Putin announces change in Russia's N-doctrine

The suit filed by Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta through his counsel in the court of civil judge claimed that the shrine was built on top of temple ruins and therefore be declared Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple. 

It also sought that the act under which the dargah functions be declared null and void, the right of worship be given to Hindus, and the ASI be directed to conduct a scientific survey of the place. 

Gupta's counsel Shashi Ranjan said the plaintiff conducted a two-year research and found that "Muslim invaders" destroyed a Shiv temple and built the dargah over it. 

According to Ranjan, the court of civil judge said it was beyond its jurisdiction to hear the suit and the matter was adjourned. 

It will be heard next on October 10. 

 "I will be filing an application in the district court for the transfer of the suit before the next hearing," he said. -- PTI

During a meeting of Russia's Security Council on Wednesday, which discussed updates to Russia's nuclear doctrine, Putin revealed that the revised document stipulates that an attack on Russia by a non-nuclear State, with backing from a nuclear State, will be viewed as a "joint attack on the Russian Federation." 

He did not clarify whether Russia would respond to such an attack with nuclear weapons. 

This shift in doctrine comes after Putin's warning to the US and other NATO allies that permitting Ukraine to utilize Western-supplied long-range weapons against Russia would equate to a state of war between Russia and NATO.

Meanwhile, the father of the accused, Shivam, claimed that his son was disturbed as he was "falsely implicated" in a rape case.

Assistant commissioner of police (Masuri) Siddhartha Gautam said the local Masuri police station was informed about the death of the undertrial at Dasna jail on Tuesday.

"Acting on the information, Masuri police station officials called in a field unit for a probe. The investigators found the body of the inmate, Shivam, the son of Sunder and a resident of Bulandshahr district, hanging from the ceiling fan in a room inside the yoga hall," he said.

Aged around 21, Shivam was lodged in jail in connection with a crime that took place in Pilakhuwa in Hapur district, the officer added.

The field unit investigated the spot and videographed the proceedings. 

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination and further legal proceedings are underway, the ACP said. -- PTI

A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said the holiday has been declared as a precautionary measure as the Met department has issued a red alert predicting extremely heavy rainfall till 8:30 am on Thursday. 

"All schools and colleges under BMC's jurisdiction will remain closed on Thursday, considering the safety of the students," the BMC stated. 

The civic body also appealed to citizens to step out of their homes only if necessary. 

"Commuters are advised to check weather updates and plan accordingly," the civic body said. 

Heavy rains have been lashing Mumbai and its suburbs since Wednesday afternoon, inundating low-lying areas, stopping local trains on tracks between Kurla and Thane stations and stranding passengers even as traffic crawled on roads. -- PTI

Eyewitnesses said railway staff swiftly intervened, using fire extinguishers to manage the situation. 

A railway official said there was no threat to passengers on the train. 

A video capturing the incident has since gone viral on social media. Khemraj Meena, public relations officer for the Ratlam Division of Western Railway, confirmed that the smoke was first noticed by the Rau station master shortly after the train (which runs between Dr Ambedkar Nagar, Mhow, in Indore and Katra in Jammu and Kashmir) departed Mhow. 

"The brake block of one of the coaches jammed due to overheating from friction. The train was immediately stopped at Rajendra Nagar, where the brakes were cooled and repaired with a fire extinguisher, and the train left for its destination," Meena stated. -- PTI

According to the Supreme Court website, Sidhique has moved the apex court through his counsel Ranjeeta Rohatgi. 

The high court on Tuesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Sidhique in a rape case against him, saying that in view of the seriousness of the accusations he was facing, his custodial interrogation was inevitable for proper investigation of the crime. -- PTI

Justice Manish Pitale, in the order passed on Tuesday, granted bail to Rajesh Bobhate and Anthony Paul on personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each. 

The order became available on Wednesday. 

The duo had been in jail for about one year and five months, the court noted. 

"Even as per the material available on record, only a small quantity of ganja (cannabis) is involved. In such a situation, no purpose would be served by continuing the custody of the applicants," the order said. 

Bobhate and Paul were arrested in April 2023. As per police, they told Pereira that she could land a role in a Hollywood web series for which auditions were being conducted in Sharjah. 

The duo allegedly planted ganja in a memento which they asked her to hand over to a person in Sharjah. 

After she was detained in the UAE for alleged drug possession, the duo demanded Rs 80 lakh from her mother to arrange her release, but her mother instead approached police. -- PTI

Gurjar, the MLA from Loni assembly segment in Ghaziabad, made the statement even as Ranaut withdrew her remarks that kicked up a political furore. 

The ruling BJP had by then distanced itself from her comments. 

"What Kangana Ranaut said was that there were dead bodies hanging in the farmers' movement, the whole country and the world have seen this. But no one wants to hear the truth. The farmers of this country are demanding everywhere today that the Prime Minister, who has worked to change the lives of farmers and the poor, should implement these bills," Gurjar said in a video statement. 

"In this, I fully support what Kangana Ranaut has said. This is not the first time I am saying this. I have been saying this since day one," the MLA added. 

However, the BJP lawmaker, who had briefly hogged the limelight for allegedly intimidating a group of protesting farmers at Ghazipur, backed Kangana's remarks. 

Ghazipur border on Delhi's outskirts was a key site of farmers' stir against the farm laws. 

Gurjar said the Narendra Modi government has worked for improving the lives of farmers, who contribute majorly to the GDP. -- PTI

The lightning strikes were reported from Shirgaon in Murbad taluka and near Kalyan on Tuesday afternoon. 

At Shirgaon, a bolt from the sky struck a house, killing Parshu Pawar (42). 

At Kamba in Kalyan taluka, a man and a woman working in a quarry were killed when lightning struck them, a District Disaster Control Room official said. 

