Rape-Accused MP Prajwal Revanna Sent To Police Custody Till June 6

BENGALURU, May 31: Suspended Janata Dal Secular leader and rape-accused MP Prajwal Revanna - arrested this morning from Bengaluru airport on his return from Germany - has been sent to police custody till June 6.

Revanna was taken into custody from Kempegowda Airport at 12.45 am by a three-member team of female cops. The move to have women arrest Revanna was hailed by ex-Bengaluru top cop-turned-politician K Bhaskar Rao, who called it a "positive sign the strong women in Karnataka's police force will not only deal with the perpetrator but send a strong message to hundreds of women... "

Following his arrest Revanna was taken to a city hospital for a routine medical check-up, after which he was presented before the court for a remand hearing. The cops had sought custody for 14 days.

The police said they wanted time to examine the mobile phone - from which voice samples will be sent for forensic analysis - and luggage seized at the airport, as well as "incriminating material" gathered from a raid on his home in Hassan. Revanna will be taken to Hassan at a later date.

His lawyers contested the period of custody; they argued one day was more than enough.

On Thursday a special court rejected Revanna's anticipatory bail request.

Prajwal Revanna had fled to Germany less than a week after the first of several videos of women forced into sex acts made headlines. He left India on a diplomatic passport, courtesy his status as an MP.

Revanna is the outgoing MP from Hassan, a seat that he could win again - this time with support from the JDS' new ally, the BJP - when results are declared on Tuesday.

The Congress government in Karnataka has been battling to force his return since, accusing the BJP of shielding a rival by delaying requests to cancel Prajwal Revanna's diplomatic passport.

The centre has hit back at the claim by stating it received a request only on May 21 and had acted within 48 hours, issuing a show-cause notice to Revanna. The reference was to a letter from the investigating police team to the External Affairs Ministry. No mention has been made of two letters that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office.

The BJP has distanced itself from Revanna. Its state unit boss, S Prakash, said, "We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos and neither do we have any comments to make..."

Since fleeing to Germany, Revanna has made two public statements.

On Monday Revanna released a video statement on X in which he said, "I apologise to my parents... I was in depression (over political rivals' attacks on the sex assault charges). I will appear (before the police team) on May 31. I will cooperate to the best of my abilities... I have the blessings of God..."

That was after a 'warning' from HD Deve Gowda, his grandfather, JDS patriarch, and former Prime Minister, who told him to return to India and surrender, or "face your family's anger..."

On April 27 - six days after the allegations surfaced, and a day after voting in Hassan - Revanna boarded a flight to Munich on the back of his diplomatic passport. On the same day, he posted a statement on X; he only said "truth will prevail soon" and made no mention of the charges.

A day later the ruling Congress formed a special police team based on complaints from the state's Women's Commission, and the first case was filed. Since then two others have been registered with Revanna as an accused, including one naming his father, HD Revanna, as the main accused.

One case was filed on April 28 in Hassan in which a 47-year-old former maid has alleged sexual assault and exploitation. HD Revanna was arrested in connection with this case as the primary accused, and rape charges were added against his son at a later stage.

The second was registered by the cops on May 1; a 44-year-old woman - who may be a JDS worker - has accused Revanna of raping her multiple times, including at least once at gunpoint.

The third was filed on May 3 and a 60-year-old woman has accused Prajwal Revanna of rape.

Prajwal Revanna has denied all charges against him and has claimed a conspiracy by his rivals.

President Accepts Credentials Of New Envoys Of China, UK, 5 Other Nations

NEW DELHI, May 31: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday accepted the credentials of the new envoys of China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Kuwait, Ecuador, Guinea and Fiji at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Ambassador of China Xu Feihong, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom Lindy Elizabeth Cameron and High Commissioner of New Zealand Patrick John Rata presented their credentials to the president, a Rashtrapati Bhavan release said.

Others who presented their credentials were Ambassador of Kuwait Meshal Mustafa J Alshemali, Ambassador of Ecuador Fernando Xavier Bucheli Vargas, Ambassador of Guinea Alassane Conte and High Commissioner of Fiji Jagnnath Sami.

Final Chance To Protect Democracy, Constitution, Appeals Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI, May 30: Ex-Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, 91, has made an emotional appeal to Punjab voters before voting Saturday in the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election - to make the most of a "final chance to ensure our democracy and Constitution are protected from repeated assaults by a despotic regime".

In a three-page open letter the veteran Congress leader lamented the "unimaginable turmoil" in the Indian economy over the past decade - the two terms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.

Dr Singh - who was Finance Minister when Indian economy was liberalised in 1991, and was also Governor of the Reserve Bank - presented a succinct comparison of key socio-political and economic moments from the past 10 years and the two terms of his Congress-led UPA government.

"The imposition of the demonetisation disaster, a flawed GST (goods and service tax), and the painful mismanagement during the COVID pandemic has resulted in a miserable situation, where an expectation of subpar six to seven per cent GDP growth has become the new normal," Dr Singh said.

"Average GDP growth under BJP government has plunged to under six per cent... during Congress-UPA tenure it was about eight per cent (New Series). Unprecedented unemployment and unbridled inflation have greatly widened inequality, which is now at a 100-year high," the former PM said.

According to World Bank data GDP growth under the UPA government touched a high of 8.5 per cent in 2010, and hit a low of 3.1 per cent in 2008 (during the global financial crisis). In the 10 years since it has reached a high of 9.1 per cent (in 2021) and plummeted to -5.8 during the pandemic.

Incidentally, Dr Singh's letter was shared on X by the Congress an hour after the central bank released its annual report, in which it forecast real GDP growth of seven per cent for FY2024/25.

Last week a State Bank of India report pegged overall FY2023/24 growth at eight per cent.

Dr Singh said the UPA "despite challenges, had increased purchasing power of our people", while "BJP misrule has resulted in depletion of household savings to historic 47-year low"; in FY2022/23 households' net financial savings plunged to a five-year low of ₹ 14.2 trillion 5.3 per cent of GDP.

However, between FY2011/12 and FY2021/22 (except for the pandemic years) the same figure was between seven and eight percent.

Referring to farmers' protests that still haunt the centre - four years after a nation-wide agitation by lakhs of agriculturists made headlines worldwide, and forced the BJP to roll back three controversial laws - he reproached the government for having "left no stone unturned in castigating Punjabis".

"As if the lathis and rubber bullets were not enough, the Prime Minister verbally assaulted our farmers by calling them 'parasites' on the floor of the Parliament," he said.

"Modiji had promised to double the income of our farmers by 2022 (but) his policies in the past 10 years have eroded the earnings... the national average monthly income of farmers is a meagre ₹ 27 per day, while average debt per farmer is ₹ 27,000 (from government data)," Dr Singh said.

The former PM then highlighted the UPA government's loan waivers "worth ₹ 72,000 crore to 3.73 crore farmers" and said it had "increased MSP (minimum support price, at the heart of renewed farmers protest against the BJP government), and increased production, while encouraging exports".

The Congress today, he continued, had promised a legal guarantee for MSP, which has been one of the protesting farmers' biggest demands, and a stable import-export policy for agriculture, as well as loan waivers and the "direct transfer of insured compensation in 30 days in case of crop loss".

Dr Singh also flagged wage disparity that has led to "widespread distress".

His red-flag on this subject comes after a report by the World Inequality Lab in March, which said India's richest people today have a larger share of national income than at any time in the past 100 years.

The former PM also flagged "course corrections" - the five 'yuva nyay' pillars - in his party's election manifesto with specific reference to unemployment among the youth, and also "...30 lakh government (job) vacancies (and) innumerable paper leaks have cast a dark shadow on their future".

