Walmik Karad, an aide to Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party minister Dhananjay Munde, was on Tuesday charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody in an extortion case allegedly linked to the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.
India's Parliament is set to begin its Budget session on Friday, with opposition parties poised to demand a discussion on the alleged mismanagement of the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, where 30 pilgrims died in a stampede. The opposition also accused the government of politicising parliamentary committees and pushing its agenda through its majority. The session will start with President Droupadi Murmu addressing both houses of Parliament. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on Saturday for the eighth consecutive time.
Police are examining the past records of the arrested men in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case and a related case of extortion to decide if the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) should be invoked, sources said on Thursday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he had requested senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam to appear as a special prosecutor in the murder case. The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has sought old case papers and chargesheets against the arrested men. Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed, was abducted and brutally killed on December 9, allegedly for opposing an extortion bid by some persons who had demanded money from a windmill company. Beed Police has put up posters seeking information about whereabouts of three wanted accused in the murder case. CM Fadnavis said he spoke to BJP MLA from Beed, Suresh Dhas who demanded that Nikam be appointed as special public prosecutor in the case. Nikam was a special public prosecutor in several high-profile cases, including the 26/11 terror attacks and 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar claimed that "smaller fish" could be killed in fake encounters to save the "big fish" involved in the Deshmukh murder and extortion cases. Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council Ambadas Danve said the trial in the case should be conducted outside Beed district. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, who has come under fire after the alleged involvement of his aide Karad in the extortion matter came to light, said those who murdered Santosh Deshmukh should be tried in a fast-track court and "hanged till death." The government on Wednesday set up a 10-member SIT to probe the case, headed by Deputy Inspector General -CID Basavraj Teli.
The outcome of Maharashtra state elections is unlikely to move markets much, said analysts. The markets, they believe, have bigger developments to worry about in the short-to-medium term.
The Juggernauts made a positive start in the fourth minute, opting for a relatively direct route to surprise the Kerala Blasters defence.
Siddaramaiah, his wife, brother-in-law B M Mallikarjun Swamy, Devaraju -- from whom Swamy had purchased a land and gifted it to Parvathi -- and others have been named in the FIR registered by the Lokayukta police establishment, located in Mysuru on September 27, following the order of the Special Court that exclusively deals with criminal cases related to former and elected MPs/MLAs.
As Swapnil shot to glory in the 50m rifle 3 positions event, taking India's tally to three at the Paris Games on Thursday, his family and friends exploded in joy at his home in Kolhapur district.
Every season, there's a hot colour that every celeb endorses and it seems that lately, it's white.
Nothing combines elegance and beauty better than a Kerala kasavu sari.
Bollywood looked gorgeous as they stepped out on the red carpet at the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) awards in Abu Dhabi.
A spot-kick from Noah Sadaoui (44th minute) was enough for Kerala Blasters FC to secure a win.
Just 18 months after pairing up, the young mixed doubles pair of Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath rise to World No 33.
Cricket fans in Srinagar thronged the Bakshi stadium to catch a glimpse of Chris Gayle in action in the Legends Cricket League match on Friday. The 30,000 capacity stadium was packed to capacity as it marked the return of top level cricket to Srinagar after nearly four decades.
IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has made changes to its leadership roles in North America. As part of the changes Suresh Muthuswami has been elevated to the role of chairman, North America, said sources in the know. This is one of the most significant leadership changes the company has announced for the region. The reason for the changes in the North American region, the largest in terms of revenue for TCS, is because Surya Kant who has been at the helm of North America for the past 16 years is stepping down by the end of the fiscal year, as he retires.
A special court in Thane, India, has acquitted six individuals, including a former corporator, in an extortion case. The court cited "lack of evidence" and "procedural lapses" by the prosecution, as well as "unreliable testimonies" of witnesses, as reasons for granting the accused the benefit of doubt.
Film folk celebrated Onam on Sunday, and wished their fans with heartfelt greetings and posted pictures on social media.
Fresh pairings bring about fresh energy on celluloid. And quite a few untried ones are all set to draw our attention with the unique crackle of their chemistry on the big screen soon.
