Live news: Former Haryana CM OP Chautala moves Delhi HC for release

Former Haryana Chief Minister OP Chautala on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court for his release from Tihar Jail under the special remission granted to males above 60 years.

Chautala's plea will be heard on Wednesday.

Chautala's counsel Amit Sahni told the court on July 18 2018, the central government asked the state governments and Union Territories to grant benefit of special remission to males above 60 years, females and transgender above 55 years and to release them if they have undergone half of actual sentence.

The notification also said physically disable convicts, with above 70 per cent disability, will also be released after half of the actual sentence.

Chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Ganga Maiya Ki Jai' rented the air as lakhs of devotees took dip at Sangam — the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers — here on the auspicious occasion of Maghi Purnima.

The penultimate bathing day of the over 50-day-long Kumbh Mela, Maghi Purnima marks the end of the month-long penance period of Kalpwasi pilgrims.

A nip in the air failed to deter the overwhelming crowd of devotees seen taking the holy dip as early as 4 am, despite vehicle restrictions in the vicinity of the makeshift township of Kumbh Nagri.

Forty nine special trains and 2,500 buses were pressed into service by the administration to ferry devotees from far away places to the Kumbh on Maghi Purnima.

The Congress on Tuesday attacked the government over the Pulwama terror strike, alleging "huge security lapses", and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "walk the talk".

The Congress in the last few days had avoided directly attacking the government after Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that his party is not going to have any conversation over the next couple of days other than the fact that "our most beloved people have been killed, their families need us, and we are going to stand with them".

However, signalling a shift in stance on Tuesday, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted: "Congress highly responsible and very restrained post Pulwama. Modi pre-2014 made highly provocative statements including resignation calls for then PM (Manmohan Singh) at smallest incident." "We do not do so post Uri, post Parliament attack, post Pulwama. But huge security lapses have to to be plugged for no recurrence," he said.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of a plea challenging the appointment of M Nageswara Rao as interim CBI Director.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Saran said no further interference is required as the relief has already been granted with the appointment of a full time CBI Director.

The verdict came on a plea of NGO, Common Cause, which had challenged the appointment of Rao as interim CBI director.

On February 4, Rishi Kumar Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer, took charge of the probe agency as a full-fledged director.

A French researcher has claimed that he found a security lapse that allegedly exposed millions of Aadhaar numbers of dealers and distributors associated with Indane, an LPG brand owned by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

Baptiste Robert, who goes by the online handle Elliot Alderson and has exposed Aadhaar leaks in the past, wrote in a blog post on Medium late Monday that the Aadhaar data of nearly 6.7 million dealers and distributors of Indane, accessible only with a valid username and password, was left exposed

The Indian Army on Tuesday said within 100 hours of the February 14 Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy that left 40 troopers dead, it eliminated the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leadership that planned and executed the deadly carnage.

This was stated by Lt Gen KS Dhillon of the 15 Corps Commander, at a joint press briefing in Jammu and Kashmir.

He also made it clear that the Pulwama attack was carried out by the JeM, which is based in Pakistan, with active support of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan Army.

Supreme Court posts for March 26 for final hearing of pleas challenging SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2018 that rule out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs and review plea against the March 20 judgement.

A curfew imposed in Jammu since February 15, continued on Tuesday for the fifth consecutive day, police said.

"The curfew imposed on February 15 will continue in Jammu today. A decision on its relaxation will be taken later in the day," police sources said.

On Monday, authorities had temporarily relaxed the curfew from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., in parts of Jammu's south city areas.

Since the curfew was imposed, there have been no untoward incidents.

The ruling AIADMK on Tuesday announced a poll alliance with the Pattali Makkal Katchi and allotted seven Lok Sabha seats to it for the forthcoming Parliamentary elections.

Announcing the deal in the presence of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said it has also been decided that the PMK will be allocated a Rajya Sabha seat.

Under the deal, The PMK will be supporting the AIADMK in the bypolls expected to 21 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, he said.

A formal agreement in this regard was signed between the leadership of the two parties in a city hotel.

