11 Dead After Gas Leak At Ludhiana Factory

LUDHIANA, April 30: Eleven people have died after they fell unconscious due to a gas leak incident at a factory in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana in Punjab. Four more people, who were taken ill, are undergoing treatment at a hospital, police said.

A rescue team was rushed to the spot, and doctors, an ambulance, and a fire brigade team have also been stationed at the spot. A 50-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also reached the site. The affected area has been cordoned off.

Police said the casualties comprise five women and six men. Two boys, aged 10 and 13, are among the 11 who died in the incident, police said.

"Definitely, it is a gas leak case. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is present at the spot to evacuate the people and will conduct the rescue operation," said Swati Tiwana, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Ludhiana. The nature and sources of the gas are not known yet, and the NDRF team will investigate it, she said.

The immediate priority is to evacuate the area, which is densely populated, Ms Tiwana added.

"11 deaths confirmed till now...In all likelihood, there is some gas contamination which has happened...It is quite likely that maybe some chemical reacted with methane in manholes...All of this is being verified. NDRF is retrieving samples," informed Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has said all possible help is being provided, and more details will be shared soon.

"The incident of a gas leak at a factory in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana is very sad. Police, government and NDRF teams are present at the spot. All possible help is being provided. Rest details soon," he tweeted in Punjabi.

Cases Filed Against Wrestling Body Chief After Supreme Court Notice

NEW DELHI, April 28: The Delhi Police have filed two cases against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after the country's top wrestlers made allegations of sexual harassment against him.

The Delhi Police, which functions under Amit Shah's Home Ministry, filed the two first information reports (FIRs) hours after the Supreme Court ordered them to do so, amid protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar by wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat.

One of the FIRs is over a complaint of sexual harassment by a minor, filed under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which gives no scope for bail.

The Delhi Police will pursue the case actively, sources said.

Singh, who is also a BJP MP, welcomed the Supreme Court's order to file the police case into allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Singh told reporters the wrestlers should have waited for the report of a committee that was tasked to look into the matter before they decided to sit on a protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

"I am happy with the judiciary's decision. The Delhi Police will investigate the allegations and I am ready to cooperate with them in every possible way. No one is bigger than the judiciary in this country. The order has come to file an FIR (first information report). The government had also said it had no objection to filing an FIR. I am not larger than the Supreme Court. I welcome the order," Singh told reporters.

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had formed the committee to look into the allegations against the WFI and its chief. The committee, which was told to give a report to the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry, had given it on April 5. But the ministry has not yet made public the findings of the six-member committee.

"I didn't raise any objection when the oversight committee was formed, didn't ask any question or put hurdles. I have followed the law. They (wrestlers) should have waited for the report. But they didn't. They went to the Supreme Court. I follow the law, but it seems they don't," Singh told reporters today.

"I welcome every decision. The one taken by the government, the move to set up an oversight committee, and I welcome the latest decision (of the Supreme Court) because I have not done anything wrong against anyone," he said.

Despite the assurance of police action, the wrestlers said they will continue their sit-in protest demanding the "immediate arrest" of the WFI chief.

"We respect Supreme Court's order, but we don't have faith in Delhi Police. This fight is not for an FIR. This fight is to punish people like him. He needs to be in jail and stripped of his portfolios," the wrestlers said.

‘We will end Naxalism soon’: Chhattisgarh CM after 10 jawans killed in attack

DANTEWADA, April 26: Ten police personnel and a driver were killed in an attack in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Wednesday.

Hours after an attack on police vehicle that killed 10 personnel and a driver in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Wednesday, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel assured that they will “end Naxalism in the state soon”.

“Pressure is being created on Naxals, so they did this act of cowardice. Naxalism will be uprooted,” said Baghel. He added, “Dantewada incident is heart-rending. My condolences to their families. Their sacrifice will not go to waste.”

Earlier, union home minister Amit Shah spoke to Baghel and promised all possible help to the state government. “Anguished by the cowardly attack on the Chhattisgarh police at Dantewada. Have spoken to Chhattisgarh’s Chief Minister and assured all possible assistance to the state government. My condolences to the bereaved family members of the martyred Jawans,” the HM tweeted.

Meanwhile, according to reports, Baghel will be visiting Dantewada to pay tribute to the slain police personnel and take stock of the situation.

According to the police officials, an improvised explosive device (IED) was used to blow up the police personnel's vehicle when they were returning from an anti-Maoist operation.

The attack was one of the worst in Chhattisgarh since April 2021 - when 22 police and paramilitary personnel were killed and at least two dozen others were injured during a gunfight with Maoists. Prior to this in 2017, 25 jawans were killed in an attack.

Gujarat High Court Judge Opts Out Of Hearing Rahul Gandhi's Appeal

GANDHINAGAR, April 26: The Gujarat High Court judge assigned to hear the appeal of Congress's Rahul Gandhi in the Modi surname case, has recused herself. Sources said Justice Geeta Gopi has directed the court registry to hand over the case to the Chief Justice for assignment to a different bench. Assigning a new judge might take two days, Gandhi's lawyer PS Chapaneri has said.

Gandhi went to the Gujarat High Court yesterday after a lower court turned down his request to freeze conviction in the case involving his remarks on the surname of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gandhi -- disqualified from parliament last month after receiving a two-year jail term -- cannot be reinstated if his sentence is not overturned or suspended. Also, he would be unable to contest elections for the next eight years.

In his appeal, he has argued that the Surat sessions court has erred in dismissing his plea seeking stay of conviction, which, he added, has caused him "irreparable and irreversible damage".

First Batch Of 360 Indians Evacuated From Sudan Reach Delhi

NEW DELHI, April 26: The first batch of 360 Indians from crisis-hit Sudan arrived in New Delhi this evening under "Operation Kaveri".

"India welcomes back its own. #OperationKaveri brings 360 Indian Nationals to the homeland as first flight reaches New Delhi," tweeted Foreign Minister S Jaishakar, along with arrival pictures.

The evacuation comes days after Jaishankar spoke to his Saudi Arabia counterpart. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Sudan.

"Operation Kaveri" is a rescue mission launched by the government to evacuate stranded Indian citizens from Sudan where the Sudanese Army and paramilitary groups are fighting.

The warring factions in Sudan agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire on Monday after the US and Saudi Arabia mediated the truce while countries are engaged in evacuating their citizens from the country.

Under its evacuation mission, India has set up a transit facility at Jeddah and all the Indians have been taken to the coastal Saudi Arabian city after their evacuation from Sudan.

Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan is in Jeddah to oversee the evacuation mission.

Earlier, on Saturday, Saudi Arabia said it has evacuated 66 citizens of "brotherly and friendly" foreign countries that included a few Indian nationals from Sudan.