The police have registered a case of accidental death. -- PTI

The polling passed off peacefully, officials said. 

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, J-K Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole said the second phase recorded a turnout of 56.05 percent. 

Pole said the percentage was tentative as polling was going on at some places like Hazratbal and Reasi. 

He said the polling was peaceful and by and large smooth. 

"The polling was overall peaceful. Some stray incidents like arguments, etc took place, but there is no need for re-poll anywhere," he added. 

During the second phase, a 16-member delegation of foreign envoys visited the valley to witness the polls. 

This is perhaps for the first time since the eruption of insurgency that international observers were allowed to witness the elections in J-K. -- PTI

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday evening issued a red alert for Mumbai and its neighbouring districts, predicting "extremely heavy rainfall". 

It has been raining in many parts of the city since afternoon. 

A civic official said the IMD upgraded its orange alert for the country's financial capital to red alert, which is valid till 8.30 am on Thursday.

In its latest warning, issued at 5.30 pm, IMD has predicted "extremely heavy rainfall and thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds at isolated places very likely" in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri districts.

The weather bureau has issued an orange alert for the coastal districts of Palghar and Sindhudurg with "heavy to very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds at isolated places very likely".

Mumbai's island city has been witnessing heavy rains since evening, while it has been pouring in many suburban pockets since afternoon.

Mulund and its surrounding areas experienced the heaviest rainfall, resulting in waterlogging in low-lying areas. 

Heavy rains slowed down road traffic due to waterlogging and poor visibility. Suburban train services, considered the lifeline of Mumbai, were also delayed due to rains, said officials. -- PTI

Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Sunil Ambekar on Wednesday termed BJP president J P Nadda's remarks that the saffron party had grown from relying on the RSS to becoming self-sufficient, as a family matter.

Asked if Nadda's comments caused a rift between the BJP and the Sangh, Ambekar, who is RSS' Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, said, "We solve family matters like family matters. We don't discuss such issues on public platforms".

In a media interview in May, Nadda said the BJP has grown from the time it needed the RSS and is now "saksham" (capable) and runs its own affairs. The RSS, he had said, is an ideological front and does its own work.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai, Ambekar said that even if people join the Sangh thinking about political gains, they automatically start doing good work due to their association with the organisation.

Ambekar said many people daily come to RSS wanting to do good work. Several from the IT sector also come to RSS as they feel the need to serve others.

To a query on India's strengths and weaknesses in the last 10 years, Ambekar said the world now recognises India's power and also potential in sectors like science and economy.

"Earlier, people used to think that there is no future in this country. Now, the feeling is that there is a strong possibility to rise, and Bharat has the potential," Ambekar said.

"However, there are many challenges at the societal level. Social disparity and some social fault lines are still a challenge. We need to work a lot for social harmony," he said.

Ambekar had earlier claimed that many organisations have reported that religious conversions, especially by the missionaries, is taking place in Tamil Nadu and described it as "very worrisome".

Asked about it, Ambekar said, "We have noticed that the religious conversion in Tamil Nadu state is being encouraged through various ways and some people have taken it in some political angle also." -- PTI

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on Wednesday served a notice to wrestler Vinesh Phogat for whereabouts failure and sought an explanation within 14 days.

   

All the athletes registered with NADA's Registered Testing Pool (RTP), of which Vinesh is a part, are required to provide details about their availability for dope tests.

If they fill the details and are found not available on that location at that given time, it is considered a whereabouts failure.

The NADA, in its notice, conveyed to the wrestler-turned-politician that she had apparently committed a whereabouts failure as she was not available for a dope test on September 9 at her house in Kharkhoda village in Sonepat.

Vinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after her Paris Olympics campaign ended in heartbreak, where she made the final but was disqualified ahead of her gold-medal bout for being overweight.

Vinesh and fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia joined the Congress party recently and she is contesting the upcoming Haryana Assembly election from Julana constituency.

She has been busy campaigning in the Julana constituency these days.

"You are hereby given a formal notice to notify you about apparent failure to comply with the whereabouts requirements of the ADR, and to invite you to make any comments before we come to a final decision on the matter," the NADA notice read.

"A Dope Control Officer (DCO) was sent to test you on that dav at that time and place. However, he was unable to locate you for testing as you were not available at the given location."

Vinesh needs to either accept the failure or provide evidence that she was present in that location for about 60 minutes.

It may be mentioned that one whereabouts failure does not constitute an anti-doping rule violation. There must be three whereabouts failures (whether filing failures or missed tests) within a 12-month period for NADA to charge an athlete. -- PTI 

On Saturday, she was provided security cover, which include a pilot, in her convoy by the Delhi Police. 

According to protocol, Delhi's chief minister is entitled to Z' category security cover on the directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs. 

Delhi Police deploys 22 personnel in shifts for a Z' category protectee. 

The 'Z' category security also include PSOs, escorts and armed guards.

A police source said her security may be further reviewed by central agencies on the direction of MHA after threat assessment. -- PTI  

The voting began at 7 am amid tight security arrangements and is underway peacefully.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi seat in the Jammu region recorded the overall highest voting percentage at 75.29, followed closely by Poonch-Haveli (72.71), Gulbgarh (ST) at 72.19 and Surankote (72.18), the EC data showed.

The maximum voting percentage among the 15 assembly segments in the Kashmir valley was recorded in Khansahib at 67.70. It was followed by Kangan (ST) at 67.60 per cent and Chrar-i-Sharief at 66 per cent.

The lowest 15.80 per cent voting was recorded in the Habbakadal constituency here till 5 pm.

The voting concluded at 6 pm.

The first phase of voting had taken place on September 18 while the third and last phase of voting is scheduled for October 1. Counting of votes will be taken up on October 8 along with the Haryana assembly elections. 

