"Heart-Warming": Law Minister's Big Praise For Chief Justice's Order

Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday praised an order of the Supreme Court allowing a judicial services aspirant suffering from writer's cramp to get a scribe to write his preliminary examination for the recruitment of civil judges in Uttarakhand.

The interim order was issued by a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Saturday.

Writer's cramp is a task-specific movement disorder that manifests itself as abnormal postures and unwanted muscle spasms that interfere with motor performance while writing.

"This is such a heart-warming action by hon'ble Chief Justice Dr D Y Chandrachud. A great relief to a divyang (person with disability) candidate who sought a scribe for the Judicial Service exam in Uttarakhand," Mr Rijiju tweeted.

Timely justice to a deserving person is "very satisfying", he said, sharing a screenshot of a tweet posted by the lawyer of the candidate who had approached the top court.

This is such a heart warming action by hon'ble Chief Justice Dr DY Chandrachud. A great relief to a Divyang candidate who sought a scribe for the Judicial Service exam in Uttarakhand. AIIMS had certified his disability. Timely Justice to a deserving person is very satisfying. pic.twitter.com/V5ampXxtkD

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) April 30, 2023

The candidate, Dhananjay Kumar, had moved the Supreme Court, saying his request to the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission (UKPSC) for a scribe was rejected on April 20, days ahead of the scheduled exam.

He urged the court to allow him a scribe as he suffers from Chandrachudwriter's cramp and submitted a certificate issued by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, dated September 25, 2017, about his condition.

Taking note of the submission by advocate Namit Saxena, appearing for the candidate, the bench, also comprising Justice P S Narasimha, issued a notice to the UKPSC and the Uttarakhand government asking why his request for a scribe was rejected. It directed them to file a response by May 12.

"We issue an ad interim direction to the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission, which is in-charge of conducting the examination, to ensure that a scribe is provided to the petitioner for the ensuing examination..." the bench said.

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Union Minister G Kishan Reddy Hospitalised Due To Chest Congestion: Report

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy was admitted to the AIIMS in New Delhi on Sunday, sources said.

He was brought to the hospital around 10.50 pm following complaints of chest congestion, sources said.

The Union minister has been admitted in the Cardiac Care Unit of the Cardio Neuro Centre, they said.

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Viral Picture Of Padlock On Grave Not From Pak: A Fact Check

A fact-check has indicated that an agency report about parents putting padlocks on graves of their daughters in Pakistan to save them from a rising spate of necrophilia was incorrect. Many news sites, including NDTV, ran the report of news agency ANI that has been fact-checked by AltNews. NDTV had sent a mail to ANI late this evening. A response is awaited.

The report of ANI was based on Daily Times article, and a viral tweet by Harris Sultan, an ex-Muslim atheist activist and the author of the book "The Curse of God, why I left Islam".

In the tweet, he had shared photos of a padlocked grave and accused Pakistan of creating a "sexually frustrated society", where "people are now putting padlocks on the graves of their daughters to prevent them from getting raped".

AltNews fact checker Mohammed Zubair tweeted that the photograph in question, showing a green painted  grille, was from Hyderabad. The reason grilles are used is to stop people from burying bodies over the old graves without permission, he tweeted quoting locals.

The grave was that of an old woman, whose son had installed the grille. It was also meant to stop people from stepping on the grave since it was near a doorway, he tweeted.

Alt News contacted a social worker named Abdul Jaleel who is a resident of Hyderabad. On being requested by us, he visited the spot and provided us with photographs of the grave in question. pic.twitter.com/I6DYRWj8vU

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 30, 2023

This issue was discussed among the Masjid committee members for eight days. Explaining the reason behind the grille, he added, "A lot of people come here and bury bodies over the old graves without permission....

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 30, 2023

Alt News also spoke to a local resident whose house is near the mosque. He informed us that the grave belonged to an aged woman who had passed away in her seventies. Her son constructed the grille over the grave about 40 days after she had been buried.

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 30, 2023

After the fact-check by AltNews, Harris Sultan said he was deleting his earlier tweet.

Thank you, @zoo_bear, for getting to the bottom of this. While this is not an excuse and I must apologize for the source of my initial information, which was from @SanamBalochfans.

The reason why it was believable is that necrophilia has become a serious issue in Pakistan. It is… https://t.co/1yEm5nSlB5 pic.twitter.com/euL6mei3Np

— Harris Sultan (@TheHarrisSultan) April 30, 2023

The ANI report mentioned that women's bodies were said to have been unearthed and desecrated on several occasions. A necrophilia case was reported in Pakistan in 2011 when a grave keeper named Muhammad Rizwan from North Nazimabad, Karachi was arrested after he confessed to raping 48 female corpses.

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Delhi Man Dies After Being Hit By Car, Dragged On Top Of Bonnet: Cops

One person was killed after a car hit a bike, resulting in the rider falling on the bonnet and being carried for around half a kilometre, said the police on Sunday. The incident happened at the Kasturba Gandhi Marg in Lutyens Delhi.

As per the allegations, the SUV rammed into the motorcycle, after which the rider fell onto the bonnet of the vehicle. But, the car driver didn't stop and kept on driving with the man on the bonnet.

After driving for around half a kilometre, the accused driver left the victim on the road and fled from the spot.

The dead has been identified as Deepanshu Verma, the police said. As per the police, two people namely Deepanshu Verma (30) and Mukul Verma (20) were on the motorcycle.

Deepanshu and Mukul were residents of Gandhi Nagar, and Shastri Park respectively.

After the accident, while Mukul fell on the spot, Deepanshu fell on the bonnet and kept on being dragged by the vehicle.

The accused driver has been identified as Harneet Singh Chawla and he has been arrested by the police. His SUV has also been seized. Further investigation is underway in the case.

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Operation Kaveri: Over 2,500 Indians Rescued From Violence-Hit Sudan

After the eighth flight of A C-130 Indian Airforce plane carrying 40 Indians reached India, the no. of evacuated Indians reached the mark of 2,300, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said on Sunday.

"A C-130 Indian Airforce flight has landed in New Delhi with 40 passengers. With this flight, around 2,300 people have reached India," EAM Jaishankar tweeted.

The number reached the 2300 mark on the 8th flight however, following it, three more flights carried 229, 288 and 135 passengers respectively, taking the number of evacuees to more than 2500.

An Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft with 40 passengers onboard New Delhi from Jeddah as 'Operation Kaveri' progresses further to evacuate stranded Indians from battle-torn Sudan.

It was the 8th flight carrying Indian evacuees that took off from Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, since 'Operation Kaveri' began.

Taking to Twitter, the official spokesperson of MEA, Arindam Bagchi wrote, "#OperationKaveri 8th flight carrying Indian evacuees takes off from Jeddah. IAF C-130J aircraft with 40 passengers is on its way to Delhi."

The 7th flight destined for Bengaluru took off from Jeddah earlier today, with 229 passengers onboard. "#OperationKaveri bringing citizens back home. Destined for Bengaluru, 7th outbound flight carrying 229 passengers departs from Jeddah," MoS Muraleedharan tweeted.

On Saturday evening, 365 Indians from Sudan arrived in New Delhi under Operation Kaveri, while a flight carrying 231 Indian passengers reached the national capital on Saturday morning. As a ceasefire has been called in Sudan, several countries, including India, are attempting to evacuate their citizens from a conflict-ridden nation.

Sudan is experiencing bloodshed due to clashes between the army and paramilitary forces.

Earlier, Indian Navy ship, INS Teg, successfully evacuated 288 stranded Indians under Operation Kaveri from the crisis-hit Sudan on Saturday. This was the 14th batch of stranded citizens headed to Jeddah to return to India.

Previously, INS Sumedha, stationed at Port Sudan, had also left the crisis-hit country with 300 passengers onboard for Jeddah.

The Indian government under Operation Kaveri, is set to evacuate about 3,000 Indian-origin passengers from Sudan.

Until Friday, more than 2,400 Indians have been evacuated from Sudan, where the country is experiencing bloodshed due to clashes between the army and paramilitary forces.

The Indian evacuees shouted slogans like "Bharat Mata ki jai," and "Vande Mataram". Also, they lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for rescuing them from Sudan under Operation Kaveri.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Shiv Sena Launches Delhi Unit, Eknath Shinde To Visit Soon

The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Sunday launched its Delhi unit and vowed to implement the 'Maharashtra model' of development in the national capital.

Shiv Sena senior leaders Anandrao Adsul and Anshumman Joshi inducted several leaders into the party fold, asserting that the outfit would bat for the rights of the "sons of the soil" and root out corruption in the national capital.

Adsul said Shinde would soon visit the national capital to announce the office-bearers of the party's Delhi unit.