"We have committed that 30 lakh vacancies would be systematically filed according to a job calendar... half of those jobs would be reserved for women, and we will establish fast-track courts for (exam) paper leak cases..." Dr Singh said in his letter.

The BJP, though, has argued that indicators like filed income tax returns (3.36 crore in 2014 to over eight crore in 2024) suggest jobs are being generated. Mr Modi has also pointed to Employee Provident Fund data - over six crore new subscribers in seven years - to make the same point.

A government report last week said unemployment rate for people over 15 (in urban areas) 'fell' to 6.7 per cent in the January-March period; it was 6.8 per cent a year ago.

The former Prime Minister also mounted a sharp attack on the BJP over the contentious Agnipath military recruitment scheme, which the Congress has said it will scrap if it wins this election.

"BJP government imposed an ill-conceived Agniveer scheme (Agniveer is the name given to those who enlist under the Agnipath programme) on our armed forces... BJP thinks value of patriotism, bravery, and service is only four years. This shows their fake nationalism," he said.

All of Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats will vote on Friday. The Congress is contesting all the seats, despite being part of the INDIA bloc with the ruling AAP, setting up a 'friendly-fire' election.

The veteran Congress leader reminded the border state and its inhabitants of their warrior spirit, and said their "indomitable courage and innate belief in the democratic ethos of inclusiveness, harmony, and brotherhood" is needed, at this point in history, to "protect our great nation".

"Punjab and Punjabis are warriors. We are known for our spirit of sacrifice," he said, lamenting the BJP government for having left "no stone unturned in castigating Punjab, Punjabis, and punjabiyat".

Finally, the former Prime Minister also took a swipe at the current leader, declaring Mr Modi had "lowered the dignity of public discourse". "No PM, in the past, has uttered hateful, unparliamentary, and coarse terms... meant to target either a specific section of society or opposition," he said.

The reference has been seen to a massive row over the Prime Minister's speech in Rajasthan, in which he referred to Muslims and the Congress' alleged plans to "redistribute wealth to infiltrators".

The remarks prompted a notice to Modi's BJP (and another to the Congress over comments by Rahul Gandhi) after each complained the other had violated the Model Code of Conduct.

Dr Manmohan Singh concluded his letter with a warning that India's voters "are seeing through all of this... narrative of dehumanisation (that) has now reached its peak", and called on them to "save our beloved nation from these forces of discord".

22 UP pilgrims die, 57 hurt after bus rolls off Jammu highway, falls in gorge

JAMMU, May 30: At least 22 pilgrims including nine women and two children died and 57 others injured after a bus from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras spun off a road and fell into a deep gorge in Jammu district’s Akhnoor area on Thursday, officials said.

Inspector Tariq Ahmed, station house officer of Akhnoor police station, said the accident took place at about 12:35pm at Tungi Morh, 12 km from Akhnoor, on the Jammu-Poonch national highway when the pilgrims were on their way to Shiv Khori shrine devoted to Lord Shiva near Reasi town 50 km away.

“As of now, we are not clear how many passengers were on the bus…. We are in the middle of rescue operations” Ahmed said.

Akhnoor sub-division block medical officer Dr Saleem Khan said 22 people had died so far and 57 others were injured. “A majority of those injured have been shifted to the government medical college and hospital in Jammu while some are at the sub-district hospital in Akhnoor,” Dr Khan added.

The Akhnoor SHO said the driver might have been drowsy. “At the turn, the bus rolled down around 150 to 200 feet into the gorge,” he said.

A witness, who was among the local residents to join the rescue operation, said the bus approached the curve too fast and fell into the gorge.

“A bus carrying passengers from Hathras, Uttar Pradesh has met with an accident near Tanda, Akhnoor in Jammu.Rescue operations are underway. ,” Jammu Deputy Commissioner, Sachin Kumar Vaishya said in a post on ‘X’, formerly Twitter.

Jammu and Kashmir transport commissioner Rajinder Singh Tara said that the driver was unable to negotiate a cut which resulted in the bus accident. “The cut here is very ordinary and there shouldn’t have been any difficulty, but maybe the driver fell asleep, and he couldn’t negotiate the cut. Instead of taking the turn, the bus went straight and went down,” he said.

Amar Chand, one of the injured people undergoing treatment at the Akhnoor hospital, said the accident took place when the driver was negotiating a blind curve and a car was coming from the opposite direction. “A car was coming from the opposite direction. The driver tried to negotiate a blind curve but failed, resulting in the vehicle rolling down into the gorge,” he said.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has expressed anguish on the loss of lives in the tragic bus accident.

“Anguished by the loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Akhnoor. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover soon. Rs. 2 lakh would be given to the next of kin of each deceased due to the bus mishap. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” the PMO said in a post.

'Lord Shiva Doesn't Need Our Protection': Delhi High Court On Temple Demolition

NEW DELHI, May 30: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed the demolition of a Shiva temple illegally built in the Yamuna riverbed and floodplains.

The High Court said that Lord Shiva doesn't need our protection and would be happier if the Yamuna riverbed and the floodplains are cleared of all encroachments and unauthorised construction.

Justice Dharmesh Sharma on Wednesday dismissed the plea moved by Pracheen Shiv Mandir Avam Akhada Samiti seeking quashing and setting aside the order of demolition given for the Pracheen Shiv Mandir, situated near Taj Enclave, Geeta Colony.

"Lord Shiva does not need our protection; rather, we, the people, seek his protection and blessings," Justice Dharmesh Sharma said in the judgement passed on May 29.

The bench said that there could be no iota of doubt that Lord Shiva would be happier if the Yamuna riverbed and the floodplains are cleared of all encroachments and unauthorised construction.

"The half-hearted plea by the learned counsel for the petitioner that Lord Shiva, being the deity of the temple, must be also impleaded in the present matter is a desperate attempt to give an altogether different colour to the entire dispute to sub-serve the vested interest of its members," Justice Sharma pointed out.

Further, it is borne from the face of the record that the petitioner society, which was registered in 2018, has miserably failed to place on record any documents with regard to its title, right, or interest in the subject land in question, and there is no proof on record of the temple in question having any historical significance, the bench noted.

There is no document worth its salt on the record that the temple in question is dedicated to the public and not a private temple managed by the petitioner society, it added.

"Mere fact that the prayers are offered at the temple every day and for that matter there are special events on certain festive occasions does not convert the temple in question to a place of public significance," the bench said.

In view of the foregoing discussion, the present writ petition is dismissed, the bench said.

The High Court however granted the petitioner society 15 days time to remove the idols and other religious objects in the temple and to place the same in some other temple.

"If they fail to do so, the respondent DDA is directed to ensure that the idols are placed in some other temple, or as may be directed by the Religious Committee if they are approached for any suggestions," the bench stated.

The bench directed, "Lastly, the DDA shall be at liberty to carry out demolition of the unauthorised construction, and the petitioner society and its members shall not cause any impediment or obstacles in such a demolition process."

The local police and the administration shall render full assistance in the said process in order to maintain law and order, the High Court directed.

Seepage In Mumbai's Undersea Coastal Road Tunnel 2 Months After Opening

MUMBAI, May 28: India's first undersea tunnel -- the coastal road tunnel in Mumbai -- is showing evidence of seepage. The tunnel has been in use only for less than three months. The twin tunnels with a diameter of 12.19 metres -- only one side of which is currently open -- run 17 to 20 meters below tenvihe sea level.

On March 11, one side of the coastal road was opened to traffic and more than 7 lakh vehicles have travelled through the route so far.