Weighing in on the MUDA site allotment case, former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde on Wednesday said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should resign in view of the serious allegations against him.

  

He also dismissed the CM's claim that he has not committed anything wrong, and said the high court has found that prima facie there was evidence of wrongdoing.

"It is up to him (Siddaramaiah) to decide whether to resign or not but when there is such a serious allegation I feel that in public view point, he should resign though there is nothing wrong in not giving resignation as per law," Hegde told reporters in Bengaluru.

The retired Supreme Court judge further said, The sanction to investigate the Chief Minister was granted in MUDA case where the High Court has said that prima facie there is evidence. Against this backdrop, I feel that he should resign. Rest is left to him.

Recalling the former PM and late Lal Bahadur Shastri resigning in 1956 as the Railway Minister following a train accident in South India, the former Karnataka ombudsman said, "That tendency (Shastri) is not there now."

 

His comments come a day after the Karnataka HC upheld the sanction granted by the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi by MUDA.

The HC had also vacated its August 19 interim order directing the Special Court for People's Representatives to defer the decision on complaints against the Chief Minister, giving the green signal for ordering a probe. -- PTI

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the custodian of the super-rich shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala hills inTirupati has lodged a police complaint against Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Foods Pvt Ltd on the issue of supplying adulterated ghee.

  

TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao in a press conference had said the lab tests have revealed the presence of animal fat and lard in chosen samples of ghee supplied by AR Dairy.

The dairy firm that supplied ghee to the temple, has denied the allegations and said that its product samples have been duly cleared by authorities certifying its quality.

The firm's spokespersons told reporters that only during the months of June and July they had supplied ghee to the TTD. -- PTI 

Three Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad have figured in world's top 100 for their MBA courses, according to QS rankings announced on Wednesday. 

   

The three IIMs are IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta. Also, the three B-schools have been ranked among top 50 for employability. 

Fourteen Indian full-time MBA programmes have secured a spot in QS' global list for 2025, including three new entries. 

Stanford School of Business in the US continues to be at the top spot among B-schools for the fifth consecutive year. 

The QS Global MBA and Business Master's Rankings 2025 spans 58 countries and territories, analysing the world's 340 best global MBAs and a series of specialised high-demand Business Master's Rankings, including Master's in Management, Finance, Marketing, Business Analytics, and Supply Chain Management.

"These rankings offer independent insights for career-driven students navigating the global business education landscape. By providing a detailed comparative analysis, these rankings help prospective students make informed decisions about programs that align with their career goals. 

"Whether aiming to lead in corporations, innovate in start-ups, or impact the public sector, students can use these insights as they shape their professional paths," said QS CEO Jessica Turner. 

"Indian institutions are increasingly nurturing leaders prepared to navigate today's complex and dynamic business environments. The strong showing of IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIM Calcutta -- particularly in employability and alumni impact -- demonstrates India's ability to shape top-tier global talent. 

"However, ongoing challenges related to internationalisation and gender diversity remain critical areas for improvement. Bridging these gaps is not only key to enhancing the global competitiveness of India's leading business schools, but also vital for fostering more inclusive environments that align with the future of business leadership," added Turner. -- PTI

According to police, an FIR was registered following a complaint from an HR and CE official and Mohan was arrested under various sections of BNS including disturbing peace and tranquility and he was produced before a court in Tiruchirappalli on September 24. 

The court ordered his release on bail.

PMK founder leader S Ramadoss condemned his arrest.

The PMK leader said Mohan had in his interview to a YouTube channel only referred to some allegations on Panchamirtham and had wanted the government and officials to be cautious. Mohan's arrest was 'injustice,' he said.

Pazhaya Vannarapettai, Draupadi, Rudra Thandavam and Bahasuran were Mohan's films, and he had strongly condemned playing with sentiments of crores of people on the Tirupati laddu controversy and demanded stringent punishment for those responsible.               

Panchamirtham is made from five ingredients -- cow ghee, banana, honey, jaggery, and cardamom. 

Reddy's appeal comes days after Naidu alleged during a NDA legislative party meeting that the previous YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fat for making laddus. 

The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country. YSRCP is calling for statewide rituals in temples to sanitise (undo) this sin committed by Chandrababu on Saturday, September 28, said the former CM in a post on X. 

According to the opposition leader, Naidu alleged that animal fat was mixed with ghee used to make laddu prasadam in Tiupati temple with a 'political motive'. Though animal fat adulteration did not occur, he intentionally lied that it happened and falsely propagated that devotees ate them, he said. 

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has embarked on an 11-day penance to propitiate the deity over the alleged sacrilege. PTI

After a see-saw trade during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex rose by 255.83 points or 0.30 per cent to settle at an all-time high of 85,169.87. During the day, it surged 333.38 points or 0.39 per cent to hit a record intra-day peak of 85,247.42. 

As many as 20 Sensex shares closed in green while 10 in red. The broader Nifty climbed 63.75 points or 0.25 per cent to close above the 26,000 level for the first time. 

The 50-issue index closed at a record high of 26,004.15 after scaling a new intra-day peak of 26,032.80. From the 30 Sensex firms, Power Grid, Axis Bank, NTPC, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, Tata Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra and HDFC Bank were the biggest gainers. Tech Mahindra, Tata Motors, Titan, Kotak Mahindra Bank, State Bank of India and JSW Steel were the biggest laggards.

 The July 16 landslide on National Highway 66 claimed the lives of eight people. With the recovery of Arjun's body, the death toll has gone up to nine, they said. 

 The search operations started soon after the landslide were halted on July 28 due to adverse weather conditions, high river current and other factors. However, they were resumed later. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written to his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah requesting him to resume operations to trace the lorry driver from Kozhikode. 

