Highlights of the day: India firmly rejects 'senseless attempts' by China to rename places in Arunachal

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India on Tuesday outrightly rejected as "senseless" China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, and asserted that assigning "invented" names does not alter the reality that the state "is, has been, and will always be" an integral part of India. India's reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for 30 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighbouring country claims as southern part of Tibet. "China has persisted with its senseless attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. We firmly reject such attempts," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

As a section of Vistara pilots continue to protest against pay revision, at least 15 senior first officers resigned from the airline recently, sources said on Tuesday. The airline operates a little over 300 flights daily and has a fleet of 70 planes comprising A320-family aircraft and Boeing 787s. Over the past few weeks, the Tata Group airline has been grappling with simmering discontent among pilots, with many first officers of its A320 fleet reporting sick. The sources said at least 15 senior first officers resigned from Vistara and joined a domestic budget carrier. A Vistara spokesperson declined to comment on the resignations. PM Modi is addressing a public meeting in Kotputli in support of the party's candidate from Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat, Rao Rajendra Singh.

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has been granted bail by the Supreme Court today, six months after his arrest in connection with the Delhi liquor excise policy case. Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.

Patanjali Ayurved’s Cofounder Baba Ramdev tendered an apology before the Supreme Court today over Patanjali Ayurved's "misleading advertisements". The top court had summoned Ramdev and Patanjali's Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna to appear before it for failing to reply to the court’s contempt notice. This notice was issued against them and the company in relation to a case concerning misleading advertisements. The top court during the last hearing  criticised Patanjali's decision makers for failing to follow its directives. “How can you be in teeth of our orders? We had our hands tied earlier but not now,” a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said.

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a plea seeking the counting of all Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) paper slips in polls. Currently,  only five randomly selected Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in each assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency are verified. The bench issued the notice to the ECI  and tagged the plea filed by lawyer and activist Arun Kumar Aggarwal with a similar plea filed by an NGO, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), seeking similar reliefs. The plea, filed through Supreme Court Advocate-on-Record Neha Rathi, has challenged the ECI's guidelines that mandate that VVPAT verification shall be done sequentially, that is one after the other, thereby causing undue delay.

News agency AP reported that Donald Trump posted a $175 million bond on Monday in his New York civil fraud case, halting collection of the more than $454 million he owes and preventing the state from seizing his assets to satisfy the debt while he appeals.

10:10 PM

TTE 'pushed to death' by passenger on moving train in Kerala's Thrissur

A Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) was killed after allegedly being pushed by a passenger from a moving train in this central Kerala district on Tuesday, police said.

The incident took place when the train was in Velappaya area under Thrissur Medical College police station limit on Tuesday evening, they said.

The TTE allegedly fell from the moving train after being pushed by the passenger.

The incident occurred on the Patna-bound train originating from Ernakulam, the police added.

10:06 PM

Aadhaar in Form 6B is voluntary: ECI

"It may be noted that submission of Aadhaar in Form 6B is voluntary. No entry in electoral roll shall be deleted on the ground of non-submission of AADHAAR," says ECI.

10:01 PM

Arvind Kejriwal 'kingpin', 'key conspirator' in excise 'scam', ED tells Delhi HC

The ED on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the "kingpin" and the "key conspirator" of the "excise scam" and there were "reasons to believe" on the basis of material in its possession that he was guilty of the offence of money laundering.

 

Opposing the AAP leader's petition challenging his arrest by the agency in the money laundering case linked to the "scam", the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said the political party, which was the "major beneficiary" of the proceeds of the crime, has committed the offence through Kejriwal.

 

"Sh Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of NCT of Delhi, is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi Excise Scam in collusion with Ministers of Delhi Govt, AAP leaders and other persons.. Sh Arvind Kejriwal was directly involved in the formulation of the Excise Policy 2021-22.

 

"This policy was being drafted considering the favours to be granted to the South Group and was formed in collusion with Sh Vijay Nair, Sh Manish Sisodia and members representatives of the South Group," said the response.

 

The AAP has committed the offence of money laundering through Kejriwal and the offences thus are covered by section 70, PMLA 2002, it said.

8:55 PM

Met issues heatwave warning in south Bengal districts

The Met department on Tuesday issued a heatwave warning in south Bengal districts till April 6.

 

The weather office warned of a rise in maximum day temperature by 2 to 3 degree Celsius over the next few days in south Bengal districts.

