Latest LIVE: K. Kavitha joins ED probe in Delhi Excise Policy scam case

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5:52 PM

Railways Land for Job Scam: Police searches 24 locations at various places in Delhi NCR, Patna, Mumbai, Ranchi

Based on the specific intelligence inputs, searches were conducted at 24 locations at various places in Delhi NCR, Patna, Mumbai and Ranchi in the Railways Land for Job Scam. Searches resulted in recovery of unaccounted cash of Rs 1 Crore, foreign currency including USD 1900, 540 gms gold bullion and more than 1.5 kg of gold jewellery (worth Rs 1.25 crores approximately), several other incriminating documents including various property documents, sale deeds etc held in the names of family members and benamidaars indicating illegal accretion of huge land bank and electronic devices.

4:32 PM

DCW to issue notice against men for molesting Japanese woman during Holi celebrations

"A video went viral on the internet where some men were applying Holi colours to a Japanese woman, she was feeling harassed, molested and screaming for help. Those men didn't stop. We are issuing notice to Delhi police. Those men should be identified & put behind jail," said DCW chief Swati Maliwal.

 

3:00 PM

'Infodemic' of misinformation and lies killed thousands across world: Anurag Thakur on Covid-19

Union minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday described the spread of misinformation and lies during the Covid-19 pandemic as "infodemic", and said thousands of people lost their lives due to it across the world.

Thakur was speaking at the Youth 20 (Y20) consultation meeting organised at a private university in Pune city. Y20 is an official consultation forum for youth from all G20 member countries to be able to dialogue with each other.

Talking about mental health issues, Thakur said, "More than a pandemic, it was an infodemic because of the spread of lies and misinformation. And it led to the loss of thousands and thousands of lives across the world."

2:55 PM

Assam to have south east Asia's largest cancer research facility

Assam will soon have a cancer research centre which is believed to be the largest in South Asia, officials said on Saturday.

The cancer facility has been planned to be built in Kamrup rural district's Amingaon area.

According to state health department officers, once the centre comes up, Assam would represent the northeastern states on the world map of research hubs as a result of the state-of-the art facility here.

2:45 PM

Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Hyderabad, Thrissur Sunday to attend rally

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Telangana and Kerala on Sunday during which he will attend the CISF raising day celebrations in Hyderabad and address a rally at Thrissur besides attending other programmes, officials said on Saturday.

 

The home minister will be the chief guest at the 54th raising day parade of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the National Industrial Security Academy in Hyderabad. This is for the first time the CISF is holding its raising day celebrations outside the Delhi-NCR as per the government's recommendation to hold such events in different locations across the country, an official said.

2:27 PM

PM Modi meets US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, who was in India from March 7-10, the Prime Minister's Office said on Saturday.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister's Office tweeted, "US Secretary of Commerce @SecRaimondohad a fruitful meeting with PM @narendramodi yesterday."

2:15 PM

Bomb kills 1, wounds 5 at press award event in Afghanistan

A bomb exploded on Saturday during an award ceremony for journalists in Afghanistan's Mazar-e- Sharif city, killing at least one person and wounded five others, a Taliban police spokesman said.

The blast occurred at the Tabian Farhang center in Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, as journalists gathered for the award event at 11 am, said Mohammad Asif Waziri, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for Balkh police

1:47 PM

Bengal, UNICEF focus on community participation to end child marriage

The West Bengal government and UNICEF have unveiled tools to give impetus to their joint initiative focusing on community participation for ending child marriage, gender inequality and gender-based violence.

West Bengal State Rural Livelihood Mission (WBSRLM), under the aegis of the 'Anandadhara' project, has engaged Self-Help Groups (SHG) since September last year to form child-friendly sanghas' (clusters) to end child marriage and other deprivations meted out on the children in the state.

1:34 PM

NITI Aayog's AIM ties up with Australia's science agency CSIRO for cooperation on innovations

NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission and Australia's national science agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have joined hands to encourage cooperation on innovations in areas of national challenges and shared priorities, an official statement said on Saturday.

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and CSIRO have signed a letter of intent to drive innovation activities in areas of national challenges and shared priorities of both countries, the statement said.

1:11 PM

Delhi Police recovers medicines from farmhouse where actor Satish Kaushik attended party day before his death

The Delhi Police has recovered some medicines from a farmhouse where actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik had attended a party a day before he died due to a heart attack, officials said on Saturday.

 

Kaushik (66) died after suffering the heart attack while he was on his way to a Gurugram hospital in the early hours of Thursday.

1:09 PM

Delhi Police receives Satish Kaushik's postmortem report, probe into demise to continue

Delhi Police on Saturday after recieving the post mortem report of Satish Kaushik again visited the farmhouse where the verteran actor had partied on Holi before he passed away earlier this week.

After they recieved the late actor's postmortem report, Delhi Police reached the farmhouse again and analysed CCTV footage, according to police sources

12:47 PM

Need to reorient skill infrastructure system: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stressed the need to reorient the skill infrastructure system according to the needs of Lord Vishwakarma.

The Prime Minister addressed a Post Budget Webinar on the subject of 'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman'

12:28 PM

Land-for-job scam: Tejashwi to skip CBI's probe, seeks more time

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has sought more time from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to join the probe in connection with the land-for-job scam, citing his wife's health issues.

The CBI had summoned him to join the probe on Saturday to record his statement in the case.

