A special court on Monday rejected the police plea seeking cancellation of bail granted to Navneet Rana, an independent MP from Amravati in Maharashtra, and her MLA husband Ravi Rana citing violation of conditions.
The Ranas were booked and arrested by Khar police station officials on April 23, for alleged offences of sedition and breach of harmony for declaring their intention to chant the Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree, the personal residence of the former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in Bandra (east).
The Maharashtra legislative Assembly on Monday passed an amendment to an act, under which heads of nagar parishads and panchayats can be elected directly by the voters.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde tabled the bill to amend the Maharashtra Municipal Council, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act 1965.
The amendment was introduced to change the existing practice of elected representatives choosing the heads of nagar parishad or municipal council.
Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil on Monday said the state government will bear the education expenses of college students who have lost both their parents to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state higher and technical education minister made the announcement on the floor of the state Assembly while responding to a question by Congress legislator Shirish Chaudhary.
India on Monday handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer to the crisis-ridden neighbour Sri Lanka. “Adding to the fragrance of friendship and cooperation. High Commissioner formally handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer supplied under India’s special support to the people of Sri Lanka,” tweeted the High Commission of India in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
“This follows 44,000 tonnes supplied last month under Indian support totalling about USD 4 billion in 2022. The fertilizer will contribute to food security and support the farmers of Sri Lanka. It demonstrates benefits to the people from close ties with #India and mutual trust and goodwill between #India and #Sri Lanka,” added the High Commission of India.
India has been at forefront of extending economic assistance to Sri Lanka as per their requirements and is one of the countries that have provided the maximum amount of assistance in time of need.
Since the beginning of 2022, Sri Lanka has experienced an escalating economic crisis and the government has defaulted on its foreign loans. The United Nations warned that 5.7 million people “require immediate humanitarian assistance.” With many Sri Lankans experiencing extreme shortages of essentials including food and fuel, peaceful protests began in March.
Sri Lanka is battling a severe economic crisis with food and fuel scarcity affecting a large number of the people in the island nation.
The economy has been in a free-fall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sri Lanka is also facing a foreign exchange shortage, which has, incidentally, affected its capacity to import food and fuel, leading to the power cuts in the country.
The shortage of essential goods forced Sri Lanka to seek assistance from friendly countries.
The five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, will hear the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s plea on the contentious issue of who should control administrative services in Delhi over the transfers and postings of officers in the national capital.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Monday said that the issue will be heard by a bench headed by Justice Chandrachud after the matter was mentioned before it for early hearing.
The case was slated to be heard by a Constitution bench after a three-judge bench had in May this year decided to send it to a larger bench on a request by the Central government.
On February 14, 2019, a two-judge Bench of the top court delivered a split verdict on the question of powers of the GNCTD and Union government over services and referred the matter to a three-judge Bench.
While Justice Ashok Bhushan had ruled the Delhi government has no power at all over administrative services.
Justice AK Sikri, however, had said the transfer or posting of officers in top echelons of the bureaucracy (joint director and above) can only be done by the Central government and the view of the lieutenant governor would prevail in case of a difference of opinion for matters relating to other bureaucrats.
The two-judge bench, which was hearing pleas on six matters pertaining to a long-running conflict between the Centre and the Delhi government, had given a unanimous order on the remaining five issues except for the control over services.
Governance of the national capital has witnessed a power struggle between the Centre and the Delhi government since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in 2014.
Prior to February 2019 judgement, a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court had on July 4, 2018, laid down the broad parameters for governance of the national capital.
In the landmark verdict, it had unanimously held that Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a state but clipped the powers of the LG saying he has no “independent decision-making power” and has to act on the aid and advice of the elected government.
It had restricted the jurisdiction of the LG to matters pertaining to land, police and public order and on all other matters, it held that the LG would have to act on the aid and advice of the council of ministers.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday took on the BJP-led Centre claiming that a person like Manish Sisodia, who deserves a Bharat Ratna for his contribution to the education sector, was being hounded by investigative agencies.
