LIVE: Supreme Court grants interim to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Supreme Court ordered on Thursday that Pawan Khera who was arrested by Assam police from Delhi airport in morning over his comment about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, should be released on interim bail on production before Delhi Magistrate. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi gave an undertaking in the court that his client Khera will tender unconditional apology, the LiveLaw reported.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday questioned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's PA Bibhav Kumar in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, officials said. Kumar deposed before the federal probe agency here and the investigators are recording his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

The Congress on Thursday claimed its leader Pawan Khera was deplaned from a flight to Raipur, where he was going to attend the party's plenary session. Several party leaders got off the plane after Khera was deboarded and staged a dharna on the tarmac. As drama escalated at terminal one of the domestic airport here, flight staff told Congress leaders there was confusion with Khera's bags. They said police was on its way and would explain the reason to him. Several Congress leaders raised slogans against the government while on the tarmac.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sought investments in green energy sector saying that the country's potential in renewable energy is no less than a "goldmine". Addressing a webinar on various announcements made in the Union Budget 2023-24 on green growth, Modi said, "India will play an important role in green energy, I invite all stakeholders to invest in India." He stated that the potential of renewable energy like solar, wind energy and biogas in India is not less than a goldmine, he said.

The MCD House was adjourned for the day on Thursday as ruckus and sloganeering continued over the election of six standing commitee members. The House met at 8.30 am on Thursday but was adjourned for an hour amid sloganeering. The House reconvened at 9.30 am but was adjourned till 10 am on Friday shortly afterwards.

NIA has arrested six people working as associated of gangaters Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria after raids at 76 locations in 8 states. The central agency also stated that further investigation in the matter is underway, the ANI reported. 

10:16 PM

Fire breaks out in Lucknow Municipal Corporation's dumping yard in Uttar Pradesh

Fire breaks out in the dumping yard of Lucknow Municipal Corporation, several vehicles charred. Fire tenders present at the spot. Fire fighting operations underway. 

 

9:55 PM

Google blatantly disobeying CCI orders, charging app developers 11-26% commission: ADIF

The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) on Thursday said Google is blatantly disobeying CCI orders and charging app developers an exorbitant 11-26 per cent commission even if they opt for alternative billing system. ADIF, the policy think tank focusing on Indian digital startups, has urged the authorities, including the Competition Commission of India (CCI), to look into the matter and ensure that Google complies with the specific directives of the competition commission "in letter and in spirit", the PTI reported.

8:10 PM

Election Commission is an independent body which takes decisions on merit, says Maharashtra CM

7:00 PM

Was deboarded from aircraft illegally without copy of FIR, notice: Pawan Khera

6:00 PM

Consent to Punjab Budget session only after seeking legal opinion on CM's 'derogatory' tweets: Guv

The 'rift' between Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann intensified on Thursday as the former said that he will decide on allowing the proposed Budget session of the state slated on March 3 only after seeking legal advice on the "derogatory and patently unconstitutional tweets and letter" written by the latter.

 

The Governor was referring to a response to his letter to the Chief Minister earlier this month. He took a 'dig' at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government at a time when the state was hosting its first Investors Summit, IANS reported.

4:12 PM

Supporters of Amritpal Singh break through police barricades with swords, guns in Amritsar

3:35 PM

This is emergency only, says Shivsena MP Sanjay Raut on Pawan Khera arrest

3:02 PM

CJI announces launch of 'neutral citations' for Supreme Court judgements

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud on Thursday announced launch of 'neutral citations' which would ensure a uniform pattern of citing the decisions of the Supreme Court.

The apex court had earlier said that steps have been taken for introduction and implementation of a uniform, reliable and secure methodology for identifying and citing decisions in the apex court, namely the 'neutral citations system', to ensure a uniform pattern of citing all the decisions of the top court.

2:44 PM

Mamata can be a game changer in 2024 Lok Sabha elections: Shatrughan Sinha

Amid opposition unity talks to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool leader and Bollywood star Shatrughan Sinha said that party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can be a game changer.

"Mamata Benerjee is a very powerful and capable chief minister. She could be the game changer in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. At present, the entire country is demanding for the opposition unity and I am sure that opposition parties will be united," Sinha said on Wednesday.

2:34 PM

Landslide halts efforts to find 53 missing after China mine collapse

A massive landslide has halted search and rescue efforts at a collapsed coal mine which left 53 people missing in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, local authorities said Thursday.

The landslide occurred at the rescue site at around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency quoted the authorities as saying.

1:57 PM

Pawan Khera detained at airport after being deplaned from flight: Congress

Congress leader Pawan Khera was detained by police on Thursday after being deplaned from a flight to Raipur in connection with his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party said.

Khera, against whom a case has been registered in Assam, was asked by the Delhi Police to deplane. Congress leaders sat on dharna at the tarmac in protest and did not allow him to be taken away without an arrest warrant.

Senior Delhi Police officials later handed over a document from Assam Police seeking their help in the detention of Khera.

1:31 PM

ED questions Delhi CM Kejriwal's PA in excise policy money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday questioned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's PA Bibhav Kumar in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, officials said.

Kumar deposed before the federal probe agency here and the investigators are recording his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

1:00 PM

13 wagons of goods train derail in Bihar's Dehri on Thursday morning

As many as 13 wagons of a goods train derailed near a sub-line of the dedicated freight corridor between Dehri Pahleja and Karabandia railway stations on Thursday morning.

The incident occurred on the Gaya-DDU section near Tendua Dusadhi village, officials said.

Talking to ANI, Pawan Kumar, Chief Manager, DFCC said, "13 wagons of the goods train derailed in which five wagons were damaged and they have been reclaimed. Our priority is to fix the track so that trains operations that are disrupted can be started."

12:30 PM

Unable to digest defeat in mayoral polls, BJP resorting to hooliganism: AAP

With the MCD House being adjourned for the day on Thursday amid ruckus over the standing committee election, the AAP accused the BJP of resorting to hooliganism as it was unable to digest its defeat in the MCD mayoral polls.

Several members of both the parties exchanged blows and hurled plastic bottles at each other in the chamber of the MCD House on Wednesday night. The chaos continued on Thursday morning forcing Mayor Shelly Oberoi to adjourn the House till 10 am on Friday.

12:13 PM

MGNREGA scheme: Nearly 1.5 million fake job cards in West Bengal cancelled in 1 year

Around 15 lakh fake job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in West Bengal have been cancelled during the last one year.

"The exact figure of fake job cards cancelled in the state till date during the current financial year is 14,17,557. It is an ongoing process and the number is expected to increase and cross 15 lakhs by March 31, 2023," an official from the state panchayat affairs & rural development department, the nodal department in the state for implementing the 100-day job scheme, said.