Two people were mowed down and three others injured by a car in which senior state BJP leader and MLA C T Ravi was travelling near Kunigal in Tumakuru district early on Tuesday, police said.

The victims, who had come in two vehicles, were standing by the roadside when the accident occurred, according to the first information report.

The injured have been rushed to a hospital, they said.

Ravi said he was sleeping in his car and was on his way to Chennai from Chikkamagaluru along with his gunman.

Ravi said he was told that two people had died and he immediately called the ambulance and rushed the victims to a private hospital in Bengaluru.

A pilot was killed and two others ejected to safety when two aircraft of IAF's aerobatic team Suryakiran crashed near the Yelahanka airbase on Tuesday, a day before the opening of the Aero India show, a top police official said.

The mishap occurred during a sortie as part of the rehearsal for the five-day Asia's premier Air show here.

"There were three pilots, one has died, two are safe with injuries," said DGP Fire Services M N Reddi who rushed to the spot.

A civilian was also injured in the mishap, police said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan questions India's allegations against Pakistan over Pulwama attack, says Islamabad wants stability not terror. If India has evidence or intelligence over Pulwama attack, I assure you that we will take action. If India thinks of attacking Pakistan, we will definitely retaliate. There will be no second option. It is easy to start a war but difficult to end it: Khan on calls for retaliation against Pakistan after Pulwama attack.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted protection from arrest in all cases registered against former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, who had recently joined the BJP.

A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri said no coercive action should be taken against her and posted the matter for further hearing after three weeks.

Ghosh, once considered close to Mamata Banerjee, had moved the apex court seeking protection from arrest, saying the West Bengal government has registered 10 FIRs against her.

She said that apex court had already granted protection from arrest in seven cases but the state has registered three more FIRs against her.

A man was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district on Tuesday for allegedly posting derogatory remarks on personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on social media, police said.

The man, identified as Vishwajeet Pandey, a resident of Bankata village in Pakdi area in the district, had posted derogatory remarks against the CRPF and a pro-Pakistan slogan on Facebook, Superintendent of Police Devendra Nath said.

An FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Ankit Srivastava at Pakdi police station on Monday after which the arrest has been made, he added.

“Day-2 of hearing of Kulbhushan Jadhav case has begun,” says Pakistan at ICJ.

Pakistan states that its judge ad hoc is indisposed. If proceedings continue, Pakistan’s rights will be affected at ICJ. Pakistan side sought appointment of a new ad hoc judge in place of counsel Jilani who has been appointed by Pakistan.

“Jadhav’s trial is fair as per the constitution. He is a part of India’s intelligence agency. He confessed to being a spy,” said Pakistan’s Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan

“We treated Jadhav as it is deemed to every human being. On humanitarian grounds, we allowed his mother and wife to visit him. Can India give a similar example,” said Pakistan’s Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan.

Khawar Qureshi, who is arguing Pakistan’s case at the ICJ, said that Kulbhushan Jadhav confessed before a magistrate. He was convicted under the Official Secrets Act

Students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) ended their six-day-old agitation to protest against the booking of 14 students under sedition charges, after a meeting between varsity administration, district officials and leaders of the students' union.

The dharna ended midnight on Monday after the agitating students were assured by the district authorities that no vindictive action would be taken against any student in the meeting that took place at the residence of AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor.

Fourteen AMU students, including their union chief, were booked under sedition charges after violence broke out between two student groups on the campus on February 12 over reports of a planned visit by AIMIM lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi.

Israel has offered unconditional help to India in defending itself, especially against terrorism, asserting that "there is no limit" to its assistance, an assurance which assumes significance amid demands that the government should consider Israeli-type retaliation to terror strikes.

The comments by newly-appointed Israeli envoy Dr Ron Malka came in response to a question on up to what extent Jerusalem will go to help India which has been a victim of terrorism.

"Whatever India needs to defend itself there is no limit. We are here to help our close friend India to defend itself especially against terrorism because terrorism is the problem of the world and not only of India and Israel," said Malka in an interview early last week.