During his Gujarat visit, Kejriwal sought to put a strong defence for his deputy in the Delhi government and said Sisodia had done what others could not achieve in seven decades. “He (Manish Sisodia) reformed govt schools which other parties could not do in 70 years.
Such a person should get Bharat Ratna.
The entire country’s education system should be handed over to him, but instead, they conducted CBI raids on him,” Kejriwal said at a press conference which he addressed along with Sisodia. The AAP chief made several promises to the people of Gujarat, where Assembly elections are due later this year.
“We’re guaranteeing that we’ll provide free and best health treatment to all Gujaratis. Like Mohalla clinics, health clinics will be opened in cities and villages. We’ll improve govt hospitals and new government hospitals will be opened if needed,” Kejriwal said.
The Delhi CM further demanded that the Gujarat government also provide an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore to police personnel who lay down their lives in the line of duty as is done for army personnel.
“I demand the inclusion of the police personnel in the scheme to give Rs 1 crore as an ex-gratia for those personnel who die in the line of duty. The people of Gujarat are saying that the announcement to give Rs 1 crore to the army personnel who die during duty is not intentional, but rather due to the elections. The BJP has not implemented it anywhere else in the country, they did it here because there are elections here,” he said.
Kejriwal is on a two-day visit to Gujarat from Monday.
Kejriwal is accompanied by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia, who is facing a CBI probe in connection with the AAP government’s previous excise policy.
They will attend a town hall meeting in Bhavnagar on Tuesday. “On Monday, Manish ji and I will go to Gujarat for two days to guarantee education and health. Like Delhi, Gujarat will also have good schools, good hospitals and Mohalla clinics. Everyone will get a free good education and good treatment. People will be relieved, we will also interact with youth,” Kejriwal had said in a tweet.
The statement from Kejriwal came a day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) searched Sisodia’s home and carried out raids at several places in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of Delhi’s Excise Policy.
During an earlier visit to north Gujarat, Kejriwal made a bunch of promises to the people of Gujarat ranging from providing free electricity supply to improving the healthcare services in the state.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the ongoing liquor scam case against Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and said that the “BJP is misusing its powers against the Opposition to suppress its voice.
” While addressing a press conference, Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “Why is BJP targetting Manish Sisodia, who is an ideal for the whole country,” asked Bhardwaj while attacking BJP.
According to him, BJP is misusing its powers against the Opposition to suppress its voice. “BJP wants that no Opposition raises voice even if there is a rise in inflation and unemployment in the country,” he said.
While giving a reference to many BJP names, the AAP spokesperson alleged that as soon as a corrupt leader joins BJP, all corruption cases are closed against him.
“Suvendu Adhikari was completely indulged into corruption, till he was in TMC, but as soon he came to the BJP, all cases against him were closed and he is now the Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly. Besides him, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mukul Roy, Narayan Rane are also some other names who were deep into corruption, but they all became honest as soon as they joined BJP,” said Saurabh Bhardwaj.
Speaking about the allegation that the Sisodia has levelled against BJP through a tweet today, he said, “BJP offered Manish Sisodia to join BJP and said that all cases will be closed against him. He was even given the offer of being the chief minister, but Sisodia completely rejected the offer. He is a Rajput, he will get beheaded but will never bow down”.
The AAP leader also asked for investigating ex-Delhi Governor Anil Baijal’s decision. “If CBI wants to investigate the liquor policy, it should also investigate the decision of ex-Delhi Governor Anil Baijal, as it was passed during his tenure only”, he said.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the residence of Manish Sisodia on Friday, in connection with an alleged scam in the implementation of the Delhi government’s liquor policy, which now stands withdrawn.
Sisodia was among 15 others who were booked in an FIR filed by the CBI. Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers, some unknown public servants and private persons have been booked in the case.
Sisodia and the AAP have claimed innocence. They have claimed that Sisodia was targeted because he is a minister in the Arvind Kejriwal-led government.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged that Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had received offers from a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader to work against the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit to escape CBI action.
Senior party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that Sisodia, who is facing CBI action in Delhi liquor policy case, was approached by BJP with an offer to become the party’s chief ministerial face in Delhi.