The seepage apparently became visible on Sunday morning and videos of it have since been widely shared on social media, triggering safety concerns ahead of monsoon.

It is still not clear what caused the leakage in the tunnel. The matter is being investigated.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who visited the spot, said he got the news yesterday.

"I immediately called the commissioner. There is leakage at two-three places". The authorities, he said, has spoken to experts and there is "no threat to the original structure".

"It will be filled using specific technology and we will find a permanent solution. Passengers will not face any problems. There will be no water here during the rainy season," he added.

On April 10, water had entered the pedestrian underpass of Haji Ali Coastal Road, which had unleashed a flood of criticism against the Mumbai civic body Brihanmumbai Corporation.

The Coastal Road -- part of the city's masterplan developed in 1967 -- was inaugurated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his Deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. The second phase of coastal road will be opened by June 10, Shinde has said.

The 2.07 km tunnel begins near Girgaon (ahead of Marine Drive), extends north under the Arabian Sea, Girgaon Chowpatty and Malabar Hill, and end at Breach Candy's Priyadarshini Park.

The coastal road cuts down the 45-minute commute from Girgaon to Worli to just 10 minutes. The tunnels, which comprise only a 2-km stretch of the 10-km road, resemble the C-shaped Marine Drive promenade.

7 Babies Killed, Some Critical After Huge Fire At Delhi Children's Hospital

NEW DELHI, May 26: At least seven newborns died in a massive fire that broke out at a children's hospital in Delhi late Saturday, officials said.

The Delhi Fire Services said it received a call about a fire at 11.32 pm at a baby care centre in the Vivek Vihar area in East Delhi, following which as many as 16 fire tenders were rushed to the site.

Officials said that 12 newborns were rescued from the first floor of the building but seven died while getting treatment at the hospital.

Five children are currently being treated at the hospital.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and a case has been filed against the owner of the hospital.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the fire at the children's hospital was "heart-rendering".

"The causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared," he posted on X.

In a separate incident, at least three people died after a fire broke out at a residential building in Delhi's Krishna Nagar early Sunday.

Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg said that they received a call about the fire at 2.35 am and that the fire was brought under control by 7.20 am.

"A total of 13 people were rescued but three were declared dead," he said.

Rajkot Gaming Zone Had Just One Exit, Was Running Without Fire License

RAJKOT, May 26: The massive fire at a gaming zone in Rajkot which resulted in the death of 28 people, including 9 children, has raised serious questions about the safety standards at the facility. Officials said that the amusement centre was operating without a no-objection certificate (NOC) for fire clearance and also had just one exit.

The gaming zone, called TRP, was packed with visitors due to a weekend discount offer with tickets priced at just ₹ 99. It is suspected that the fire might have started due to a short circuit, but officials said that the exact cause will be known only after a probe.

"The reason for the fire has yet to be ascertained. The attempts to douse the fire are underway. We are facing difficulty in the firefighting operation because the temporary structure has collapsed and also due to the wind velocity," a fire department official said.

The intensity of the fire was such that smoke was visible from several kilometers away. The bodies were charred beyond recognition, officials said. The DNA samples of the bodies and the victim's relatives have been collected for identification.

According to sources, the gaming zone did not possess the necessary licences to operate, and there was no record of a no-objection certificate (NOC) for fire clearance from the Rajkot Municipal Corporation. This lack of regulatory compliance has come under sharp scrutiny following the disaster.

Rajkot Mayor Nayna Pedhadiya, who arrived at the scene to oversee the rescue operations, confirmed the absence of a fire NOC.

"We will investigate how such a big game zone was functioning without a fire NOC and we are witnessing the consequences of it. No politics will be allowed over this issue," Ms Pedhadiya asserted.

The facility also had just one emergency exit and there was panic after the fire broke out.

"People got trapped as a temporary structure at the facility collapsed near the entrance, making it difficult for the people to come out," Rajkot fire officer Ilesh Kher told reporters.

The owner and manager of the TRP game zone have been detained for questioning.

In the wake of the fire tragedy, the state director general of police has issued instructions to the commissioners of police and superintendents of police to inspect all the game zones in Gujarat and close those running without fire safety permission.

The DGP has directed the police to carry out this procedure in coordination with fire officers of the municipalities and municipalities.

24 Dead In Massive Fire At Gaming Zone In Gujarat's Rajkot

RAJKOT, May 25: Twenty-four people have died in the massive fire that broke out at a gaming zone in Gujarat's Rajkot on Saturday evening, said officials. A relief and rescue operation is underway.

"So far we have confirmed the death of 24 persons in the fire incident. The bodies are completely charred and it is difficult to identify them," Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinayak Patel said.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had instructed officials to prioritize arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured.

"Instructions have been given to the Municipal Corporation and the administration for immediate rescue and relief operations in the fire incident in the game zone in Rajkot. It has also instructed to prioritize arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured," Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said.

A fire officer said that, "The reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained. The attempts to douse the fire are underway. We have not received any message of missing persons. We are facing difficulty in the firefighting operation because the temporary structure has collapsed and due to wind velocity

"We will then be able to find out the exact number of casualties inside the zone (after fire is controlled). We will also investigate the cause of the fire, and a message has been issued to all the gaming zones in the city to shut down," he said.

SC denies directive to ECI on voter turnout disclosure

NEW DELHI, May 24: The Supreme Court declined to provide any instructions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding a petition requesting the prompt release of verified voter turnout data, citing purported delays in publishing information for the initial two phases of the current Lok Sabha elections.

The SC highlighted that the interim relief sought by the NGO ADR constitutes one of the ultimate remedies sought in the 2019 petition. It stated, “Granting the interim relief would entail granting the final relief.”

'Surrender Or Face My Anger': HD Deve Gowda To Grandson Prajwal Revanna

BENGALURU, May 23: Surrender or face the anger of your family - this is former prime minister and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda's stern warning to his grandson Prajwal Revanna, the NDA's candidate from Karnataka's Hassan Lok Sabha seat, who has been accused of sexual assault by several women.

The 33-year-old Prajwal, facing serious charges of sexual abuse, has triggered a national uproar. Allegations include rape, sexual assault, disrobing women, and forcibly video-graphing sexual acts to intimidate the victims.

"I spoke to the media about Prajwal Revanna on 18 May when I was headed to the temple to offer pooja. It took me some time to recover from the shock and pain he has inflicted on me, my entire family, my colleagues, friends and party workers. I have already said that he should be given the harshest punishment under the law if found guilty. My son and former Karnataka Chief Minister, H.D Kumaraswamy, has advocated this line since the day the scandal broke," Deve Gowda wrote in his public letter.

Prajwal reportedly fled to Germany on April 27, a day after polling concluded in Hassan, where he was re-contesting his seat. His sudden departure, coming just days before the allegations became public, has raised suspicions. A Blue Corner Notice has been issued by Interpol at the behest of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and an arrest warrant from a Special Court is currently active.

In his letter, Deve Gowda's pain and betrayal are palpable. He recounted the shock and pain inflicted upon his family, colleagues, and supporters before adding that if Prajwal is found guilty, he should face the harshest legal penalties. This stance is also supported by Gowda's son and former Karnataka Chief Minister, HD Kumaraswamy. Prajwal is the son of Deve Gowda's other son, HD Revanna.

HD Revanna, a JDS MLA is also accused in cases of molestation and kidnapping. He was arrested earlier this month but is now out on bail. The case involves a man accusing him of kidnapping his mother, who was employed as a housemaid at his residence for six years. The accuser claims that a video recently surfaced, depicting Prajwal Revanna sexually assaulting his mother, and she disappeared shortly afterwards.

