PTI HIGHLIGHTS AT 1700 HRS

Following are the top PTI stories at 1700 hours:
STORIES IN THE PIPELINE:
-Amit Shah's rally in Bantwal, Karnataka. -Congress briefing in New Delhi.
STORIES ON THE WIRE:
NATION:
DEL8

ROTOMAC-ITX-ATTACH
Rotomac bank fraud: I-T dept attaches 11 bank accounts
New Delhi: After the CBI and the ED, the Income Tax Department steps up action against the Rotomac group and its promoters. attaching 11 bank accounts in connection with an alleged tax evasion probe against them, officials say.
DEL11
BIZ-TRUMP JR-INDIA
India substantially above board than China, says Trump Jr
New Delhi: Donald Trump Junior, the eldest son of US President Donald Trump, says India is "substantially above board" for business compared to China, and reforms underway will help attract investments to Asia's third largest economy from countries like the US.

DEL
CAB-MAHANADI-LD TRIBUNAL
Mahanadi row: Cabinet nod to set up tribunal to resolve water dispute
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet approves the setting up of a tribunal to resolve the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the sharing of Mahanadi river water, official sources say.
DEL9
JK-CENTRALJAIL-MILITANCY
Srinagar Central Jail hub of militant recruitment: JK CID report
Srinagar: The Srinagar Central Jail is a hub for recruiting militants with inmates establishing a "parallel administrative" set-up, ignored by local police despite warnings by prison authorities, says a report by the Jammu and Kashmir CID. By Sumir Kaul
DEL16
CVC-BANKS-CORRUPT-OFFICERS
Banks sit over CVC's request to prosecute corrupt officers

New Delhi: The Punjab National Bank and two other banks are sitting over the CVC's multiple requests seeking sanction to prosecute nine of their senior officers allegedly involved in corruption, reveals data from the anti-corruption watchdog. By Ashwini Shrivastava
DEL18
BIZ-CAB-LD COAL
Govt clears opening up of commercial coal mining to pvt firms
New Delhi: In a major reform in the coal sector since its nationalisation in 1973, the government allows private companies to mine the fossil fuel for commercial use, ending the monopoly of the state-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL).
DEL10
DL-CS-LD MLAS
CS allegedly manhandled by AAP MLAs, CM Office and party rubbish claim

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash allegedly manhandled by a few AAP MLAs at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, an official says, even as the chief minister's office dismissed the accusation as "bizarre and baseless".
DEL4
BSF-PAK-DRUG SMUGGLER
Pak drug smuggler killed; 10 kg narcotics, arms seized along IB: BSF
Amritsar: A Pakistani drug smuggler was killed and 10 kg of narcotics as well as arms and ammunition seized along the Indo-Pak International Border (IB) in Punjab, the BSF say.
DEL17
CAB-RAIL-NAXAL
Naxal-affected Malkangiri to get 1st railway line by 2022: Goyal
New Delhi: Odisha's Naxal-affected Malkangiri is set to get its first railway line by 2022 with the Union Cabinet giving its nod to the project that is expected to cost over Rs 2,676 crore, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announces.

CAL2
OD-DEF-MISSILE
India test fires medium range nuclear capable Agni-II missile
Balasore (Odisha): India test-fires its medium range nuclear capable Agni-II missile with a strike range of 2,000 km from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast, Defence sources say.
BOM4
AP-RAPE-ARREST
Sri Lankan among 2 executives held for raping employee in AP
Visakhapatnam: A Sri Lankan national was among two senior executives of a private company arrested for allegedly raping a woman employee of the firm, an official says.
LEGAL:
LGD10
SC-ASSAM-NRC
Assam citizenship: SC refuses to extend deadline to publish final NRC
New Delhi:The Supreme Court refuses to extend the deadline for publication of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and directed the Centre to complete the work by May 31.

FOREIGN:
FGN10
NEPAL-COMMUNISTS-MERGER
Kathmandu: Nepal's CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre merge and form a new powerful bloc after they secure a sweeping majority in the historic federal and provincial polls.