A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a probe into the indictment of billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani who has been charged in the US for alleged bribery and fraud, saying the move "unveiled malpractices carried out by the conglomerate." The plea has been filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari as an interlocutory application in the batch of pleas in the Adani-Hindenburg row over allegations of stock price manipulation by the Indian corporate giant. The US Department of Justice has accused Adani of being part of an elaborate scheme to pay USD 265 million (about Rs 2,200 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts in four Indian states. The Adani Group has denied the charge, saying the allegations levelled by the US prosecutors are baseless and that the conglomerate is compliant with all laws. It also vowed to pursue all possible legal recourse. In his plea before the apex court, Tiwari contended that the allegations against Adani are of "serious nature" and should be investigated by the Indian authorities. "The SEBI has to inspire confidence by concluding the investigations and placing on record the report and conclusion of the probes. As there were allegations of short selling in the SEBI investigation and the present allegations levelled by the foreign authorities might have connection or may not have, but SEBI's investigation report should clear this so that the investors may not loose confidence," the plea said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 03:24 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIA day after BJP-led Mahayuti retained power in Maharashtra, the Congress on Sunday said that the party and other partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi will collectively introspect the reasons of their 'shocking' drubbing in the crucial Maharashtra elections 2024, reported PTI. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance on Saturday won 230 of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi managed to garner just 46 seats. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said that the assembly poll results in Maharashtra was 'shocking' and 'unbelievable', reported PTI. "We don't understand what happened. It was not just the debacle of the Congress party but that of the entire Maha Vikas Aghadi. Let us first get a clear picture of what has happened," he told a TV channel, reported PTI. Venugopal said they felt surprised about the entire election procedure after the Maharashtra and Haryana drubbings. When asked whether the grand-old-party suspected any sabotage in the Maharashtra elections 2024 results, the leader said they were not raising any such allegation soon after the debacle. "We suffered huge setbacks in the strongholds of Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and that of the Congress. It is the failure of not just the Congress party but that of the entire alliance," he said, reported PTI. So, we will sit together and collectively introspect (its reasons), Venugopal added. The Election Commission announced that the BJP had won 132 seats, the Shiv Sena 57, while the NCP 41 seats. In the MVA, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates won 10 seats, Congress 16, while Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) 20 seats. When asked about Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's huge majority win in Wayanad, the AICC general secretary said it was the result of collective work of the entire party leaders and workers. "The party expected this huge majority in Wayanad. Soon after the polling, there was a huge concern about the majority. But, after the internal assessment of the party, we were sure that the low poll percentage would not impact Priyanka's majority," he said, reported PTI. He also made it clear that the Wayanad landslide tragedy and the subsequent issues would be one of the issues that would be raised by Priyanka in the Lok Sabha. Rejecting the opposition campaign that she would not visit Wayanad frequently, Venugopal said she would prove them wrong through her actions. He also said that Priyanka would continue her interventions in north Indian politics as well, along with being the MP of Wayanad. Congress general secretary Priyanka on Saturday won the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a thumping margin of over four lakh votes, surpassing her brother Rahul Gandhi's victory margin in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, in her electoral debut. (With inputs from PTI)
24 November,2024 02:11 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe air quality in the national capital improved from the 'severe' to the 'very poor' category on Sunday morning. At 8 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 357, falling under the 'very poor' category, compared to the 24-hour average AQI of 412 at 4 pm on Saturday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. However, Anand Vihar remained in the 'severe' category with an AQI of 404. Delhi's air quality has remained hazardous for nearly a month. On October 30, it first slipped into the 'very poor' category and stayed there for 15 days. It worsened further last Sunday as Delhi recorded 'severe' air quality and stayed so on Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday, the air quality was in the 'severe plus' category. Favorable wind conditions brought slight relief on Thursday but the air quality began deteriorating again, nearing the 'severe' category, on Friday. Delhi's air quality slipped back to the 'severe' category on Saturday. The 'severe' category poses serious health risks, especially due to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing long-term health issues. The weather office said the minimum temperature was recorded at 12 degrees Celsius. It has forecast shallow fog during the morning or night hours, with the maximum temperature expected to hover around 28 degrees Celsius. The humidity level at 8:30 am stood at a high 75 percent. