LIVE news updates: Two Maoist operatives charged in BJP leader's murder case

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The National Investigation Agency has chargesheeted two operatives of the banned CPI (Maoist) terror outfit in the murder case of BJP leader Ratan Dubey in Chhattisgarh in 2023, officials said on Friday. Shivanand Nag and his father Narayan Prasad Nag have been named in the second supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA special court at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, they said. The duo was found to have been actively involved in the criminal conspiracy related to Dubey's brutal killing, a statement issued by the agency said.

 

The Nags were active operatives of CPI (Maoist) and had a past political, business and personal rivalry with Dubey, according to the agency's probe.

 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Friday paid homage to former prime minister Manmohan Singh on his birth anniversary. They remembered him as a man of humility and wisdom, and for his historic contribution to building a strong economy. In a post on X, Kharge said they remember the contribution of Singh in nation-building. He was a gentle architect of India's economic transformation.

 

"A man of humility and wisdom, he carried himself with quiet dignity, letting his actions speak louder than his words. His vision of economic reforms opened new doors of opportunity, creating a thriving middle class and lifting countless families out of poverty," the Congress chief said.

 

He said Singh believed deeply in fairness and inclusivity, ensuring that growth went hand in hand with compassion through welfare measures that touched the lives of millions. His leadership showed us that integrity in public life is not just possible, but powerful, Kharge noted in his post.

 

"For generations of Indians, he will remain an enduring symbol of honesty, intellect, and selfless service to the nation. His legacy will live on in the aspirations of a stronger, more inclusive India. Our humble homage on his birth anniversary," Kharge said.

 

Rahul Gandhi, in a separate post on X, said on the birth anniversary of former prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, he pays his humble respects to him.

3:16 PM

US tariffs would hit Germany-based drugmakers hard: Germany's pharma lobby

Germany's VFA association of pharmaceutical companies said on Friday that US government plans to impose duties of 100 per cent on imported branded medicines would hit Germany-based pharmaceutical businesses hard and would violate previous transatlantic trade agreements.

12:49 PM

Denmark warns Russian sabotage likely as another drone suspected

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned Danes to brace for more hybrid attacks, pointing to Russia as Europe's main security threat, just before a suspected drone sighting disrupted air traffic in Denmark for the third time in a week. Authorities still cannot conclude who is behind several drone incidents across Danish airport in recent days, but Russia remains Europe's main adversary, seeking to destabilise the continent.

12:16 PM

It's our right to ask for more seats, share in power from DMK, says Ex-Cong chief Alagiri

Former TNCC chief K S Alagiri has claimed that it was his party's right to ask ally DMK to allocate more Assembly seats to the party for contesting in next year's election and also to demand a share in power. The Congress, he said, deserved a representation matching its aspiration.

11:54 AM

Schools jobs case: Calcutta High Court grants bail to former Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee

The Calcutta High Court on Friday granted bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with the teacher recruitment irregularities case. The bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh directed Chatterjee to surrender his passport and not leave the jurisdiction of the trial court, as conditions of the jail.

11:12 AM

PM Modi to launch Bihar scheme, Rs 10,000 to reach 750,000 women

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday launch Bihar’s Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which Rs 10,000 each will be transferred to the bank accounts of 75 lakh women. The Rs 7,500-crore scheme, an initiative of the Bihar NDA government, aims to promote women’s empowerment through self-employment and livelihood opportunities.

11:01 AM

Trump's 100 pc tariff on pharma will not impact generic makers: IPA

Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) on Friday said US President Donald Trump's move to impose 100 per cent import tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs from October 1 will impact only patented and branded products, not generic medicines. Reacting to the development, IPA Secretary General Sudarshan Jain said in a statement, "It is not applicable to generics medicines." Trump's statement refers to patented and branded products supplied to US, he added.