Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Friday appeared before the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) for questioning in an alleged graft case related to the construction of classrooms in government schools in Delhi, reported news agency PTI. The ACB had summoned AAP leaders Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over alleged graft in the construction of classrooms in government schools. Jain appeared before the agency on June 6. The summons come after an FIR was registered by the ACB on April 30 based on allegations of financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of over 12,000 classrooms or semi-permanent structures in Delhi government schools, reported PTI. Before his scheduled appearance before the ACB, Sisodia termed the classroom construction graft case "politically motivated" and an attempt to divert attention from crucial issues. "BJP is driven by political motives and is making fake allegations. We built excellent schools. The BJP government is poor in the management of schools. There is waterlogging in Delhi and power cuts are happening. BJP is trying to divert attention from crucial issues. Even BJP workers do not know what the government is up to," he charged, reported PTI. Sisodia asserted that nothing will come out of this classroom construction graft case. "Nothing has been found against us in any other case. I will put forth the facts in this case before ACB. This is a politically motivated case. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari had levelled allegations against me in this matter and I had filed a defamation case against him. He is out on bail in the defamation case," Sisodia told reporters. Sisodia was earlier supposed to appear before the ACB on June 9 but his counsel informed the agency that he had some "pre-planned" engagements and skipped the summons. "BJP only plays the game of lodging FIRs. I work (for people), " he said, when asked about skipping the earlier summons. Meanwhile, AAP leader Atishi launched a sharp attack on the BJP government at the Centre and in Delhi, alleging a decade-long political vendetta involving over 200 false cases against party leaders. At a press conference, Atishi said, "In the last 10 years, BJP's ED, CBI, IT and Delhi police have filed more than 200 false cases against AAP leaders, but to date not even a single rupee has been recovered." She cited the Supreme Court's remarks calling central investigative agencies "caged parrots" during AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal's bail hearing as proof of political misuse of institutions. (With inputs from PTI)
20 June,2025 04:10 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Jayakwadi dam in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will be under the cover of more than 100 CCTV cameras along with watchtowers, a senior official said on Friday, reported the PTI. The decision was taken following the police department's safety audit six months ago, the official told PTI. Located on the Godavari River, the dam spreads 10 km in Paithan tehsil and is a key project in Marathwada, supplying water for agriculture and drinking water to Jalna and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. "The dam has an embankment of nearly 10 km. This area of the dam and roads in the vicinity will be under surveillance of more than 100 CCTV cameras. This is for the first time that such equipment is being installed here," the official said, according to the PTI. He said watchtowers will come up in the area, and a control centre for the cameras will be set up in one of the buildings. The official said, "We have received Rs 4 crore funding for this. We will also implement other safety measures, including a safety wall to reduce erosion on the embarkment and repairs on rocks below the dam gates to maintain their strength," the news agency reported. Water levels in seven city reservoirs at 25.17 per cent The water levels in lakes supplying drinking water to Mumbai have risen following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, the combined stock in the seven reservoirs that provide water to the city now stands at 10.19 per cent. As per BMC records on Friday (June 20), the collective water stock in these reservoirs is 3,64,233 million litres, which amounts to 25.17 per cent of their total capacity. The BMC supplies drinking water daily from Upper Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tansa, Middle Vaitarna, Bhatsa, Vihar, and Tulsi lakes. Of these, Tansa has 28.05 per cent water stock, Modak Sagar 44.47 per cent, Middle Vaitarna 22.05 per cent, Upper Vaitarna 26.88 per cent, Bhatsa 20.70 per cent, Vehar 39.81 per cent, and Tulsi 37.38 per cent. Lower (Modak Sagar), Middle and Upper Vaitarna lakes, along with Tansa, supply water to the western suburbs from Dahisar Check Naka to Bandra and to the western parts of the city from Mahim to Malabar Hill. Bhatsa, Vehar, and Tulsi together form the Bhatsa system. Water from this system is treated at the Panjarpur Water Treatment Plant and distributed to the eastern parts of Mumbai, covering the eastern suburbs from Mulund Check Naka to Sion and further to Mazagaon. (with PTI inputs)
