LIVE news updates: Congress must continue with ideological struggle against divisive forces says Sonia Gandhi

Asserting that electoral ups and downs are inevitable, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said challenges facing the party are formidable but it must continue its ideological struggle against forces of divisiveness.

Addressing an event marking Rajiv Gandhi's 75th birth anniversary, Sonia Gandhi said in 1984 her husband got a massive poll mandate, but did not use it to create an atmosphere of fear or to threaten people.

As prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi gave the message that unity can be maintained by celebrating India's diversity, she said.

Sonia Gandhi said the former prime minister's 75th birth anniversary is not a ritual being marked by the Congress, but an occasion to reaffirm its resolve to uphold the values that inspired him

SC to hear P Chidambaram's petition against the ED on August 27, whereas his petition against the CBI would be heard tomorrow.

On June 6, 2018, please ask for the transcript.. there is no question which has not been answered. The allegation of 5 Million whatever were never put to me. Only asked me if I have a foreign bank account or my son who furnished the details, says Chidambaram

State-owned oil marketing firms on Thursday evening stopped fuel supply to national carrier Air India over non-payment of dues at six airports.

P Chidambaram is a called four months after Indrani's statement is recorded in 2018.. for 11-12 months P Chidambaram is not called for interrogation, says Singhvi.

Arrest is not automatic. It is an exception. The entire case is based on case diary and a statement by Indrani Mukherhea, says Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

When CBI says something has happened, it is not the gospel truth. It is a matter of personal liberty, says Sibal

This is a case of documentary evidence. The Secretaries recommended the case to the Finance Minister and he approved.. The FIR was filed after 10 years, says Sibal

Custodial Interrogation is required to confront P Chidambaram with the relevant documents and other accused in the case to take the investigation further, says Mehta

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in India in connection with the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, was on Thursday further remanded to judicial custody until September 19. During a short remand hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court via videolink from Wandsworth prison, the judge extended Modi's remand till September 19.

Modi, 48, has been lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-west London since his arrest in March in connection with the nearly USD 2 billion PNB fraud and money laundering case.

He appeared for the second time since his bail appeal was rejected by the UK High Court in July.

Four metro stations will remain closed 3pm onwards on Thursday as apparently to prevent any untoward incident while the protests against the recent demolition of a Ravidas Mandir are being held.

"These stations are Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Jor Bagh (on Line-2 i.e, HUDA City Centre to Jahangirpuri) and Khan Market Metro station ( on Line-6 i.e, Central Secretariat to Badarpur)” states DMRC statement

The S&P BSE Sensex was trading around 36,618 levels, down 442 points, or 1.2%. YES Bank, Vedanta, Tata Motors, ICICI Bank, and Hero MotoCorp were the top laggards in the Sensex pack. The broader Nifty 50 index slipped 139 points, or 1.26%, to 10,781.

Majority of the Nifty sectoral indices were trading in the red. Nifty Realty and Nifty Metal indexes, down 5.3% and 3.6%, respectively, took the deepest cuts

Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president and NDA Kerala convenor Thushar Vellappally has been arrested in Ajman, UAE, over a cheque bounce case.

Preparations underway for the 10-day Mysuru Dasara festival in the city. The festival will be celebrated from 29th September to 8th October.

Activist Shehla Rashid on her remarks on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir says, I will give the evidence when the Indian Army constitutes an inquiry, I will give the evidence then.

The Congress-affiliated NSUI on Thursday said it blackened the bust of Veer Savarkar while garlanding the busts of Bhagat Singh and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose installed by the ABVP-led Delhi University students' union at the varsity.

The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad-led Delhi University Students' Union had installed the busts on Tuesday outside the Arts faculty.

The National Students' Union of India and the Left-backed All India Students' Association had criticised the move, saying Savarkar cannot be kept on the same pedestal as that of Bose and Singh.

Around midnight, 20 NSUI activists blackened the bust of Savarkar and offered a shoe chain to it, the NSUI said.

Thushar Vellapally, President of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a coalition partner of the BJP-led NDA in Kerala, has been arrested at Ajman in UAE in connection with a Rs 19 crore cheque case.

A fire broke out at an under-construction building near gate number 6 of Pragati Maidan on Thursday morning, a Delhi Fire Services official said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday commenced hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case for the 10th day, with counsel for the one of the original litigants seeking enforcement of his rights to worship at the disputed site.

“With narrative on sinking economy spiralling out of their control, unprecedented job losses, shocking devaluation of rupee & unfathomable crisis in all sectors, we now see the depths to which a desperate Modi Govt 2.0 will stoop to divert the nation’s attention,” says Surjewala

"The case lies on the basis of one approver, who is in prison and has been accused of murdering her daughter. Except for the blatant attempt to humiliate Chidambaram, there was no hurry to arrest him by sending CBI officials at his residence at night. He has always cooperated with the agencies and has the highest regard of the Constitution," the Congress leader said.

Neither P Chidambaram nor his son has been accused of any offence in the INX media case. Additionally, there is no offence disclosed against P. Chidambaram in the FIR nor a charge-sheet has been filed till today, says Surjewala

The vindictive, malicious and selective manner in which former FM and HM P Chidambaram has been persecuted and prosecuted is nothing short of brazen personal and political vendetta by Modi govt, says Randeep Surjewala