Top news: Countdown begins for Chandrayaan-2 to make soft landing on lunar surface

‘As if Chandrayaan launch is first in the country’: Mamata Banerjee says Centre diverting attention

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that the Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission was an attempt to distract people from the “economic disaster”. “As if the Chandrayaan launch is the first in the country. As if before they came to power, no such missions were taken up,” she said in the state Assembly.

Bhima Koregaon case: Accused Surendra Gadling refuses to depose before commission

Bhima Koregaon case accused Surendra Gadling on Friday said he was no more ready to depose before a commission looking into the matter. He had last month said he wanted to give a statement before the commission to share some facts.

Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal questioned by ED for alleged violation of foreign exchange law

The Enforcement Directorate questioned Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal on Friday in connection with alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act.

Unnao car crash: Supreme Court grants CBI two more weeks to complete investigation

The Supreme Court on Friday gave the Central Bureau of Investigation two more weeks to complete its inquiry into the car crash involving a woman who had accused Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar of rape in 2017. This is the second extension given to the agency.

Supreme Court lashes out at Kerala for not razing coastal flats in Kochi yet, gives two more weeks

The Supreme Court on Friday gave the state of Kerala a deadline of September 20 to demolish flats built in Kochi in violation of rules for Coastal Regulation Zones. The court came down heavily on the state government for not demolishing the flats yet, even four months after being told to do so.

Ayodhya case: Supreme Court says petition on live streaming should be heard by CJI Ranjan Gogoi

The Supreme Court on Friday said that a petition seeking live telecast or recording of the proceedings in the Ayodhya land dispute case should be listed before a bench led by the Chief Justice of India. A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, is holding daily hearings in the case.

Relief for CJI case complainant as Delhi court dismisses police plea to cancel her bail

A court in Delhi on Friday dismissed the police’s application to cancel the bail of a former Supreme Court staffer who had accused Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexually harassing her, Bar and Bench reported. The woman received the bail in connection with a case that was filed on the basis of a complaint by 31-year-old Naveen Kumar, who accused her of cheating him of Rs 50,000 he had allegedly paid for a job at the top court.

Free Delhi Metro rides for women ‘a problem’, says Supreme Court

The Delhi government’s proposal to make metro rides free for women came under heavy criticism from the Supreme Court on Friday. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta, which was hearing the Arvind Kejriwal administration’s plea that the Centre must share 50% of operational losses for the expansion of phase four of Delhi Metro, said sops and claims of loss do not go hand in hand.

‘15 minutes of terror’: ISRO gets ready for Chandrayaan-2 landing on moon

India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 is scheduled to make a soft-landing on the surface of the moon between 1.30 am and 2.30 am on Saturday. The manoeuvre to land the rover on the Moon’s surface without any injury will be “15 minutes of terror” even for top scientists at Indian Space Research Organisation, the space agency’s Director K Sivan told NDTV.

Delhi: Shehla Rashid charged with sedition for making allegedly false accusations about Army

The Special Cell of Delhi Police lodged a first information report against activist and former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Shehla Rashid for allegedly tweeting false information about the Indian Army. She has been charged with sedition. The complaint was filed by Supreme Court lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava last month.

JNU sedition case: Arvind Kejriwal says Delhi government is yet to decide on sanction to prosecute

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that his government was yet to take any decision about the police’s request for sanction to prosecute former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a 2016 sedition case. Earlier in the day, reports had suggested that the Aam Aadmi Party government was set to reject the police’s demand to grant sanction.

IAS officer Sasikanth Senthil resigns from service, says ‘building blocks of democracy compromised’

Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district S Sasikanth Senthil on Friday resigned from Indian Administrative Service, The Hindu reported. He served in the post since June 2017 and was hailed as one of the most proactive deputy commissioners of the district.

Kolkata: Around 400 people evacuated after metro work hits aquifer, destroys homes

Around 400 people living in 52 houses in Kolkata’s Bowbazaar area have been rendered homeless for last one week after excavation work for the Metro hit an aquifer and led to flooding and cave-ins, NDTV reported on Thursday. The evacuees have been put up in nearby hotels paid for by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation.

Gujarat: Nine tested positive for Congo fever, alert issued in Rajasthan

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Thursday confirmed that nine people have tested positive for Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever in Gujarat, The Indian Express reported. The fever, also known as Congo fever, is zoonotic viral disease transmitted from animals to humans. It reportedly kills up to 30% of those infected.