20 June,2025 03:18 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentDelhi Assembly Leader of Opposition, Atishi, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia's appearance before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in connection with the classroom scam, reported news agency ANI. Atishi stated that the ACB summoned Manish Sisodia in the "fake" classroom scam, describing it as yet another addition to the list of BJP's fabricated cases against AAP. The AAP leader alleged that over the past ten years, the BJP has filed more than 200 cases against AAP leaders, but despite all investigations, not a single rupee of illicit money has been found. "Former minister Manish Sisodia was summoned for questioning in a fake classroom scam case. This is yet another addition to the series of fake cases filed by the BJP. In the past ten years, the BJP government and its various agencies have filed over 200 cases against AAP members – but despite all the raids and investigations, they haven't found even one rupee of corrupt money from any AAP leader," Atishi told reporters in New Delhi. However, Atishi further criticised the Delhi government and suggested that the real reason behind the ACB probe is the BJP's inability to govern in the national capital. She highlighted that the Delhi government has failed on every front, whether it be waterlogging, electricity, or rising school fees, reported ANI. "The real reason behind this classroom probe is that the BJP is unable to govern. Whether it's waterlogging, electricity, or rising school fees – on every front, the BJP has failed," Atishi added. Earlier today, Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of 'misusing' agencies to file false cases against the opposition, aiming to damage the party’s image. Meanwhile, the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister appeared before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in a case related to Delhi's classroom scam. Manish Sisodia asserted that excellent work had been done in Delhi in the field of education, and brilliant classrooms and schools were built during his tenure, reported ANI. However, acting on complaints from BJP leaders Harish Khurana, Kapil Mishra, and Neelkanth Bakshi, the Anti-Corruption Branch, GNCTD, has registered a case against Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, then Ministers of the erstwhile Delhi Government of the Aam Aadmi Party, concerning allegations of a scam amounting to two thousand crore rupees in the construction of school classrooms/buildings in the National Capital Territory of Delhi at exorbitant costs. (With inputs from ANI)
20 June,2025 03:16 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Kerala High Court has sought the state government's stand regarding its earlier submission that it was contemplating legislation against evil practices like black magic and sorcery. The Kerala government had filed a submission in October 2022 while hearing a plea by an organisation called Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham, which had sought the enactment of a law against such practices. The petition was dismissed in June 2023 due to no one representing the petitioner organisation, but was later restored. When the matter came up for hearing before a division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji on June 3, the court directed the government to file an affidavit regarding the state's stand in respect of its earlier position that it was contemplating to enact a law on the subject. The bench posted the matter on June 24. The organisation, in its plea, has stated that the Law Reforms Commission, headed by Justice (retired) K T Thomas, had submitted a comprehensive report to the State of Kerala in the year 2019, with legislative recommendations based on new social conditions. "The Kerala Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices, Sorcery and Black Magic Bill-2019, is one of the recommended statutes. But so far, no attempt has been made on the part of the state on the matter," the organisation has claimed. The plea was filed in 2022 in the wake of a ritual human sacrifice of two women in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala by three people, including a couple. The petition has claimed that laws against sorcery and black magic have been passed by the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. It has also sought a declaration that "films on big screens and OTT platforms, and several serials and other telefilms, aired on television channels and YouTube, having content of superstitious beliefs, including sorcery and occult practices, exempting those having good intentions and having good artistic values, are illegal." 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
20 June,2025 02:52 PM IST | Kochi | PTIKerala Ministers R Bindu and V Sivankutty on Friday criticised Union Minister Amit Shah's recent reported remarks against the English language, claiming that they indicate a "restrictive and narrow-minded" political view and are "condemnable", reported news agency PTI. Bindu, the State Higher Education Minister, said that English is the most widely used language across the world for communication and on the internet. The view that children should not learn English or that it would be embarrassing would only lead to their world becoming more restrictive. "Moreover, India is not an isolated island in the world. So, learning English is becoming a necessity," she said, answering reporters' queries regarding Shah's remarks.Union Home Minister Shah had reportedly stated that soon those speaking English in India would feel ashamed, reported PTI. Speaking along similar lines as Bindu, State General Education Minister V Sivankutty termed Shah's remarks as "condemnable" and said that "no language was higher or lower than another". "Each language has its own importance. English, as an international language, is an important means of knowledge and communication. It can only help in the progress of the country," he said in a statement. Meanwhile, Sivankutty said that the Kerala government was committed to promoting all languages and ensuring that students have the freedom to choose the languages they want to study. "Linguistic diversity is the strength of our country, and it needs to be protected," he added.Bindu, while speaking to reporters, said that when giving prominence to the mother tongue, it can be stated that Hindi is not the mother tongue of all India, as the country is home to a wide variety of languages, reported PTI. "There are twenty-two official languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. This diversity of languages in India is a treasure trove," she said, and added that all of it cannot be reduced to one language. Bindu also said that there were two aspects to Union Home Minister Shah's statement. "One is that he intends to restrict the world of the younger generation by saying don't learn English. The other side is the imposition of Hindi. "All of it indicates a restrictive and narrow-minded political view," she said. (With inputs from PTI)
