A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Sajjan Kumar in a case related to inciting violence in the Janakpuri area of the national capital during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, news agency PTI reported. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh orally pronounced a brief order acquitting Kumar. A reasoned order is awaited. In August 2023, the court had framed charges against Kumar for rioting and promoting enmity, while discharging him of charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. In February 2015, a special investigation team (SIT) registered two first information reports (FIRs) against Kumar based on complaints of violence in the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas during the riots. The first FIR was related to the violence in Janakpuri, where Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh were killed on November 1, 1984. The second pertained to the killing of Gurcharan Singh, who was set ablaze on November 2, 1984, in Vikaspuri. Kumar, who is currently lodged in jail, was awarded life imprisonment on February 25 last year by a trial court in a separate case concerning the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984, in the Saraswati Vihar area. 1984 anti-Sikh riots: Trial court held father-son killings were grave but not ‘rarest of rare’ The trial court had observed that although the killings of “two innocent persons” were grave, the case did not fall under the “rarest of rare” category warranting the death penalty. It also noted that the incident formed part of the same chain of events for which Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018. In that case, the High Court had found Kumar guilty of causing the death of five people during rioting in the Palam Colony area following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. According to the Nanavati Commission report, which probed the riots and their aftermath, 587 FIRs were registered in Delhi in connection with the violence that claimed 2,733 lives. Of these, around 240 FIRs were closed as “untraced” and 250 cases ended in acquittal. Only 28 FIRs resulted in convictions, leading to the conviction of about 400 people, including around 50 persons, among them Kumar, for murder. Kumar, an influential Congress leader and an MP at the time, was convicted for the killings in Palam Colony and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court. His appeal challenging the sentence is pending before the Supreme Court. (With PTI inputs)
22 January,2026 04:19 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentFour Army personnel were killed and nine others injured when their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said. The accident took place at Khanni top along Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road. Officials said the bullet-proof Army vehicle, carrying a total of 17 personnel, was heading towards a high altitude post when its driver lost control and the vehicle plunged into a 200-foot-deep gorge. A joint rescue operation by army and police was immediately launched and four of the soldiers were found dead, the officials said. They said nine other soldiers were rescued in an injured condition and three of them, who have suffered critical injuries, were airlifted to Udhampur military hospital for specialised treatment. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
22 January,2026 04:09 PM IST | Bhaderwah/Jammu | PTIJail authorities in Pratapgarh have been put on alert after seven transgender inmates lodged in the district prison tested HIV positive in preliminary screening, officials said on Thursday. As reported by news agency PTI, the District Jail Superintendent Rishabh Dwivedi said that the Kotwali Nagar police had sent 13 transgender persons to jail on Sunday in connection with a case of assault. The District Jail Superintendent Rishabh Dwivedi said that the medical college team then conducted health examinations and collected blood samples of all inmates, reported PTI. He emphasised, "The preliminary HIV screening reports of seven transgender inmates have come back positive. As a precautionary measure, they have been kept in a separate barrack." “While the screening test reports have been sent to the government. Fresh samples have also been sent for confirmatory testing, but the final reports are awaited,” he added. UP Police arrests man for killing his parents and wife Earlier on Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested a man for allegedly killing his parents, wife, and daughter at their house. According to the police, the accused killed his family over financial stress and domestic discord ahead of his daughter's wedding next month in the Etah district, news agency PTI reported. Officers said that the accused, Kamal Singh, was taken into custody after the members of his family were found dead inside their two-storey house in the Kotwali Nagar Police Station area on Monday. He has since been sent to jail. The victims have been identified as father Ganga Singh (70), mother Shyama Devi (65), wife Ratna Devi (43), and daughter Jyoti (23). As per the reports, Shyama Devi was found alive initially and taken to a medical college, where she succumbed to her injuries. DIG Police Prabhakar Chaudhary, while briefing about the shocking incident, said that the crime was not a result of any conspiracy or external attack but stemmed from mounting financial pressure and family tensions. "During questioning, the accused confessed that he was under severe financial stress related to his daughter Jyoti's wedding, which was fixed for next month. The family needed around Rs 4 lakh, and this became a recurring point of conflict," said Chaudhary. According to the police, the accused returned home on January 19, following which an argument broke out during lunch after his wife, Ratna Devi, questioned him about the wedding expenses. (With inputs from PTI)
