Daily Current Affairs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused permission for the Muharram procession across India. "If we allow this, there will be chaos and one particular community will be targeted for spreading Covid," the court said. — TNS Source:- The Tribune postimageurlhttps://https://ift.tt/2YFOpeJ

New Delhi/Mumbai, August 27 A day after the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) registered a case against late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, the agency is all set to question 20 people in the coming days. According to NCB sources, the agency has prepared a list of 20 suspects over supply of drugs in the case, including Gaurav Arya, Suved Lohia, Kwan Entertainment partner Jaya Saha, former Big Boss contestant Ejaz Khan, Farookh Batata and Bakul Chandani among others. The development comes a day after the NCB registered a case under Sections 20 (b) 28, 29 of the NDPSAct against Rhea, her brother Showik, Saha, Sushant’s co-manager Shruti Modi and Arya. Sources said Arya is absconding. They said on August 16, a rave party was raided in Goa in which Arya was involved in supplying drugs. According to NCB sources, Khan was arrested by Navi Mumbai Police for dealing in drugs in October 2018, while Chandani, owner of Sarvodaya video library in Khar, was arrested in De...

Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 The turmoil caused by a letter bomb in the Congress seems far from over, with former Union minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday taking to Twitter to allege official victimisation of younger colleague Jitin Prasada, one of the 20 signatories to a recent missive that sought sweeping changes to the party structures, including its presidency. The letter was shot down on Monday at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, which unanimously asked interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to continue till the new president is elected at the next AICC session and warned leaders against going public with grievances. Though the letter writers, which include Sibal and Jitin, hailed Sonia’s “graciousness in letting bygones be bygones”, it appears the Congress rank and file is not prepared to forget that dissenters sought full-time chief virtually questioning Sonia. “Unfortunate that Jitin Prasada is being officially targeted in UP. The Congress...

Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 Can a company's assets, attached by authorities following legal proceedings, be considered for liquidation to settle financial liabilities? The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would examine the issue after senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan, representing liquor baron Vijay Mallya's United Breweries (Holding) Ltd (UBHL), said the company's total assets were far greater than its liabilities. The UBHL has challenged the Karnataka High Court's order upholding the decision of a single judge to wind up the company. Vaidyanathan told a Bench headed by Justice UU Lalit that the court should not uphold winding up of the company as it had far more assets than its liabilities. The Bench also reserved its verdict on a petition of Mallya, who has sought review of its 2017 order holding him guilty of contempt of court for transferring USD 40 million to his children. Vaidyanathan said the HC erred in not accepting its offer of settlement a...

New Delhi, August 27 The ED today said it had filed a prosecution complaint in a special PMLA court in Patna against Brajesh Thakur, convict in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case, and his family members in connection with charges of money laundering. In its prosecution complaint (equivalent to a chargesheet), officials said the ED has made a prayer before a special judge (PMLA), Patna, for awarding punishment to Thakur for committing an offence of money laundering and confiscation of the attached assets worth Rs 8.3 crore in the form of movable and immovable properties in his name and in the name of his family members and others. Thakur is currently serving life sentence and a fine of Rs 32.2 lakh was imposed on him in the shelter home case. — TNS Source:- The Tribune postimageurlhttps://https://ift.tt/3gD9s7P

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused permission for the Muharram procession across India. "If we allow this, there will be chaos and one particular community will be targeted for spreading Covid," the court said. — TNS Source:- The Tribune postimageurlhttps://https://ift.tt/3jle9or

Mumbai, August 27 Addressing a webinar, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das today asked banks to avoid extreme risk aversion, as it was "self-defeating". He advised them to smell vulnerabilities early to avoid frauds. The comments come in the midst of the steadily slowing credit off-take, leading many to wonder if banks have become too "risk-averse" owing to their concerns over asset quality in a pandemic-stricken economy. As per the RBI's annual report released earlier this week, frauds doubled to Rs 1.85 lakh crore in FY20. Das warned banks that extreme risk aversion would deprive them of their income and create a situation where they would be unable to earn their bread. He appreciated the government's response to the Covid-19 crisis as being fiscally "very prudent and very calibrated". He said the government was "responsible" in announcing the measures right from the start which focused on the poor and vulnerable. He also welcomed the g...

Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 States have sought a week to deliberate on two options offered by the Centre to make up for the shortfall in GST collections, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the end of a five-hour meeting of the GST Council here today. The Centre may compensate the states by extending the period for the refund of cess beyond the five-year-period that ends in 2022. "The Centre may convene another GST Council meeting once the states have decided their options and the RBI agrees to the Centre's proposal," Sitharaman said. As a result of a tanking economy due to the "hand of God" which may led to a contraction, the compensation gap this year was expected to be Rs 2.35 lakh crore, she said. But according to the Centre's calculations, Rs 1,38,000 crore is due to losses because of the pandemic. Therefore, the Centre has estimated the shortfall in compensation due to Covid at Rs 97,000 crore under the first option. S...

Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 Can the state give reservations to sub-castes within the Scheduled Castes? The issue will be decided by a seven-judge Constitution Bench after a five-judge Constitution Bench on Thursday delivered a verdict contrary to an earlier one by a Bench of the same strength. The five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, ruled that provision can be made for reservation for the sub-castes within Scheduled Castes, saying, "The entire basket of fruits cannot be given to mighty at the cost of others under the guise of forming a homogeneous class." "There are un-equals within the list of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and educationally backward classes. Various reports indicate that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes do not constitute a homogenous group. The aspiration of equal treatment of the lowest strata, to whom the fruits of the reservation have not effectively reached, remains a dream. At the s...

Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 The Centre today held a review meeting with 10 states, including Punjab, that have accounted for nearly 89 per cent of all deaths seen in the country over the past two weeks. Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba took the virtual review with the Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, asking each of these states to focus on reducing the case fatality rate. “It was observed that out of the total deaths in the country in the last two weeks, 89 per cent of the deaths are in these 10 states and UT. Hence, these states need to have continued and rigorous vigil, so as to contain the spread of infection and reduce fatalities,” the Health Ministry said. The country today saw the highest single-day surge of 75,760 cases, taking the Covid tally to 33,10,234. The toll has climbed to 60,472, with 1,023 fatalities in 24 hours. ...

New Delhi, August 27 Over 150 academicians from various universities in India and abroad have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that delaying the JEE (Main) and NEET any further will mean compromising students' future. Referring to the growing chorus against conducting these exams in September in view of the rising Covid cases, the academicians stated, "Some are trying to play with future of students to propel their own political agenda." The signatories include academicians from Delhi University, IGNOU, JNU, Banaras Hindu University, University of Lucknow, IIT-Delhi, besides Indian experts from foreign universities in London, California and Israel among others. Also, directors of several IITs have said that any further delay in conducting NEET and JEE will lead to a zero academic year. — PTI Voices against exam Odisha CM wants exams put off, cites floods in state Why play with youth's lives, asks Punjab Cong chief Source:- The Tribune posti...

New Delhi, August 27 In a signal to dissenters, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today approved a five-member strategy committee in the Rajya Sabha, elevating MPs Gaurav Gogoi and Ravneet Bittu as Deputy Leader and Whip of the Lok Sabha. Jairam Ramesh will be the Chief Whip in the RS. The five-member strategy group will comprise Ramesh, Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal besides Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Deputy Leader Anand Sharma. Azad and Sharma were both signatories to the dissent letter. Bittu's elevation is seen as a signal to Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari, another signatory to the letter. K Suresh from Kerala is party's Chief Whip in the LS and Manickam Tagore the other Whip. Bittu and Gogoi's elevations mark a generational shift in the party. — TNS Source:- The Tribune postimageurlhttps://https://ift.tt/3hw2a77

Chandigarh, August 27 Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij today said the Vigilance Bureau would probe the alleged liquor scam during the lockdown even as Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala denied any such scam, saying the state had collected an additional Rs 263-crore revenue in the first quarter. Dushyant, who holds Excise portfolio, said the increased revenue came in the form of permit and retail licence fee and additional excise duty. Vij and Dushyant addressed separate press conferences here. The Home Minister, who has ordered a Vigilance probe after a special enquiry team (SET) submitted its report on July 31, said, "An explanation has been sought from Excise and Taxation Commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi while the Home Department has been asked to take action against former Sonepat SP Pratiksha Godara, who has since been repatriated to her parent cadre." Dushyant claimed it was for first time this year that the government had collected an additional excise duty of more than Rs 27 c...

Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) indirectly ruled out a military option to resolve the border issue with China, saying that the government was working on moving back troops to their "regular posts" on their respective sides of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). On the other hand, China continued to exhort India to "see the big picture" even as the MEA indicated slowness by the Chinese side in implementing some of the agreements reached during discussions at the military and diplomatic levels. China stays adamant, says see big picture China's Defence Ministry on Thursday again exhorted India to "see the big picture" even as the MEA indicated slowness by the Chinese side in implementing agreements reached during discussions at the military and diplomatic levels. "It is important to bear in mind that achieving this (complete disengagement) requires agreed actions by both sides," said the...

Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 Pakistan's denials and counter-accusations on sheltering wanted terrorists laid bare its insincerity in responding to legitimate global expectations that it would track down terrorists based on its soil, the MEA said today. "Pakistan has not only maintained its opposition to this international consensus but it has also chosen not to act against the terrorists,'' MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, responding to questions on his Pakistani counterpart denying the presence of Dawood Ibrahim and criticising the charge sheet filed on the Pulwama attack. Srivastava pointed out that the JeM, which had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack, was Pakistan-based and its chief Masood Azhar, the first accused in the charge-sheet, continued to find shelter there. "Enough evidence has been shared with Pakistan, but it continues to evade responsibility," he added. Source:- The Tribune postimageurlhttps://https://i...

Ravinder Sood Palampur, August 27 The HP Government has ordered an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the selection of BPL families for foodgrain subsidy after names of gazetted officers, doctors and professors were found on a list of 125 beneficiaries recently. Official sources told The Tribune that the government had sought details from deputy commissioners across the state in this regard and was mulling to hand over the matter to the state Vigilance. The government is in the process of issuing directions to the Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Department to ensure that the criteria for selecting BPL families was strictly adhered to. Talking to The Tribune, a Block Development Officer admitted that many gram sabhas were not following the laid down criteria and suggested that BDOs and SDMs be given the authority to delete "inelegible" selections. Source:- The Tribune postimageurlhttps://https://ift.tt/3gHPwko

Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 Weeks after the announcement of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India), Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said it was not inward-looking, but designed to strengthen a global order in which India would have a central role in ensuring stability in its immediate neighbourhood. PM Modi gave this message at webinar “Atmanirbhar Bharat – Defence Industry Outreach” organised jointly by industry body FICCI and the Department of Military Affairs headed by General Bipin Rawat. The PM addressed concerns of the foreign industry, which has been edgy about rules being changed. Speaking in Hindi, PM Modi said, “Atmanirbhar Bharat is for all — the MSME, Indian industry and foreign partner as well. It is a commitment of the government and a win-win for all.” India, he said, was committed to emerging as an export hub. The government has taken several reform measures like bankruptcy code, ease of business etc. “India is changing its focus from licence p...

New Delhi, August 27 The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a plea filed by businessman Vijay Mallya, who has sought review of its 2017 order holding him guilty of contempt of court for transferring USD 40 million to his children. A bench comprising justices U U Lalit and Ashok Bhushan reserved its order after hearing arguments in the case. The apex court had in June directed its registry to explain as to why Mallya's review petition had not been listed before the court concerned for the last three years. It had directed the registry to furnish all details including names of officials who had dealt with the file concerning the review petition in the last three years. The fugitive businessman had filed the petition seeking review of the apex court's May 9, 2017 order by which he was held guilty of contempt of court for transferring USD 40 million to his children in violation of the order. Mallya, who is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000...

Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 27 The turmoil in Congress appears far from over with former union minister Kapil Sibal taking to Twitter to allege that his younger colleague Jitin Prasada was being officially targeted in Uttar Pradesh. Sibal and Prasada are both signatories to the controversial letter 20 party leaders wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi recently asking for a full time and active chief and also for overhaul of party structure to make it battle ready for the next elections. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Monday took note of the letter and trashed it attacking the signatories with some veterans seeking action against them. The CWC unanimously urged Sonia to continue as party president till the next AICC session elects a new full-time chief. "Unfortunate that Jitin Prasada is being officially targeted in UP. Congress needs to target the BJP with surgical strikes instead wasting its energy by targeting its own," said Sibal...

Cuttack, August 27 The Orissa High Court has allowed a same-sex couple to continue a live-in relationship, stating that human beings, irrespective of gender identities, are entitled to full enjoyment of their rights. A division bench of Justice S K Mishra and Justice Savitri Ratho, while hearing the habeaus corpus plea of a 24- year-old transman earlier this week, said that "the state shall provide all kinds of protection to them, including right to life, right to equality before law and equal protection of law". The petitioner, who identifies himself as a man, said the mother and the uncle of his partner forcibly took her home in Jajpur, and arranged her marriage with another person, prompting him to approach the court. Justice S K Mishra, who headed the bench, ruled that the duo has the right to decide on their sexual preference, and directed the Jajpur superintendent of police to ensure that the partner gets to join the petitioner in Bhubaneswar. The mother, who is a ...