20 June,2025 02:34 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | mid-day online correspondentOver a week after 270 people were killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash, 220 victims have been identified through DNA tests and the mortal remains of 202 of them were handed over to their families, a Gujarat minister said on Friday. A London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. All but one on board the plane died along with nearly 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into a medical complex in Meghaninagar area of the city shortly after its take-off. Authorities are carrying out DNA matching to establish the identity of the victims, as several bodies were charred beyond recognition or damaged. "So far, 220 DNA samples have been matched, and relatives of these victims were contacted. The mortal remains of 202 victims have already been handed over to their kin. The process to identify more victims is underway," said Rushikesh Patel, the health minister and the Gujarat government's spokesperson. Summary of Mortal Remains UPDATED UP TO :- 20/06/2025 , 11:45 A.M.NO. OF DNA MATCH - 220NO. OF RELATIVES CONTACTED- 220NO. OF MORTAL RELEASED- 202..........Indians 151 Portuguese 7 British 34 Canada 1 Non passengers 9.........BY AIR - 15By road via ambulance -… — Rushikesh Patel (@irushikeshpatel) June 20, 2025 These 202 individuals include 160 Indians, of whom 151 were passengers, seven Portuguese nationals, 34 British nationals and one Canadian, said Patel X. While the mortal remains of 15 victims were sent to their respective destinations by air, 187 were transported by road, the minister added. The state government had earlier said that samples of 250 victims, including persons on board the ill-fated flight as well as those killed on the ground, were collected for identification. Earlier on Thursday, Air India said it will reduce flights on various international routes per week and temporarily suspend operations on three routes from June 21 to July 15, 2025. "Further to the press statement released yesterday, 18 June 2025, which announced a temporary reduction in services operated by Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, we wish to provide details on the flights affected. These reductions will be effective from 21 June 2025, and last until at least 15 July 2025," the airline said in a post on X. "The reductions arise from the decision to voluntarily undertake enhanced pre-flight safety checks, as well as accommodate additional flight durations arising from airspace closures in the Middle East. The objective is to restore schedule stability and minimise last-minute inconvenience to passengers," it said.
20 June,2025 02:23 PM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched 28 development projects worth more than Rs 5,900 crore in Siwan district in Bihar. PM Modi inaugurated the new Vaishali-Deoria railway line project, built at a cost of over Rs 400 crore, and flagged off a new train service on this route. According to a PMO release, in a major boost to connectivity in North Bihar, Prime Minister also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and other leaders were also present during PM Modi's Bihar visit. Furthering the vision of "Make in India - Make for the World," PM Modi also flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive built at the Marhowra Plant, for export to the Republic of Guinea. This is the first export locomotive manufactured in this factory. They are equipped with high-horsepower engines, advanced AC propulsion system, microprocessor-based control systems, ergonomic cab designs and incorporate technologies like regenerative braking. It said that in line with his commitment to conservation and rejuvenation of river Ganga, Prime Minister inaugurated six Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under the Namami Gange project worth over Rs 1800 crore catering to the needs of people in the region. PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for water supply, sanitation and STPs worth over Rs 3000 crore in various towns across Bihar aiming to provide clean and safe drinking water to the citizens of these towns. PM also laid the foundation stone for 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity in Bihar. Standalone BESS are being installed at 15 grid substations of the state including Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Bettiah, Siwan among others. The capacity of the battery to be installed in each sub-station is between 20 to 80 MWh. It will save the distribution companies from buying electricity at expensive rates by feeding the already stored electricity back to the grid directly benefiting the consumers. Prime Minister also released the first instalment to more than 53,600 beneficiaries of PMAY U in Bihar. He handed over keys to a few beneficiaries to mark the Grih Pravesh Ceremony of more than 6,600 completed houses of PMAY U.
