QBullet: Kolkata Crisis On; UK Govt Clears Mallya Extradition
All the top headlines of the day here.
1. Political Cup for Didi, Legal Battle On
The Supreme Court has said the CBI has not yet produced documents that suggest Calcutta police commissioner Rajeev Kumar was destroying electronic evidence in the Saradha case — the purported reason for the overdrive by the central agency that has triggered a political crisis.
But the bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna warned that it would “come down heavily” on Kumar if the charge was later substantiated. The court denied the CBI’s plea for an immediate hearing but will take up on Tuesday, 5 February, the CBI’s applications against the Bengal government and the police commissioner.
(Source: The Telegraph)
2. Vijay Mallya’s Extradition to India Cleared by UK Govt
The British government has cleared the extradition process of businessman Vijay Mallya, wanted in multi-crore loan recovery cases by several banks, to India.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid formally signed the extradition order for Mallya. Mallya has two weeks to appeal the government order, which came after the Westminster magistrates court on 10 December allowed his extradition to India to face legal proceedings in the cases.
Mallya said he intends to appeal the decision.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. Priyanka Returns from US, Ready for Key Cong Meetings This Week
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra returned to the national capital on Monday, 4 February, from a private visit to the US, about two weeks after she was appointed general secretary of the party in charge of Uttar Pradesh (East).
Shortly after her return, Priyanka met her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence. Even as the party's UP unit awaits her arrival in the state, Priyanka will attend a meeting of AICC state managers, called by Rahul, in the capital on 7 February.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. Sunanda Pushkar Death Case Sent to Sessions Court
The case against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is charged with abetting the suicide of his wife Sunanda Pushkar, was on Monday, 4 February, committed to the sessions court for trial. Proceedings will begin on 21 February.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal directed Tharoor to appear before District and Sessions Judge Arun Bhardwaj on that day.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Attorney General Files Contempt Petition Against Prashant Bhushan
The attorney general of India, KK Venugopal, filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court on Monday against advocate Prashant Bhushan for his 1 February statements made on social media platform Twitter that accused Venugopal of misleading the court on the appointment of M Nageswara Rao as the interim Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. Ayodhya Plea in Supreme Court
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday, 4 February, challenging the constitutional validity of the Acquisition of Certain Area At Ayodhya Act, 1993. This comes days after the Centre moved the top court with a petition asking to return the “non-disputed” surplus land acquired around the disputed structure in Ayodhya to a Hindu trust and other original owners.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Jaitley's Dissent Gets Instant Results, Mine Ignored: Kharge
In a sharp retort to Union minister Arun Jaitley for calling him a "habitual dissenter", Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said while his dissent notes were going unacknowledged, Jaitley's dissent against the CBI had showed instant results.
Kharge was referrring to Jaitley's comments on the CBI after it filed FIRs against former ICICI Bank chief Chanda Kochhar, her husband and Videocon MD Venugopal Dhoot. Jaitley had asked the agency to stop indulging in "investigative adventurism" in the ICICI case, a comment that led to the officers concerned being transferred.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. Rahul Salutes Gadkari ‘Guts’, Asks for More
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday, 4 February, complimented Union minister Nitin Gadkari for his courage, after the BJP veteran was quoted as saying that “those who cannot manage their home, cannot manage the country”.
“Gadkari Ji, compliments! You are the only one in the BJP with some guts. Please also comment on: 1. The Rafale scam & Anil Ambani 2. Farmers Distress 3. Destruction of Institutions,” Rahul tweeted.
(Source: The Telegraph)
9. MP Govt Makes It Mandatory for Industries to Hire 70% Locals
The Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government on Monday, 4 February, made it mandatory for all industries in the state to provide 70 percent employment to local youth.
“Vachan patra ke vadon par amal karte hue hamne rajya sarkar dwara poshit sabhi udyogon main 70 fisadi rozgar MP ke sthaniya logon ke liye anivarya kar diya (To fulfil the manifesto promise, we have made 70 percent jobs mandatory for local youth of MP across industries facilitated by state government),” Nath tweeted.
(Source: The Times of India)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)