Battles between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary since mid-April has killed at least 459 people and injured more than 4,000, according to the WHO.

The nearly two weeks of urban combat has sparked a mass exodus of foreigners, while the UN has warned a giant new refugee crisis could be brewing.

Foreign governments have frantically organised road convoys, aircraft and ships to get thousands of their nationals out of Sudan, and citizens have fled overland to neighbouring countries.

Rahul Gandhi Goes To Gujarat High Court After No Relief In Defamation Case

NEW DELHI, April 25: Congress's Rahul Gandhi has appealed to the Gujarat High Court after a lower court turned down his request to pause conviction in the case involving his remarks on the surname of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gandhi was disqualified last month after receiving a two-year jail term -- the maximum possible in a criminal defamation case and just making the cut to bar him from parliament.

The law requires that if one is convicted in any offence for two years, his or her seat will be vacant. One can stay on as an MP only if the conviction is suspended.

In his appeal to the Surat court earlier this month, Gandhi had said the trial court had treated him harshly, overwhelmingly influenced by his status as an MP.

The judge, Robin Mongera, however, disagreed, saying Gandhi had "failed to demonstrate that by not staying the conviction and denying an opportunity to contest the election, an irreversible and irrevocable damage will be caused to him".

The court said a high standard of morality was expected from a person of Gandhi's stature and in this context, cited a remark from the Supreme Court that decisions to pause conviction should be exercised with caution and "not in a casual and mechanical manner… that will shake public confidence in the judiciary."

In the campaign ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Mr Gandhi had said, "How come all thieves have the common surname Modi" – targeting the Prime Minister over his last name, which he shares with fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.

The BJP alleged it was an insult to the OBC (Other Backward Classes) community and a party leader in Gujarat, Purnesh Modi, filed a defamation case against Gandhi.

The Gujarat court which convicted him, had granted him bail and 30 days' time to file an appeal.

Gandhi's conviction and disqualification had led to a huge political row and has brought the opposition on the same side of the issue. Irrespective of ideological and political boundaries, the opposition has condemned the move and accused the Centre of delivering a body blow to democracy.

Parkash Singh Badal, 5-Time Punjab Chief Minister, Dies At 95

CHANDIGARH, April 25: Parkash Singh Badal, a five-time former chief minister of Punjab and Akali Dal patriarch, died at a private hospital in Mohali on Tuesday. He was 95.

"Despite appropriate medical management S Parkash Singh Badal succumbed to his illness. Fortis Hospital Mohali deeply condoles the death of S Parkash Singh Badal," a statement from the hospital said.

The Punjab leader died at around 8 pm, said hospital Director Abhijeet Singh.

The former chief minister was admitted to Fortis Hospital in Mohali a week ago after he complained of uneasiness while breathing.

The veteran leader climbed his way up the political ladder, serving as a village sarpanch, before he contested assembly elections for the first time in 1957, when he was 30 years old, as a Congressman.

Parkash Singh Badal was the youngest Chief Minister to ever hold office in the state of Punjab. He was 43.

In a career spanning over seven decades, he lost only two elections - one in 1967, and the latest in the 2022 Punjab assembly election. The loss was particularly acute as he lost his stronghold Lambi, which he fronted for several decades.

He courted arrest during Operation Bluestar in June 1984 when the Army had entered the Golden Temple complex at Amritsar to flush out militants.

His party broke off ties with the BJP over the farmers' agitation against the Centre new agricultural laws in 2020. Parkash Singh Badal returned his Padma Vibhushan award - the second highest civilian honour of the country that he received from the government in 2015 - in protest against the treatment of the protesting farmers by the Central government.

The Akali Dal leader vehemently opposed the idea of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, meant to share river water with neighbouring Haryana.

Under his leadership, the state assembly passed the controversial Punjab Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal (Transfer of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2016.

Top Indian Wrestlers' Protest Back In Delhi Over Sexual Exploitation

NEW DELHI, April 23: Top Indian wrestlers who earlier this year protested against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, and other trainers, accusing them of sexually exploiting women wrestlers, are back at Delhi's Jantar Mantar with a fresh police complaint.

Seven women wrestlers have filed a sexual harassment complaint against federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at the Connaught Place police station in Central Delhi.

A First Information Report based on the complaint is yet to be filed, wrestler Sakshee Malikkh said, adding that they are frustrated that a government panel report on the issue hasn't been made public yet.

"We want the report, which has recorded women wrestlers' statement, to be public. It's a sensitive issue, one of the complainants is a minor girl," she said, adding that names of the complainants must not be leaked.

"We won't leave from here until Brij Bhushan is arrested," Bajrang Punia, another top wrestler, said. Vinesh Phogat said they aren't getting any response from the government despite repeated attempts.

"We are going to sleep and eat here till we get justice. We have been trying to contact them (Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and other relevant authority) for three months. The members of the committee are not responding to us, sports ministry has also not said anything, they don't even pick up our calls. We have won medals for the country and have put our careers at stake for this," she said.

The Sports Ministry had formed a five-member oversight committee, headed by legendary boxer MC Mary Kom, on January 23 and asked it to submit its findings in one month. Later, it extended the deadline by two weeks and also added Babita Phogat to the probe panel as its sixth member on the insistence of the protesting wrestlers.

The committee submitted its report in the first week of April, but the ministry is yet to make its findings public. However, sources said the wrestlers could not prove the sexual harassment allegations against the WFI boss after several hearings.

The wrestlers had earlier said they did not want to take the legal route because they had faith in the Prime Minister, but had warned of going to the police if the government didn't act. They said they were not satisfied with talks at the Sports Ministry brokered by Olympian Babita Phogat, a member of the BJP and part of the Haryana government. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had also met the wrestlers over the issue, and called the allegations "serious".

The Delhi Commission for Women, a local body that looks after women's issues, has issued a notice to Delhi Police for failing to register an FIR in the matter. The wrestlers had complained to the Commission that they have given a written complaint to the Delhi Police two days back, but their FIR has not been registered so far.

"The complainant has informed the Commission that several women wrestlers including a minor have alleged that the accused person has indulged in the crime of sexual harassment against them during his tenure at the Wrestling Federation of India," DCW chief Swati Maliwal said.

It claimed that the complainant informed the Commission that instead of an FIR being filed in the matter, some of the complainants and their family members have started getting phone calls enquiring about the identities of the complainants from an IPS officer posted in the Sports Ministry.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is a BJP MP, has refuted the charges. "All the sexual harassment allegations are false, and I will commit suicide if they are found to be true," had said the 66-year-old was earlier. The federation said that the athletes who have levelled sexual harassment charges against the WFI chief have a hidden agenda.