"We are reaching out to people and local leaders with our humanity, inclusiveness and good governance agenda," Adsul said, and launched the party's 'Good Governance, Maharashtra Model' and 'Apna Abhimaan, Dhanush-Baan' campaigns.

Adsul, a former Union minister, said the Shiv Sena would take forward the legacy and vision of party founder Balasaheb Thackeray with regard to inclusiveness, humanity, good governance and alliance with its old ally the BJP.

With the launch of the Delhi unit, the national capital becomes the 20th state/Union Territory to have a Shiv Sena unit, he said.

"The party will leverage experienced leadership to expand its reach nationally. Our Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has given a governance model to Maharashtra and the party's young leaders bank on that to expand the base in Delhi and other states too," Adsul said.

Adsul recalled that Balasaheb Thackeray had saved Sikhs in Mumbai and Maharashtra in the aftermath of the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

Joshi said the Shiv Sena would fight against rampant corruption in Delhi.

"Only the son of the soil can understand the problems of Delhi. People are getting inflated electricity and water bills, so the promise of free water and electricity was not fulfilled," Joshi said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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PM Modi's 100th Mann Ki Baat Address Today To Go Global, Live: 10 Points

1. Mann Ki Baat was first aired on October 3, 2014, the year the BJP came to power after the United Progressive Alliance's 10-year rule, and PM Modi took charge. The radio talk is broadcast every month.
2. BJP-ruled states have made elaborate arrangements to celebrate the 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat. The party will telecast the Prime Minister's radio address at their offices and booths.
3. 3. The Tourism Ministry has announced "100 days of action" to mark the 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat. The activities include a design challenge for entrepreneurs to develop substitutes for single-use plastic items.
4. The BJP tweeted where all people can watch tomorrow's "historic" Mann Ki Baat. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat is going global and hitting the century tomorrow. Don't forget to become witness to this historic airing as the PM directly connects with people all across the world," the party said.
5. The Indian High Commission in London will also host a special screening of the 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat
6.  Union Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said Mann Ki Baat is an iconic feature in itself. "I think, it's for the first time in the history of our memory that any head of government had chosen to address citizens regularly month after month without break," Mr Singh told news agency ANI.
7. The Mann Ki Baat radio address has transformed into an "inspirational platform" encouraging sustainable progress on themes that are core to India's efforts towards achieving sustainable development goals, a study supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said, news agency PTI reported.
8. PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat highlights government and citizen action in priority areas and in turn encourages listeners to establish or participate in change-making initiatives in their own communities, with the aim to have a lasting and sustainable impact on the lives of people and the country.
9. The radio programme emphasises the role of start-ups and small businesses in achieving a self-reliant India. It encourages people of all ages to take action to promote social and environmental causes that matter most to them.
10. Home Minister Amit Shah, who attended an event on Mann Ki Baat on Wednesday, said it is a unique experiment that has strengthened the foundation of democracy in India. The event also marked the release of a stamp and coin commemorating 100 episodes of Mann Ki Baat.

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"Isn't He Ashamed?" Ashok Gehlot Targets BJP Minister Over Sanjeevani Scam

Training his guns at Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over the Sanjivani Credit Society scam, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the former was not taking any steps to get the money people and should be sacked.

Referring to the case, the chief minister claimed that Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and his family are linked to it and misappropriated the people's money in the state.

"He (Gajendra Singh Shekhawat) is a cabinet minister, isn't he ashamed that he is not taking any steps to get the money of two and a half lakh people? His people are sitting in jail. Doesn't he have a moral duty to talk to the victims," said Gehlot.

He further said that victims met him thrice and shared their pain.

"If Gajendra Singh does not want to meet the victims in person, I can send him the videos of the victims," said CM Gehlot.

Earlier in March, Union Minister has recently moved to Delhi Court and filed a defamation case against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and stated that Ashok Gehlot has called him and his dead mother 'an accused' in the Sanjeevani Scam.

Defamation complaint stated that the said false, uncalled, derogatory and defamatory statements have been made by the accused with the aim to tarnish the image of the complainant in the eyes of the general public, the voters and his relatives, with the object of gaining an undue political mileage.

The complainant Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also stated that the accused is frustrated because the complainant defeated the son of the accused in the last elections by a huge margin and thus, as per the complainant, the statements made by the accused are a political vendetta.

Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa appeared for Shekhawat who sought prosecution against Gehlot for allegedly making defamatory speeches against him.

Senior advocate Pahwa submitted that it is a complaint moved by the Union Minister against the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and said that "There is irreparable damage caused to his reputation."

This matter pertains to a case in which FIR was registered in 2019. Three charge sheets have been filed.

"Shekhawat's name has not appeared anywhere. He was not called by the Investigation officer. Despite this Gehlot said the allegations against Shekhawat have been proven," Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa told to ANI.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Rectified Wrong Done By Congress": Amit Shah On Karnataka Muslim Quota

Lashing out at the Congress in poll-bound Karnataka on Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rectified wrong done by Congress by doing away with Muslim reservation quota in Karnataka.

The Home Minister made the remarks while addressing a gathering in Byndoor.

Amit Shah said, "BJP has rectified the wrong done by Congress by doing away with the Muslim reservation quota in Karnataka. Congress wants to restore it. Ensure that it is not given this chance; it is unconstitutional as well as compromises the rights of Vokkaligas, Lingayats, SCs, STs and Dalits in the State."

"BJP scrapped the 4 per cent Muslim reservation. That reservation was not as per Constitution. Our Constitution does not permit reservation on the basis of religion. Congress says that once their reverse gear government comes, they will bring back the Muslim reservation once again. Do you want that?" questioned Amit Shah.

Alleging that Congress was incapable of the protection of coastal Karnataka, Amit Shah said, "Only BJP can do the job of securing Coastal Karnataka. Greed for a vote bank, Congress can never ensure the security of Coastal Karnataka. We worked to provide security to fishermen by building a new port in Udupi."

"BJP banned the PFI and ensured peace, safety and security for Karnataka," the Home Minister added.

Earlier, Amit Shah said that Congress would put the state into "reverse gear", depriving it of the benefits of "double-engine sarkar".

Addressing a rally at the Navalgund Assembly constituency, Amit Shah said, "On one hand, there is the Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and on the other, is the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. This (Karnataka Assembly) election is an opportunity for you to decide if you want a double engine sarkar led by PM Modi, which will take Karnataka forward, or the Congress's reverse gear sarkar, which will take Karnataka backwards."

The polls for the 224-seat assembly will take place on May 10 and the counting of votes will be held on May 13.

 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Operation Kaveri: 365 Indians Brought Back Home From Sudan

India on Saturday brought back home a fresh batch of 365 people under its mission to evacuate stranded Indians from strife-torn Sudan.

"More Indians come back home under #OperationKaveri. 365 passengers have just landed in New Delhi," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

The return of the fresh batch of Indians came a day after 754 people arrived in India in two batches under the evacuation mission.

The total number of Indians who were brought back home now stands at 1,725, according to official data.

The Indians were brought back home from the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah where India set up a transit camp for the evacuees.

The first batch of 360 evacuees returned to New Delhi in a commercial plane on Wednesday.

The second batch of 246 Indian evacuees arrived in Mumbai in a C17 Globemaster aircraft of the IAF on Thursday.

Under Operation Kaveri, India has been taking its citizens in buses from conflict zones of Khartoum and other troubled areas to Port Sudan from where they are being taken to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah in Indian Air Force's heavy-lift transport aircraft and Indian Navy's ships.

From Jeddah, the Indians are being brought back home in either commercial flight or IAF's aircraft.

India has set up separate control rooms in Jeddah, Port Sudan and the India embassy in Khartoum has been coordinating with them besides being in touch with the MEA's headquarters in Delhi.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country's army and a paramilitary group that has reportedly left around 400 people dead.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Monday announced the launch of the mission to evacuate 'Operation Kaveri' to bring back the stranded Indians from Sudan.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Criminals Now "Begging For Their Lives" In UP: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed that mafias and other criminals used to forcibly occupy the land of the poor and demand "goonda tax" under previous governments, but the state is free of anarchy under the BJP and there is rule of law.

Yogi Adityanath, who was addressing public meetings in eastern Uttar Pradesh - one of poorest regions and a hotbed of mafias and gangsters, sought to woo voters for the upcoming urban body elections by harping on the planks of law and order and development.

The chief minister asserted that security was now guaranteed in the state. "Earlier, the mafia used to demand goonda tax, but today, they are begging for their lives," he said.

The BJP leader alleged that earlier, the SP, BSP and the Congress used to hand out pistols to the youths of the state, but the incumbent government gives youngsters tablet computers.

"SP and BSP used to spread corruption and encouraged criminalisation of politics, diversion of funds and embezzlement in welfare schemes, but today the benefits of development schemes reach every poor," the chief minister said at an election meeting in Deoria.

