India's premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, is witnessing an unprecedented crisis since the last few weeks. At the heart of the crisis is the struggle between its two top bosses -- Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana. As the case continues to play out in the public with allegations being countered with more allegations, here's all you need to know about the feud and its various twists and turns.
Security has been put on high alert across the nation as the Supreme Court of India is all set to deliver its verdict in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, Sabarimala case and a host of other legal wrangles.
Investigators say the aim of the kidnapping was to scare and drive away the nomadic Gujjar and Bakarwal communities from the Hindu dominated area.
Aditya Birla Group on Friday said it donated funds to political outfits through a trust for around 15 years and that these were done within permissible limits of the country's laws.
The official said the organisation, composed of people drawn from Hindu right groups, had around 60 members spread across at least five states but had no name.
The EC limits campaign expenses incurred by a candidate to Rs 50 lakh to Rs 70 lakh. But there is no such limit on spending for parties. The vendors aren't complaining.
The National Investigative Agency has filed a chargesheet against Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was arrested in Kashmir in July last year, alleging that he was working for terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba and was planning to carry out attacks at several places including Delhi.
Patna blasts' suspect Meher-e-Alam, who was detained by the National Investigation Agency from Darbhanga on Wednesday, has escaped from custody.
A Delhi court on Tuesday extended till September 22 the National Investigation Agency custody of Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal after the probe agency said he was involved in "subversive activities" of causing bomb blasts in different parts of India since 2003.
At the prison, both Ranjan and Manglik's cell phones were pressed into service by the CBI. Why the CBI didn't bring its own equipment seems a mystery... Ranjan's cell handset was given to Indrani and Manglik dialed it. Indrani then spoke and her speech, that emanated from the phone, via speaker mode, was recorded.
The centre had opposed the plea, saying Asthana had an outstanding career and had supervised over 40 high-profile cases like coal scam, AugustaWestland scam, blackmoney and money laundering cases.
No home food for Karti, medicines allowed only on prescription.
The crackdown in the corporate espionage case led to the arrest of another person on Monday.
Photographers across continents have asked youngsters to depict what they wanted as gifts this festive season and here's what they said.
The Kerala high court on Thursday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to conduct further investigation into the murder of Sister Abhaya in 1992 in Kottayam, in respect of certain material objects omitted earlier and to file report in three months.
On Thursday, December 14, Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy tweeted: 'Jihadis have killed, maimed, brutalised tens of thousands of innocent people all across the world. And you ask me about a man killed in Rajasthan and then tell me not to do whataboutery!' It was not the first time that Roy's statements have provoked controversy. Should Tathagata Roy even be a governor, asks Amulya Ganguli.
Angels has a disappointing story and shoddy film-making, says Paresh C Palicha.
Aseem Chhabra lists the best non-Hindi language films he watched in 2020, with the hope that they will have a wider reach in the new year.
It would seem that Indrani's application was not something prepared or maybe even sanctioned by her lawyers and was a courtroom enterprise she had embarked on by herself, perhaps not realising it distracted from the main business of the trial and didn't help her cause.
Singh and Badami subsequently took Waghmare to a corner of the corridor outside, where others have no access, and gave him a lecture. The conversation was largely inaudible, except for a phrase here or there. The thrust was unmistakable. Waghmare had to learn not to give such detailed answers to the defence.
'With his stature as a playwright and actor, Girish Karnad was one of the voices of modernity for not just Karnataka but the entire country.'
Sreehari Nair presents his Top 20 movies of the decade.
'It would be unfair on the Mumbai police to believe that D has compromised the force. We should not forget that today the underworld in Mumbai stands decimated because of the efforts of the Mumbai police.'
Tim Pigott-Smith hated the natives in The Jewel in the Crown, but went back a lover of India at the end of the four-month shoot. India not only gave him a career-defining role but touched him in many different ways. Documentary filmmaker Siddharth Kak -- who acted with the classy actor in the beloved television series -- shares his memories with Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
The Congress chief celebrated her 69th birthday like a never-seen-before affair where she engaged with her supporters and was all smiles.
'I remember the confusion over the slogan, 'Karenge Ya Marenge! (Do Or Die!)'.' 'I think this confusion arose because Gandhiji was arrested.' 'People used to wonder: What are we supposed to do?' 'How are we supposed to die?' 'How are we to fight the British?'
Mobile Internet, of course, helped Burhan Wani to spread his message. And some rumour-mongers at the inception of the current unrest spread falsehoods at least on two occasions, but why ban all mobile communication including cellular network and cable TV when deep-seated alienation among youth has shaped their ideology which is now playing out in the form of massive protests, asks Athar Parvaiz.
The bench said, "He is an Army officer not an ordinary criminal. You have to see the matter in a holistic way".
As the weeks go by in this trial, it has emerged that Shyamvar Rai is that rare species of driver whose knowledge of distances, directions and routes surprisingly would not even fill the back of a postage stamp.
After the Chauri Chaura incident, Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Right from the beginning, the State abdicated its responsibility in fixing the blame for the Hashimpura massacres or getting justice for the victims.
Does Manmarziyaan feature in your list?
Nikita Puri lists the best shows and films to watch online as you ace social distancing.
'There is no evidence of newspapers and television channels ganging up to wage a coordinated war to expose the BSP, destroy the AIADMK, malign Kejriwal, discredit Lalu or defame Mamata.' 'But it's of interest that none of these exposes threatens the 12 states the BJP controls,' says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
On International Tiger Day, India is still a long way from making sure that the future of our national animal is safe.
A special court on Friday asked the CBI as to what was the "hurry" in filing a closure report in the coal blocks allocation case in which it had earlier lodged an FIR against top industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others.
India pacer Shantakumaran Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals team mate Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were on Sunday cleared of charges by a Delhi court in the spot-fixing and betting scandal in the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League in 2013. A flashback of the events that unfolded in the episode.
Why should Reliance Digital position itself as an alternative to Chadhaji's store? It simply doesn't make good business sense, says Sudhir Bisht.
'I met someone who came out of jail and started telling me wild things that they did inside.' 'I couldn't believe it and then my curiousity led me to do some more digging.'
Five months after he was assaulted by a mob and forced to chant 'Jai Bhawani, Jai Shivaji,' Assistant Sub Inspector of Police Yunus Shaikh will return to the police force on July 21. Shaikh relives the assault and its aftermath in this interview with Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore.
