Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, May 11 (PTI) The Tuljabhawani Temple in Maharashtra's Dharashiv district possesses 253 kilograms of gold and 4,614 kilograms of silver as on March 31 this year, the trust managing it said on Monday.

In a report, Tuljabhawani Temple Trust said it holds 253.30 kilograms of gold and 4614.52 kilograms of silver.

"In 2023-24, the trust received 16.49 kilograms of gold and 260.66 kilograms of silver. The donated quantity increased in 2024-25, reaching 17.62 kilograms of gold and 255.99 kilograms of silver," the report said.

In the 2025-26 fiscal, gold donation decreased but silver increased, it added.

The donated gold figure dropped to 10.78 kilograms but silver increased by nearly 10 kilograms reaching 267.26 kilograms, as per the report.

Tuljabhawani Temple, in Tuljapur, is one of the key places of worship in the state and is considered the main deity of the Bhosale family, the descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. PTI AW BNM

Jaipur, May 11 (PTI) Rajasthan's Anti-Corruption Bureau on Monday arrested Sanjay Badaya, considered a close aide of former state minister Mahesh Joshi, in connection with the alleged Rs 960-crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam.

The development comes days after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on May 7 arrested Joshi, a former Congress minister, in the case.

Officials said that Badaya, who was taken into custody at the Delhi airport early Monday morning, was produced before a court and was remanded to three days of police custody.

Earlier, the DG of ACB, Govind Gupta, said Badaya, who was returning from Thailand, was detained at the Delhi airport in the wee hours of Monday and added that he was being brought to Jaipur.

According to the ACB, Badaya is suspected to be the mastermind of the alleged scam and is accused of acting as a middleman in the case.

After placing him under arrest, he was produced before the court which remanded him to police custody for three days, the officials said.

In 2024, the Enforcement Directorate had arrested Badaya but was granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Three other accused in the case are still absconding, the officials said.

Joshi, who was the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister during the previous Congress government, was earlier arrested by the ED in April 2025 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged scam. He remained in jail for around seven months before being granted bail by the Supreme Court in December. PTI SDA KVK

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Mumbai, May 11 (PTI) Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Monday described the Somnath Temple in Gujarat as a living example of the "Sanatan civilisation" that has stood tall despite repeated invasions over thousands of years.

Speaking at a cultural event held here to mark 75 years of the inauguration of the restored shrine of Lord Shiva, Varma noted that the temple is not just a place of worship, but "a symbol of the soul of Indian culture, faith and the Sanatan tradition".

The event, titled "Somnath Swabhiman Parv — 1,000 Years of Unbroken Faith", was organised by the Maharashtra Department of Cultural Affairs at Dhakleshwar Mahadev Temple.

The programme was held in conjunction with a special 'Maha Pooja' conducted at Somnath Temple in Gujarat in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate the reconstruction milestone.

"Despite repeated invasions over thousands of years, the Somnath Temple continues to stand tall, reflecting the enduring strength of Sanatan civilisation," the governor said.

He said several foreign invaders, from Mahmud of Ghazni to Aurangzeb, had attempted to destroy the temple, but could not erase the faith associated with it.

"India is not merely a geographical entity but an eternal civilisation. Sanatan means that which has no end, and the Somnath Temple is a living example of that," he said.

Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar and senior officials attended the event.

The programme opened with an Odissi dance recital by Shubhada Varadkar, depicting themes rooted in Indian spirituality and cultural heritage. PTI MR ARU

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Delhi Police has arrested 16 criminals, including five women and apprehended a juvenile, during a 24-hour drive against illegal arms, illicit liquor and narcotics in northwest Delhi, an official said on Monday.

Police said 12 alleged drug peddlers, three bootleggers and two people carrying prohibited knives were apprehended during intensive raids and checking.

"During operation, police also recovered a large quantity of drug and illicit liquor," a senior police officer said.

She further said that the operation was carried out by teams of Ashok Vihar, Bharat Nagar, Keshav Puram, Subhash Place, Maurya Enclave, Shalimar Bagh, Mahindra Park, Jahangir Puri, Adarsh Nagar and Model Town. PTI BM BM SHS

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Mumbai, May 11 (PTI) Mumbai's civic body on Monday announced a 10 per cent water cut in the metropolis from May 15 as a precautionary measure amid declining levels in reservoirs.

The water cut will also apply to supplies made by the BMC to Thane, Bhiwandi and nearby areas, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation release informed.

"The water cut will remain in force till satisfactory rainfall improves the usable stock in reservoirs that supply water to the metropolis. The decision was taken in view of the falling water stock in lakes and forecasts of below-normal monsoon conditions linked to El Nino and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) patterns next year, as indicated by the India Meteorological Department," it added.

Considering the rising temperatures, increasing evaporation and the need to ensure planned water supply if reservoir levels fall further, the administration has decided to impose the 10 per cent cut as a precautionary step, the release said.

The total usable water stock in the seven reservoirs supplying Mumbai stood at 340,399 million litres on May 11, which is 23.52 per cent of the annual required stock of 14,47,363 million litres, the release pointed out.

The BMC said it was closely monitoring the situation and carrying out planned water supply management on a daily basis, adding there was was no reason for citizens to panic.

Mumbai would additionally receive 1,47,092 million litres from reserve stock in the Bhatsa dam and 90,000 million litres from the Upper Vaitarna dam, it said.

The BMC appealed to citizens to use water sparingly, avoid wastage and adopt water-saving practices in daily life. PTI KK BNM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Flagging the mounting pendency of bail applications in high courts across the country, the Supreme Court on Monday suggested various measures including evolving a mechanism for automatic listing and fixing an outer timeline for disposal of such pleas.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it hoped and trusted that the high courts, state governments and the investigating agencies would have a collaborative approach to ensure a robust mechanism for the timely disposal of bail pleas while ensuring that the rights of victims are protected.

The bench clarified that its order should not be construed as an aspersion on the functioning of any high court and the suggestions were intended to strengthen the systemic efficiency.

The top court passed the order on a plea in which it had earlier directed the registrar generals of all the high courts to send complete details of applications for anticipatory or regular bail, suspension of sentence pending there, along with the date of filing, date of decision or the next date of hearing.

In its order passed on Monday, the bench said most of the high courts have furnished the data and taken initiatives for the timely disposal of bail applications.

It noted that the volume of pendency of bail applications in the Allahabad High Court was "too large" even though most of the judges there were dealing with hundreds of cases in a day.

The bench left it to the discretion of the chief justice and the administrative committee of the Allahabad High Court to evolve a mechanism to ensure a definite date of hearing for bail applications.

It said in the cause list, "listing of bail applications be prioritised".

The bench said a similar mechanism was required to be evolved in the Patna High Court where bail applications were sometimes adjourned for a longer period of time.

The top court noted several suggestions which were put forth before it to ensure the timely disposal of bail applications.

It said that according to the suggestions, bail matters can be listed on a weekly or fortnightly basis and there can be an automatic software system by which all bail pleas are listed at least once every two weeks.

The court said a status report on the bail plea be mandatorily filed before the first date of hearing and the application be served on the office of the lawyer of the probe agencies.

It said the practice of issuing notice and admitting bail applications has to be dispensed with and there has to be automatic listing of such pleas.

"The high courts can also resolve to fix an outer timeline for the disposal of bail applications," the bench said.

