Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday moved the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court order of sending him to judicial custody.
Kejriwal’s lawyers mentioned the matter before a division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sidharth Mridul for urgent hearing. The court posted the matter for Tuesday.

Kejriwal is in judicial custody till June 6 after he refused to furnish a personal bond in a defamation case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Gadkari.

He refused to pay the bail bond of Rs.10,000 and was sent to the Tihar Central Jail.

Questioning Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik for his allegedly inflammatory comments made some months back could be “awkward”, Goa Director General of Police TN Mohan said on Monday.

Mohan’s statement comes at a time when the Goa Police have been accused of launching a “witch-hunt” against 31-year-old shipbuilding professional Devu Chodankar for posting anti-Narendra Modi comments on Facebook.

In light of Chodankar’s case when asked Mohan if the police would consider filing a First Information Report (FIR) against Muthalik for his controversial comments, which went viral on social networking site YouTube earlier this month, the DGP said he was told the video was a year old.

“It would be awkward for us to approach it after a year,” Mohan said.

In a Youtube video uploaded a month back, it was announced the Sri Rama Sene would distribute a sword and the (Bhagwad) Gita to every Hindu home.

In the video, Muthalik says that the sword should be used for defence, but also adds that if someone questions a Hindu about a sword in his house then the weapon should be put to use.

Mohan further said the police had not received any complaint against Muthalik for his alleged comments, unlike in the case involving Chodankar.

“We had only heard of a report about Muthalik’s comments…In case of Chodankar we have a private complaint on the basis of which we have acted,” Mohan said.

The urgency of the police in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Goa to arrest Chodankar has led to an uproar on social media as well as among the opposition parties, who have alleged a witch-hunt against the Facebook user.

“The BJP government is only harassing a common man like Devu going all out after him. Comments made by people like Muthalik are ignored,” claimed Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai, who along with a delegation of protesters met Mohan on Monday.

The Supreme Court on Monday put a stay order on the trial at a Bangalore court in the disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and others.

A bench comprising justices BS Chauhan and AK Sikri, however, said that the civil proceedings, pending before the same trial court in Bangalore, will go on.

The civil proceedings relate to the plea of various companies alleging that some of the properties, shown as part of the disproportionate assets of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, actually belonged to them.

“We are keeping at abeyance the trial in the criminal proceedings for 10 days. However, it is made clear that the civil proceedings will go on,” the bench said and fixed the petition for further hearing on June 6.

The bench also issued notice to the Director General Vigilance on the petition filed by AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa.

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the petitioner, said that grave prejudice would be caused if the criminal trial is not stayed.

The apex court had on May 13 said it was not inclined to stay the trial in the Bangalore court in the DA case against Jayalalithaa and others.

It, however, had allowed the Chief Minister to withdraw the plea and move the Karnataka High Court.

The Chief Minister had sought a stay on the trial till the lower court decides the plea of Lex Property Development (P) Ltd, a Chennai-based firm.

The company has claimed that the properties, which have been attached by the authorities as ‘benami’ holdings of Jayalalithaa, in fact, belonged to it and said this plea be decided first before the lower court proceeds with the trial in the assets case.

The court had allowed the company, which has separately challenged the attachment of properties, to cross examine the witnesses who may file certain documents.

The disproportionate assets case was shifted to Bangalore in 2003 following a Supreme Court directive on a petition alleging that a fair trial was not possible in Chennai during her tenure as Chief Minister then.

Jayalalithaa faces charges of accumulation of over Rs 66 crore worth of assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.

Forty people were killed and hundreds injured in a train collision mishap in eastern Uttar Pradesh as six bogies of Gorakhdham Express derailed and collided with a stationary goods train near Sant Kabir Nagar, reports said Monday.

The train was heading to Gorakhpur from New Delhi when it derailed this morning. Reports said that the train was lifted 100ft in air by force of collision with stationary goods train.

The death toll has risen to 40 and hundred have been injured, senior police officer Amrendra Sainger told a news agency.

The accident took place today morning near Churaid Railway Station, when six coaches of Gorakhdham express derailed and then rammed into a stationary freights train killing at least twenty people.

Out of six derailed coaches, four were general coaches and two were AC coach– AC first class and AC two tier.

Rescue workers along with ambulances, medical teams and a relief train were rushed to the site as many are still feared to be trapped in the coaches which were thrown over the goods train.

The Railways has ordered an inquiry into the accident which according to officials occurred due to derailment.

Also, a compensation of Rs. one lakh has been announced for the family of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured.

Those who sustained simple injuries would be granted Rs 10,000 each.

PM-elect Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the victims’ families and tweeted that he had asked the Cabinet Secretary to take stock of the situation and ensure that people are assisted in time.

Conveying his condolences to the families of the victims, BJP chief Rajnath Singh tweeted, “Deeply saddened to know of the Gorakhdham Express tragedy in which many precious lives have been lost and several others have been injured”.

Calling the accident as extremely unfortunate, UP CM Akhilesh Yadav said that the Uttar Pradesh government is extending all kinds of help to those in need.

An MBA student was arrested by Bangalore’s Central Crime Branch on Saturday for circulating offensive message against PM-elect Narendra Modi on WhatsApp, reports said on Monday.

The student named Sayed Waqas (24), came to Bangalore for internship, studies in an MBA college in Karnataka’s Bhatkal.

Waqas was reportedly detained along with his four roommates who stayed at a rented accommodation in Vasanthnagar after Belgaum police traced the mobile number to his residence and briefed Bangalore’s Central Crime Branch.

