The Supreme Court has made permanent its order protecting a journalist from coercive action in a road rage case and quashed a police notice to 'X' seeking his digital details. The court noted the police sought data from before the alleged crime and granted the journalist liberty to challenge the FIR and seek guidelines for data collection.
The Supreme Court has asked the government to consider designating an alternative venue to Jantar Mantar for peaceful protests in the national capital, emphasising the need for a site with basic amenities. This suggestion arose during a hearing concerning proposed restrictions on metro stations and train cancellations due to a protest.
Model Shraddha Dubey, her driver Danish, and sister Rashmi Dubey have been arrested in Nagpur in connection with the death of Lucknow cafe owner Shiva Sharma. Sharma's family alleges he was assaulted and tortured before his death, leading to a murder investigation. Dubey denies involvement, claiming Sharma jumped due to debt.
'Fifty thousand policemen were deployed; the entire New Delhi district was under siege. It shows how scared they are.'
Kolkata Police have launched an investigation into the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal that resulted in 19 deaths on Saturday evening. The probe focuses on potential lapses in crowd management, confusion over entry/exit routes, and the impact of heavy rain. Eyewitnesses and locals have pointed to inadequate police presence and poor communication, while the Chief Minister also raised concerns about dimly lit pandals and the actions of private security.
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon has announced a revised route for this year's edition, scheduled for Sunday. The change is due to ongoing protests near Rail Bhawan, Sansad Marg, and Patel Chowk, which were part of the traditional course. Organisers have communicated the new route to participants, while elite race timings and other run categories remain largely unaffected.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has initiated legal proceedings, including seeking a court injunction and filing a police complaint, against a video circulating on social media that he claims falsely links him to a sting operation. He and his son, Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, assert the video is a fabricated attempt at character assassination and disinformation.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has called for the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation, citing alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the poll process. Kharge outlined five key demands for electoral transparency and pledged that the Congress party would protest both on the streets and in Parliament.
Opposition MPs from the INDIA bloc, including prominent leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, marched to the Supreme Court to file a petition against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging 'vote chori' and irregularities in electoral rolls.
The Delhi High Court has refused to interfere with the judicial custody of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were detained for protesting at a de-notified site and allegedly violating a 'peace' bond.
Mumbai Police have arrested a 22-year-old man in Indore and recovered two firearms from Surat in connection with the shooting incident targeting Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff's car. The total number of arrests in the case has now reached 11, with police also revealing that assailants received real-time updates on the investigation via news channels.
A network of volunteers, including doctors, lawyers, and social media influencers, has mobilised in Delhi to provide medical assistance, legal aid, and mental health support to thousands of protesters detained during the recent CJP agitation. The initiative includes transport for released detainees, first aid, and therapist connections.
An angry crowd attempted to storm a police station in Bhopal on Saturday, demanding justice after a 12-year-old girl was found murdered in an abandoned building on Friday. Police have arrested a 23-year-old suspect and are awaiting the postmortem report to determine further details, including potential sexual assault.
The All India Football Federation has disclosed the number of registered football players, coaches, and referees in India in response to an RTI application.
Delhi Police have registered four FIRs against social media handles allegedly spreading false narratives and rumours regarding protests in the capital, with several Pakistan-based accounts under scrutiny for disseminating misleading information and attempting to create an 'anti-India narrative'.
Delhi Police has denied permission for a protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, leading to the closure of 11 metro stations and heightened security. Various political parties and student unions are demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Bhopal police have announced a Rs 30,000 reward for Varun Kumar, the caretaker suspected of murdering retired IAS officer Rakesh Agarwal. Kumar allegedly slit Agarwal's throat and attempted to set the house on fire before fleeing. A four-state manhunt is underway to apprehend the suspect.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, and actor-activist Prakash Raj joined a protest in Bengaluru, demanding the scrapping of the electoral roll revision exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging widespread voter deletion aimed at disenfranchising specific groups.
Congress workers and police clashed outside the Jaipur Police Commissionerate during a protest demanding the registration of a zero FIR regarding the alleged assault on NSUI leader Ritu Barala by Delhi Police. Jaipur Police refused, citing an ongoing investigation in Delhi, while Congress leaders insisted on the legal provision for a zero FIR and accused the BJP government of denying justice. BJP leaders, in turn, called the protest a "political drama."
'These attempts to intimidate people will not be tolerated, and we will put an end to this hooliganism.'
Delhi Police has advised the public to avoid the Cockroach Janta Party's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march scheduled for Friday at Connaught Place, citing prohibitory orders and security concerns. While offering to facilitate a symbolic flag-waving event elsewhere, police have stepped up security and warned of legal action against those defying orders, as the proposed venue, Central Park, will be closed.
The Durga idol of Chorbagan Sarbojanin will be immersed on Saturday under strict police supervision, even as the investigation into the stampede that claimed 19 lives continues. The immersion was cleared by the SIT, which directed the puja pandal be preserved. Forensic experts have raised concerns about ventilation, and police have arrested two announcers, bringing the total to nine. One announcer's Facebook post after arrest has raised questions.
Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of withholding details about the software and algorithm used for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Citing an RTI response, Gokhale highlighted the ECI's claim that the information relates to "commercial confidence, trade secrets and intellectual property matters," raising concerns about transparency in the electoral process.
The Supreme Court on Sunday directed that people gathering peacefully should not be illegally detained and issued a notice to the Centre regarding alleged violations of its earlier order during a CJP protest in Delhi. The court also asked the Solicitor General to ensure normal metro services and no internet disruption, while addressing concerns about widespread detentions and transport closures.
A Delhi court has denied anticipatory bail to a university professor accused of raping a former student and threatening to circulate her objectionable videos. The court cited WhatsApp chats indicating coercion and the risk of witness tampering and evidence destruction if bail were granted. The investigation has been assigned to a senior police officer.
The Delhi High Court is set to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on October 16 concerning the right to peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar. The plea seeks directions to authorities to permit demonstrations and declare peaceful protest as part of free speech, following recent protests and alleged police actions. Another PIL regarding assaults on protesters was adjourned to November.
Leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), including Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, have vowed to escalate their agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, expanding protests nationwide after their release from detention. They allege an "emergency-like situation" created by the Modi government, illegal detentions, and harassment of protesters, drawing parallels to the 1975 Emergency. The CJP is protesting alleged irregularities in voter rolls and demanding Kumar's resignation, accusing authorities of suppressing dissent.
Panchkula police have busted a cyber-fraud gang, arresting two individuals, Manoj Kumar and Anil, for allegedly targeting elderly and less-educated people. The accused tricked victims into revealing ATM PINs, swapped their cards, and withdrew money. Police recovered 70 ATM cards, a POS machine, and mobile phones, with further investigation underway to identify other gang members and affected ATMs in Haryana and Delhi.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and other members for allegedly trespassing into the Jantar Mantar area, which was recently denotified as a protest site. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has condemned the detentions as 'kidnapping' and questioned the legality of preventing lawyers from meeting the detained members.
A 52-year-old lawyer and college lab attendant, Satish Kumar Srivastava, was allegedly shot dead in Prayagraj by another advocate, Devendra Nath Mishra, on Thursday. The incident occurred during an altercation over a disputed Nazul land. Police have taken some individuals into custody and are investigating, with an FIR registered against Mishra and others.
The Election Commission of India has announced decisions addressing concerns raised by two election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, over the past 10 months. These issues included changes to voter registration forms, access to the electoral roll database, the handling of Goa's 97 voters, communications issued without full commission approval, oversight of the IT division, and appeals against voter restoration. The EC has provided responses and outlined steps to resolve these internal disputes and improve transparency and compliance.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee indicated her potential participation in a protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. She strongly criticised the BJP and the Election Commission over alleged electoral malpractices and "SIR anomalies" in Bengal. Banerjee also expressed solidarity with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra regarding their treatment during recent protests and plans to approach President Droupadi Murmu.
Police in Navi Mumbai arrested a Nigerian national, Anyi Ikechukwu Darlington, and seized mephedrone and cocaine worth Rs 3.57 crore. The accused, previously arrested in a drug case, was out on bail and is now under investigation for his role in a drug distribution network.
Delhi Police launched a massive crackdown, detaining Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leader Abhijeet Dipke, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, and nearly 500 protesters who attempted to reach Jantar Mantar for a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Opposition, including AAP and Congress, denounced the situation as 'worse than the Emergency'.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan have strongly criticised the Maharashtra government, particularly Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. They cited recent incidents like the firing at actor Tiger Shroff and the murder of a Shiv Sena worker, demanding a "regime change" and accountability from the government.
'Election Commissioners are Constitutional authorities and they are not supposed to go to the Cabinet secretary. They are not supposed to write letters. And if they are aggrieved, they should straight go to the President of India.'
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has ordered a Vigilance probe into corruption allegations related to the 2006 KSTP road project, implicating incumbent Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who was then the PWD secretary. The investigation also concerns the death by suicide of a Malaysian engineer involved in the project, who reportedly named Kumar in his suicide notes. The probe revives a case that was allegedly "hushed up" after a change in government.
Modi's greater weakness is his inability since July when he directed the exit of Dharmendra Pradhan, to come up with a political counter strategy. Security measures and executive orders as seen in recent days will only likely further weaken him and make him as lame duck a premier as many prior to him, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh included, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
When it pretends to be deaf, a situation can snowball into something it cannot contain. The government cannot dismiss public anger merely because protests are inconvenient or politically embarrassing, asserts Ramesh Menon.
The Indian government has ordered the removal of Jack Dorsey's Bitchat app from app stores, citing law-and-order concerns due to its ability to bypass communication restrictions. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued the takedown demand under Section 69(A) of the IT Act, 2000. The government also addressed the issue of banning minors from social media, indicating a search for a better solution than outright bans.