It said the high courts need to evolve a practice of discouraging avoidable or casual adjournments by the government counsel, reminding them of the courts' solemn duty to protect the most precious fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution which deals with protection of life and personal liberty.

The bench also highlighted the need to have the forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports within a reasonable time in cases especially those registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

"The responsibility of the investigating officers (IOs), especially in victim-centric cases, is also very important," the bench said.

It said the IOs must ensure that victims, who have a right to be heard, are able to participate in the proceedings and avail legal representation.

The bench also suggested the use of digital portals for uploading status reports.

The issue of pendency of bail applications in the high courts had cropped up before the top court while hearing a petition challenging an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

While hearing the plea on February 4, the apex court directed all states to fully cooperate with the high courts for early and time-bound adjudication of bail applications or a prayer for suspension of sentence. PTI ABA SJK ABA KSS

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Islamabad, May 11 (PTI) Pakistan on Monday summoned the Afghan Charge d'Affaires and issued a "strong demarche" over a deadly attack carried out by the TTP on a police post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

At least 15 security personnel were killed and several others injured in the suicide attack on the police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Saturday.

The ministry conveyed that a detailed investigation into the incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence, indicates that the attack was masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

"Reiterating Pakistan's grave concern over the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorist attacks against Pakistan, it was impressed upon the Afghan side that Pakistan reserves the right to respond decisively against the perpetrators of this barbaric act,” it said.

It was further highlighted that the continued presence of various terrorist groups on Afghan soil, and the permissive environment enabling their operations, have been well documented in reports by the UN Monitoring Team and other international organisations, the FO said.

"The fight against terrorism is a common cause, and the Afghan Taliban must honour their commitment not to allow their territory to be used for terrorism against other countries,” it said.

Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban regime to take concrete and verifiable action against Fitna-al-Khawarij, ISKP/Daesh and other elements operating from Afghan soil, it added.

Fitna al-Khawarij is a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The FO said that Pakistan has also constructively engaged with the Afghan Taliban regime through several rounds of talks mediated by brotherly and friendly countries. However, the Afghan Taliban have consistently failed to commit to, or deliver, meaningful and verifiable action against these terrorist outfits.

The Afghan Taliban regime has also been categorically informed that, if it continues to harbour these terrorist organisations, Pakistan will not compromise on its national security or on the safety and protection of its citizens, according to the FO.

Relations between the two countries have lately become strained, largely because of the TTP but also due to frequent border skirmishes.

There has been an uptick in the incidents of terrorism in Pakistan since the Taliban took over the government in Kabul in 2021, dashing hopes in Islamabad that a friendly government in Afghanistan would help to tackle militancy. PTI SH ZH

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Dubai, May 11 (PTI) India retained the top position in the ICC's men's ODI team rankings after the latest annual update with reigning world champions Australia claiming the third spot.

In a statement issued on Monday, the ICC said, "India remain at the pinnacle of the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings after the latest annual update, leading second-placed New Zealand (113 points) by a narrow five-point margin, while Australia (109 points) retain the third place to round off the top three."

India have slipped marginally by a single rating point, and now have 118 points to their name.

The annual rankings update applies full weightage (100 percent) to matches played since May 2025, while results from the previous two years are given half weightage (50 percent).

South Africa's tally of 102 points allowed them to edge past Pakistan's 98 points and break into the top four.

The remainder of the top 10 remains unchanged, with Sri Lanka (96), Afghanistan (93) and England (89) completing the top eight.

Bangladesh are ninth with 84 points, while the West Indies are on 74 points now, and trail the Tigers by 10 points compared to six in the previous update.

"This particular outcome has important ramifications for both the sides, as they seek to secure a direct qualification for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027," the ICC said.

"The top eight teams in the ICC Rankings as of March 31, 2027 will secure direct qualification alongside hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, who have automatically qualified," it added.

In this context, if South Africa continue to remain in the top eight positions, given their automatic qualification for the tournament, the ninth spot becomes key to a direct World Cup ticket.

Ireland (54) have edged past Zimbabwe (53) into 11th place, while USA climbed to 13th, overtaking Scotland with a tally of 46 points compared to Scotland's 44.

UAE also made gains, moving to 19th after overtaking Canada with a tally of 16 points. PTI PM PM PDS

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Beijing, May 11 (PTI) Drug enforcement agencies of China and the US jointly cracked down on a transnational drug smuggling case, arresting five suspects, Chinese authorities said on Monday.

The announcement comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this week.

The coordinated operations were conducted in early April between the narcotics control bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and the US Drug Enforcement Administration under the Department of Justice, the ministry said.

The agencies carried out the operations in Liaoning and Guangdong provinces in China, as well as Florida and Nevada in the US, jointly cracking the drug smuggling and trafficking case.

They arrested five suspects — two Chinese nationals and three US nationals — and a batch of drugs, including protonitazene, a synthetic opioid, and bromazolam, a sedative, was seized.

The operation successfully cut off a cross-border drug smuggling and trafficking route between China and the US, the ministry said.

It added that the successful handling of the case marked another major achievement in practical cooperation between drug control law enforcement agencies of the two countries, demonstrating shared determination to crack down on drug-related crimes.

Trump is visiting China from May 13-15 for talks with his counterpart Xi Jinping on a host of issues, including the crackdown on drug smuggling into the US, especially synthetic opioid fentanyl.

For years, the US has been demanding that China crack down hard on the smuggling of fentanyl to the US, which has resulted in the addiction of thousands of American citizens. PTI KJV GRS GRS

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Barcelona, May 11 (PTI) Indian golfer Yuvraj Sandhu produced a strong final round, carding 3-under 69, to finish at T-31 at the Estrella Damn Catalunya Championship golf tournament here.

The 29-year-old had struggled on the second and third days despite a promising start to the week. He shot 68-72-73-69 on the four days to total 7-under for four rounds.

Yurav Premlall of South Africa won the title by a comfortable margin of 14 strokes as he recorded a second consecutive round of 9-under 63 to finish the week at 28-under par (70-64-63-63).

Sandhu began his final day with four pars before making his first birdie of the day on the fifth hole. Two consecutive birdies on the ninth and 10th holes saw Sandhu move up to 3-under par for the day before bogeys on the 12th and 15th holes resulted to him falling back down to 1-under par.

Late birdies on the 16th and 18th holes helped Sandhu climb back up to T-31, his strongest finish of the season so far.

Premlall recorded his first win on the DP World Tour in style as he set the record for the largest margin between first and second place outside of the majors with his 14 stroke lead over fellow countryman Shaun Norris, who finished second this week.

The record for the largest margin of victory belongs to Tiger Woods for his 15 lead at the 2000 US Open, but Premlall’s margin was a record on DP World Tour. PTI Corr PDS PDS

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London, May 11 (PTI) The England cricket team might tour Nepal for a short white-ball series during the 2027-31 cycle, a media report has stated, suggesting that the plan was discussed at a meeting between the two Boards during the T20 World Cup in India.

According to ESPNCricinfo, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is open to the idea of a three-match T20 series against Nepal before engagements like a tour of India.

"England's men could become the biggest international team yet to tour Nepal, with the ECB exploring the prospect of scheduling a short T20I series at some stage in the 2027-31 international cycle," the website reported.

England and Nepal squared off for the first time during the T20 World Cup when the South Asian nation fell short by a mere four runs at the Wankhede Stadium.

"...ESPNcricinfo has learned that Paras Khadka - the former Nepal captain who is now CAN (Cricket Association of Nepal) secretary - met ECB officials in India in the days following that match," the report stated.