 "The body of missing driver from Kerala, Arjun was recovered along with his lorry from Gangawali river. The body was found inside the cabin of the vehicle," Superintendent of Police (Karwar), Narayana M, told PTI.

Undeterred by the terror activities over the past three years, the voters in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Pooch lived to their tradition to vote enthusiastically for the formation of the next government in Jammu and Kashmir. 

 Popularly known as Pir Panjal region, the two districts along with Reasi district and three central Kashmir districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam are voting in the second phase of the three-phase elections on Wednesday.

 The fervour was visible among the voters, who started queuing up outside the polling stations, including those set up near the Line of Control (LoC) in both Rajouri and Poonch districts, and the polling was going on peacefully when the last reports were received, officials said.

 Reacting to Special Court ordering a Lokayukta police investigation against him in the case, the Chief Minister said he was not afraid of a probe. 

"Already I have said that I am ready to face an investigation. I am not afraid of a probe," Siddaramaiah told reporters. 

"I am ready for a legal fight. I had said this yesterday and I am reiterating it today as well."

Siddaramaiah said the matter has been referred to the Mysuru Lokayukta police by the Special Court because the complaint was lodged in Mysuru and MUDA is also located in that city. 

 The order of the Special Court Judge, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, came a day after the High Court upheld the sanction granted by the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife B M Parvathi by MUDA.  -- PTI

A picture of the billionaire with the Italian Prime Minister also triggering social media reactions that the two were "dating".

At the award ceremony in New York on Tuesday, Musk also praised Meloni, calling her "authentic, honest and truthful".

"We will help you as far as possible. But what were you doing for the last three months as the fee deposit deadline expired on June 24," a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra told the counsel for 18-year-old Atul Kumar on Tuesday.

Kumar's parents failed to deposit Rs 17,500 as the acceptance fee by June 24, the deadline for depositing the requisite fees for blocking the seat. 

The parents of the youth also approached the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Jharkhand Legal Services Authority and the Madras high court to save the hard-earned seat. His counsel told the bench that Kumar cleared the JEE Advanced in his second and last attempt and if the top court does not come to his rescue he would not be able to take another shot at the test. 

After very brief arguments, the bench issued notices to the Joint Seat Allocation Authority, IIT Admissions, IIT Madras, which conducted the test this year. The lawyer referred to the financial condition of the family of the youth.

"It was a very tough task for the students to arrange Rs 17,500 by 5 pm of June 24, that too in just four days after allotment of the seat in IIT Dhanbad," the lawyer said. Kumar, son of a daily wager, hails from a below poverty line (BPL) family living at Titora village in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. 

 The National Commission for Scheduled Castes also expressed its inability to help him. As he had taken JEE at a centre in Jharkhand, the youth had also moved the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority which suggested him to approach the Madras High Court as it was IIT Madras that had conducted the exam. The high court asked him to approach the top court. PTI

 The shoot-out could have been avoided if the police had tried to overpower Shinde first, the HC said, adding it was very hard to believe that he managed to seize a pistol from a police officer and open fire. 

"Why was the accused was shot in the head, and not on hand or legs first?" the court asked. 

 A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan said if it finds that the probe is not being done properly, then it would be constrained to pass appropriate orders. 

 The bench posted the matter for further hearing on October 3, by when the police would have to take a decision on the complaint submitted by Shinde's father, seeking an FIR against the police officers concerned. 

 "The investigation has to be done fairly and impartially. If we find that this is not done, then we would be constrained to pass appropriate orders," the court said. The HC also directed for all case papers to be immediately handed over to the Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID), which would be conducting a probe into Shinde's death. 

"Why are the files not handed over to the CID yet? Preservation of evidence is vital. Any delay on your part would raise doubts and speculations," the court said. The bench raised questions on the shoot-out and said it could have been avoided if the police had tried to overpower Shinde first. 

 The HC also asked as to why the accused was shot in the head, instead of opening fire on his hand or legs first. The court said while it was not raising any suspicion at this stage, "it was very hard to believe that Shinde managed to seize a pistol from a police officer and open fire. It is not very easy to unlock and open fire from a pistol," it said. 

 The court was hearing a petition filed by the father of Akshay Shinde, who was killed in a shoot-out by the police on September 24, seeking a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the "fake encounter".

 Anna Shinde, in his plea filed through advocate Amit Katarnaware, alleged that his son was killed in a "fake encounter". The petition sought for a SIT to be formed to probe the killing and for the high court to monitor the investigation.

 Shinde, 24, was accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur town of Maharashtra's Thane district. He was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai on Monday evening in connection with an FIR registered against him on the complaint of his former wife when the firing incident took place, which resulted in his death, police earlier said.

The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case over which the Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot accorded sanction for investigation against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has its origins more than three decades ago. 

The case pertains to alleged allotment of compensatory sites to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.

 The Gulabgarh (ST) seat in the Jammu region recorded the overall highest voting percentage at 53.94, followed closely by Poonch Haveli at 51.57, the EC data showed. The maximum voting percentage among the 15 assembly segments in the Kashmir Valley was recorded in Khansahib at 45.44. It was followed by Kangan (ST) at 45 per cent, and Chrar-i-Sharief at 44.26 per cent. 

 The lowest 11.14 per cent voting was recorded in the Habbakadal constituency here till 1 pm. The voting is scheduled to conclude at 6 pm. PTI

A low-pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal is set to bring rain or thunderstorms to various districts in both south and north Bengal over the next seven days, the Met office said. 

 The weather office said the coastal districts of North and South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur would experience very heavy rainfall through Thursday, while heavy rain is anticipated in other south Bengal districts, including Kolkata.

 In the letter, Arvind Kejriwal asked, "BJP was born from the womb of RSS, it is the responsibility of RSS to ensure that BJP does not go astray, Did you ever stop Modi ji from doing wrong things?" He criticised the BJP for aligning with alleged 'corrupt' leaders and inducting them into the party. 