He charged the previous governments with turning Deoria from a sugar bowl to a bowl of bitterness.

"These people sold the sugar mills at a throwaway price... Because of their disgusting politics, they also created an identity crisis for the youth of the state and forced the farmers to commit suicide.

'But we will restore Deoria to its existence again. A distillery will also be set up here along with ethanol plants," he said.

The chief minister said that the atmosphere of fear that used to be created during festivals till six years ago is no longer there.

Addressing a conference of traders in Gorakhpur earlier, Yogi Adityanath said, "Earlier, the ruling party's goons or the mafia used to forcibly occupy the property and the lands of the poor, but now, Uttar Pradesh has become free of anarchy and there is rule of law in the state." The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has maintained that it follows a zero-tolerance policy against the mafia and over 18O criminals have been killed so far in encounters with the police in the state. However, it has been accused by the Opposition and others of high-handedness and bias.

The criminals killed in encounters in the six years of Yogi Adityanath government included gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad's son Asad and his accomplice.

The UP Police data shows that more than 10,900 police encounters have taken place in the state since March 2017, when Adityanath took over as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the first time. In these encounters, 23,300 alleged criminals were arrested and 5,046 were injured.

Praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also listed the development works of the central and state governments.

Speaking in Maharajganj later at an election meeting, the chief minister claimed, "Earlier, traders used to walk with their heads bowed while criminals and mafia used to go around fearlessly, but now that has been reversed. Cities are being made safe." The BJP's 'double-engine' government is leading the state on the path of progress, he said and urged voters to form a "triple-engine government" by electing its candidates in the civic polls.

He spoke of medical facilities being enhanced in the state.

Those who divide the society in the name of caste are not going to succeed at all, Adityanath said, adding that the BJP government has completely checked such divisions.

There is a double-engine government in Uttar Pradesh and development work is going on at double speed, he added.

Before 2017, most of the districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, including Maharajganj, used to suffer from encephalitis, but now, this disease has been brought under control. Vantangia villages of the district has also joined the mainstream of development, the chief minister said.

The Vantangiya community comprises people brought from Myanmar during colonial rule to plant trees for afforestation.

The chief minister also sought votes for BJP candidates in a public meeting in Kushinagar.

“Earlier infectious disease on one side and hunger on the other troubled the people. Nine years ago, when the public blessed PM Modi, he changed the picture of the country. The Kushinagar people who were stranded in Sudan were safely transported here,” the chief minister said.

He maintained that willpower is necessary to bring change.

“There was once an atmosphere of fear and panic during the festivals six years ago. Today, there is no nuisance in UP. Festivals shape the identity of the new Uttar Pradesh.” He pointed out that under the SP-BSP regime, water was supplied by installing generators and electricity was only available for a scant 2-4 hours per day.

We are working to provide water to every household in UP. “Kushinagar is our top priority,” he asserted.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Three-Month-Old Child Dies After Vaccination In Jharkhand: Cops

A three-month-old child has died 24 hours after he was administered a vaccine at a community health centre in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, a health official said on Friday.

Ramgarh Civil Surgeon Dr Prabhat Kumar said a medical board has been formed to ascertain the cause of the death.

Viscera will be preserved for a detailed enquiry of the case, Kumar said, adding that a state team of the World Health Organisation (WHO) will probe the rare case of a child's death after vaccination.

The child, Abhiraj Kumar, was administered the pentavalent vaccine, which protects children from deadly diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus and Hepatitis-B, by paramedical staffers at the CHC at Patratu on Thursday and his condition deteriorated, a police officer said.

The child was taken to a hospital, where he died early on Friday, he said.

His parents, Bablu Sao and Lalita Devi, however, alleged that their son died due to negligence and unsafe vaccination and demanded that those responsible be arrested and booked under murder charges.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Case Against Congress MLA's Gunman For Thrashing Toll Plaza Staff

A gunman of a Congress MLA allegedly thrashed a toll plaza employee on Gurugram-Faridabad road, forced him into his car, and drove him to a police outpost, according to a police complaint filed by the toll plaza management.

The incident happened at the Bandhwari toll plaza when NIT-Faridabad MLA Neeraj Sharma stopped there with his staff and a row erupted between them and the toll workers, police said on Friday.

The entire incident was captured in CCTV footage which is purported to have shown the MLA's gunman and other staff thrashing a toll worker and forcing him into the MLA's car.

The gunman, Constable Virendra, in his complaint, accused the toll booth worker of being drunk on duty and misbehaving with him when they reached the toll plaza.

Both parties filed complaints against each other Thursday at DLF Phase 1 Police Station on Thursday, with police filing two FIRs on the basis of these complaints.

As per the first complaint filed by Chetan Sharma on behalf of the Bandhwari toll plaza management, on April 9 at around 1.30 am a Toyota Innova stopped in lane number 7 on its way to Faridabad from Gurugram.

Sumit Sirohi, who was manning the booth in the lane, asked the driver to pay the toll, but the driver replied the car belonged to MLA Neeraj Sharma, the complaint read.

The car had three other people, with one sitting in the front passenger seat beside the driver.

According to Chetan Sharma, when Mr Sirohi asked the driver to show the MLA's id card, he got furious and started abusing him.

"After that…. the gunman of MLA barged into the toll worker's booth and not only abused catching his collar but also threatened to kill him.

"The gunman forcibly removed the barrier and made the car pass. Soon after the gunman came back to the toll booth, dragged toll worker Sumit into their car and took him to Mangar police chowki," he said in his complaint.

When contacted, MLA Neeraj Sharma said that the toll worker was drunk and misbehaved with them.

The Congress MLA also accused the state BJP government of trying to frame him into the matter.

DLF Assistant Commissioner of Police Vikas Kaushik said police are exploring the CCTV footage to verify the facts.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rajasthan Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Jail For Raping Minor Girl

A man was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and fined Rs 70, 000 by a POCSO court in Jhalawar district on Friday for abducting and raping a minor girl repeatedly for around 10 months.

The court convicted Nemichand Meghwal, a resident of Mohammedpura in Baran district, for kidnapping and repeatedly raping the girl in January 2020, public prosecutor Ramhetar Gurjar said.

The father of the rape survivor had lodged a complaint on January 11, 2020 alleging that Meghwal lured and kidnapped his daughter from her aunt's home and took her to different places, where he repeatedly raped her for around 10 months, Mr Gurjar said.

Based on the complaint, the police lodged a case under sections 344, 363, 366, 376 (2/N) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Meghwal was arrested on February 9, 2020 and was lodged in jail, he added.

Statements of at least 18 witnesses were recorded during the trial, the public prosecutor said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Conducting Caste-Based Survey Not A Crime, Says Bihar Chief Minister

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday reacted with exasperation over the opposition faced by the 'head count of caste' underway in the state, saying that holding such a survey is not a crime.

He asserted that the state is not conducting a caste census but only collecting information related to people's economic status and their caste so that specific steps could be taken by the government to serve them better.

"The ongoing caste survey is a good initiative taken by us. People will be hugely benefited after the recognition of their economic status, whether they belong to the upper caste, backward caste or extremely weaker sections of the society.

"I don't understand why a section of people are against this exercise... They are challenging it. Is it a crime? No, it is not," Mr Kumar said while addressing a conference of Civil Servants in Patna.

An organisation had claimed that it was not a survey for a sample population but a census involving house-to-house enumeration of all people, which only the Centre can undertake. The organisation had moved the Supreme Court against the state government's decision but it refused to entertain the plea.

The top court, however, on Friday allowed the petitioner to approach the Patna High Court and directed it to decide the petition expeditiously.

"Data related to people's economic status and their caste will be collected during the headcount so that the state government could know how many people are poor and what sort of steps needs to be taken to bring them into the mainstream," said the chief minister.

All parties in Bihar had the same view when the state government decided to hold the caste-based survey, he said.

The first round of caste survey in Bihar was conducted between January 7 and 21. The second round started on April 15 and will continue till May 15.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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2 Cases Filed Against Wrestling Body Chief After Supreme Court Intervention

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.

Mr 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.

Mr 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," Mr 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," Mr 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.

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How A Plastic Bag Was Key In Pinning Gurugram Man Who Cut Wife Into Pieces

A polythene bag became the key evidence in the solving of the murder of a woman, whose headless, half-burnt bust was found at a farm here last week.

The woman missing her head with her both legs chopped off was found in a room at a farmhouse in a village in Manesar on April 21.

The investigation led police to a 34-year-old Jitender, a former navy cook and the woman's husband, who later confessed to killing her over an illicit affair with another woman.