Deve Gowda's letter culminates in a stern ultimatum to Prajwal: return to India and submit to the legal process. Gowda warns that failing to heed this command will result in Prajwal facing the wrath of his family and complete isolation. He vowed that neither he nor any family member would interfere in the legal proceedings.

"At this juncture, I can do only one thing. I can issue a stern warning to Prajwal and ask him to return from wherever he is and surrender before the police. He should subject himself to the legal process. This is not an appeal that I am making, it is a warning that I am issuing. If he does not heed to this warning, he will have to face my anger and anger of all his family members. The law will take care of the accusations against him, but not listening to the family will ensure his total isolation. If he has any respect left for me, he has to return immediately," Deve Gowda's letter reads.

The scandal has elicited a strong reaction from various quarters. Over 100 intellectuals in Karnataka have petitioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for Prajwal's immediate arrest and demanded protective measures for the witnesses. They also call for investigations into those who may have aided Prajwal's escape.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written multiple letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging swift action to cancel Prajwal's diplomatic passport, which was allegedly used to flee the country. Despite these appeals, there has been no significant response from the central government.

Indian Astrologer 'Predicts' Exact Date World War 3 Will Start

The concept of a Third World War has been a topic of intense speculation and debate for decades. With the devastating impacts of the first two world wars still etched in global memory, the idea of another large-scale conflict is both terrifying and compelling.

Many astrologers, including Nostradamus and Baba Vanga, have made predictions about WW3 but its possibility remains uncertain. Still, from time to time, news about such predictions keep surfacing on social media platform and attract a lot of attention.

The latest in this series is a "prediction" made by Indian astrologer Kushal Kumar. In a post on Medium, which he has also shared on LinkedIn, Kumar has claimed that World War 3 is just weeks away.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Kumar is a Vedic astrologer, who uses charts that show planetary alignment to make forecast about future events.

"2024 was predicted to be majorly worrisome in relation to war conditions in hotspots across the world, particularly around May 8 - it was indicated carrying highest escalation in such war fronts as Koreas, China-Taiwan, the Middle East involving Israel and others in the Middle East, and Ukraine-Russia, anger of NATO could also find expression," he said.

"Some persons charged with authority to govern in some countries may find it tough and hard to cope up with the major worrisome emerging scenario. Some are likely to be seriously unwell or may even resign. Upheavals in the political scene cannot be ruled out. In short, where vulnerable, the contemporary planetary movements suggest that army may step in to take overall control," Kumar further said in his post on Medium.

The astrologer then revealed the date he thinks a global war will break out.

"Now, Tuesday, 18 June 2024 has the strongest planetary stimulus to trigger WW3 although 10 and 29 June may have a say as well," he said in his article.

Panchkula-based Kumar describes himself as an astrologer who predicts world event. And this is why, the news is gaining traction on social media.

The claims come just days after UK officials launched a website to tell Brits what they need to stock up on in the event of war actually breaking out.

‘Grossly failed’: Calcutta HC pulls up ECI for inaction on Bengal BJP’s ads

KOLKATA, May 20: The Calcutta high court on Monday pulled up the Election Commission of India (ECI) for not addressing complaints raised against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for newspaper advertisements that appear to violate the model code of conduct (MCC), and restrained the BJP from publishing any more such advertisements.

“In the present case, the ECI has grossly failed to address the complaints raised by the petitioner (TMC) in due time. This court is surprised that no resolution worth the name has been arrived at regarding the complaints till date, more so because most of the phases of the election are already over,” a bench of justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya said after going through the advertisements produced by the TMC.

The BJP published at least four advertisements this month in vernacular newspapers that portrayed the ruling TMC as a corrupt party, anti-Hindu and claimed that women were not safe in its regime.

“Perusal of the impugned advertisements, clearly evince that those were in violation of the letter and spirit of the MCC. It is also clear that the allegations in the form of advertisements made against the petitioner are outright derogatory and definitely intended at insulting the rivals and levelling personal attacks,” the bench said.

MCC prohibits parties and candidates from levelling unverified allegations.

The election watchdog’s lawyer tried to convince the high court that the commission did take steps. The court was told that one complaint was taken up by West Bengal’s chief electoral officer, and in another, the case was sent to the media certification and monitoring committee for necessary action. In another case, the matter was sent to ECI headquarters.

“This court is not satisfied that any of the so-called resolutions are resolutions in the real sense of the term. It is merely an exercise by the ECI of passing of buck regarding the complaints made by the petitioner,” the bench said.

In one instance, the ECI issued notice to Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on May 14 on a complaint filed by TMC on May 4.

TMC, which has long accused accused ECI of favouring the BJP, went on the offensive after the high court’s prima facie findings.

Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said: “The Calcutta high court has passed an important order. It said that such advertisements shouldn’t have been published. They are derogatory and have violated the MCC. It also stated that the ECI should have taken a significant step”.

“ECI’s conduct throughout this election has been shameful. At every given opportunity, rules have been bent to favour Modi & BJP. Now even Calcutta HC has strongly rebuked the ECI for failing to take action on BJP’s fake & disparaging ads about @AITCofficial. The Hon’ble court has also restrained BJP & banned the ads. This is an election where the ECI openly bats for the ruling party,” Saket Gokhale, TMC Rajya Sabha MP, wrote on X.

Bengal BJP leader Shishir Bajoria told reporters that the party was yet to see the order. “We would go for an appeal once we go through the order”.

Row Over Viral Video That Shows UP Teen Voting 8 Times For BJP Candidate

LUCKNOW, May 20: A video from Uttar Pradesh, in which a youngster is seen voting for the BJP candidate as many as eight times, went viral and sparked a row as 49 Lok Sabha seats voted in the fifth phase of the general election.

In the video, a youngster is seen voting on an Electronic Voting Machine and recording the act. He presses the button next to the name of Mukesh Rajput, sitting MP and BJP candidate in Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat that voted on May 13. Moments later, the youngster is in the cubicle again, saying on camera, "This is number 2". After another round of voting, he says, "This was the third".

In this manner, the video captures the youngster voting eight times. One of the frames also shows him in a different shirt. The thumb of his left hands is inked, suggesting that he may have used it to rub off the indelible ink used to identify a voter who has already voted.

According to some reports, the young man in the video is a minor. It is not clear how he managed to bypass the scrutiny of poll officials as many as seven times. An FIR has been registered and he has been taken into custody. The Chief Electoral Officer, UP, Navdeep Rinwa, said all members of the polling party would be suspended and a repoll in the polling station has been recommended.

Senior police officer Dhananjay Singh Kushwaha has told a news agency that the young man admitted to voting eight times.

Sharing the viral video, Congress Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP is staring at defeat and "wants to loot democracy by pressuring the government machinery".

1 Killed, Jaipur Couple Injured In Kashmir Twin Attacks Ahead Of Polling

SRINAGAR, May 18: A former sarpanch was killed and a couple from Rajasthan was injured in firing by terrorists in two separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, two days ahead of polling.

Terror Module Operated By Man Linked To Hardeep Nijjar Busted, 4 Arrested

CHANDIGARH, May 14: Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said Tuesday a terror module operating in the state has been busted with the arrest of four of its members, including a key operative.

The module was being operated by mastermind Iqbalpreet Singh alias Buchi, who lives abroad, Gaurav Yadav said, identifying the key operative as Gurwinder Singh alias Shera.

In a statement, the DGP said that the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) arrested all four at Liberty Chowk in Rajpura.

Acting on reliable inputs, AGTF teams under the supervision of Additional Director General of Police Promod Ban set up a check post at Liberty Chowk where teams led by Assistant Inspector General Gurmeet Singh Chauhan and Deputy Superintendent of Police Bikramjit Singh Brar made the arrest, according to the statement.