22 January,2026 02:09 PM IST | Pratapgarh | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that the Modi government's objectives are the same in repealing MGNREGA as they were in bringing the "three black farm laws", as he urged poor people to unite against the move to bring the VB G RAM G Act, reported news agency PTI. MGNREGA meant to guarantee rights to the poor, says Gandhi Addressing the National MGNREGA Workers' Convention organised by the Rachnatmak Congress, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the concept of MGNREGA was to give rights to the poor. "The thinking was to provide work to those who need it. This scheme was to be run through the third tier of government Panchayati Raj. The word rights was important. All poor people had the right to work under MGNREGA and PM Modi-BJP wants to finish that concept," Gandhi said, reported PTI. Farmers forced repeal of laws through united protest Some years ago they brought in the "three black farm laws" but farmers stopped that after "all of us unitedly put pressure" on the government, the former Congress chief said. "We all put pressure and got the laws repealed. They are doing the same thing with workers that they did with farmers as they brought the three black farm laws," Gandhi said, reported PTI. Centre to control work, funds under new law, alleges Rahul With the new law, the Centre will decide the work and allocation of funds with BJP-ruled governments always getting precedence, he said, reported PTI. Earlier, what workers used to get will be given to contractors and bureaucracy, Gandhi alleged. Assets being concentrated in few hands, Rahul claims "They (BJP) want assets to be in a few hands so that the poor people are dependent on Adani-Ambani, that is their model of India," he charged. They want an India where the King decides everything, he said, reported PTI. Gandhi also said he was unable to remember the name of the new law and asked the audience what it was. Workers from across the country participated in the convention, bringing a fistful of soil from their work sites that was put in plants as a symbolic gesture in the presence of Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Congress launches nationwide campaign to save MGNREGA The Congress launched 'MGNREGA Bachao Sangram', a 45-day nationwide campaign against the repeal of the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), on January 10. The opposition party is demanding the withdrawal of the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law in its original form, the right to work and the authority of panchayats. (With inputs from PTI)
22 January,2026 02:05 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Delhi High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by Japan-based Hirotsu Bio Science Inc., upholding the rejection of its patent application for a nematode-based cancer detection method on the ground that it constitutes a non-patentable diagnostic process under Section 3(i) of the Patents Act, 1970. In a judgment delivered on January 17, 2026, Justice Tejas Karia affirmed the order passed by the Assistant Controller of Patents and Designs, which had refused the grant of a patent for the invention titled "Cancer Detection Method Using Sense of Smell of Nematode". The Court examined the complete specification and claims of the application and noted that the invention proposes detecting cancer by analysing the chemotactic response of nematodes to biological samples such as urine, cells, or tissues. The specification claimed exceptionally high accuracy, including detection of early-stage cancers, and described the invention as a "cancer diagnosis system." Rejecting the appellant's argument that the invention merely involved in vitro detection rather than diagnosis, the Court held that Section 3(i) does not distinguish between in vivo and in vitro diagnostic methods. It observed that any process capable of identifying the presence or absence of a disease, even if further confirmation may follow, would fall within the statutory exclusion. Hirotsu Bio Science Inc. contended that its method only indicated cancer risk and did not involve medical judgment or clinical decision-making. However, the court found that the method involved all essential steps of a diagnostic process, including data collection, comparison with standard values, and drawing conclusions indicative of disease presence. The court further held that labelling the process as "screening" or "supporting documentation" could not override the substance of the invention, especially when the specification itself described the method as highly accurate and suitable for clinical cancer diagnosis. The judgment emphasised that while claims define the scope of protection, they cannot be interpreted contrary to the complete specification. The court relied on earlier precedents to hold that embodiments disclosed in the specification must be examined to determine whether the invention is per se diagnostic in nature. It also rejected the argument that diagnostic exclusion should apply only to methods performed by medical practitioners, observing that the purpose of Section 3(i) is to prevent monopolisation of diagnostic processes irrespective of who performs them. Upholding the Controller's decision dated August 29, 2023, the court dismissed the appeal, concluding that the claimed invention clearly falls within the ambit of non-patentable diagnostic methods under Indian law. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
