Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged the Reserve Bank of India to accelerate its central bank digital currency initiatives, emphasising the need to sharpen capabilities with the digital rupee amidst rapid advancements in tokenisation, agentic AI, and quantum computing. She also highlighted critical concerns regarding cybersecurity, warning that autonomous AI systems are evolving rapidly and require robust safeguards. Sitharaman proposed a federated industry platform to give India's technology ecosystem a collective international voice.
The Fencing Association of India (FAI) has announced significant cash awards for its medallists at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, aiming to motivate fencers to achieve glory for the nation. Gold medallists will receive Rs 10 lakh, silver medallists Rs 7.5 lakh, and bronze medallists Rs 5 lakh.
A government school teacher in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district has been dismissed from service following his alleged involvement in the rape and subsequent death of a 15-year-old girl. The dismissal was enacted under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution, with authorities citing the case as "rarest of the rare."
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kirshanu Sharda, an alleged middleman for suspended Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, in a money laundering case. Sharda is accused of facilitating illegal gratification for Bhullar, with investigations revealing unexplained cash deposits and frozen assets worth over Rs 1.42 crore.
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Deepesh Bajoria, a principal bookie from Guwahati, in connection with a large-scale money-laundering investigation linked to an illegal T20 cricket-betting syndicate operating during IPL seasons across the Northeast. Bajoria allegedly used online platforms and encrypted channels to facilitate betting, routing over Rs 28 crore through a non-operational firm's bank account.
Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence wing in Amritsar has successfully busted a cross-border narcotics smuggling module, leading to the arrest of three individuals and the recovery of 17 kg of heroin. This latest seizure brings the total recovery by CI Amritsar to 54 kg of heroin in just four days, highlighting a significant crackdown on drug trafficking in the region.
A court in Kottayam has found former state DGP Tomin J Thachankary guilty of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The sentence will be pronounced later, with the prosecution arguing against leniency despite Thachankary's health plea.
The technology services sector in India will continue to remain relevant to global enterprises transformation in the artificial intelligence (AI) era, the Nasscom US CEO Forum said, even though there will be changes in how services are delivered and scaled up. Chief executive officers of Indian technology companies, who attended the discussion, also said AI will expand the addressable market opportunity across enterprise modernisation, data, AI governance and intelligent operations.
A 25-year-old man, C Haribabu, accused of murdering his pregnant wife, was hacked to death in Nizamabad, Telangana, allegedly by his brother-in-law. Haribabu was out on bail for his wife's murder, which police said involved strangulation and stabbing, and dowry harassment allegations. The brother-in-law reportedly confessed in a social media video, seeking public support for a lighter sentence.
Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani stressed the need for India to develop population-scale tokenisation infrastructure capable of handling billions of transactions, rather than merely focusing on issuing tokens. He highlighted the importance of interoperability, liquidity, and high volumes for tokenisation to expand across various asset classes and use cases.
A court in Barabanki has sentenced shopkeeper Ashok Kumar to life imprisonment for raping a two-year-old girl. The incident occurred in November 2023 when the child visited his shop. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict.
A POCSO court in Assam's Dhubri district has sentenced Utpal Roy to death for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in 2023. The judge cited the 'rarest of rare' category for the capital punishment.
A Grade Senior Civil Police Officer in Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) for allegedly accepting a Rs 10,000 bribe from a lawyer. The officer, Biju G B, demanded money for providing accident case documents.
A 60-year-old cement trader, Gulzar Singh, was fatally stabbed inside his shop in Tanda by unidentified assailants. His wife discovered his body with multiple stab wounds. Police are investigating, using forensic teams, dog squads, and CCTV footage, but the motive remains unknown.
The British government has announced the rollout of specialist courts for rape and serious sex offences across England and Wales. Backed by significant funding, these courts aim to accelerate conviction rates, prioritise cases, and provide better support for victims, addressing the current low prosecution rates and long delays in the justice system.
Pune police have filed a 5053-page chargesheet in the Ketan Agarwal murder case, detailing how his fiance Siya Goyal, her alleged lover Chetan Choudhary, and Ritesh Hange conspired to push him off Lohagad Fort. The chargesheet reveals the use of a fake Instagram account, online research, and even ChatGPT to plan the murder and avoid detection, after previous attempts failed.
A 31-year-old woman in Kolkata has been arrested for allegedly extorting money by threatening individuals with false rape and sexual harassment charges. Police state she filed 11 false cases against at least 14 people, often introducing herself as a model. Her modus operandi involved implicating victims, including a dentist and even her own father, in fabricated cases to demand money.
OpenAI has appointed Prabhjeet Singh as its Managing Director for India, a key market for the AI company. Singh, formerly President of Uber India and South Asia, will oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, and regulatory engagement, reinforcing OpenAI's commitment to India's rapidly expanding AI ecosystem.
Police in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district have arrested two youths, Joy Pal and Debabrata Mallick, for allegedly raping two girls, including a 13-year-old. The arrests followed a complaint after one victim went missing, and further investigation revealed a second victim. A case has been registered under the POCSO Act.
India is adopting a two-pronged strategy for artificial intelligence development, focusing on open-source models and indigenous innovation to counter global access restrictions on advanced AI technologies. The government aims to support local developers and ensure AI creates tangible economic impact across various sectors, rather than being solely driven by market speculation.
