As the year draws to a close, Rediff's Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya takes a look at the hits and misses, the highs and lows, the newsmakers and the dealbreakers in alphabetical order.
Farmers of Gujarat will drag Bharatiya Janata Party leaders out of their houses and thrash them mercilessly if police were to be removed for a day, Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal claimed on Friday.
A special MCOCA court in Mumbai has framed charges against five individuals, including the alleged shooters, in connection with the 2024 firing incident at Salman Khan's residence. The trial will commence following the framing of charges.
A special MCOCA court in Mumbai has framed charges against five individuals, including the alleged shooters, in connection with the 2024 firing incident at Salman Khan's residence. The trial will commence following the framing of charges.
Anmol Bishnoi, brother of Lawrence Bishnoi, seeks protection, fearing an attack by Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti due to social media posts. He is currently in NIA custody after deportation from the US.
A lawyer in Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh, is accused of masterminding the murder of a couple after fraudulently acquiring their shops and manipulating their sons into committing the crime.
Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, D K Shivakumar, responding to several media queries regarding the current 'internal conflict' in Karnataka Congress in reference to the chief ministerial position, said on Tuesday that he doesn't want to embarrass or weaken the party.
Self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused of molesting 17 women students, has been remanded to judicial custody. Police have added a charge related to threatening a witness.
Dhurandhar's most dangerous idea is that Director Aditya Dhar envisions an Indian state run by a deep state -- an intelligence machinery not accountable to Parliament, courts, or voters. A future political system where unelected officials decide when Indian democracy is 'fit' to function, observes Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
While the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sought a stay on the operation of the bail order so as to appeal before the Supreme Court, the HC refused the request, stating that Babu has been in jail for over five years.
The Assam assembly on Thursday passed a bill to ban polygamy, making it an offence which may lead to a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment, barring some exceptions.
Kamini Kaushal, who began her career with the 1946 classic Neecha Nagar and went on to act in a host of films right till 2022, passed away in her Mumbai home on Thursday night.
A 70-year-old man, along with his daughter-in-law and her minor son, allegedly stole jewellery worth Rs 50 lakh from his own daughter's house after drugging her, the police said on Tuesday.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced plans to relocate Tihar Jail to the city's outskirts, allocating Rs 10 crore in the 2025-26 budget for survey and consultancy services related to the move. The decision comes amid severe overcrowding at the prison complex, which currently houses over 19,000 inmates despite being designed for approximately 10,025. The Delhi government has also initiated the development of new prison complexes in Narela to alleviate congestion. While a short-term proposal for retrofitting and vertical extension of the jail has been made, the chief minister did not disclose any date for the shifting plans. Additionally, the government will prioritize procurement of products manufactured by inmates in Tihar, Rohini, and Mandoli jails, aiming to boost their earnings and provide them with better opportunities for rehabilitation.
The court, however, found six others, including prime accused Sunil N S alias Pulsar Suni, who directly committed the crime, guilty.
Kerala government announces its decision to appeal against the acquittal of Malayalam actor Dileep in the actress assault case, citing incomplete justice for the survivor. The court found six others guilty. The decision follows reactions from political leaders, film industry figures, and the public.
Delhi Police told a court that some protesters arrested for allegedly using pepper spray on police personnel during a demonstration at India Gate attended a conference of the banned Radical Students' Union in Hyderabad earlier this year.
Jan Suraaj Spokesperson and one of the key architects of the Party, Pavan Verma, levelled serious allegations that funds from the World Bank meant for some other project were diverted for the Bihar Assembly elections by the central government and distributed to women voters in the state.
The petition also alleged that she was receiving "multiple threats from other inmates inside the jail, causing her to fear for her safety and well-being".
'He is the same man who has won honours for the country across the world.'
Speculation intensifies regarding a potential political shake-up in Jharkhand's ruling coalition, fueled by strained relations between JMM, RJD, and Congress, and Chief Minister Hemant Soren's Delhi visits. Both JMM and Congress have denied the claims.