"While the ECB are wary of packing even more fixtures into their busy men's international schedule, a two or three-match T20I series could double as preparation for another series and add only a few days to their itinerary."

Nepal captain Rohit Paudel has said that having a high-profile team like England tour his country would be a huge deal for the local players.

"It would mean a lot, especially if Australia or England comes to Nepal. That would show world cricket (that) Nepal also plays cricket, and plays decent cricket... It is very important," he said.

"...the only way you improve as a cricketer is when you play against better cricketers, when you play against better opponents. That's when you learn the game," Khadka said.

England's will host Australia for the Ashes next year followed tours by Pakistan (June) and New Zealand (September). PTI PM PM PDS

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Male, May 11 (PTI) The Maldives has settled payment to India on a USD 50-million treasury bill, President Mohamed Muizzu said on Monday, according to a local media report.

The move is aimed at reducing the country’s external debt burden.

India had extended financial support to the Maldives through treasury bills – also called T-Bills – subscribed by the State Bank of India (SBI).

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Muizzu said the previous administration had issued USD 50 million treasury bills to the SBI in 2019 to bridge budget shortfalls.

He said that the bills were rolled over annually at the request of the previous Maldivian government instead of being repaid upon maturity.

According to Muizzu, his administration repaid one USD 50 million T-bill in January 2024 and settled another on Monday, adding that another T-bill is due in September.

“Therefore, we have saved the people from the USD 150 million debt trap the previous administration (had) set,” Muizzu was quoted as saying by the Sun.mv news portal.

India has periodically rolled over Maldivian treasury bills since 2019 as part of emergency financial assistance to the island nation.

Treasury Bills are short-term government debt instruments through which governments raise funds from investors for immediate financing needs.

In the Maldives case, India’s support involved SBI subscribing to the Maldivian government’s treasury bills, with the repayments often extended through interest-free rollovers that helped ease short-term foreign exchange and fiscal pressures. PTI SKS ABD ABD

London, May 11 (PTI) An Indian doctoral student from Tamil Nadu, who moved to Scotland on a student visa just four years ago, has turned a local election victory into a wider debate on immigration, identity and representation in UK politics.

Q Manivannan, who identifies as non-binary and claims to represent “diversity in power”, is among the newest members of the Scottish Parliament – also referred to as Holyrood.

The PhD student was elected to the devolved Scottish Parliament on the Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list for the pro-independence Scottish Greens. The results for the elections held last week were announced on May 9.

“My name is Dr Q Manivannan, I am a transgender Tamil immigrant, my pronouns are they/them," said Manivannan, standing among his supporters.

“I am to some in this country everything that the hateful despise and I am standing here as your MSP (Member of the Scottish Parliament) now with care. They say politics is the art of the possible, a politics of care I would say expands what is possible for everyone left behind, pushed out or never invited in,” the Indian student said.

Born in Tamil Nadu, Manivannan moved to Scotland in 2021 on a student visa to pursue a course in international relations at the University of Andrews.

Ahead of the election victory, the Indian national was in the process of online crowdfunding for a Graduate Visa, which grants doctoral students the right to live and work in the UK for three years beyond their student visa.

"Every barrier placed before me with the Greens was the reason also that we pushed further. This is what diversity looks like in power," said Manivannan, who uses the pronouns they/them.

Their election has drawn criticism from anti-immigration voices over rules that allow some foreign nationals living in Scotland to contest elections.

“Dr Manivannan may be a nice young person. But I don’t want to live in a country where people on student visas can become elected representatives to national parliaments," said Robert Jenrick, former Tory minister and now shadow chancellor in the anti-immigration Reform UK.

The Indian student’s MSP candidature was possible as a Commonwealth national under a rule change that allows foreigners on even short-term visas and without indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or those with permanent residency to be eligible for elections in Scotland.

“Politicians should commit to removing the automatic right of Commonwealth citizens to vote in UK elections, and the ability of non-British citizens to stand in British elections,” stated Migration Watch, an independent pressure group campaigning for immigration curbs.

Co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Gillian Mackay, told reporters that the party would be supporting Manivannan through the process of a new visa application.

“There will have to be a renewal of Q’s visa. That is a process they will have to complete over the session of Parliament,” Greens said.

Manivannan's campaign pamphlet describes him as a politics PhD student, arts worker, co-convenor of Scottish Green Party’s Palestine Solidarity Group, former United Nations health and disability worker and immigrant.

“If my mere existence causes this much trouble, I’m excited to see how much my words will,” Manivannan said in a social media post after the election results on Saturday.

The Scottish Greens said the Scottish Parliament had "rightly and explicitly" chosen to permit people like the "queer Tamil immigrant” to contest the May 7 elections to “bring a politics of care and compassion to Holyrood”.

"Q is on a valid visa with the right to work and live in Scotland, and is a Commonwealth citizen. The UK’s visa system is needlessly expensive and hostile, and we are determined to replace it with one that welcomes people with care rather than throwing up hurdles and barriers," a party spokesperson said.

The leftist Scottish Greens made significant gains in last week’s election, in Scotland and in local councils across England. PTI AK ABD ABD

Colombo, May 11 (PTI) Sri Lanka has raised electricity tariffs with effect from Monday, authorities announced, marking the third hike since the start of this year.

The Public Utilities Commission said the rates applicable to consumers who use more than 180 units would go up by 18 per cent.

This becomes the third rate increase since January 2025, when a 15 per cent hike took place. In April, a 7-8 per cent rate hike was implemented.

“This special tariff revision has been made on the cost estimates provided by the National Systems Operator on 28 April,” the state regulator said in a statement.

The Commission, however, said that 95 per cent of consumers won’t be affected by the latest hike as they consume less than 180 units per month.

Responding to opposition criticism that the purchase of low-quality coal to generate power and its resultant loss are passed on to consumers, the Commission said it had directed the National Systems Operator (NSO) of electricity not to include the cost of coal in tariff revisions.

The coal purchases forced the resignation of the then energy minister in April and led to the appointment of a high-powered presidential probe on coal imports.

The statement added that NSO would be subject to legal action for failing to comply with the order to enter into contracts to purchase fuel at reasonable rates to generate power. PTI CORR GRS

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Peshawar, May 11 (PTI) At least 11 people, who were on their way to attend a marriage, were killed and several were injured when the van they were travelling in plunged into a ravine in northwest Pakistan on Monday, rescue officials said.

The incident occurred in Malam Jabba, a popular tourist area, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district.

Several women and children, including the groom’s mother, were among those who were killed in the incident, according to Rescue 1122.

The vehicle reportedly lost control and fell into a deep gorge, officials said. 

Locals in the area had launched a rescue operation on their own by the time medical teams and government officials reached the spot. 

The injured were taken to Saidu Sharif Hospital, the resuce officials said.

Rescue operations are typically difficult in the region due to its rugged mountainous terrain.

Local authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. PTI AYZ SKS ABD SKS

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Beijing, May 11 (PTI) US President Donald Trump will pay an official visit to China from May 13 to 15 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Monday.

This will be the first visit to China by a US president in almost nine years. Trump himself was the last US president to visit China in 2017, during his first term.

The visit comes amid a prolonged war in West Asia involving the US-Israel and Iran, a crisis over the blockade of Strait of Hormuz causing global energy crisis, and increasing tensions between the US and China over a host of issues, including Taiwan.

On Sunday, US principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said Trump would arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening for what she described as a visit of symbolic significance.

