Two Russia-based agents under CBI scanner for sending Indians into Russia-Ukraine war
“The agents allegedly confiscated the passports of Indians arriving in Russia and forced them to fight with the armed forces,” officials said. The network was busted by the CBI on March 7. “Christina and Moinuddin Chippa, a resident of Rajasthan, are based in Russia and were facilitating the trafficking of Indian youth to Russia by offering them lucrative job opportunities there,” officials said.
Army officer abducted from home in Manipur
Amid the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, a serving Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was abducted from his home in Thoubal district on the morning of March 8. A coordinated search operation is under way to rescue the officer, The Hindu has learnt. This is the fourth instance of soldiers either on leave or on duty or their relatives being individually targeted since the conflict began. “The security forces working to bring peace and normalcy are being targetted for performing their duties,” the source said. On February 27, an Additional Superintendent of Police of the Manipur Police had been attacked in his Imphal home by members of the radical armed Meitei group Arambai Tenggol. The incident had led to Manipur Police staging an arms-down protest seeking a free hand to deal with outfits like AT.
Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the party is exploring all legal options and would move the high court “very soon”. “The BJP government has deliberately chosen the timing of this to coincide with national elections,” Mr. Maken told PTI.
Sandeshkhali violence | CBI searches Shajahan Sheikh’s house
Mr. Sheikh, who has been suspended from the ruling Trinamool Congress, was arrested in a case related to a mob attack on ED officials at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on January 5 when the central agency had gone to search his premises in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam. The 14-member search team included six CBI sleuths, six central forensic officials, besides two ED sleuths who were injured in the January 5 attack.
ED attaches sugar mill of Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew
A total of 161.30 acres of land, plant, machinery and building of the Kannad Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (Kannad SSK) located in Kannad village of Aurangabad district has been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the ED said in a statement. The Kannad SSK is owned by Baramati Agro Ltd., a company of Rohit Pawar, who is also an MLA of the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP. The action pertains to the money laundering investigation conducted by the federal agency in the alleged Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank scam.
France inscribes the right to abortion in its constitution as world marks International Women’s Day
Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti used a 19th-century printing press to seal the amendment in France’s constitution at a special public ceremony. Applause filled the cobblestoned Place Vendome as France became the first country to explicitly guarantee abortion rights in its national charter.
Iran responsible for ‘physical violence‘ that killed Mahsa Amini: U.N. probe
The stark pronouncement came in a wide-ranging initial report submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council by the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran. It also found that the Islamic Republic employed “unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force” to put down the demonstrations that erupted following Amini’s death, and that Iranian security forces sexually assaulted detainees.
Interest rates on small savings schemes unchanged for April-June
The rates on small savings are reset every quarter as per a formula. While the Government hiked rates on most schemes over the last six quarters, the return on the popular Public Provident Fund scheme, that was hiked to 7.9% ahead of the 2019 elections, has been frozen at 7.1% since April 2020.
French Open badminton | Sindhu loses epic battle against Olympic champion Chen
On a comeback trail from a four-month-long injury layoff, Sindhu gave ample display of her strokeplay and physical fitness during a marathon one hour and 32-minute battle before settling for a 24-22 17-21 18-21 loss to the second seed and defending champion Chen in a riveting last eight battle.
Ind vs Eng 5th Test | India reach 473/8 on Day 2, lead by 255 runs
India lost as many as five wickets for 97 runs in the final session after Rohit (103 off 162 balls) and Gill (110 off 150 balls) shared a stroke-filled 171-run partnership off 244 balls for the second wicket.
