Category: TOP STORIES

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the interim bail of Vikas Yadav, a convict in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case, for the next four weeks for post-operative care of his mother.

A Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and K. Vinod Chandran clarified that it will not further extend the interim bail on the poor health condition of the petitioner’s mother.

In an order passed on April 24 this year, the top court, in a relief to Vikas Yadav, who has undergone actual incarceration for 23 years, enlarged him on temporary bail till May 8, 2025. “Only for the purposes of enabling the petitioner to meet his ailing mother and to ensure that appropriate treatment is provided to her for the time being, we grant temporary bail to the petitioner,” had ordered a Bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan.

However, the interim bail was extended from time to time by the apex court. It told Vikas Yadav, the son of Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav, to furnish a bail bond in the sum of Rs one lakh with one local surety in the like amount and to report to the local police station every day at 11 a.m.

It also asked the petitioner not to make any attempt to contact any of the witnesses who have deposed against him, including victim Neelam Katara, the mother of the deceased Nitish Katara, and her immediate relatives.

In its order, the Supreme Court opined that the petitioner’s mother be examined by a medical board of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, and directed submission of the medical report on or before May 7, 2025.

During the period of interim bail, Vikas Yadav was required to confine himself to his residence at Ghaziabad except visiting Yashoda Hospital after his mother was shifted back there from AIIMS Delhi.

In the sensational case, the top court recently granted three months’ furlough to co-convict Sukhdev Yadav alias ‘Pehalwan’, who is serving a 20-year jail term.

Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal Yadav, among others, were convicted and sentenced to 25 years of actual imprisonment without consideration of remission for kidnapping Katara from a marriage party in February 2002 and then killing him for his alleged affair with Vikas’ sister Bharti Yadav.

Katara was murdered as Vishal and Vikas Yadav did not approve of his alleged relationship with Bharti because they belonged to different castes, the trial court had observed in its verdict.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 1 (IANS) The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narvekar, on Tuesday suspended former Speaker and senior Congress legislator Nana Patole for a day for rushing to the podium demanding action against Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate and BJP legislator Babanrao Lonikar for making insensitive statements against the farmers.

After the question hour was over, Patole raised the issue, saying that Agriculture Minister Kokate and BJP legislator Lonikar have repeatedly targeted farmers by making derogatory statements, and they should be reprimanded and asked to apologise.

He and former Leader of Opposition (LoP) Vijay Wadettiwar rushed to the podium demanding action. They were later joined by other opposition members who rose to their feet to protest against the ‘insensitive’ statements of Kokate and Lonikar and raised slogans.

Amid ruckus, the Speaker adjourned the House for five minutes. After the House reassembled, Speaker Rahul Narvekar warned Nana Patole and reminded him of the ruling in his capacity as the Speaker given in the past for snatching the mace placed on the podium. He also asked Nana Patole not to provoke the chair for resorting to stern action. However, despite repeated warnings, Nana Patole continued with his protest and sloganeering, demanding action against Kokate and Lonikar.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened, saying that it is inappropriate on the part of Nana Patole to directly rush to the podium and target the Speaker.

He demanded that Nana Patole, who had been the Speaker earlier, should tender an apology to the chair. But Nana Patole stuck to his guns, refusing to apologise.

Amid the slogan shouting by the opposition, Speaker Rahul Narvekar said that their behaviour was not acceptable, and he will continue with the day’s proceedings. Thereafter, the Speaker reminded his predecessor that he had already announced his ruling suspending him for a day.

In support of Nana Patole, the opposition continued raising slogans demanding action against Kokate and Lonikar. They later staged a noisy walkout and declared to boycott the proceedings of the House for the entire day in protest against Nana Patole’s suspension and the state government’s refusal to reprimand the agriculture minister and the BJP legislator.

Once outside, the opposition leaders continued sloganeering, condemning the derogatory statements by the agriculture minister and the BJP legislator against the farmers. They reiterated their demand for action against them.

Nana Patole and Shiv Sena(UBT) legislator Bhaskar Jadhav said that they will no longer accept the insult to the farmers by the ruling MahaYuti leaders.

–IANS

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Chennai, July 1 (IANS) At least five people were killed in a powerful explosion at the Gokulesh Fireworks Factory located in Chinnakkampatti, near Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast, which occurred during the manufacturing process, also left at least two others injured.

The injured have been admitted to the Sivakasi Government Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for postmortem examination.

Factory workers were engaged in routine work at Gokulesh Fireworks Factory when a powerful blast ripped through the unit. The blast flattened several rooms on the premises.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel from both Sivakasi and Sattur rushed to the spot and are engaged in rescue and containment operations.

Officials suspect that the explosion may have been triggered by the mishandling of explosive chemicals, though the exact cause is yet to be ascertained.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway. The Virudhunagar district administration is coordinating relief and rescue measures.

Sivakasi has witnessed several such tragic incidents in the past, raising concerns about safety practices and regulatory oversight in the region’s fireworks manufacturing units.

Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu is widely known as the hub of the firecracker industry in India. Ninety per cent of firecracker production comes from here. About eight thousand factories are operating in Sivakasi, employing lakhs of people.

There are well-established safety protocols that are often violated even by licensed factories.

Last year, there was a similar blast in Sivakasi in which ten people were killed. Probing authorities have often flagged a lack of space as a crucial factor that contributes to unsafe conditions within the factory premises that cause explosions.

Just a day earlier, a massive explosion in Telangana’s Sangareddy district claimed 36 lives so far. The blast took place at an industrial unit near Hyderabad.

–IANS

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Shimla, July 1 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Police on Tuesday registered a case against state Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh Rana and six others on charges of assaulting a National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official, raising a political storm with the opposition BJP seeking his removal from the Cabinet.

The alleged assault took place after the collapse of a vacant five-story residential building that was close to the under-construction national highway.

The complainant, Achal Jindal, Manager (Technical), NHAI, Shimla, has sustained head injuries and is currently hospitalised.

In his complaint, Jindal said the minister sought information about the building collapse from him, which he provided. However, he said the minister used abusive language against him and then called him and his colleague inside a room where they were beaten up.

He said he was hit with a flower pot on his head, which resulted in severe bleeding. As per the FIR, no one from the administration came to his rescue, and he and his colleague drove to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH) for treatment.

In the wake of the incident, the NHAI Engineers Association (NEA) has demanded action against the accused, including the minister.

“Officer safety is non-negotiable. We stand united,” it said.

Calling the incident shameful and condemnable, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said two NHAI officials were called to the spot in the presence of the minister, police and administration officials and were then beaten up in a closed room.

He has alleged that the officials were assaulted in the presence of a minister at Bhattakuffer, where a building had collapsed.

BJP leader Thakur said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu should take action against the minister and dismiss him from the Cabinet. “This type of anarchy will not be tolerated in the state under any circumstances,” he said in a statement.

He alleged that the most shameful part of the assault was that it happened in front of a senior administrative officer and police personnel, and the victims were not even taken to the hospital.

“The attack on the NHAI officers is an example of declining law and order in the state,” he added.

In his complaint, Jindal said, ‘The minister took us to a nearby room and beat me with a water pitcher, causing head injuries. When Yogesh intervened, he was also assaulted. Despite SDM and police presence, no one helped us.”

Locals blamed the collapse of the building on the excavation and rock-cutting undertaken for a four-lane highway project by the NHAI. However, the NHAI maintains that the building that fell was located outside the project boundary.

A horrific video shows the building collapsing after heavy rain. However, no loss of life was reported as the building had been evacuated after cracks had developed on the structure.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, July 1 (IANS) In a setback to the Karnataka government, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has set aside the suspension order of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash in connection with the June 4 stampede in Bengaluru.

The stampede occurred on June 4 in front of the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team’s IPL victory celebrations.

Eleven people died in the crush and over 50 people were injured.

The order was passed on Tuesday by a CAT Division Bench comprising Justice B.K. Srivastava and Justice Santosh Mehra.

The Bench also directed the state government to reimburse all allowances and restore facilities to the officer.

Senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikas, who was among the five officers suspended in connection with the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, had moved the Central Administrative Tribunal challenging his suspension.

Vikash Kumar Vikash was serving as the Inspector General and Additional Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City (West), moved the tribunal challenging the state government’s suspension orders.

He was deputed as the incharge of the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the stampede occurred. He had contended that the state government had made him a scapegoat in the incident.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on June 5 ordered the suspension of five officers, including those of the Circle Police Inspector of the Cubbon Park Police Station A.K. Girish and Assistant Commissioner of Police C Balakrishna, Deputy Commissioner of Police of central division Shekhar H Tekkannavar, and Commissioner of Police Bengaluru city Dayananda.

Defending the police suspensions, CM Siddaramaiah had said prima facie those who have not fulfilled their responsibility properly have been suspended.

The suspension order said, “It is found that there has been on the face of it substantial dereliction of duty by these officers.”

The Central Administrative Tribunal court in Bengaluru, had earlier issued a notice to the state government over the suspension of the senior IPS officer in connection with the stampede.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, July 1 (IANS) The Congress government in Telangana has claimed victory in its efforts to safeguard the state’s interests after the Central Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) refused to grant clearance to the Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project proposed by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana’s Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that efforts of the Telangana government have borne fruit as the Environment Ministry’s EAC has concluded that environmental clearances cannot be granted for the Polavaram-Banakacherla project.

He noted that the EAC considered the letters written by him, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy to the Centre.

The EAC, which met in Delhi on Monday, made it clear that it will not grant permission for the Polavaram-Banakacherla project. It noted that there have been several objections to the project.

The panel said that the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT) award needs to be examined before granting permission. It opined that it was imperative to consult the Central Water Commission (CWC) for environmental clearances.

