India

Kochi, Jan 6 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking a CBI probe into the death of Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, who was found hanging at his official residence on October 15.

Minutes after the verdict, Babu’s wife, K. Manjusha, announced plans to appeal the decision. "This is not the end. We will file an appeal with the High Court division bench," Manjusha said.

Babu's brother, Praveen, expressed disappointment with the ruling. "We are not satisfied. While the court has directed a DIG of Police to monitor the investigation with periodic reviews, we expected a CBI probe. We will now approach the division bench or even the Supreme Court if necessary," he said.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government, which had initially pledged support to Babu’s family, opposed the demand for a CBI probe during court proceedings.

Naveen Babu, a reputed and upright officer, was found dead a day after his official farewell from Kannur. The controversy began when P.P. Divya, Kannur District Panchayat President and a CPI(M) leader, attended Babu’s farewell event uninvited and accused him of corruption.

The family alleged that Divya’s remarks were politically motivated and caused immense distress to Babu. Divya, who was later arrested and briefly jailed in connection with the case, resigned from her position amidst mounting criticism.

Manjusha's petition for a CBI probe cited irregularities in the investigation. Her counsel argued that the inquest and postmortem were conducted hastily, without the family's presence. Forceful ligature marks were found on Babu’s neck, requiring scientific examination. Divya’s strong political connections might hinder a fair investigation by the state police.

The Kerala government opposed the plea, asserting that the state police's ongoing investigation was impartial and based on evidence. The government’s counsel argued that the demand for a CBI probe relied on assumptions without substantial proof.

Divya’s corruption allegations against Babu stemmed from a delay in issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump application by T.V. Prasanth, an electrician at the Kannur Medical College.

Notably, Prasanth was reportedly a colleague of Divya’s husband, raising suspicions about personal motives behind the accusations.

Amid the uproar following Babu’s death, Divya went into hiding but was arrested on October 29 after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected. She was released on bail on November 8.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) Led by the industrial and warehousing segment, the institutional investments in Indian real estate touched $6.5 billion inflows in 2024, a substantial 22 per cent increase from the previous year's $5.4 billion, according to a report on Monday.

Overall, at $4.3 billion, foreign inflows continued to drive annual real estate investments at 66 per cent share, while domestic investments too witnessed a steady rise, surging 27 per cent during the year, according to the report by Colliers India.

Mumbai, with about $1.6 billion inflows, accounted for 24 per cent of the real estate investments in the country last year. Investment inflows in Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi NCR also remained steady and accounted for 8-9 per cent share each during the year.

The fourth quarter of 2024 was particularly robust, with investments reaching $1.9 billion — a 2.3 times increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Notably, domestic investments were significant in Q4 2024 and accounted for 43 per cent of the inflows during the final quarter.

The industrial and warehousing segment accounted for the highest share in overall real estate investment volumes at 39 per cent last year, surpassing the office segment.

Manufacturing and industrial growth was robust and was reflected in the performance of macro-economic indicators such as Manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

At $1.1 billion, residential segment too witnessed substantial growth, rising 46 per cent compared to 2023 levels.

“Interestingly, APAC investors drove almost one-third of the foreign inflows in the country’s real estate during the year. Looking ahead, Tier-I cities will continue to attract majority of the capital, amidst government impetus on infrastructure development and ‘Make in India’ initiative,” said Badal Yagnik, Chief Executive Officer, Colliers India.

While global investors’ confidence is likely to remain upbeat, 2025 is likely to see increased capital deployment from domestic players across office, residential and industrial assets, Yagnik added.

According to the report, rising investments in the industrial and warehousing segment is a testament to healthy domestic activity, enhancements in logistics efficiency, and India's improving capabilities as a global manufacturing hub. Foreign investments drove over 80 per cent of the total inflows in the segment during the year.

