Highlights: Sugar mills get nod to manufacture RS and ENA from sugarcane juice, B-Heavy Molasses

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4:49 PM

UPSC aspirants' deaths: Delhi HC grants interim bail to four basement co-owners

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim bail till January 30 to four co-owners of the basement of an Old Rajinder Nagar coaching centre where three civil services aspirants drowned in July. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, while pronouncing the verdict on the bail pleas of the four accused, said the relief is subject to the co-owners depositing Rs 5 crore with the Red Cross. The judge said the conduct of the co-owners is "unpardonable" and an "act of greed". In the order, a request has been made to the Lieutenant Governor to constitute a committee under a retired high court judge to ensure no coaching centre is permitted to run without permission.

4:42 PM

Kerala HC rejects Opposition leader Satheesan plea for CBI probe into KFON project

In a boost to the Left government in the state, the Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed a plea by the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan seeking quashing of the award of contracts for the KFON project and a CBI probe into it. A bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Syam Kumar V M said the material before the court does not persuade them to arrive at a prima facie finding regarding any illegality or irregularity in the implementation of the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) project.

4:32 PM

Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra files complaint against Sebi chief Buch with Lokpal

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Friday said she has filed a complaint against SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch with the Lokpal and added the ombudsman should forward it to the ED or CBI for preliminary probe followed by a "full FIR enquiry". Moitra shared a screenshot of submission of both the online complaint and the physical copy.

4:16 PM

BJP workers, kin behind Mhow assault-rape incident, alleges Cong; ruling party rebuts claim

The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Friday alleged that some BJP workers and their relatives were behind the incident of assault on two army officers and rape of their woman friend near Indore's Mhow. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, rubbished the allegation and accused the opposition party of creating a "false perception" on the issue. It also said the state government is very sensitive in such matters and that the accused in the Mhow case will not be able to escape.

Two army officers were assaulted and one of their two women friends was allegedly raped in the wee hours of Wednesday near popular tourist spot Jam Gate, about 30 km from Mhow military cantonment.

4:00 PM

Rahul Gandhi centre of hope; BJP in panic due to his successful US visit: Ashok Gehlot

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Friday that the ruling BJP has "panicked" due to the successful US visit of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and is spreading rumours about it. "Despite the BJP's efforts from the past 15-20 years to defame him, Rahul Gandhi has now become the centre of hope and expectation of the country. Due to this, the BJP has become so desperate and aggressive that BJP leaders in the country's capital are openly talking about killing Rahul Gandhi," he said.

3:54 PM

Protests in Mandi over illegal construction in mosque, police use water cannons

Police used water cannons on Friday to disperse protestors demanding the demolition of a portion of a mosque built on encroached government land in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi town. The mosque management committee have been served a notice by the Mandi municipal corporation to remove the encroachment within 30 days. According to the notice, the mosque stands on 232 square metres of land while the approval granted was just for 45 square metres.

3:29 PM

Sebi chief Buch, her husband deny conflict of interest allegations levelled by Congress, terms them motivated

Madhabi Puri Buch says she complied with all disclosure, recusal guidelines of Sebi.

3:21 PM

A rebuke to BJP-led NDA govt, says Karnataka CM on Supreme Court granting bail to CM Kejriwal

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said the Supreme Court order granting bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy 'scam' case has given hope to all those fighting for truth and justice. He said it's also a "rebuke" to the BJP-led NDA government which, he alleged, is misusing Constitutional institutions for their "political nemesis."

3:02 PM

Court issues release order for Kejriwal in excise case

A Delhi court on Friday issues release order for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal following the Supreme Court granting him bail in a corruption case related to the alleged excise scam. Special Judge Rakesh Syal passed the order after the advocates for Kejriwal filed a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties of the like amount before the court.

2:33 PM

Swati Vijay Kulkarni appointed as India's next ambassador to Algeria

Swati Vijay Kulkarni has been appointed as India's next Ambassador to Algeria, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday. Swati Vijay Kulkarni is an Indian Foreign Service Officer of 1995 batch. She is presently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry.

 

2:19 PM

Delhi court frames charges of murder against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler

A Delhi court on Friday framed charges of murder and other offences against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984-anti Sikh riots case. Special Judge Rakesh Siyal directed that Tytler face trial after he pleaded not guilty to the offences. The judge had on August 30 said there was sufficient ground to proceed against the accused.

2:17 PM

Kolkata rape-murder case: CBI wants narco analysis test of Sanjay Roy, moves court for permission

 The CBI is planning to conduct a narco analysis test on Sanjay Roy who was arrested in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a doctor in R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, an officer said on Friday. The central probe agency has appealed to the city-based Sealdah court seeking permission to conduct the test on Roy, he said. "This is primarily to cross-check whether Roy is telling the truth. The narco analysis test will help us to verify his version," the officer told PTI.

1:45 PM

Several BRS leaders under 'house arrest' after party calls for meeting at turncoat MLA's house

Against the backdrop of a proposed meeting of BRS party activists of Serilingampally Assembly constituency to be held at the residence of MLA Arekapudi Gandhi who defected to the Congress, several leaders and cadres of the opposition party on Friday were put under "house arrest." The BRS leaders would start from the residence of its Medchal district president Sambhipur Raju for the meeting, the party sources said.

The police made tight security arrangements at the residence of Sambhipur Raju as the BRS leaders were expected to gather there before leaving for the meeting at the residence of turncoat MLA Gandhi.

1:33 PM

Maharashtra BJP stages protest against Rahul Gandhi over quota remarks; Cong calls it drama

Workers and leaders of Maharashtra BJP on Friday held state-wide protests against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on reservation during his visit to the US. While Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said it was necessary to stage a protest to tell people about Gandhi's mentality against reservation, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat accused the saffron party of spreading fake news and doing "nautanki" (drama).

 

1:19 PM

Supreme Court dismisses plea seeking to declare Agra 'heritage city'

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking to declare Agra a "heritage city" and said there is nothing to show that such a declaration would give the city any special advantage. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan dismissed the application filed in a 1984 PIL on the protection and preservation of the iconic Taj Mahal and its adjoining areas. "Nothing has been placed on record to show that there will be any special advantage to the city. Moreover, this court cannot grant any such declaration. Interlocutory application is dismissed," the bench ordered.