"The leaders whom PM Modi and Amit Shah called the most corrupt, whom they themselves called corrupt, were inducted into the BJP; do you agree with such politics?" he said in his letter. 

 Kejriwal asked, "You had a law that leaders will retire after 75 years... Amit Shah is saying that this rule will not apply to Modi. What applied to Advani ji, why will it not apply to Modi ji? He also raised a question regarding JP Nadda's statement about the RSS saying, " JP Nadda said during the Lok Sabha elections that he does not need RSS. Has the son grown so much that he has started showing his might to his mother? Didn't you feel sad when he said this?"

"Additional Deputy VP of HDFC Bank in Vibhutikhand, Sadaf Fatima (45), dies under suspicious circumstances while working. The panchnama (record of observation) of her body has been filled, and it has been sent for postmortem. The cause of death will be clear after the postmortem," Vibhutikhand Assistant Commissioner of Police Radharaman Singh told news agency ANI.

According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, her colleagues claimed that Sadaf was under work pressure. The incident comes amid a nationwide debate over workplace pressure after an Ernst and Young worker died due to "overwork".

"We have taken the case very seriously, as the murder had shaken the entire Bengaluru," he told reporters in Bengaluru. 

"Already the police have identified that the person is in Odisha and have gathered information that he is behind the crime. Police have sent three to four teams there. He is said to be on the run changing places." 

 The maggot-infested body of Mahalakshmi, chopped into several pieces and stuffed into the fridge, was found by her mother and elder sister at her Vyalikaval home on Saturday. 

 Parameshwara added: "After securing him, we will get more information....two-three persons were taken into custody, but based on the evidence and information available, there is a suspicion about the involvement of the person (in Odisha). So efforts are on to secure him." The deceased woman's estranged husband on Sunday expressed suspicion about the involvement of a man known to Mahalakshmi, who had been living alone, in her neighbourhood. PTI

 The membership drive is underway in all 126 assembly segments and will conclude across the state on October 9, a day before the Durga Puja festivities begin, Sarma told reporters after attending a programme.

A target of 40,000 members has been set for each constituency, and if any segment is 'unable to achieve the goal, we will again take up the drive there after Durga Puja', he said. 

"Till last night, we had over 43,67,000 members and Assam has contributed 10 per cent of the party's total membership in the country...The BJP membership drive in constituencies held by its allies AGP and UPPL has also been very encouraging. The BJP members will also vote for the allies," Sarma said.

 The membership drive in the upper Assam constituencies has been 'very encouraging with around 10 segments having already achieved the target of 40,000', he said. The membership drive for achieving the target of 50 lakh has been executed online, he said. The offline process will begin in some areas where the online membership drive has not been possible due to network problems, he said.

"This is a violation of norms. A notice will be issued to the firm and based on its response, further action will be initiated," the official from the Maharashtra labour department said. 

 The Shops and Establishments Act regulates all type of business operations, including the well-being of employees and protects the employees' rights while also ensuring their health and financial security.

 A Maharashtra labour department official inspected the EY office here on Monday on the directions of the central government over the death of chartered accountant (CA) Anna Sebastian Perayil. The 26-year-old woman allegedly died due to work stress in July, four months into joining the firm in Pune. 

 Following her death, Sebastian's mother wrote to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani alleging that the workload and extended working hours took a toll on her daughter. The firm, however, denied the allegations. 

 Additional labour commissioner Shailendra Pol on Wednesday said an inspection at the EY's office in Pune was carried out under eight to nine legal provisions pertaining to the Shops and Establishments Act, minimum wages, maternity benefits, payment of wages and overtime wages.

 "During the inspection, it came to light that the EY Pune office had not obtained the license under the Shops & Establishments Act since its inception in 2007," he said. Not obtaining the Shops Act license is a clear-cut breach and violation (of norms)," Pol said.

 "A show cause notice will be issued by our shop inspector and we will wait for their reply and accordingly further action will be decided," the official said. Union Minister for Labour Mansukh Mandaviya recently said the death of Sebastian was being investigated. -- PTI

 The Gulabgarh (ST) seat in the Jammu region recorded the overall highest voting percentage at 35.72, followed closely by Poonch Haveli at 34.26. The maximum voting percentage among the 15 assembly segments in the Kashmir Valley was recorded in Kangan (ST) at 30.94. It was followed by Chrar-i-Sharief at 28.85 per cent and Khansahib at 27 per cent. The lowest 7.40 per cent voting was recorded in the Habbakadal constituency here till 11 am, they said. 

 The voting is scheduled to conclude at 6 pm. PTI

He emphasized that the party should prioritize Jammu, where it holds the majority of seats, instead of solely campaigning in Kashmir.

"I hope after Rahul is done campaigning in one or two seats in Kashmir, he focuses in Jammu. Ultimately what the Congress does in Kashmir is not important. What the Congress does in Jammu is important. Unfortunately, Congress hasn't done as much in the plains of Jammu as we would expect them to do. The lion's share of the seats that the alliance gave in Jammu was to the Congress party. Yet, the Congress' campaign in Jammu is yet to begin and there are only five days of campaigning. I hope once Rahul is done campaigning in this one seat in the valley, the Congress focuses all it's attention in the plains of Jammu."," Abdullah said.

The Congress party, in alliance with the National Conference, is competing for 32 seats, while the NC is vying for 51 of the 90 Assembly seats.

 "I don't know why foreigners should be asked to check elections here. When foreign governments comment, then the government of India says 'this is an internal matter for India' and now suddenly they want foreign observers to come and look at our elections," Abdullah told reporters.

He said the assembly elections in J-K "are an internal matter for us", and "we do not need their certificate".

