Rhea Chakraborty’s judicial custody extended till October 6

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September 22, 2020

Shares of kwality limited on Tuesday came under pressure, as the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday filed a fraud case for cheating a consortium of banks led by Bank of India.

The shares are currently trading at ₹2.80 apiece, down 3.45 per cent.

Those named by the CBI include Kwality’s directors Sanjay Dhingra, Siddhant Gupta and Arun Srivastava. They have been charged with cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption by a consortium of 10 banks led by Bank of India, constituted in 2012.

“It was alleged in the complaint that the said accused had cheated the Bank of India-led consortium comprising BoI (lead bank), Canara Bank, BoB, Andhra Bank, Corporation Bank, IDBI, Central Bank of India, Dhanlaxmi Bank, Syndicate Bank to the tune of Rs 1400.62 crore (approx.),” CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said.

The searches were conducted Monday at eight locations including at Delhi, Saharanpur, Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Palwal (Haryana) etc. on the premises of the private company and other accused.

The CBI started its investigations on a complaint by Bank of India, which alleged that Kwality Ltd had taken credit from the bank since 2010 but started defaulting on payments in early 2018. The account was classified as a non-performing asset in August 2018, it said.

Facing communal slurs, mental harassment in jail: Delhi student activist Gulfisha Fatima

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September 22, 2020

Facing communal slurs, mental harassment in jail

Student activist Gulfisha Fatima, arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), alleged before a Delhi court on Monday that she was being subjected to communal slurs and mental harassment by jail authorities.

“I have a problem in jail,” she told Additional Sessions, Judge Amitabh Rawat, via videoconferencing. “Ever since I was brought here, I have been constantly facing discrimination by the jail staff. They called me an educated terrorist and hurled communal slurs at me. I am facing mental harassment here. If I hurt myself, only jail authorities will be responsible for it.”

After Fatima made her submissions directly to the court, the judge asked her lawyer to file an application regarding this.

To this, her counsel Mehmood Pracha said he will do the necessary in the case.

The court had earlier taken cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case related to the conspiracy in the riots and summoned all the 15 accused to appear before it.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

Covid-19 update: India sees marginal drop in daily infections

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September 22, 2020

India recorded 75,083 fresh covid-19 cases in the last 24-hour which is India’s lowest total in a single-day spike in September. With fresh new additions, India’s total tally has crossed the 55-lakh mark. Death toll from the virus in country has increased by 1,053 to reach 88,935.

The total case tally stands at 55,62,664 including 9,75,861 active cases, 44,97,868 cured/discharged/migrated & 88,935 deaths: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

India's #COVID19 case tally crosses 55-lakh mark with a spike of 75,083 new cases & 1,053 deaths in last 24 hours.

The total case tally stands at 55, 62,664 including 9,75,861 active cases, 44,97,868 cured/discharged/migrated & 88,935 deaths: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare pic.twitter.com/17zx2Hj4VO
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020

India’s Covid-19 case tally crosses 55-lakh mark with a spike of 75,083 new cases & 1,053 deaths in last 24 hours.

6,53,25,779 samples tested up to 21st September for Covid-19. Of these, 9,33,185 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

This high rate of daily recoveries has positioned India as the top country globally with maximum number of recovered cases. This has also pushed the recovery rate to a high of more than 80%, said Ministry of Health.

On Monday, the Supreme Court told the Centre and states to provide relief to Covid-hit sex workers in the form of dry rations, money & masks.

According to a survey conducted among 1.2 lakh sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, 96 per cent of the sex workers have lost their source of earning amid the pandemic, senior advocate Anand Grover told the bench.

The Ministry of Health said on Tuesday said that India recorded very high single-day recoveries successively in the last three days. “This high rate of daily recoveries has positioned India as the top country globally with maximum number of recovered cases. This has also pushed the recovery rate to a high of more than 80%,” Ministry of Health said.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, on Monday, in the Lok Sabha that the Central government is not waiting for an “act of God” in its fight against the novel virus but instead working relentlessly to ensure the development of a successful vaccine by 2021.

PM Modi calls for reformed multilateralism at the 75th session of UNGA

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September 22, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (local time) addressed the High-Level meeting of the 75th session of United Nations General Assembly virtually.

In his speech, the Prime Minister pointed out that the UN faces a “crisis of confidence” without comprehensive reforms. He asserted that the world needs a reformed multilateralism amid these unprecedented times which gives voice to all the stakeholders and focuses on human welfare.

