News updates: Mehul Choksi says 'reasons beyond his control' have prevented his return to India

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11:23 PM

Mehul Choksi says ‘reasons beyond his control' have prevented his return to India

Diamantaire Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the multi-crore PNB scam, has told a special court here that he hasn't been able to return to India “due to reasons beyond his control” and hence cannot be declared a “fugitive economic offender”. The accused has claimed that he didn't leave India to avoid criminal prosecution nor is he refusing to return to the country. He said his passport has been suspended by Indian authorities.

9:49 PM

I'm against tax incentives for EVs: Elon Musk

Tesla founder Elon Musk on Thursday told tech investors gathered in Paris that he was against any tax incentives or tariffs that favour electric cars, just as he was against benefits for oil and gas.
 

"Neither Tesla nor I asked for these tariffs, in fact I was surprised when they were announced", Musk said, referring to such policies recently announced by the United States.

8:59 PM

70 people hospitalised after gas cylinder explodes in Palanpur scrap shop

Several people were admitted to hospital after a gas cylinder exploded in a scrap shop near the Malan Darwaja of Palanpur in Gujarat. "The gas also spread in the area and people faced difficulty in breathing. Around 60-70 people were brought to Palanpur Civil Hospital. One patient is critical and he is on a ventilator. Currently, around 30 patients are still under treatment," says an official of the hospital.

8:58 PM

Reliance, Disney seek India antitrust nod with cricket rights assurance

Reliance Industries and Walt Disney have sought antitrust clearance for their $8.5 billion India media merger by arguing their combined power, especially on cricket broadcasting, will not hit advertisers, two people with direct knowledge told Reuters. 

8:58 PM

Pakistan central bank's forex reserves at $9.15 billion

The Pakistan central bank's foreign exchange reserves rose by $22 million to stand at $9.15 billion in the week ending May 17, up from $9.13 billion in the preceding week, the State Bank of Pakistan said on Thursday.

7:40 PM

Actor Shah Rukh Khan discharged from Ahmedabad hospital

Actor Shah Rukh Khan has been discharged from Ahmedabad's KD Hospital after suffering from heat stroke and dehydration

7:40 PM

Morgan Stanley executive chairman will step down at year end

Morgan Stanley's executive chairman James Gorman will step down on Dec. 31, he told the bank's annual shareholder meeting. The former CEO cited the "successful transition" of his successor Ted Pick into the top job.

6:44 PM

Now, bomb threat at Lady Sri Ram College

Delhi University's prestigious Lady Sri Ram College received a bomb threat on Thursday, officials said, a day after a similar e-mail was received by the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

 

A Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials said a call was received at 4.38 pm and two fire tenders have been pressed into service.

 

The local police, a bomb disposal squad, a bomb detection team have arrived at the spot along with a dog squad and are conducting searches.

 

The officials said they have found nothing suspicious yet.

 

The Lady Sri Ram College becomes the latest prominent establishment to have received a bomb threat.

5:19 PM

Swati Maliwal speaks on victim blaming in an interview with ANI

Member of Rajya Sabha Swati Maliwal spoke to ANI about victim blaming saying, "Nirbhaya was also asked why she did not travel in auto, why did she go out in the night and not in the day? Victim shaming happens with every woman. The sad part is that woman Delhi minister said, 'Her clothes are not torn.' I want Police to conduct my polygraph test so that everything becomes clear."

5:18 PM

IndiGo to launch 'tailor-made' product for busiest routes

Private carrier IndiGo will launch a new tailor-made business product to cater to India's busiest and business routes, Interglobe Aviation said on Thursday. The product will be operational by the end of this year.

4:56 PM

Prajwal should be given harshest punishment under law if found guilty, says Ex-PM Deve Gowda

Ex-PM Deve Gowda asked grandson and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna to return to India and face investigation over sexual abuse allegations, PTI reported today.

4:49 PM

Instructions have been given to party members to assassinate my character: AAP MP Swati Maliwal

 "It is also a fact that despite all this happening till date, I have not received any call from Arvind ji nor has he met me till now. Arvind Ji is protecting the accused. Instructions have been given to every person in the entire party to assassinate my character," AAP MP Swati Maliwal told Smita Prakash today. 

4:35 PM

Iran begins burying late president, foreign minister and others killed in helicopter crash

Iran today prepared to inter its late president at the holiest site for Shiite Muslims in the Islamic Republic, a final sign of respect for a protégé of Iran's supreme leader killed in a helicopter crash earlier this week.

4:31 PM

Feeling very betrayed right now; God forbid anyone ever feels like this: Swati Maliwal

"Cheer Haran mera uss ghar mein hua aur Charitra Haran mera roz chalaya ja raha hai," AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal told Smita Prakash. She added "I am feeling very betrayed right now, by everyone, whatever I am feeling right now, I just wish that God forbid anyone ever feels like this. I have lost everything"

4:12 PM

News update: I was screaming for help but no one came to help me, says Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal

Former DCW chief Swati Maliwal told Smita Prakash in her podcast that allegedly no one came to help her at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence.

