court proceedings and forming benches of choice. -- PTI

Satyam Surana, the Indian student who came to the limelight for bravely retrieving the Tricolour amidst an attack on the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom by extremists last year, is now speaking out against alleged hate and smear campaigns targeted at him during this year's student union elections at the London School of Economics.

Satyam has claimed that, mere hours before voting commenced, a very 'well-planned' campaign was initiated against him.

He asserts that this campaign sought to associate him with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and labelled him a 'fascist,' with the apparent intention of inciting a boycott against him and his electoral bid.

The Pune-born student has also practiced at the Bombay high court for some months and is pursuing an LLM at the London School of Economics, with his course ending later this year.

Elaborating on the whole set of incidents, he said that the LSE elections were declared in February and early March and he filed the nomination for the post of general secretary.

"From March 14 to 15, we noticed that my posters were being ripped off, torn. We complained to the authorities. After we replaced our posters, on the 16th, we saw that some posters were defaced. There were crosses on my face, it was written 'anyone but Satyam'. I was cancelled out," Satyam told ANI.

"On the 17th afternoon, there were messages in all groups of LSE., Indian groups, law school groups. The messages claimed, 'This Satyam Surana is a BJP supporter, he is a fascist person, an Islamophobe, a transphobe'. The messages were so seditious and contentious of the Indian government and the current establishment," he added.

Satyam alleged that the radical elements also screenshotted his posts on social media handle X, where he had merely praised the BJP government, but his posts were used with a malicious agenda to call him a "fascist."

He also said that his manifesto had no political points, but merely contained the genuine issues on campus. Even though he initially got overwhelming support, this hate campaign derailed his chances.

"With my entire team, I went through the entire campus. We were reaching out across departments and explaining our policies. I had a very well-written and well-drafted manifesto, which was not at all political. It said how things need improvement at LSE, how there is a need of a grievance redressal portal, having subsidised food on campus. We were getting support and people were saying that they would vote for me," Satyam said.

"But, out of the three people, it was only me who was targeted randomly. When these messages started coming, my entire team was shocked, we were in a dilemma, and the entire moral conscience of the team was shattered," he added.

Recalling the episode from the Indian high commission last year, Satyam said, "Somewhere around early October, I was in the news because I picked up the national flag outside the Indian High Commission among the Khalistani protestors. I was blessed to receive media coverage. I was interviewed by national media channels."

He further said that he was targeted for calling Khalistanis as 'terrorists' in one of his posts.

"See, this is my country. I will always be an advocate for my country. How is Indian politics relevant to the student union elections in the UK? My views and endorsements of my government is entirely my opinion," Satyam added.

The Indian student said that his photograph with Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis -- which was clicked when he was invited by Fadnavis during his India visit -- was used by the extremist elements to claim that he is linked to the BJP.

He further pointed out that since the whole smear campaign against him was targeting the 'right wing, Satyam believes that the campaign was planned by 'left-wing' groups.

"I was called a Neo-Nazi supporter, Right Wing, out of campus. See, when the message heading was circulated as the right wing out of campus, it is very clear that the campaign was dictated and planned by the left wing," he said.

On being asked if the hate campaign against him was started by an Indian person or a foreigner, Satyam said that the first message he received was from an Indian and most of those involved in this campaign were Indians only.

The Shiv Sena-UBT on Wednesday released its first list of 16 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, nominating former Union ministers Anant Geete and Arvind Sawant from Raigad and South Mumbai constituencies respectively.

The party also fielded Rajan Vichare from Thane, Amol Kirtikar from Mumbai North-West, and Sanjay Patil from Mumbai North-East.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party is a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state.

Another MVA constituent, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is yet to officially declare its candidates in the state for the April-May Lok Sabha polls. On the other hand, the Congress, which is also a part of the state-level grouping of the opposition parties, has declared its candidates on some seats where there is no tussle with its alliance partners.

Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80), will vote in five phases starting from April 19. -- PTI

09:20 Restaurant owner shot dead in northeast Delhi

A 32-year-old restaurant owner was shot dead by unidentified assailants in northeast Delhi's New Usmanpur area, police said on Wednesday.

Sanjay Singh, who had been booked in a murder case, was attacked near his house when he was on his way back from the restaurant on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

One of Singh's friends found him lying injured on the road and informed the victim's younger brother Nitin, who runs a dairy, a police officer said.

Nitin rushed to the spot and found Singh lying in a pool of blood near Hanuman Mandir Wali Gali service road, the officer said.

Singh sustained injuries in the head, right shoulder and elbow, and abdomen. He was rushed to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead, according to police.

Police said seven empty bullet shells, four pieces of lead and one live round of 7.65 mm were found at the spot.

Another officer said Singh had been booked in connection with the murder of a man, Ravinder. The two lived in the same locality.

"Efforts are being made to identify those who killed Singh. Footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area is being scanned," the officer said, adding that all angles of the case are being looked at. -- PTI

Stand-up comedian and Bigg Boss 17 winner Munawar Faruqui was among 14 persons detained by the Mumbai police after they were found smoking hookahs during a raid in south Mumbai, an official said on Wednesday.

The Social Service branch of the city police conducted the raid at a hookah parlour located in Bora Bazar area of Fort around 10.30 pm on Tuesday, and the operation continued till 5 am of Wednesday, an official said.

"During the raid, the police found stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui and others smoking hookahs at the joint. We also have a video of their act. We detained Faruqui and others, but they were later allowed to go as the sections slapped against them were bailable," a senior police official said.

Police had received information that some patrons were smoking tobacco-based hookahs at the parlour in the guise of smoking herbal hookahs, he said.

Faruqui and others were booked under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act along with the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), the official said.

