HIGHLIGHTS AT 2150 HOURS

Following are the top PTI stories at 2145 hours:

NATION

DEL36 CBI-DIRECTOR-2NDLD APPOINTMENT

Former MP Police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla appointed CBI Director

New Delhi: Ending speculation, the government appointed former Madhya Pradesh Police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla as the Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), weeks after controversial removal of Alok Kumar Verma from the post.

BOM3 MH-ARREST-2ND LD TELTUMBDE

Court terms Anand Teltumbde's arrest illegal, orders release

Pune: In an embarrassment for the Pune police, a sessions court here termed Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde's arrest in the Elgar Parishad case as "illegal", and ordered that he should be released immediately.

 

CAL31 WB-LD MODI

Mamata govt 'killing' people's aspirations,indulging in extortion: Modi

Thakurnagar/Durgapur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted a no-holds-barred attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of "killing" the aspirations of the middle class and claiming her party TMC was known for "Triple T--Trinamool Tolabaji Tax", a reference to organised extortion. By Pradipta Tapadar and Amitava Roy

CAL24 WB-MAMATA-CITIZENSHIP BILL

Will oppose Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Centre will have to withdraw it: Mamata

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said her party would oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, and demanded that the BJP-led government at the Centre withdraw the contentious piece of legislation.

CAL28 WB-MODI-RALLY-LD COMMOTION

Stampede-like situation forces Modi to cut short his speech at WB rally

Thakurnagar (WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his speech at a rally here in North 24 Parganas district after a stampede-like situation broke out at the venue in which many people were injured.

CAL27 WB-MAMATA-MODI

Modi, Rajnath should worry about winning own seats before talking of Bengal: Mamata

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh should worry about winning their own Lok Sabha seats before dreaming of victory in West Bengal.

CAL26 POL-WB-LD RAJNATH

Centre will use technology to seal B'desh borders in Bengal, Assam: Rajnath

Falakata/Mathabhanga (WB): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre will use technology to seal the international borders with Bangladesh in West Bengal and Assam through an integrated border management system.

MDS2 TN-HONOUR-VICTIM-SUSPENSION

Honour killing survivor sacked for remarks against Constitution

Udhagamandalam (TN): Kausalya, an honour killing survivor, was sacked by the Wellington Cantonment Board for her alleged remarks against the country's Constitution, official sources said.

DEL3 DEF-RIFLE

Defence Ministry approves procurement of 73,000 assault rifles from US

New Delhi: In major move towards infantry modernisation, the Defence Ministry has cleared a long-pending proposal of the Army to procure around 73,000 assault rifles from the US under fast track mode, official sources said.

LEGAL

LGB6 MH-ARREST-3RD LD TELTUMBDE

Court terms Anand Teltumbde's arrest illegal, orders release

Pune: Within hours of Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde's arrest in the Elgar Parishad case, a local court held Pune Police's action had violated the Supreme Court's order and he should be released immediately.

LGD9 DL-COURT-2NDLD VADRA

Money laundering case: Delhi court grants interim bail to Robert Vadra, directs him to join probe

New Delhi: A Delhi court granted interim bail till February 16 to Robert Vadra in a money-laundering case and asked him to appear before the Enforcement Directorate and cooperate in the investigation.

BUISNESS

DEL20 ED-ICICI VIDEOCON-CASE

ICICI-Videocon: ED files money laundering case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a criminal case of money laundering against former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar, her husband Deepak Kochhar, Videocon Group promoter Venugopal Dhoot and others to probe alleged irregularities and corrupt practices in sanctioning of Rs 1,875-crore loans by the bank to the corporate group, officials said.

FOREIGN

DEL15 MEA-INDIAN STUDENTS-2NDLD US

India issues 'demarche' to American Embassy on detention of Indian students in US

New Delhi/Washington: India issued a demarche to the American Embassy in New Delhi, expressing concern over the detention of 129 Indian students in the US, and sought immediate consular access to them.

SPORTS

SPD4 SPO-DAVIS-LD-IND

No grass effect: Italy beat India 3-1 to make World Finals

Kolkata: India lived up to their reputation in doubles but that was not enough as Italy secured a 3-1 triumph after winning the first reverse singles on to storm into the first-ever Davis Cup World Finals.