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.