12:14 PM

Net direct tax collection reaches Rs 13.73 trn, 83% of revised estimate for FY23

Net direct tax collection so far this fiscal grew 17 per cent to reach Rs 13.73 trillion, which is 83 per cent of the revised target for the full financial year, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said on Saturday.

The growth in direct tax mop-up, which comprises personal income tax and corporate taxes, was driven by PIT collections.

11:45 AM

India logs 456 new Covid-19 infections, active case tally rises to 3,406

India recorded 456 new coronavirus infections, pushing the tally to 4.46 crore, while the active cases increased to 3,406, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.

The death toll stands at 530,780 with one death reported in Gujarat, data updated by the ministry at 8 am stated.

11:31 AM

Bihar govt asks depts to prioritise state-manufactured goods

As part of its efforts to promote domestically manufactured goods, the Bihar government has directed all state-controlled bodies to accord priority and provide price preference to products manufactured by industrial units located within the state.

 

In a circular issued to all corporations and autonomous bodies, the department of industries has asked them to strictly follow the state's 'Purchase Preference Policy-2002' and 'The Bihar Finance (Amendment) Rules, 2005' during government procurements.

11:22 AM

You can trouble me by putting me in jail but cannot break my spirit: Manish Sisodia

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has sent a message from the Tihar jail, saying imprisonment may pose difficulties for him but it cannot break his spirit.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) too earlier this week.

11:00 AM

PM Modi addresses post-Budget webinar on PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman

After the announcement of PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman, there were extensive discussions, newspapers & economice experts took note of it. The mere announcement has become a centre of attraction: PM Modi at the post-budget webinar on ‘PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM VIKAS)’

 

10:41 AM

Land-for-jobs scam: CBI summons Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav for questioning

The CBI has summoned Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to appear for questioning in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam on Saturday, officials said.

10:18 AM

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin slams governor for returning anti-gambling bill

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday slammed Governor RN Ravi for returning the online gambling prohibition bill four months after it was passed by the State legislature.

 

On Wednesday, the Governor sent back the bill to prohibit online gambling and to regulate online games in the State. The Governor sent back the bill after four months and has sought further clarifications regarding the bill.

10:01 AM

Delhi excise policy case: KCR's daughter Kavitha to appear before ED today

As Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha, is scheduled to appear before the Enforcement Directorate today for questioning in connection to the Delhi liquor policy case, the party workers and supporters have gathered outside the residence of KCR in the national capital.

 

Earlier on Friday, Kavitha launched a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the national capital demanding the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill in the current Budget session of Parliament.

9:49 AM

36% of senior positions in India's mid-market held by women: Report

At least 36 per cent of senior management positions are now being held by women in India's mid-market businesses, a report has revealed.

With 36 per cent of women in leadership roles, India is ahead of the BRICS (34 per cent) and G7 (30 per cent) averages.

9:34 AM

Drugs worth over Rs 50 crore seized in Meghalaya last year, highest in state's history: DGP

Drugs worth over Rs 50 crore were seized in Meghalaya in 2022, the highest in the state's 50-year history, Director-General of Police (DGP) LR Bishnoi said.

A total of 234 people, including traffickers, were arrested in drugs-related cases last year, he told PTI.

9:14 AM

Sitharaman, Farrell discuss opportunities to deepen India-Australia ties

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday discussed opportunities for deepening New Delhi-Canberra economic cooperation with Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell.

 

"Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Mr. Don Farrell, today in New Delhi to discuss opportunities for deepening India-Australia economic cooperation," tweeted Ministry of Finance.

9:00 AM

Pak FM Bilawal admits Islamabad unable to get Kashmir attention at UN

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has admitted that Islamabad has been unable to get Kashmir to the "centre" of the UN agenda and India's diplomacy is able to scuttle its efforts.

 

"We face a particularly uphill task to try and get Kashmir onto the centre of the agenda at the United Nations," he said on Friday at a news conference here

8:46 AM

Kavitha on strike to divert attention from other issues: Jairam Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that the hunger strike launched by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter and BRS MLC K Kavitha at Jantar Mantar in the national capital is an attempt to divert attention from other issues.

 

Jairam said the Rajya Sabha passed the women's reservation bill on March 10 in 2010, 13 years ago. Any bill passed in Rajya Sabha never lapses. 13 years have passed. We didn't have the majority and BJP was reluctant to support us.

8:31 AM

Delhi LG swings in action on DERC's advice to 'restrict' power subsidy

Delhi LG V K Saxena has asked Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to direct the power department to place the DERC advisory on restriction of power subsidy before the council of ministers and take a decision within 15 days.

 

The LG made the instruction on the basis of a DERC's statutory advisory to the Delhi government to consider "restricting" electricity subsidy to the "poor and needy consumers." However the advisory was put in abeyance.

 

8:24 AM

Amid renewed Iran-Saudi ties, here are nations that could be impacted by it

A deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic ties has wide-reaching effects across the Middle East and beyond, and reduces the chance of armed conflict between regional rivals.

8:24 AM

Odisha CM Patnaik inaugurates Birsa Munda Stadium, hockey centres

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday inaugurated multiple sports projects in Sundergarh district, famed for producing many national and international hockey players and athletes.

 

Patnaik, during his two day visit to Rourkela, inaugurated projects including the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium Complex in Rourkela and three Hockey Training Centres in Bisra, Lahunipara and Manchmara in Sundergarh district.