Addressing the media, Bharadwaj claimed that BJP was asking Sisodia to join it along with other legislators. However, the Aam Aadmi Party leader did not name any BJP leader.
Bhardwaj said there were several opposition leaders who faced corruption charges but soon after they joined the BJP, investigations against them were stopped.
“Leaders like Suvendu Adhikari, Himanta Bishwa Sharma, Mukul Roy, Narayan Rane, Baijayant Panda, Reddy Brothers were earlier facing allegations of corruption. But after joining BJP, now these leaders are not being investigated,” he added.
AAP leader Atishi Marlena alleged that the “same BJP leader” who had contacted Himanta Biswa Sarma, Suvendu Adhikari, Baijayant Panda and Mukul Rai had approached Sisodia a few days ago with an offer to join the BJP.
Earlier on Monday, Sisodia in a tweet said he had received an offer from the BJP to join them by splitting the AAP in lieu of getting the CBI against him closed.
“My reply to the BJP is – I am a descendant of Maharana Pratap, a Rajput. I will cut off my head but will not bow down to the corrupt and those who conspire. All the cases against me are false. Do what you want to do,” Sisodia tweeted.
Last week, CBI conducted searches on Sisodia’s official residence and carried out raids at several places in connection with the alleged corruption in the implementation of Delhi’s Excise Policy.
The AAP has maintained the allegations of corruption are politically motivated. The BJP, on the other hand, has attacked claiming that its model of governance was getting exposed.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s daughter and MLC, K Kavitha on Monday said that she will file a defamation case against Delhi BJP leaders – MP Parvesh Varma and former MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa for their allegations that she acted as a “middleman” between the liquor mafia and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Kavitha said she will also move court seeking an injunction order against those making the allegations.
“The allegations made on me are completely baseless…I don’t have any link with what was said in the Delhi Excise scam. They have all the agencies in their hands, they can do whatever investigation that is required.
We will completely cooperate,” K Kavitha said. She further said that BJP is doing this because our chief minister KCR has been vocal in criticising the policies of the union government, and thus it is trying to malign the reputation of her family.
“We don’t get panicky on these kinds of allegations….We are going to fight and we are family from fighters,” she said.
The BJP on Sunday had alleged that a bribe of crores of rupees was given to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to increase the commission from 2.5 per cent to 12 per cent under the Delhi government’s revamped liquor policy and the first instalment of the same was given to him.
BJP further alleged Rs 150 crore was given to Sisodia. Accusing Sisodia of holding meetings with the Telangana leader, the BJP sought an answer from him on the same.
BJP leader Parvesh Verma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa held a press conference yesterday and alleged that KCR’s daughter K Kavitha acted as a “middleman” between the liquor mafia and the AAP government.
The BJP leaders said that several meetings were held between the liquor mafia, ministers and officers to make the excise policy in line with them.
“The meeting was done in Oberoi Hotel in Delhi. The Delhi Excise officer, commissioner, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, some liquor mafia and some political persons were the attendants of the meeting. KCR’s family members were present in the meeting. She had brought many members of the liquor mafia to meet Manish Sisodia. They came on a private plane. They had implemented the policy in Punjab. They had planned everything along with Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia,” said Verma.
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Excise Minister Manish Sisodia should explain why the commission of liquor sellers was increased by 10 per cent. He should also explain the relationship between him, K Kavitha and the members of the liquor mafia – Dinesh Arora, Vijay Nayar and Vijay Arora. And by collecting money from all this, Aman Dhal used to do the work of giving it to the Aam Aadmi Party. Which has liquor contracts in Delhi as well as in Punjab,” he alleged.
Manjinder Sirsa said that he will soon reveal the evidence of the politicians’ involvement in the case.
“Along with the meetings at the Oberoi Hotel in Delhi, meetings of these liquor mafia were also held at the Hyatt Hotel in Chandigarh. After these meetings, AAP leaders implemented the same liquor policy in Delhi and Punjab which is already being followed in Telangana and West Bengal,” he alleged.