Awaiting a report by a government panel on the sexual harassment allegations against him, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has said that he will not contest for the president's post in WFI election on May 7 but hinted that he might look for a new role within the federation. He has served three four-year terms as president in a row and according to the Sports Code after completing 12 years as WFI chief, he is ineligible to contest for the top post.

The protest began on January 18 with triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, one of India's most decorated women wrestlers, went public with the charges. Ms Phogat said she never faced such exploitation herself, but claimed many wrestlers were intimidated from coming forward because of their humble backgrounds.

The elite wrestlers had said they weren't satisfied after talks with the government and "won't wrestle another day" till their demands are met. Alleging mismanagement in the functioning of the federation, they demanded a complete overhaul of the federation.

Vinesh Phogat, 28, made the allegations against Singh and trainers at a public protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar, backed by several other top wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia. "Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president. I know at least 10-20 girls in the national camp who have come and told me their stories," she said, tearing up.

Brij Bhushan earlier this month said it was laughable what the wrestlers said during the government panel hearings.

"I could not stop laughing what these wrestlers were saying. If I had anything inappropriate with Sakshi Malik, then why did she invite me to her wedding. They come to me with their personal matters and also family issues.

"They sit with my son and daughter-in-law and have food together, and now suddenly they are alleging that I have harassed them. If that's the case, why do they come to my home?" The WFI boss said the federation will not have revenge in mind when the issue is sorted.

Separatist Sikh Preacher Arrested By Indian Police

CHANDIGARH, April 23: Amritpal Singh, a fugitive Sikh separatist leader, surrendered to the Indian police in the state of Punjab, ending a tense weeks-long chase.

The self-styled preacher, who has tried to revive a banned movement to create an independent state of Khalistan, was arrested in Moga, according to a Sunday tweet from the Punjab police.

The search for Singh, 30, prompted police to shut off internet and text messages for the region’s 27 million people to prevent large gatherings. Singh was often seen surrounded by supporters armed with rifles and carrying belts of ammunition.

While the Sikh separatist movement was largely wiped out in Punjab by the 1990s, it continues to find some support within India and among the diaspora, especially in the UK, Australia and Canada.

Radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who has been on the run since March 18, was taken to Dibrugarh Central Jail hours after he surrendered before the Punjab police today. Eight of his aides are already imprisoned in the highly secure jail, which is among the oldest and most-secure prisons in the northeast.

ISRO launches two Singaporean satellites to space on PSLV-C55

SRIHARIKOTA, April 22: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched two customer satellites into space on Saturday. The satellites belonging to Singapore are being launched under a contract with the commercial arm of the Indian Space Agency, New Space India Limited (NSIL).

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota at 2:19 pm to deposit the over 700-kilogram payloads around the planet.

The PSLV-C55 mission carried two big satellites the TeLEOS-2, a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite, as the primary mission, and the Lumelite-4, a technology demonstration nano-satellite was the co-passenger satellite. The two satellites combined weighed around 757 kilograms.

The TeLEOS-2 spacecraft will provide imagery that could be used for hotspot monitoring and haze management, air crash search and rescue operations, and much more.

LUMELITE-4, on the other hand, has also been developed by Singapore and is an advanced 12U satellite designed for the technology demonstration of the High-Performance Space-borne VHF Data Exchange System (VDES).

Meanwhile, PSLV Orbital Experimental Module, Poem is the spent fourth stage of the launch vehicle that would be used as an orbital platform to carry out scientific experiments through non-separating payloads once the primary satellites are deployed.

The payloads include PSLV In orbitaL Obc and Thermals (PiLOT), an OBC package and an Advanced Retarding Potential analyser for Ionospheric Studies (ARIS-2) experiment from IIST, HET-based ARKA200 Electric Propulsion System from Bellatrix, DSOD-3U and DSOD-6U deployer units along with DSOL-Transceiver in S- & X- bands from Dhruva Space; and Starberry Sense Payload from Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IAP).

The payloads will be switched on, once the primary and the secondary satellites from Singapore are deployed in their orbits. Isro said that the solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank will be deployed after confirmation of the stage achieving stabilization.

'Price For Speaking Truth': Rahul Gandhi After Vacating Delhi Bungalow

NEW DELHI, April 22: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that he was ready to pay any price for speaking the truth, after he vacated his official residence in New Delhi following his disqualification as a member of Parliament.

Gandhi, 52, who had been living in a government bungalow at 12 Tughlaq Lane since 2005, was disqualified from the lower house of Parliament last month after he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison by a court in Surat, Gujarat, in a defamation case for a comment seen as insulting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and those who share his surname during an election rally in 2019.

Gandhi, who had appealed the verdict in a court in the state and lost on Friday, said he was targeted by the ruling BJP for his forceful attacks on PM Modi. The former Wayanad MP will now have to appeal in the Gujarat High Court or the Supreme Court against the Surat court's order to retain his Lok Sabha membership.

"People of Hindustan gave me this house for 19 years, I want to thank them. It's the price for speaking the truth. I am ready to pay any price for speaking the truth...," Gandhi told reporters outside his bungalow before leaving in a car.

He said he was shifting his belongings to his mother Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath, where he would stay for now. His sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen helping him move in the morning.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat had issued a notice to Gandhi on March 27 to vacate his bungalow by today, as per the rules that disqualify lawmakers convicted of crimes and sentenced to more than two years in jail.

The Congress party and other opposition parties have condemned the court's verdict and Gandhi's disqualification as a "political vendetta" and an "assault on democracy" by the BJP-led government.

The BJP, however, has defended the court's decision and accused Gandhi and his party of questioning the judiciary and disrespecting the law.

Former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik Summoned For Questioning By CBI

NEW DELHI, April 21: Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning on April 28 as a witness in a case of alleged corruption by Reliance General Insurance.

Malik said that the CBI has asked for his presence at the agency's Akbar Road guesthouse in central Delhi for "certain clarifications".

"They want certain clarifications for which they want my presence. I am going to Rajasthan so I have given them dates from April 27 to 29 when I am available," said Malik

Malik had cancelled a contract by the company, owned by industrialist Anil Ambani, in 2018 when he was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a first information report (FIR), the CBI named Reliance General Insurance along with Trinity Reinsurance Brokers as accused in the alleged scam in rolling out a medical insurance scheme for Jammu and Kashmir government employees and their families.

Malik had alleged fraud in the insurance scheme, after which the CBI action came.

The scheme, covering some 3.5 lakh employees, was rolled out in September 2018 and it was cancelled within a month by Mr Malik.