"Also, this participation (of people in polls) is not because of the government of India, it is in spite of everything that the government of India did. They have humiliated people, they have used all the machinery of the government to detain and harass people. 

"In spite of that, people are coming and participating in the elections. So, this is not something the government of India should be highlighting. But, anyway, that's the way they are," he said. 

 A delegation of 16 diplomats from New Delhi-based missions arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday at the invitation of the Ministry of External Affairs to observe the ongoing polls. 

 The assembly polls in J-K are being conducted after 10 years, and are the first after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Read Omar Abdullah's interview to Rediff.com here. 

"Ma is a fighter and the strongest lady I know. She is 90+ and loves to live everyday to the fullest. She's always been the first to dress in new clothes, go to new restaurants, meet new people, or take in new experiences in London, where she has lived with me, on and off, for over 20 years. 

"A few weeks ago, she travelled to Mumbai to meet her newborn great granddaughter. Unfortunately, during the visit, she fell seriously sick and had to be hospitalized. Even now, even after the doctors have said that she is critical, she never fails to recognize us and lights up when she sees me. Whenever I visit her, she lifts her head up, opens her eyes and says, 'Sab theek hai, tum kaam pe Jao'. 

"Sitting quietly, in the ICU, by her bedside, I am reminded of my childhood days in Patna. When I was young, Bauji used to give her only Rs 400 to run the entire family's expenses. Within that, she would manage all our expenses, pay for the rent, take care of her four children, help all our neighbours, and also welcome any guests who had decided to come to stay with us. She has always loved India dearly and shaped us in that way. I remember she took us to Sadaqat Aashram to meet Dr Rajendra Prasad ji, our first President, And also Jayaprakash Narayan ji who was on the same road where we used to live. I also remember she took us to the Congress Adhiveshan that took place in Patna and ensured that we all wore Khadi. I recall when Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru died how much she cried.

"I also recall her telling us about Lal Bahadur Shastri, who had encouraged the country to fast for one day, every Monday, or eat one meal so that we could all have enough to eat. She followed that and made us follow it too. It is only because of her that we have remained with our culture, tradition and religion. 

"My mother has always been a people's person. I have time and again been amazed by the way she has won the hearts of all the people around her, including the British people, even though she couldn't speak it well. How she is so comfortable with people, I don't know. What I do know is that she is an incredibly special person who has enriched my life, the lives of the entire family and of everyone she knows. I still have so much to learn from you, Ma. Seeking all your prayers and blessings for her."

The apartment, which comes with a breathtaking view of the Mumbai skyline, is on the 27th-28th floor and belongs to Amitabh Bachchan.

Yes, Kriti has been renting the property from the Big B which is spread across 5,000 square feet. Namrata Thakker gives us a tour. Take a look

The Bharatiya Janata Party has distanced itself from the remarks of party leader Kangana Ranaut on farm laws while stating that the actor is "not authorised" to make such statements on the party's behalf.

This comes after Ranaut suggested that the three farm laws that were repealed following prolonged farmer protests should be brought back.

The actor-turned-politician had told the media, "I know this statement could be controversial, but the three farm laws should be brought back. Farmers themselves should demand it."

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the remarks are "personal statement" of Ranauat and doesn't depict BJP's view on farm bills.

"On the social media platforms, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's statement on the farm bills that was withdrawn by central govt, is going viral. I want to make it clear that this statement is a personal statement of her," Bhatia said.

"Kangana Ranaut is not authorised to make such a statement on behalf of the BJP, and it doesn't depict the BJP's view on the farm bills. We disapprove of this statement," he added.

The Mandi MP has drawn ire over her remarks on farm laws.

"It was only the Muftis, Congress and Abdullahs that benefited from Article 370 of the Constitution. Common Kashmiris only suffered due to it," Manzoor Bhat, journalist turned senior BJP leader in Kashmir, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.

Read the interview here. 

Pic: Abdul Rashid Haroon, second from right, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Lal Chowk, campaigns accompanied by Darakshan Andrabi, chairperson, Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, right.

 The Surankote (ST) seat in the Jammu region recorded the overall highest voting percentage at 14.57 per cent, followed closely by Poonch Haveli at 14.56 per cent. 

 The maximum voting percentage among the 15 assembly segments in the Kashmir Valley was recorded in Kangan (ST) at 13.52. It was followed by Chrar-i-Sharief at 13 per cent and Ganderbal at 12.06 per cent. The lowest 2.63 per cent voting was recorded in the Habbakadal constituency here, they said. PTI

Madhura Jasraj, 86, died in the early hours of September 25, a spokesperson of the Jasraj family said.

The last rites will be performed at Oshiwara Crematorium in Mumbai in the evening.

As a filmmaker, Madhura directed films such as Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj (2009) and Aai Tuza Ashirwad (2010), where she collaborated with prominent artists like Lata Mangeshkar.

In 2016, she surprised everyone when she announced her decision to direct her first Hindi film at the age of 78.

The decision is likely at Sebi's upcoming board meeting on September 30, sources said.

Typically, the Sebi board -- which has representatives from the government and the Reserve Bank of India -- meets once every quarter to clear securities market-related reforms.

The new product category will cater to investors willing to take riskier bets. The minimum ticket size for such investments will be Rs 10 lakh, lower than the minimum threshold of Rs 50 lakh specified for PMS.

However, clear differentiation and upfront disclosures may be mandated for the new category to avoid confusion for investors. Existing MF players will be allowed to launch the new asset class. Sources said in anticipation of the new norms, several players have started putting in place a team and zeroed in on the strategies they plan to offer.

"Several large MF houses are already on the hunt for investment managers and team members for the new asset class as it will require a specialised set of teams for such strategies," said an industry player.

