The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested its own deputy superintendent of police in a bribery case involving an Enforcement Directorate (ED) assistant director who allegedly sought illegal gratifications from educational institutions being probed in connection with Himachal Pradesh scholarship scam, officials said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. The suspect was identified as Balbir Sharma who was posted at the Special Crime unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi, the officials said. They said that he was called for questioning by the agency at its Chandigarh office on Monday in connection with the case, in which Enforcement Directorate (ED) Assistant Director Vishal Deep was arrested earlier for allegedly seeking a bribe, the officials said, according to the PTI. Sharma was arrested in the evening, they added. After his arrest, Sharma complained of dizziness and was taken to a hospital, where tests were conducted and the results were satisfactory, the officials said. He was again medically examined on Tuesday, before his production in a special court, they added. The special court in Chandigarh sent Sharma to the CBI's custody for a day. Sharma's family has alleged torture by CBI sleuths, an allegation denied by the agency's officials, as per the PTI. The CBI has so far arrested seven people in connection with the case, including the ED assistant director. It is alleged that Vishal Deep had demanded a bribe of Rs 1.1 crore from Himalayan Group of Professional Institutions chairman Rajnish Bansal for not arresting him in a money-laundering case being probed by the ED. The amount was brought down after negotiations to Rs 60 lakh, the probe agency had said. There is a recording of Vishal Deep talking to the complainant before the delivery of the bribe amount and he was present near the spot where the bribe was handed over to co-accused Vikas Deep (his brother) and Niraj (his cousin) by the complainant, the CBI had claimed after his arrest in Mumbai, while seeking his transit remand, the news agency reported. The remand application was rejected by the court on January 8. Later, Vishal Deep was again arrested by the agency and is now in judicial custody. Haryana cop held by ACB for taking bribe in Faridabad The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested a Haryana cop in Faridabad after catching him red-handed accepting a bribe, an official said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. The cop, a head constable was posted at Dabua police station in Haryana's Faridabad, the officials said. The constable is alleged to have demanded a bribe to get bail to a person accused in an assault case, an official said on Tuesday. According to the complainant, his nephew was accused in an assault case and the constable was demanding a bribe to get him bail. He had already taken some money as part of the bribe demanded and was demanding more, the complainant said, according to the PTI. The ACB, acting on the complaint, asked the complainant to pay the policeman the bribe amount. On Monday, when the complainant handed the bribe to the policeman, ACB officials nabbed him. An FIR has been registered at ACB police station, Faridabad, the official said. (with PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 10:48 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Delhi government has ordered the closure of liquor shops and other establishments serving alcohol in the city from February 3 to 5, the day of voting, and again on February 8, when the results will be declared, news agency PTI reported. A recent gazette notification issued by the Delhi Excise Commissioner declared "dry days" under the Excise Rules 2010 for various excise licences on the voting day for the 70-member Delhi Assembly and the counting day. "It is ordered that dry days shall be observed (during the 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll) from 6 pm on February 3 to 6 pm on February 5, and again on February 8, being the counting day on account of Assembly polls. During the dry days, no liquor shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs, or establishments selling or serving liquor will be permitted to sell or serve liquor to anyone," stated the notification. It further added that non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants, and hotels operated by anyone — whether issued different categories of licences for the possession and supply of liquor—should also not be permitted to serve liquor, PTI reported. 96 women in the fray for Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 Of the 699 candidates contesting in the February 5 Delhi Assembly Elections, 96 are women, as parties strive to win over female voters. Five years ago, 76 out of 672 candidates were women, PTI reported. Among the three key political parties in the elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have each fielded nine female candidates, while the Congress has seven women nominees. All three parties have nominated more women candidates than in the 2020 Assembly polls. Prominent female candidates from AAP include Chief Minister Atishi, Pooja Balyan, Pramila Tokas, and Rakhi Bidlani. Besides Atishi, AAP has renominated Rakhi Bidlani, Pramila Tokas, Dhanwanti Chandela, Bandana Kumar, and Sarita Singh. New faces for AAP this time include Anjana Parcha and Balyan, the wife of Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Naresh Balyan, who is contesting from Uttam Nagar. Naresh was recently arrested for his alleged links to gangster Kapil Sangwan. Among the BJP's female nominees are Rekha Gupta, Poonam Sharma, Shikha Rai, and Priyanka