Rising demand for superior quality Grade A developments and evolving supply-chain models will continue to incentivise investors in consolidating industrial & warehousing assets in the country, said Vimal Nadar, Senior Director and Head of Research, Colliers India.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday met US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan in New Delhi to discuss a wide range of strategic, regional, and bilateral issues.

The meeting took place as Sullivan, the outgoing US NSA, embarked on a two-day visit to India, concluding one of the last high-profile engagements of the Biden administration before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States on January 20.

Sullivan's visit is aimed at reviewing the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), a significant partnership framework to expand strategic ties between the two nations.

His itinerary includes meetings with NSA Ajit Doval and a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, where he will interact with young Indian entrepreneurs and deliver a speech on the bilateral innovation alliance under iCET.

In his discussions with Doval, Sullivan is expected to delve into the implementation of iCET initiatives. These include cooperation in areas such as space, defence, strategic technology, and shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Both NSAs have previously stressed the transformative potential of iCET in strengthening the India-US partnership. During a roundtable in June 2024, NSA Doval had underscored the importance of staying at the forefront of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and biotechnology, to protect shared value systems.

"iCET has achieved more than what we could imagine," Doval remarked, highlighting progress in the defence innovation roadmap and the burgeoning semiconductor industry.

Sullivan had echoed similar sentiments, identifying innovation, production, and deployment as the three pillars of the technology partnership and emphasising the importance of government support for private sector initiatives.

The visit follows EAM Jaishankar's recent six-day trip to the US, during which he met several senior officials of the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan. The meetings reviewed the progress of the India-US partnership over the past four years.

"Good to meet US NSA Jake Sullivan in Washington DC this morning. A wide-ranging discussion on the progress of the India-US strategic partnership. Also exchanged views on current regional and global developments," Jaishankar posted on X after their meeting.

The iCET, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden in May 2022, has been lauded as a defining element of the India-US strategic relationship, driving advancements in critical sectors such as defence, semiconductors, and Artificial Intelligence.

As Sullivan wraps up his visit, the discussions are expected to set the stage for continued collaboration under the Trump administration, with both nations poised to deepen their strategic and technological ties.

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 6 (IANS) The Greater Chennai Police arrested AIADMK Students’ Wing Secretary, Singai Ramachandran, along with others, while attempting to distribute black armbands to students of Anna University in protest against a recent sexual assault case.

The protest was held despite the police denying permission for demonstrations.

The AIADMK student wing had announced the protest against the sexual assault of a second-year Anna University engineering student, which occurred on December 23.

The protest was scheduled to take place outside the Anna University campus at 8.30 a.m.

However, the police had earlier warned the student wing leaders of arrest if they proceeded with the demonstration.

Heavy police deployment has been reported at the university campus.

The AIADMK has announced plans to raise the arrests of their student leaders, including State Secretary Singai Ramachandran, in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which begins its session in the day.

The assault occurred on December 23 when a second-year engineering student and her male friend, a senior at the university, were sitting in a secluded area of the campus after attending a Christmas program.

According to the victim’s complaint, the accused attacked her male friend, brutally assaulting him, before dragging her into nearby shrubs and raping her.

The police acted swiftly and arrested a 37-year-old roadside biryani vendor, Gnanshekharan, for the crime.

The incident has sparked outrage across the state. Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai staged a dramatic protest outside his residence in Coimbatore, where he flogged himself six times to symbolize what he called the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

He also announced plans to undertake a 48-day fast and visit all six holy abodes of Lord Murugan as part of his protest.

Annamalai criticised the Tamil Nadu Police for leaking the FIR of the case, which revealed the identity of the 19-year-old victim, a violation of her privacy.

He also alleged that the accused, Gnanshekharan, was not included in the police’s rowdy list despite having over 20 prior cases against him.

He claimed this was due to the accused’s connections with leaders of the ruling DMK party.

The BJP chief, a former IPS officer, presented evidence that the accused was a functionary of the DMK.