At that time, Mr Malik had said state government employees wanted the contract to be cancelled as they found it to be "fraudulent" and he too drew the same conclusion after going through the details.

"I myself went through files, and when I came to the conclusion that the contract was awarded wrongly, I cancelled it," Malik had said.

The CBI spoke with Mr Malik in September last year for more information about the allegations he made against the insurance firms, and in an another case of alleged corruption in giving the contract for civil work at Kiru hydroelectric power project.

Last week, Malik's comments about the 2019 Pulwama attack triggered a political storm. During an interview with the news website The Wire, Mr Malik claimed that security lapses led to the Pulwama attack in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed. He said a request by the paramilitary force asking for an aircraft to commute was denied by the government, which in turn led to the soldiers travelling by road.

5 Soldiers Killed After Terrorists Open Fire In J&K

SRINAGAR, April 20: Five soldiers died and another was seriously injured in a terrorist attack on a military vehicle in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri sector today.

The vehicle was fired upon by the terrorists at around 3 pm near the Bhimber Gali area and later caught fire due to a likely grenade attack, the Army said.

The unidentified terrorists fired at the Army vehicle, taking advantage of heavy rain and low visibility in the area, according to an official statement by the Army headquarters, Northern Command.

The vehicle caught fire due to the likely use of grenades by terrorists, it added.

Five personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counterterrorist operations in the area died in the incident, said the Army. Another soldier, who was seriously injured in the attack, was evacuated to the hospital and is under treatment.

@Whiteknight_IA salutes the sacrifice of Hav Mandeep Singh, L/Nk Debashish Baswal, L/Nk Kulwant Singh, Sep Harkrishan Singh, Sep Sewak Singh, who laid down their lives in the line of duty in #Poonch Sector on 20 Apr 23. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families. pic.twitter.com/50D9HRdssa

— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) April 20, 2023

Operations are on to locate the attackers, it added.

"Anguished by the tragedy in Poonch District (J&K), where the Indian Army has lost its brave soldiers after a truck caught fire. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families," said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The terror attack comes on a day Pakistan announced that its Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will visit India next month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's foreign ministers' meeting in Goa.

Notably, a G20 Tourism Working Group meeting is also scheduled in Srinagar in May.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had reviewed the security situation in the Union territory last week.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, and other senior officials also attended the meeting.

Supreme Court Questions Bilkis' Rapists' Release

NEW DELHI, April 18: The centre and the Gujarat government are likely to challenge an order by the Supreme Court seeking files on the remission of convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case.

The government, citing "privilege", has indicated it does not want to produce the documents connected with the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the case.

Ms Bano approached the Supreme Court in November last year challenging what she called "premature" release of the 11 convicts by the state government. She said the remission of sentence has "shaken the conscience of society". Seven members of her family, including her three-year-old daughter, were also murdered in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The Supreme Court on March 27 told the Gujarat government and the centre to show the files used in the remission of sentence.

A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna questioned the remission granted to the 11 convicts during their incarceration period and said the gravity of the offence could have been considered by the state.

"A pregnant woman was gang-raped and several people were killed. You cannot compare victim's case with standard Section 302 (murder of Indian Penal Code) cases. Like you cannot compare apples with oranges, similarly massacre cannot be compared with single murder. Crimes are generally committed against society and the community. Unequals cannot be treated equally," the Supreme Court said.

"The question is whether the government applied its mind and what material formed the basis of its decision to grant remission," the Supreme Court said. "Today it is Bilkis but tomorrow it can be anyone. It may be you or me. If you do not show your reasons for grant of remission, then we will draw our own conclusions," it said.

The Supreme Court will hear a clutch of requests challenging the remission to the convicts on May 2. It ordered all the convicts who have not been served notice to send their replies.

On March 27, the Supreme Court termed the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case and the murder of her family members a "horrendous" act and questioned the Gujarat government whether uniform standards, as followed in other cases of murder, were applied while granting remission to the 11 convicts.

Ms Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was gang-raped while fleeing the riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident.

Last month, one of the 11 men who is after the remission of his sentence was seen sharing stage with a BJP MP and an MLA at a government programme in Gujarat.

Daylight Murder Of UP Woman Sparks Outrage

LUCKNOW, April 17: In a shocking daylight murder in Uttar Pradesh, two men on a motorcycle shot and killed a woman who was returning after taking a college exam in the Jalaun district this morning. The assailants left the gun on the spot, a crowded road crossing barely 200 metres from the local police station, and fled. The police have arrested one person and are interrogating him.

The victim, Roshni Ahirwar, a 21-year-old BA student, was returning home from the Ram Lakhan Patel Mahavidyalaya in Ait after the exam at around 11 am when two men on a Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle approached her with a country-made pistol in hand. One of them shot her in the head and Roshni died on the spot. Locals rushed to catch the men, but they tossed the weapon and sped away.

The woman's parents lodged a complaint against Raj Ahirwar, based on which the police registered a case and arrested him. He is being interrogated, police said.

A video of the woman lying face down on the ground in a pool of blood as locals and the police watch has gone viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism towards the Yogi Adityanath-led state government. The woman is in college uniform, and a pistol can be seen on the ground next to her.

Several social media users have questioned the law and order situation in the state, as this comes just two days after dreaded gangster-turned-political Atiq Ahmed was shot dead by three men in front of TV cameras in Prayagraj, to the embarrassment of the police and administration.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal also shared the disturbing video clip on Twitter, and targeted the UP government. "Will the wolves of Godi media and the BJP also celebrate this death?" the party wrote in the caption, in an apparent swipe at celebratory coverage of Atiq's murder.

Police reached the spot soon and started investigating. Locals gathered at the spot, and the market was closed after the incident.

Jalaun Superintendent of Police Dr Iraj Raja said the victim was a BA second-year student and was returning home after college. "We are trying to catch the accused, and they will be arrested soon. We have found a lot of evidence and are investigating," he had earlier said.

11 Die Of Heat Stroke At Maharashtra Bhushan Award Event

NAVI MUMBAI, April 16: Eleven people who sat in the open at the Maharashtra Bhushan award event today died due to heat stroke, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also went to a hospital where some 50 people have been admitted with heat-related health issues.

Home Minister Amit Shah presented the award, instituted by the Maharashtra government, to social activist Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. The event was held at Navi Mumbai, where the day temperature was recorded at a maximum of 38 degree Celsius.

Shinde and Fadnavis also attended the award ceremony.

The Maharashtra Bhushan event was held at an open ground in Navi Mumbai

The social activist's followers numbering in thousands came to the event that was held at a massive ground in Navi Mumbai. The award ceremony started at 11.30 am and went on till 1 pm.

The ground was packed with people and equipped with audio and video facilities for them to see the event. The seating arrangement for the audience, however, had no shed over it.