“The UN faces a crisis of confidence. For today’s interconnected world, we need a reformed multilateralism that reflects today’s reality, gives voice to all stakeholders, addresses contemporary challenges, and focuses on human welfare”, Modi said.

Marking 75 years of the @UN. https://t.co/2j7HPYjEGA
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 21, 2020

Reminiscing the formation of the institution on its 75th anniversary, PM Modi said, “75 years ago, a new hope arose from the horrors of war. For the first time in human history, an institution was created for the entire world.”

He also added that as a founding signatory of the UN Charter, India believed in the noble vision, which reflected India’s own philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ that sees the world as a family.

PM Modi also paid tribute to all those who have contributed towards upliftment and spread the message of peace under the UN flag. He added India looks forward to working with all other nations towards this end.

PM Modi’s recorded speech was played at around 5.30 pm EST (3 a.m. IST) and was welcomed by TS Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to the United Nations.

In a line of more than 180 countries, PM Modi came in at number 104 to deliver his address virtually amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Lok Sabha passes Foreign Contribution (Amendment) Bill

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September 22, 2020

Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act to make furnishing of Aadhaar numbers of office-bearers of any NGO mandatory for registration and also affect other changes, with the government asserting that the proposed legislation is not against any religion.

Once the bill is cleared by the Rajya Sabha and gets assent from President Ram Nath Kovind, public servants will be barred from receiving funding from abroad.

Amid concerns raised by various Opposition members about The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai asserted that the bill is not against any religion or NGO.

The Bill proposes that not more than 20% of the total foreign funds received could be spent on administrative expenses. Presently, the limit is 50%.

Under the Act, certain persons are prohibited to accept any foreign contribution. These include election candidates, editor or publisher of a newspaper, judges, government servants, members of any legislature, and political parties, among others.

The Bill adds public servants (as defined under the Indian Penal Code) to this list. Public servant includes any person who is in service or pay of the government or remunerated by the government for the performance of any public duty.

Under the Act, foreign contribution cannot be transferred to any other person unless such person is also registered to accept foreign contribution (or has obtained prior permission under the Act to obtain foreign contribution).

The Bill amends this to prohibit the transfer of foreign contribution to any other person. The term ‘person’ under the Act includes an individual, an association, or a registered company.

Under the Act, a registered person must accept foreign contribution only in a single branch of a scheduled bank specified by them. However, they may open more accounts in other banks for the utilization of the contribution.

The Bill amends this to state that foreign contribution must be received only in an account designated by the bank as “FCRA account” in such a branch of the State Bank of India, New Delhi, as notified by the central government.

No funds other than the foreign contribution should be received or deposited in this account. The person may open another FCRA account in any scheduled bank of their choice for keeping or utilizing the received contribution.

Congress, farmers’ unions to hold protest against farm bills from September 24

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September 22, 2020

Congress along with other opposition parties and farmers’ group, including Bhartiya Kisan Union(BKU), will hold nationwide protests against the two controversial farmers bills passed by the Rajya Sabha on Sunday from September 24.

Upping the ante and to garner the support against the bill, the party will also conduct a campaign to collect two crore signatures of farmers who ought to seek withdrawal of the disputable legislation.

The two contentious bills which have already been passed by the Rajya Sabha now require President Ramnath Kovind’s nod to become laws.

In a meeting held at Congress head quarters on Monday, AICC General Secretaries and in charges discussed the political unrest across the country and the upheaval created by the farm-related bills passed by the Parliament.

As per media reports, a resolution calling out at the three farm bills — the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, — was also declared at the meeting. It was decided that a nationwide agitation on the issue will begin from September 24.

According to news agency PTI, the agitation will include district level protest marches to oppose the bills. “On October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, we will observe ‘save farmers and farm labourers day’. We will hold rallies and marches in every state and district headquarters, asking for the immediate withdrawal of the farm bills,” Congress leader KC Venugopal was quoted by PTI.

This was the first in-person meeting of the Congress leaders ever since the pandemic hit the country. The meeting called on the directions of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was supervised by the members of special committee.

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee will also organize a protest on that day with the support of 10 other trade unions, PTI said.

The Aam Aadmi Party will back a farmers’ strike which has been called by at least 30 farmers’ organisation in Punjab on September 24.