He accused the party of attempting to divert attention from Tamil Nadu’s law and order issues by fabricating a narrative around a North-South divide.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has announced plans to submit a detailed report on the incident to the Centre.

NCW member Mamta Kumari visited Anna University to investigate the case. “We visited every corner of Anna University and conducted a thorough investigation. We met with the affected girl and her family to gather all the necessary information. We also met the Governor of Tamil Nadu to discuss the matter,” Mamta Kumari stated.

She further added, “A detailed report will be submitted to the Central government through the NCW. Whoever is found guilty will face strict punishment.“

--IANS

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Chandigarh, Jan 6 (IANS) A five-decade-old commercial building near the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Chandigarh's Sector 17, which had been declared unsafe earlier, collapsed on Monday morning.

However, there was no causality in the building collapse located in the heart of the city.

Eyewitnesses said the building collapsed at around 7 a.m. The adjoining building, which was once running the famed Mehfil restaurant, has also developed cracks and is partially damaged by the caving-in of the building.

Police and fire brigade teams have arrived at the spot.

The local administration had earlier declared the building unsafe and sealed it.

It is learnt that some construction was going on in the building before it was declared unsafe owing to cracks in its pillars and walls. The police had barricaded the area as a preventive step to prevent any mishap.

Police said the building was rented out and the tenants were carrying out a major renovation work.

Chandigarh’s Sector 17 shopping plaza is the walkers’ paradise designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier. At present, it has virtually been lost after shedding its old-world charm.

The shopping marketplace, the pedestrian’s paradise that Corbusier designed on the European pattern has been witnessing business nosediving since the early 2010s.

Shopkeepers say they lost customers to the air-conditioned Elante Mall and North Country Mall where people love to hang around for hours with a flurry of shopping activities, besides restaurants and bars with a host of entertainment options.

A large number of multinational brand outlets have shifted base to the vibrant shopping hubs, another reason for a limited clientele in Sector 17’s marketplace.

The closure of Lyon’s Restaurant with its prime location in Sector 17 is a great miss among the old-timers. They say they have fond memories of yesteryears. While others have been using the eatery as a landmark location for route direction. Upscale bars and microbreweries elsewhere have left high and dry the Gymkhana Pub in Sector 17, one of the most affordable bars in the city.

The prominent outlets that downed shutters with the winds of change include Kwality restaurant, Blue Ice, Indian Coffee House, Shangrila, Oven Fresh, Anchor Pub, Bhatura King, Deepak Radios and law bookseller Jain General House and Jain Jewellers.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Jan 6 (IANS) Suresh Chandrakar, the prime accused in the murder of Chhattisgarh journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, has been arrested in Hyderabad.

Suresh Chandrakar, a contractor, has been absconding since the body of the missing journalist was found on January 3 in a septic tank on a property owned by Suresh Chandrakar at Chattanpara Basti in Bijapur town.

Suresh, believed to be the alleged mastermind behind the murder of the 33-year-old journalist, was allegedly hiding at his driver's residence in Hyderabad.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case arrested him in a late-night operation on Sunday, and he was later taken to Raipur.

Suresh Chandrakar's wife was also taken into custody in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district and was interrogated.

Three people, including two of Chandrakar's relatives, were also arrested in the case. His cousin, Ritesh Chandrakar, was arrested at Raipur airport on Saturday, while Mahendra Ramteke, a supervisor, and Dinesh Chandrakar, another relative of the victim, were taken into custody from Bijapur.

Mukesh Chandrakar, an independent journalist who had highlighted alleged irregularities in road construction, went missing on January 1.

He was last seen leaving his home in Bijapur's Pujari Para on New Year's Day. When Mukesh did not return, his brother, Yukesh, filed a missing complaint the next day.

Mukesh Chandrakar also ran a YouTube channel, 'Bastar Junction', which has 1.59 lakh subscribers.