Shinde called the incident "unfortunate" and announced a compensation of ₹ 5 lakh to the families of those who died.

"As per the briefing received from doctors, 7-8 people have died today, while 24 are being treated. This is a case of sunstroke. Some 50 people were admitted to the hospital, of which 24 are still there while the rest have been discharged after primary treatment," Shinde told reporters while coming out from the hospital.

The day temperature at Navi Mumbai was recorded at 38 degree Celsius while the event was going on

Fadnavis tweeted the government will pay for treatment of those who suffered heat-related illness.

"It is very unfortunate and painful that some members participating in the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony this morning died due to heatstroke... We share the grief of their families," Fadnavis tweeted in Marathi.

Some parts of the country will see a rise in temperature by 3-5 degree Celsius over the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

India also reported its hottest February this year since record-keeping began in 1901, according to the IMD. Above-normal rainfall, however, kept temperature in check in March.

'CBI Asked 56 Questions...': Arvind Kejriwal After 9-Hour Questioning

NEW DELHI, April 16: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was questioned for nearly nine hours by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today in the liquor policy case. He was questioned as a witness in the case which investigators said involved corruption in framing the policy to benefit a liquor lobby. He hasn't been summoned for further questioning by the central agency so far.

"The CBI asked me a total of 56 questions. Everything is fake. The case is fake. I am convinced they don't have anything on us, not a single piece of evidence," Kejriwal told reporters after reaching home from the CBI headquarters near central Delhi's Lodhi Road.

Kejriwal's ex deputy Manish Sisodia, who held the excise portfolio, was arrested in the same case last month.

"The CBI asked me everything starting from 2020, the year the liquor policy came into force, to the end of it," Kejriwal said, adding he will discuss more in the special session of the Delhi assembly called by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government tomorrow.

"This liquor policy case is a lie, fabricated. Honesty is our ideology. We are willing to die but won't compromise with honesty. They are doing all this to defame us and our good, development work. We have become a national party now, which is why they are doing this to end us," Kejriwal told reporters.

While Kejriwal was being questioned by the CBI, the AAP called an emergency meeting of senior leaders this evening amid concerns that he could be arrested, news agency ANI reported quoting sources.

AAP leaders including Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh were detained by the Delhi Police for protesting near the CBI's office. They were freed as soon as Mr Kejriwal stepped out.

"BJP suffers from Kejriwal phobia. It is because of Kejriwal's fear that the BJP has come down to such an act. It is a cowardly act. We are not scared of jail," Chadha said.

The CBI has said the then secretary to Sisodia told investigators that the draft liquor policy was given to him in March 2021 by the now-arrested leader at Kejriwal's home.

The bureaucrat, C Arvind, has given the statement before a magistrate, making it admissible evidence in court. The CBI wanted Kejriwal's statement on the meeting, as it allegedly took place at his home.

The excise policy was cleared by the Delhi government after an inquiry was ordered by the then Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. The clearance came after it had been deferred twice. The CBI wants to find out why.

The Delhi government scrapped the new liquor policy in July 2022, less than a year after it was introduced, and reverted to the old policy.

On Camera, Gangster Atiq Ahmed Shot Dead In Presence Of Cops

PRAYAGRAJ, April 16: Atiq Ahmed, the Uttar Pradesh gangster who faced at least 100 criminal cases, and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead on camera while they were being taken for a medical check-up in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj today.

Atiq Ahmed's son Asad was also killed in an encounter in UP's Jhansi just two days ago.

Vijay Mishra, the lawyer of the murdered gangster, said that someone from a crowd of people fired at Atiq Ahmed and his brother from close range. Mishra said he was standing beside them when they were shot dead.

Three people have been arrested, the police said.

Visuals of the incident show Atiq Ahmed and his brother walking while talking to reporters when someone shoots the gangster on the head. The next moment his brother is also shot dead.

Atiq Ahmed was a Samajwadi Party MP and was convicted in a kidnapping case. He was also an accused in the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal in 2005 and the killing of Umesh Pal, the murdered MLA's lawyer, in February this year.

Atiq Ahmed was brought to UP from a jail in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. He had alleged he would be killed in an encounter and requested the authorities to spare his family.

Opposition party leaders condemned the murders even when the two men were surrounded by a large police force, alleging the Yogi Adityanath government has failed to ensure the rule of law.

"Atiq and his brother were killed while in police custody and were handcuffed. Slogans of JSR were also raised. Their murder is a perfect example of Yogi's big failure of law and order. Those celebrating encounter-raj are equally responsible for this murder," AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said crime has reached its peak in UP and the morale of criminals is high. "When someone can be killed by firing openly amidst the security cordon of the police, then what about the safety of the general public? Due to this, an atmosphere of fear is being created among the public; it seems that some people are deliberately creating such an atmosphere," Yadav tweeted in Hindi.

UP Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, however, tweeted a cryptic line - "Sin and virtue are accounted for in this birth..."

Atiq Ahmad had been questioned by the UP Police some 3 km from the burial site of his son.

11-Year-Old Stripped, Forced To Chant Religious Slogans In Indore

BHOPAL, April 13: An 11-year-old boy was allegedly beaten and forced to chant religious slogans in a disturbing incident in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. The accused, also minors, allegedly forced the victim to take off his clothes and made him chant religious slogans and recorded the incident on video. The police have registered a case against the accused for serious offences, including kidnapping.

The incident took place in the Nipania area of Indore, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Lasudia police station. According to the victim's statement, he was playing near Star Square when the accused approached him and told him that toys were being distributed near Best Price on the bypass.

On the pretext of getting toys, the accused took the boy near Mahalaxmi Nagar and forced him to chant religious slogans. They also allegedly beat him and made him take off his clothes. The victim managed to escape and informed his family, who then filed a complaint with the police.

The police have launched an investigation into the incident and have registered a case against the accused for kidnapping, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal intimidation.

The incident has sparked outrage, with many calling for swift justice for the victim. In a statement, the police said they have detained the accused. They requested people not to share the video of the incident on social media.

Gangster Atiq Ahmed's Son Killed In UP Encounter

LUCKNOW, April 13: Dreaded gangster Atiq Ahmed's son Asad, wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, was gunned down by Uttar Pradesh police in an encounter in Jhansi today. His co-accused Ghulam was also shot dead.

Both Asad and Ghulam had a reward of ₹ 5 lakh on their heads. Asad Ahmed had been captured by a CCTV camera during the attack on Pal and was on the run since.

Ghulam opened fire at a team of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force around noon today and the two were killed in retaliatory action, police said. Sophisticated weapons, new cellphones and SIM cards have been recovered from them, they added.

