Union Minister Jitendra Singh refuted Rahul Gandhi's allegations in Lok Sabha that Home Minister Amit Shah ordered firing on students protesting the NEET fiasco. Singh clarified that no bullets were fired, only tear gas was used, and the authority to order firing rests with a magistrate, not a minister. He also dismissed Gandhi's claims about Shah's cavalcade and foreign travel, criticising the opposition leader for making unsubstantiated remarks during a heated parliamentary debate.
The Supreme Court has ruled that cryptic bail orders need not be revisited, asserting that a person's liberty hinges on the prosecution's case rather than judicial inaccuracies. This observation came while rejecting the Uttarakhand government's appeal against bail granted to Abdul Malik in the Banbhoolpura violence case, with the court also questioning the invocation of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Indian Parliament remains deadlocked as the Opposition, led by the Congress, insists on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to discussions on alleged donation theft at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and student protests, rejecting the government's offer for Home Minister Amit Shah to respond.
A committee constituted by the West Bengal government to carry out a special audit of sanctioned plans for high-rise residential and commercial buildings in and around the city will meet on Friday to begin the exercise, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said.
Student protests in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment exams have intensified, leading to a state-wide bandh called by the BJP and a march by the ABVP to the state assembly. The agitation, now in its 18th day, has seen police action against demonstrators, an ED money laundering probe, and the arrest of a former JPSC chairperson, while talks between the government and students remain deadlocked.
West Bengal's annual July 21 Martyrs' Day observance has transformed into an unprecedented political contest, with three rival camps - Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, a breakaway TMC faction, and the Congress - holding parallel programmes in central Kolkata, each vying for legacy and organisational strength.
The Indian government has officially refuted social media claims regarding a leak of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination question paper. The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check wing labelled these allegations as "fake," clarifying that an institute's backdated answer key explanations were misinterpreted, not indicative of a leak.
Following the Supreme Court's clean chit in the coal block allocation case, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has lauded former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's integrity and accountability, drawing a sharp contrast with the Narendra Modi government's operational style and alleged misuse of investigative agencies.
A CISF jawan was injured in a firing incident outside the residence of BJP candidate Pawan Singh in West Bengal, prompting an Election Commission report. The incident occurred amidst tensions between TMC and BJP supporters, with both parties trading accusations of instigating violence.
Opposition parties in Odisha, BJD and Congress, have criticised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, accusing him of a surge in police brutality. The allegations stem from a custodial death in Ganjam district and other instances of alleged police misconduct. The BJP has defended the government, stating that prompt action has been taken in response to these cases.
Police are investigating claims of a firing incident outside the residence of Diljit Dosanjh's manager in Karnal, allegedly at the behest of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's aides. The incident has sparked a political row, with AAP accusing BJP of intimidation tactics after Dosanjh declined to join the party.
A coordinated international operation, 'Operation Hard Ball', led to the arrest of 24 alleged members and associates of three India-based criminal syndicates, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, across the US, Canada, and Europe.
Opposition parties in Punjab are criticising Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for refusing to order a CBI investigation into the suicide of a warehousing corporation official, alleging a cover-up to protect a former minister.
Bihar Police have reported an increase in attacks on their personnel during an intensified crackdown on criminals. The police reject allegations of caste-based targeting and assert their commitment to law enforcement.
Ideology is dead; long live the numbers game that is being played with the sole intention of securing a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha for the NDA, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
A court in Goa has rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the fire-ravaged Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, in a case involving the alleged forgery of documents to obtain an excise licence.
Police seized weapons and mobile phones after inmates clashed in Kapurthala jail. Tear gas and cane charges were used to restore order. Political leaders criticise the state government over the incident.
'Critics say the political leadership abandoned the army chief or did not back him. I disagree. 'Military leaders are trained to take decisions when given a free hand.' 'This was a clear go-ahead from the prime minister to the army chief.'
A Goa court granted bail to two managers of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub arrested in connection with the fire that killed 25 people. Bail was granted with conditions, including not leaving India without permission and cooperating with the investigation.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has dismissed an appeal by the state government, upholding the acquittal of all 10 accused in the 2010 Tadmetla Maoist attack case due to lack of direct evidence and procedural lapses in the investigation.
The Supreme Court has declined to entertain petitions seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding a viral video, advising petitioners to approach the Gauhati High Court instead.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has upheld the acquittal of ten accused in the 2010 Tadmetla Maoist attack case, citing lack of direct evidence and procedural lapses in the investigation.
A special court in Mumbai has directed the police to issue a no objection certificate for alleged gangster Kumar Pillai's return to Hong Kong, his home country, after his extradition to India. The court rejected the prosecution's argument that he should be returned to Singapore, from where he was extradited.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage of a maritime operation where Marines boarded an Iranian-flagged vessel, the Touska, in the Gulf of Oman, leading to heightened tensions and threats of retaliation from Iran.
The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Delhi has denied bail to two minors arrested in connection with the death of a man during a clash between two families on Holi. The board cited concerns about public peace, the safety of the minors, and the integrity of the justice system.
Buyers should understand the distinction between the losses the policy covers, those that need add-ons, and those it excludes.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of instigating violence during Ram Navami rallies in West Bengal, alleging the party is disrupting the state's tradition of communal harmony.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has vowed to take strict action against any police personnel found involved in the drug trade, addressing concerns raised by the opposition regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
A Delhi court rejected the transit anticipatory bail pleas of Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa, where a fire killed 25 people. The court cited their evasion of legal processes as a reason for the denial.
A special MCOCA court in Mumbai has rejected the discharge plea of an accused in the 1992 JJ Hospital shootout case, citing sufficient evidence of involvement in the crime.
The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that the restriction on women of menstruating age entering Kerala's Sabarimala temple is a matter of religious faith and denominational autonomy, falling outside the purview of judicial review. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that courts should not apply 'secular standards of reason' to religious practices.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
The delegations from the US and Iran head to Islamabad on Friday, carrying a ceasefire that is already fraying, a Strait that is technically open and practically closed, and a negotiating agenda that would challenge even parties actually negotiating in good faith, which these groups are not. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
The Supreme Court has urged political leaders to promote fraternity while declining to entertain a PIL seeking guidelines on political speeches, emphasizing the need for objectivity and even-handedness in addressing concerns about hate speech and constitutional values.
The pause gives the US time to breathe, to regroup, to move its expeditionary force into position without risk of interception along the way. It gives Iran nothing -- on the ground, attacks against its infrastructure continue apace. Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
A court in Patiala declared AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra a proclaimed offender after he failed to appear in a rape case. The court has also directed for a notice to be issued to the investigating officer to place on record the list of properties belonging to Pathanmajra.
What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.
Police, however, rejected allegations of negligence. Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Rajeev Narayan Mishra said police and fire department teams made efforts to save the youth and deployed a crane, ladder, makeshift boat and searchlights, but visibility was near zero due to fog.