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi government and Police to immediately set up checkpoints on all 113 entry points to Delhi to check the entry of trucks in the national capital. It appointed 13 members of the Bar as court commissioners to visit the entry points to Delhi and verify whether entry of trucks is being stopped. The apex court expressed dissatisfaction with the compliance of GRAP IV measures saying despite orders passed by the apex court and CAQM, there is a failure on the part of the Delhi government and Police to comply with clauses under GRAP stage IV. "So far as complaince is concerned, we are not satisfied. Government has not stated clearly as to at how many entry points there are officers present to comply with measures of GRAP IV," it said. "We direct the Delhi Government and Delhi Police to ensure that checkposts are immediately set up at all 113 entry points," the bench ordered. As per the GRAP-IV restrictions imposed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the entry of trucks is prohibited to Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution. Keeping in view the rising level of pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), imposing restrictions like bans on truck entry and a halt to public construction projects. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has urged Chief Secretary Dharmendra for strict enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to address the worsening air quality in the national capital. The minister highlighted the need for coordinated efforts in all departments to implement the Winter Action Plan-2024 and achieve sustained improvements in air quality. Rai directed that all departments should also submit daily reports on actions taken and the progress made in implementing GRAP. He stressed the importance of strict enforcement mechanisms to penalize violators of air pollution norms. (With inputs from Agencies)
24 November,2024 02:01 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA "Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue" is scheduled to be held on January 11 - 12 in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday. He claimed the idea was part of an initiative to introduce young people without a political background to politics, PTI reported. In the 116th episode of his monthly radio broadcast called "Mann Ki Baat", he said that Swami Vivekananda's 162nd Jayanti on January 12 would be celebrated in a very special manner. PM Modi said that on January 11-12, the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue will be conducted at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. "From the ramparts of Red Fort, I appealed to such youth to join politics whose entire family has no political background. To connect one lakh such youth with politics, many special campaigns will be run in the country. The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue is one such initiative," Modi said, PTI cited. He also praised on the country's youth for their contribution to the country's progress and said that when youth get together to brainstorm on ideas to take the country forward "concrete results" are obtained. "Youth have a big role to play in making India a developed nation. When youth come together to brainstorm on taking the country forward, we definitely get concrete results. Swami Vivekananda's 162 birth anniversary, which is also celebrated as Youth Day. On January 11-12 at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam, a large gathering of young ideas is going to take place and this initiative is called, "Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue," he said, ANI cited. As per ANI, in his address on the National Cadet Corps Raising Day, the Prime Minister recalled his own "invaluable" experience as a NCC cadet. "I have been an NCC cadet, so I can say with full confidence that the experience I got from it is invaluable for me. The NCC instils a spirit of discipline, leadership and service in the youth," he said. "In case of a disaster, flood or any accident, NCC cadets are always present there. In 2024, more than two million youth are part of NCC. Compared to earlier, over 5000 schools and colleges are now part of NCC. And most important, girl cadets in NCC were nearly 25 per cent but now it is around 40," PM Modi said, ANI cited. During his radio broadcast, Modi also urged listeners to celebrate inspiring stories who made their mark globally, contributed to freedom struggles and preserved "our heritage", PTI reported. "Share such stories on the NaMo App or MyGov using the hashtag 'Indian Diaspora Stories'," he said. Modi praised the kindness and energy of India's "Yuva Shakti" in helping senior citizens, citing the example of youth from Lucknow helping the elderly submit digital life certificates, PTI cited. He also talked about a person from Ahmedabad who is warning and creating awareness among the elderly about cybercrimes, including digital arrests. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
24 November,2024 01:34 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentIn the wake of the Congress party's recent victories in three by-elections in Karnataka, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader R Ashok, has launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the ruling Congress party. Ashok accused the Congress of winning through the politics of favouritism, reported the ANI. "The Congress in Karnataka is under delusion. It has won the by-elections by winning the votes of one community through the flow of money and the politics of favouritism," R Ashok, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Karnataka legislative Assembly said. He further challenged Siddaramaiah’s integrity, questioning the legitimacy of his claims regarding the governance and financial dealings of his administration. In a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), CM Siddaramaiah said that the by-elections were critical for his administration, especially in light of the false allegations propagated by both the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS). He stressed that the electorate did not fall for the "lies" intended to tarnish his reputation. ಎಲ್ಲಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಮಿಗಿಲಾಗಿ ಈ ಉಪಚುನಾವಣಾ ಫಲಿತಾಂಶ ಬೇರೆ ಕಾರಣಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ನನಗೆ ಮಹತ್ವದ್ದಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಈ ಬಾರಿ ನಾನು ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಯಾದ ನಂತರ ನನ್ನ ಮತ್ತು ನಮ್ಮ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಸುಳ್ಳು ಆರೋಪಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ನನ್ನ ಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಹನನ ಮಾಡುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನವನ್ನು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಮತ್ತು ಜೆಡಿಎಸ್ ನಾಯಕರು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಬಂದಿದ್ದಾರೆ.