Mehul Choksi, accused in PNB fraud, surrenders Indian citizenship in favour of Antigua and Barbuda
Wanted diamond trader Mehul Choksi has surrendered his Indian passport, sources confirmed. The confirmation came a year after Mr. Choksi and his nephew, Nirav Modi, left India, just before the major financial scam involving them and the Punjab National Bank (PNB) came to light. Mr. Choksi was subsequently located in the Caribbean island of Antigua.
Siddaganga Mutt head Shivakumara Swamy passes away
Dr. Shivakumara Swami, the 111-year-old head of the Siddaganga Mutt, passed away on Monday at the mutt in Tumakuru. His body will be kept at the mutt premises till Tuesday to enable people to pay their last respects. The burial is expected to be held in the evening.
CJI Ranjan Gogoi recuses himself from hearing plea challenging Nageswara Rao’s appointment as interim CBI chief
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi recused himself from hearing a plea challenging the appointment of M. Nageswara Rao as interim CBI director, saying he will be part of the selection committee to choose the agency’s new chief.
Centre to soon take up linking of Godavari and Cauvery: Gadkari
The Centre would soon take up a major project to link rivers Godavari and Cauvery that would resolve water issues between four southern states, Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari announced. The objective of the project, expected to cost upto ₹60,000 crore, was to make good use of about 1100 tmc ft of Godavari water that currently drained into the sea, he said, addressing a meeting of BJP workers here.
Madras HC seeks Centre’s response to DMK plea against 10% quota
The Madras High Court ordered notices, returnable by February 18, to the Centre and State Government on a case filed by DMK organising secretary R.S. Bharathi challenging the legal validity of the recent amendment made to the Constitution granting 10% reservation in jobs and higher education admission for the economically weaker sections in the open competition category.
8 dead in Karwar boat accident in Karnataka
Eight people drowned after a boat ferrying devotees to the mainland from an island temple capsized off the Karwar coast on Monday. As many as 17 people were rescued and the search is on for one missing person.
India’s richest 1% get richer by 39% in 2018; just 3% rise for bottom-half: Oxfam
Indian billionaires saw their fortunes swell by ₹ 2,200 crore a day last year, with the top 1 per cent of the country’s richest getting richer by 39 per cent as against just 3 per cent increase in wealth for the bottom-half of the population, an Oxfam study said.
Democratic U.S. Senator Kamala Harris jumps into 2020 White House race
First-term Democratic Senator Kamala Harris of California, a rising party star and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, launched her 2020 campaign for the White House by touting her prior career as a prosecutor.
Nepal’s central bank announces ban of Indian notes above ₹100
Nepal’s central bank has banned the use of Indian currency notes of ₹2,000, ₹500 and ₹200 denominations, a move that could affect Indian tourists visiting the Himalayan nation where Indian currency is widely used.
ICC Test rankings: Team India, Kohli maintain top positions
A maiden Test series triumph in Australia saw both the Indian team and its skipper Virat Kohli consolidate their respective pole positions in the latest ICC Test rankings released.