Gautam. The Congress' seven female candidates include Alka Lamba, Ariba Khan, Ragini Nayak, and Aruna Kumari. A total of 981 candidates filed their papers during the week-long nomination window, which began on January 10. The final count was determined after scrutiny on January 18, followed by the last date for withdrawal on January 20. The Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 will be held on February 5, and the results will be declared three days later. (With PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 10:41 PM IST | Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA man was reportedly shot dead by unidentified assailants on board the Howrah-Gaya Express train as it was approaching a station in Bihar's Lakhisarai district, officials said on Tuesday, reported the PTI. The deceased has been identified as 49-year-old Dharmendra Kumar, a resident of Lakhisarai, the police said. "Some miscreants shot dead the passenger when the train was about to stop at Kiul junction in the evening. According to eyewitnesses, they jumped off the train after committing the crime, Superintendent of Railway Police (Jamalpur) Raman Chaudhary told PTI. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination and investigation is underway, he said. "Property-related documents were recovered from the bag of the passenger. It appears a dispute concerning property might be the reason behind the crime. However, the case is being investigated from all angles," he added, as per the PTI. Robber shot in leg while attempting to escape custody in Karnataka Meanwhile, in an another incident, a suspected robber was shot in the leg by police on Tuesday after he attacked officers with a broken beer bottle during a spot inspection related to a recent robbery at the Kotekaru Agricultural Co-operative Society in Ullal, police said, according to the PTI. The accused, identified as Kannan Mani (36), a resident of Mumbai, was apprehended in Tamil Nadu on January 20 in connection with a case registered at Ullal Police Station, the news agency reported. The incident occurred at around 4.20 pm on Tuesday near Alankaru Gudde, K C Road, when the police team was reconstructing the crime scene, police said. According to the police, the accused attempted to escape custody and injured three personnel, including Ullal Police Inspector Shri Balakrishna H N, by attacking them with a broken beer bottle. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) Inspector fired a warning shot, but the accused continued his assault, prompting the officer to fire at his leg to subdue him. The injured officers and the accused were immediately shifted to Deralakatte Yenepoya Hospital for treatment. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, police said, the news agency reported. (with PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 10:32 PM IST | Lakhisarai (Bihar) | mid-day online correspondentThe JSW Group on Tuesday announced plans to invest Rs 3 lakh crore across its businesses, in three regions of Maharashtra, including naxal-infested Gadchiroli, reported the PTI. The conglomerate signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos. The commitment from JSW is a significant step in fulfilling the state's vision to develop Gadchiroli as the 'steel city' of India, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, adding that the announcement is a clear testament to their confidence in the state's potential, reported the PTI. "I am confident that this collaboration will further strengthen Maharashtra's position as an industrial and economic powerhouse, driving innovation, job creation, and long-term prosperity for our people," the chief minister added. JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal said the state has been pivotal to JSW Group's journey of growth and innovation. "This investment will not only boost industrial development but also drive India's green transition with sustainable technologies, clean mobility and renewable energy solutions," he added, as per the PTI. In a post on social media platform X, Maharashtra Chief Minister Office (CMO) said the areas of this investment like Renewable Energy, Infrastructure, Cement, Lithium-Ion Batteries, and Solar Modules will play a huge role in our mission 'Green Maharashtra'. HUGE MILESTONE !Maharashtra’s Mission @ #WEF25 Davos!🤝MoU 6Signed betweenGovt of Maharashtra & JSW Group.Total investment: ₹3,00,000 croreEmployment : 10,000Location : GadchiroliSector: Steel, Renewable Energy, Infrastructure and Cement, Lithium-Ion Batteries,… pic.twitter.com/r0mwZHCkZ3 — CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 21, 2025 "Extremely happy to witness the historic Rs 3,00,000 crore MoU signing between Govt of Maharashtra & JSW Group, with an employment generation of 10,000 in the regions of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Gadchiroli, and Nagpur! Very much thankful to Sajjan Jindal ji for being a part of this historic moment at Davos, which will give a huge boost to Maharashtra's industrial environment," the post by Maharashtra CMO said. The investments will include expansion and enhancement of steel manufacturing capacities with clean green technology, green energy projects, establishing advanced manufacturing units for new-age electric vehicles, facilities for high-performance EV batteries and strengthening the solar energy ecosystem, according to a statement. The state government will facilitate the investment by expediting clearances, providing fiscal incentives, and ensuring the availability of land, water, power, and other infrastructure as per state policies, it said. (with PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 10:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA suspected robber was shot in the leg by police on Tuesday after he attacked officers with a broken beer bottle during a spot inspection related to a recent robbery at the Kotekaru Agricultural Co-operative Society in Ullal, police said. The accused, identified as Kannan Mani (36), a resident of Mumbai, was apprehended in Tamil Nadu on January 20 in connection with a case registered at Ullal Police Station. The incident occurred at around 4.20 pm on Tuesday near Alankaru Gudde, K C Road, when the police team was reconstructing the crime scene, police said. According to the police, the accused attempted to escape custody and injured three personnel, including Ullal Police Inspector Shri Balakrishna H N, by attacking them with a broken beer bottle. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) Inspector fired a warning shot, but the accused continued his assault, prompting the officer to fire at his leg to subdue him. The injured officers and the accused were immediately shifted to Deralakatte Yenepoya Hospital for treatment. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, police said. 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
21 January,2025 09:41 PM IST | Bengaluru | PTIThe Uttar Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Department held a special meeting on Tuesday to ensure the safety of pilgrims, devotees and kalpvasis who flock the Sangam area during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela and made cylinder checking mandatory. The meeting assumes significance given two incidents of fire in the Maha Kumbh Mela area on Sunday and Monday. A fire broke out near the Kinnar Akhara camp in Sector 16 of the Mela on Monday, officials said, and added that there were no casualties in the incident. This came a day after a major fire triggered by a cylinder blast engulfed 18 tents in Sector 19 at the world's largest religious gathering. In the meeting, officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Fire Brigade, LPG cylinder distributors and representatives of the gas companies participated, the UP government said in a statement on Tuesday. According to instructions issued in the meeting, cylinder checking has been made mandatory. If the technical assistants find any leakage, the supply of the cylinder will be stopped. Instructions were given to check the gas cylinder, pipe and regulator of consumers and replace them if they are not according to the standard. Teams of technical assistants have been deployed in the Mela area, who will take immediate action in case of any emergency. Storage of up to 100 kg of gas will be allowed in the fair area. Complete details of every supply vehicle will be made available in the office. It was also decided in the meeting that strict action will be taken against culprits if misuse of domestic LPG gas cylinders or sale of unauthorised gas cylinders is found. The Food and Civil Supplies Department has called upon all LPG distributors and officials to monitor and ensure the safety of gas supply in the Maha Kumbh Mela area. It was decided in the meeting that punitive action would be taken against the agencies for violation of rules, the UP government statement said. The UP administration has got extra cautious after the two fire incidents. A fire department official said on Monday that around 9.30 am, personnel stationed at the tower under the Ann Kshetra fire station noticed smoke rising near the Kinnar Akhara camp and immediately informed the control room. Fire department vehicles and personnel patrolling the area were dispatched to the spot without delay. However, by the time they reached the spot, people had already doused the flames using water and sand, the official said. Inspection revealed that a small tent at the Shri Hari Divya Sadhna Peeth camp caught fire. Thankfully, there were no casualties, the official added. On Sunday, a massive fire had broken out in Sector 19 at a camp for Kalpvasis set up by Geeta Press and Akhil Bharatiya Dharma Sangh. It had spread rapidly and engulfed 18 tents. Multiple LPG cylinders had exploded during the fire. No casualty was reported in the incident. 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
21 January,2025 09:33 PM IST | Prayagraj | PTIA girl student of Class 11 was killed while 12 students of Classes 11 and 12 and two teachers were injured after their bus rammed into a truck from behind on National Highway-2 in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, the police said, reported the PTI. The incident took place in the Aung area of Fatehpur, they said. According to the PTI, the school bus ferrying intermediate students of the Government Inter College (GIC), Bindki was on the way to the Textile Institute in Kanpur for an exposure visit, Inspector General of Police, Prayagraj Range, Prem Kumar Gautam said. The students were travelling on three buses, the officer said, adding that one of the vehicles rammed into a truck while trying to overtake it. Thirteen students and two women teachers were seriously injured in the incident, the IG said. On being informed about the accident, a team from the Aung police station rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Police took the injured students and teachers to the Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) Hospital, where one of the students was declared dead on arrival, said Kanpur District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh, who visited the hospital to ensure better treatment to the injured, as per the PTI. The condition of one student is critical, the DM added. The deceased student has been identified as 17-year-old Nasra Fatima. A case has been registered against the truck driver, whose identity is yet to be established, Additional Superintendent of Police (Fatehpur) Vijay Shankar Mishra said. He added that the bus driver's role is also under the scanner as he fled the scene after the incident. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditayanth has announced an immediate financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the family of the deceased. In a post in Hindi on X, the Chief Minister's Office said, "#UPCM @myogiadityanath has expressed condolences to the family of the student who died in the accident in Fatehpur district." #UPCM @myogiadityanath ने जनपद फतेहपुर में हुए हादसे में मृत छात्रा के परिजनों के प्रति शोक संवेदना व्यक्त की है। मुख्यमंत्री जी ने जिला प्रशासन के अधिकारियों को घायल छात्र-छात्राओं का समुचित एवं नि:शुल्क उपचार कराने के निर्देश दिए हैं। साथ ही, मृतक छात्रा के परिजनों को तत्काल… — CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) January 21, 2025 "The chief minister has directed district administration officials to provide proper and free treatment to the injured students. Also, instructions have been given to provide an immediate financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the family of the deceased student," it added. (with PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 08:16 PM IST | Fatehpur | mid-day online correspondentThe number of dead after a fire that engulfed a hotel at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday rose to 66, the interior minister said. Witnesses said desperate guests had tried to escape using ropes, footage showed bedsheets hanging from the windows, and media reports suggest some had died after trying to jump to safety. Several ministers have arrived at the scene at the Kartalkaya resort around 170 kilometres (100 miles) northwest of the capital Ankara, and officials said the fire had now been contained. "Our pain is great," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told reporters at Kartalkaya. "66 citizens lost their lives and 51 others wounded." The blaze broke out at 3:27 am (0027 GMT) in the 12-storey Grand Kartal hotel, which has wooden cladding, he said. Some 238 guests were registered as staying at the hotel, the minister added, a peak time during a two-week school holiday. Private NTV broadcaster said the dead included three people who had jumped from the hotel's windows. The fire is believed to have started in the restaurant and spread quickly, though it was not immediately clear what caused it. Part of the structure backs onto a cliff, making it harder for firefighters to tackle the blaze. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut short an address to his ruling AKP party congress in Ankara, saying: "Our pain is great, our heartache is great." He said administrative and judicial investigations have been launched into the cause of the fire. "All necessary steps will be taken to shed light on all aspects of the incident and to hold those responsible accountable," he promised. Television footage showed huge plumes of smoke rising into the sky with a snowcapped mountain behind the hotel. "I heard screams around midnight, (hotel) residents were shouting for help," Baris Salgur, who works at a nearby hotel, told NTV television. "They asked for a blanket, saying they will jump. We did what we could, we brought rope, pillows, we brought a sofa. Some people threw themselves once the flames approached them." Footage showed the wrecked lobby of the hotel with shards of glass on the floor, the reception desk and the wooden furniture inside charred black. Authorities warned the building could collapse. A survivor who managed to escape the flames told local media that no alarms rang at the hotel when the fire started, complaining about the lack of any safety measures including fire stairs or smoke detectors. Tourism Minister Nuri Ersoy said the hotel had two fire escapes. Footage revealed hotel sheets hanging from the hotel's windows indicating some tied them in order to escape the blaze. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said six prosecutors had been allocated to investigate the blaze. Those evacuated were rehoused in nearby hotels. 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
21 January,2025 06:57 PM IST | Istanbul | AFPThe Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected a plea against the use of EVMs in polls reportedly without assigning any reasons. A bench of acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedea dismissed the appeal by Ramesh Chander challenging an order of the single judge observing it had no merit. The single judge last year dismissed the petitioner's plea seeking directions to the Election Commission of India to comply with the mandate of Section 61-A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 before conducting any election through electronic voting machines (EVMs) by assigning specific reasons for its use for each constituency. The bench observed the legal provisions allowed the commission to use the electronic machines to record votes and the constituencies where such EVMs were required to be adopted were also specified by the body. "We find no merit in the present appeal. Dismissed," it said. While dismissing the petition on July 22 last year, the single judge said the issue with respect to the use of EVMs stood covered by the decisions of the Supreme Court and high courts. The single judge observed the petitioner failed to raise any "material ground" to warrant any extensive indulgence by the court. It noted the top court had also dismissed a plea to revert to the paper ballot system. 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