ಈ ಎರಡೂ ಪಕ್ಷಗಳು… — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) November 23, 2024 "Above all, this by-election result was important to me for another reason. This time after I became the Chief Minister, BJP and JDS leaders have been making false allegations against me and our government and trying to malign my image. Both these parties have colluded and used everything from the Raj Bhavan to the Central Bureau of Investigation to create a scandal and try to frame me and my family," Siddaramaiah wrote on X in Kannada. Reacting to this, Ashok cited several allegations pointing to Siddaramaiah's admission of financial mismanagement within the Valmiki Corporation, questioning whether it was a lie. "Didn't he admit himself in the House that crores and crores of money were embezzled in the Valmiki Corporation, is that a lie?" Ashok noted the Chief Minister's decision to return 14 sites linked to his wife in the Muda scam as an indirect admission of guilt. "By returning 14 sites in the name of his wife in the Muda scam, he indirectly admitted his guilt. Is it a lie that the Honourable High Court has shouted that there is a need for an investigation against them in the Muda scam?' LoP Ashok said. He raised concerns about a purported bribery scheme involving the 'Monthly Money'. "Is it false that in the letter written by the Liquor Vendors' Association to the Excise Department, in the name of 'Monthly Money', there has been a bribery transaction of Rs 700 crores in transfer business, licence renewal?" Ashok alleged. Ashok accused the government of altering documents and mishandling properties linked to the Waqf board, "Is it a lie?" the LoP asked. "Are the incidents of four honest government officials, staff and contractors committing suicide due to the corruption and harassment of their government false? This scheming, conspiracy and drama of yours will not last long," he added. The LoP highlighted the tragic instances of government officials and contractors allegedly committing suicide due to systemic corruption and harassment. (With inputs from ANI)
24 November,2024 12:45 PM IST | Bengaluru | mid-day online correspondentBJP leader Ashok Chavan has termed the Mahayuti's landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly election "a huge change". Chavan, who switched from Congress and joined the BJP earlier this year, slammed his former party, stating that it has no leadership in Maharashtra. "A huge change has come in Maharashtra. Mahayuti has got a huge mandate. Congress has no leadership and it does not have any leader left. People have understood that if we stay together, there is benefit," Ashok Chavan told ANI. The ruling Mahayuti alliance won the Maharashtra assembly polls. While the BJP has won 132 seats, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has won 57 seats, and NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar won 41 seats. The state has 288 assembly seats. The constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a rude jolt with Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray winning 20 seats, Congress 16, and NCP (SCP) led by Sharad Pawar only 10 seats. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora said that the implementation of good schemes and the negative campaigning by the opposition leaders benefited the Mahayuti alliance. "This is a huge victory and I congratulate all the leaders of the Mahayuti. We implemented very good schemes and the negative campaigning by the opposition benefited us," said Milind Deora while speaking to ANI. Milind Deora lost the Worli seat to Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Aditya Uddhav Thackeray by 8801 votes.On Saturday, Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora said that the results confirm the "real gaddari (betrayal)," was in 2019. He also said the trending results show Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's leadership and vision. Celebrating the results being in favour of the Mahayuti alliance, Deora posted on X, "Key takeaways from #Mumbai so far: 1- CM @mieknathshinde (Eknath Shinde) has proven his leadership & vision for #Maharashtra; 2 -Voters chose 'progress without speed limits' over 'speed breaker' politics; 3- The real *gaddari* was in 2019, not 2022; 4 Hope always triumphs over fear!". This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 11:56 AM IST | Nanded | PTIAn earthquake of magnitude 3.8 jolted Assam's Dima Hasao on Saturday, as reported by the National Center for Seismology. According to the National Center for Seismology, the tremor was recorded at around 11 PM on Saturday and was centred around the Dima Hasao region at a depth of 10 km. No casualties have been reported in the area due to the seismic activity. EQ of M: 3.8, On: 23/11/2024 23:05:02 IST, Lat: 25.18 N, Long: 92.80 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Dima Hasao, Assam. For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @Ravi_MoES @Dr_Mishra1966 @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/q0VkiHQwMI — National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) November 23, 2024 "EQ of M: 3.8, On 23/11/2024 23:05:02 IST, Lat: 25.18 N, Long: 92.80 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Dima Hasao, Assam," said the National Center for Seismology in a post on X. Further details are awaited. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 11:54 AM IST | Assam | ANIThree persons were killed, and eight others injured when an SUV rammed into a tractor-trolley parked on the road near a village on Saturday evening, police said. Police reached the spot in Sultanpur village and took the injured to a community health centre where they were given first-aid. Those with serious injuries were taken to the district hospital and later to a trauma centre in Lucknow, SHO of Bachhrawan police station Om Prakash Tiwari said. Dhunnilal (40), Nirmala (40) and Ramesh (48), all residents of Rae Bareli district, died in the accident. All the deceased and the injured were in the car. