Top news: SC asks High Court to hear hate speech pleas on Friday, says delay is not justified

Delhi violence: Congress team makes first visit, Rahul Gandhi says hate won’t benefit anyone

A Congress delegation led by former party chief Rahul Gandhi visited North East Delhi on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by last week’s communal violence, PTI reported. The delegation, whose first visit came six days after the violence died down, went to a school that was burnt and a nearby mosque in Brijpuri locality.

Air India sale: NRIs now allowed to buy entire stake, says Centre

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to allow non-resident Indians to control up to 100% stake in national carrier Air India. Earlier, NRIs were allowed to own up to 49% stake. The government first announced its intention to divest its entire stake in Air India in January – a major shift from its stance in 2018 when it wanted to divest only 76% stake. The proposed stake sale, however, failed to take off on both occasions.

Jammu and Kashmir: Social media ban revoked after nearly seven months but 2G internet speed remains

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday revoked the ban on social media nearly seven months after it was put in place as the Centre stripped the region of its special status and split it into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. So far, the administration had allowed usage of 2G internet speed, and access was granted to only whitelisted websites.

‘Social media is BJP’s oxygen, PM Modi won’t cut this lifeline,’ says Shiv Sena

Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise announcement about “giving up” his social media accounts, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday mocked him, saying it was impossible that he would “cut this lifeline”. Modi’s tweet had led to intense speculation for hours until on Tuesday, he clarified that he planned to “give away” his accounts to inspiring women to mark International Women’s Day on May 8.

Delhi violence was well-planned, outsiders were brought in as part of conspiracy: Minorities panel

The Delhi Minorities Commission has alleged that last week’s communal violence in North East Delhi was well-planned and one-sided, The Hindu reported. The commission made the remark in an assessment report after visiting the affected areas. Violence in the district started on February 23 and continued for five days, claiming 47 lives – the worst toll in communal clashes in Delhi since 1984.

MP: Four MLAs ‘rescued’ from Haryana hotel, rest taken by BJP to Karnataka, alleges Congress

Madhya Pradesh Congress media chief Shobha Oza on Wednesday claimed that four out of eight MLAs allegedly held hostage at a hotel in Gurugram, Haryana, were “rescued” around midnight, The Hindu reported. This came a day after the Congress claimed that its lawmakers were being forcefully kept at the hotel, and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of being involved.

2012 Delhi gangrape: Prosecution seeks fresh death warrants after last remaining mercy plea rejected

The Delhi government moved a trial court on Wednesday to seek fresh death warrants for the four convicts in the 2012 gangrape case after President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the last remaining mercy petition. Earlier, the court had stayed warrants after issuing them thrice because the convicts kept on exercising their legal options one by one.

Unnao rape case: Kuldeep Sengar convicted of culpable homicide in death of complainant’s father

A court in Delhi on Wednesday convicted expelled Bharatiya Janata Party politician Kuldeep Singh Sengar of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the death of the father of the woman who accused him of raping her, PTI reported.

2012 Delhi gangrape: President rejects mercy petition of convict Pawan Gupta

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday rejected the mercy petition of Pawan Gupta, one of the four death-row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case, ANI reported. Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Mukesh Singh and Pawan Gupta were scheduled to be hanged at Tihar Jail in Delhi on Tuesday at 6 am.

Delhi violence: SC transfers plea on hate speeches to High Court, matter to be heard on Friday

The Supreme Court on Wednesday transferred all the petitions related to large scale communal violence in North East Delhi to the Delhi High Court, Bar and Bench reported. The top court requested the Delhi High Court to decide the matter as expeditiously as possible.

Delhi violence: High Court dismisses plea against AAP government’s compensation to victims

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging the Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to provide compensation to two victims of the violence that rocked the national Capital last week, PTI reported. At least 47 people were killed and over 200 wounded in the violence.

2012 Delhi gangrape: High Court rejects plea seeking direction to NHRC to check convicts’ health

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to hear a plea seeking direction to the National Human Rights Commission to assess the mental and physical health of the four convicts in the 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case, PTI reported. A bench comprising Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said the plea was not maintainable because it was not first moved by the National Human Rights Commission.

