HIGHLIGHTS AT 1715

Following are the top PTI stories at 1715 hours:

NATION:

DEL33 PAK-ENVOY-MEA Pak High commissioner called for consultations; it is normal: MEA

New Delhi: The Pakistan High Commissioner was called for consultations and it is "normal", the external affairs ministry today said after the neighbouring country decided to call back its envoy to Islamabad.

DEL34 CONG-LS-BAC-WALKOUT

Cong walks out of meet on Lok Sabha agenda

New Delhi: The Congress today walked out of the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Lok Sabha, alleging that the central government was adopting an "undemocratic" approach and bulldozing the proceedings in the House.

 

DEL24 UP-LD AKHILESH

Let bygones be bygones, says Akhilesh on bitter past rivalry with BSP

Lucknow: Enthused by his party's strong showing in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur bypolls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav indicated today that his party was keen on burying its bitter rivalry with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party saying sometimes "past incidents have to be forgotten".

DEL10 AVI-2NDLD AIRINDIA-TWITTER

Air India Twitter account hacked; later restored

Mumbai: Air India's official Twitter account was hacked late last night and was restored today, according to the airline.

DEL17 NBCC-SEIZED PROPERTIES

Govt discusses handing maintenance of seized properties to NBCC

New Delhi: The government is considering handing the task of maintaining, managing and earning revenue from immovable properties attached in money laundering cases to the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), officials said today.

DEL8 CBI-PNB-FRAUD

CBI registers fresh case related to Rs 9 cr fraud at PNB branch

New Delhi: The CBI has registered a fresh case relating to "fraudulent" issuance of Rs 9 crore of LoUs to Chandri Papers and Allied Products by PNB's Brady House branch, at the centre of a storm over a similar fraud by billionaire jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

BOM7 GJ-RS-UNOPPOSED

RS polls: All 4 candidates from Gujarat elected unopposed

Gandhinagar: Four candidates -- two each of the Congress and the BJP -- were today elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, days after the last moment entry of two nominees from these parties raised the prospect of a contest.

MDS7 TN-DHINAKARAN-LD PARTY

Dhinakaran names new party after Jaya, vows to take on 'betrayers'

Madurai: Rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran today floated a new political party, the "Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam", named after late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

BUSINESS

DEL15 BIZ-LD FITCH-INDIA-GROWTH

India's growth to touch 7.3% next fiscal, 7.5% in 2019-20: Fitch

New Delhi: Indian economy is likely to grow by 7.3 per cent in next fiscal and the growth will accelerate further to 7.5 per cent in 2019-20 on account of increased investment in infrastructure and waning of the disruptions caused by GST rollout, said global rating agency Fitch.

LEGAL:

LGD15 SC-KARTI

INX Media case: SC protects Karti from arrest by ED till March 26

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today extended till March 26 the interim relief granted by the Delhi High Court to Karti Chidambaram from arrest in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

LGD9 SC-DEFAMATION

SC stays defamation proceedings by Jay Shah against news portal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today asked a Gujarat trial court not to proceed till April 12 with the criminal defamation complaint filed by BJP president Amit Shah's son Jay Shah against the news portal The Wire and its journalists.

LGD7 HC-KARTI

Delhi HC extends Karti's protection from arrest in ED case till Mar 22

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today extended the protection from arrest to Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case from March 20 to 22.

FOREIGN:

FGN15 PAK-INDIA-LD ENVOY

Pak summons its envoy in India for consultations over 'harassment': FO

Islamabad: Upping the ante, Pakistan says it has decided to call back its High Commissioner in India Sohail Mahmood for consultations after repeated incidence of "harassment" of its diplomatic staff in New Delhi. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN19 PAK-LD BLAST

10 killed in Taliban suicide attack near Sharif's residence

Lahore: A teenaged Taliban suicide bomber attacked a police check-post near the residence of Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, killing 10 people, including six policemen, police says.