A preliminary police probe revealed that Ritesh Chandrakar is a kin of Mukesh Chandrakar, and the two used to interact often. On January 1, the two spoke on the phone, and then both went to the compound of Suresh Chandrakar for dinner. An argument broke out after Ritesh accused the deceased of hindering their construction work. According to police, Ritesh and Ramteke killed Mukesh with an iron rod, placed the body in the septic tank and shut it.

--IANS

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Pithampur, Jan 6 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh government on Monday will submit the status report on the hazardous chemical waste of Bhopal's Union Carbide factory to seek its direction in the matter.

Along with the status report, the state government will also inform the court about the controversy that erupted after 337 metric tonnes of chemical waste was transported to the Pithampur industrial area, over 250 km away from Bhopal.

Notably, complying with the court's December 3 direction, the chemical waste lying at the defunct Union Carbide factory was collected in a three-day operation and loaded in 12 container trucks. The trucks were transported to Pithampur, around 40 km from Indore on January 2.

However, the citizens of Pithampur opposed the shift, fearing that the toxic gas of chemical waste may have an impact on human life. There have been massive protests in the surroundings of the Pithampur industrial site, forcing the state administration to put the incineration process of the waste on hold.

The lack of proper communication between the state administration and the people led to confusion among the citizens of the Pithampur industrial area. However, escalating protests and the law and order situation forced the state administration to hold meetings with people.

After a series of meetings from Bhopal to Pithampur, the state administration decided to put the incineration process on hold and inform the High Court about the public agitation after the waste was shifted to Pithampur.

After chairing a high-level meeting on January 4, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the government will present a detailed report of Pithampur's incident before the High Court and will decide on the further course of action on chemical waste stored container trucks.

Chief Minister had also said that the government respects the sentiments of the people of the Pithampur industrial area, therefore, it would inform the same (about the protest) to the court on January 6 and will seek future direction on the matter.

Notably, in its previous order on December 3, 2024, the HC had given three weeks for the state administration to shift the 1984 Bhopal Gas Leak waste and had sought a report on it.

The administration claimed the situation in Pithampur was peaceful on Sunday after leaders of the ruling BJP and the state administration held a series of meetings with people at different locations in the past two days in the Pithampur area. After several rounds of parlays with government officials and public representatives, the citizens of Pithampur have decided to wait for Monday's hearing in the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Jan 6 (IANS) The prime accused in the murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar has been arrested in Hyderabad, according to the police officials.

Suresh Chandrakar, a contractor and the alleged mastermind behind the killing had been on the run since the crime came to light.

Police revealed that Suresh was hiding at his driver's residence in Hyderabad.

Investigators reviewed footage from over 200 CCTV cameras and analysed nearly 300 mobile numbers to locate him. Following this, he was arrested on Sunday night.

The police confirmed that the interrogation of the accused is currently underway.

Mukesh Chandrakar's body was discovered last week in a septic tank located in a shed owned by a contractor in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division.

The 32-year-old independent journalist was last seen leaving his home in Bijapur's Pujari Para on New Year's Day.

His brother, Yukesh, had filed a missing person complaint the following day after Mukesh failed to return home.

During their investigation, police found Chandrakar's body in Chhatan Para Basti, not far from his residence. Three other individuals, including two of the victim's relatives, have been arrested in connection with the case.

Ritesh Chandrakar, a cousin of the journalist, was detained at Raipur airport on Saturday. Mahendra Ramteke, a supervisor, and Dinesh Chandrakar, another relative, were apprehended in Bijapur.

Earlier on Sunday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai condemned the murder, calling it "a very condemnable crime" and assuring strict action against those responsible.

"The state government is taking all possible measures to investigate this heinous act. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, and we will leave no stone unturned in this case," he had said.

The Chief Minister also addressed allegations linking the prime accused, Suresh Chandrakar, to the state Congress President, Deepak Baij.