According to Kelly, the US leader will attend a welcome ceremony and a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping on Thursday, followed by a visit to the Temple of Heaven and a state banquet, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

The two leaders will meet again on Friday for a bilateral tea and working lunch, she said, adding that the US planned to host the Chinese leader for a reciprocal visit later this year.

Both sides announced on Sunday that Vice-Premier He Lifeng will travel to South Korea for trade talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on May 12 and 13 in the final round of negotiations before Trump's visit.

Trump's visit is taking place amid expectations of a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies following steep tariffs imposed by the US president.

The talks would be guided by the important consensus reached between the two heads of state at their meeting in South Korea’s Busan last year, and in previous phone calls to address economic and trade issues of mutual concern, a Chinese commerce ministry statement said.

Ahead of Trump’s visit, China has been flagging Taiwan as its core concern.

Last week, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during their telephone talks, that the US should make the right choice about the self-ruled Taiwan.

China claims Taiwan as part of its own and has been ramping up military pressure on the island with periodic military drills around the island.

“The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests and the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing on Thursday.

The US officially recognises Beijing as the sole legal government of China but opposes any unilateral change to the status quo, and maintains informal ties and defence support for Taiwan.

The Iran war – besides a number of economic issues including tariffs, AI chip regulation and critical minerals – is expected to figure prominently in the Trump-Xi meeting.

China is a key buyer of Iranian oil and has opposed the US blockade of Iranian ports which affected its energy supplies.

It seems that Trump is much more keen to have this meeting rather than Xi, Bert Hoffman, former World Bank country director for China said.

"And that's in part because he is uncomfortable in his position, not just because of the Iran war, but also because his tariff policies are basically being thrown out by the court", he said.

In a major ruling in February, the US Supreme Court struck down steep tariffs imposed by Trump, holding that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorise the president to unilaterally impose such duties.

On the contrary, Hoffman said, Xi seems to be relatively comfortable as Chinese exports are doing well despite tariff issues with the US. “China’s exports are still doing very well. Imports and domestic demand are not doing so well, and that is of concern”, Hoffman told BBC.

He also said China wants to see the Iran war ended because many of its partners in the region including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait. “So they don't like to see wars, they like to have stability”, he said. PTI KJV ABD ABD

Kathmandu, May 11 (PTI) A Turkish Airlines aircraft caught fire while landing at Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Monday morning, forcing the suspension of flight operations for around two hours, airport officials said.

There were 277 passengers and 11 crew members on board the plane, and all are safe, they said.

The incident occurred at 6:36 am when Turkish Airlines flight TK 726, arriving from Istanbul, caught fire after its rear wheel ignited while touching down at the airport.

Following the incident, airport operations were halted and fire engines were rushed to the spot to bring the blaze under control.

All passengers and crew members were evacuated safely from the aircraft, officials said.

Normal flight operations resumed after 8:30 am.

According to The Himalayan Times newspaper, the aircraft was also carrying some human remains and cargo. It came to a halt on the main runway after the fire incident, disrupting international flight operations.

Authorities said an investigation into the cause of the fire was underway.

Turkish Airlines operates five weekly flights to Nepal from Istanbul.

The Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu connects Nepal to over 40 destinations in 17 countries. PTI SBP SCY SCY

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The government is working with industry to identify about 100 products -- including those from the auto sector -- that are either not produced or manufactured inadequately in India, as part of efforts to boost domestic production, according to a top official.

Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Amardeep Singh Bhatia, said a set of "unique and interesting" products has already been identified, including items from the auto sector such as axles and motorcycle components.

Talking about a series of steps taken by government to make manufacturing competitive in India, he said the "another area where we have been working is to bring in another 100 products which are either not getting manufactured in India as of now or which are not sufficiently being manufactured at the moment".

The objective is to expand manufacturing for both domestic and global markets.

"We are working closely with the industry (on that)," he said adding "lot of things not getting manufactured in India and we have the capability...may be some gaps in technology, which can be bridged.

He was speaking at a CII conference.

Bhatia also said that the department will so launch 'Made in India Brand Scheme'.

"We have had a pilot run with the steel sector, and it has been quite encouraging," he said, adding the scheme will provide a brand with a logo.

A domestic company, he said, will be able to use that Made in India brand to not only indicate the value addition but also assure quality.

He said that the industry will be consulted to finalise the sectors.

Talking about artificial intelligence, he said it is moving "very" fast and is affecting manufacturing through greater productivity and more innovation.

"We should be ready for that...world over, this change has been felt," Bhatia said, adding that the uncertain geopolitical uncertainties too have affected supply chains.

The secretary also urged the domestic industry to invest in India on a long-term basis. "I encourage all of you to take advantage of opportunities being created to do more investments," he said.

He added that the free trade agreements (FTAs) finalised by India would provide huge opportunities for Indian businesses. PTI RR RR MR

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Crisis in the Middle East is creating tremendous pressure, and the industry should follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call by lowering energy cost and getting away with the obsession of gold imports, Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said on Monday.

While speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit, Mittal said there is a need to invest more in the country and move faster towards renewable energy.

"These are difficult times. We, as a country, have been moving at a fantastic speed, growing at 6 per cent to 7 per cent year over year. Generally, things are looking very good. But there are situations that develop, which are beyond anybody's control. The current problem in the Middle East that we are all facing is creating a tremendous amount of pressure on the global economies, and India is no different in that aspect," he said.

Prime Minister Modi on Sunday called for measures by citizens to overcome the challenges emerging from the war involving the US, Israel and Iran, to help the country in many ways, including judicious use of fuel and "save foreign exchange by any means".

Mittal said that the prime minister's message was very profound, and the industry needs to play its role.

"We can't escape the difficulties that the world is facing currently in economic terms. We need to play our part. We have employment of millions of people. We need to get away from this obsession of importing gold. We need to lower our energy costs. We need to move faster towards renewable energy in our industry," he said.

Mittal, also known as the telecom czar of India, said that there is a need to invest more within the country.

"My own company, Airtel, in 2024–25, spent about Rs 31,000 crore in capex. If I include a subsidiary in the towers, there is another Rs 7,000 crores. In 2026 (financial performance), which will be announced in the next two or three days, the investment went up. This is not the moment to shy away. This is the moment to invest, double down in our own country, because the underlying growth is there," he said.

Mittal appealed to industry colleagues to provide made in India and made from India products and services to the large and young population of the country.

He was conferred with the CII President's Award for Lifetime Achievement at the summit for his enduring leadership, contribution to India's economic progress, and commitment towards nation-building.

"I am deeply honoured to receive the CII Lifetime Achievement Award from an institution that has played such an important role in shaping India's economic and industrial progress. This recognition is especially meaningful for me given my long association with CII, including the privilege of serving as its President in 2007 — a period when India was at a powerful economic inflection point, with rising global confidence in the country's growth story," he said. PTI PRS HVA

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Brazilian aerospace major Embraer has inked a contract with Bharat Forge for supply of forged raw materials.

This first supply contract signed with an Indian company reflects Embraer's commitment to advancing the aerospace ecosystem in India and creating long term value across the entire supply chain, a release said on Monday.

"In line with our supply chain diversification strategy, we view India as a major opportunity. This contract reinforces our plans to create a more resilient and competitive supply chain, as well as our commitment to developing the Indian aerospace industry," Roberto Chaves, Executive Vice President of Global Procurement and Supply Chain at Embraer, said.