The US Department of Homeland Security faced widespread criticism for an AI-generated advertisement featuring a brown-bearded man identified as "Mr Singh" in a campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers. Advocacy groups, including the Hindu American Foundation and Sikh Coalition, condemned the ad as "racist" and "anti-American" for its perceived targeting and profiling of Sikh and Hindu communities.
''When these agents are deployed at enterprise-grade scale, your risk will not just amplify, it will mutate.' 'And the reason is because you will have ungoverned agents.'
A 19-year-old student, Shubham Mishra, was allegedly stabbed to death in his home in Jayantipur village, Gorakhpur, while his family was away for his father's kidney treatment. The incident occurred early Thursday morning. Police have registered a case and are investigating to identify and trace the assailant.
The Indian Air Force has launched 'Dronathon 2026' at the Pokhran range in Jaisalmer, a three-day event showcasing advancements in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS technologies by domestic manufacturers. The initiative aims to bolster the IAF's capabilities in the unmanned domain, align with the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' objective, and assess indigenous technologies against operational requirements through live demonstrations. It also fosters interaction between the IAF, industry, and even students, promoting the development of scalable unmanned solutions.
A 70-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by his neighbour's family in Kharad village, Muzaffarnagar, while selling vinegar. Police have registered a murder case against five accused who are currently absconding. The incident led to local protests, and security has been heightened in the village.
An 18-year-old female student was stabbed and injured in a government college in Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, after she rejected a marriage proposal from a fellow student. The accused, Ganesh Thakur, first attempted to shoot her with a country-made pistol, which misfired, before attacking her with a knife. He has been arrested by the police.
The Supreme Court has ordered the Karnataka government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a fresh probe into the 2012 rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Dharmasthala. The court expressed shock at the previous investigations by local police, CID, and CBI, which led to the acquittal of the sole accused. The new SIT must conclude its investigation within three months, excluding any officers involved in prior probes, and the acquitted individual will not be re-investigated.
Police in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested three individuals, including a 70-year-old man, Ramcheez Gupta, for the murder of his wife, Manti Gupta (65), and visually impaired daughter, Gauri (22). The bodies were found in Mustafabad village. Investigations revealed Ramcheez allegedly conspired with two others, Chandan Yadav and Dinesh Gupta, due to concerns about his social standing stemming from his wife's mental health issues and daughter's disability.
Mahindra Group CEO Anish Shah emphasizes the critical role of Artificial Intelligence, advocating for its meaningful integration at scale across all aspects of the company. He highlights that AI is redefining industries and decision-making, urging a proactive approach to leverage its potential. Shah also addresses global uncertainties, stating the group's commitment to accelerate amidst challenges and aim for global leadership.
A medical representative has been arrested in Thane for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl for over a year. The accused reportedly threatened the victim's family and offered money to silence them before being apprehended after a social activist's intervention.
The ongoing police investigation into the POCSO case against granite baron R Veeramani has led to the identification of multiple survivors, many of whom were minors and from economically underprivileged backgrounds when allegedly assaulted. Charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been added, and Veeramani has been granted three days police custody for questioning within the prison due to his age and health.
L&T Technology Services (LTTS) has announced a strategic partnership with Anthropic to integrate its Claude AI models into LTTS' engineering processes and AI platforms. This collaboration aims to redefine engineering work by enabling faster decision-making, streamlining workflows, and accelerating innovation for global clients, coinciding with Anthropic's new rupee-denominated pricing for Indian customers.
A quarrel between two student groups during college union election campaigning in northwest Delhi's Bharat Nagar area resulted in two Satyawati College students being injured and two vehicles damaged. Police are investigating the incident, which reportedly involved firing and assault.
In a high-profile POCSO case, Chennai police have discovered more minor victims of sexual harassment allegedly by granite businessman R Veeramani, with investigators suspecting the abuse spans over two decades. Additional victims' statements have been recorded, and the case involves charges under POCSO, IT, and SC/ST Acts.
IT services stocks have had tough two years, with prices coming under pressure from 2025 and the sell-off extending through the first half of 2026.
IBS Group has launched Naviq Technology, an artificial intelligence company dedicated to the global travel industry, backed by a substantial USD 500 million investment over the next five years. The new venture aims to partner with major travel players to drive business transformations, modernise operations, and leverage AI for new revenue streams, with plans for significant job creation in India.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced a significant downturn, with Sensex tanking 778 points and Nifty closing at a five-month low, driven by surging crude oil prices, geopolitical tensions, and fears of further interest rate hikes by major central banks.
A 70-year-old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Dibang Valley district. The accused, Kangge Pertin, has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody. The incident has drawn condemnation from the Arunachal Pradesh Women's Welfare Society.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced that the SRY gene test will be mandatory for all athletes participating in its approved competitions across all age categories, effective from 2027. This decision, subject to legal formalities, aligns with new World Athletics regulations for female category eligibility.
The Karnataka CID is investigating alleged irregularities in the KPSC veterinary officer recruitment exam, questioning 40 candidates and arresting suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar. The probe has revealed financial links, with significant deposits traced to accounts connected to candidates and middlemen, and has frozen substantial amounts. The High Court has ordered a fresh probe by an SIT.