Kerala Governor P Sathasivam on Tuesday sought an urgent report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the status of the police probe into the killing of two youth Congress workers at Periya in Kasaragod.

Opposition Leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala had met the Governor to brief him about the issue, a release from the Governor's office said.

Chennithala had informed the governor that the families of the victims were under utmost grief due to their personal loss and delay in arresting culprits.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the CPI(M) never promoted violence and asserted the party had no role in the recent killings.

The left party has also demanded a CBI probe.

Stating that the CPI(M) never promoted violence, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday asserted that it had no role in the recent killings of two Youth Congress activists in Kasaragod, even as the Congress wing demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

Talking to reporters at the secretariat, he said the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had already directed the state police to take stringent action against the accused and bring them before law at the earliest.

If any CPI(M) activist was found to be involved in the crime, they would never get the party's backing, Vijayan said, adding that they would not only have to face legal action, but also stern party action.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said Pakistan was not being blamed for the Pulwama terror attack without any evidence and asked its Prime Minister Imran Khan to walk the talk.

However, Mufti said Khan deserves a chance since he has recently taken over the reigns of the country.

"Disagree. Pathankot dossier was given to them (Pakistan) but no actin was taken to punish the perpetrators. Time to walk the talk," Mehbooba said in a tweet.

"But Pak PM deserves a chance since he has recently taken over. Of course the war rhetoric (in India) has more to do with the impending elections that anything else (sic)," she added.

Security around several important establishments in Nashik, including the Devlali railway station and Currency Note Press, has been tightened after a letter was received by police with a threat to blow them up, a senior official said Tuesday.

The Devlali railway station was thoroughly checked by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad on Sunday, the official said.

Teams from various police stations as well the Anti-Terrorism Squad are doing rounds of the establishments named in the letter in order to prevent any untoward incident, he added.

Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain on Tuesday ordered suspension of two Forest Department officials after finding large scale encroachment on forest land during an inspection in south Delhi.

"Inspected and found large scale encroachment on ridge land near Chattarpur Enclave Part-II. Directed the Forest Department to immediately call for JCB for encroachment removal and restoration of forest land," Hussain said in a tweet.

He also directed that two Deputy Range Officers be suspended and also be asked to furnish their explanation for their failure to protect forest land.

British Indian entrepreneur and parliamentarian Lord Swraj Paul has pledged to donate ₹1 lakh each to the families of the soldiers killed in the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district last week.

Paul, who is also Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, made the announcement on Monday during a naming ceremony of a building at the university in central England after his late son Angad Paul, attended by Indian High Commissioner to the UK Ruchi Ghanashyam.

"We have read about the great tragedy which has happened in India in the recent murder of soldiers," Paul said, in reference to the February 14 killing of 40 CRPF jawans by the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided not to pass any order directing personal presence of West Bengal chief secretary, DGP and former Kolkata police commissioner before it in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam in which they have been issued a contempt notice.

"We are not passing any order. We will take up this matter tomorrow," said a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices L N Rao and Sanjiv Khanna.

According to the February 5 order, the matter was listed on whether Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De, DGP Virendra Kumar and Rajeev Kumar, former Kolkata Police Commissioner would be ordered to appear personally before the court on February 20 after the perusal of their affidavits filed yesterday.

Ministry of External Affairs responded to Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s statement about the allegation that Pakistan was involved in the Pulwama attack. It stated, “Pak PM has neither chosen to condemn the heinous act nor condoled with the bereaved families. Disclaiming any link with terrorist attack oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan.”

“Imran Khan has ignored claims made by JeM. It's well-known fact that JeM and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pak, these should be sufficient proof for Pak to take action.”

“Pak PM has offered to investigate matter if India provides proof; this is lame excuse. It is regrettable Imran Khan has insinuated that India's response to Pulwama attack is determined by upcoming polls, India rejects it. We demand Pak to stop misleading international community and take credible, visible action against perpetrators of Pulwama attack,” said the MEA.