Embraer is expanding its presence in India.

In January this year, the company along with Adani Group announced a strategic collaboration that aims to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India. PTI RAM ANU

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Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, May 11 (PTI) The Tuljabhawani Temple in Maharashtra's Dharashiv district possesses 253 kilograms of gold and 4,614 kilograms of silver as on March 31 this year, the trust managing it said on Monday.

In a report, Tuljabhawani Temple Trust said it holds 253.30 kilograms of gold and 4614.52 kilograms of silver.

"In 2023-24, the trust received 16.49 kilograms of gold and 260.66 kilograms of silver. The donated quantity increased in 2024-25, reaching 17.62 kilograms of gold and 255.99 kilograms of silver," the report said.

In the 2025-26 fiscal, gold donation decreased but silver increased, it added.

The donated gold figure dropped to 10.78 kilograms but silver increased by nearly 10 kilograms reaching 267.26 kilograms, as per the report.

Tuljabhawani Temple, in Tuljapur, is one of the key places of worship in the state and is considered the main deity of the Bhosale family, the descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. PTI AW BNM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Rural-focused microfinance institution Sindhuja Microcredit on Monday said it has raised USD 5 million (Rs 47 crore) in a pre-series D funding round from its existing investors.

The funding round saw participation from Abler Nordic, GAWA Capital (through its vehicle Huruma Fund) and Oikocredit, the company said in a statement.

The Noida-headquartered NBFC-MFI will utilise the fresh capital to strengthen its capital base, support business expansion, and scale up access to credit for underserved communities.

“We are making significant progress in our mission in touching the lives of low-income women borrowers from under-served households as well as in making financial services accessible to the financially excluded and MSME entrepreneurs through efficient, customer-friendly and technology-enabled solutions,” Sindhuja Microcredit Co-Founders Abhisheka Kumar and Malkit Singh Didyala said in a joint statement.

“The latest funds will drive us to the next phase of growth by further expanding our footprint and strengthening our capability to serve our customers," the statement added.

In its eight years of operations, the company said it has provided micro-loans to over 5 lakh self-employed women and micro-entrepreneurs. PTI ANK SHM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) JSW Energy on Monday posted over 38 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 574 crore in the March quarter of FY 2025-26, mainly on the back of higher revenues.

The consolidated profit of the company stood at Rs 415 crore in the quarter ended on March 31, 2025, a regulatory filing showed.

Total revenue rose to Rs 4,851 crore in the quarter under review from Rs 3,497 crore in the same period a year ago.

The board also recommended a dividend of Rs 2 (20%) per equity share of Rs 10 each.

A company statement said that total revenue increased by 39 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 4,851 crore, resulting in EBITDA growth of 72 per cent YoY at Rs 2,602 crore, driven by contributions from Mahanadi, O2 Power, and organic capacity additions.

Installed capacity increased by 118 MW during the March quarter of FY26 to 13.45 GW, driven by organic renewable capacity addition.

During the last twelve months, the installed capacity addition stood at 2,579 MW, including 1,343 MW of inorganic capacity via the O2 Power portfolio acquisition.

Total installed capacity comprises 7,796 MW of renewable energy (58%) and 5,658 MW of Thermal (42%). The current total locked-in generation capacity stands at 32.1 GW.

Power sales increased by 48 per cent YoY from 7.9 BUs (billion units) to 11.7 BUs in the quarter.

Thermal generation grew by 43 per cent YoY from 6.2 BUs to 8.8 BUs, led by contributions from the Mahanadi Plant and Utkal.

Renewable energy generation rose 68 per cent YoY from 1.7 BUs to 2.9 BUs, primarily driven by contributions from the O2 portfolio and organic capacity additions during the last twelve months.

Net long-term PPA (power purchase agreement) sales grew by 25 per cent YoY from 6.9 BUs to 8.6 BUs.

Short-term thermal sales stood at 3.1 BUs, up 201 per cent YoY, from 1.0 BUs, aided by monetisation of back-down LT volumes at Mahanadi Plant via short-term markets.

Sharad Mahendra, Joint Managing Director and CEO of JSW Energy, said, "FY26 has been a pivotal year as we translated the bold ambitions of Strategy 3.0 into tangible business outcomes. We added 2.6 GW of capacity. Our financial performance reflects this momentum, with the highest-ever EBITA and PAT."

For the entire FY26, the net profit rose to Rs 2,762 crore from Rs 1983 crore in the preceding financial year. Total revenue also increased to Rs 19,878 crore from Rs 12,639 crore in the previous fiscal. PTI KKS SHM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Industrial wastewater recycling solutions provider WOG Technologies on Monday said it has opened a research and development facility with an aim to make advanced sustainability technologies affordable for small enterprises and help in energy efficiency.

The 7,000-sq ft Research, Development & Technology Centre (RD&TC) in Gurugram will work on breakthrough innovations in wastewater recycling, acid recovery, waste-to-energy and AI-driven water intelligence; built in India, designed for the world, WOG Technologies said in a statement.

According to the company, India currently treats only around 37 per cent of its wastewater, even as industries face mounting pressure to meet zero liquid discharge mandates and stricter environmental compliance requirements.

"The RD&TC has been built to bridge that gap, turning research into deployable, commercially viable solutions for both industrial and municipal users," it said.

The Centre is designed to compress the journey from laboratory discovery to industrial deployment, with a clear focus on making advanced sustainability technologies affordable and accessible to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have historically been priced out of cutting-edge solutions, it said.

The centre became operational on the National Technology Day, and is set to demonstrate the generation of made-in-India environmental technologies with a portfolio of proprietary innovations, including the WOG's patented high-efficiency UASB reactor, the company said.

"Innovation in water management, wastewater recycling, renewable technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure will be central to our urban transformation.

"Initiatives like this will accelerate the country’s transition towards cleaner, smarter and more resource-efficient cities," V K Chaurasia, Joint Advisor (PHEE), Central Public Health & Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, said while inaugurating the centre.

Sunil Rajan, Chief Executive Officer, WOG Technologies Limited, said: "The RD&TC is the embodiment of our long-term commitment to engineer solutions for the most pressing water, wastewater and energy challenges of our time."

The company said it is also partnering with leading IITs and global research institutions to deepen its innovation pipeline and accelerate the translation of research into deployable technology.

Part of the WOG Group, WOG Technologies Limited operates globally with subsidiaries including in Singapore. Its services include water treatment, oil separation, wastewater recycling and biogas generation.

As of May 2026, WOG Technologies has executed 185 projects across nine states and three Union Territories in India, as well as 19 countries globally. PTI ABI HVA

Mumbai, May 11 (PTI) Stock markets fell for the third day running on Monday, with the benchmark Sensex tumbling 1,313 points amid rising crude oil prices after the US and Iran failed to reach a peace deal to end the war in West Asia.

The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 1,312.91 points, or 1.70 per cent, to settle at 76,015.28. During the day, it tumbled 1,370.79 points or 1.77 per cent to 75,957.40.

The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 360.30 points or 1.49 per cent to end at 23,815.85. In three sessions since Thursday, Nifty dropped over 2 per cent or 515 points, while Sensex has fallen by nearly 1,950 points or 2.5 per cent.

US President Donald Trump dismissed Iran's response to the latest peace proposal as 'totally unacceptable', dampening hopes of an immediate diplomatic breakthrough, an expert said. Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity measures amplified investor concerns around forex reserves, fuel costs, and consumption outlook, analysts said.