According to police sources, Asad Ahmed had fled to Lucknow after the killing of Umesh Pal. He later moved to Kanpur and then Meerut before reaching Delhi, it is learnt. He then decided to flee to Madhya Pradesh. He reached Jhansi and was on his way to the state border on a bike when police intercepted him. Asad was reportedly in disguise. Police sources said they had an informer in Atiq Ahmed's gang who told them about Asad's whereabouts.

Sharing details about the encounter, police said a team of 12 led by two DSP-rank officers carried out the operation. A total of 42 rounds were fired during the encounter at Babina road in Jhansi.

The encounter killings took place on a day Atiq Ahmed was produced in court in the same murder case and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

Umesh Pal, a lawyer, was a witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal. On February 24, he was shot dead in a daylight attack outside his home in Prayagraj. The security personnel guarding him were also killed. Shocking visuals of the attack prompted questions on Uttar Pradesh's law and order situation and the government came under strong criticism by the Opposition.

Umesh Pal's murder also put the spotlight back on Atiq Ahmed, a gangster-turned-politician with over 100 cases against him. A former Samajwadi Party MP, he was convicted last month in a kidnapping case and sentenced to life imprisonment. This case related to the kidnapping of Umesh Pal back in 2006 -- 17 years before he was eventually murdered.

The encounter killings of Atiq Ahmed's son and his associate come against the backdrop of the gangster's repeated allegations that the Uttar Pradesh police plans to gun him down in a staged encounter.

In fact, the gangster told reporters yesterday that he was safe because of the media. "It's because of you (media) that I am safe," he told the press while being brought to Prayagraj for a court date.

The gangster was moved to a prison in Gujarat on the directions of the Supreme Court after he was accused of engineering the kidnapping of a real estate businessman while in jail. He has been in the Sabarmati central jail since June 2019.

Over the past couple of months, Atiq Ahmed has been repeatedly brought to Uttar Pradesh for court hearings. The high-profile nature of the case and the gangster's apprehensions of a staged encounter has ensured extensive media coverage of the movements.

After today's encounter, four people linked to Umesh Pal's murder have been gunned down. Police are still looking for Guddu Muslim, who allegedly lobbed a bomb during the shooting, and another alleged shooter Sabir. Atiq Ahmed's wife Shayista is also on the run.

'We Are United': Rahul Gandhi Meets Sharad Pawar On Opposition Unity

NEW DELHI, April 13: Veteran Maharashtra politician Sharad Pawar met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday evening, amid efforts by the country's splintered opposition to band together ahead of next year's national elections.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief met the Congress leaders at Kharge's home in Delhi, where they were expected to discuss strategies to unify the opposition.

"I want that there should be talks with leaders of all opposition parties. Mamata Banerjee, [Arvind] Kejriwal... We should go and talk to them. We will move forward, taking everyone along, to unite the opposition," Sharad Pawar told reporters after the meeting.

Kharge said, "I am glad Sharad Pawar came to visit us from Mumbai and guide us. Yesterday, me and Rahul Gandhi had a conversation with Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav that we will keep the opposition united in the country."

"The incidents that are happening in the country today... to save the country, to save democracy, to protect the constitution and freedom of speech... misuse of government agencies, on issues like inflation for employment of youth, we are ready to fight as one," he added.

Rahul Gandhi said, "We are all united."

The meeting comes a day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav met Kharge and Gandhi amid talks of some opposition parties teaming up on a common platform to take on the BJP next year.

Efforts to cement opposition unity have appeared to gather pace this week, with Nitish Kumar also meeting Left veterans Sitaram Yechury and D Raja on Thursday.

The leaders are likely to take forward unity talks as more deliberations are expected in the coming days, opposition leaders have said. The Congress plans to convene a meeting of top opposition leaders very soon.

Kumar left the national capital after meeting with several opposition leaders, including Aam Aadmi Party's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

After his meeting with Kumar, Sitaram Yechury, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary said seat adjustments will be made at the state level and indicated that a third front - a non-BJP, non-Congress coalition - was a possibility.

"Efforts for opposition unity have picked up the pace. An opposition coalition will be formed, and seat adjustments will be done at the state level," the Left leader said. He also said that a third front, if it materialises, will come only after the elections.

"But in India, fronts are formed post polls, such as United Front in 1996, in 1998 NDA was formed after elections, UPA formed post polls in 2004," Mr Yechury said.

He later tweeted, "With Bihar CM Shri Nitish Kumar to carry forward the efforts to unite secular democratic parties to safeguard the Indian Republic, Constitution and democracy, severely assaulted by the BJP and Modi government. Defeat the BJP in order to save India and people's livelihoods."

'Flawed': Supreme Court On Karnataka Muslim Quota Cut Before Polls

BENGALURU, April 13: The Karnataka government's decision to scrap a four per cent quota for Muslims in government jobs and education, and divvy it among the two dominant Hindu communities just ahead of elections was criticised by the Supreme Court on Thursday, which said the move appeared to be on a "highly shaky ground" and "flawed".

Taking up a batch of petitions against the decision by several Muslim groups and individuals, the court questioned the rationale behind the step which was announced on March 24, just weeks before the state assembly elections on May 10.

The petitioners argued that the Karnataka government had violated the constitutional principles of equality and secularism by discriminating against Muslims, who constitute about 13 per cent of the state's population. They also claimed that the government had not conducted any study or collected any empirical data to justify its decision.

The Karnataka government, led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP, defended its decision by saying that it was based on the recommendations of a commission that had examined the socio-economic status of various communities in the state.

The government also said that it had taken into account the historical and cultural factors that made Vokkaligas and Lingayats, who together account for about 40 per cent of the state's population, deserving of higher reservations.

Vokkaligas and Lingayats are politically influential communities that have traditionally supported different parties in Karnataka. The BJP, which came to power in 2019 after toppling a coalition government of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), has been trying to woo both communities ahead of the elections.

The court, however, expressed doubts over the validity of the commission's report and asked the government to produce more evidence to support its decision. The court also asked the government to explain how it had arrived at the four per cent figure for Muslims, which was introduced by a previous Congress government in 2013.

The court also noted that the Karnataka government's decision had exceeded the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court in a landmark judgment in 1992. The court said that any breach of this limit would require extraordinary circumstances and exceptional reasons.

The court adjourned the hearing until April 18 and asked the Karnataka government and the representatives of Vokkaligas and Lingayats to file their responses to the petitions. The government agreed not to make any appointments or admissions based on its decision until then.

AAP now national party; NCP, Trinamool lose tag

NEW DELHI, April 10: In a big boost to Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday, accorded it the status of a national party while withdrawing the same for the Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India, and the Nationalist Congress Party.