The four roommates were freed on Sunday but Waqas was arrested under IT Act.

The complaint in this regard was filed with Belgaum police by an RTI activist Jayant Mukund Tinaikar, who said that he had received the message on May 16, said reports.

The incident comes few days after a man from Goa was booked for posting a derogatory message against Narendra Modi on Facebook.

Narendra Modi’s cabinet will not include Murli Manohar Joshi, who was a key minister in the last BJP government. Mr. Joshi reportedly did not make it to the list because of Mr. Modi’s “below 75 years” rule.

Mr. Joshi, 80, was the Human Resource Development Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Till Sunday, his name was being discussed among the probables for the new cabinet.

That the veteran leader would not be part of the new government, was confirmed when he was not among the visitors at Mr. Modi’s tea party at Gujarat Bhawan. Mr. Modi had invited only ministers to be.

“It is the PM’s prerogative to decide his cabinet,” said sources close to Mr. Joshi.

The 75-year cut-off leaves many former ministers out, including LK Advani, who was Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister during the Vajpayee regime, Shanta Kumar and BC Khanduri.

In the list of 40-odd ministerial contenders, only two are above 70 – Najma Heptulla, 74, and Kalraj Mishra, 73. Most leaders are in their 60s.

Sources say 75-plus leaders had been told not to expect major responsibilities.

Former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and seven other accused, chargesheeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a 2G scam-related money laundering case, today moved bail applications before a Delhi court.

The accused, who appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against them, moved their bail pleas which have been fixed for hearing on May 28.

DMK supremo M Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal, also an accused in the case, did not appear before the court and her counsel moved a plea seeking exemption from personal appearance on the ground that she was not in a “fit mental condition”.

The court allowed Ammal’s plea for exemption from personal appearance for the day.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini directed ED to supply all the documents related to the case to all the accused.

“Since the documents are voluminous, the accused submit that at least two days time is required for scrutiny. Put up for scrutiny of documents/consideration of bail applications on May 28,” the judge said.

Besides Raja and Kanimozhi, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Aggarwal, Bollywood producer Karim Morani, Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar and P Amirtham also appeared before the court and moved their bail pleas.

They were also summoned as accused by the court which had taken cognisance of the ED’s charge sheet filed against 19 accused — 10 individuals and nine companies. The court has held that there was “enough incriminating material” on record to proceed against them.

ED has also named as accused Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd, Kusegaon Realty Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd), Cineyug Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd), Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd, Dynamix Realty, Eversmile Construction Company Pvt Ltd, Conwood Constructions and Developers (P) Ltd, DB Realty Ltd and Nihar Constructions Pvt Ltd. The representatives of the nine firms appeared before the court.

The money laundering case relates to the 2G scam in which the DMK-run Kalaignar TV was allegedly paid Rs. 200 crore by the promoters of Swan Telecom.

ED has claimed that the transaction of Rs. 200 crore, which was allegedly paid to DMK-run Kalaignar TV, was “not genuine” and it was a “bribe for grant of telecom licences to DB Group companies”.

During the hearing, the court told Ammal’s counsel to move a bail plea on May 28 and said it will be decided on merits.

The bail pleas filed by all other accused will also be heard on May 28, it said, adding that it will also hear arguments on framing of charges in the case on that day.

The counsel for the accused told the judge that they have not received any documents related to the case from ED.

To this, the court directed the ED prosecutor to supply all the documents and asked the accused to complete their scrutiny by May 28.

“Within two days, you complete the scrutiny of documents. Whatever papers are there, you will get every page,” the judge said.

During the arguments, the defence counsel requested the judge to defer the hearing to first week of July saying that they need some time to go through the documents.

The court, however, did not agreed to the submission, saying it was a Supreme Court-monitored trial and the apex court had given direction for day-to-day hearing.

ED had earlier told the court that its probe into the case emanates from the 2G scam and the accused had allegedly conspired and committed the scheduled offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

An army jawan today shot dead his two seniors, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, before committing suicide at a forward post along Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

“A soldier shot at two of his colleagues in Poonch sector,” a defence spokesman said adding that both of them died.

The accused soldier then committed suicide by shooting himself, he said.

Sepoy Darshan Lal entered into a verbal duel with his senior Havaldar Ranjot Singh and in a fit of rage fired at him, according to official sources.

The incident occurred at a forward post Madan in Digwar belt along LoC in Poonch district.

JCO Subedar Chemail Singh, who rushed towards him to stop him from firing, was also hit by bullets and suffered serious injuries, they said adding he later died on way to hospital.

After the shooting, the soldier turned the gun on himself, they said.

Senior officers rushed to the spot after the incident of fratricide.

The Army has ordered court of inquiry (CoI) into the incident, the spokesman said.

Setting a unique example of communal harmony, hundreds of devotees prayed for the Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi during the 369th Urs of Mughal emperor Shahjahan at Taj Mahal in Agra.

The devotees prayed that the new government at the Centre would for the welfare of all section of the society.
The three day Urs began on Sunday in the Taj City and will conclude on May 27.

The pilgrims gathered at the graves of Mughal emperor Shahjahan and his beloved wife Mumtaz.
The people also prayed for the peace and development in the country.

Elaborate arrangements have been made to mark the occasion with poetry reading and a qawwali recital, among other events.

The Urs celebrations are organised by the khadims, or traditional custodians of the white marble mausoleum.