1. CBI Man on ICICI Case Shunted Over ‘Probe Delay, Info Leaks’
The transfer of CBI superintendent of police Sudhanshu Dhar Mishra from the ICICI Bank fraud case involving its former CEO Chanda Kochhar was a consequence of a discreet inquiry which revealed that the officer could have leaked information related to raids carried out last week and that the probe was marked by unnecessary delay.
CBI sources claimed on Sunday that the inquiry was the reason for Mishra’s transfer a day after the registration of an FIR against Kochhar, her husband Deepak Kochhar and Videocon MD Venugopal Dhoot on 22 January.
Mishra’s transfer was part of a shuffle of 20 officers, but as agency sources now disclosed, was not part of routine administrative action.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. People Will Thrash Leaders Who Show Dreams, Don’t Fulfil: Nitin Gadkari
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Sunday warned that political leaders who don’t fulfil the dreams they peddle will get “thrashed” by people.
“Sapne dikhane waale neta logon ko acche lagte hain, par dikhaye hue sapne agar poore nahi kiye toh janta unki pitayi bhi karti hai (People like political leaders who show them dreams. But if those dreams are not fulfilled, the people thrash these leaders),” said Gadkari.
“Isliye sapne wahi dikhao jo poore ho sakein. Main sapne dikhane waale mein se nahi hu. Main jo bolta hu, woh 100 percent danke ki chot par poora hota hai (That is why you must only show dreams that can be fulfilled. I am not among those who show dreams. Whatever I say, I fulfill it 100 percent),” he said, while addressing a gathering here to launch a new BJP-affiliated transport outfit – the Navbhartiya Shiv Vahatuk Sanghathana (NSVS).
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Ayodhya Hearing Delayed: Judge Unavailable, SC Not to Hear Case on 29 January
The Supreme Court on Sunday further delayed the hearing of Ram Janmabhoomi case, stating that the matter won’t be taken up on 29 January due to the non-availability of Justice SA Bobde.
The apex court had on Friday reconstituted the five-judge bench hearing the dispute by including Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Abdul Nazeer in the case along with Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. Besides the trio, Justices SA Bobde and DY Chandrachud were also supposed to hear the matter. Justice NV Ramana, who was earlier a part of the bench, was excluded from the bench.
The move came nearly two weeks after Justice UU Lalit recused himself from the case, since he had appeared as a lawyer in an Ayodhya-related matter in the past.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Haryana’s Jind Constituency to Vote in a High-Stakes Elections
Around 1.7 lakh people in Haryana's Jind assembly constituency are set to exercise their franchise amid tight security arrangements on Monday to decide on the political fortunes of 21 candidates in fray in a high-stakes elections being held just months before the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls due later this year. The counting of votes will be taken up on 31 January.
Around 3,000 police personnel and 500 Home Guards have been deployed in the district for the peaceful conduct of elections, besides a company each of the Central Reserve Police Force and the Rapid Action Force.
(Source: The Hindu)
5. Opposition Creating Mistrust Over EWS Quota, Won’t Affect Other Quota: PM Modi
Accusing the Opposition parties of creating an “atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust” for their “selfish interest”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the 10 percent quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) would not impact the existing reservation benefits for Dalits, tribals and OBCs.
“The 10 percent reservation in education and government employment for the poor among the general category… This decision was taken in such a way that it does not impact the reservation already availed by Dalits, tribals and OBCs. But it is unfortunate that an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust was created by a section of people in Tamil Nadu for their own selfish interest… All of you should be vigilant about such negativity. Any political thought that opposes the poor cannot benefit anyone,” Modi said while addressing a rally in Madurai.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Ailing Parrikar Inaugurates Atal Setu in Goa, Asks ‘How’s the Josh?’
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is ailing from cancer, turned up for the inauguration of the 5.1-km long cable-stayed bridge “Atal Setu” on the Mandovi river in Goa on Sunday, PTI reported. The Goa CM looked in high spirits, undeterred by the tubes inserted inside his nasal cavity, and asked the crowd, “How’s the josh?”, a reference from the recently released film Uri.
Parrikar was accompanied by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik among other ministers from the state. The four-lane bridge at 2.5 lakh tonnes is equivalent to the weight of 570 Boeing aircraft. It would be third such bridge to connect the state capital with North Goa.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Bulandshahr Violence: Slain Cop’s Phone Found at House of Accused
Nearly two months after inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was killed in mob violence over alleged cow slaughter in Bulandshahr, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday recovered his Closed User Group (CUG) phone from the house of Prashant Natt, a cab driver who allegedly shot him.
Prashant was arrested by the Bulandshahr police for allegedly shooting the officer dead with his licensed revolver on the day of the violence over cow slaughter in Siyana on 3 December 2018.
“We obtained a warrant from the court to search Natt’s house in Chingrawati after we received information that we might recover vital clues from there. After an extensive search, we recovered Subodh’s CUG mobile. It is important for the investigation as the mobile loot was also part of the FIR,” said Atul Kumar Srivastava, SP City (Bulandshahr).
(Source: The Indian Express)
8. Bringing Home the Dead: Govt Ties Up With Air India for a ‘Flat Rate’
For many Indian families whose loved ones died in foreign shores, transporting the mortal remains was a harrowing experience – not only did it take time, it was also very expensive.
The challenge was acute in the Middle East, where the Indian population has grown to almost 80 lakh, with a majority being blue-collared workers. Official estimates show about 10 Indians die in this region on an average every day, mostly due to natural causes and in road accidents.
But with Indian community leaders raising the issue over the years, and after many rounds of discussions between the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Air India, a solution has finally been arrived at.
The government has reached an understanding with Air India that a “flat rate” will be charged from families of the deceased.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9. 20 Killed as Twin Blasts Rip Through Philippine Church
The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country’s restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming “yes” vote.
The attack wounded 111 and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability.
It came amid hope and excitement about the ratification of a devolution plan that aims to bring development, jobs and peace to one of Asia’s poorest and most volatile places.
The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo island, in Sulu province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said.
(Source: The Times of India)
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