Varun flying around in over-the-top stunts, showing off his dance moves, taking his shirt off and throwing dialogues in masala hero style. A padded-up star vehicle churned out for the nth time, sighs Mayur Sanap.
Indian batsman Suresh Raina and his wife Priyanka Raina on Monday were blessed with a baby boy. The official handle of CSK also tweeted about the news and wrote, " Kutti Thala is here! Lots of #Yellove and #WhistlePodu to@_PriyankaCRaina and @ImRaina for the newest addition to the #superfamily. "
South African cricket legend Jonty Rhodes called Ravindra Jadeja as a 'complete all-round' fielder.
The Mammootty-starrer is a passable procedural, let down by half-baked ideas that don't necessarily come together, observes Arjun Menon.
Rijiju's meeting with Bandyopadhyay came against the backdrop of the Opposition alliance's decision to pull out its members from the panel of chairpersons that will assist Mahtab in conducting the proceedings of the Lok Sabha till the election of the Speaker on Wednesday.
'Whatever goals I have scored are because of the team I have played with'
Keerthy is ready to promote Raghu Thatha... What's Aahana doing in Turkiye?... Nimrat prays to Ganesha...
Odisha FC and Kerala Blasters FC played out a thrilling match, filled with twists and dramatic moments in the Indian Super League in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Diego Mauricio found the back of the net for Odisha, while Kerala benefitted from an own goal by Alexandre Coeff. Meanwhile, Noah Sadaoui and Jesus Jimenez showcased excellent chemistry, each scoring for Kerala Blasters.
Netflix has announced a thrilling line-up for 2025.
A look at some of India's best victories over Pakistan in ICC tournaments.
'I am optimistic about the Budget because of the fiscal discipline the government has committed to.'
White is the perfect shade to express calm elegance even as you make a striking statement during the festivities.
Thousands of people gathered in Maharashtra's Beed city on Saturday to protest against the brutal murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh as even MLAs from ruling parties demanded the sacking of Nationalist Congress Party minister Dhananjay Munde.
Devotees attending the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj are facing transportation challenges, with many forced to walk long distances in search of transport. Thousands of pilgrims returning from the event are stranded at Varanasi Cantt and Banaras railway stations, with some missing their trains due to the rush and others stuck because of cancellations. Officials say the traffic situation in the district has returned to normal, but some pilgrims report difficulties in finding transport and reaching their destinations.
Hours before the US presidential elections, special prayers were held for Democrat candidate Kamala Harris's victory at her ancestral village in Tamil Nadu.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) selection panel picked a five-member squad in which Mukund will be the highest-ranked singles player at number 368.
It was a protest which held a mirror to the government of a state taking pride in its commitment to democracy, gender equality and social indices.One person, who in his employed days had known governments and political parties at close quarters, told me that public perception of how the Kerala government handled the ASHA workers' strike had been terrible, reports Shyam G Menon.
Kareena is off to work... Raashii shares a picture from the sets...Rajkummar is grateful...
Opposition leaders nominated to the panel of chairpersons to assist the pro tem Speaker are considering not accepting the positions, a source said on Saturday.
Union Minister of State BL Verma expressed concern over the situation in Bangladesh and said the government is closely monitoring it. Addressing a Rozgar Mela in Jammu, he lauded the BSF for its role in safeguarding India's borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Pakistan. He also responded to questions on the Samajwadi Party's controversial statement labelling the BJP government as a "Hindu terrorist organisation", the Congress's allegations of EVM fraud, and Rahul Gandhi's call for a caste census.
'She knows everything that goes on behind the scenes.' 'I take pride in performing for the country. Feels amazing, the fact that she's here makes it more special.'
The need for a manufacturing policy, reining in food inflation and raising investment in the country were among key suggestions given by economists who met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and senior ministry officials in the first round of pre-Budget consultations on Friday.
The para-athletes outnumbered the able-bodied ones in the list this time due to the magnificent Paris Paralympics performance in which they returned with 29 medals, including seven gold and nine silver.
