Highlights: PM Modi, other BJP leaders meet to pick candidates for LS polls

From Kejriwal's arrest to portfolio allocation in Haryana govt, catch all the latest news from around the world here

8:45 PM

LS polls: None of my sons are in politics; BJP workers have a right over my political legacy, says Gadkari

"None of my sons are in politics. I told my sons that if they want to join politics, they should first paste posters on walls and work at the ground level. BJP workers have a right over my political legacy," said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at a rally in Nagpur. 

8:43 PM

Watch: CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife, Sunita, leaves ED office after meeting her husband

8:24 PM

LIVE: EAM Jaishankar urges Singapore's biz community to invest in India's semiconductor industry

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday briefed Singapore's business community about the strides taken by India in the field of manufacture of semiconductors and appealed to them to invest in this key sector in the country. Jaishankar spoke about how machines for the manufacture of semiconductors have started coming (to India) and also how India is progressing towards establishing the first three plants for this multi-billion dollar industry.

8:08 PM

LIVE updates: Govt allows UAE's Adnoc to export oil from Indian strategic storage

The government has allowed Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) to export crude oil it has stored in underground strategic storages at Mangalore to give operational flexibility to the foreign firm, an order of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Saturday.

At present, crude oil, which is the raw material for producing fuels like petrol and diesel, is not allowed to be exported except through the state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

6:42 PM

Will seek court permission to set up office for Delhi CM Kejriwal in jail, says Bhagwant Mann

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said that if his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal is sent to jail, they will approach the court seeking permission to set up his office in prison to run his government from there. He also asserted that no one can take the place of Kejriwal in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). "It is not written anywhere that a government cannot run from jail," Mann told PTI videos in an interview when asked about the arrest of the Delhi chief minister and AAP chief by the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy case and how he will run his government if he is sent to judicial custody.

6:01 PM

Arvind Kejriwal's plea in HC says his arrest and remand illegal, seeks immediate release from custody: Report

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal moved Delhi HC on Saturday challenging his arrest in liquor scam case. CM Kejriwal's plea in HC says his arrest and remand illegal, and seeks immediate release from custody, PTI reported. 

5:32 PM

Modi's Bhutan visit: A big thank you to my brother PM Modi for visiting Bhutan, says Tshering Tobgay

5:23 PM

Live news: Auto sector giant Maruti Suzuki India acquires over 6 per cent stake in startup Amlgo Labs

Maruti Suzuki India on Saturday said it has acquired over 6 per cent stake in technology startup Amlgo Labs. The startup operates in data analytics, cloud engineering, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist companies in data-driven decision-making. The investment is being made through Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund, an initiative to undertake strategic investments in startups exhibiting high levels of technological innovation, the auto major said in a statement.

4:41 PM

LIVE Moscow attack: Russia detains suspects in an attack that left at least 115 dead in a Moscow concert hall

Russian authorities detained 11 people, state media reported on Saturday, after gunmen stormed a concert hall in Moscow in a grisly attack that left at least 115 people dead. Russia's Investigative Committee said four of those detained were directly involved in the attack that left the sprawling shopping mall and music venue smoldering with a collapsed roof. Russian agencies appeared to suggest the attack was linked to Ukraine even though the Islamic State group claimed responsibility in a statement. A US intelligence official told The Associated Press that US agencies had confirmed that that group was responsible for the attack.

3:41 PM

LIVE updates: India summons German deputy chief of mission to protest country's comments on Kejriwal's arrest

India on Saturday summoned the German deputy chief of mission here and lodged a strong protest against the country's foreign ministry's remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The German envoy Georg Enzweiler was summoned by officials in the external affairs ministry and told that the German Foreign Ministry's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest were an interference in India's judicial process and any "biased assumptions" were "most unwarranted", an MEA official said. A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson had "taken note" of Kejriwal's arrest.

3:06 PM

Uttarakhand govt to translocate four tigers to Rajasthan, says official

The Uttarakhand government has agreed to translocate four tigers to Rajasthan following a request from the authorities of the western state.

 

2:20 PM

Congress like a well-established firm with fluctuating mcap; BJP only a startup: Jairam

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh compared his party to a "well-established company" whose market capitalisation keeps fluctuating and asserted that it will stage a comeback. BJP, on the other hand, Ramesh said, is like a startup. 

2:00 PM

BJP has become dictatorial, arresting Oppn leaders, freezing their bank accounts: Atishi

BJP has become dictatorial, arresting Oppn leaders, freezing their bank accounts, said AAP leader and Delhi minsiter Atishi Marlen at the Shahidi Park protest on Saturday.

1:59 PM

Punjab CM Mann attacks BJP, says they have crossed all limits

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann participated at Aam Aadmi Party's protest at Shahidi Park. At the protest, Mann said that BJP has crossed all the limits and has used agencies like enforcement directorate to curtail democracy. 