Gaurav Yadav said Shera revealed during interrogation that Buchi had brought the gang together with plans to commit crimes in Punjab to disturb peace and harmony.

Three pistols and 13 live cartridges were found in the possession of those arrested and the car they were travelling in was impounded, he said.

Shera was out on bail after being arrested by the AGTF in 2022 for allegedly conspiring to commit target killings on Buchi's directions, the statement said.

The three others were identified as Gurpreet Singh of Patiala, Ranjit Singh alias Sonu and Jagjit Singh alias Jashan of Patti, both residents of Patti in Tarn Taran.

Buchi was in touch with murdered Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and is also a close associate of Ramandeep Bagga alias Canadian, who was the main shooter in seven targeted killings in 2016-2017, police said.

Ramandeep Bagga faces 11 criminal cases under murder, attempt to murder, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Arms Act charges. He is lodged in Tihar Jail.

8 Dead, 59 Injured After Huge Billboard Falls During Mumbai Dust Storm

MUMBAI, May 13: Twenty people are feared trapped under the debris of a massive billboard that collapsed on a fuel station amid a strong dust storm in Mumbai's Ghatkopar this evening. Police said eight people were killed and 59 were injured.

The billboard was opposite the fuel station. Visuals show the structure crashing down right in the middle of the refuelling facility. The civic authorities are looking whether the billboard advertisement agency had permission to install the structure.

The metal frame of the billboard tore through the roof of several cars that were at the fuel station.

The police said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are at the site, and are looking for survivors trapped under the debris.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said rescuing people is the priority, and the government will take care of treatment of those who were injured. "Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family of those who have lost their lives. I have directed the authorities concerned to check all such hoardings in Mumbai," Shinde said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a post on X said the state government has ordered an investigation into the incident.

Sushil Modi, Ex Deputy Chief Minister Of Bihar, Dies At 72

NEW DELHI, May 13: Senior BJP leader Sushil Modi died at Delhi's All-India Institute of Medical Sciences this evening. The 72-year-old was battling cancer and was admitted in the intensive care unit of AIIMS for the last one month.

The stalwart leader, once the BJP's best-known face in Bihar, had opted out of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections also on account of his health. He had announced it on social media with a post on X, formerly Twitter, on April 3.

"I have been battling cancer for the last 6 months. Now I feel that the time has come to tell people. I will not be able to do anything in the Lok Sabha elections. I have told everything to the PM. Always grateful and always dedicated to the country, Bihar and the party," his post read.

His absence was expected to be felt the most in Bihar, where he had considerable influence on the party, built over three decades.

Over 11 years between 2005 and 2020, in two stints, he had served as the Deputy of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

He was also mourned by senior BJP leaders Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Betrayed By Indore Pick, Congress Bats For NOTA To 'Teach BJP A Lesson'

NEW DELHI, May 11: Jolted by its Indore Lok Sabha candidate withdrawing its nomination and then rubbing salt in its wounds by joining the BJP, the Congress is now banking on the NOTA - none of the above - option to "teach a lesson" to the ruling party.

The Congress has not won the Indore constituency, Madhya Pradesh's biggest in terms of voters, in 35 years (since 1989), but this will be the first time it has not even been able to field a candidate. The BJP's nominee is sitting MP Shankar Lalwani and the Congress had given a ticket to Akshay Kanti Bam, who quit the race on the last day of withdrawing nominations and then proceeded to quit the party as well, switching over to its rival.

After its substitute candidate's petition to contest from the constituency on the party's symbol was denied by the High Court, the Congress has launched a high-octane push for NOTA votes and has also forced a response from the BJP, whose campaign was seen as having slackened since it did not see much competition from the 13 other candidates still in the fray.

Indore will vote in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Monday.

The state Congress chief Jitu Patwari has said that the party will not support any of the remaining candidates and urged people to create a record of NOTA votes to punish the BJP.

Senior Congress leader Sajjan Verma, a former minister and former MP, said in Hindi in a video posted on X, "I appeal to the people of Indore... Our Congress candidate has been stolen by some people, who have deprived you of your right to vote. If you want to teach them a lesson, press the NOTA button and save democracy."

The NOTA option was introduced at the Supreme Court's directions in 2013 and has given voters a way to express their dissatisfaction with all the candidates contesting the elections. The votes given to NOTA do not impact the polls in any way and the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Election Commission last month on a petition seeking that an election in a constituency be declared void if the majority of voters choose NOTA.

Wary of the optics of a record number of votes going to NOTA, however, the BJP has called the Congress' campaign a "negative tactic" and an "attack on democracy".

Earlier this week, BJP Councillor Sandhya Yadav was caught on camera removing a poster pasted on an auto by an organisation called the 'Loktantra Bachao Samiti' (Save Democracy Committee) asking people to cast their votes for NOTA.

While the Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, Ms Yadav said that she would continue to remove such posters and that promoting the voting option was not in the interest of democracy.

Madhya Pradesh BJP chief VD Sharma also said "instigating" people to press NOTA was a crime in democracy.

Another BJP leader and former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan - who has won from Indore eight times - however, called the last-minute withdrawal of the Congress candidate unfair and said voters have a right to decide.

"I was surprised to know about the withdrawal of the nomination of the main opposition party candidate in Indore... This should not have happened. There was no need for this development as it was written on the wall that nobody can defeat the BJP in Indore," she saidtold PTI.

Stating that some people from the city had called her up to say they would choose NOTA as "they did not like what BJP did", Ms Mahajan added, "I explained to them that BJP has done nothing in this regard and that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party is sticking to its core ideology and our candidate (Mr Lalwani) is in the fray, so they should vote for BJP instead of NOTA."

Supreme Court grants bail to Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI, May 10: Arvind Kejriwal was released from Delhi's Tihar Jail Friday evening - 50 days after he was jailed on corruption charges linked to the alleged liquor policy scam and hours after the Supreme Court granted bail till June 1.

The Aam Aadmi Party's leader's release means he can now campaign for the AAP, and the INDIA bloc, in the ongoing election, in which Delhi's seven seats will vote on May 25.

As he walked out of Tihar Jail's Gate No 4, Mr Kejriwal was welcomed by a mob of flag-waving and slogan-shouting AAP workers, as well as his wife Sunita Kejriwal and senior leaders like Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, who have emerged as the party's public faces while the Chief Minister was in jail.

Bhardwaj said Arvind Kejriwal's release will be a "gamechanger" in favour of the INDIA bloc.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also present.

In his first public comments after leaving jail, Kejriwal thanked "all the judges of the top court" and, with one eye on the election in Delhi on may 25, called on voters to "'save the country for dictatorship".

"I want to thank all of you... you gave me your blessings. I want to thank the judges of the Supreme Court, it is because of them that I am in front of you. We have to save the country from dictatorship..."

Kejriwal also attributed his release to Lord Hanuman, and said he planned to visit the Hanuman temple in Delhi's Connaught Place on Saturday morning.

He will be on bail till June 1 - the final phase of voting for the seven-stage election. He is to surrender by June 2. The court turned down pleas to extend his bail but said it would hear arguments for extended relief next week.

The court had been hearing arguments by Kejriwal challenging his arrest, when it set the cat among the pigeons by noting it would also hear arguments for bail for the AAP leader.

Underlining Kejriwal's position as an elected Chief Minister, a bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta said, "There are elections (and) these are extraordinary circumstances, and he is not a habitual offender. This is a question of public interest."

Today, as it granted Kejriwal bail, the court reiterated that point, observing the AAP boss, as a Chief Minister and the leader of a national party, does not pose any threat.

