LIVE: Vivo challenged integrity, sovereignty of India, ED tells Delhi HC

From the latest coronavirus updates to the oath-taking ceremony of Droupadi Murmu, catch all the latest live news around the world here

10:37 PM

ED filed over 5,400 money laundering cases in 17 years; got 23 convictions

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed more than 5,400 money laundering cases since the criminal law was enacted over 17 years ago and it has secured conviction against just 23 persons till now, according to details provided by the government to Parliament on Monday.

The information was provided to Lok Sabha in a written reply by the minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary.

9:42 PM

Lovlina asset to our nation, govt must do everything to stop her harassment: Priyanka Gandhi

Expressing support for Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Monday urged the government to do everything possible to stop the "harassment" she is facing.

Borgohain has alleged that her preparations for the Commonwealth Games are being hampered because of the "continuous harassment" her coaches are facing from the authorities.

8:52 PM

Woman gets family pension denied to her for over 30 years: NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission has ensured that a woman got the family pension which had been "denied" to her for over 30 years since her husband died in 1987, officials said on Monday.

In a statement, the NHRC said the woman's husband was a retired ambulance driver who had served at the Safdarjung Hospital here.

The NHRC "has ensured that a woman got her family pension, which was being denied to her" for over 30 years, the rights panel said.

8:45 PM

Overwhelmed by farewell given to me: former president Ram Nath Kovind

Former president Ram Nath Kovind, who completed his term on Monday, said he was overwhelmed by the heartfelt farewell accorded to him and hoped to he would continue to get people's blessings.

In his first reaction after demitting the office, he said his successor Droupadi Murmu dropping him off to his new residence was a very touching personal moment as well as an example of high traditions of the Indian democracy.

8:44 PM

AIADMK stages protests against proposed hike in power tariff, property tax revision

The opposition AIADMK staged protests in several district headquarters across Tamil Nadu on Monday condemning the State government for the proposed hike in power tariff and revising property tax rates.

The protests, led by former state ministers responding to a call by the party's interim general secretary K Palaniswami, was also to condemn the ruling DMK for not fulfilling all its poll promises.

8:19 PM

383 new Covid cases reported in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir on Monday registered 383 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the infection tally in the Union territory to 4,60,558, officials said. While 146 cases were reported from Jammu division, 237 were from the Kashmir valley, they said.

 

The death toll due to the virus stood at 4,763 as no fresh fatality was reported, the officials said. There are 3,379 active cases of the disease in the Union territory at present, while the number of recoveries has reached 4,52,416, they said.

8:03 PM

Rs 494 crore FDI received in defence sector since revising policy: Govt

India has received around Rs 494 crore of foreign direct investment in the defence sector since revising the policy relating to it in September 2020, the government said in Lok Sabha on Monday. In the last few years, the government has taken a series of measures to boost domestic defence manufacturing, PTI reported.

 

In 2020, the government announced increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit from 49 per cent to 74 per cent under the automatic route and up to 100 per cent through the government route in the defence sector.

 

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the total FDI inflow into the defence sector was approximately Rs 494 crore since the notification on the revised policy was issued.

7:53 PM

LPG cylinder carriers of IOC in NE on indefinite strike from Monday

The North-East Packed LPG Transporter Association (NEPLTA) has called for an indefinite strike starting Monday, protesting against several issues, including the latest tender floated by Indian Oil Corporation.

 

The association, which transports cylinders from bottling plants to dealers, has voiced opposition against floating of the new tender at a lower amount than 2011 rates and non-refund of toll charges, among other issues.

 

"The IOC authority cancelled the previous tender for carrying LPG cylinders as per direction of the Union Petroleum Ministry. Thereafter, IOC invited us at various places to find out ways to remove suspicion in the minds of existing transporters," NEPLTA president Niranjan Mahanta told PTI.

7:22 PM

Mandatory for all health facilities to notify any suspect case of monkeypox: Delhi govt

7:20 PM

Rs 14,820 cr tax demand raised under black money law on foreign income: Govt

The government on Monday said it has raised a tax demand of Rs 14,820 crore after completing assessment in 368 cases under the black money law dealing with undisclosed foreign income.

 

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in the cases related to deposits made in unreported foreign bank accounts in HSBC, undisclosed income of more than Rs 8,468 crore have been brought to tax and penalty of over Rs 1,294 crore has been levied.

 

The minister further informed the House that 648 disclosures involving undisclosed foreign assets worth Rs 4,164 crore were made in the one-time three months compliance window, which closed on September 30, 2015, under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.

7:06 PM

Japan confirms its first Monkeypox case

Japan reported its first case of Monkeypox on Monday in Tokyo with a 30-year-old man testing positive, local media reported citing a government source. According to Kyodo News, the government officials, earlier in the day, held a meeting to discuss measures needed to respond to a possible outbreak of Monkeypox.

 

On July 23, WHO declared Monkeypox a global health emergency.

 

"I have decided that the global Monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said in a briefing.

6:52 PM

Monkeypox cases are being reported from multiple countries: WHO

6:52 PM

Sonia Gandhi's second round of ED questioning expected on Tuesday

Congress President Sonia Gandhi is expected to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday for her second round of questioning in the money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper.

 

She is expected to depose before the federal probe agency around noon on July 26 for recording of her statement by the ED investigating officer, officials said. Initially, she was summoned by the agency on Monday but it was deferred by a day.