"During the search of the room where the torso was found, police also found a polythene bag bearing the name of a Vishakhapatnam-based company. On enquiry, the vendor of the company informed us that they supply that type of polythene bag to the Indian Navy," Vijay Pratap Singh, DCP, Crime, said.

Following the lead, police began searching records for missing person reports and found that a man named Jitender had reported his wife, a 28-year-old Sonia Sharma, missing on April 21.

They found that Jitender, now a suspect, worked as a navy cook and had taken retirement in 2022.

"Jitender was seen in CCTV footage carrying a fully-packed trolley bag and backpack on a bike, and returning with a deflated bag. He was apprehended and during interrogation, he confessed to the murder of his wife and was arrested," Singh said.

According to police, Jitender revealed that he had killed his wife, with whom he has an eight-year-old, because she had got to know about his extramarital affair.

He also revealed that he had secretly married the other woman.

Sonia Sharma's body was found from one of the two rooms built on a farm leased by Kukdola village resident Umed Singh.

According to police, Umed Singh had leased eight acres of land located by a road leading from Pachgaon Chowk to Kasan village.

The inspection of the spot revealed that the woman had been killed elsewhere and an attempt had been made to burn the torso in that room to prevent her from being identified.

After two days, police found her legs from Kherki Daula and sent them for DNA test.

Her head was recovered from a place in Manesar on Thursday in presence of the Executive Magistrate on the disclosure of the accused yesterday, police said.

A police team led by Sub-Inspector Lalit Kumar, Manesar Crime Unit in-charge, investigated the case.

According to police, Jitender killed his wife by strangling and then got down to destroying evidence.

"My wife had come to know about my extramarital relationship. To get rid of her, I decided to kill her. After strangling her, I cut her body into pieces and packed them in polythene bags. I then disposed of the body parts in different places so that the body couldn't be identified," he told police.

Jitender was produced in a city court on Friday and has been taken on a three-day police remand, Lalit Kumar, the Investigating Officer, said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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UP Man, 20, Arrested Over Hoax Bomb Call At Delhi Airport: Police

A 20-year-old man was arrested for claiming over the phone that a bomb had been planted at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, police said on Thursday, adding that the call later turned out to be a hoax.

Police said the man, identified as Zakir, made the hoax bomb call on Monday.

According to the police, a call from an unknown number was received at Delhi Police's control room. The caller on the other side of the wire said a bomb was planted at the IGI before disconnecting the call.
"We immediately called back at the number but it was switched off," police said.

"A search operation was launched immediately after at the Delhi Airport, but nothing suspicious was found," police said, adding that over the course of the investigation, it was found that the information shared with police was fake and the call was a hoax.

"After that, the details of the caller were traced. It was found that the number belongs to a person named Zakir, aged 20 and a resident of Hapur (Uttar Pradesh). He was arrested," an officer said.

A case against the accused person was registered and an investigation launched.
Further details are awaited.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Gujarat Court To Hear Rahul Gandhi's Appeal In Defamation Case Tomorrow

 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's appeal challenging the order of the Surat sessions court declining a stay to his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark will now be heard by a new judge of the Gujarat High Court on April 29.

As per the cause list published on Thursday by the High Court, Mr Gandhi's appeal will be heard by Justice Hemant Prachchhak on April 29.

Earlier on April 26, when Rahul Gandhi's lawyer P S Champaneri mentioned the case before Justice Gita Gopi, she recused herself from the hearing by saying "Not before me." The development came a day after Mr Gandhi moved the HC.

A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat on March 23 sentenced the former Congress president to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a 2019 case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi.

Following the verdict, Mr Gandhi, elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019, was disqualified as a Member of Parliament (MP) under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.

Mr Gandhi challenged the order in a sessions court in Surat along with an application seeking a stay to the conviction. While granting him bail, the court on April 20 refused to stay the conviction.

Purnesh Modi filed a criminal defamation case against Gandhi over his `How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?' remark made during an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019.

A stay to the conviction could pave the way for Gandhi's reinstatement as a Member of Parliament.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Case Against 2,000 People For Offering Eid Namaz On Road In UP: Police

More than 2,000 people were booked in three FIRs for offering namaz without permission on a road outside the Eidgah on Eid last week, police said on Thursday.

The FIRs were registered separately at Bajaria, Babu Purwa, and Jajmau police stations on Wednesday. No arrests have been made so far.

A video of the people offering namaz on road was made by the police.

"People offering namaz will be identified on the basis of video after which legal action will be taken against them," said an officer requesting anonymity.

Angry with the police action, Mohammad Suleman, a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, told the media that they were being targeted on the basis of religion.

He said that a few people did pray on the road outside the Eidgah because they were late and there was no space left inside the premises. One of the FIRs was lodged at the Bajaria Police Station against 1,000-1,500 unknown persons including some members of the Eidgah management committee at the complaint of Senior Sub Inspector (SSI) Omveer Singh.

Omveer Singh in his complaint said a large number of people got down to offer namaz on the road as soon as a call for it was made on Eid, violating Section 144.

About 300 people were booked by Jajmau Police, while the third FIR was made at Babu Purwa Police Station in which over 50 people were charged with offering prayers on a public road without permission.

The people were booked under IPC sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharging duties), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 283 (Danger in public way), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), and 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

Another police officer said that guidelines on Eid prayers had been issued after a meeting with the peace committees and strict instructions were given that prayers should not be held on the street.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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5 Of 10 Cops Killed In Chhattisgarh Were Once Maoists, Wanted Better Life

Of the ten police personnel who lost their lives in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, five had joined the force after quitting the Maoists, a senior official said on Thursday.

Ten personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and their civilian driver were killed after Maoists blew up a vehicle, which was part of a convoy carrying security personnel in the Aranpur police station area of Dantewada on Wednesday afternoon, using a powerful improvised explosive device (IED). The blast site is located around 450km from state capital Raipur.

Of them, Head Constables Joga Sodi (35), Munna Kadti (40), Constables Hariram Mandavi (36) and Joga Kawasi (22), and Gopniya Sainik (secret troopers) Rajuram Kartam (25) were once active as Maoists and joined the police after surrendering, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Sodi, a resident of Arlampalli village in neighbouring Sukma district, and Kadti, a native of Muder village in Dantewada, joined the police in 2017. Similarly, Mandavi and Kartam, residents of Dantewada, were inducted into the police force in 2020 and 2022, respectively, he said.

Another jawan Kawasi, a resident of Bade Gadam village in Dantewada, joined the DRG just last month, added the IPS officer.

Dubbed as "sons of the soil", DRG personnel are recruited from among local youth and surrendered Maoists in the Bastar division, a Maoist hotbed. The DRG, an arm of the state police, was raised over different periods of time in seven districts of the Bastar division, spread over an area of around 40,000 sq kms, to fight the menace of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) that has troubled the state for the past three decades.

The unit was first set up in Kanker (north Bastar) and Narayanpur (comprising Abhujmad) districts in 2008 and after a gap of five years, the force was raised in Bijapur and Bastar districts in 2013. Subsequently, it was expanded in Sukma and Kondagaon districts in 2014, while in Dantewada, the force was raised in 2015.

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Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association Polls To Be Held In June

The Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association election will be held in June, three years after the term of previous office-bearers ended.

Prof Imrana Naseem, who was designated as the chief election officer at the general body meeting of the association on March 16, said although the term of office bearers ended in April 2020, elections could not be held on one pretext or the other.

Teachers at the university had been raising this issue for the past two years. Yet the university authorities kept postponing the election citing various reasons, including the Covid pandemic.

Polling for various posts in the teacher's body will be held in the first week of June, Prof Naseem said on Thursday.

A group of senior faculty members on Thursday launched a mass contact drive to highlight their demand for holding elections to various governing bodies of the university.

A spokesperson of the association said, "Teachers would intensify their protest in the coming days if the university authorities do not concede their demand for restoration of democratic rights of teachers at AMU."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Drugs Worth Rs 2.5 Crore Seized, 245 Arrested In Weeklong Raids In Tripura

Tripura Police on Wednesday said it contraband drugs worth Rs 2.5 crores, arrested 245 persons, and registered 50 cases during the weeklong 'Anti Narcotics Special Drive' across the state.

Further, as part of the seven-day-long crackdown carried out with the objective of a 'Nasha Mukt Tripura' (drug-free Tripura), state police searched over 53,000 vehicles and organised 375 awareness campaigns.

The drive against the drug menace ended on Tuesday.

Sushanta Deb, officer-in-charge, NCC Police Station, Agartala, said, "To make a 'Shreshth Tripura', a zero-tolerance policy against the drug menace in the State was adopted. During the drive, we conducted many raids and seized a huge amount of contraband drugs along with cash and vehicles."

He informed further that more than 1 crore of narcotics items were seized and will be disposed of safely.