"... serious accusations have been made but he has not been convicted. He does not have any criminal antecedents..." the court said, as it also shot down arguments about the period of release.

"21 days will not make any difference... for one-and-a-half years he was there... he could have been arrested before or after (the election) also," the Supreme Court said.

In a key moment earlier this week, the court - which had been hearing a petition by Kejriwal challenging his March 21 arrest - said probe agencies could not "selectively pick" between material that spoke to an individual's innocence and that which may confirm guilt.

"You are depriving a person of their right to life," the court had said, also questioning the arresting agency, the Enforcement Directorate for a delay of two years. "It is not good for any agency to say that it takes two years to unearth... now when will the trial start?"

On Thursday the ED, which had opposed bail, filed an affidavit outlining its objections.

The agency - criticised for allegedly operating at the behest of the ruling BJP to target and harass political rivals before the election - said no politician could claim "special status" higher than that of an ordinary citizen, and is as liable to be arrested and detained for committing offences as any other citizen.

There is no "fundamental" right that will allow Arvind Kejriwal the right to bail to campaign, the ED argued.

The agency also pointed out that no political leader had ever been granted bail for campaigning and said that releasing Kejriwal from jail to canvas for his party candidates would set a wrong precedent.

Court Orders Framing Of Charges Against BJP's Brij Bhushan

NEW DELHI, May 10: In a big blow to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a Delhi court has ordered the framing of charges against the former Wrestling Federation of India chief in the sexual harassment allegations levelled by women wrestlers. The court has said there is sufficient evidence on record to do so, paving the way for the beginning of the trial against him.

Singh "welcomed" the order, asserting that he was "ready to face it".

Friday's order by the Rouse Avenue court comes days after the BJP decided not to repeat Brij Bhushan, who is the party MP from Uttar Pradesh's Kaiserganj, as the candidate from the constituency and decided to field his son Karan Bhushan Singh instead.

The court has ordered the framing of charges against Brij Bhushan under sections 354 (outraging a woman's modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The Delhi Police had filed a chargesheet against under these sections and one additional section - 354D (stalking) - on June 15 last year.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot said the charges will be framed against Brij Bhushan for sexually harassing five wrestlers and that he stands discharged in the allegations levelled by the sixth.

"This court has found sufficient material on record to frame charges against accused no.1 Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for the offences under Section 354, 354A of Indian Penal Code regarding victims no. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,” Ms Rajpoot said while pronouncing the order.

"This court has also found sufficient material on record to frame charges against accused no. 1 Brij Bhushan Singh for the offences under Section 506 Part 1 of IPC with respect to victims no.1 and 5," she said.

Charges should also be framed against the former assistant secretary of the Federation, Vinod Tomar, under Section 506, the court said. The neat hearing will be on May 21.

The six-time MP has been at the centre of a huge political storm since last year, when sexual harassment charges were levelled against him and protesters had hit the streets led by Olympic medallists Sakshee Malikkh and Bajrang Punia, as well as Commonwealth Games and Asian Games medallist Vinesh Phogat.

Ms Mallikh had also hung up her boots and said she was quitting the sport after an aide of Brij Bhushan had won the elections for the Wrestling Federation of India in December last year. The sports ministry had later suspended the new managing committee.

Brij Bhushan has consistently denied all the charges.

Earlier this month, the BJP nominated the MP's son as the candidate for the Kaiserganj seat and the move led to digs from the opposition as well as a strong statement by Ms Mallikh.

"Daughters of the country lost, Brij Bhushan won. We all put our careers at stake and slept on the streets for many days in the sun and rain. To date, Brij Bhushan has not been arrested. We were not demanding anything, we were only demanding justice," she had said.

After Friday's order, Mallikh said it was a "small step towards victory".

Supreme Court may decide on Friday on Arvind Kejriwal interim bail

NEW DELHI, May 8: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it may pass an order on Friday on whether to grant interim bail to jailed Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy [Arvind Kejriwal v. Directorate of Enforcement].

This was told in open court by Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Wednesday. Justice Khanna along with Justice Dipankar Datta had on Tuesday heard the plea filed by Kejriwal challenging his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Justice Khanna was sitting as part of another Bench on Wednesday when he told Enforcement Directorate counsel Additional Solicitor General SV Raju that the interim order in the Kejriwal case can be expected on Friday, May 10.

The ED’s money-laundering probe against Kejriwal stems from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2022 on a complaint made by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.

It has been alleged that a criminal conspiracy was hatched by AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others to create loopholes in the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22 to favour some liquor sellers.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 and is presently lodged in Tihar Jail.

The ED had earlier submitted that Kejriwal cannot be treated differently from any other criminal merely because he is a politician.

Kejriwal's counsel later countered that although Kejriwal, being a Chief Minister, is not immune from prosecution, his rights are not inferior to the rights of any other person.

During an earlier hearing, the top court had questioned the ED on the timing of Kejriwal's ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

On Tuesday, May 7, the Court had hinted at granting interim bail to Kejriwal in order to enable him to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

However, it had also said that if interim bail is granted, Kejriwal would not be allowed to discharge any official duties as Chief Minister.

"Suppose we grant interim bail on account of elections. Then if you say you will attend to office then it may have cascading effect.. Dr Singhvi if we give any interim bail we do not want you to be performing official duties as somewhere it will lead to conflict. We do not want interference at all in the working of the government," the Court remarked.

However, in the same breath, the Court had also remarked on Tuesday,

"Let us see whether at all it (interim bail) should be given or not."

DK Shivakumar says Prajwal Revanna's uncle HD Kumaraswamy behind pen drives

BENGALURU, May 8: Congress leader and Karnataka's deputy chief minister, DK Shivakumar on Wednesday accused HD Kumaraswamy of plotting to circulate thousands of pen drives containing the purported explicit videos of the latter's nephew, Prajwal Revanna.

A day after the JD(S) leader accused him of circulating 25000 pen drives before the Lok Sabha elections, DK Shivakumar called the former Karnataka chief minister the “king of blackmailing”.

DK Shivakumar said HD Kumaraswamy was the “lead, director and producer of the story”. He claimed HD Kumaraswamy knew about the pen drives. He said finishing people's political careers and blackmailing others were Kumaraswamy's job.

"Kumaraswamy knows about the pen-drive (containing explicit video clips) matter completely. A lawyer (Devaraje Gowda) and others are speaking. Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) wants my resignation, it seems there is competition for the Vokkaliga leadership. Let me give resignation, as he wants it," Shivakumar said sarcastically.

"Finishing (politically) one after the other is his (Kumaraswamy) job. Blackmailing, (Kumaraswamy is) king of blackmail...he is threatening everyone, officers, politicians… Let him do it, there is time to discuss all this, let's discuss in the Assembly," he added.

Prajwal Revanna is accused of featuring in or recording thousands of sexually explicit videos. The state government has formed an SIT to probe the allegations of sexual abuse against the Hassan MP. The authorities have arrested HD Revanna, Prajwal's father, in connection with the kidnapping of a woman.

On Tuesday, HD Kumaraswamy claimed 25,000 pen drives with videos of women being sexually abused -- allegedly by his nephew -- were circulated across Karnataka ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. He accused chief minister Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar of hatching a conspiracy.

DK Shivakumar pointed out that HD Kumaraswamy had called the SIT -- "Shivakumar Investigation team and Siddaramaiah Investigation Team".

"He is the lead of the story, he is the director, he is the producer, he is everything. We know what he is up to," Shivakumar added.

DK Shivakumar said HD Kumaraswamy was getting “these things done by the BJP”.