Bihar: Nilgai buried alive during culling drive in Vaishali district, one person booked

The police in Bihar’s Vaishali district have filed a first information report against the driver of an earth mover used to bury an injured nilgai, The Indian Express reported. However, no arrests have been made yet.

Bihar: Policeman in Katihar alleges judge assaulted him, tore off his clothes

A policeman deployed in the security of a senior judicial officer in Katihar city in Bihar has alleged that the officer assaulted him and tore off his uniform in a fit of rage, after his vehicle got stuck in a traffic jam, PTI reported on Thursday.

Supreme Court refuses to return Rs 10 crore deposited by Karti Chidambaram for his foreign travel

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to refund a security deposit of Rs 10 crore to Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, which he had deposited with the court’s registry as a condition for being allowed to travel abroad.

UAPA: SC to examine validity of amendments that allow Centre to declare an individual a terrorist

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre following a plea against the amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, that allowed the government to declare an individual as a terrorist, NDTV reported. The top court said it will examine the Constitutional validity of the amended law.

Delhi MLA Alka Lamba quits Aam Aadmi Party, likely to join Congress

Delhi MLA Alka Lamba resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday, after months of being at loggerheads with the leadership. Some reports alleged that she may soon join the Congress. “The time has come to say ‘good bye’ to AAP and to resign from the primary membership of the party,” Lamba said in a tweet. “The past six years’ journey was a great learning for me. Thanks to all.”

Assam NRC: ‘Bangladesh has to be convinced to take back its citizens,’ says Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said India would have to persuade Bangladesh to take back the people excluded from the National Register of Citizens in Assam after the foreigners’ tribunals pass their final verdict, The Times of India reported. The list of citizens published on August 31 left out more than 19 lakh people.

Chhattisgarh: FIR filed against former CM Ajit Jogi for allegedly obtaining fake caste certificate

The Bilaspur Police filed a first information report against former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi on Thursday night for allegedly obtaining a fake caste certificate by claiming to be an Adivasi, PTI reported. The FIR was filed following a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from the Marwahi seat in the 2013 Assembly polls, Sameera Paikra.

Auto sector crisis: Ashok Leyland to shut down production for 5 days at Ennore plant, say reports

Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland on Thursday declared that there will be no production in its five-day holiday at its plant in Ennore near Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai starting September 6, excluding Sunday, reports said. The plant, which saw almost 10 days of no production last month, has been affected by a 70% fall in sales of medium and heavy commercial trucks in August.

India will never balk at using its strength to defend itself, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that India was not an aggressor country but will never hesitate to defend itself using its military strength. He made the remarks at a defence dialogue in Seoul, South Korea. “India has never been an aggressor in its history nor will it ever be,” Singh said at the event. “But that does not mean that India would balk at using its strength to defend itself.”

Pehlu Khan lynching: SIT finds multiple lapses in investigation, submits report

A special investigation team set up by the Rajasthan government to look into the lynching of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in 2017 submitted its status report in the case on Wednesday. The team found multiple lapses in the police investigation. The report was submitted to Rajasthan Director General of Police Bhupendra Singh.

Calcutta High Court asks Shah Rukh Khan to file affidavit explaining his relation with IIPM

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed actor Shah Rukh Khan to file an affidavit to explain his relation with the Indian Institute of Planning and Management. A Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry has been sought against the institute for allegedly misleading and duping students. Currently, the West Bengal Police are investigating the matter.

AgustaWestland chopper scam: Delhi court sends businessman Ratul Puri to ED custody for six days

A court in Delhi on Thursday sent businessman Ratul Puri to six-day Enforcement Directorate’s custody in connection with a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam. Puri, who is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, will be in ED’s custody till September 11. The court said the agency sought Puri’s custodial interrogation to “unearth the source and end use of tainted money”.

Delhi zoo’s last Cape buffalo dies allegedly after consuming plastic, inquiry ordered

The National Zoological Park in Delhi on Thursday ordered an inquiry after its last Cape buffalo died allegedly due to the consumption of a plastic bag. The male Cape buffalo, a species found only in Africa, died on August 27. The zoo’s veterinary officer Abhijit Bhawal found a plastic-like material in the stomach of the animal during the autopsy.

Father of deceased Kashmiri youth contradicts police claim, says his son died of pellet injuries

The family of the Kashmiri youth who was injured during protests last month and died on Wednesday has contested the Army statement that he died because he was hit by a stone. The family claimed Asrar Ahmad Khan died after he had suffered wounds from a pump action gun.