 

The 75-five-year old Gandhi was questioned for over two hours during her first day of questioning in the case on July 21 where she replied to 28 questions put forth by the agency, that is probing alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper.

6:24 PM

Centre made Rs 16 trillion through the excise duty: Raghav Chadha

The Centre made Rs 16 trillion through the excise duty imposed on fuel between 2016 and 2022. The Centre doesn't even want to address inflation in the parliament, said Raghav Chadha, AAP MP

 

They are trying to suppress the voices of the Opposition. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the PM, the Opposition was treated with the same respect as the ruling govt. The present-day BJP should take a leaf out of the book of PM Vajpayee's BJP, he added.

5:50 PM

Ideologies have their own place but, country is first, society is first, nation is first: PM Modi

It is the responsibility of every political party that opposing a party or an individual should not turn against the country. Ideologies have their own place but, country is first, society is first, nation is first, said PM Narendra Modi

5:49 PM

NHRC issues notice to DG Prisons, Bihar over allegations of poor quality of food being served

5:46 PM

Plea on audit of advertisement expenditure incurred by Delhi govt; SC asks petitioner to move HC

The Supreme Court Monday asked a petitioner, who was seeking an audit of the advertisement expenditure incurred by the Delhi government, to approach the high court here.

The apex court observed that these are matters with which the high courts are competent to deal.

5:24 PM

DGCA conducts spot checks on 48 SpiceJet aircraft; finds no major safety violation: Govt

Aviation regulator DGCA conducted 53 spot checks on 48 SpiceJet aircraft between July 9 and July 13 but it did not find any major safety violations, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said Monday.

"However, as a safety measure, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered SpiceJet to use certain identified aircraft (10) for operations only after confirming to the regulator that all reported defects/malfunctions are rectified," Singh said in his written reply in Rajya Sabha.

5:22 PM

Govt refutes Oppn's allegations of not giving appropriate seat to Mallikarjun Kharge

The government on Monday refuted Opposition's allegations of not giving appropriate seat to Mallikarjun Kharge during swearing-in ceremony of President Droupadi Murmu, saying that the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha was given seat in front row at par with Cabinet ministers.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted a letter written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, saying that Kharge was made to sit in a seat not commensurate with the position he holds.

5:14 PM

Big day for democracy as new President from tribal community sworn in: PM Modi

Today is a very big day for our democracy as the new President has been sworn in. For the first time after independence, a woman from tribal community is going to lead our country, said PM Narendra Modi addressing a programme marking the 10th death anniversary of late Harmohan Singh Yadav

 

When the country's democracy was crushed during the Emergency, all the major parties came together and fought to save the Constitution. Chaudhary Harmohan Singh Yadav Ji was also a fighting soldier of that struggle, he added.

4:05 PM

4 Congress MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for entire session

4 Congress MPs have been suspended from Lok Sabha for entire after protests, slogans against price hike

3:20 PM

Murmu's election is testimony to vibrancy of Indian democracy: Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday congratulated Droupadi Murmu on being sworn in as the 15th President of India, saying her election to the highest office is a testimony to the vibrancy and strength of Indian democracy.

He also extended his best wishes to her for a successful and fulfilling tenure as the "First Citizen" of India.

"Heartiest congratulations to Smt Droupadi Murmu ji on being sworn in as the 15th President of India. Her election to the highest office is a testimony to the vibrancy and strength of Indian democracy," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu.

3:18 PM

Congress calls meet ahead of Sonia Gandhi's second appearance at ED

A day ahead of Sonia Gandhi's appearance at the Enforcement Directorate office here, the Congress on Monday has called a meeting of the party leaders to prepare for protests. The party has asked its workers to hold a peaceful 'satyagraha'.

The meeting will be held in the evening and leaders have been asked to attend to discuss strategy on the issue.

2:52 PM

Govt ready to discuss issues raised by Oppn MPs: Om Birla tells protesting members

The government is ready to discuss issues raised by the Opposition MPs, people want Parliament to function, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla tells protesting members

 

2:51 PM

CBI arrests 4 for duping people for Rs 100 cr for giving them RS seats

CBI arrests four persons for allegedly duping a number of people to the tune of Rs 100 cr on the pretext of falsely assuring them for an arrangement of seats in Rajya Sabha, appointment as Governor, appointment as Chairman in different govt orgs under Central govt, reports ANI quoting CBI sources

2:24 PM

Lok Sabha adjourned till 3pm amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs

The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 3 pm amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs

 

2:10 PM

Every word in her speech had a meaning: Gehlot on Murmu's speech

"Every word in her speech had a meaning. I am very impressed," says Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on President Droupadi Murmu's address.
"The views expressed by a tribal woman are commendable. I hope she meets the commitment she made to the nation today," Gehlot says. 

1:49 PM

Bengaluru Police arrests suspected terrorist, further investigation underway

Bengaluru Police arrests a suspected terrorist belonging to a terrorist organisation, further investigation is underway. His local accomplices have been interrogated by police, says Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra

 

1:18 PM

Trainee aircraft crashes in Pune's Kadbanwadi, pilot injured

A trainee aircraft crashed in a farm in Kadbanwadi village of Indapur taluka in Pune district today around 11.30am. 22-yr-old trainee pilot, Bhavika Rathod injured. Probe initiated, reports ANI.

 

1:08 PM

Vivo India indulged in money laundering to destabilise India's financial system: ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) tells the Delhi High Court through an affidavit that Vivo India indulged in money laundering to destabilise the financial system and challenge the integrity and sovereignty of the country.