NATIONAL NEWS
Bombay High Court grants bail to Aryan Khan, two others
The Bombay High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan who has been arrested in a drugs case. A single bench of Justice N.W. Sambre also granted bail to his co-accused Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha. All three pleas are allowed. I will pass detailed orders by tomorrow evening, Justice Sambre said. Aryan Khan’s advocates then sought permission to submit cash bail to which the court refused and said surety is to be given. I could have given the order also tomorrow. But I gave it today, Justice Sambre said. Justice N.W. Sambre began hearing the bail application on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Aryan Khan’s counsel Mukul Rohatgi, co-accused Arbaaz Merchant’s lawyer Amit Desai and advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh who appeared for Munmun Dhamecha completed their arguments. Aryan Khan (23), Merchant and Dhamecha were arrested along with others on October 3 following a raid by the NCB on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast and alleged seizure of drugs. They approached the High Court last week after a special court for NDPS Act cases rejected their bail pleas.
Ex-CAG Vinod Rai apologises to Sanjay Nirupam over charges in 2G spectrum case
Seven years after he alleged that Congress leader and former MP Sanjay Nirupam had pressured him in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation case, former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai has tendered an unconditional apology to Nirupam. In 2014, Rai, in the course of interviews to the media, named Nirupam as one of the MPs who reportedly pressured him to keep former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s name out of his report on the 2G spectrum allocation case. The interviews were broadcast and published at the time of the release of Rai’s 2014 book, ‘Not Just an Accountant: The Diary of the Nation’s Conscience Keeper’. In a video statement, Nirupam, commenting on Rai’s unconditional apology, remarked that it was a golden day. I had urged the former CAG to retract his wrong statements at the time but he refused to do so. I accordingly filed a defamation case against Rai in the Metropolitan Court in New Delhi’s Patiala house, he said. He dubbed Rai’s entire report on the coal block and 2G spectrum allocation cases as utterly fake. The court didn’t say this, but I would like to say that the report that he prepared in the case of the 2G spectrum allocation and the coal block allocation was nonsense… In case of the 2G report, after seven years of hearings, the judge said the CBI has not given any proof of the alleged scam. The report was fake. The coal block allocation report was also fake. Vinod Rai should apologise for these fake reports too, not to me but to the entire country, he explained. Nirupam also tweeted a copy of the notarised affidavit, saying Rai must apologise to the nation now for all his forged reports about 2G and coal block allocations done by the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government. In the affidavit (notarised on October 23), Rai observed that he made certain statements against Nirupam in September 2014 in media interviews aired on Times Now news channel, and published in media publications, including The Times of India and The Indian Express, subsequent to his book’s launch. I have realised that in answers to questions posed to me by the interviewers, I had inadvertently and wrongly mentioned the name of Shri Sanjay Nirupam as one of the MPs, who pressurised me to keep the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s name out of the CAG report on the 2G spectrum allocation during the meetings in the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) or the sidelines of the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) etc, Rai stated in the affidavit, adding that the statements televised and published were factually incorrect. I understand the pain and agony my statements have caused to Shri Sanjay Nirupam, his family, and his well-wishers and thus, would like to offer my unconditional apology for the hurt caused by my such statements to Shri Sanjay Nirupam, his family, friends and his well-wishers… I hope that Shri Sanjay Nirupam will consider and accept my aforesaid unconditional apology and close this issue, he said.
J&K government employee sacked for ‘celebrating Pakistan win’
A female government employee was terminated from her service in the Pir Panjal valley’s Rajouri in Jammu division on Thursday after her WhatsApp status allegedly celebrated Pakistan’s victory in T20 cricket. In an order issued by Dr. Brij Mohan, Principal of the Government Medical College, Rajouri, an operation theatre technician, Safiya Majeed, was terminated from service. The order read, A viral video seems to have posted her WhatsApp status showing celebration of defeat of the Indian Cricket Team against Pakistan in T-20 World Cup 2021, the activity which seems to be disloyalty towards nation. The order said no employee of the institution shall be allowed to be disloyal to the nation. She had proceeded on a casual leave for five days from October 21, 2021 and also failed to join her duties on the expiry of said leave. And whereas no prior notice is required to be given to such an employee for gross indiscipline in her duties, the order said. Street celebrations, including bursting of crackers, were reported in several parts of the Kashmir valley on October 24, when the Pakistan team defeated the Indian team in the T20 World Cup. Street celebrations, including bursting of crackers, were reported in several parts of the Kashmir valley on October 24, when the Pakistan team defeated the Indian team in the T20 World Cup. The J&K police have already lodged two FIRs against students who were seen cheering and celebrating Pakistan’s win at two medical colleges in Srinagar in videos that went viral on social media. However, no arrests have been made so far. Meanwhile, the J&K police have started an investigation into a threat letter circulated online by the United Liberation Front (ULF), the outfit allegedly behind the killing of non-local labourers in the valley this month. We have taken cognisance of the statement. An investigation is on, a senior police officer told. In a statement, the ULF alleged that the FIR against local students was lodged because of non-local employees and students. The ULF statement, being probed by the police, said, We warn these elements to apologise within 48 hours otherwise wrath will befall them. Those non-local employees and students who have lodged the complaint against the doctors and students in Soura, Kara Nagar and Batamaloo are warned of dire consequences.