A Kerala court is expected to deliver a verdict in the 2017 actress assault case involving Malayalam actor Dileep, a case marked by twists, delays, and a battle over narrative.
The Supreme Court criticizes an accused in a CTET proxy exam case, referencing the movie 'Munna Bhai MBBS' and emphasizing the damage to the public examination system. The court seeks a response from Uttar Pradesh regarding the denial of bail to the petitioner.
Bangladesh's interim government has formally requested India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after she was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity.
The Bombay High Court stated that gangster Abu Salem has not yet completed 25 years in jail in India, as mandated by his extradition from Portugal. Salem sought release, claiming his term was complete with remission, but the court found the 25-year period incomplete based on his arrest date.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging the Election Commission's decision to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal. The court is also addressing concerns about disenfranchisement and citizenship issues related to the revision process.
The Delhi police vehemently opposed the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others in the February 2020 riots case, saying it had become a trend now for doctors and engineers to engage in anti-national activities. The police cited inflammatory speeches and violent protests as reasons for opposing bail.
Delhi Police strongly opposes bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others in the February 2020 riots case, claiming it was a pre-planned attack on the nation's sovereignty and an attempt to divide society on communal lines.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma met surrendered Naxalites at a rehabilitation center in Sukma, offering them a visit to the state assembly and directing officials to improve their living conditions and opportunities.
The sons of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, Syed Ahmad Shakeel and Syed Shahid Yusuf, have challenged a rule in the Delhi Prison Rules that bars those accused of offences against the state, terrorist activities, and other heinous crimes from using telephonic and electronic communication facilities. The two prisoners, currently lodged in different Delhi jails, are seeking restoration of their phone call facilities, alleging that the restrictions are arbitrary and unreasonable. The Delhi High Court has posted the matter for further hearing on May 22.
The Madhya Pradesh Police training wing has directed all its centres to hold Bhagavad Gita recital sessions for recruits, aiming to help them lead a 'righteous' life. This follows a similar directive for Ramcharitmanas recitals.
In a measured but scathing attack, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of committing a 'big sin' by creating a controversy over Vande Mataram and claimed that the government pushed for a debate on the national song as the West Bengal assembly polls were approaching.
The Delhi High Court dismissed a plea seeking the removal of the graves of terrorists Mohammad Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Bhatt from Tihar Jail, citing the absence of any law prohibiting burial inside jail premises and the government's decision to maintain law and order.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, claims his speeches were quoted out of context and wrongly translated to support an 'anti-national narrative' in his detention order. She asserts the charges are frivolous and will be challenged in court.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian national accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is likely to be lodged in a high-security ward in Tihar jail upon his extradition from the US. Rana, a close associate of David Coleman Headley, a US citizen who was also involved in the attacks, will be brought to India after his last-ditch attempt to evade extradition was rejected by the US Supreme Court. The attacks, which lasted nearly 60 hours, resulted in the deaths of 166 people and sent shockwaves across the country.
Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla, accused of murdering former Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput, are experiencing drug withdrawal symptoms while in judicial custody. Jail officials say the duo are showing signs of distress, including sleeplessness and refusal to eat, attributing it to their long-term drug use. They have also requested to be lodged in the same barrack, which was denied by officials due to jail rules. Muskan has also requested a government lawyer as she is estranged from her family.
Punjab Police arrested two terror operatives in Amritsar and seized a rocket-propelled grenade intended for a targeted attack. The suspects were in contact with a Pakistani ISI operative and an inmate in Ferozepur Jail.
In a fresh twist to the ongoing power struggle in Karnataka, caste groups backing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar on Thursday threw their weight behind them, with one warning Congress against unseating the incumbent CM while the other community strongly batted for Shivakumar's elevation.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the suicide bomber involved in the deadly Islamabad bombing was an Afghan national. The announcement follows a suicide bombing in Islamabad and another attack in South Waziristan.
Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr has entered a prison in the northern Mexico state of Sonora after his arrest in the United States in July.