3:48 PM

Former minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi appointed as BJD's Balasore district president

The ruling BJD in Odisha on Thursday appointed former minister and Simulia MLA Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi as its Balasore district unit president. Panigrahi's appointment comes after the BJD did not accept his resignation from the primary membership of the party. He was upset after the BJD denied him a party ticket this time to contest from the Simulia assembly segment.

3:46 PM

6 injured in fire after boiler blast in chemical factory in Thane district

At least six workers were injured after a fire broke out following a boiler blast at a chemicals factory at Dombivli in Thane district of Maharashtra on Thursday, an official said.

3:30 PM

Central govt ready to cooperate in bringing back Prajwal Revanna, says minister Pralhad Joshi

 Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday said there is a process to cancel the diplomatic passport of suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexually harassing several women, and asserted that the Centre is ready to cooperate in bringing him back to country. Hitting out at the state government, he questioned why they did not file a case and detain Prajwal, before he left for abroad.

2:45 PM

IMD update: Odisha likely to get isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall on May 26, 27

Heavy rain lashed parts of Kolkata on Thursday morning after the India Meteorological Department issued a cyclone ‘Remal' alert for Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. A low-pressure area was formed over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal yesterday.

 

2:25 PM

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun case: Czech court rejects Indian national Nikhil Gupta's plea against US extradition

The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected a petition by Indian national Nikhil Gupta, detained in a prison in Prague, against his extradition to the US to face murder-for-hire charges in an alleged assassination attempt on a Khalistani extremist on American soil. Gupta, 52, was charged by US federal prosecutors in an indictment unsealed in November last year with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual American and Canadian citizenships, in the US.

2:20 PM

News update: Heavy rains trigger waterlogging in parts of Kerala's Kozhikode

Flights from Kozhikode International Airport have been delayed due to heavy rains, official sources said.

2:01 PM

Calcutta HC order slap in face of those indulged in vote bank politics: Chhattisgarh CM

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday hailed the Calcutta High Court's decision to scrap the OBC status of several classes in West Bengal, calling it a slap in the face of those indulged in appeasement politics through “religion-based” quota.

1:40 PM

Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan seeks live telecast, personal attendance at NAB hearing in SC

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has sought personal appearance and live streaming of the Supreme Court proceedings on his petition seeking to set aside the amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance introduced by the Pakistan Democratic Movement government. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief submitted an application to the top court in this matter through Adiala jail authorities, Dawn News quoted his counsel as saying.

1:17 PM

Russia detains fourth top defence figure for bribe-taking

Russia has detained the deputy head of the army's general staff Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin, on suspicion of large-scale bribe-taking, Russian media reported on Thursday, the latest in a series of arrests of top military officials.

12:49 PM

Swati Maliwal case: Delhi Police defers questioning of Kejriwal's parents

The Delhi Police may not visit Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence on Thursday to question his parents in connection with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal "assault" case, news agency PTI reported citing sources. On Wednesday, Kejriwal had said police were going to question his elderly and ill parents the next day. Sources told PTI police may visit his residence for questioning in the coming days but are not going there on Thursday. 

12:45 PM

Bomb threat mail received by three Bengaluru hotels

A bomb threat mail was sent to three reputed hotels including The Oterra in the city. Teams of Bomb Squad and Police are currently at The Oterra hotel, a police official said.

12:41 PM

Bangladesh MP's friend paid Rs 5 crore to murder him: West Bengal CID

The initial probe into the “murder” of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar revealed that one of his friends had paid around Rs 5 crore to kill the neighbouring country's parliamentarian, a senior police officer said here on Thursday. Anar, who went missing in Kolkata since May 13, was found murdered and three people have been arrested, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan had said on Wednesday.

12:30 PM

Pune boat capsize tragedy: Bodies of 5 found; search on for another victim

The bodies of five out of the six persons, who drowned after their boat capsized in the Ujani dam backwaters in Maharashtra's Pune district, were fished out today morning. "We have fished out five bodies so far - of two men, a woman and two children. A team of the National Disaster Response Force and local administration are working to trace the sixth missing person," an official from Indapur police station said.

12:19 PM

IMD weather today: Red alert for heatwave in north, rain to lash Kerala

IMD has predicted tha heatwave or severe heatwave conditions are very likely in most of West Rajasthan, some parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, East Rajasthan, and West Uttar Pradesh, and in isolated parts of north-west Madhya Pradesh and Delhi from May 22 to May 26. In the meantime, IMD issued a warning for heavy rain in some southern Indian states.

12:18 PM

News update: Delhi police not to question Kejriwal's parents today