LIVE: Delhi cops blame three for toolkit, say Disha Ravi sent it to Greta

Police claims that the organisation behind the "toolkit" shared by Greta had contacted Nikita to organise a 'tweet storm' ahead of R-Day protest by farmers. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news updates.

11:12 PM

Disha Ravi arrest : BJP says oppn stands with 'anti-India' forces in its attack on Modi

Hitting back at the opposition for its criticism of the government over the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi, the BJP on Monday said these parties, especially the Congress, have always stood with "anti-India" forces in their bid to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to PTI. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra cited the Delhi Police press conference to allege that Ravi's arrest has totally exposed the ""nefarious conspiracies of the break India forces" to demean the integrity of India.

With critics citingRavi's young age besides her background of environmental activism to slam her arrest, BJP leaders, including party general secretary B L Santhosh, wondered if these were credentials for becoming a part of "breaking India forces". "21 year old, environment activist, student... Are these credentials for becoming a part of breaking India forces? How does she get the access for editing toolkit? Why she is part of anti-national WhatsApp groups? Many questions but only one answer: 21 year old," Santhosh tweeted.

"Bengaluru, Greta Thunberg, Vegan, sole bread winner, student, 21 year old, passionate activist. so many attempts to white wash a sin! Not one anarchist ready to answer the question. How 21 year old student got access to edit Toolkit," he added. In a series of tweets, Santhosh also said, "as the the great drama of Toolkit unfolds many anarchists who are rallying behind Disha Ravi as 21 year old, sole bread winner, daughter of single mother, climate change activist will run for cover. WhatsApp groups, editing option, conversations will unravel many a characters".

10:45 PM

Earthquake of magnitude 3.5 hits Nalanda, Bihar

An earthquake of magnitude 3.5, occurred 20 km north-west of Nalanda, Bihar at 9:23 pm today: National Center for Seismology

10:22 PM

Inflation on rise but sugarcane rates stagnant; UP govt owes Rs 12k cr to farmers: Tikait

Prices of fuel and fertilizers have gone up but the procurement rate of sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh has remained stagnant for the last four years, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said on Monday, claiming farmers' cane dues worth Rs 12,000 crore are pending in the state, according to PTI. Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan and other places are camping at Delhi's border points of Ghazipur, Singhu and Tikri since November demanding that the Centre rescind the three contentious laws enacted in September and make a new one guaranteeing them Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The Sugarcane Institute in Shahjahanpur had decided a rate of Rs 287 per quintal for sugarcane in 2019-20 and then put it at Rs 297 for 2020-21 but the farmers are not getting even these rates. The government is not implementing the rates suggested by the institute also, Tikait was quoted as saying in a BKU statement. Sugarcane farmers' dues worth Rs 12,000 crore are pending today. But the farmers are not getting due rates and then whatever rate they get, the payment on that also remains pending, the 51-year-old Tikait said, as per PTI.

10:09 PM

TRP case: Ex-BARC CEO directly involved, rigged entire system, HC told

Former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Partho Dasgupta rigged the "entire" TRP system for news channels and also discussed issues of national security with "a certain owner cum news anchor" on Whatsapp, the Mumbai Police told the Bombay High Court on Monday, according to PTI. Special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray told a single-judge bench presided over by Justice PD Naik that Dasgupta was directly involved in manipulating Television Rating Points (TRPs) with the help of other accused persons.

 

 

As per PTI copy, Hiray, who was opposing Dasgupta's bail plea in the HC, said the crime branch of the Mumbai police had accessed, among other things, Dasgupta's WhatsApp chats with a "certain owner and anchor of a TV channel" where in he discussed manipulating the TRPs. Hiray said the two also discussed issues concerning national security. "They tried to manipulate the entire system of TRPs. There are chats regarding the security of the nation," Hiray said.

 

 

The purported chats between Dasgupta and Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, who is also an accused in the TRP scam case, on the 2019 Pulwama attack are a part of the chargesheet filed by the police in the case.

9:52 PM

Mamata Banerjee launched 'Maa Kitchen' to provide nutritious meal at Rs 5 in Bengal

9:34 PM

NTPC speeds up compensation process for deceased of Tapovan project

NTPC on Monday said it has sped up the procedure to pay compensation to the families of workers who died in the Tapovan tragedy. NTPC's 520 mega watt (MW) under-construction Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro Project, located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand was largely affected on February 7, 2021, due to flash floods caused by an unprecedented snowfall that triggered an avalanche, the company said, according to PTI.

While NTPC is extending a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the immediate family of the contract labourers of the agency engaged in construction of the NTPC project, the state government and the Centre have separately announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively. "NTPC Ltd has fast tracked all modalities and procedures required for distribution of compensation to the immediate families of those who lost their lives in the natural disaster that struck Tapovan project," the company said in a statement, as PTI.

Further, compensation against PF and Employees' Compensation Act covered under statutory provisions of the workers in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh will also be made available, NTPC said.