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 11:33 AM IST | Uttar Pradesh | PTIBJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Sunday responded to allegations from the Opposition regarding the functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) following the results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Bhandari emphasised that the same EVMs were used in Jharkhand, where the results favoured the INDIA bloc, challenging the credibility of the Opposition's claims, reported the ANI. Bhandari criticised the Congress and termed it as an "anti-democracy" party. "Those who are blaming the EVM, I want to tell them that same EVMs were used in Jharkhand where the result came in your favour...They are not able to digest the fact that their 'Jhooth ki Dukaan' has been exposed from Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh...If you (INDIA alliance) are blaming EVMs for your defeat then you should resign from the states where you have formed the government...Congress means anti-democracy," he told ANI. In the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP secured a significant victory, winning 132 seats. Its allies, the Shiv Sena (led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde) and the NCP (led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar), won 57 and 41 seats, respectively, out of a total of 288 seats. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a coalition of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP(SP), faced disappointing results, with only 20, 16, and 10 seats, respectively. Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned the election results, as to how the BJP could achieve such a high "strike rate" in a short period after losing in the Lok Sabha elections. He highlighted ongoing transparency concerns regarding the electoral process and criticised the Election Commission for not addressing their complaints effectively. Khera underscored the need for electoral integrity, especially in a context where trust in technology is increasingly scrutinised. "The Lok Sabha election was fought in the name of Modi ji in Maharashtra, BJP lost it. The same state gives the same BJP 132 out of 148 seats within 4-5 months. What kind of strike rate is this? ...Is this strike rate possible? Democracy is our concern. Electoral transparency is our concern. Can the BJP reverse anti-incumbency?" he said. "We complained continuously. Jairam Ramesh had complained about the name being deleted from the Election Commission's website from the house of a woman BJP leader. All the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi had complained. No answer was given...Whether we win or lose, we will continue to question the election process. In a country where exam papers are leaked, can we blindly trust the machines? You cannot shut us up by showing the results of Jharkhand. To date, apart from the poetry, we have not received any concrete answer from the Election Commission," Khera said. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut echoed Khera's sentiments, questioning the legitimacy of the number of seats NCP and Shiv Sena had got and suggesting that public sentiment does not align with the election outcomes. (With inputs from ANI)
24 November,2024 11:25 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA total of 48 Assembly seats went to the bypolls across 14 states on Saturday, with the NDA winning 28. In what political observers called the first face-off between the ruling BJP at the Centre and the Opposition INDIA bloc after the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, the following states saw a tight electoral race—Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, MP, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, UP and West Bengal. In the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP and Rashtriya Lok Dal won in seven bypoll constituencies, while Akhilesh Yadav’s SP won only Karhal and Sishamau. While the Congress was seen in choppy electoral waters once again after the Maharashtra debacle, Karnataka gave the Grand Old Party a reason to rejoice. Buoyed by ruling party's victory in all three Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said he won in the “people’s court”. Congress’s Pathan Yasir Ahmed Khan won the Shiggaon seat by a margin of 13,448 votes, defeating BJP’s Bharat Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai. In Channapatna, Congress candidate CP Yogeeswara defeated Janata Dal (Secular)’s Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Union Minister and former CM, HD Kumaraswamy, by a margin of 25,413 votes. In the neighbouring state of Gujarat, BJP leader Swarupji Thakor defeated his nearest Congress rival, Gulabsinh Rajput, by 2,442 votes in the bypoll to the Vav Assembly constituency. Meanwhile, in Kerala’s Lok Sabha bypolls in Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured over six lakh votes, defeating CPI’s Sathyan Mokeri with a margin of over 4.1 lakh votes. In West Bengal, TMC swept the Assembly bypolls. The party managed to wrest the Madarihat constituency in Alipurduar district, which had gone to the BJP in the 2021 and 2016 elections. TMC also won Sitai, Haroa, Naihati, Taldangra, and Medinipur constituencies. Both The BJP and the Opposition parties have accused each other of poll malpractices. 28No of seats NDA won out of 48 Assembly constituencies This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 08:44 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesJharkhand CM Hemant Soren's brother Basant Soren won the Dumka Assembly seat by 14,588 votes on Saturday. BJP candidate Sunil Soren was in second place in the seat, securing 81,097 votes. The JMM candidate got 95,685 votes. Basant Soren won the Dumka seat in a bypoll in 2020, defeating BJP's Lois Marandi by 6,842 votes. Meanwhile, another JMM candidate Umakant Rajak won the Chandankiyari seat in Jharkhand's Bokaro district by a margin of 33,733 votes. Arjun Rajwar of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha was runner-up in the seat, while Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri of the BJP came third. Rajak bagged 90,027 votes, while Rajwar secured 56,294 votes. Bauri managed 56,091 votes. In the 2019 Assembly polls, Bauri defeated Rajak, who contested the seat on an AJSU Party ticket. Rajak switched to JMM ahead of this election after the Chandankiyari seat went to the BJP as per the seat-sharing arrangement within the NDA. 14,588Margin by which Basant Soren won Maoist-affected Dumka This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 November,2024 08:42 AM IST | Ranchi | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
