India

New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) The Crime Branch of Delhi Police said on Wednesday that it has arrested two wanted criminals who were evading court trials in a number of cases and had non-bailable warrants isused against them.

According to a senior police officer, the accused have been identified as Krishna alias Kinna and Ravi alias Pappy.

"We got a tip-off that Kinna, who is wanted in several criminal cases, would come to Singhalpur village in Shalimar Bagh. A trap was laid which led to his arrest," the officer said.

Kinna was previously arrested in two cases before being released on bail. When he didn't turn up for court proceedings after his release on bail, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him.

"In another operation, we arrested Pappy, who is wanted in several criminal cases, from Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar in Samaypur Badli after getting a tip-off. Pappy was also previously arrested in two cases and skipped court trials after being released on bail. He has been declared a proclaimed offender," the officer said.

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) With the Election Commission of India announcing on Wednesday that Karnataka will go to the polls on May 10 and the results will be declared on May 13, there are indications that it could be a tight contest between incumbent BJP and Congress, if opinion polls are anything to go by.

According to an opinion poll conducted by Zee News-Matrize between March 3 and March 28 among over 56,000 people, out of the 224 Assembly seats in Karnataka, BJP is expected to get 96 to 106 seats, while Congress is likely to win 88 to 98 seats, thus indicating a tough fight. The JD(S) is expected to win only 23 to 33 seats. The majority mark in the state Assembly is 112 seats.

The Zee News-Matrize survey also indicates that Congress is likely to get around 40.4 per cent vote share, followed by 38.3 per cent for BJP and 16.4 per cent for JD(S).

About 30 per cent of respondents though agree that JD(S) under H.D. Kumaraswamy will be the kingmaker after the forthcoming Assembly elections, while 26 per cent of people disagreed.

According to the Zee News-Matrize survey, 31 per cent people believe that Prime minister Narendra Modi will be a game-changer in the Karnataka elections, while 32 per cent of respondents disagreed.

Interestingly though, only 22 per cent of the respondents feel that Congress will benefit from Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', while 41 per cent feel that the foot march will not help the grand old party in Karnataka.

Also, 31 per cent of the respondents feel that the move to replace B.S. Yediyurappa with Basavaraj Bommai as the Chief Minister will help BJP retain power in the state, while 21 per cent do not feel so.

The ABP-CVoter opinion poll had earlier projected a win for Congress in Karnataka, as it predicted the party to bag 115 to 127 seats, followed by 68 to 80 seats for the ruling BJP and only around 23 to 35 seats for the JD(S).

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that despite many global challenges, India is the fastest growing major economy today.

In his virtual address at the leader-level plenary of the second Summit for Democracy, PM Modi said that this itself is the best advertisement for democracy in the world.

"This itself says that democracy can deliver," he quipped.

"Democracy is not just a structure, it is also a spirit. It is based on the belief that the needs and aspirations of every human being are equally important," he added.

The Prime Minister added: "Whether it is our effort to fight climate change through life-style changes, to conserve water through distributed storage, or provide clean cooking fuel to everyone, every initiative is powered by the collective efforts of the citizens of India."

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) With the Congress planning to bring a no confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday, he could become the third Speaker to face such a motion after G.V. Mavalankar and Balram Jakhar. All the three share a common factor that they headed the Lower House when the treasury benches had a brute majority.

Congress sources said that they are consulting like minded allies on the issue while the party MPs have already started signing the petition for the move.

On Wednesday papers were hurled at the Lok Sabha Speaker's chair when Congress MPs were protesting against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification.

The first resolution against the Speaker was brought in 1954 when G.V. Mavalankar was the Speaker and Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister. In 1987, it was against Speaker Balram Jakhar. Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister and the resolution was moved by Somnath Chatterjee. In both the cases the Deputy Speaker presided over the House but in the current Lok Sabha there is no Deputy Speaker.

Both the resolutions were defeated in the House. The opposition is now mulling to bring a no confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla for 'not allowing their leaders to speak in the Lower House' and for not accepting any adjournment notice, sources said.

The opposition is miffed with the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and alleged that the decision has been taken in haste.

The opposition is likely to bring the no confidence motion coming Monday and the signatures of MPs are being taken. The idea was mooted during an opposition meeting.

Gandhi was disqualified as a MP 24 hours after being convicted by a Surat court on Friday.

The Surat district court in Gujarat on March 23 convicted the Congress MP in a criminal defamation case over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019.

He was convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500. The maximum punishment under this section is two years.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname..." remark.

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) After Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha a day after his conviction in Surat court, the Congress on Friday said that it will fight the battle legally and politically.

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said, "We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the PM-linked Adani Maha Mega Scam, Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti."

The Lok Sabha Secretariat in its notification said, "Consequent upon his conviction by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat..., Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha MP representing Wayanad Parliamentary constituency of Kerala, stands disqualified from the membership of the lower house from the date of his conviction..."

This order was issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Friday and was signed by Secretary General, Lok Sabha.

Surat district court in Gujarat on Thursday convicted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019.

Gandhi was convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500. The maximum possible punishment under this section is two years.

BJP MLA and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?..." remark.