Coronavirus: Modi announces he will not participate in Holi events to avoid spreading infection

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he will not participate in Holi events this year in light of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The number of cases of the deadly virus in India rose to 28 on Tuesday, the health minister said.

Assam: Gauhati High Court sets aside Foreigners’ Tribunal order, calls it ‘a perversity’

The Gauhati High Court has set aside an order by a Foreigners’ Tribunal in Jorhat district of Assam that declared a 65-year-old man foreigner, stating that proof beyond all reasonable doubts is not required for establishing one’s citizenship, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. The court made the observation while delivering the verdict on a writ petition filed by Mohammad Iddrish Ali challenging the order passed by the Foreigners’ Tribunal.

Entire Lokpal bench to decide on complaints against any former or current prime minister

The Lokpal Rules, notified by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on March 2, stipulate that in case a complaint is filed against a sitting or former prime minister, the entire bench will decide if an inquiry should be initiated. It adds that if such a complaint is dismissed, records of the inquiry will neither be published nor made available to anyone.

SC allows trading in cryptocurrency, lifts RBI’s ‘disproportionate’ ban

The Supreme Court on Wednesday revoked a Reserve Bank of India ban on trading in cryptocurrencies. The top bank had imposed the ban in 2018. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court called the bank’s ban “disproportionate”.

Coronavirus: 15 Italian tourists, quarantined in Delhi, suspected to have infection, say reports

The 15 Italian tourists, who were sent to an Indo Tibetan Border Police quarantine facility in Delhi, are suspected to have coronavirus, reports said on Wednesday. However, results confirming the same are awaited from National Institute of Virology in Pune.

Delhi violence: Supreme Court to hear plea for hate speech cases against political leaders today

The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear a petition seeking cases against political leaders who allegedly indulged in hate speech before last week’s violent clashes in North East Delhi. The petition was filed by a few of the victims of the violence, which has so far claimed 47 lives and left over 200 injured.

IB officer’s murder: Suspended AAP councillor moves Delhi court for anticipatory bail

Suspended Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain, who is accused of being involved in the murder of an Intelligence Bureau officer during the communal violence in North East Delhi, on Tuesday moved a Delhi court seeking anticipatory bail in the case, PTI reported. Hussain is said to be absconding after the officer Ankit Sharma’s murder.

District and Sessions Judge Sudhir Kumar Jain will hear Hussain’s plea on Wednesday. The Delhi Police have charged the councillor with murder, rioting and arson, during the violence between supporters and opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act in the Capital last week.

Madhya Pradesh: Congress alleges 8 MLAs have been forcefully kept in Gurugram hotel

The Congress in Madhya Pradesh alleged on Tuesday that eight of its MLAs have been forcefully kept at a hotel in Gurugram, Haryana, NDTV reported. Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Tarun Bhanot said that two ministers who went to meet the MLAs holed up at the ITC Maratha Hotel were not allowed entry.

Quota for Muslims in education: There’s been no proposal yet, says Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Tuesday that the state government had not taken any decision on reservation for Muslims, PTI reported.

The statement came days after Nationalist Congress Party leader and state Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra has proposed to extend 5% reservation to Muslims in educational institutes. He told the Maharashtra Legislative Council that a legislation will be passed soon in this regard.

Delhi: 185 students protesting against CAA detained on their way to Ramlila Maidan

The Delhi Police on Tuesday said they detained 185 students protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act while on their way to Ramlila Maidan, PTI reported. The police said they had not given permission for the rally.

“In total, 185 protesters were detained and taken to nearby police stations of Kamla Market, Hari Nagar and Bawana,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sanjay Bhatia told PTI. All the students were released later. They were all detained from different locations across the Capital.

Citizenship Act: 5 foreigners asked to leave India for participating in protests, says Home Ministry

The Indian government has asked five foreigners to leave the country for violating their visa norms by participating in protests against the amendments to the Citizenship Act, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs told Parliament on Tuesday.

Minister of State Nityanand Rai was responding to a question posed by Indian Union Muslim League MP from Malappuram in Kerala, PK Kunhalikutty, and Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh’s Nalgonda constituency, Uttam Kumar Reddy.