Notices were served to Faruqui and others by the Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Marg police and they were allowed to go, he said. -- PTI

The Maryland state police on Wednesday said that the six people who were missing after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday in Baltimore, Maryland, are feared dead.

The Singapore-flagged vessel collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, leading to its collapse on Tuesday.

The ship's crew -- all Indian, 22 in total -- issued a mayday call moments before the crash took down the Francis Scott Key Bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, Maryland's governor said.

Owners and managers of the Singapore-flagged container ship 'Dali' report that the vessel collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore, whilst under pilotage with two pilots onboard, at approximately 01:30 local time on March 26, ship management company Synergy Marine Group said in a statement.

"Our heartfelt condolences to all affected by the unfortunate accident at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore," the Indian Embassy said in a post on X.

The embassy said it has created a dedicated hotline "for any Indian citizens that may be affected/require assistance".

The embassy is ascertaining details regarding the vessel's crew.

The 'Dali' had an 'all Indian' crew of 22 people onboard, according to ship management company Synergy Marine Group.

The ship, outbound from Baltimore to Colombo, struck a 1.6-mile-long, four-lane bridge in Baltimore in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Shortly after the collision, the bridge collapsed, crashing on the cargo ship.

Grace Ocean Private Ltd owns the vessel with a capacity of 10,000 TEU, with onboard units totalling 4,679 TEU. The vessel's tons deadweight is 116,851 DWT.

The crew alerted transportation personnel about losing control of the vessel, enabling authorities to close the Baltimore bridge to traffic before the devastating collision, "undoubtedly" saving lives, US President Joe Biden said.

Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi will clear its stand on whether to join the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi or not on Wednesday.

"The working committee of VBA will hold a meeting on Tuesday night, and our chief Prakash Ambedkar will announce a decision on Wednesday at his home district Akola regarding whether to join hands with the MVA or not," Siddharth Mokle, chief spokesperson and state vice president of VBA, told reporters.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi comprises the Shiv Sena-UBT, Congress, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Notably, the VBA has been trying hard to forge an alliance with the MVA to challenge the BJP-led NDA. Mokle claimed a false picture is being portrayed to show that VBA was responsible for the delay by MVA in finalising a seat-sharing formula for Lok Sabha elections.

"The VBA was constantly making statements and informing its supporters about the progress in the seat-sharing formula. The MVA constituents have a dispute over 15 parliamentary constituencies. While Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) are at loggerheads in 10 seats, all three parties have staked claims on the remaining five seats," he added. -- PTI

Oreva Group CMD Jaysukh Patel (left)

00:52 Morbi bridge collapse: Oreva Group CMD Jaysukh Patel released on bail

A court on Tuesday granted bail to Oreva Group CMD Jaysukh Patel, the main accused in the 2022 Morbi suspension bridge collapse case, and barred his entry into the district till the completion of the trial as it imposed seven conditions for his release.

Patel, the main accused in the case, was released from Morbi sub-jail on the orders of principal sessions court judge PC Joshi, days after the Supreme Court allowed his regular bail plea and directed the trial court to set stringent terms and conditions for his release.

Morbi suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi city of Gujarat collapsed on October 30, 2022, killing 135 people.

The court of Principal Sessions Judge PC Joshi on Tuesday imposed seven conditions on Patel, the main accused in the case, for his release on regular bail, special public prosecutor Vijay Jani said.

"The accused was directed to remain outside Morbi district until the conclusion of the trial, and visit the district only on the dates of trial," he said.

The accused was also directed to deposit Rs 1 lakh as bail bond and not to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses, he said.

Patel was also directed to submit his residential proof before the court and inform it whenever there was an address change, Jani told media persons. -- PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party received a shot in the arm in Punjab on Tuesday as three-term Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu from the state joined the party, asserting that people have made up their mind to elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power again.

Bittu is the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, a hero of anti-terrorism campaign in the state who was assassinated in a terror attack while still in office.

He currently represents Ludhiana in the outgoing Lok Sabha.

Joining the BJP, he lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah among others stating they have a lot of affection for Punjab and want to do a lot for the state.

Bittu said the people have made up their mind to elect the BJP to power at the Centre in the Lok Sabha polls, adding there is a need to plug the gap as Punjab has been left behind by other states.

"We will work as bridge for the farmers, workers, industry...," he said. -- PTI

An explosion occurred in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district late on Tuesday night but there was no report of any injury, officials said.

The blast was reported in a lane adjacent to a religious place in the vicinity of the district hospital in Poonch town around 11.15 pm, causing panic among the locals, they said.

The police and army personnel along with forensic experts rushed to the scene to investigate the nature of the blast, officials said, adding preliminary probe suggests that the blast occurred after suspected terrorists hurled a Chinese grenade.

They said the whole area has been cordoned off and senior officers are on the spot. -- PTI

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00:21 DGCA delays revised pilot duty rules implementation

Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation has deferred the implementation of the revised flight duty norms for pilots that were to be effective from June 1, according to two civil aviation ministry officials.

One of the officials on Tuesday said the revised norms have been deferred for some time to have wider consultations.

The new norms provide for more rest time for pilots and seek to alleviate pilot fatigue.

The latest decision comes less than two weeks after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation told airlines that the deadline for implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations norms will not be deferred.

Another official said implementation of the revised FDTL norms has been deferred for some time to enable thorough consideration of all elements.

The Federation of Indian Airlines, comprising Air India, SpiceJet and IndiGo, had written at least twice to the regulator seeking more time for implementation of the revised FDTL norms that were issued on January 8.

In a communication to the FIA earlier this month, the regulator said the airlines have to take all necessary steps to roll out the revised FDTL CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements) with effect from June 1, 2024. -- PTI

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