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Several opposition MPs and leaders were detained on Friday while they were marching towards Vijay Chowk from Parliament reiterating their demand for a JPC probe into the Adani issue.

Delhi Police also made announcements asking opposition MPs to not march ahead as Section 144 CrPC has been imposed in Vijay Chowk area.

According to sources, opposition leaders and MPs, including K. C. Venugopal, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, K. Suresh, Manickam Tagore, Imran Pratapgarhi, Rajmohan Unnithan, Mohammad Jawaid were among others detained by police and taken to nearby police station.

"Under the Modi Raj, even protesting outside Parliament is a crime. Delhi Police have detained opposition MPs, as we took a march towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan to reiterate our demand for a JPC on the Adani Mega Scam. They will not succeed in shaking our resolve," Venugopal wrote on Twitter while sharing video and photo of leaders and MPs in the police bus.

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) A day after his conviction in a criminal defamation case, Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified from the Lok Sabha membership.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat in its notification said, "Consequent upon his conviction by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat..., Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha MP representing Wayanad Parliamentary constituency of Kerala, stands disqualified from the membership of the lower house from the date of his conviction..."

This order was issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Friday and was signed by Secretary General, Lok Sabha.

Surat district court in Gujarat on Thursday convicted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019.

Gandhi was convicted under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500. The maximum possible punishment under this section is two years.

BJP MLA and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?..." remark.

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) A courthere on Friday reserved its order on bail plea filed by former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's bail matter in connection with the now-scrapped excise policy case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

CBI Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court has scheduled the date for pronouncement of order for March 31.

The court had, on Monday, sent the AAP leader to judicial custody till April 3.

On March 21, Judge Nagpal had asked the probe agency to file written submissions and relevant judgments.

During the hearing, one of Sisodia's counsel had said that nothing exceptional was stated by the CBI which would warrant continued custody.

"Nothing on record to show that Sisodia will be threatening the witnesses," the counsel said, arguing that Sisodia has cooperated with the CBI investigation and none of the searches have revealed any incriminating material against him.

"It goes without doubt that Manish Sisodia has deep roots in society. He has appeared every time he was called before the CBI. I am a public servant. There have been two public servants in this case, allegations far graver than mine. But they are sent without arrest.

"There is no real substantial evidence of tampering with witness or threatening witnesses, etc. I request you to kindly grant me bail," the counsel added.

Appearing for the CBI, Special Public Prosecutor D.P. Singh had said: "It's not only the mobile phones, files were also destroyed. I am very serious that destruction of evidence was a constant practice."

The CBI had opposed Sisodia's bail plea, saying that this will compromise and scuttle their investigation.

Sisodia on Tuesday also moved a bail plea in a court in the same case being being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The court had issued notice to the central agency.

After the CBI arrested the AAP leader on February 26, the ED also arrested him in the same case on March 9.

During the last hearing in the ED case, the court was apprised by the ED that important details have come up during Sisodia's custody and he had to confront with other accused persons.

The probe agency had informed the court that voluminous data from the former Deputy Chief Minister's email and mobile is also being forensically analysed.

--IANS
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Varanasi (UP), March 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, gifted 28 projects worth Rs 1,780 crore to his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi.

The projects include a ropeway that will ease traffic congestion and other infrastructure projects including ATC tower at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, 2 MW solar power plant at water works premises, Bhelupur; 800 KW solar power plant at Konia Pumping Station; new Community Health Centre at Sarnath; infrastructure improvement of Industrial estate at Chandpur and rejuvenation of temples of Kedareshwar, Vishweshwar and Omkareshwar Khand Parikrama.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that Varanasi had emerged as a new tourist destination with increased air connectivity.

He said that the tourist traffic had increased in the past few years due to availability of better facilities in the holy city.

He said that the people of Varanasi were equally responsible for rapid development because of their cooperation.

"Today, Varanasi is a hub for tourism and the local economy is also booming. The economy of eastern Uttar Pradesh is also benefitting because exports have increased," he said.

He said that the Integrated Pack House would benefit farmers of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The facility, to be the third such one in the state, will be used for the storage and packaging of vegetables and fruits, and to boost agricultural exports from the region.

The pack house was built on a 4,461 square feet area in Karkhiyaon at Rs 15.78 crore.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment with the aim to ramp up the supply of Banarasi langra mango, cauliflower, green chilli and tomato, which are grown in abundance in eastern UP, to Japan, Australia, Korea and Europe.


--IANS
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New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) After a Surat court held Rahul Gandhi guilty in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury announced that she would file a defamation case against Modi since the latter supposedly linked her laughter to 'Surupanakha', a demoness in Hindu mythology in a House proceeding.

Taking to Twitter, Chowdhury on Friday said that Modi insulted her by his remark made in Parliament in 2018. She also posted a video of the House proceedings.

She added: "This classless megalomaniac referred to me as Surupanakha on the floor of the House. I will file a defamation case against him. Let's see how fast courts will act now."

In the video, Modi while addressing the Chairman said: "I request you not to say anything to Renuka ji. I am fortunate to hear such laughter today, after the Ramayana serial."

The Chairman had asked Chowdhury to be silent after her laughter was heard during Modi's address.

--IANS
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