Highlights of the day: IndiGo places order for 30 Airbus widebody aircraft

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India's top airline by market share, IndiGo, on Thursday said it placed an order for 30 Airbus A350-900 widebody aircraft.

Tech Mahindra reported fourth-quarter revenue below analysts' estimates on Thursday due to weakness in the communications and media vertical as macro headwinds weighed on overall demand. The company posted consolidated net profit at Rs 661 crore in Q4. Consolidated revenue fell 6.2% year-on-year to R 12,871 crore in the March quarter. Analysts, on average, expected revenue of Rs 12,955 crore, as per LSEG data.

Vedanta Limited reported on Thursday, 27.21 per cent year-on-year fall in its consolidated profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 1,369 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 (Q4 FY24). 

Six people were killed and at least 7 injured after fire engulfed three buildings belonging to hotels near Patna railway station today.  A body was recovered from Hotel Pal, while the bodies of a mother and daughter were recovered Hotel Amit.

The Central Bureau of Investigation Thursday lodged a First Information Report (FIR) to investigate the land grabbing and sexual harassment allegations in Sandeshkhali. In the FIR, the central probe agency has named five people.

Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang valley was cut off after the only road connecting it to the rest of the country was washed away on Thursday due to a landslide.

A youth leader from Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JDU), Saurabh Kumar, was shot dead in Bihar's capital Patna on Wednesday when he was returning from a wedding function, The Times of India reported today. Another person accompanying him, Munmum Kumar, was injured in the firing in Parsa Bazar village. Saurabh was shot twice in his head by four men on motorcycles while his companion Munmun Kumar was hit thrice. The duo were rushed to a hospital where Saurabh was declared brought dead by the doctors and Munmun was admitted in a serious condition.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday recorded an affidavit in the Supreme Court against jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest  in the alleged money laundering case related to the liquor policy case. The ED claimed in the affidavit that the Kejriwal was arrested after tampering of evidence, including destruction of around 170 mobile phones during the period of the 'scam' and when the alleged irregularities came out in public. "It is only when the petitioner failed to get an order of no-coercive steps from the Division Bench of the Delhi High Court coupled with the fact that he was not obeying the summonses, his house was searched, and he was arrested," the affidavit said.

Lokesh Sharma , former officer on special duty (OSD) of Ashok Gehlot, claimed on Wednesday that during the 2020 Congress crisis Rajasthan, the phones of party rebels, including Sachin Pilot, and their movements were tracked at Gehlot’s behest. Sharma also claimed that the former Rajasthan chief minister had given him the audio clips of cabinet ministers, and he was asked to release them to the media.

8:23 PM

Delhi Police arrests Hashim Baba gang member planning extortion in Central Delhi

Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested an active member of Hashim Baba gang namely Areeb alias Asif resident of Kardampuri, Delhi, age- 24 yrs. A sophisticated pistol with four live cartridges was recovered from his possession. He was planning to extort Rs 50 lakhs from a businessman of Central Delhi with his other gang members at the direction of Hashim Baba.

8:21 PM

NIA arrests key accused in connection with attack on Indian High Commission in London: Report

Pro-Khalistan supporters last September held a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in the UK. However, unlike the earlier demonstration during which the tricolour was taken down and an attempt made to raise the Khalistan flag, the protest this time was confined behind police barricades.

6:38 PM

China launches a three-member Shenzhou-18 crew to its space station, reports AP.

6:25 PM

Mumbai court sends both the accused to crime branch custody till Apr 29

On April 14, there was a firing incident outside actor Salman Khan's residence. Mumbai's Esplanade Court has sent both the accused, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, to the custody of the Crime Branch until April 29.

5:19 PM

IndiGo places order for 30 Airbus widebody aircraft

India's top airline by market share, IndiGo, on Thursday said it placed an order for 30 Airbus A350-900 widebody aircraft.

5:02 PM

Reflects deep biases, says MEA on US report on alleged human rights abuses in Manipur

Responding to a report by the US State Department in which it said there were "significant human rights abuses" in Manipur, the Ministry of External Affairs has said the document is deeply biased and reflects a poor understanding of the country. The ministry's spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said, "This report is deeply biased and reflects a very poor understanding of India. We attach no value to it and urge you also to do the same."

4:45 PM

Implement regulations for elimination of corporal punishment: Madras High Court tells Tamil Nadu govt

The Madras High Court has told the Tamil Nadu government to implement Guidelines for Elimination of Corporal Punishment in Schools (GECP) provided by the NCPCR. Justice S M Subramaniam gave the directive to the Principal Secretary to Government, School Education Department while passing interim orders recently on a plea filed by Kamatchi Shanker Arumugam, 

4:39 PM

I-T officials threatening raided leaders to claim money belongs to me, Cong: Karnataka deputy CM Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar today claimed that Income Tax department officials were conducting raids targeting the Congress, ahead of Lok Sabha elections, and are threatening leaders who faced raids to claim that money belongs to him and the party. The state Congress chief also alleged that the department is working like "BJP agents". IT sleuths on Wednesday conducted simultaneous raids at some locations in and around Bengaluru, belonging to businessmen and associates of prominent political leaders ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

4:24 PM

Salman Khan firing case updates: Police custody of two accused extended till April 29

4:23 PM

Gyanvapi case: Judge, who ordered videography survey, claims to receive calls from international numbers

Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track Court I) Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who had passed an order to conduct a videography survey of Varanasi's Gyanvapi complex in 2022, has complained of getting calls from international numbers, police said on Thursday. Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police Ghule Sushil Chandrabhan said that he has received a letter from Judge Diwakar. In the letter, Judge Diwakar said that he had been getting calls from international numbers, causing deep concerns following which he approached the police.

4:04 PM

Tech Mahindra Q4 revenue falls 6.2%, net profit at Rs 661 crore

Consolidated revenue fell 6.2% year-on-year to R 12,871 crore in the March quarter. Analysts, on average, expected revenue of Rs 12,955 crore, according to LSEG data.

3:50 PM

Ship comes under attack off coast of Yemen as Houthi rebel campaign appears to gain new speed

A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden came under attack today, officials said, the latest assault likely carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels over Israel's ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attack comes after the US military said early Thursday an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel the day before near the same area.

3:48 PM

News update: Vedanta Q4 PAT at Rs 1,369 crore vs Rs 1,881 crore

3:12 PM

Jai Dehadrai withdraws from HC defamation case against Mahua Moitra as "peace offering"

Lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai today withdrew from the Delhi High Court his defamation lawsuit against former partner TMC leader Mahua Moitra as a "peace offering".

Dehadrai had last year accused Moitra of taking bribes from businessman and Hiranandani Group CEO Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions in Parliament, which led to her expulsion from the Lok Sabha on December 8. After the ensuing row, Mahua filed a case against Dehadrai and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to restrain them from posting, circulating or publishing any "fake" and "defamatory" content against her.

2:57 PM

CM Kejriwal 'kingpin' of excise scam, involved in demanding kickbacks: ED tells SC in 734-page affidavit

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the "kingpin and key conspirator" of the excise policy scam and the arrest of a person for an offence based on material can never violate the “concept of free and fair elections”, the ED has told the Supreme Court in its 734-page reply affidavit.The probe agency claimed that Kejriwal worked in collusion with his ministers and AAP leaders and was also involved in “demanding kickbacks” from liquor businessmen in exchange for favours granted in the policy.