"The contractor involved is a Congress worker. We've observed a pattern where Congress members are implicated in incidents like this. In cases such as those in Baloda Bazar and Surajpur, Congress links have emerged," he stated.

This high-profile case has drawn widespread attention, raising concerns about the safety of journalists and the political affiliations of the accused. The SIT continues its investigation to ensure justice for Mukesh Chandrakar.

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 6 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly will commence its session on Monday. The duration of the session, however, will be decided by the Business Advisory Committee, which is likely to meet later in the day.

Governor R.N. Ravi, whose customary address to the Assembly over the past two years has witnessed unprecedented scenes, will be addressing the session.

The Governor was invited by Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, who called on him on Friday. This session will also mark the first meeting between the Governor and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin since their spat over the rendition of the Tamizh Thai Vaazhthu two months ago.

The recent sexual assault case of a second-year engineering student on the Anna University campus is likely to be taken up by the opposition --AIADMK and BJP -- during the session.

Additionally, the DMK ally CPI(M)’s outbursts against the state police for denying permission to stage protests are also expected to be a topic of discussion.

Another ally of the DMK, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), has been in the news following a statement by its former Deputy General Secretary, Aadhav Arjun, suggesting that the DMK should accommodate alliance partners in the cabinet.

This has led to a major controversy within the party. VCK founder and Member of Parliament Thol Thirumavalavan denied Aadhav Arjun’s statement and suspended him from the party for six months.

Subsequently, Aadhav Arjun resigned from the party. The opposition AIADMK and BJP have already raised this issue and are expected to bring it up during the session.

The falling law and order situation in the state and alleged encounter killings by the Greater Chennai Police will also be raised.

It may be recalled that after the broad daylight murder of Tamil Nadu BSP president K. Armstrong on July 5, the police reportedly killed three history sheeters in alleged encounters.

The opposition has accused the state police of failing to maintain law and order and announced that they will address this in the Assembly.

The frequent accidents in Tamil Nadu’s firecracker industry, particularly in Virudhunagar, are expected to be discussed. A blast at a firecracker factory in Sattur, Virudhunagar, recently claimed six lives and injured around 30 people.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inspected several firecracker factories during his outreach programme in Virudhunagar district and directed management to take extra precautions. It is worth noting that the annual turnover of the state’s firecracker industry is Rs 6,000 crore.

--IANS

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Tirupati, Jan 6 (IANS) Two devotees were killed and three others were injured when a 108 ambulance ran amok in Tirupati district on Monday.

The vehicle ran over a group of devotees heading to Tirumala temple on feet. The accident occurred near Narasingapuram in Chandragiri mandal.

Two women died on the spot while three other devotees were injured. The deceased were identified as Pedda Reddamma (40) and Lakshmamma (45), residents of Champalapalli in Ramasamudram mandal of Annamayya district.

The devotees were walking to Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala from Punganur while the ambulance carried a patient from Madanapalle to Tirupati. The injured were shifted to Ruia Hospital in Tirupati.

The cause of the accident was not known. Police suspect that dense fog in the area may have led to the mishap.

Chandragiri police registered a case and took up an investigation.

Several devotees reach the famous hill shrine of Tirumala by walking from different points. Thousands of devotees from various parts of Andhra Pradesh and other states visit the temple every day.

Meanwhile, two women died in a fire in a house in Bapatladistrict late on Sunday night. The incident occurred at Turpu Bazar in Parchur past midnight. Two sisters died in the fire while their mother was injured.

The deceased were identified as Nagamani (34) and Madhavi Latha (30). The injured was admitted to a local hospital.

Police suspect that the fire broke out due to a short circuit.

In another fire accident, a physically challenged person was charred to death. The accident occurred at Kotha colony in Nallajerla mandal of East Godavari district. According to police a thatched house caught fire on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. Namala Daneyulu (28), a physically challenged, was trapped in the fire and died. Police registered a case and took up an investigation.

--IANS

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