20 June,2025 02:02 PM IST | Siwan | mid-day online correspondentThe hotel manager of the hotel where Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi had kept their luggage during their search for a hotel room has shared the CCTV footage with the Police. The manager said that Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi had kept their luggage during their search for a hotel room, that they had visited there to find a room, but due to the unavailability of rooms, they had kept their luggage there for 2-3 days. The hotel manager said, "They had visited here to find a room, but due to the unavailability of rooms, they had kept their luggage here for 2-3 days. Soon after we learnt about this case, we informed the police, who took away their luggage. The couple had come here on a two-wheeler. We have shared the CCTV footage with the Police." Earlier, Meghalaya Minister Alexander Laloo Hek said he considered the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case as a "purely organised and pre-planned crime". The court has remanded all five key accused, including Sonam Raghuvanshi, to eight days of police custody in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, police said on Wednesday. The Meghalaya minister highlighted that the government and the people of Meghalaya want the accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case shall be punished as per the law. "This is a very Meghalaya Minister Alexander Laloo Hek on Thursday considered the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case as a 'purely organised and a pre-planned crime'. It was initiated by Sonam Raghuvanshi, and it is a purely organised and pre-planned crime. From the beginning, they wanted to eliminate Raja Raghuvanshi. We have to go with a full investigation, and they should be punished under the law. "The government and people of Meghalaya want that they should be punished as per the law for murdering a person in the state of Meghalaya," Meghalaya minister Alexander Laloo Hek told ANI on Thursday. The Meghalaya minister also expressed his happiness after the family of Raja Raghuvanshi apologised to the state government and police. He said that Raja Raghuvanshi's family were blaming Meghalaya police and the state's people after they heard the shocking news regarding the murder of their son. "I would like to give my praise to the Meghalaya state police for doing a very significant job of nabbing the culprits. Those culprits will be in the remand of the police for eight days. I would like to convey my condolences to the family of Raja Raghuvanshi, who was brutally murdered in Meghalaya. I understand that in the beginning, they were very angry because after they received the news, they were very shocked. "It was very sad that their son was brutally murdered, and at that moment they blamed the people of Meghalaya and the police, but now we are very happy that they have apologised," he added. The state minister revealed that the police have found a mangalsutra and a ring from Sonam Raghuvanshi's suitcase, which was left in their homestay. He considered it a "vital" clue for the Meghalaya police. "I saw the news that Meghalaya police have found a mangalsutra and ring from Sonam's suitcase, which was left in the homestay. So I think this is a very vital clue... "The people of Meghalaya and the government of Meghalaya want the accused to be punished according to the law," he said. Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife of the victim, along with four others, including Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Raj Singh Kushwaha and Anand, are accused of murdering Raja Raghuvanshi, who recently got married and went on a honeymoon to Meghalaya. Raja's body was found on June 2 in a gorge at Sohra near Cherrapunji in Meghalaya. Sonam Raghuvanshi was later found near a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road. Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife, Sonam, both residents of Madhya Pradesh's Indore, had gone missing during their honeymoon in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. Raja Raghuvanshi's body was later recovered in Meghalaya. 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.
20 June,2025 01:56 PM IST | Shillong | ANIPrime Minister Narendra Modi reached Bihar on June 20, 2025, in a style that has become characteristic of his visits. PM Modi on Friday reached the venue of his function in Siwan district in an open vehicle. As reported by PTI, the PM was flanked by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, an alliance partner, and Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both BJP lieutenants, in an obvious show of solidarity within the NDA, which faces crucial assembly polls in a few months. The vehicle in which Modi has reached Bihar was painted in saffron, a colour that has become emblematic of the BJP. The vehicle painted in saffron was bedecked with flowers. Upon the prime minister's arrival in Siwan, crowds erupted in chants of "Modi! Modi!", waving at the people and greeting them with folded hands. Notably, in the recent past, the PM had reached venues of his functions in Bihar, perched atop an open vehicle, on at least two occasions. Earlier, similar scenes were observed in the month of February when PM Modi went to Bhagalpur. Furthermore, last month, when he addressed a rally in Rohtas district, the PM reached the venue in the same style, in an open-top vehicle painted in saffron colour and embedded with flowers. Considering that this has become the set style for the PM to arrive for his rallies and public gatherings. The sole exception, in recent times, was Madhubani, from where he had famously declared that perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack will be "chased to the end of the earth and given a punishment that would be beyond what they could imagine". Taking note of this situation, the State BJP leaders said that since the Madhubani visit came close on the heels of the Pahalgam attack, it was decided that the PM's entry not be made to appear grandiose and was kept low-profile. With Bihar elections expected later this year, PM Modi has been focusing on going to districts of the state where he can fetch seats to form the government. Modi, being a massive crowd puller in Bihar, is surely eyeing a comprehensive win for BJP and their allies in the upcoming Bihar elections. (With PTI Inputs)