"We are confident of achieving our targets against drug abuse, for a Nasha Mukt Tripura," he said.

The officer further said as part of the 'Anti Narcotics Special Drive', several public awareness programmes were conducted in schools and higher educational institutions.

"We got the desired response from the public and they, too, stepped out to make our drive a success," the officer added.

Paramita Pandey, sub-divisional police officer, NCC Subdivision, Agartala said the drive was conducted to make Tripura addiction-free.

"The government initiated a drive to make Tripura an addiction-free state," she said.

"In my subdivision, NCC, I have three police stations under my control -- Airport, NCC and Budhjung Nagar police stations. We carried out Naka Checking last week by putting barricades at areas such as Lichu Bagan, Airport and on the National Highway to check vehicles," she added.

The SDPO added, "In sensitive areas, we launched a search operation and were successful in seizing and registering cases against perpetrators under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. We seized brown sugar, Yaba tablets, and other narcotic substances, strictly adhering to the zero-tolerance policy," Pandey said.

"We will continue our raids and other activities as part of the government's Nashamukt Tripura drive. We will do everything possible to make Tripura drug-free," she said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Wary Of Cyclone, Odisha Gears Up For Calamity In Advance

After being hit by summer cyclones for three consecutive years in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the Odisha government on Wednesday geared up for such an eventuality in the coming days, though the IMD forecast no possibility of any low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal in a fortnight.

The government decided to open a round-the-clock control room across the districts from May 1 for monitoring the situation, a senior official said.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary P K Jena where the state government's preparedness was reviewed.

Senior officers of several government departments, the Director General of Police, Director General of Fire Service, the Special Relief Commissioner, and a senior official of IMD Bhubaneswar Centre were among others who attended the meeting.

Jena asked line departments like revenue and disaster management, rural development, housing and urban development, health, home and panchayati raj and drinking water to be prepared for the possible summer cyclone.

Discussions were held on information from Doppler radars installed at Paradeep and Gopalpur. These two radars will help track any summer cyclone formed over the Bay of Bengal.

While Odisha encountered cyclone Fani in 2019, cyclones Amphan and Yaas hit the state in 2020 and 2021 respectively. However, there was no such cyclone in 2022.

As the telecom service providers have introduced several measures to face cyclones, the state government asked them to take steps to provide uninterrupted service to people and send SMS/voice messages regarding updates on any possible cyclone this summer.

IMD officials and senior weather scientist US Dash, who attended the meeting, said that steps have been taken for broadcasting weather bulletins and cyclone updates through radio and television channels.

He said the state government was informed that there was no possibility of any low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal in the next 15 days and therefore no possibility of a summer cyclone now.

"Cyclone mock drills will be held in each district on June 18 and 19 except Puri where a festival will be held on June 20," an official said.

The officials of 317 fire stations in the state have been kept ready to face any eventuality.

At least 17 teams of NDRF can be deployed for rescue and rehabilitation work in case of any cyclone hitting Odisha this summer, a statement issued by the chief secretary's office said.

The state has altogether 879 multipurpose cyclone/flood centres to provide temporary shelters to people. The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority has been asked to keep all equipment ready for rescue and rehabilitation work, it said.

While the Water Resources department has been told to introduce the necessary measures to manage flood-like situations during the cyclone.

The Health and Family Welfare department will store adequate medicines, anti-venom injections and other essential items at the district headquarters hospitals. The department will also take prompt steps to relocate pregnant women to nearby hospitals, the statement said.

The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department has been asked to store adequate amounts of dry food and other essential commodities.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ashok Gehlot Takes Jibe At Vasundhara Raje Over Her "Milk, Lemon" Remark

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday mocked his predecessor Vasundhara Raje after she rejected allegations of collusion with him.

BJP leader Ms Raje last week rejected allegations of collusion with Mr Gehlot as a lie and said milk and lemon juice do not go together.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Bikaner, Ashok Gehlot said his government did not stop schemes of the previous BJP regime and even carried forward its Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project.

"We do not stop their schemes but our (previous Congress regime) schemes were stopped by the former government (BJP dispensation) and this is the difference between 'milk' and 'lemon'," Mr Gehlot said.

The senior Congress leader also highlighted the state government's various works, schemes and programmes and exuded confidence of the Congress returning to power in the assembly elections, due later this year.

Ms Raje last week said a lie was being spread as part of a conspiracy.

"Can milk and lemon juice ever mix?" she had asked during a visit to the Jambheshwar temple in Suratgarh town of Sriganganagar district.

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Antilia Bomb Scare: Court Rejects Sachin Waze's Plea For Home-Cooked Food

 Dismissed policeman Sachin Waze's plea seeking "specialized diabetic home-cooked food" in jail was on Wednesday rejected by a special court here, which said he was being provided a balanced diet in the prison.

Mr Waze, a former Mumbai police officer, is an accused in the case of an explosives-laden sports utility vehicle (SUV) found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran. He is currently in judicial custody and lodged at Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

On Monday, he filed an application in the special court hearing cases related to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for home-cooked food, citing his health condition.

In his plea, Mr Waze claimed that a doctor from the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai asked the jail superintendent to provide him a strict diabetic diet, and also advised the former police officer to consume medicines without fail.

Mr Waze submitted that the prison administration would not be in a position to provide a special diet as advised by the ophthalmologist and diabetic medical experts.

The court, upon perusal of a report of the jail authority, said that it is seen that the prison is providing a balanced diet and therefore there is no necessity to allow him to take home-cooked food.

Considering the grounds raised by the jail authority, it would not be proper to allow Mr Waze to take home-cooked food.

In a related development, Mr Waze told the court on Wednesday that he has no objection to the application of another former policeman and co-accused Sunil Mane, seeking pardon in the case.

However, the NIA, probing the case opposed Mr Mane's plea.

The probe agency has submitted that it is "crystal clear" that applicant (Mane) is directly involved in the crime of this case along with his co-accused persons and it cannot support his plea.

Mr Mane, in his handwritten application sent to the court in February, stated that he had realised his mistake and the court should consider his "outstanding record" in his police career and give him a chance to "repent his mistake" by tendering pardon in the case.

On February 25, 2021, an explosives-laden SUV was found near Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' in south Mumbai. Hiran, who said he was in possession of the SUV before it was allegedly stolen, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.

Mr Waze is the main accused in the case in which few other police officials were also involved.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Same Pay For Ayurveda Practitioners And Allopathic Doctors? Court Said...

The Supreme Court on Wednesday held that practitioners of alternative systems of medicine such as Ayurveda are not entitled to equal pay with allopathic doctors as they not are involved in performing emergency duties and complicated surgeries.

Setting aside a Gujarat High Court order, the top court said the emergency duty that allopathy doctors are capable of performing and the trauma care that they are able to provide cannot be performed by Ayurveda practitioners.

It noted that even post-mortem or autopsy is not carried out by Ayurveda practitioners.

The apex court was hearing a batch of appeals challenging a 2012 Gujarat High Court order which had held that Ayurveda practitioners are entitled to be treated at par with doctors with MBBS degrees.

While recognising the importance of Ayurveda practitioners and the need to promote alternative or indigenous systems of medicine, the top court said that it cannot be oblivious of the fact that both categories of doctors are certainly not performing equal work to be entitled to equal pay.

A bench of Justice V Ramasubramanian and Justice Pankaj Mithal said allopathy doctors are required to perform emergency duties and provide trauma care.

"By the very nature of the science that they practise and with the advancement of science and modern medical technology, the emergency duty that allopathy doctors are capable of performing and the trauma care that they are capable of providing cannot be performed by Ayurveda doctors," it said.

The apex court said it is also not possible for Ayurveda practitioners to assist surgeons performing complicated surgeries while doctors with MBBS degrees can perform the task.

"We shall not be understood to mean as though one system of medicine is superior to the other. It is not our mandate nor within our competence to assess the relative merits of these two systems of medical sciences. As a matter of fact, we are conscious that the history of Ayurveda dates back to several centuries.

"We have no doubt that every alternative system of medicine may have its pride of place in history. But today, the practitioners of indigenous systems of medicine do not perform complicated surgical operations. A study of Ayurveda does not authorise them to perform these surgeries. Similarly, a post-mortem or autopsy is not carried out by/in the presence of Ayurveda doctors," it said.

The apex court said it is common knowledge that during out-patient days in general hospitals in cities or towns, doctors with MBBS degrees are made to attend to hundreds of patients, which is not the case for Ayurveda practitioners.

"Therefore, even while recognising the importance of Ayurveda doctors and the need to promote alternative/indigenous systems of medicine, we cannot be oblivious of the fact that both categories of doctors are certainly not performing equal work to be entitled to equal pay," it said. 