Prajwal Revanna is missing since April 27, when his cook filed a sexual harassment complaint against him and his father. He reportedly fled abroad on a diplomatic passport. The authorities have issued a Blue Corner notice to find out about his whereabouts.

Haryana Government Loses Majority As 3 Independent MLAs Support Congress

CHANDIGARH, May 7: In a setback to the ruling BJP in Haryana amid the Lok Sabha elections, three Independent MLAs today announced that they have withdrawn their support to the Nayab Singh Saini-led government in the state.

The three MLAs - Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Gollen and Dharampal Gonder - also said that they have decided to extend support to the Congress during the elections.

They made the announcement at a press conference held in Rohtak in presence of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state Congress chief Udai Bhan.

"We are withdrawing support to the government. We are extending our support to the Congress," Gonder said.

"We have taken this decision on various issues including those related to farmers," he said.

Speaking at the presser, Udai Bhan said, "The three Independent MLAs - Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Singh Gollen and Dharampal Gonder - have withdrawn their support to the BJP government and extended their support to the Congress."

"I also want to say that present strength of (90-member) Haryana Assembly is 88, of which the BJP has 40 members. The BJP government earlier had support of JJP MLAs and Independents, but JJP had also withdrawn support and now Independents are also leaving.

"Nayab Singh Saini government is now a minority government. He should tender his resignation as he does not have right to stay even for a minute," said Mr Bhan.

Now, the assembly polls should be held immediately, he said.

Air Force Soldier Killed, 5 Injured In Terror Attack On Convoy In J&K

NEW DELHI, May 4: One soldier of the Indian Air Force was killed in action and five others were injured when two vehicles, including one of the IAF, came under heavy terrorist fire in the Surankote area of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, sources said.

Of the five injured, one airman is reportedly critical. They were all airlifted to the Command Hospital in Udhampur for further treatment, officials said.

Reinforcement was rushed to the area and counter-terror operations are underway. "The local Rashtriya Rifles unit started cordon and search operations in the area," sources in the security forces said.

On X, the IAF said its convoy, which was attacked near Shahsitar, had been secured. "An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by militants in the Poonch district of J&K, near Shahsitar. Cordon and search operations are underway presently in the area by local military units. The convoy has been secured, and further investigation is under progress," it said.

Around 6:15 pm, the personnel were on their way to the air force station from Jaranwali when they were ambushed, officials said.

This is the first major attack on the armed forces this year in the region which witnessed a series of terror attacks on the army last year. Visuals from after the attack showed at least a dozen bullet holes on the windscreen of the vehicle that came under fire.

The terrorists, armed with AK assault rifles, are believed to have fled into the nearby forests, officials said, adding that there has been no contact with the terrorists so far.

The police assisted by paramilitary forces have been conducting searches in Poonch since Friday following inputs about the movement of suspected persons. However, no one was arrested during the operation, the officials said.

Poonch is part of Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency which is going to polls in the sixth phase on May 25.

Karnataka MLA HD Revanna, Accused Of Kidnapping Woman, Taken Into Custody

NEW DELHI, May 4: Karnataka JD(S) MLA HD Revanna has been taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team that's looking into kidnapping allegations by a woman; it is also probing rape allegations against his son Prajwal Revanna in the obscene videos case.

The woman whose son filed the kidnapping case against HD Revanna and his aide Satish has been traced by the Karnataka Police. She will speak to the special investigation team. The MLA's son Prajwal Revanna is an accused in sex assault cases.

The woman had worked at the Revannas' house for nearly five years, and quit three years ago. Her son alleged she was picked up on April 26 by Satish, the close aid of HD Revanna. She was brought home the same day, but was taken by HD Revanna's man on April 29. She had been missing since then.

Just before he was taken into custody, HD Revanna's request for interim protection from arrest in the kidnapping case was rejected by a local court.
"Why was this person kidnapped? We still don't know the involvement of Prajwal (Revanna). Certain sections of the complaint speak volumes of what transpired. Are they preventing her from filing a complaint? We can't see this FIR in isolation. It should be connected with the broader aspect," the special public prosecutor (SPP) said.

"The petitioner is influential. He has gone to the extent of threatening people... We want to understand whether this was done only on this victim, or are there more. We have to protect these people," the SPP said.

The Karnataka special investigation team (SIT) that's looking into cases of sex assault against the MLA's son today also issued a lookout notice against his father. Obscene video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna had started making the rounds in Karnataka's Hassan in recent days. He is the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Lok Sabha candidate from the same place.

Prajwal Revanna is believed to have flown abroad on April 27, a day after the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka was held. His lawyer had sought seven days for him to appear before the SIT.

The Karnataka government today asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to seek other nations' help to trace Prajwal Revanna over allegations that he raped multiple women and blackmailed them with videos. He is the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.

The first information report against Prajwal Revanna was filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Wednesday after a Janata Dal (Secular) worker alleged she was raped by him at gunpoint.

The woman was rescued from the farmhouse of Rajashekar, the personal assistant to HD Revanna, from a farmhouse in Mysuru district's Kalenahalli village, news agency IANS reported. The woman, who had gone missing on April 29, was locked up in the farmhouse when the SIT officers reached there following a tip-off.

Sources said Rajashekar is absconding ever since the SIT traced the woman to his farmhouse. She will be brought to Bengaluru where her statement will be recorded.

'May Consider Interim Bail Due To Polls': Supreme Court On Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI, May 3: The Supreme Court will look into the possibility of granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal so that he can campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta today said it will look at the interim bail plea on Tuesday (May 7) and asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Kejriwal's counsel to be prepared.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was arrested by ED officials on March 21 in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy. He has approached the Supreme Court after he did not get relief from lower courts. He is the third top AAP leader to be arrested in the corruption case, after Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. Mr Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, is out on bail.

Appearing for Kejriwal, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi today said there is no evidence against the Delhi Chief Minister and his arrest is legal. Kejriwal, he said, had responded to nine summonses from the ED. He added that failure to appear cannot be a basis for arrest.

"All evidence on which I am arrested is pre-2023 end. Every material is as in July 2023. Same evidence relied on in Manish Sisodia's case. Money trail chart was the same," Singhvi said.

When the court asked if any action had been taken against AAP, Singhvi replied in the negative. Referring to Section 70 of the PMLA, which deals with offences by companies, he said, "Anything or everything done by a political party cannot be attributed to its convenor or president. Merely mentioning a company cannot lead to arrest of the MD unless you show something, same thing with AAP."

To this, Justice Khanna replied, "Any person in overall charge of the company, then you are vicariously liable with the company and then you have to show that it was done without your knowledge." Singhvi responded, "They say he is the brain behind AAP... he is involved in demand of kickbacks. There is no direct evidence."

Appearing for the central agency, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said the decision to arrest Kejriwal was not just taken by the investigating officer, but also fortified by a special judge.

"Before he was arrested, they moved a division bench of Delhi High Court, saying that he should not be arrested, but the court perused the documents and said no interference. So application of judicial mind in three stages," he said.

The court eventually noted that this case and examination of its various aspects may take time. "But if the case takes time, we may consider interim bail due to elections," the bench said. The court asked what conditions may be imposed if bail is granted. "We are yet to decide on that and (will) hear on Tuesday. We must be open so that neither side is taken by surprise," the court said.

Rahul to contest LS polls from Rae Bareli, KL Sharma from Amethi

NEW DELHI, May 3: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will contest from family bastion Raebareli and senior leader KL Sharma will be fielded from Amethi. The announcement came just a few hours before filing the nominations for the prestigious seats. The deadline for filing nominations ended at 3 pm today.