Titan, a leading jewellery and fashion accessories company, was the biggest loser among Sensex companies, dropping by nearly 7 per cent. InterGlobe Aviation, State Bank of India, Bharti Airtel, Eternal and Reliance Industries were among the major laggards.

Sun Pharma, Hindustan Unilever, Adani Ports, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank were the winners.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, traded 2.23 per cent higher at USD 103.5 per barrel.

"The Indian equity markets witnessed a sharp sell-off session today, with benchmark indices correcting more than 1.4 per cent amid rising geopolitical concerns and heightened fears over inflationary pressures.

"Rising uncertainty surrounding crude oil prices and fears of further geopolitical escalation triggered aggressive unwinding of positions, dragging indices lower into the close," Hariprasad K, Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said.

The immediate trigger for today’s weakness came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech on May 10, which the market interpreted as a sign of mounting macroeconomic stress, he said.

"While global uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran conflict and surging crude oil prices had already weakened sentiment, the Prime Minister’s appeal for austerity measures amplified investor concerns around India’s forex reserves, fuel costs, and consumption outlook," Hariprasad added.

Emphasising that the Centre is trying to shield people from the adverse impact of the conflict in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for judicious use of fuel, postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, among other measures, to strengthen the economy.

Addressing a rally organised by the Telangana BJP in Hyderabad, he suggested reducing petrol and diesel consumption, using metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles (EVs), utilising railway services for parcel movement, and working from home to conserve foreign exchange amid the crisis in West Asia.

Stressing the need to conserve foreign exchange amid the crisis, Modi called for postponing gold purchases and foreign travel for one year.

"We have to save foreign exchange by any means," he said, adding that due to the West Asia conflict, prices of petrol and fertilisers had increased significantly.

Jewellery stocks faced heavy selling pressure, with Sky Gold and Senco Gold falling over 12 per cent intra-day before closing lower by over 6 per cent. Senco Gold closed 7.8 per cent lower after falling 10 per cent in the day trade.

Siddhartha Khemka - Head of Research, Wealth Management, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, said, "Brent crude emerged as the key market trigger, surging 4 per cent to around USD 105.7 per barrel, intensifying concerns around imported inflation and India’s external balances."

The BSE MidCap Select index tanked 1.09 per cent and BSE SmallCap Select index declined 0.44 per cent.

Sectorally, Consumer Durables index tumbled 3.76 per cent, Realty (2.74 per cent), MidSmall Private Banks Quality Tilt (2.60 per cent), BSE PSU Bank (2.28 per cent), Consumer Discretionary (2.14 per cent) and Power (2.13 per cent). BSE Healthcare and Hospitals were the winners. A total of 2,892 stocks declined, while 1,457 advanced and 189 remained unchanged on the BSE.

In Asian markets, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index ended lower, while South Korea's benchmark Kospi and Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index settled higher.

Markets in Europe were trading mostly lower. US markets ended higher on Friday.

"The benchmark index slipped below the 24,000 mark as renewed Gulf tensions, following Trump’s rejection of Iran’s peace proposal, weighed on investor sentiment.

"The cautious mood deepened after the PM’s appeal to conserve energy and avoid non-essential foreign travel, prompting investors to reassess the economic impact of higher crude prices, INR weakness, and pressure on the current account deficit," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 4,110.60 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.

On Friday, the Sensex tanked 516.33 points or 0.66 per cent to settle at 77,328.19. The Nifty dropped 150.50 points or 0.62 per cent to end at 24,176.15. PTI SUM MR

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) India needs to proactively focus on prevention in order to be able to solve healthcare problem for its population, Medanta-The Medicity Chairman & Managing Director Naresh Trehan said on Monday.

Globally, the health paradigm is shifting from reactive treatment to proactive prevention, Trehan said, while addressing a session at the CII Annual Business Summit 2026 here.

"That's where the actual solution lies," he added.

He noted that there is no country in the world which has been able to create "an ideal health care system for their entire country", citing examples of even the US and the UK, which have had their own issues.

Turning to India, he said, "We are now at an inflection point where we need to understand that unless we go to this model of proactive prevention, we will never be able to solve the healthcare problem of 1.5 billion (people)." India has the scale, talent and the mandate to seize the opportunity in the shifting global health paradigm, which is moving from system-led to consumer empowered, and from access alone to access plus excellence.

Trehan said while the global consumer wellness market stood at USD 1.8 trillion in 2024, India's preventive healthcare market is projected to be USD 500 billion by 2030.

Acknowledging that providing healthcare to "the population of 1.5 billion is not an easy task", Trehan said, "but it is also an opportunity, because we have that human capital... that God gave us (Indians) the best brain in the world."

Speaking at the session, Panacea Biotech CMD, Rajesh Jain said, "25 years from now, I clearly see that India moves from pharmacy of the world to preventive capital of the world, where the world's largest, scalable, innovative vaccines are being produced."

Citing India's demographic dividend could be an opportunity for adult vaccination, he said, "We are having that complete consumption in India that can actually be a learning ground for the whole world."

Former Member (Health), NITI Aayog, V K Paul, highlighted the need for universal health coverage, which is "unfolding successfully" with a reduction in out-of-pocket expenses.

"In this regard, we expect the private insurance to cover many more people...," he said, adding there was a need for "affordable, effective, reliable, trustworthy, insurance system". PTI RKL HVA

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) "Shape of Momo", the critically-acclaimed debut feature by filmmaker Tribeny Rai, is set for its theatrical release on May 29 in India and Nepal via Rana Daggubati's Spirit Media.

Cannes-winner Payal Kapadia and filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti have boarded as executive producers for the film, which is set in a Himalayan village in Sikkim and traces the lives of women across generations within a single family, shaped by emotional inheritances, silences, and everyday negotiations.

It also reflects the complexity of one’s relationship with home as both a place of comfort and something that can, at times, hold one back.

The film features an ensemble cast of late Bhanu Maya Rai, Gaumaya Gurung, Pashupati Rai, Rahul Mukhia and Shyamashree Sherpa.

"Shape of Momo" has screened at the Busan International Film Festival as well as San Sebastián International Film Festival.

Rai praised Spirit Media and Kapadia for championing her film.

"'Shape of Momo' is my debut feature, told from a personal lens and shaped by

the women and experiences around me. As someone who observes closely, I always

felt my first film had to come from that space.

"To now have the film release in theatres in India feels like a significant milestone for our team. We make films with the hope of experiencing them on the big screen, but we’re also aware of the challenges independent films like ours face, so to see it come together like this feels surreal but also rewarding."

Kapadia called "Shape of Momo" a deeply moving coming-of-age story of a young woman conflicted by her yearning for a home.

"The film feels refreshingly contemporary and Tribeny's stance is strong and uncompromising yet by the end very touching as well. I am so thrilled that this layered film - after a commendable festival journey around the world- will now find its way to audiences across India. I really hope more people come and see this wonderful movie,"

said Kapadia, who is heading the Cannes Critics Week jury this year.

Produced by Dalley Khorsani Production in co-production with Kathkala Films, "Shape of Momo" explores womanhood and relationships, with a crew led largely by women.

Daggubati, whose banner had also released Kapadia's Cannes Grand Prix winner "All We Imagine As Light" in theatres in India, said "Shape of Momo" is a quietly powerful film that gently unfolds and stays with the audience.

