The developments came after an FIR was registered in the alleged embezzlement of donations received at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Trinamool Congress leader and former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation chairman, Sabyasachi Dutta, has been arrested in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on charges of extortion and criminal intimidation following a businessman's complaint.
The Congress party is set to challenge the Modi government on a range of critical issues, including alleged theft of Ram temple donations, 'systemic corrosion' of the education system, and constitutional amendment bills related to delimitation and dismissal of ministers, during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a video purportedly showing a TMC leader hiding from an angry crowd over alleged 'cut-money' extortion in West Bengal. The incident highlights growing public anger and demands for the return of money taken from beneficiaries of government schemes, with the TMC leadership denying involvement.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has invited Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee for a meeting on June 19 to discuss the party's internal split. This comes after 20 rebel TMC MPs sought recognition as a separate group following their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. Birla plans to hear both factions before making a decision, while Banerjee has argued against recognising any separate group within the AITC, citing anti-defection laws and a recent Supreme Court judgment.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a severe leadership crisis as former minister Jyoti Priya Mallick resigned from all party organisational posts citing health, and senior North Bengal leader Goutam Deb stepped down as mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, amidst widespread internal rifts and electoral setbacks.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will hear both the defected TMC MPs and the faction led by Mamata Banerjee before deciding on recognising the breakaway group's proposed merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has dismissed claims by Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar about an impending split in the SP. Yadav asserted the party's strength and accused the BJP of engineering defections through inducements and pressure, while also noting that BJP's own legislators might be looking to switch sides.
A high drama unfolded in Hyderabad on Thursday as ministers of the Congress government arrived at the Telangana Martyrs' Memorial to engage in a public debate with the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi leaders over allegations of scams and debt accumulation that both the ruling and opposition parties have raised against each other.
Trinamool Congress leader Sabyasachi Dutta, former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation chairman, has been arrested in West Bengal on charges of extortion and criminal intimidation. The arrest stems from a 2018 complaint by a businessman alleging a demand of over Rs 1 crore. This development follows another recent high-profile arrest of a TMC leader, prompting a state minister to comment on a crackdown on corruption.
Former West Bengal food minister Rathin Ghosh appeared before the ED in connection with the alleged civic recruitment scam case after skipping summons on five earlier occasions.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has granted bail to Saumya Chaurasia, a former deputy secretary in the CMO, in two cases related to the alleged liquor scam that occurred during the previous Congress government.
The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth over 441 crore in connection with the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam, which allegedly occurred during the previous YSRCP government's tenure.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has granted bail to Saumya Chaurasia, a former deputy secretary in the CMO, in two cases related to the alleged liquor scam being investigated by the ED and EOW.
'What struck me at the time was simply the scale of it -- that something of this magnitude could be unfolding inside the Ram temple itself.' 'It was bewildering. And what troubled me further was the manner in which people were shielding it.'
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) has named Jyotiprakash Chatterji as its new president, a development that follows the merger of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebel Lok Sabha faction with the party. This announcement by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a key figure in the dissident camp, comes amidst speculation about the party's leadership after its founder stepped down. However, details about Chatterji and the party's internal workings remain unclear, with some existing members expressing unawareness of the change.
Prathichaya has timely ideas and an interesting moral core, but is weighed down by dated storytelling, predictable plotting, and uneven performances, notes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta has dismissed allegations of irregularities in the Chester Hill housing project, asserting his innocence and claiming a conspiracy against him. The controversy involves alleged violations of land laws and accusations of benami land deals.
A local court in Mumbai has accepted the police's closure report in the alleged Rs 25,000 crore scam at the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB), giving a clean chit to the late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and other accused.
Rajesh Exports has vehemently denied allegations of inflated revenues and preferential share placement to LIC, labelling them 'speculative inferences' and affirming its commitment to addressing concerns raised by Sebi.
Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed that Punjab assembly elections may be held in November this year as against the expected February 2027. Kejriwal also projected Bhagwant Mann as the party's chief ministerial face.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), has announced plans for nationwide protests if Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan does not resign by June 13 over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests, following a peaceful agitation at Jantar Mantar.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rahul Gandhi have engaged in a public dispute over alleged irregularities in the CBSE exam system, with Gandhi demanding an independent probe and Pradhan accusing Gandhi of politicising the issue.
The Bombay High Court has quashed an extortion FIR registered against former Maharashtra DGP Sanjay Pandey and others in Thane. The FIR was based on a complaint by builder Sanjay Punamiya, who alleged extortion and coercion.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and TMC leader Santanu Sen resigned as the party's national spokesperson, citing the R G Kar rape and murder case controversy and the recent election defeat as reasons for his decision. His resignation highlights the internal dissent and organisational challenges facing the TMC.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has directed officials to address issues faced by students regarding the CBSE examination system, following allegations of irregularities. The government has committed to transparency and accountability, assuring that all genuine concerns will be addressed effectively.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel in connection with a money laundering case linked to the coal scam probe in West Bengal, escalating tensions ahead of the state's Assembly elections.
Delhi Police have registered an FIR concerning allegations of a 'ticket-for-money' scheme involving individuals connected to the Congress party, following a complaint by a Haryana-based man who claims he was asked to pay substantial amounts to secure an election ticket for his wife.
TVF's popular family series, Gullak, returns for a fifth season, offering a refreshing contrast to crime shows with its focus on the mundane crises of the Mishra family, who navigate new challenges like home renovations, Wi-Fi installation, and the arrival of opinionated relatives.
Former Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam was released from jail after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged tender scam. He was arrested in May 2024 after a large sum of cash was seized from premises linked to his aide.
The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth 159 crore in connection with a money laundering investigation related to illegal coal mining in West Bengal. The case involves alleged pilferage and implicates various entities, including the political consultancy firm I-PAC.
A legal representative of I-PAC director Rishi Raj Singh assisted the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi with data extraction from seized electronic devices. This follows raids and the arrest of another director, Vinesh Chandel, amid allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering.
Already, within the week of the election results it became apparent that the Congress' DNA has not changed from its traditional approach to politics as but a game of thrones, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad has accused the BJP of being linked to the alleged NEET paper leak, claiming that individuals associated with the ruling party are involved in the scandal. He alleges the BJP is an 'expert in theft,' citing previous instances of 'vote theft' and 'job theft'.
The electorate did not vote for the BJP as much as they voted against the TMC. This is an important distinction that the new government will ignore at its own peril, points out Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that Bangladeshi infiltrators detained in the state will be directly handed over to the BSF for deportation, bypassing court appearances, following a new rule.
The Bombay High Court has quashed multiple FIRs against former Maharashtra DGP Sanjay Pandey, senior advocate Shekhar Jagtap, and others, citing 'personal grudges' and an abuse of the legal process.
A 42-year-old man has been arrested in Dehradun for allegedly defrauding Congress leaders of crores of rupees by impersonating Rahul Gandhi's personal secretary. He has been sent to judicial custody, and police are seeking further custody for questioning.
Three treasury employees in Hazaribag, Jharkhand, have been arrested for allegedly embezzling Rs 15.41 crore from government bank accounts over eight years, prompting criticism from the opposition BJP.
Mamata Banerjee's defeat in West Bengal marks a significant turning point in her political career, challenging her ability to rebuild and regain influence after a long period of dominance.