Both seats are considered traditional pocket boroughs of the Gandhi-Nehru family as its members have represented them for several decades. Besides Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi has contested Lok Sabha election from Kerala’s Wayanad as well. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad.

The party has been keeping the cards close to its chest on the candidature of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi from the prestigious seats.

It was widely speculated that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may make her electoral debut from Raebareli in this election. However, sources said that Priyanka will focus on campaigning. It was highly speculated that Rahul Gandhi would contest from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi from Raebareli, both siblings have been dragging their feet on the decision to contest.

After serving four consecutive terms as the Rae Bareli MP, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has vacated the seat to become a Rajya Sabha MP. The Rae Bareli constituency is prestigious for Congress as it was held by former PM Indira Gandhi three times and Indira’s husband Feroze Gandhi in 1952 and 1957. It was represented by Sonia Gandhi from 2004 to 2024. The only instances where a member of the Gandhi family has not contested the seat are in 1962 and 1999.

On Thursday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge conveyed to the Gandhis that not contesting from Uttar Pradesh will not augur well for the party's prospects in the Hindi heartland, said sources. Rahul Gandhi represented Amethi for three straight terms from 2004 to 2019 before he was defeated by Union Minister Smriti Irani by over 50, 000 votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

KL Sharma, considered a close aide of the Gandhi family is pitted against Irani. There has been a clamor from party workers to field Rahul Gandhi from Amethi, Sources said the results of the internal surveys conducted by the party showed results in favour of Rahul Gandhi. Smriti Irani, seeking a second term from Amethi, has challenged Rahul Gandhi to contest the seat.

According to sources, the Gandhis were not keen on Priyanka’s electoral debut from Raebareli as they did not want all three members of the Gandhi family in Parliament. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been constantly attacking the Congress over its dynasty politics.

Elections to Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituencies are scheduled in the fifth phase on May 20.

Prajwal Revanna's Driver, Who Leaked Sex Tapes, Goes Missing Amid Probe

BENGALURU, May 2: The new twist has taken on Thursday in Karnataka over the obscene video scandal involving former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's grandson and suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna.

The former driver of accused Prajwal Revanna, who had confessed that he had given the pen drive with the videos of the JD(S) leader sexually abusing women, to BJP leader Devaraje Gowda, has disappeared following a SIT notice.

The driver Karthik had worked with Prajwal Revanna for 13 years and had fallen out with him a year ago over an alleged land deal.

Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is alleging that some influential leaders are behind the driver's disappearance thereby alluding to Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and questioned who sent Karthik to Malaysia.

Talking to the media, Dy CM Shivakumar asked, “Is brother saying so? That means he knows everything. Let him get the information from the central government. I am not crazy to send him (Karthik) abroad. I am a street fighter. There is no necessity for me to carry out politics by hiding people. They (Deve Gowda family) need it.

“That boy (Karthik) had claimed that he had given the pen drive containing obscene videos of Prajwal Revanna to BJP leaders. Let the discussion on release of the pen drive take place later. Let's not divert from the real issue.”

Responding to Leader of Opposition, R Ashoka's demand for the government to vacate the seat of power if it is incapable of arresting Prajwal Revanna, Dy CM Shivakumar stated, “Ashoka is in a constitutional position. He was raising his voice in other issues and regarding this case he is not opening his mouth. He should take state BJP President, BY Vijayendra and others and meet the victims of the video scandal.”

“They should assure them of justice and give courage to them. Former PM Deve Gowda and former CM Kumaraswamy, who claim to have respect for women, should meet the victims by going to their homes. Why are they not doing so?” Dy CM Shivakumar questioned.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna.

West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of 'molesting' a woman, alleges TMC MP

KOLKATTA, May 2: West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose has been accused of molesting a woman, Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose claimed on Thursday. This comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stay at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Thursday night.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ghose said a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today.

“BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of molesting a woman. How utterly APPALLING and HORRIFYING. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today," the post read.

The MP also claimed that the complainant was taken to the Hare Street police station to file a complaint.

"The woman has accused the Governor of molesting her. Shocking and disgraceful," she added.

Modi is scheduled to address election rallies in support of party candidates in Krishnanagar, Bardhaman Purba and Bolpur Lok Sabha constituencies on Friday.

In late April, the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata moved the Election Commission of India, urging it to identify and take strong action against officials in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal who may have "leaked names of gangsters and goons" to political parties.

In the wake of the ongoing general elections, the office of Bengal Governor had, using its own mechanism, compiled a list of suspected criminals across the state who could be used by political parties to intimidate voters on or before poll dates besides creating other law and order situations.

BJP Drops Brij Bhushan Amid Sexual Harassment Charge, Fields His Son

NEW DELHI, May 2: The BJP's heavyweight MP and former wrestling boss Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh won't be contesting the Lok Sabha polls this time. The BJP has instead named his son Karan Bhushan Singh as its candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Kaiserganj. The announcement, made this afternoon, puts a lid on the speculation surrounding the Kaiserganj seat and its high-profile MP.

Besides announcing the name of Karan Bhushan Singh, the BJP named Pratap Singh as its candidate from Congress stronghold Rae Bareli. The Congress is yet to name its pick from the prestige seat, earlier held by Sonia Gandhi.

A six-term MP, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh suffered a massive political setback due to sexual harassment allegations against him that saw some of the country's top wrestlers hit the streets. The allegations also prompted the BJP to look for another option, as it did not want the row to ruin its poll prospects in the politically-significant state.

The party, however, knows the political clout Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh holds in the area. Hence, it has chosen his son as his replacement.

His elder son Pratik Bhushan Singh is an MLA. Karan Bhushan Singh currently heads the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body.

Kaiserganj votes on May 20 in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election. The last date of filing nomination is tomorrow.

The president of Wrestling Federation of India for over a decade, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh hit headlines early last year when the country's top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshee Malikkh, accused him of sexually harassing women wrestlers and staged a massive protest in the national capital.

Prajwal Revanna sex abuse case: Karnataka MP says ‘not in Bangalore’ after SIT issues summons, seeks more time from CID

BENGALURU, May 1: Janata Dal (Secular) MP from Karnataka's Hassan, Prajwal Revanna, on Wednesday tweeted that he was not in Bengaluru to attend the enquiry after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sex abuse case involving the politician summoned him. Prajwal, the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, was asked to appear before the SIT for investigation within 24 hours.

Prajwal Revanna is seeking re-election from Hassan as a leader of the JD(S), the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) alliance partner in Karnataka.

The MP, who left the country as soon as the election to his constituency ended, has also sought seven days' time to appear before the SIT formed by the Karnataka government to inquire into the huge cache of about 3,000 explicit videos and photos allegedly pertaining to him, which have gone viral on social media.

After the explicit videos and photographs surfaced, the Karnataka government constituted the SIT at the request of Karnataka State Commission for Women chairperson Nagalakshmi Chowdhary.

Prajwal Revanna shared a letter by his lawyer Arun G to the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the SIT, in which he has sought seven days' time to appear before the official because he is abroad.

“As I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry, I have communicated to CID Bangalore through my advocate. Truth will prevail soon," Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, said in a tweet on the microblogging site X.

Meanwhile, smoke billowed as ‘Havan’ flames raged in the scorching summer at JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister HD Revanna’s residence in Karnataka's Holenarasipura.

HD Revanna, the Holenarasipura JD(S) MLA, is the son of former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda and elder brother of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.

A case has been registered against HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna at Holenarasipura on a complaint by their former cook for allegedly sexually harassing her.

She also alleged that Prajwal Revanna made video calls to her daughter and spoke in an objectionable manner, which forced her to block him.