"Tribeny brings a very personal lens to the film. She has a refreshing distinct voice as a filmmaker in the way she observes her characters and their world. At

Spirit, we’re drawn to stories that are deeply rooted in their world and told with

emotional honesty, and 'Shape of Momo' really reflects that," he said.

Executive producer Zoya Akhtar said the film is a deeply personal peek into the lives of three generation of Sikkimese women.

"With rare emotional truth, Tribeny Rai’s voice as a filmmaker is confident and clear. We love watching stories from across India, stories that bring distinct, lived-in perspectives and expand the world of Indian cinema. We are so excited that the audience that may never have visited parts of our diverse and lush country, including places like Sikkim, will now get to experience a beautiful and authentic story from there in the cinema,” she said.

Kagti, who was born in Assam, also praised Rai for making the film with sensitivity, warmth and emotional insight. She pointed out that many interesting new voices are emerging from north east.

"There’s an intimacy to the storytelling, but also an expansiveness in the way it engages with family, intergenerational bonds, womanhood, quiet rebellion, and identity. The film arrives at a moment when some of the most exciting independent cinema in India is emerging from newer voices and regions, especially from the Northeast.

"Films like 'Boong', 'Raptures' and 'Village Rockstars' have opened up exciting new creative possibilities within Indian independent cinema, and it’s wonderful to see 'Shape of Momo' become part of that journey." PTI BK

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Mumbai, May 11 (PTI) Filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Nikkhil Advani, and Vasan Bala, who have come together to lend support to indie film “Dug Dug”, say it is their way of amplifying good stories that don't necessarily have the marketing budget to reach their audience.

The four are serving as executive producers on the film, directed by Ritwik Pareek. The movie released in theatres on May 8.

Inspired by true events, “Dug Dug” follows a bizarre phenomenon in a village where a deceased man’s motorbike is believed to grant wishes, provided devotees pray to it and offer alcohol. As word spreads and prayers begin to be answered the belief snowballs into a full-blown, commercialised religion.The comedy mystery satire has garnered positive reviews from audiences.

Motwane, known for movies such as "Udaan" and "Lootera" as well as hit OTT shows "Jubilee" and "Black Warrant", said a niche audience exists for indie cinema, but reaching them remains a challenge without industry backing.

"Indie cinema doesn’t have marketing budget as bigger films have. There’s an audience out there to watch, of course, smaller audience than the ones who will go to see big films.

"But to reach that audience and tell them it’s worth their while, I think having names that can endorse it is necessary, which is why many of us have started this process over the last two or three years, with ‘Stolen,’ ‘Sabar Bonda,’ and ‘Dug Dug’. I gives validation to the film, makes people notice it and opens up a little space for indie films to play alongside the larger ones (films),” he said.

Advani, known for "Kal Ho Naa Ho", "D-Day" and series "Freedom at Midnight", described the quartet's coming together as a “necessary” step for indie cinema, though he believes larger systemic changes are required.

"I'm so happy to support whenever needed. But distribution barriers need to be broken and a solution must be reached, otherwise it’s all going to be very difficult to sustain (for independent cinema),” the filmmaker told PTI.

Kashyap, who has long championed independent voices in cinema, said such collaborations can generate “curiosity”.

“We hope it (combined support to indie films) can generate curiosity for sure and slowly generate trust. After that, the film has to run on its own legs, or we lose that trust. If we build on it, doing so also needs curation,” the filmmaker, who has his new film "Bandar" ready for release, told PTI.

When pointed toward the success of Hollywood indie powerhouses like A24, Kashyap said the absence of dedicated platforms in India could possibly be one reason why indie cinema doesn’t thrive here.

"It's not necessary that what’s working in Hollywood works here too. There they have independent cinemas, we don’t (have it here). There is a diverse audience that they have, while ours seek those films elsewhere. We want to find a way to bring them to cinema and find them a platform and if we succeed in doing so, we give ourselves a platform too.”

Bala, however, downplayed the impact of their endorsement of the film, calling it just a “recommendation.”

“The four of us coming together will not shatter any distribution barriers. It is more like a recommendation because you’re associating your name with it saying, ‘Yes, I believe in the film.’ Beyond that the real hard work and legwork is required,” the "Zigra" director told PTI.

He credited behind-the-scenes efforts of distributors-producers like Ranjan Singh, who often find space in theatres for indie projects.

On whether the fatigue of big-budget “tentpole” films is pushing audiences towards more grounded storytelling, Kashyap said he prefers not to generalise audience behaviour.

“We don’t know what the audience is seeking. I definitely know what the artist or cinephile in me is seeking, so the effort is to create that atmosphere. You get what you vote for. I vote for the alternative (cinema),” the filmmaker said.

Motwane disagrees with this notion, saying that diverse audience preferences have always existed.

“The audience is looking for something new and different all the time and even though 60 to 70 percent will watch a certain kind of thing, there’s 30 percent of the audience that is going to watch something different. We are seeing it on streaming, reels, micro dramas, and the big screen,” he said.

“I don’t think tentpole films are fuelling this counter movement. It’s always been there, it’s always existed. The important thing is to be able to give people options and opportunity to watch something that is not tentpole,” Motwane added. PTI KKP BK

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New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Actors Karan Kundrra and Tejasswi Prakash are set to feature in Netflix's reality series "Desi Bling", which will stream on May 20.

Set in one of Dubai’s most elite desi social circles, the series follows Kundrra and Prakash as they step into a dazzling world of billionaires, brunches, Birkin bags, and bigger egos- where fitting in is far more complicated than it looks, according to a press release.

Kundrra said the series allowed him and Prakash to step into the world that’s completely different from anything they have done earlier.

“'Desi Bling' gave Tejasswi and me a chance to step into a world that’s completely different from anything we’ve done before. Yes, there’s glamour and luxury, but what really surprised us were the relationships, personalities, and dynamics within this circle. It’s exciting, unpredictable, and very real in many ways. We’re excited for audiences across the world to experience this journey with us on Netflix," he said in a statement.

Prakash said, “This show has been such a special journey for me. It’s a beautiful window into the glistening world of Dubai, but at the same time, it has all the elements of classic desi masala. Also it's very different from anything I’ve done in the past because rarely do you see such a blend of reality with fiction.

"There are emotions, relationships, drama- all of which are bound to keep the viewers hooked. I’m grateful to Netflix and Mazen Laham for taking such a keen interest in our lives," she added.

It is produced by Different Productions. PTI ATR

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New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas extended her gratitude to Gold Gala, where she was honoured with the prestigious Global Vanguard Honour at the 5th edition of the event.

The event was held at The Music Centre in Downtown Los Angeles, California, on May 9. The honour is presented to those who have created an indelible global impact, broken cultural barriers, and expanded diverse representation across industries.

Priyanka shared a series of pictures and videos from the event on her Instagram handle on Sunday. She wore a custom sculpted white gown, designed by Amit Aggarwal. It comprised a chikankari design.

"Thank you @goldhouseco for the honour and the feeling of community and belonging last night. I’m so grateful to everyone who has contributed to my journey so far. Onwards and upwards," she wrote in the caption.

Gold Gala is an annual event. The theme for the latest edition was "A New Gold World", which focused on cultural leadership and shared progress. Other celebrities, who were honoured, included the names of Jet Li, Simu Liu, Charles Melton and Eileen Gu, among others. PTI ATR

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New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Actor Anupam Kher went down memory lane as he visited the railway track where the "iconic" scene from Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" was shot and urged the government to turn it into a tourist spot.