20 June,2025 01:55 PM IST | Siwan | mid-day online correspondentThe Calcutta High Court on Friday restrained the West Bengal government from implementing a scheme until 26th September to provide monetary support to non-teaching staff who lost their jobs following a Supreme Court judgment that deemed the selection process flawed, reported news agency PTI. The court had on 9th June reserved judgment on the petitions, which opposed the payment of Rs 25,000 each to Group C and Rs 20,000 each to Group D employees, who lost their jobs due to the apex court's order, by the state. In an interim order, Justice Amrita Sinha restrained the state government from giving any effect or further effect to the scheme for providing monetary relief to the non-teaching staff until 26th September or until further order, whichever is earlier. However, she further directed the state government to file its affidavit in opposition to the contentions of the petitioners within four weeks and a reply by the petitioners within a fortnight thereafter. According to PTI, the West Bengal government had introduced a scheme to provide "limited livelihood, support and social security on humanitarian ground" on a temporary basis, subject to orders of any competent court, to distressed families of non-teaching staff in Group C and D categories, who were recruited through the 2016 selection process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission. Nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff of West Bengal government-sponsored and -aided schools lost their jobs following a Supreme Court judgment, which found the 2016 selection process tainted. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday greeted President Droupadi Murmu on her birthday.In a post on social media platform X, Banerjee wrote, "My warmest wishes to Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu on her birthday." "May she be blessed with a long life, good health, and profound happiness as she continues to serve the nation with grace and dedication," she added, reported PTI. President Murmu, who is India's first tribal president and assumed office in 2022, turned 67 on Friday. On her birthday, President Droupadi Murmu received wishes from across the country and also from Prime Minister Modi. Prime Minister Modi greeted President Droupadi Murmu on her 67th birthday on Friday, and said her life and leadership continue to inspire millions of people across the country. "Warmest birthday wishes to Rashtrapati Ji. Her life and leadership continue to inspire millions of people across the country. Her unwavering commitment to public service, social justice and inclusive development are a beacon of hope and strength for everyone," Modi said on X. (With inputs from PTI)
20 June,2025 01:50 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentOn Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the history concerning the tribal heroes who opposed British rule has not reached the general populace. He indicated that the British labelled these individuals as "criminals", in fear of their potential decline. Chief Minister Fadnavis inaugurated the memorial of Khajya Naik in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, on the same day. मुख्यमंत्री देवेंद्र फडणवीस यांनी आज धरणगाव, जळगाव येथे क्रांतिकारी खाज्याजी नाईक स्मृती मंदिर येथे पुष्पांजली अर्पण करुन विनम्र अभिवादन केले !@Dev_Fadnavis #Maharashtra #DevendraFadnavis #Jalgaon pic.twitter.com/NEQvrwjXZ6 — CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) June 20, 2025 Furthermore, Devendra Fadnavis commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that during the Amrit Mahotsav of independence, PM Modi distinctly acknowledged the narratives related to the nation's tribal heroes and the contributions they have made to the country, according to news agency ANI. "Our tribal heroes fought against the British, but unfortunately, their history never truly reached us. The British, fearing their rise, labelled them as criminals. They knew that if these heroes stood up, their rule would not last. Even after independence, justice was not served to them. But during the Amrit Mahotsav of independence, the country's Prime Minister clearly stated that the stories of every such tribal hero must be brought before the nation", Devendra Fadnavis said while addressing the gathering, reported news agency ANI. Lauding Khajyaji Naik's contribution, CM Fadnavis said that he served under the British and joined the rebellion against them. He mentioned that the British feared him so much that his execution order came directly from England. He said that if Khajyaji Naik had lived longer, he would have kept the Britishers out of a large region, reported ANI. "One such hero was Khajyaji Naik. He gave up the service under the British and joined the revolution against them. He always stood against injustice. Such was his fear among the British that orders for his execution came directly from England. He took British treasure and used it for the welfare of the people and to buy weapons to fight them. Had he lived a little longer, he would have driven the British out of a large region. Sadly, he was assassinated. The British hung their heads for days in Dharangaon, thinking it would instil fear among the people. But the opposite happened, many more tribal heroes rose after him", he said, reported ANI. (With ANI inputs)
20 June,2025 01:44 PM IST | Jalgaon | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