-- Khushboo Tiwari/Business Standard

 In a setback to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed his petition challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's approval for a probe against him in the MUDA land allotment case, saying the gubernatorial order nowhere "suffers from want of application of mind". 

The Karnataka chief minister had challenged the legality of Gehlot's sanction for the investigation against him in the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in a prime locality.

 In a post on X, Sibal said, "Now Karnataka. BJP's insidious ways to destabilise and topple elected governments: Luring MLAs, misusing tenth schedule, instilling fear (ED, CBI) and governors acting beyond their constitutional responsibilities."

"Then say: 'For the BJP. Constitution means more than the Gita'!" Sibal said in an apparent reference to BJP's Kharkhauda candidate Pawan Kharkhoda's reported remarks that for the BJP, the Constitution is holy scripture that means more than the Gita. PTI

Individual promoters and promoter families together earned around Rs 1.064 trillion through dividends and proceeds from share buybacks from their listed companies in FY24, up just 0.2 per cent from a year ago.

Promoter families' earnings in FY24 were, however, nearly 28 per cent higher than the government's estimated dividends of around Rs 82,900 crore (Rs 829 billion) from listed CPSUs such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Indian Oil, Coal India, State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation, Power Grid Corporation, NTPC, and Bank of Baroda.

The government's dividend was, however, up 35 per cent year-on-year in FY24 from Rs 61,409 crore (Rs 614.09 billion) a year ago.

In comparison, multinationals such as Unilever Plc, Suzuki Motor Corp, British American Tobacco, Nestle SA, and Colgate-Palmolive Inc earned Rs 27,710 crore (Rs 277,10 billion) as dividend from their listed subsidiaries and associates in India, up 11.2 per cent from the Rs 24,907 crore (Rs 249.07 billion) in FY23.

With this, the dividend of promoter families has been higher than that of the government for six consecutive years.

The earnings of promoter families such as the Tatas, and those of Azim Premji, Shiv Nadar, Mukesh Ambani, and Anil Agarwal were ahead of the government's earnings for the first time in FY19.In comparison, the multinationals' combined earnings from their Indian subsidiaries and associates have always been much smaller.

The higher income of promoter families has been attributed to large dividend payouts and share buybacks by IT services majors such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra.

These five IT services majors were among the four biggest dividend payers, including expenditure on share buybacks, in FY24.A majority of the cash-rich companies in IT services are owned and promoted by individuals and families. In comparison, there is no government presence in this space.

-- Krishna Kant/Business Standard

 Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is on the cusp of change, he appealed to them to use the power of democracy to ensure a positive change for securing their future. 

Kharge's remarks came as voting began for the second phase of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 2.5 million voters are eligible to vote and decide the fate of 239 candidates, including former chief minister Omar Abdullah, in the fray for 26 seats.

The voting began at 7 am across the 26 assembly constituencies amidst tight security arrangements. 

 In a post on X, Kharge said, "Today, as the second phase of voting gets underway for 26 seats, I exhort the people of Jammu and Kashmir to come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic rights." 

"When you press the voting button on the EVM, do think about how your decade was lost in betrayal. A state was downgraded to a Union Territory for the first time in history. There is widespread unemployment and rampant corruption, with land rights and social justice issues becoming prevalent," the Congress chief said. 

 A vote for positive change will secure people's future and guarantee unbridled welfare, Kharge said.

However, progress is being made on a different front, as both airports are emerging as key international hubs for low-cost carriers (LCCs), where airports in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region already lead the charge.

According to global travel data provider OAG, Delhi airport ranks 24th among the world's top 50 mega hubs (for the period between September 2023 to August 2024), a modest improvement of one spot from 2023.

Meanwhile, Mumbai airport, constrained by capacity, has slipped sharply from 33rd to 44th in the same period.

The rankings are based on the ratio of international connections to the number of destinations served, factoring in both the number of international flights and the frequency of flights on each route -- key elements in building a global mega hub.

At both Indian airports, IndiGo reigns supreme. In Delhi, it accounts for 31 per cent of the 21,781 international connections, covering over 156 destinations.

In Mumbai, IndiGo controls an even larger 41 per cent of the 12,849 international connections across 127 destinations.

London, dominated by British Airways, remains the top global mega hub, with 50 per cent of its 61,356 international connections reaching 227 destinations.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur has jumped to the second spot (from fourth a year ago and 12th in 2019), thanks to AirAsia, which manages 35 per cent of the 33,411 connections to 137 destinations from Malaysia's main airport.

Delhi, however, still trails behind major hubs like Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, Jakarta, and Bogot.

Yet, OAG notes a gradual shift toward Asia in the top 20 global mega hubs, with eight of them now located in APAC, reflecting the region's growing importance in global connectivity.

India's position as a mega-hub for LCCs, however, has improved. Delhi now ranks fifth among the top 25 global LCC hubs, trailing Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Incheon (South Korea), and Singapore -- moving up one spot from last year, largely driven by IndiGo's aggressive international expansion.

Mumbai, meanwhile, holds steady at 11th, with IndiGo continuing to dominate.

APAC airports maintain a firm grip on the LCC mega hub market, accounting for 64 per cent of the top 25 LCC hubs worldwide. This includes eight airports in Southeast Asia, five in Northeast Asia, two in South Asia -- Delhi and Mumbai -- and one in the Southwest Pacific (Sydney).

-- Surajeet Das Gupta/Business Standard

United States intelligence agencies have briefed former president Donald Trump on the 'real and specific' threat to his life allegedly from Iran to allegedly 'sow chaos' in the country, according to his campaign.

Private-sector banks employee strength has gone up 2.78 times in over a decade (since FY14) and surpassed that of the State-owned banks, reflecting their growing market share at the cost of their public-sector peers.

Latest data from the Reserve Bank of India showed that at the end of financial year 2024 (FY24), State-owned banks had an employee strength of 764,679, while private sector banks employed 846,530 individuals.