21 January,2025 06:28 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe Shiv Sena, which has traditionally fielded candidates in the Delhi Assembly Elections, will now extend its support to its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the upcoming polls in the national capital, news agency PTI reported. On Tuesday, the party handed over a letter of support from its leader, Eknath Shinde, to BJP National President JP Nadda through Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva. The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) stated, "Shiv Sena has decided to actively support all the candidates of the BJP in the ensuing elections to the Assembly of NCT (National Capital Territory) Delhi. I have directed the Shiv Sena Delhi unit to align with the BJP state unit and participate actively in the election campaign." Shinde emphasised that under his leadership, the party has been a "torchbearer of the Hindutva ideology" as advocated by late founder Bal Thackeray. He added, "Following this legacy, the party is an active and proud member of the National Democratic Alliance under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi." Despite minimal electoral success in the past, the Shiv Sena has contested several Delhi elections. The party split in 2022, with Shinde leading the majority of its MPs and MLAs. His faction was later recognised as the legitimate party by the Election Commission. HC rejects plea against EVM use in Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 The Delhi High Court (HC) on Tuesday dismissed a plea challenging the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the upcoming elections in the national capital, PTI reported. A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela rejected the appeal by Ramesh Chander, which challenged an earlier single-judge order, stating the plea lacked merit. The petitioner had sought directions for the Election Commission of India to justify the use of EVMs under Section 61-A of the Representation of People Act, 1951, by assigning specific reasons for their deployment in each constituency ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, PTI reported. The bench noted that the legal framework permits the Election Commission to utilise EVMs for recording votes and that the required constituencies were specified by the body. "We find no merit in the present appeal. Dismissed," the bench ruled. In July last year, the single judge had dismissed the petition, noting that the matter had already been addressed by rulings from the Supreme Court and high courts. It further observed that the petitioner had not presented any "material ground" to justify further judicial intervention. The judge also highlighted that the Supreme Court had previously rejected a plea to revert to the paper ballot system. (With PTI inputs)
21 January,2025 05:42 PM IST | Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe School of Artillery, Devlali, witnessed the grandeur of Exercise Topchi on 21 January 2025. This annual firepower training exercise, organised by the Regiment of Artillery, is a prestigious event in the Indian Army’s calendar. Under the stewardship of Lieutenant General Navneet Singh Sarna, Commandant of the School of Artillery, the exercise demonstrated the strength, precision, and versatility of India’s artillery and firepower capabilities. The event was attended by a distinguished audience, including student officers from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Defence Services Technical Staff Course, Pune, Nepal Army Staff Course students, and cadets from various training academies, alongside senior military dignitaries and civilian officials. One of the most remarkable features of Exercise Topchi was its display of the Indian Army's integrated firepower and surveillance systems. The event featured an impressive array of artillery assets, including the formidable K-9 Vajra Self-Propelled (SP) Gun System, the 155mm M777 Ultra Light Howitzer (ULH), the 155mm Dhanush, and the legendary Bofors 155mm FH 77B02. Each weapon system was put to the test in live-firing scenarios, showcasing the Army’s advanced artillery capabilities. Adding to the spectacle were the latest advancements in defence technology. The exercise highlighted the operational use of cutting-edge systems such as the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher, the Smerch, Swarm Drones, and Loitering Munitions. The integration of these systems not only amplified the firepower of the Army but also showcased the Indian Army's growing capability to leverage advanced drone technologies for surveillance and targeted strikes. These innovations emphasise the Army’s readiness to counter modern threats and enhance its operational efficiency. The success of Exercise Topchi 2025 reflects the professionalism of the Indian Army's Gunners and their ability to execute complex operations seamlessly. The integration of advanced, indigenous technologies into the exercise further reinforced India’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat,’ promoting self-reliance in defence and reducing dependency on foreign military equipment. In its entirety, Exercise Topchi 2025 served as a powerful reminder of the Indian Army’s commitment to remain prepared for any operational challenge. It also highlighted the nation's strides towards becoming a global leader in defence innovation and self-reliance, ensuring that the Indian Army remains at the forefront of modern warfare.
21 January,2025 05:40 PM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
