Mamta Banerjee goes on dharna amidst CBI and Kolkata Police standoff

  • Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamta Banerjee is staging a protest claiming that centre is staging a coup against the state government and she wants to save the constitution.
  • CBI officials were detained by the Kolkata Police on Sunday when they were trying to question Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar related to ponzi scheme cases which involve several politicians.
  • CBI has approached the Supreme Court claiming that the state government is not allowing the CBI to conduct the investigation.
  • Mamta Banerjee received widespread support from many opposition parties and the centre was criticised on how it handled the situation.
  • CBI in its defence said that the Kumar was summoned many times regarding some missing files but has been ignoring the summons.

Rishi Shukla appointed as CBI director

  • He was appointed in the position for a two-year term.
  • The panel to appoint him was led by PM Modi and also included Chief Justice Gogoi and Congress leader Mallikarjun.
  • Mallikarjun’s vote was a dissent vote and he questioned Shukla’s experience in anti-corruption investigation.
  • Rishi Kumar Shukla has served as director general of police of Madhya Pradesh and is currently serving as the chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation.  

Manipur filmmaker, Aribam Shyam Sharma, to return Padma Shri award

  • The filmmaker will return the award protesting the Citizenship Bill and expressed solidarity with the northeastern states.
  • The filmmaker was awarded Padma Shri in 2006 for his contribution to cinema
  • The bill seeks to grant citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Christians from the neighbouring Muslim-majority nations if they have lived in India for six years.
  • Most of the northeastern states have opposed the bill and the region has been experiencing several protests.

Seemanchal Express derails killing six people

  • The train derailed at 3.58 am on February 3rd at Vaishali district in Bihar when the train was on its way to Delhi.
  • Eleven coaches of the train got derailed which claimed six lives and several people were injured.
  • Railway officials suspect that the derailment was caused by rail fracture.