In FY14, state-owned banks had 842,813 employees, compared to 303,856 of the private banks.

During this period, the number of State-owned banks has decreased to 12 due to mergers, while the total number of private sector banks stands at 21.

Meanwhile, during FY14 to FY24, the total employee strength of the banking industry has gone up from 1.25 million to 1.87 million.

Data shows that the reduction in the employee strength of the state-owned banks has been in the 'clerks' category while the private sector banks have added employees in the 'officers' category.

Since FY14, employees in the 'clerks' category of State-owned banks have gone down from 333,583 to 246,965.

In contrast, employees in the 'officers' category of private banks have gone up from 225,805 in FY14 to 796,809 in FY24.

"Private banks have strengthened their outreach and financial inclusion by expanding their branches in tier 2 and tier 3 cities while also diversifying into non-urban lending products like agriculture, microfinancing institutions, etc," said Krishnendu Chatterjee, vice-president & business head, TeamLease Services, adding that public sector banks are not opening as many new branches as the private sector banks.

Also, in the case of public sector banks, increased digitisation has improved efficiencies and customer reach resulting in reduced footfall in branches.
This has led to a drop in hiring.

Additionally, post-merger of the public sector banks, the demand for new manpower has also reduced, Chatterjee said.

Among commercial banks, State Bank of India has the largest employee base, followed by HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank.

Experts have indicated that the growing influence of private sector banks in the credit ecosystem, payments ecosystem has also meant that they are hiring more people to reach out to customers in the interiors of the country, which traditionally has been a stronghold of the state-owned banks.

According to Subhasri Narayanan, Director, CRISIL Ratings, credit growth of private banks has outpaced that of public sector banks over the past 10 years, resulting in private banks gaining market share during this period.

"The share of private banks in overall banking sector domestic advances was 20 per cent as of March 31, 2014, which is estimated to have doubled to 40 per cent as of March 31, 2024 (excluding the impact of the merger of a large housing finance company with a private sector bank)," she said.

The growth differential was especially evident in the period from FY15 to FY19, when the public sector banks were grappling with asset quality challenges with their gross non-performing assets (NPAs) reaching a peak of 15.5 per cent as on March 31, 2018, driven primarily by stress in the corporate book, Narayanan said.

In contrast, while private sector banks also witnessed a rise in NPAs, for them, it peaked at a lower level of 5.1 per cent as on March 31, 2020.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held his first dialogue with a delegation of 50 farmers and farm union leaders on Tuesday.

During the meeting with Chouhan, the delegation raised a raft of issues ranging from a fair price for all crops, a solution to the stray cattle menace, rejigging of the crop insurance scheme to benefit small growers, and steady availability of cheap and authentic seeds.

It comes days after the minister announced that he would be meeting farmers every week.

In his address, the minister assured all possible support from the government to various demands put forward by the farmers and directed his team of officials to immediately work on the suggestions put forward by the delegation.

"We will leave no stone unturned for the welfare of farmers," Chouhan said.

He said the first meeting is the beginning of an open dialogue between the government and the farming community, aimed at finding solutions to the challenges of farmers.

He also listed the work done for farmers during their third term in office.

The farmers also wanted a market intervention scheme for perishables to be made more effective.

They also urged amendments in the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and an uninterrupted export of agricultural products from the country.

Sources said that both the leaders and agriculture minister were on the same page on controlling the excessive import of certain agriculture commodities, which was hurting the interest of domestic growers.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union -- which was part of the meeting demanded a minimum support price -- that was one-and-a-half times the C2 cost of production based on the data provided by the states.

It also wanted zero insurance premiums for small farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

The Odisha government on Tuesday decided to test the quality of ghee used for preparation of offerings at the Jagannath temple in Puri, an official said.

The decision was taken amid the row over the alleged use of animal fat in the ghee with which the laddus offered at the Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh are prepared.

Puri's District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said that though there have been no such allegations here, the administration will test the quality of ghee being used for the preparation of 'Kotha Bhoga' (prasad for the deities) and 'Baradi Bhoga' (prasad on order) at the 12th-century shrine.

He said the state-run Odisha Milk Federation (Omfed) is the only supplier of ghee for use in the Puri temple.

"However, a decision has been taken to examine the standard of ghee being supplied by Omfed to allay any fear of adulteration," he said, adding that discussions will be held with the Omfed as well as the temple's servitors who prepare the 'prasad'.

Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, a servitor, claimed that earlier adulterated ghee was found to be used for lighting 'diyas' or lamps on the temple premises.

"That has been stopped. We will request the temple's chief administrator for a complete test of the ghee used here," he said, maintaining that the faith of devotes was very important. 

The quality of laddus at the Tirupati temple came under the national spotlight after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that substandard ingredients and animal fats were used in making them under the previous YSRCP government. -- PTI

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday again questioned a doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's forensic department in connection with their ongoing probe into the alleged rape and murder of a medic at the facility, an officer said. 

Dr Apurba Biswas, who was earlier grilled by the central agency on Monday, was asked why the post-mortem examination of the medic was conducted after sunset flouting rules. 

He was also questioned about the reasons behind the "haste" in collecting samples from the seminar hall from where the body of the medic was found on August 9, he said. 

"His replies were documented. In case we need, we will call him again for questioning," the CBI officer said.  

The central probe agency also grilled the former medical superintendent and vice principal (MSVP) of the hospital Dr Sanjay Vashisth in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the facility, he said.

 

On Tuesday afternoon, the present MSVP of RG Kar Hospital Saptarshi Chatterjee also visited the CBI office to "submit a few documents" related to the financial irregularities linked to the medical establishment. 

The CBI has been investigating the rape-murder case and the financial misconduct matter on separate orders of the Calcutta high court. -- PTI