9:28 PM

Modi to address webinar on effective implementation of Budget 2021 in infra sector tomorrow: PMO

7:43 PM

Avian flu: 17,000 poultry birds to be culled in Tapi district

Samples of poultry birds in Gujarat's Tapi district have tested positive for avian influenza following which the authorities have decided to cull around 17,000 birds as a precautionary measure, an official said on Monday.

 

The samples were collected from two poultry farms in Uchchhal taluka of Tapi located adjoining Navapur in Maharashtra's Nandurbar district from where bird flu cases have been reported, said Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Department of Tapi, Dr Akshay Shah.

 

These samples were sent to a laboratory in Bhopal and they have tested tested positive for bird flu, Shah. The farms in Uchchhal from where the samples have tested positive are located within 1 km radius of four farms in Navapur from where avian influenza cases have been reported earlier, Shah said.

7:14 PM

Air quality 'very poor' across Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon

The average air quality in Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Fridabad and Gurgaon was in the very poor category, which upon prolonged exposure may cause respiratory illness among people, according to data issued by a government agency on Monday.

 

Pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 also remained in the air of the five immediate neighbours of Delhi, according to the air quality index (AQI) maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. The average 24-hour AQI at 4 pm on Monday was 369 in Ghaziabad, 368 in Noida, 349 in Greater Noida, 353 in Faridabad and 306 in Gurgaon, according to CPCB's Sameer app.

6:38 PM

January trade deficit narrows to $14.54 bn, exports rise 6.2% to $27.4 bn

The country's exports grew by 6.16 per cent to $27.45 billion in January, according to data by the commerce ministry.

 

Imports too grew by 2 per cent to about $42 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $14.54 billion during the month under review, the data showed. Exports during April-January this fiscal dipped by 13.58 per cent to $228.25 billion, while imports declined by 25.92 per cent to $300.26 billion.

6:37 PM

Haryana Congress leader urges party workers to strengthen farmers' agitation

In remarks that are likely to stoke controversy, Haryana Congress leader Vidya Rani on Monday urged party workers to strengthen the farmers' agitation and said they can contribute "be it money, vegetables, liquor". Speaking at Congress executive meeting in Jind, Vidya Devi said that Congress was facing an existential crisis in the state after Lok Sabha and assembly elections but the protest by farmers had helped revive the party.

 

"We will take out a 'padyatra' in Jind. Congress was facing a crisis in the state but the farmers' protest has helped strengthen the party. Farmers protest will give new direction and strength to Congress," she said.

 

Vidya Devi said farmers agitation had suffered a setback after incidents of January 26 in Delhi but it has revived itself.

6:08 PM

After Disha Ravi, Delhi Police on lookout for two more activists in toolkit case

Non-bailable warrants have been issued against a Mumbai lawyer and a Pune engineer for allegedly creating a protest toolkit backing the farmers' agitation along with arrested climate activist Disha Ravi and collaborating with pro-Khalistani elements, Delhi Police officials said on Monday.

 

Lawyer Nikita Jacob and engineer Shantanu, who are absconding, also attended a Zoom meeting organised by 'pro-Khalistani' group Poetic Justice Foundation, Joint Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Prem Nath said at a press conference, according to Press Trust of India.

 

The three had created the toolkit and sent it to others, officials said as a fierce political debate broke out between the opposition and the ruling BJP over the action against 21-year-old Ravi in the case related to the toolkit Google doc that came to light when it was shared by global climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

5:53 PM

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to address a Kisan Mahapanchayat in support of farmers' protest in Meerut on Feb 28

Delhi CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to address a Kisan Mahapanchayat to be held in support of farmers' protest in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh on February 28: ANI

5:49 PM

SC panel on farm laws holds consultations with agri-professionals, academicians

The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the new farm laws on Monday said it held consultations with eminent academicians and agri-professionals on the legislations against which farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders for over two months now. This is the seventh meeting the panel has held so far. The three-member committee is holding consultations with stakeholders both online and in person.

 

In a statement, the committee said it held a detailed discussion with academicians and professionals on Monday through video conferencing.

 

"In total, 7 eminent academicians and professionals in the field participated through video conferencing for detailed deliberations with the committee members," it said. The committee members requested the participants to give their views on the three farm laws. "All the participating professionals and academicians gave their detailed views and suggestions...," the statement said.

5:32 PM

With an eye on polls, Mamata launches scheme to offer meal to poor at Rs 5

Ahead of the assembly election in the state, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday virtually launched the 'Maa' scheme under which her government would provide a meal at a nominal cost of Rs 5 to poor people.

 

They will get a platter of rice, dal, a vegetable and egg curry for Rs 5, she said adding that the state government will bear a subsidy of Rs 15 per plate.

 

Self-help groups will operate the kitchens from 1 pm to 3 pm every day and such kitchens will be set up everywhere in the state gradually, Banerjee said. READ ON...