Delhi Police file second charge sheet in murder case involving Olympian Sushil Kumar
Delhi Police have filed a supplementary charge sheet against the remaining accused in the Chhatrasal Stadium murder case involving Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar. The first charge sheet, which was filed by the police on August 2, named 13 accused, including Sushil Kumar as the main accused. There are a total of 17 accused in the alleged murder case, according to the police. It is submitted by Investigating Officer of the case that supplementary charge sheet qua the remaining accused persons has been filed by him, Additional Sessions Judge Shivaji Anand noted in an order dated October 27. Kumar, along with others had allegedly assaulted former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar and his friends at the stadium in May over an alleged property dispute. Dhankar later succumbed to the injuries. In the first charge sheet, the police had said that the brawl at the stadium was the result of a conspiracy hatched by Sushil Kumar, who wanted to re-establish his supremacy among younger wrestlers. Kumar’s bail was rejected earlier this month. Delhi Police had filed an FIR against the accused of offences such as murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery, rioting, among others.
BJP attacks Congress over Internet shutdowns in Rajasthan
The BJP on Thursday slammed the Congress government in Rajasthan for shutting down Internet service frequently in the State during important exams and accused it of washing its hands of law and order responsibility by resorting to the practice to prevent any leak of question papers. At a press conference, BJP spokesperson Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore also highlighted a tweet of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had slammed the Central government in 2019 for shutting down Internet service in Jammu and Kashmir, and accused him of double standards over the issue of freedom of expression. In Kashmir it was done to prevent terror incidents, he said, and wondered if the Rajasthan government believes that examinations are more dangerous. Rathore said Internet service was shut down in Rajasthan four times in the last one month for preventing leaks and cheating. In the last 10 years, Internet shutdowns have taken place in Uttar Pradesh 29 times, 17 times in Haryana, 13 times in West Bengal, 10 times in Gujarat and 11 times each in Bihar and Maharashtra. However, in Rajasthan it has happened 78 times, he noted. Internet shutdowns have caused a loss of ₹800 crore to Rajasthan as they hit trade and other services, Rathore claimed.
Sensex plunges 1,159 points; Nifty slumps below 17,900
Equity benchmark Sensex plunged 1,159 points on Thursday following an across-the-board selloff as monthly derivatives expired amid a weak trend in global markets. The 30-share index tanked 1,158.63 points or 1.89% to close at 59,984.70. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty plummeted 353.70 points or 1.94% to 17,857.25. ITC was the top loser in the Sensex pack, tumbling over 5%, followed by ICICI Bank, Kotak Bank, Axis Bank, SBI and HDFC Bank. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, L&T, UltraTech Cement and Asian Paints were among the gainers. Domestic equities witnessed heavy selloff with high volatility mainly led by sharp correction in heavyweight financials and IT, which wiped out around ₹4.5 lakh crore from investors wealth, said Binod Modi, Head, Strategy at Reliance Securities. All key sectoral indices fell sharply, with Nifty PSU Bank falling over 4%. In addition to weak global cues, unwinding of long positions especially in financials on F&O expiry, which had seen a sharp rally in recent period were the prime reasons for the sharp market correction, he added.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
North Korea Food Crisis: Leader Kim Jong Un urges its people to eat less till 2025
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has asked the people of his country to eat less food until 2025 in order to tackle the food crisis in North Korea. North Korea is witnessing a surge in food prices due to a lack of supply in relation to the demand of people in the country. The food crisis situation has worsened as the agricultural sector failed to fulfill its grain production plan, said Kim Jong. The COVID-19 pandemic, sanctions, last year typhoons have also added fuel to the food situation in North Korea. Kim Jong had mobilized the military to conduct relief work in areas hit by heavy rains. Calling the food crisis the worst-ever situation, Kim Jong in April 2021 had called ruling party officials to launch ‘Arduous March’ while linking the current economic and food crisis with the time period in the 1990s of famine and disaster in North Korea.
Validation phase of exercise Yudh Abhyas 2021 held in Alaska from October 25 to 28
The validation phase of exercise Yudh Abhyas 2021 was held in Alaska, the US in two parts from October 25 to 28, 2021. The pair of teams, one led by the US army and another led by the Indian army conducted their assault for two days each. Geronimo and Site Summit were selected as the two target sites for the final assault phase where troops from all four teams were sequentially inserted by CH-47 Chinooks and vehicles. The aim of the validation phase of exercise Yudh Abhyas 2021 was to validate the cold weather skills acquired over the past 10 days, practice the conduct of small team operations in extreme cold weather conditions, and train soldiers in the Arctic survival.
Mandaviya launches nationwide Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Immunisation Programme
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on October 29, 2021, launched the nationwide expansion of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) as a part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. It will be the first time in India that PCV will be available for universal use. The communication packages on Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) have been shared with all States and Union Territories for creating widespread mass awareness. Pneumonia is a leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age across India and globally. India accounts for 16 per cent of deaths of children due to pneumonia. The nationwide expansion of PCV is expected to reduce child mortality by approximately 60 per cent. The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is one of the largest public health programs that cover approximately 26.7 million newborns and 29 million pregnant women annually. Under UIP, immunization is provided free of cost against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases that include pneumococcal pneumonia, Japanese Encephalitis, Meningitis, Hepatitis B, Rotavirus diarrhea, Rubella, Measles, Polio, Tetanus, Pertussis, Diphtheria, states the Ministry.