With the removal of NCP, CPI, and TMC, there are now only six national parties in the country – BJP, Congress, National People’s Party, CPM, Bahujan Samaj Party and the latest addition AAP.

According to Election Commission rules, a party gets national status if it is recognized as a state party in four states. For recognition as a state party, it has to secure at least six percent of the valid votes polled and two seats each in Assembly or Lok Sabha polls.

The AAP got the status of a national party as it secured nearly 13 percent of the vote share and five seats in the Gujarat Assembly polls earlier this year making it the state party in four states—Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat.

Reacting to his party getting the national party status, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said: “National party in such a short time? This is nothing less than a miracle. Many congratulations to all. Crores of people of the country have taken us till here. People expect a lot from us. Today people have given us this huge responsibility. Lord, bless us so that we can fulfill this responsibility well”.

The ECI announcement of national party status for AAP comes a week after the Karnataka High Court last week directed the election commission to pass an order before April 13 on the matter. Thus, the Karnataka polls on May 10 would be the AAP’s first election as a “national party”.

On the other hand, it was a setback for the TMC, CPI and NCP with the poll body withdrawing their national party status citing the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968.

Under the provisions of the Symbols Act, candidates put up by registered unrecognized political parties at elections are allotted election symbols by the Returning Officers of the constituencies concerned after the last date for withdrawal of candidature as per availability. Thus the party cannot use a single poll symbol across the country.

The NCP also lost its status as a state party in Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya, the CPI in West Bengal and Odisha, while the TMC was derecognized as a state party in Arunachal Pradesh and Manpur.

NCP leader and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule said that they have to accept the order and study. “Once we receive the official order copy, we will study the reason. Beyond this I have nothing to comment,” she said.

The NCP and Trinamool Congress will, however, be recognised as State parties in Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively based on their electoral performance in the assembly polls.

The ECI also revoked the State party status granted to Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh, Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Andhra Pradesh, People’s Democratic Alliance in Manipur, Pattali Makkal Katchi in Puducherry, Revolutionary Socialist Party in West Bengal and the Mizoram People’s Conference in Mizoram.

The Tipra Motha in Tripura, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Nagaland and Voice of the People Party in Meghalaya were granted “recognised State political party” status.

A recognised political party enjoys privileges like a reserved party symbol, free broadcast time on state-run television and radio, consultation in the setting of election dates, and giving input in setting electoral rules and regulations.

Supreme Court Cancels News Channel Ban, Blasts Centre Over 'Sealed Cover'

NEW DELHI, April 5: A media outlet cannot be muzzled just because it criticises the government, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday, as it lifted curbs on a Malayalam news channel, ordered by the centre on "national security" grounds.

The court said that the channel MediaOne's criticism of the government's policies and actions cannot be construed as anti-national or anti-establishment, and that an independent press is essential for a vibrant democracy.

Scrapping an order by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that refused to renew the channel's broadcast licence for want of security clearance, the Supreme Court pulled up the Home Ministry for raising national security claims out of "thin air".

"National security can't be raised to deny people their rights... it was raised by the Home Ministry in a cavalier manner in this case," the court led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said, overruling the Kerala High Court which had upheld the centre's decision.

The judges said the centre had failed to show any material facts or evidence to justify its decision to impose the broadcast ban on MediaOne, which was one of the few channels that reported extensively on the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in 2020 and the riots in Delhi that it spawned.

"There is nothing to show terrorist links. National security claims cannot be made on the basis of thin air. It is seen that none of the material is against national security or threatens public order," the court said.

The court observed that the government cannot be allowed to have a stand that the press must support the government. It said criticism of the government cannot be a ground to revoke the licence of a TV channel.

Coming down heavily on the centre's attempt to keep its rationale under wraps, and file them under "sealed cover", the court said, "Sealed cover proceedings cannot be adopted to avoid the harm caused by public immunity proceedings. We are of the opinion that public immunity proceedings are a less restrictive means to safeguard the public interest."

"There cannot be a blanket immunity to the government for disclosure of information to the other parties in a proceeding before the court... All investigation reports cannot be termed secret as these affect the rights and liberty of the citizens," the Supreme Court said.

MediaOne, which had several run-ins with the BJP-led government at the centre, had gone off the air last year on January 31 after its name was removed from the list of permitted channels by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

On March 15 last year, the Supreme Court had put the Kerala High Court order, which had backed the centre's decision, on hold.

Telangana BJP Chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar Gets Bail Day After Midnight Arrest

HYDERABAD, April 6: Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar -- who was arrested amid midnight drama on Wednesday -- has been granted bail. On Wednesday, he was sent to jail for two weeks.

Taken into police custody on Tuesday night, the MP from Karimnagar was later arrested over the leak of secondary school exam papers -- a charge that his party has dismissed as politically motivated.

His arrest has set off a huge political row and drew criticism from the party's Central leadership in New Delhi.

Kumar, the state BJP claimed, was taken into custody from his home around 11 pm without any explanation. Thereafter, he was apparently moved to various police stations across different districts, raising questions about his whereabouts and safety.

The BJP welcomed the Warrangal court's bail decision. State BJP spokesperson NV Subhash said, "Finally truth won the political war orchestrated by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao".

"This is a slap on the face of the Chief Minister and his Bharat Raksha Samithi as they wanted to keep Bandi Sanjay inside the jail and prevent him from participating in the Prime Minister's programmes on April 8 by implicating him in a false case," he said.

Telangana BJP Chief Sent To Jail For 14 Days, Party Calls Arrest "Illegal"

HYDERABAD, April 5: Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the president of the BJP in Telangana, was taken into custody by the police on Tuesday night, setting off a political firestorm and drawing criticism from the party's top leadership in New Delhi. He has been sent to a two-week judicial custody.

Kumar, a member of parliament from Karimnagar district, was taken into custody from his home without any explanation, according to his party colleagues. He was later moved to various police stations in different districts, raising questions about his whereabouts and safety.

Calling it a case of "illegal arrest", the BJP also filed a petition in the Telangana High Court on Wednesday, seeking to know the grounds for Kumar's detention and his current location.

In a First Information Report (FIR) released amid the spiralling outcry, the police said Kumar had been taken into "preventive detention". He was later arrested over the leak of secondary school exam papers, a charge that his party has dismissed as baseless and politically motivated.

The police action came amid heightened tensions between the BJP and the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, or BRS, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on Saturday. PM Modi is expected to inaugurate several development projects and address a public rally.

Kumar, who has been vocal in his criticism of the BRS government and its chief minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao, was picked up from his residence late on Tuesday night. Video footage showed him being dragged by policemen and forced into a van outside. His supporters tried to resist the arrest and clashed with the police.