In Bengal the Left Front and associated parties will block roads and hold protest rallies to show solidarity with the farmers.

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh rejects hike in MSP

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September 22, 2020

Politicians and farm leaders of Punjab and Haryana have unanimously rejected the hike in Minimum Support Price (MSP) of rabi crops announced ahead of schedule by the centre amid huge unrest over the proposed farm laws.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday rejected the Centre’s “paltry” hike in MSP of wheat and five other Rabi crops as a “cruel joke” on farmers.

He said the “paltry” hike has come amid their growing apprehensions about the abolition of the minimum support price regime following the passage of the new agriculture Bills in Parliament.

“This is callous. They have made a mockery of the farmers’ protests over the farm bills, which by all accounts will eventually pave the way for ending the MSP system and abolish the Food Corporation of India,” said the CM in a statement here.

The farmers have been asking for a written guarantee that the MSP will not be tampered with, but instead, the Centre has handed out to them a measly offering, said the Chief Minister, adding that this once again showed how little the BJP and its allies, including the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), knew about the farmers and their problems.

The Chief Minister also regretted that the Centre had once again failed to announce a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal for paddy straw management to incentivise farmers not to burn it.

Upping the ante on the farm bills issue, the Congress on Monday announced a massive people’s movement which would include protest marches, agitations and collecting two crore farmers’ signatures for a memorandum against the legislations to be submitted to President Ram Nath Kovind.

This was decided at a meeting of Congress general secretaries and state in-charges, the first physical meeting held by the party at its 24 Akbar Road headquarters here since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sunday, the Rajya Sabha passed two ordinances announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in June.

Farmers and farm leaders have expressed grave concerns over the first Bill, which they claim is a roundabout way to eliminate procurement of wheat and paddy under the minimum support price (MSP) programme.

Last year, farmers in Punjab and Haryana had sold wheat and paddy worth over Rs 80,000 crore under Food Corporation of India (FCI).

The protests by farmers also led Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal to resign from the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, hundreds of farmers, labourers and members of Dalit organisations Monday took part in a demonstration at Bengaluru’s Anand Rao Circle against the new farm Bills passed by the Centre and land legislations proposed by the Karnataka government.

The protesters then moved to Freedom Park, where a conference was held on these issues.

Also, In Bihar’s Bhojpur, the farmers came out on the road alleging that the Agricultural Bill was brought to the disadvantage of the farmers. Angry farmers blocked NH-30 in protest against this bill of the central government. Farmers are protesting and shouting slogans against the central government. The lead advocate is Vinod Verma.

IPL 2020: Who is RCB’s new star Devdutt Paddikal?

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September 21, 2020

Virat Kohli, RCB, Royal Challengers Bangalore, RCB vs SRH, Devdutt Paddikal, IPL 2020 update, IPL

In the third match of IPL 2020, Devdutt Paddikal, Aaron Finch, and Josh Phillippe made the debut for RCB today. Josh Phillip came into the limelight for the Sydney Sixers in the Australian T20 League, while Devdutt Paddikal attracted the attention by scoring the most runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy last year. Let us know who are the Devdutt Paddikal’s full story.

20-year-old left-handed batsman Devdutt Paddikal plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket. Last year, he made his debut in T20 cricket with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. In 12 T20 matches, Paddikal has 580 runs at a strike rate of 175.75. Virat Kohli, RCB, Royal Challengers Bangalore, RCB vs SRH, Devdutt Paddikal, IPL 2020 update, IPL,

In the 2019/20 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Padikkal scored 609 runs in just 11 innings at an average of 67.66, which includes two centuries and five half-centuries. He was the highest run-scorer in the tournament.

IPL: Story of Tamil Nadu star, who dismissed Virat Kohli on his SRH debut

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September 21, 2020

T Natarajan, SRH, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Virat Kohli

Fast bowler T Natarajan made his SRH debut against Royal Challengers in the third match of IPL 2020. In his very first match, this fast bowler took the wicket of Virat Kohli. The 27-year-old fast bowler has reached the stage of IPL today after facing being under poverty and facing a lot of troubles troubles.

Natarajan, who plays for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, belongs to a very poor family. At one time his mother used to run a roadside hawker while his father used to work as a coolie. At that time Natarajan was 20 years old and used to play cricket with tennis ball in his hometown. After this Natarajan reached Chennai, he started playing cricket for big clubs like Jolly Rovers. R. for this club Big players like Ashwin and Murali Vijay had also played. It was from here that he got an entry in the Tamil Nadu Ranji team.