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Gujarat Sanitation Worker Inhales Toxic Gas While Cleaning Sewer, Dies: Cops

A 23-year-old sanitation worker died apparently due to inhalation of poisonous gas while cleaning a sewer in Tharad town in Gujarat's Banaskantha district on Wednesday, police said.

The dead worker was hired on contract by Tharad municipality for cleaning sewers. The incident occurred in the afternoon when two sanitation workers entered a manhole to clean the sewer, a police official said.

"When these workers did not come out, local people informed the fire brigade. While one of them died on the spot, another worker was pulled out alive. He was rushed to a nearby hospital," he said.

As per the preliminary probe, the victim died due to asphyxiation. A case of accidental death has been registered by the police.

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"Pressure Was Built, Then Arrested": Top Punjab Cop On Amritpal Singh

Khalistan sympathiser and 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh came to the fore after the Punjab Police created a pressure situation by conducting extensive raids, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a review meeting with Punjab Police officers on Tuesday.

"CM held a law and order review meeting with Punjab Police officers. The operation that successfully concluded recently wherein NSA (National Security Act) detenues were successfully caught was reviewed. The officers who did the good work were motivated and encouraged by the CM," Punjab DGP told reporters after the meeting.

Mr Yadav said discussions were also held on the overall upgradation, technological upgradation and future roadmap.

"CM appreciated the role of Punjab Police that without firing a single bullet or any damage to any life or property, peace was maintained in Punjab. The Punjab Police is committed to maintaining peace and harmony in the state," the DGP said.

Asked about the questions being raised that Amritpal Singh was not arrested, he surrendered, the Punjab DGP said, "He was arrested. This is very clear. There is nothing to revisit here. He surfaced as raids were done and pressure was built. After that, he was arrested."

On the incident of sacrilege at a Gurudwara in Morinda, he said, "The sacrilege is very unfortunate. The one who did that has been arrested. We will expose the conspiracy in-depth, if any."

After a chase of over a month, Khalistan sympathiser and 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh was arrested by Punjab Police in Moga on Sunday and later shifted to Dibrugarh jail in Assam.

The self-styled preacher was evading Punjab Police since March 18. Nine of Amritpal's aides who were arrested earlier were also lodged in Dibrugarh jail.

Earlier on Sunday, Amritpal was arrested from a Gurudwara in the Moga district of Punjab and reportedly also addressed a gathering before his arrest.

According to the officials, the arrest was done by combined efforts of the Punjab Police and Central intelligence agencies.

The father of the radical preacher Tarsem Singh said Amritpal was working to save people from the drug menace in the State.

"Through TV we came to know that he surrendered before the Police. We too wanted the same because people were being harassed due to him. We will fight the case. The entire community should fight it. He was working to save people from the drug menace; an offer has been made to us for it..." Amritpal's father Tarsem Singh told ANI.

Amritpal Singh's mother Balwinder Kaur said, "We saw the news and came to know that he has surrendered. I felt proud that he surrendered like a warrior...We will fight a legal battle and we will also go and meet him at the earliest."

Earlier in March, pro-Khalistan supporters and associates of Amritpal Singh were shifted out of Punjab after Central Intelligence agencies raised concerns over possible jailbreak and repeat of the Ajnala incident.

Earlier on Sunday, the Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) said that National Security Act (NSA) warrants were issued against Amritpal Singh and those warrants have been executed this morning.

"NSA warrants were issued against Amritpal Singh and those warrants have been executed today morning...Amritpal Singh has been arrested by Punjab Police around 6.45 am today morning in the village Rode," said Sukhchain Singh Gill.

He said that the Khalistan sympathiser and radical preacher was arrested in a joint operation by Punjab police and the intelligence wing.

"Amritpal Singh has been sent to Dibrugarh, Assam and further action will be taken as per law and order in the case. A warning has been issued against those elements trying to jeopardise the peace and harmony of the state," he said.

"...Amritpal Singh was arrested by Punjab Police at around 6.45 am today morning in village Rode. A joint operation was conducted by Amritsar Police and the Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police. He was located in village Rode based on operational inputs by Punjab Police. To maintain sanctity, the Police didn't enter Gurudwara Sahib. He has been taken to Dibrugarh under NSA...", the IGP said.

Earlier, the radical leader had been declared a "fugitive" as he was on the run earlier in March.

The crackdown came almost over three weeks after Amritpal's supporters stormed Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23, demanding the release of one of his aides, Lovepreet Toofan.

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CBI Registers Case In Alleged West Bengal Civic Body Recruitment Scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR in connection with allegations of irregularities in municipal recruitments in West Bengal. The CBI registered the case on April 24 following the Calcutta High Court's order to probe the allegations.

A single-judge bench composed of Justice Abhijit Ganguly passed the order based on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) findings on the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. The Enforcement Directorate informed the court that it came across the alleged scam in municipal recruitments in West Bengal while investigating the money trail in the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. The high court had directed the CBI to submit a report on April 28 about the steps taken based on this order.

The CBI has named Ayan Sil as an accused. Sil was arrested on March 20 by the CBI in connection with the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. The ED claimed that the agents, including Ayan Sil, involved in the school jobs bribery scam case, were also allegedly involved in the recruitment of clerks, peons, sweepers, and drivers in various municipalities.

The probe agency asked for a separate FIR for investigation of the fresh allegations by a predicate agency. Additionally, the ED also mentioned allegations of irregularities in recruitments in several civic bodies in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district.

After the ED submitted its status report to the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said, "We will welcome any team that comes. We have worked honestly and have nothing to hide."

The ruling-Trinamool Congress opposes probes by agencies like the CBI alleging that these agencies do not function independently and are used by ruling parties to target opposition parties. The Trinamool Congress also alleges that these agencies regularly leak details of ongoing investigations. This results in media-trials before a court has arrived at a conclusion of wrong-doing or guilt.

The BJP has alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress has been running a corrupt government and a thorough probe is required in the matter by a central agency.

West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar said, "Ayan Sil is Bhaipo's trusted mercenary. The high and mighty within the TMC are beneficiaries of the nefarious deeds committed by Sil and his associates. The illegal appointments made in municipalities across West Bengal is a huge scam waiting to be unearthed."

'Bhaipo' meaning nephew (brother's son) is a term that the BJP uses to refer to TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Abhishek Banerjee claims the BJP does not use his name while making allegations to avoid criminal defamation lawsuits.

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Manish Sisodia Likely To Get Bail In Liquor Policy Case Today

A Delhi court is likely to deliver its order on the bail application of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam today.

Special Judge M K Nagpal had reserved the order after hearing arguments on Sisodia's application seeking relief claiming that his custody was no longer required for investigation.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed the application, asserting the investigation was at a "crucial" stage and claiming the former Delhi deputy chief minister had planted fabricated e-mails to show there was public approval for the policy.

The federal anti-money laundering agency had also said it has found fresh evidence of his complicity in the alleged crime.

The court had on March 31 dismissed Sisodia's bail application in the corruption case, being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying he was "prima facie the architect" in the criminal conspiracy behind alleged payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore meant for him and his colleagues in the Delhi government.

The court had observed the release of the senior AAP leader, at the moment, will "adversely affect the ongoing investigation".

The CBI and the ED had arrested Sisodia for alleged corruption in the formulation and execution of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 and for laundering the money so generated.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Criminals Begging For Mercy Now": Yogi Adityanath On UP Law And Order

Criminals in Uttar Pradesh walked around with their heads held high but now they hang placards around their necks begging for their lives, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday while campaigning for the urban local body elections.

Adityanath addressed elections rallies in Unnao and Rae Bareli ahead of the polls, scheduled to take place in two phases on May 4 and May 11.

Addressing an election rally in Rae Bareli, Adityanath said, "BJP ki ek hi yukti, pradesh ko dilai mafia se mukti (The BJP has only one solution which has rid the sate of criminals)'. The mafia are begging for mercy to lead regular lives and earn livelihood by honest means due to zero tolerance against crime." He also took a dig at the previous regimes, saying people associated with a particular party would brandish country-made pistols while the youths now are working on smartphones and tablets.

Adityanath was referring to the Uttar Pradesh government's drive to distribute tablets and smartphones free of cost to one crore undergraduate and postgraduate students as part of a push to the link the state's youths with the Digital India campaign.

Addressing another rally in Unnao, Adityanath said, "Before 2017, traders were exploited and extorted. Today, they are benefitting from the PM SVANidhi scheme. Prior to 2017, there was terror of miscreants while today, cities are being made safe.

"Earlier, there were heaps of garbage but cities are becoming smart today. Now, there is no place for mafia-criminals, crime, corruption and corrupt people in Uttar Pradesh." The BJP defeated the Samajwadi Party to form the government in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. Adityanath became the chief minister for the second consecutive term after assembly polls last year, a feat achieved in India's most populous state after over three decades.