The BJP's national leaders condemned the detention of Kumar and demanded his immediate release. G. Kishan Reddy, a union minister and a senior BJP leader from Telangana, called it an "undemocratic" act that violated Mr Kumar's fundamental rights.

Rahul Gandhi Gets Bail, Gujarat Court Pauses 2-Year Sentence

SURAT, April 3: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail today in a 2019 defamation case and his two-year jail sentence was paused until a decision on his appeal challenging his conviction. A Gujarat court will take up his appeal on April 13.

Gandhi, accompanied by sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other Congress leaders including three Chief Ministers, approached Surat's sessions court with an appeal to set aside his conviction over his "Modi surname" comment seen to be an insult to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The former Congress president need not appear in court for the next hearing.

After the court order, Gandhi tweeted he is fighting against "Mitrakal", alluding to the ruling BJP, often the target of the Congress over allegations of misusing government agencies to harass the opposition.

"This is a fight to save democracy, against 'Mitrakal'. In this struggle, truth is my weapon, and truth is my support," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

If Gandhi's conviction is not reversed, his disqualification as an MP will stand and he will be barred from contesting elections for eight years. He has already started packing after agreeing to vacate his government bungalow.

Gandhi flew to Surat with a large group of Congress leaders. Chief ministers of three Congress-ruled states - Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu - went with him.

He met his mother Sonia Gandhi yesterday before his court appearance.

The BJP called Gandhi's visit to Surat with his sister and some party leaders as "a childish attempt" to pressure the judiciary.

"Rahul Gandhi might be going to Surat to file an appeal. It is not required of a convict to go personally to file an appeal. Generally, no convict goes personally. His going personally with a motley group of leaders and aides accompanying him is only a drama," Law Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted.

"What Rahul Gandhi is doing is also a childish attempt to bring pressure on the appellate court. All courts in the country are immune from such tactics," he said in another tweet.

The Congress said the presence of the party leaders in Surat is not a "show of strength", but a "symbol of support" for Gandhi.

"It's not a show of strength. He is fighting for the country. They are going with him to support him in his fight," said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

The party also alleged that "illegal arrests" were being made to prevent party leaders and workers from going to Surat.

"There are continuous reports of illegal arrests by the BJP government in Gujarat to prevent Congress leaders and workers from going to Surat," party leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted in Hindi.

The 52-year-old was convicted by a court and sentenced to prison for two years in Gujarat last month for a 2019 speech in which he linked PM Modi's last name with two fugitive businessmen, remarking how the "thieves" shared the same last name.

The court, however, granted him bail for 30 days to appeal the verdict.

The defamation case was filed against Mr Gandhi by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying "How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?"

Gandhi's Wayanad seat in Kerala is now vacant following his removal from the office and the Election Commission may now announce a special election for the seat.

Gandhi's disqualification order prompted a fractured opposition to come together to attack the BJP over the alleged misuse of central investigative agencies against the members of rival parties.

The BJP has said the conviction has come from an independent judiciary, with party president JP Nadda accusing Mr Gandhi of insulting an Other Backward Classes (OBC) community - a key vote base for the party.

'Country Is With You, Focus On Your Work': PM To CBI

NEW DELHI, April 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to spare anyone in fighting corruption.

"The country is with you," Modi told CBI officers in Delhi during the central agency's diamond jubilee celebration today.

Modi's comments come amid allegations by opposition parties including the Congress that the centre has been misusing its agencies to harass BJP's rivals.

"The CBI's primary responsibility is to get rid of corruption. We do not lack political will in fighting corruption. Some of the accused are powerful people and they target investigating agencies to distract them," said Modi. "But you have to focus on your work. The country is with you," he said.

He asked officers to take action without hesitation against the corrupt, no matter how powerful they are.

"These people will keep distracting you, but you have to focus on your work. No corrupt person should be spared. There should be no laxity in our efforts. This is the wish of the country, this is the wish of the countrymen. The country, law and Constitution are with you," Modi said in an apparent swipe at the opposition parties.

Last month, eight opposition parties had written to Modi alleging misuse of central investigation agencies. "Out of the total number of key politicians booked, arrested, raided or interrogated by the investigation agencies under your administration since 2014, the maximum belongs to the opposition. Interestingly, investigation agencies go slow on cases against opposition politicians who join the BJP," they said in the letter.

At the CBI event today, Modi said India got a legacy of corruption at the time of Independence. "Corruption is no ordinary crime. It is the root cause of all kinds of crimes and the biggest roadblock in development," Modi said.

"10 years ago, when CBI was celebrating its golden jubilee, that time the ruling government was more famous for corruption. Trillion dollar scams took place and there was corruption at every phase of governance. This led to policy paralysis, less confidence among investors and general public in the system and weakened the country," Modi said, alluding to the United Progressive Alliance government.

He said anti-corruption laws have been strengthened and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act has enabled the government to seize illegal properties worth ₹ 20,000 crore.

The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have so far transferred assets worth ₹ 15,000 crore of fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi to state-run banks.

At least nine states - Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal - have withdrawn general consent to the CBI to investigate cases in their respective jurisdictions.

'Urge Jai To Cool A Little Bit': Shashi Tharoor's Advice For S Jaishankar

NEW DELHI, April 3: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to "cool a little bit" after the latter's remark about the West's "bad habit" of commenting on other countries.

"I have known him for a long time and consider him as a friend but on this issue I think we need not be so thin-skinned, I think it's very important that as a government we take something in stride. If we react to every comment, we are doing ourselves a disservice. I will strongly urge my friend Jai to cool a little bit" said Tharoor.

On Sunday, during an interaction in Bengaluru, the foreign minister had said "the West thinks it has a God-given right to comment on internal matters of other countries."

Jaishankar made the above remarks during a Sunday morning 'Meet and Greet' interaction organised by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan with over 500 young voters, joggers and visitors at Cubbon Park.

The Foreign Minister was responding to a question on remarks by Germany and the United States on the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a Member of Parliament.

"I will give you the truthful answer (on why we see West commenting on India). There are two reasons. It is because the West has a bad habit of commenting on others. They somehow think it is some kind of God-given right. They will have to learn only by experience that if they keep doing this, other people will also start commenting and they will not like it when it happens. And I see that happening," Mr Jaishankar said.

He added, "The second part of the truth - In our arguments, you are inviting the people to comment on you. Then more and more people are tempted to comment. We also need to stop giving generous invitations to the world saying there are problems in India, and (urging) America and the world (by saying), why are you standing by doing nothing? So if somebody from here goes and says why are you standing by and saying nothing, then obviously they are going to comment. Part of the problem is them, and part of the problem is us. And I think both need fixing."