22 January,2026 02:02 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIAnother FIR has been lodged against five builders of Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and MZ Wiztown Planners Pvt Ltd for alleged violations of environmental and pollution laws in connection with a large waterlogged pit in Sector 150, which led to the death of a software engineer, officials said on Thursday, reported news agency PTI. The FIR has been lodged even as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday continued its probe into the matter on the third day. Noida Authority departments asked to submit details Officials aware of the developments said the SIT has sought details from various departments of the Noida Authority, including civil, projects, and traffic cell, about works done in Sector 150, particularly around the spot where the software engineer died, reported PTI. SIT to submit report by Saturday The three-member team has to submit its report to the government by Saturday, SIT head ADG (Meerut Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar had told reporters on the first day of inspections in Noida, reported PTI. On Wednesday, a fresh case was registered at the Knowledge Park police station against Abhay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Manish Kumar, Anchal Bohra and Nirmal Kumar under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Sections 24 and 43 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Sections 290, 270 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to the FIR, reported PTI. Police find large, long-standing waterlogged pit In the complaint, local sub-inspector Regal Kumar said that during patrolling on January 20, a "very large and wide pit" was found at plot number SC-02/A3 in Sector 150, close to a public road. The pit appeared to have been excavated using heavy machinery and had remained filled with water for several years, it said, reported PTI. The FIR noted that the pit is very deep and that prolonged stagnation of water has led to severe pollution, with the water turning muddy. It added that rainwater had carried garbage into the pit, contributing to air pollution and posing risks to public health and safety. No fencing or warning signs found near pit Police further noted that no fencing, warning signs or other safety measures were found around the pit. Leaving such a large, open and waterlogged pit near a public road for a long period posed a serious threat to human life and increased the risk of major accidents, the FIR stated, terming it a public nuisance. The FIR also mentioned that the construction sites were located close to the pit, indicating violations of construction management norms. Locals have also complained that the foul smell from the stagnant water makes breathing difficult when the wind blows towards residential areas. Ownership history of plot traced during probe During the inquiry, police found that the plot was purchased from the Noida Authority in 2014 by Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and was later acquired in 2020 by Wiztown. The FIR also stated that Lotus Greens Construction continues to hold a share in the property. "The FIR has been registered against five builders; further investigation is on," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Hemant Upadhyay said. First FIR filed on January 18 over techie’s death The police had registered the first FIR in the case on January 18 based on the complaint of the deceased software engineer Yuvraj Mehta's father against MZ Wiztown Planners and Lotus Greens under provisions related to negligence, culpable homicide not amounting to murder and endangering life, reported PTI. The police on Tuesday arrested Abhay Kumar, the director of MZ Wiztown Planners, who was remanded in judicial custody on Wednesday, officials said. (With inputs from PTI)
22 January,2026 01:10 PM IST | Noida | mid-day online correspondentIAS officer Sanjeev Khirwar, who had stirred controversy in 2022 for emptying Delhi's Thyagraj Stadium to walk his dog, has been appointed as the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), according to a notification issued by the Central Government. The notification issued by the Central Government stated, "Exercising powers conferred by Section 54 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, the Central Government has appointed Sanjeev Khirwar, LAS (AGMUT:1994), as Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi," as cited by news agency ANI. Who is Sanjeev Khirwar? Khirwar, who has now been appointed as the new MCD Commissioner, is a 1994 AGMUT cadre officer. He came to the limelight earlier in 2022 after controversy erupted over him emptying out a stadium to walk his dog at Thyagraj Stadium. Khirwar had also served as the Private Secretary to the Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath between 2009 and 2014. He was then posted at the Commerce Ministry and transferred to Delhi in 2018 as the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare. Sanjeev Khirwar controversy The 1994-batch IAS officer was transferred to Ladakh after controversy erupted over him emptying out a stadium to walk his dog at Thyagraj Stadium. After Khirwar was transferred to Ladakh, he served as the Secretary in Ladakh UT for four years. Khirwar in 2022 allegedly forced the athletes to vacate the stadium to walk his dog at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium. While Sanjeev was transferred to Ladakh, his wife was sent on exile to Arunachal Pradesh. The Home Affairs Ministry took the action soon after the Delhi Chief Secretary submitted a report to it in the evening on the factual position of the then news report. Sanjeev Khirwar will be succeeding Ashwani Kumar However, after his exile in Ladakh, Sanjeev Khirwar will now be overtaking Ashwani Kumar, a 1992 AGMUT cadre IAS officer appointed in 2024 as MCD Commissioner. While in Delhi, Khirwar served as Principal Secretary (Revenue) and