Top news: Narendra Modi warns BJP MPs after official’s assault by Akash Vijayvargiya

BJP MP Sunny Deol issues clarification after backlash on appointing ‘representative’ in Gurdaspur

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sunny Deol on Tuesday issued a clarification after he was criticised for appointing a representative to his Lok Sabha constituency, Gurdaspur in Punjab. Deol on Monday had announced that writer and line producer Gurpreet Singh Palheri would be his representative to attend meetings and “follow important matters” about his constituency. “It is extremely unfortunate to see a controversy being created out of nothing at all,” Deol said on Twitter.

Demonetisation had no effect on the economy, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday told the Rajya Sabha that demonetisation has had no effect on the economy, and that growth remains a top priority of the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government, PTI reported.

Pune: Six labourers killed as another wall collapses due to heavy rain

At least six labourers were killed after the compound wall of a college in Ambegaon locality of Pune collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday, The Indian Express reported. A portion of the wall of Sinhgad College collapsed on the adjacent makeshift tin sheds as heavy rain continued to lash the city. Fifteen labourers were trapped under the debris, while local residents and a fire brigade team rescued nine.

Calcutta HC extends interim protection from arrest granted to Rajeev Kumar till July 22

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday extended the interim protection from arrest granted to former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar till July 22, ANI reported. The Central Bureau of Investigation is investigating Kumar in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam case.

Sonia Gandhi says corporatisation of Rae Bareli coach factory will leave many jobless

United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday opposed in the Lok Sabha the proposed corporatisation of the Railways’Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli, PTI reported. Gandhi accused the government of “selling the country’s assets” at a throwaway price.

However, Railways rejected the charge, and said the factory will remain under government control. It said “corporatisation was not privatisation”.

Kothkai custodial death: Rape accused died due to multiple injuries, doctors tell CBI court

Two doctors on Monday told the special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Chandigarh that the man accused of raping a minor girl in Kothkai in 2017 had died due to “traumatic shock as a result of multiple injuries”, The Indian Express reported. Suraj Singh, the prime accused in the gangrape case, died while in custody at the Kothkai police station in Shimla on July 18, 2017.

PNB scam: Singapore court freezes bank account of company owned by Nirav Modi’s sister

The Singapore High Court has ordered the freezing of Rs 44 crore of bank deposits held in the country by a company owned by family members of businessman Nirav Modi, an accused in the Punjab National Bank scam, India’s Enforcement Directorate said on Tuesday. The bank account belongs to Pavilion Point Corporation, a company in the tax haven of British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean beneficially owned by Modi’s sister Purvi Modi and her husband Maiank Mehta

Coimbatore: Fuel tank falls off Tejas aircraft during sortie, lands in the fields

A fuel tank fell off a Tejas aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Tuesday morning while it was on a sortie near Coimbatore, PTI reported, quoting police. The aircraft landed safely in the nearby Sulur Air Force station. No damage or injuries were reported. The 1,200-litre fuel tank fell into an agricultural field in Irugur village, causing a three-foot-deep crater and a minor fire, police said.

UP order including 17 OBC communities in Scheduled Castes list is unconstitutional, says BSP

The Bahujan Samaj Party on Tuesday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s order to include 17 communities belonging to the Other Backward Classes in the Scheduled Castes list, PTI reported. Bahujan Samaj Party MP Satish Chandra Misra said in the Rajya Sabha that the move is unconstitutional as only Parliament can make changes to the Scheduled Castes list.

SC seeks Centre’s response on Jairam Ramesh’s plea against amendments to money laundering act

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the Centre’s response to a plea by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, challenging the amendments made to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act since 2015, PTI reported. Ramesh claimed that amendments to the PMLA by way of money bills were a violation of the Constitution.

Modi condemns BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya’s assault on civic official, says ‘it is unacceptable’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the incident of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Akash Vijayvargiya thrashing a municipal corporation officer with a cricket bat in Indore last week, reports said. Such behaviour is not acceptable, Modi told his party’s MPs, according to India Today.

DMK moves Supreme Court seeking disqualification of 11 AIADMK MLAs

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking urgent hearing of its plea for disqualification of 11 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLAs, who voted against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in a confidence motion in 2017. The MLAs included Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

Delhi: Mob vandalises temple following a parking dispute in Chawri Bazar; security beefed up

The Centre on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court against a Bombay High Court order asking diamond merchant Mehul Choksi to submit his medical reports to a hospital in Mumbai for cross-examination, to determine if he is in a position to travel. Choksi had cited poor health as a reason for not coming to India from Antigua to join the investigation against him.

PNB scam: Centre moves SC against Bombay High Court order that sought Mehul Choksi’s medical reports

The Centre on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court against a Bombay High Court order asking diamond merchant Mehul Choksi to submit his medical reports to a hospital in Mumbai for cross-examination, to determine if he is in a position to travel. Choksi had cited poor health as a reason for not coming to India from Antigua to join the investigation against him.

Centre launches water conservation campaign ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ to focus on 256 districts

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday launched a campaign for water conservation and water security. The campaign will focus on 1,592 “water stressed blocks” in 256 districts.

Mumbai: At least 16 people killed in rain-related incidents; 1,000 people rescued from Kurla

Heavy rain in Mumbai and neighbouring areas killed at least 16 people overnight on Tuesday, and injured 10. Train services were again curtailed early on Tuesday following the heavy downpour. The Maharashtra government declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in the state.

BJP MP Sunny Deol appoints ‘representative’ to Gurdaspur constituency, Congress calls it betrayal

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sunny Deol has appointed a “representative” to his Lok Sabha constituency, Gurdaspur in Punjab. Gurpreet Singh Palheri, who is a writer and line producer, said he was appointed as representative for local issues.

NCW issues notice to Telangana Police chief over attack on woman forest range officer

The National Commission for Women on Monday directed the Telangana Police to ensure a speedy investigation into the assault on a woman forest range officer in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. A mob led by Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader Koneru Krishna had attacked forest range officer Anitha Chole during an afforestation programme in Kaghaznagar on Sunday.

Fresh investments plunged by 87% during the April-June quarter compared to last year, says CMIE

Investments in new projects in the country plunged in the April-June 2019 quarter, data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy showed on Monday. As many as 304 new projects were announced during this period, with investments of Rs 43,500 crore during the three-month period, CMIE said. This was 87% lower than the value of projects announced during the April-June 2018 quarter: Rs 3.4 lakh crore.

Indian Army reported 1,248 cases of ceasefire violations this year, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that 1,248 cases of ceasefire violations and four casualties had been reported by the Army this year. Singh said that 203 cases of ceasefire violation were reported in January while 215 were reported in February.

Haryana: Rape, murder convict Ram Rahim Singh withdraws parole plea after backlash

Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Monday withdrew his parole application. A senior official of Haryana Prisons Department confirmed that Singh had withdrawn his application one week after filing it. Singh had filed the parole application in order to farm his fields in Haryana’s Sirsa district.

‘Is this a PIL?’: SC rejects plea to earmark PoK, Gilgit as Lok Sabha seats, fines ex-RAW official

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a public interest litigation that sought a direction to the central government to announce Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit as Lok Sabha seats, PTI reported. The bench also fined a former Research and Analysis Wing official for filing the petition.