Speaking in Unnao, he said, "This is the new Uttar Pradesh. Government facilities are being given as per eligibility. We consider every citizen of Uttar Pradesh to be a member of our family, so no one can claim that there was caste or religious discrimination." "No extortions or kidnappings for ransom, Uttar Pradesh is no longer anyone's fiefdom," the chief minister said.

He also criticised the previous regimes for creating law and order problems that prevented girls from going to school.

"(Earlier) the youths faced an identity crisis. The nation's reputation suffered and scams became prevalent. The perception of India has changed since 2014. People now look at the youth of India with respect. Today, India is making progress in every field," Adityanath said.

Adityanath said India has transformed in the last nine years and that transformation has become the centre of attraction for the world. The dream of 140 crore people in India is being fulfilled without any discrimination under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Similarly, there has been a change in how Uttar Pradesh is perceived inside India in the last six years, he added.

In the last six years, the "double engine government" has provided a house each to more than 54 lakh poor people in rural and urban areas while toilets have been built for 2.61 crore underprivileged.

Adityanath said the civic elections are not a small matter and are meant to add a "third engine" to the existing "double engine government" of the BJP in the state to accelerate its development.

The prime minister's vision is the mission of Uttar Pradesh, he said. The Ganga Expressway is being constructed to connect western Uttar Pradesh with the state's central and eastern parts and will benefit the people of Unnao, the chief minister said.

The expressway will allow people to travel to Delhi in six hours and Prayagraj in two, he added.

Unnao and Rae Bareli will go to the polls in the first phase on May 4. The votes will be counted on May 13.

The elections are seen as setting the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 lawmakers to Parliament.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Anti-Terror Agency's Fresh Raids In 4 States Linked To PFI Module Probe

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at 16 locations in Bihar, Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab as part of its investigation against a suspected module of the banned Islamist organisation PFI in Bihar's Phulwari Sharif, officials said.

A spokesperson for the federal anti-terror agency said "a hoard of digital devices, along with bank transaction details, were seized during the searches conducted at the premises of PFI suspects...incriminating documents related to PFI and Indian currency of the face value of Rs 1 lakh were also seized."

Locations in Siwan, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Araria, Purnea and East Champaran districts of Bihar, South Goa district of Goa, Rampur and Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh and Ludhiana in Punjab were searched by the NIA officials.

A total of 13 persons were arrested in this case in July last year and the investigation relates to the training of Popular Front of India (PFI) cadre in Phulwari Sharif in Bihar. The NIA filed a charge sheet in this case in January against four accused, the spokesperson said.

"The accused, along with other suspects, were operating from rented premises in Phulwari Sharif for carrying out criminal activities on behalf of the PFI. They had also worked as physical education trainers for the recruited cadres of PFI." "It is also suspected that even after the ban on the Popular Front of India by the government (in September, 2022), its cadres continued to be involved in promoting the outfit's ideology and its nefarious, unlawful and anti-national activities," the NIA alleged.

In Bihar, one of the raids took place in Muzaffarpur where an NIA team, assisted by the local police, raided the house of one Mohammad Saquib in Ankhauli village of Katra block.

Saquib's father, Neyaz Ahmed, told reporters, "They had come to enquire about my son. We told them that we have had no contact with him for about a year." "They also obtained the mobile number of my son, who is aged 30 years. They tried to call his number but got no reply. They took away two of his bank passbooks that were kept at home, along with some other documents," Ahmed said.

In adjoining East Champaran district, where suspected PFI operative Irshad was arrested last month, the agency team raided the house of one Sajjad Ansari in Kunava village of Chakia sub-division.

Sajjad's brother Saddam, who ekes out a living in Dubai and was at home on vacation, told reporters, "The team came to our home around 5 am. Sajjad was not around and no incriminating material was found during the search operation. They took away my brother's ID." In Darbhanga district, raids were conducted at two places, including the house of a local dentist.

Searches at the house of Dr Shariq Raza in Urdu Bazar locality of Laheria Sarai began at 4 am and continued for several hours.

In Shankarpur village of Singhvada police station area, an NIA team raided the house of one Mohammad Mahboob, a local politician who is in his forties. Notably, the houses of two other suspected PFI operatives, Mohammad Mustaqim and Mohammad Sanaullah, had been raided by the agency in the past.

According to police sources, Mahboob was not at his home at the time of the raid and the NIA sleuths were interrogating his mother, who is said to be mentally unstable, and two brothers.

Darbhanga is also home to another suspected PFI operative, Nuruddin Jangi, a resident of Urdu Mohalla in Town police station area, who was arrested from Lucknow in July last year.

In Madhubani district, the NIA raided the house of Mohammad Shahabuddin in Barhara village under Mishraulia panchayat of Babubarhi police station.

Shahabuddin, who is in his mid-twenties, was not found at home, and the NIA team interrogated his ailing mother Shakila Khatoon, younger brother Kalimuddin, sister Shahnaz Khatun and sister-in-law Anjum Parveen.

Raids also took place at the houses of Mohammad Nazeem in Rajbara village and Mohammad Hassan in Chaanpi village.

The NIA said the investigation in the case is continuing "to expose the links between the 13 arrested accused and the 16 persons linked to the premises involved in today's searches."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rajnath Singh Is "Serious Candidate" For PM Post: Satya Pal Malik

Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik said on Monday that it was "wrong" to state that he was raising questions over the 2019 Pulwama terror attack only after demitting office.

His remark came in response to a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement that he was "levelling allegations after parting ways with us".

"It is wrong to state that I raised this issue when I was out of power," he told reporters in Sikar in Rajasthan, adding that he had raised it on the day of the attack.

Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the terrorist attack on a convoy of security vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in February 2019.

Mr Malik, who was then governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has recently alleged intelligence failures and that the central government denied aircraft for the movement of security personnel.

To a question about the allegation that the CBI's recent summons to Mr Malik was linked to his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, Home Minister Amit Shah said such a charge is not true as he was called by the probe agency earlier too.

"I can say with complete conviction that the BJP has done nothing that needs to be covered up. If someone is levelling allegations after parting ways with us, then it should be evaluated accordingly by the media and people," he told the India Today in an interview last week.

In response to a question, Mr Malik said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is a "serious candidate" for the post of prime minister and that "if it is in his destiny, he will become one".

Asked about the BJP's prospects in the Lok Sabha elections next year, he said, "I wish them well, but in politics and elections, no one knows what will happen. The current situation is difficult for them, they will have to do some things."

Mr Malik claimed that Prime Minister Modi's silence on the Adani issue will harm him. The prime minister should also speak on the Pulwama issue, he added.

In the context of Rajasthan where assembly elections are due later this year, Mr Malik said that if the BJP projects Vasundhara Raje as its chief ministerial candidate, its chances of victory will increase.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Don't Make Us Fight": Ashok Gehlot To Media Amid Tussle With Sachin Pilot

Amid a tussle over leadership with his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said the media should not make people fight.

Addressing reporters here, he asserted that the Congress' election campaign in the state would focus on the schemes and programmes launched by his government.

The veteran Congress leader also expressed confidence of his government returning to power on the basis of the works done in the last five years.

Mr Gehlot's comments come in the backdrop of an ongoing tussle with Pilot.

The duo has been at loggerheads over the chief minister's post ever since the Congress formed the government in Rajasthan in December 2018.

Recently, Mr Pilot opened another front against CM Gehlot by holding a day-long fast while alleging that the state government did not take action against the alleged corruption during the tenure of the BJP regime led by Vasundhara Raje, as promised before the 2018 assembly polls.

Mr Gehlot, however, has not offered any direct reaction to Pilot's attack.

On Monday, he said without naming anyone that the media should not make people fight.

"The media should stick to the truth and the facts… The media should not make us fight with each other. They (mediapersons) should fulfil their duty and it is in the public interest… The media should support the government in repeating on the basis of truth," he said.

"I do not say 'present false figures or praise us falsely' but I would like the media to run on the basis of truth. The media is under the pressure of the central government but they should see the interest of the public," Mr Gehlot told reporters here.

Speaking about his government's schemes and the upcoming assembly elections, the Congress leader said the party's campaign would focus on the schemes of his dispensation.

"In the elections, Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah will come and take part in big road shows, spend money and do everything to win the elections but we have decided that we will move forward on the basis of the (state) government's works," he said.

Assembly elections in Rajasthan are due later this year.

The state government has taken many decisions, Mr Gehlot said, and lauded it for its excellent fiscal management and step to not impose any tax.

"We will move forward with these things. Our campaign will revolve around this. BJP leaders who come will speak so many things but we will not pay attention to them. We will do our work," he said.