 

Several south Bengal districts, including Purulia, West Bardhaman, Bankura, Jhargram, East and West Midnapore, North and South 24 Parganas are likely to experience heatwave conditions till April 6, the Met said.

 

Humid and discomforting weather is likely to prevail over the other districts in south Bengal, it added.

 

Suri and Murshidabad recorded the day's highest day temperature on Tuesday, with the mercury touching the 39 degree Celsius mark at both places, while Kolkata and Salt Lake were not far behind at 36.7 and 37.3 degree Celsius, respectively, weathermen said.

8:04 PM

On one hand, explosions in Bengaluru, on the other, SDPI supporting Congress: Shah

"On one hand, explosions in Bengaluru, on the other, SDPI supporting Congress. How can Karnataka be safe under Congress?", says Shah at road show.

7:56 PM

Istanbul nightclub horror leaves 29 dead

A fire at an Istanbul nightclub under renovation leaves 29 dead and several others badly hurt, reports AP.

7:55 PM

ZEE Entertainment Enterprises MD, CEO Punit Goenka takes 20% pay cut

ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd on Tuesday said its Managing Director and CEO Punit Goenka has decided to take a 20 per cent cut in his remuneration, in line with the strategic and frugal approach implemented across the organisation.

 

The management of the company, under the leadership of Goenka, is implementing all the required measures across verticals to optimise costs and enhance productivity, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd said in a regulatory filing.

 

As per the company's annual report for 2022-23, the total remuneration paid to Goenka was Rs 35.07 crore.

 

He said the organisation is sharply focused on adopting a frugal approach, as it moves forward towards the set goals for the future.

 

"While I am in the process of implementing the required steps and actions across all the verticals of the company, I intend the required change in mindset, to begin from my desk," he said while announcing his decision to take a pay cut of 20 per cent.

 

He further said it is imperative to adapt as per the situation and at this point in time, 'accountability and agility' are the need of the hour. Every employee of ZEE, works and functions with an entrepreneurial approach, as a partner and a co-owner of the company.

 

"It is this DNA of the institution that will enable us to achieve the set targets. I must add that this voluntary decision is limited to me on a personal front," he said.

7:19 PM

India firmly rejects 'senseless attempts' by China to rename places in Arunachal

India on Tuesday outrightly rejected as "senseless" China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, and asserted that assigning "invented" names does not alter the reality that the state "is, has been, and will always be" an integral part of India. India's reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for 30 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighbouring country claims as southern part of Tibet. "China has persisted with its senseless attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. We firmly reject such attempts," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

 

6:46 PM

Amid turbulence, 15 pilots quit Vistara

As a section of Vistara pilots continue to protest against pay revision, at least 15 senior first officers resigned from the airline recently, sources said on Tuesday.

 

The airline operates a little over 300 flights daily and has a fleet of 70 planes comprising A320-family aircraft and Boeing 787s.

 

Over the past few weeks, the Tata Group airline has been grappling with simmering discontent among pilots, with many first officers of its A320 fleet reporting sick.

 

The sources said at least 15 senior first officers resigned from Vistara and joined a domestic budget carrier.

 

A Vistara spokesperson declined to comment on the resignations.

6:27 PM

Shriram Properties' subsidiary gets a tax order

Shriram Properties arm gets tax penalty order of Rs 446.79 crore for AY2018-19

6:26 PM

We will find out who was behind the act of terrorism in Moscow, says Putin

We will find out who was behind the act of terrorism in Moscow, says Russia's Putin.

5:05 PM

For BJP, nation comes first: PM Modi in Kotputli rally

4:43 PM

News update: Opposition believes in saving the corrupt, say PM Modi at Rajasthan rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Kotputli to draw support for the Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat. 

4:40 PM

Bhushan Steel bank 'fraud' case: Delhi High Court seeks accused's reply to ED's plea challenging bail

The Delhi High Court today asked for the response of an accused on Tuesday on a plea moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the bail granted to her by a trial court in a bank fraud-linked money-laundering case against the erstwhile Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL).

3:50 PM

"Lip service": Supreme Court blasts Ramdev's apology over misleading advertisements

Rejecting the apology from yoga guru Ramdev and the firm's managing director Acharya Balkrishna as "lip service," the Supreme Court today came down heavily on Patanjali Ayurved's cofounders for putting out misleading advertisements. The bench, headed by Justice Hima Kohli, asked why the government chose to keep its "eyes shut" over Patanjali's  claims about the effectiveness of its products and denigrating allopathy during the Covid-19 peak. The bench said the court was taking their apology with a "sack full of salt".