Natarajan was picked by Kings XI Punjab in 2017 where he got a hefty Rs 3 crore. However, Natarajan could not perform as expected for Punjab and was ruled out of the IPL. Natarajan was able to take just two wickets in seven matches for Punjab. Before today, he played his last match in IPL against Gujarat Lions in 2017.

IPL 2020: Sehwag slammed umpiring-level in DC vs KXIP

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September 21, 2020

IPL 2020, IPL 2020 update, Virendra Sehwag

Former India opener, Virender Sehwag has criticised the bad umpiring in the match between Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab in IPL-13.

Mayank Agarwal and Chris Jordan were batting during the 19th over of Punjab’s innings chasing a target of 158 runs. Jordan was given run-out by the umpires, but Jordan’s bat was complete across the crease as seen in the replays.

As fans across the world slammed umpires on the social media sites with tweets regarding the ‘Lost Run’, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag slammed the umpiring howler, saying he should have been awarded the ‘Man of the Match’.

I don’t agree with the man of the match choice . The umpire who gave this short run should have been man of the match.
Short Run nahin tha. And that was the difference. #DCvKXIP pic.twitter.com/7u7KKJXCLb
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 20, 2020

“I don’t agree with the man of the match choice. The umpire who gave this short run should have been man of the match. Short run nahin tha. And that was the difference.” Virender Sehwag wrote.

Farm Bill: More than 3000 farmers protest against the farm bills

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September 21, 2020

Farm Bill, Agriculture Bill, Karnataka Farmers Protest

Thousands of farmers, led by various farmers’ organizations, are protested today against various government policies, with various demands. A protest march began at 11 AM today at Raiyanna railway station which was ended at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. Farmer leaders Kuruburu Shanthakumar and Kodihalli Chandrasekhar led the protest. More than 500 policemen were deployed for security reasons.

More than 3000 farmers from various districts of the state participated in the massive protest. Workers and Dalit organizations have also supported the protest. Against this backdrop, this time the peasant protests have gotten more intense.

The farmers are protesting against the Center’s amendment to the Farm Bill, Land Acquisition Act, the APMC Act and the Electricity Act Amendment. Similarly, the government is protesting against the central government’s agriculture bills.

This is the first farmers protest in Bangalore since the COVID-19 calamity came in.

First Time In History, Two Navy women officers to join frontline warships crew

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Neha Kumari

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September 21, 2020

HIGHLIGHTS

The two will be the first women officers to be deployed on Navy warships
They are training to operate a host of sensors on Navy’s helicopters
IAF has also shortlisted a woman pilot to operate its fleet of Rafales

Indian Navy has choosen two woman officers as crew for helicopters, which will make them the first woman air combatants to stay on and operate from the deck of a ship once deployed as per report.

The Navy said Sub Lieutenants Riti Singh and Kumudini Tyagi have been selected. They are supposed to work out on the threat and find out the target.

However, the Indian Air Force, the first branch of the armed forces to put women in combat roles, is set to deploy a woman pilot to the Ambala-based 17 Squadron that has recently been equipped with the new Rafale aircraft, according to sources.

Notably, Sub Lt Singh and Sub Lt Tyagi were awarded golden wings in a ceremony at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi.

“Things are changing in the Indian Navy every day. The navy is giving everybody an opportunity every day. Yes, we’re breaking barriers every day but there are a lot of opportunities coming up every day. Whatever role the Indian Navy gives us, we will gladly take them,” Sub Lieutenant Singh, a fourth generation armed forces officer, told NDTV. Her father had retired from the navy several years ago.

“Our training has been really rigorous. We’ve both completed over 60 hours of training…. We take pressure and tension bang on. We don’t get worked up,” she said.

Chief Staff Officer , said at the ceremony that it is a remarkable occasion as first time women are going to be trained in helicopter operations. Which will eventually pave the way for their deployment in frontline warships of the Indian Navy.

“We’ve been treated equally… Whatever training our male counterparts received, we went through the same training… It is a huge responsibility, the task is challenge. We are looking forward to it,” Sub Lieutenant Tyagi.

Happy birthday Kareena Kapoor Khan: 5 career best performances of the actress

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