1:09 PM

Himachal Pradesh: Cong's 6 rebel MLAs join BJP in presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur

12:54 PM

Office space demand to rise 35% in 6 cities; double in Hyderabad: Colliers

Demand for office space across six major cities continues to be strong, with gross leasing of workspaces expected to rise 35 per cent annually in the January-March quarter, according to Colliers India.

12:36 PM

Chinese coast guard ships blast Philippine boat with water cannon

In the latest confrontation near a disputed South China Sea shoal, two Chinese coast guard warships fired at a Philippine supply boat with water cannon on Saturday, the attack caused heavy damage to the wooden vessel, Philippine officials said.

12:10 PM

Death toll in Sangrur spurious liquor case rises to 20; SIT formed

Death toll due to the suspected consumption of spurious liquor in Punjab's Sangrur district has reached twenty, with six more persons succumbing, officials said.

 

12:02 PM

AAP leaders pay floral tributes to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev at Shahidi Park

AAP Ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Gopal Rai and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann pay floral tribute to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev at Shaheed Park, on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas.

12:00 PM

I-T dept searches premises linked to AAP's Delhi MLA Gulab Yadav, others

The Income Tax department on Saturday launched searches against AAP MLA Gulab Singh Yadav and some others individuals in Delhi as part of a tax evasion investigation.

 

11:22 AM

EAM Jaishankar to visit Singapore from March 23-25; to meet PM Lee Hsien Loong

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be on a three-day visit to Singapore starting Saturday. During the visit, he will meet the top leaders of the country, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

11:05 AM

CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal to hold a press conference today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal is scheduled to hold a press conference today, ANI reported.

11:02 AM

Money trail in so-called excise policy scam leads to BJP, JP Nadda should be questioned: Atishi

AAP's Atishi also challenged the Enforcement Directorate to file a case against the BJP, saying the money trail of the so-called excise policy scam leads to the saffron party. She alleged that the BJP received "proceeds of crime" in its bank accounts and said the central agency should investigate the matter with BJP's chief JP Nadda.

10:59 AM

CM Kejriwal's arrest based on statement of one Sharad P Reddy, says Atishi

The AAP leader also said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday merely based on the statement of one Sharad P Reddy of Aurobindo Pharma, who was arrested by the ED in November in connection with the excise policy case. He gave crores of rupees to the BJP through electoral bonds, she claimed.

 

 

10:47 AM

Atishi draws link between Kejriwal's arrest and electoral bond money, accuses BJP of foulplay

Delhi Minister Atishi alongside Saurabh Bhardwaj spoke with the members of the press, where Atishi said, "In the so-called excise policy scam of Delhi, CBI and ED investigations have been going on for the past two years. In these two years, a question has come up again and again - Where is the money trail? Where did the money go?...No proceeds of crime were recovered from any leader, minister or worker of AAP...Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in the same case two days back on the basis of the statement of just one person - Sharat Chandra Reddy. He is the owner of Aurobindo Pharma."

She further added, "He was summoned on 9th November 2022 for questioning. He clearly said that he never met or spoke with Arvind Kejriwal and has nothing to do with AAP. As soon as he said that, he was arrested the next day by the ED. After being in jail for several months, Reddy changed his statement. He said that he met Arvind Kejriwal and spoke with him over the excise policy matter. He was granted bail as soon as he said that. But where is the money? Where is the money trail?", ANI posted on X.

10:29 AM

PM Narendra Modi leaves for India after fruitful two-day visit to Bhutan

Prime Minister Modi has departed for India after his two-day visit to Bhutan. On his visit, PM Modi assured Bhutan of New Delhi's support in its quest for development and vowed to provide Rs 10,000 crore to the Himalayan nation over the next five years.

10:17 AM

AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj accuse BJP of corruption using electoral bonds

Aitishi Marlena accused BJP of using electoral bonds to make financial gains through corrupt means. Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj named Aurobinda Pharma in the matter.

10:11 AM

CM Kejriwal arrest: AAP leader Atishi Marlena conducts press conference

Delhi minister Atishi Marlena is speaking with the members of the press after the Delhi CM Kejriwal was arrested on Friday. Marlena accused BJP of using electoral bonds to make financial gains.

10:01 AM

Security personnel patrol central Delhi amid AAP's call for protest at Shahidi Park

Security arrangements have been tightened in the central Delhi area on Saturday as the ruling AAP plans to gather at Shaheedi Park to protest the arrest of its supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. The party has announced that it will conduct an exclusive press conference this morning.

9:44 AM

With 35 pirates it apprehended near Somalia, Navy warship reaches Mumbai

Indian navy Warship INS Kolkata, carrying 35 pirates who were apprehended in an operation off the coast of Somalia, reached Mumbai on Saturday morning, the Navy informed. These pirates have been handed over to the Mumbai police.