the Divisional Commissioner. Ashwani Kumar has also held the additional charge of the Environment Secretary in the Delhi government. Earlier in May of 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with Sanjeev Khirwar and his wife Rinku Dugga, also transferred the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre IAS officers out of Delhi as punishment for their act, as reported by ANI. Sanjeev Khirwar was in the middle of the controversy. The sources from the Home Ministry said, "The MHA had sought a report from the Chief Secretary, Delhi, on the news report regarding the misuse of facilities at Thyagraj Stadium by Sanjeev Khirwar and his wife, Rinku Dugga. The Chief Secretary, Delhi, submitted a report later in the evening on the factual position to the MHA. In the meantime, Khirwar has been transferred by MHA to Ladakh and Dhugga to Arunachal Pradesh. Necessary action will be initiated based on the report," as per ANI. (With inputs from ANI)
22 January,2026 12:36 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentIn a horrifying incident in Andhra Pradesh, at least three people were killed and several others injured after a private bus lost control, collided head-on with a container truck and caught fire in Nandyal district in the early hours of Thursday. The police officials said that the accident occurred during the early hours of Thursday near Shirivellametta village in the Shirivella mandal of the district, as reported by news agency IANS. The officials further asserted that both the drivers of the vehicles and the cleaner of the container truck were charred to death beyond recognition. Vehicle lost control because of the tyre burst They further emphasised that the private bus was travelling from Nellore to Hyderabad with 36 passengers on board when one of its tyres reportedly burst. Following the tyre burst, the driver lost control of the vehicle, crossed the road divider and rammed into a container lorry coming from the opposite direction. Following that, the collision led to a massive fire, with flames engulfing both the bus and the truck within minutes. As soon as the fire spread quickly, panic gripped the passengers who were inside the bus. Furthermore, the police said that both the main door and the emergency exit initially failed to open, leaving several passengers trapped inside for a brief period, as per IANS. Superintendent of Police, Nandyal district, Suneel Sheoran also asserted, "Tonight, roughly between 1:00 am and 1:40 am, a private bus travelling from Nellore to Hyderabad met with a serious accident. The front right tyre of the private bus burst, causing the bus to cross the road divider and move onto the opposite side of the road, where it collided with an oncoming lorry,” as cited by IANS. The SP also added that in the collision, both vehicles caught fire. He said, "However, all passengers, except three, on the bus are safe. Every passenger was able to disembark safely," as per IANS. As soon as the fire broke out, local residents and police personnel rushed to the spot immediately after the accident. Following that, they broke open the bus doors and windows and assisted the passengers in escaping from the burning vehicle. Four passengers sustained major injuries According to the information available so far, 36 passengers were travelling on the bus. Four of them sustained minor fracture injuries and were shifted to the Government General Hospital in Nandyal for medical treatment. SP Sheoran added, "Tragically, three people lost their lives in this accident. The bus driver, the lorry driver coming from the opposite direction and the lorry cleaner have died. Their bodies are being shifted to the hospital," reported by IANS. Police also said that the traffic at the accident site was later cleared and vehicular movement was restored smoothly. Both the damaged bus and the container lorry remain at the scene for further inspection. The Superintendent of Police added that RFSL and FSL teams from Kurnool were being sent to the accident spot. He highlighted, "They will examine whether the fire was caused directly by the collision or due to any battery-related issues and will confirm the exact cause," reported IANS. (With inputs from IANS)
22 January,2026 12:28 PM IST | Nandyal | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced the development of a state-of-the-art "innovation city" situated near the Mumbai airport to help new businesses grow. CM Fadnavis further revealed that the Tata Group will invest 11 billion dollars in this project. The project announced by Devendra Fadnavis aims to provide a "plug and play" ecosystem specifically designed to support the start-up community, as reported by news agency ANI. Emphasising Maharashtra’s commitment to the International Solar Alliance, the Chief Minister also stated that the state is transitioning its energy grid to ensure 52 per cent of its total power is supplied by renewable sources. Furthermore, the CM also outlined a comprehensive vision for a circular economy in Mumbai, focusing on sustainable urban development to transform the city into a greener financial capital. Reflecting on the journey of the project, Fadnavis said, "Got inspired from last year's Davos meeting for Maharashtra as an innovation city, and we are proud we addressed it this year in Davos 26," as cited by ANI. MMRDA secures investment commitments worth USD 96 billion at Davos Meanwhile, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) achieved a historic milestone at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Summit 2026 in Davos. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority secured investment commitments worth USD 96 billion (Rs 8.73 lakh crore) on the very first day through the signing of 10 major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The landmark agreements done by MMRDA are expected to generate approximately 9.6 lakh direct and indirect jobs, positioning the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as the talent capital of India and Asia. Furthermore, the MoUs were signed in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with Sanjay Mukherjee, IAS, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, representing the authority. Speaking on the exchange of these MoUs at Davos 2026, Fadnavis emphasised, "The historic USD 96 billion in investments secured on the very first day of WEF 2026 is a reflection of the global investors' unwavering faith in Maharashtra's potential. He also added, “These 10 MoUs are not just financial agreements; they are the blueprints for 'Mumbai 3.0' and the key to accelerating our march towards the USD 1 trillion economy milestone," as per ANI. (With inputs from ANI)
22 January,2026 12:27 PM IST | Davos | mid-day online correspondentHimachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday received a life threat ahead of Republic Day, with an email warning of a suicide bomb attack during the national flag-hoisting ceremony, officials said. According to the police, the threatening email was received on the official email ID of the Deputy Commissioner's office in Shimla. The mail claimed that if the Chief Minister arrived to hoist the national flag on Republic Day, he would be targeted by a human bomb. Confirming the development, Deputy Commissioner Shimla Anupam Kashyap said, "A mail was received, and we have forwarded the same to the police for further action." Following the complaint, the police registered a case against an unknown person at the Sadar Police Station, Shimla, under relevant sections of law. The threat email was sent from an anonymous ID, police said. Senior police officials stated that cyber experts have been pressed into service to trace the source and location of the email using electronic and digital evidence. "Efforts are on to identify and arrest the sender at the earliest," police said, adding that additional security and vigilance have been put in place in view of the threat. However, police said preliminary investigations suggest that the email may have been sent to create fear and panic among the public by circulating false and misleading information. Superintendent of Police, Shimla district, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, said such emails have been received in the recent past as well. "We have been receiving similar threatening emails naming various institutions and officers in the capital city through emails. We are taking the matter seriously, and it is under investigation," he said. Security agencies continue to monitor the situation closely as Republic Day approaches, officials added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 January,2026 12:26 PM IST | Shimla | ANIAssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while speaking to the media on Wednesday, said that the trade deal between India and the European Union (EU) is going to be a game-changer, as they share strong and trusted ties, with growing cooperation across sectors. Sarma at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual summit in Davos also said that our companies need access to different markets, and this need will be fulfilled with the upcoming India-EU trade deal. While speaking to the media at Davos, Sarma emphasised, “Europe clearly sees India as a dependable partner, which is evident from recent statements by the European Union leadership,” as per IANS. The Assam Chief Minister also added, “The European Union’s own speeches underline India’s emergence as a major global investment hub. India’s stable policies and fast-growing economy are attracting sustained European investments and partnerships.” The India-EU Summit, scheduled for January 27, comes as part of the steady strengthening of economic relations between the two sides amid growing uncertainties in global markets triggered by the US tariff turmoil and dramatic geopolitical shifts in the world order. Assam CM on India’s growth in the next few years While hailing India’s growth structure in the next few years, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the IMF has just revised India’s growth target, projecting a growth rate of 7.3 per cent for FY26. The Assam CM added, “India will soon become the third-largest economy in terms of GDP and has many other advantages,” reported IANS. He also mentioned, “India is a mature democracy with consistency and patience. So, even if one or two strategies don’t work, we should not be worried because we can diversify and explore other markets. Our economy has many strengths, and we have a large domestic market.” Sarma, while highlighting Assam’s presence at the World Economic Forum’s annual summit, said that this is the first time “we have come to Davos”. “He added, “Our responsibility was to introduce global leaders to Assam. People are listening to us and are committing to invest,” reported IANS. A significant statement on the future of India–EU relations. https://t.co/eVwG7EANRx — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 21, 2026 Earlier, Sarma said that the state is proactively preparing its workforce for an increasingly automated and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven future, leveraging its young demographic advantage and focusing on industry-aligned skill development. Speaking at the WEF annual meeting during an earlier event, CM Sarma shared how Assam is reshaping its skilling ecosystem to meet the demands of emerging technologies and future-ready industries. (With inputs from IANS)
22 January,2026 11:08 AM IST | Davos | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
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