A Delhi court on March 4 extended former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s CBI custody by two days. Mr. Sisodia was arrested on Feb. 26 in a corruption case related to the excise policy. Earlier, the Rouse Avenue Court posted the hearing on Mr. Sisodia’s bail plea to March 10, at 2 p.m. After the CBI claimed that Mr. Sisodia was ‘not cooperating’, the court of Special CBI Judge M.K. Nagpal announced the extension of remand. Mr. Sisodia told the court that he was being repeatedly asked the same questions again and again. ‘This is mental harassment,’ Mr. Sisodia told the court.
West Bengal Congress spokesperson granted bail after arrest for remarks against Mamata Banerjee
Hours after West Bengal Congress spokesperson Kaustav Bagchi was arrested on Marhc 4 for allegedly making derogatory comments against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a city court granted him bail. Mr. Bagchi was arrested in the early hours of Saturday on the basis of a complaint made by a person at Burtolla Police station at about 10.30 pm on Friday. The Congress leader who is also an advocate has been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code including 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 354 (Outraging modesty of a woman) 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) among other sections.
Calibrated attempts being made to defame India, Indian judiciary: Kiren Rijiju
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has said calibrated attempts were being made to tell the World that Indian judicial was under attack and Indian democracy was in distress. “I find that there are calibrated attempts being made from inside and outside the country. I have never even a single person of India who says that he will not abide by Indian laws or I have never come across anybody in the country that he will say that he would not follow the court Order,” said Mr. Rijiju in Bhubaneswar on March 4 while addressing ‘Nyaya-Yajna,’ the first conference of Central government counsel of Eastern States of India.
Defamation proceedings | Court to pass order on Rahul Gandhi plea seeking permanent exemption
A magistrate court will pass an order on April 1 on an application by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking permanent exemption from appearing in ongoing defamation proceedings against him by a RSS secretary. Advocate Narayan Iyer had filed an application on behalf of Mr. Gandhi, seeking permanent exemption. He said, “The First Class Judicial Magistrate L.C. Wadikar will pass an order on April 1 in the application and proceed with the matter.” On March 6, 2014, Mr. Gandhi had made a speech in Bhiwandi holding the RSS responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Rajesh Kunte, secretary of the Bhiwandi unit of the RSS, registered a FIR against Mr. Gandhi for the comments.
Licences of six cough syrup makers in Maharashtra suspended for violation of rules
The licences of six manufacturers of cough syrups in Maharashtra have been suspended for violation of rules, the State government has told the Legislative Assembly. Food and Drugs Administration Minister Sanjay Rathod gave this information in the Assembly on Friday while replying to a calling attention notice by BJP MLA Ashish Shelar and others. Mr. Rathod said the Maharashtra government had initiated an inquiry against 84 out of 108 manufacturers of cough syrups in the State. Four of them were directed to stop production while the licences of six companies were suspended, he said. As many as 17 firms were served show-cause notices for violation of rules, the minister added.
Tunisha Sharma suicide case | Court grants bail to TV actor Sheezan Khan accused of abetment
A court at Vasai in Maharashtra’s Palghar district on March 4 granted bail to television actor Sheezan Khan, arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of co-actor Tunisha Sharma last year. Sharma allegedly died by suicide on December 24, 2022, on the sets of a TV serial near Valiv in Palghar. Khan (28) was arrested the next day on a complaint lodged by Sharma’s mother. He is currently lodged in a jail. Additional sessions court judge R D Deshpande ordered that Khan be released on a surety of ₹1,00,000. The court also ordered the actor to surrender his passport and asked him not to leave the country without prior permission of the court.
The Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, C. Sylendra Babu, has once again warned persons against spreading false information about migrant workers being attacked in the State, and has said strict action will be taken against such persons. He said four cases have already been booked in this regard. The DGP said untrue and false information about migrant laborers from northern states being attacked in Tamil Nadu has been spread by some miscreants on social media platforms. Those who spread such false rumours are being identified and action is being taken against them, he said.
No religious minority can freely live or practice its religion in Pakistan today: India at UNHRC
India slammed Pakistan on the issue of religious freedom of minorities at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Using its right to reply, India’s representative Seema Pujani slammed her Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar saying, “No religious minority can freely live or practice its religion in Pakistan today. The Ahmadiya community continues to be persecuted by the state for simply practising their faith.” Responding to the statement delivered by Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, Ms. Pujani said, “Pakistan’s representative has once again chosen to misuse this august forum for its malicious propaganda against India.”
Russian Defence Minister pays rare visit to troops in Ukraine
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu paid a rare to Russia’s forces deployed in Ukraine, the country’s Defence Ministry said on March 4. In a statement published on Telegram, the Ministry said: “The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, inspected the forward command post of one of the formations of the Eastern Military District in the South Donetsk direction”. In video published by the Ministry, Mr, Shoigu is seen awarding medals to Russian military personnel and touring a ruined town with the Eastern Military District’s commander, Colonel-General Rustam Muradov.
Philippine governor, 5 others killed in brazen attack
Gunmen in military uniforms fatally shot a governor and five civilians on March 4 while the provincial leader was meeting villagers at his home in the central Philippines, in the latest brazen assault on local politicians in the country, police said. At least six men armed with assault rifles and wearing military-style camouflage and bullet-proof vests alighted from three SUVs and opened fire on Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, hitting him and at least five other people in front of his home in Pamplona town. The province has a history of violent political rivalries.
Flooding in southern Malaysia forces 40,000 people to flee homes
Flooding resulting from days of torrential rain has forced almost 40,000 people to flee their homes in Malaysia’s southern Johor State, bordering Singapore, and at least four people have died during the past week, officials said on March 4. Authorities have set up more than 200 relief shelters for people displaced by the floods, the national disaster management agency said.
Windfall tax on diesel slashed to ₹0.50 per litre, nil on ATF
The government slashed windfall profit tax on export of diesel to its lowest of ₹0.50 per litre and nil on jet fuel while the levy on domestically produced crude oil was marginally increased, according to an official order. The levy on crude oil produced by companies such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has hiked to ₹4,400 per tonne from ₹4,350 per tonne, the order dated March 3 said. Crude oil pumped out of the ground and from below the seabed is refined and converted into fuels like petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel.
Smriti Mandhana’s languid grace will meet its match in Shafali Verma’s brute power when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Delhi Capitals in a Women Premier League in Mumbai on March 5. RCB have prepared a fantastic roster in terms of international recruits, including skipper Mandhana, who is the highest paid player of the league at ₹3.40 crore. With Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Sophie Devine and the marauding Richa Ghosh in their ranks, the team does have a formidable look. But on paper, the multiple World Cup-winning legendary Australian Meg Lanning’s Delhi team will have a slight edge over their opponents in terms of pure Indian talent.