The government is fulfilling the pledge of serving the public and fulfilling promises, Mr Gehlot said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Pilot Unions Threaten To Go To "Any Extent" Over Air India's Pay Revision

Indicating that they are ready for a showdown with the Tata Group-owned Air India management over its "unilateral" decision to revise the salary structure and service conditions, the two pilot unions at the airline warned the management of going to "any extent" to protect their members.

On April 17, Air India rolled out a revamped compensation structure for its pilots and cabin crew, which has since been rejected by the two unions -- Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots Guild (IPG).

"It has been resolved by the IPG and ICPA that if any member/s of our union/s is/are terminated by the management for not signing the revised terms and conditions, the ICPA and IPG have pledged in unison to go to any extent to protect member/s till they are reinstated," a joint ICPA-IPG resolution stated.

A query sent to Air India did not elicit a response.

Immediately after Air India circulated the revamped salary structure and service conditions, the two unions urged their members not to sign on the document, saying that the terms and conditions were being imposed on them.

Besides, the two unions also termed the airline management's move to promote senior pilots with over 4 years of experience to the management cadre as the one aimed at killing the unions at the airline.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Maharashtra Opposition Alliance Together In 2024? Sharad Pawar Said...

NCP chief Sharad Pawar's remarks on the unity of opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents in Maharashtra have created ripples in state political circles.

Asked if MVA, comprising NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), will contest the 2024 elections together, Mr Pawar said on Sunday, “There is a willingness to work together. But mere desire is not always enough. Seat allotment, whether there are any other issues or not, all this hasn't been discussed yet, so how can I tell you.”

Mr Pawar made it clear that during his meeting with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar, the issue of the Ambedkar-led outfit joining MVA wasn't discussed.

“Our talks were only about some seats in Karnataka Assembly elections,” he said.

Mr Ambedkar said on Monday that VBA's entry into the Maha Vikas Aghadi was not discussed during his meeting with Mr Pawar.

Marathi news channel ABP Majha on Monday quoted Mr Pawar saying off camera that he made the remarks on MVA as there is no clarity on seat distribution among MVA constituents, and nothing else should be read into them.

The channel also quoted NCP sources saying that Mr Pawar won't be attending MVA's vajramuth (iron fist) rallies.

Mr Pawar's remarks came amid speculations over NCP leader and his nephew Ajit Pawar joining hands with the BJP. Ajit Pawar has said he would not quit the NCP till his last breath, but his clarification did not help end the speculation.

Asked about Sharad Pawar's remarks on MVA unity ahead of 2024 elections, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said, “Pawar is a senior and experienced leader. When he makes a statement, it is of importance and whatever he says is to be taken seriously.”

Reacting to Mr Pawar's comments, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said there is a move afoot to replace Eknath Shinde as chief minister.

“They (BJP) wanted to topple our (Uddhav Thackeray-led) government, so he (Shinde) was used. Now their objective is fulfilled, so Shinde will be replaced soon,” Mr Raut said.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the Congress will move forward with those who will stay within the MVA alliance.

“The role of Congress is to make sure that the anti-BJP parties fight together. The role of other parties in an alliance may be different,” he told reporters.

“We are not asking what is on anyone's mind,” Patole said, and declined to comment on internal developments in NCP. “Even Sharad Pawar doesn't speak on this issue, so how can I comment,” Mr Patole said.

NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal said there is no imminent threat to the BJP-Shiv Sena government in the state.

“Even if 16 MLAs of Shinde group are disqualified by court, then also there is no danger to the state government.

“They have 165 MLAs. Even if 16 are disqualified, 149 MLAs remain, which is way above the majority mark in the 288-member House. The government will be there. May be there will be a different chief minister,” Bhujbal said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"No Place For Even Those Who Sympathise With Mafias": Yogi Aadityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who went on a campaign blitzkrieg on Monday slammed the previous state governments saying, "UP today has eliminated the presence of mafias and criminals and does not have a place for even those who sympathised with dreaded criminals that were a threat to society."

During the urban body election campaign in Shamli district, Yogi Adityanath said, "There is no place for a single person in UP today who even sympathises with mafias and criminals. Those collecting 'Gunda Tax' are nowhere to be seen. The ones who used to impose curfews will come seeking votes, however, be careful and do not fall into their traps," adding, "Shamli-Muzaffarnagar's youth that remained neglected earlier, today, are successfully being recruited."

Continuing his attack on the opposition, Chief Minister said: "Recall Shamli's condition six years ago. There were no jobs, no electricity, people could not celebrate festivals, and there was 'Gunda Raj'. Out of 75, only four districts of UP used to get electricity, and the remaining 71 districts remained in darkness."

Yogi Adityanath further said that there is no curfew in western UP today, with Kanwar Yatras taking place peacefully. "I am grateful to the women and sisters of western UP, who have made a maximum contribution in ensuring BJP's victory. The businessmen who migrated have returned. Traders, farmers, and daughters are living in an environment, which is free of fear. We will provide free electricity to farmers with private tube wells."

He urged people to choose between a casteist government like the one that existed prior to 2017 and a government that prioritizes the needs of the underprivileged. "Ever since the double-engine government was formed in UP, benefits of all government welfare schemes have reached every needy without any kind of discrimination," he said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that in six years, 54 lakh poor have been provided houses in the state while 2.61 crore poor people have got toilers and 10 crores have got benefited from the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The double-engine government is giving free ration to 15 crore poor people. On the other hand, infrastructural development in terms of the construction of highways and railways is being carried out.

The Chief Minister said that had there been a BJP board, the development would have increased at the speed of a bullet train. Despite this, about 17,000 houses were provided in the Shamli district. Under PM SVANidhi, 7233 street vendors were given interest-free loans from banks. More than 16,000 destitute women, over 8500 Divyangjans and 35,000 old people are also being given pensions. There are two lakh beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat in Shamli.

The Chief Minister defined Shamli before and after 2017 in the public meeting, saying that six years ago, there were riots and curfew in Shamli. According to him, neither the daughter was safe nor the mother were respected. There was politics of appeasement, however, in six years, traders have become safe and daughters empowered. "That means peace, security, harmony and prosperity have become our identity all around", Yogi Adityanath remarked.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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BJP Seeks Jharkhand Minister's Resignation Over Alleged Chat With Woman

The BJP's Jharkhand unit on Sunday launched a no-holds-barred attack on state Health Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta after a video of his purported video chat with a woman went viral on social media.

The minister, however, was quick to issue a clarification over the alleged video chat, terming it "fake and edited".

Hitting out at the state Health minister over his alleged video chat, the BJP demanded his resignation and a probe into the matter.

Sharing the viral clip of the minister's purported video chat with the woman, BJP MP from Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey, claimed that the video exposed the true face of the Congress.

Speaking to ANI, the spokesperson for the BJP in Jharkhand, Pratul Shahdeo, said the Congress should clarify its position on the "obscene and objectionable" video.

"The viral video purportedly showing the Health minister is highly objectionable. Though the veracity of the clip hasn't been ascertained as yet, we want to know if it's real or fake. Since he is a member of the state cabinet headed by the chief minister (Hemant Soren), it is the CM's responsibility to order a probe to find out if the clip is real or fake," Shahdeo said.

However, he said if the purported video turns out to be genuine, the minister should step down immediately.

Meanwhile, the state Health minister hit back at the BJP over its "vindictive politics", claiming that the purported clip is part of a "conspiracy" to tarnish his image.

Terming the purported video chat as "fake and edited", the minister released a statement saying that he has already filed an FIR in the matter.

"A fake and edited video has been deliberately circulated on social media. It's quite clear that the video is photoshopped or has been edited through any other editing app. I have already filed an FIR in the matter. I will pursue legal action against those behind this fake video," the Congress leader said.

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Nitish Kumar To Meet Mamata Banerjee In Kolkata Today To Shore Up Unity

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has taken upon himself the task of uniting Opposition forces against the BJP-led government at the Centre, will call on his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday.

The meeting will come close on the heels of his visit to the national capital to meet Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi. The meeting was seen as the major step to laying the groundwork for a grand Opposition alliance ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rahul Gandhi said it was a "historic step" towards Opposition unity and for an "ideological fight".

Rahul Gandhi, who posted a picture of himself with Mr Kharge and JDU and RJD leaders, said they are "standing together, will fight together for India".

"In this battle of ideology, a historic step has been taken today towards Opposition unity. (We are) standing together, will fight together - for India!" Rahul Gandhi had said in a tweet after the meeting Nitish Kumar.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Janata Dal-United president Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh was also present at the meeting held at Mr Kharge's residence.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also leaving no stone unturned in closing in ranks with other parties ahead of the 2024 polls, as she met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav at her residence in Kolkata last month.

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