AAP’s Manish Sisodia denied bail in Delhi Excise Policy cases filed by ED, CBI
A Delhi court on April 30 dismissed the bail pleas of former Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the corruption and money laundering cases lodged by the CBI and the ED in relation to the alleged excise scam. Special judge for CBI and ED, Kaveri Baweja, denied the relief, saying the stage was not right to grant the bail. The court had reserved the order after hearing arguments from the CBI and the ED as well as the counsel appearing for Sisodia.
The BCCI has announced the provisional Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the U.S.A. and West Indies. Star batsman K.L. Rahul has been dropped, while Hardik Pandya has been named vice-captain to skipper Rohit Sharma. Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal were also included. Star batter Shubman Gill and the big-hitting Rinku Singh found themselves relegated to the reserves group. Rishabh Pant makes a return to the national team after recovering from a car accident in 2022.
Pannun case | Unwarranted, unsubstantiated imputations, says India on media report
A day after The Washington Post named an Indian official for allegedly plotting to eliminate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the External Affairs Ministry on April 30 said the report made “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” imputations on a serious matter. The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, named a RAW officer in connection with the alleged plot to assassinate Pannun.
81.16% voter turnout recorded in repolling in Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat
A voter turnout of 81.16% was recorded at six polling stations in Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, where repolling was held on Tuesday, election officials said. No untoward incident was reported and voting, which commenced at 7 a.m., was held peacefully under tight security arrangements, they said. A voter turnout of 81.16% was recorded till the end of polling at 4 p.m., the officials said.
Supreme Court questions the ‘timing’ of the Delhi CM’s arrest, ED to respond on May 3
The Supreme Court on April 30 underscored that life and liberty are exceedingly important while hearing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta also asked the central agency to address arguments on the “timing” of the APP supremo’s arrest right before the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The Bench will hear the matter next on May 3.
Two Congress and AAP functionaries arrested for posting doctored video of Amit Shah
Two more persons, political functionaries from the AAP and the Congress party, were arrested on April 30 in Gujarat for allegedly posting a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s April 23 speech in Telangana regarding reservation. A day ago, Assam Police arrested Reetam Singh, a lawyer at the Gauhati High Court currently working as the Congress’ Assam war room coordinator. Mr. Shah appealed for information on the people who were disseminating the doctored video. “If you come across any such fake video anywhere, please inform us about the details of the disseminator. We will take strict action against the culprits,” the Minister said in a post on X.
A person, said to have worked for former minister H.D. Revanna’s family as a driver, has said that he will submit video documents with regard to allegations against Lok Sabha member Prajwal Revanna to the Special Investigation Team, constituted by the State government. In a video statement that he released from an unknown place on April 30 Karthik said that he had worked as a driver for Revanna’s family for over 15 years. He left the job last year following differences with the former minister’s family after he was forced to sell off his land. He and his wife were allegedly assaulted in that case.
Manipur Police personnel drove two Kuki women to mob that paraded them naked, says CBI charge sheet
The Manipur Police personnel allegedly drove the two women from the Kuki-Zomi community, who had sought refuge in their official gypsy, to a mob of around 1,000 Meiti rioters in Kangpokpi district, the CBI charge sheet has said. The two women were subsequently stripped naked and paraded before being sexually assaulted during the ethnic violence in the State, the charge sheet added.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on April 30 claimed that the BJP was seeking to win more than 400 Lok Sabha seats not for the welfare of the poor but for taking away their rights. Speaking at a campaign rally in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district, he also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become frustrated after sensing that the INDIA bloc was heading for a majority, and hence he was resorting to remarks about “mangalsutra” and “Hindu-Muslims.” The rally was in support of Shivkumar Dahariya, Congress’ candidate from Janjgir-Champa.
PM Modi writes to NDA’s phase 3 candidates, urges them to take on ‘divisive agenda’ of Opposition
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 30 wrote personal letters to all NDA candidates in the fray in the third phase of Lok Sabha polls to take on what he termed Congress’s “divisive agenda” including that of giving reservations to Muslims by snatching it SC/ST and OBCs as well as “dangerous ideas” like bringing in inheritance tax. Stressing that the current polls were “no ordinary election” he said: “They (Opposition) are also bent upon taking away the hard-earned wealth of the people and giving it to their vote bank. The Congress has also made it clear that they will bring in dangerous ideas like inheritance tax. The nation must unite to stop them.
U.S. military ships work to build pier for Gaza aid, could cost at least $320 million
A U.S. Navy ship and several Army vessels involved in an American-led effort to bring more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip are offshore of the enclave and building out a floating platform for the operation that the Pentagon has said will cost at least $320 million. Sabrina Singh, Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters the cost is a rough estimate for the project and includes the transportation of the equipment and pier sections from the United States to the coast of Gaza, as well as the construction and aid delivery operations.
London stabbing: 13-year-old boy killed in sword attack, four others injured
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a east London suburb on April 30, killing a 13-year-old boy and injuring four others, authorities said. A 36-year-old man was arrested in a residential area near Hainault underground station, police said. The incident is not being treated as terror-related or a “targeted attack.” Two police officers were in hospital being treated for stab wounds. Two other people were also injured. Chief Supt. Stuart Bell described the incident as “truly horrific.”
Turkish national stabs Israeli policeman in Jerusalem, shot dead: Police
A Turkish national on April 30 stabbed an Israeli border policeman in Jerusalem and was then shot dead by officers at the scene, Israeli police said. The border policeman was moderately wounded. Police identified the attacker as a 34-year-old Turkish citizen. Israeli security forces have been on high alert since the October 7 Hamas attacks that sparked the six-month-old war in Gaza.
At least 45 people die in western Kenya as floodwaters sweep away houses and cars
Flash floods and a landslide swept through houses and cut off a major road in Kenya, killing at least 45 people and leaving dozens missing on April 29, the Interior Ministry said. Police official Stephen Kirui initially told The Associated Press that the Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, had collapsed, carrying with it mud, rocks and uprooted trees. But in a statement late April 29, the Nakuru County said that the water mass that caused the flash floods was a clogged railway tunnel.
Indian women blanked 0-5 by China in Uber Cup
Teenage sensation Anmol Kharb left the badminton court in tears owing to an ankle injury as an under-strength Indian women’s team suffered a 0-5 defeat to the mighty China in its final group A fixture of the Uber Cup here on April 30. Having already qualified for the quarterfinals by picking up successive wins against Canada and Singapore, Ashmita Chaliha sat out the contest against the 15-time champions. The team is competing without double Olympic-medallist P V Sindhu, who opted out of the tournament.