Several complaints to EAC had alleged that the project violates the 1980 GWDT judgement. Concerns were also raised about potential submergence in neighbouring states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Revanth Reddy, along with Uttam Kumar Reddy, met Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in Delhi on June 19 and urged him to stop the Banakacherla project

They alleged that Banakacherla is against natural justice and the interests of Telangana and complained that Andhra Pradesh is violating the GWDT and the State Reorganisation Act.

They urged Patil to reject the pre-feasibility report of the Godavari-Banakacherla project and to ensure justice and truth prevail.

The Chief Minister brought to the attention of the Union Minister the various concerns raised by the people and farmers of Telangana over the way the Union Finance Ministry and the Environment Ministry are handling the Banakacherla project approvals.

Revanth Reddy informed Patil that Andhra Pradesh claimed to have proposed the Banakacherla project based on flood waters of Godavari, but the truth was that there are no mentions of flood waters or surplus waters in the GWDT-1980.

Meanwhile, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud stated that Telangana firmly safeguarded its water rights by ensuring strict compliance with inter-state water agreements concerning Banakacherla.

In a post on ‘X’, he noted that EAC, while reviewing the Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project, raised significant concerns over inter-state implications and potential violations of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Award, 1980.

The Committee stressed the need for prior consultation with the CWC to assess water availability and address legal and jurisdictional issues. As a result, the EAC has returned the proposal, advising the proponent to obtain necessary clearances and permissions before proceeding further.

“This marks a key step in Telangana’s assertive stance to protect its rightful share in river waters,” said the state Congress chief.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 1 (IANS) The remittances sent back home by Indians working abroad have registered a 14 per cent rise in the financial year 2024-25 to a record $135.46 billion, according to data compiled by the RBI.

The RBI said the inflows, classified under “private transfers”, accounted for more than 10 per cent of India’s gross current account flows of $1 trillion in FY25.

Personal transfer receipts, mainly representing remittances by Indians employed overseas, rose to $33.9 billion in the January-March quarter of 2024-25 from $31.3 billion in the same quarter of the previous year, RBI data shows.

Indians working abroad sent home a record $129.4 billion in 2024, with the highest ever inflows of $36 billion in the October-December quarter.

India tops the list of recipient countries for remittances in 2024 and is way ahead of second-placed Mexico with $68 billion. China ($48 billion) is in the third spot, followed by the Philippines ($40 billion) and Pakistan ($33 billion), according to figures compiled by World Bank economists.

The growth rate of remittances in the 2024 calendar year is estimated to be 5.8 per cent, compared to 1.2 per cent registered in 2023, according to the World Bank data.

The number of Indians working overseas has tripled from 6.6 million in 1990 to 18.5 million in 2024, with its share in global migrants rising from 4.3 per cent to over 6 per cent during the same period. Indian migrants in the Gulf countries account for around half of the total Indian migrants in the world.

The recovery of the job markets in the high-income countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, has been the key driver of remittances. This is especially true for the United States, where the employment of foreign-born workers has recovered steadily and is 11 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic level seen in February 2020.

Meanwhile, in a big relief to Indian professionals working in the US and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) sending money to India, the updated draft of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act proposed by President Donald Trump has reduced the tax rate on remittances to 1 per cent, down from the 5 per cent proposed initially.

Software services and business services were the other major contributors to India’s current account inflows in FY25, each bringing in over $100 billion. Together with remittances, these three sources accounted for more than 40 per cent of total current account receipts and have helped to keep India’s current account deficit in check.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Tuesday strongly defended the Waqf Amendment Act and lashed out at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for his controversial remarks, accusing him and other Opposition leaders of politicising the issue for electoral gains.

Speaking to IANS, Manjhi said, “Tejashwi Yadav and other Opposition leaders are opposing the Waqf Bill because they believe it targets a particular religion. But this is purely a matter of management. To date, some people have occupied Waqf properties, preventing the benefits from reaching the poor.”

He further stated that Waqf resources could have been used for development if managed correctly.

“If big universities, hospitals, and educational institutions had been established and operated with Waqf funds, it would have been something meaningful. But that never happened. So, through this law, the government is trying to improve management and prevent misuse of Waqf funds. Those who are opposing it are doing so purely for political reasons,” Manjhi said.

He also mentioned, “PM Modi has not made this law for politics. It has been brought in for the welfare of the poor in Bihar and across India.”

Taking a jibe at Tejashwi Yadav’s political background, Manjhi said, “His father was in power for 15 years and created ‘jungle raj’. He is simply following in his father’s footsteps. What experience does he have? He is a product of street protests, but that does not mean he knows how to govern. Anyone can beat a drum, but that does not make them capable.”

Manjhi’s sharp response came after Tejashwi Yadav, while addressing a ‘Save Waqf, Save Constitution’ rally at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Sunday, declared that the Opposition alliance would scrap the Waqf law if it came to power.

Tejashwi had said, “The NDA in Bihar is on its way out, and once we form the government, we will consign the Waqf Act brought by the Narendra Modi government to the dustbin.”

The Waqf Amendment Act, passed by Parliament, has become a new flashpoint in the ongoing political battle between the NDA and the Opposition in Bihar.

–IANS

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