The film released in 1995 and was directed by Aditya Chopra. It revolved around Simran and Raj, essayed by Kajol and Khan, who meet during a trip across Europe and fall in love. However, when Raj learns that Simran is already promised to another, he follows her to India to win her and her father over.

"Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" went on to emerge as one of the most remembered films. It was praised for its storyline, performances by the actors and the songs, which resonate with the audience decades after its release.

The train scene, which features Khan extending his hand to Kajol's Simran, who runs towards the train, has been etched in the memories of the audience over the years and has also been recreated in several films.

Kher, who featured as Khan's father, Dharamvir, shared a video on his Instagram handle on Monday as he arrived at Apta Railway Station. The actor said he is sure every Indian around the world knows the train scene of the film.

"I have come to a railway station, an iconic scene of an iconic film was shot here, it is an Indian cinema history that every Indian all over the world must have seen and remembered. The scene is from 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'. It's like going to Sicily for a sequence of 'The Godfather'. These are iconic places...Thankful to Yash ji (Yash Chopra) and Adi (Aditya Chopra), for having me in iconic film", he is heard saying in the video.

The actor added a caption and said while shooting, the actors had no clue they were creating such a landmark in the history of Hindi films. He also requested the government to turn the place into a tourist location.

The film also starred Farida Jalal, Mandira Bedi and Himani Shivpuri in pivotal roles. PTI ATR

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Los Angeles, May 11 (PTI) Filmmaker and actor John Krasinski have started production on his upcoming film "A Quiet Place Part III", the third instalment in the science fiction and horror franchise.

Krasinski, who is also attached to the project as a writer and producer, shared the news with a post on his Instagram handle on Sunday. It featured a clapper board with the backdrop of the Manhattan Bridge Arch and Colonnade in New York City’s Chinatown. "Here. We. Go! #Part III," read the caption.

The film is set to release on July 30, 2027.

The first instalment, which released in 2018, featured Krasinski alongside his wife and actor Emily Blunt. It followed the Abbott family as they struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world terrorised by alien monsters with hypersensitive hearing.

The second release "A Quiet Place Part II", followed the family as they learn the alien predators can be defeated using high-frequency audio. It released in 2020. Both the films went on to collect numbers at the box office. The first film earned over USD 300 million at the global box office, with the second film earning USD 297 million at the global box office.

The filmmaker announced the third release in 2022. Blunt is set to reprise her role in the film. PTI ATR

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New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Bollywood actor Babil Khan is set to make his Malayalam debut with "Gandhi Bazar".

The film is directed by Babu Janardhanan and will also feature Aparna Balamurali, Deepak Parambol, Nikhil Nair, Johny Antony, Jagadish, Sudheer Karamana, Unni Raja, Athmiya, and Jayashankar in pivotal roles.

A source close to the actor said Khan has always opted for the stories that challenge him. “Babil has always been drawn to stories that challenge him and allow him to grow as an artist. Stepping into Malayalam cinema with a project of this scale and creative depth is an incredibly exciting moment. It reflects his desire to explore powerful narratives beyond boundaries and collaborate with storytellers who inspire him," the source added.

Khan, the son of late actor Irrfan Khan, made his acting debut in 2022 with the Netflix psychological drama film "Qala ". He is known for his role in "The Railway Men" series, which revolved around the horrific 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

His last work is the 2025 cyber-thriller film Logout, which premiered on ZEE5. It was directed by Amit Golani and also starred Nimisha Nair alongside Khan. PTI ATR

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Lucknow, May 10 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday announced that the film 'Krishnavataram' has been made tax-free in the state after attending its special screening at the Lok Bhavan auditorium here.

According to an official statement, the screening was organised after the expansion of the state cabinet on Sunday and was attended by Governor Anandiben Patel, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, other cabinet ministers, BJP state president Pankaj Chaudhary and other public representatives.

The statement said the auditorium reverberated with chants of "Krishna-Krishna" and "Radhe-Radhe" during the screening. The chief minister also congratulated the artistes associated with the film on the stage.

Adityanath said the film presents the life of Lord Krishna from a human perspective and depicts the Dwapar era, Sanatan culture and Indian traditions on a grand scale. He said stories of Radha, Rukmini and Satyabhama have also been shown in the film.

The chief minister directed the Information Department to organise special screenings of the film in every district so that children and youth could connect with Indian culture and heritage.

Adityanath described the occasion as a matter of pride for Governor Anandiben Patel, whose granddaughter Sanskruti plays the role of Satyabhama in the film.

Patel said more films based on Indian culture and traditions should be made.

The film released on May 7 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Directed by Hardik Gajjar, the film stars Siddharth Gupta, Sanskruti, Sushmita Bhatt and Nivasini Krishnan in lead roles. Actors Jackie Shroff and Ashutosh Rana have also played key roles in the film. PTI CDN SKY

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Kolkata, May 10 (PTI) Bengali filmstar Jeet on Sunday expressed confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "guarantee" and said he hoped the new BJP government in West Bengal would usher in a "new dawn" for the state.

In a social media post, the actor, whose real name is Jitendra Madnani, said BJP's victory in the state was not merely a political success but a "major commitment" to the people of the state.

"This victory is not just a political success for the BJP, but a major commitment towards the people. West Bengal is a land enriched by resources, talent, culture and the contributions of countless people," Jeet wrote on social media.

"The people of this soil have given a lot to the country through their intellect, hard work and sacrifice. But it is extremely painful that Bengal's pride, self-respect, culture and educational heritage have long been projected in a diminished manner before the country and the world," he added.

The actor said he was hopeful that the BJP government would bring "a new morning" and "new light" for the state.

"Today, I am hopeful that the BJP government will bring a new dawn for Bengal and show a new direction of light. Crores of people continue to place their trust and expectations on the promise made by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji," the actor said.

"I want West Bengal, our beloved Bengal, to again become 'Sonar Bangla' and regain its lost glory. That is my hope. Jai Hind!" he added.

Jeet had on May 4 congratulated the BJP for its "historic victory" in West Bengal and expressed hope that it would mark the beginning of a new chapter of development and progress in the state.

He had also attended the swearing-in of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and five of his cabinet ministers at Brigade Parade Grounds on May 9 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP heavyweights.

Several other Bengali film personalities, including Prosenjit Chatterjee and Mamata Shankar, were also present at the function.

Later, Jeet told reporters that he was also present at the swearing-in ceremony of Mamata Banerjee in 2011.

Unlike fellow Bengali filmstar Dev, who is the TMC MP from Ghatal, Jeet had largely stayed away from publicly expressing his political views over the years. PTI SUS MNB

Chennai, May 10 (PTI) The highly anticipated Vijay-starrer 'Jana Nayagan' is slated to hit theatres within the next two weeks, its producer confirmed on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters at the swearing-in ceremony of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph C Vijay, Venkat K Narayana, founder of KVN Productions, said that the final certification process for 'Jana Nayagan' with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is currently underway.

"Final processes are underway, and we are in discussions with them. We are very happy and excited," he said, adding that 'Jana Nayagan' is expected to be released in approximately 14 days.

The producer, who has collaborated with Vijay on what is being described as the actor’s final film before his full-time transition into politics, praised his commitment.

"I know Vijay sir personally. He is very disciplined and dedicated, and whatever he promises, he fulfils. He walks the talk," Narayana said.

He further suggested that the film’s title and themes align with a "new era" for Tamil Nadu under Vijay’s leadership.

"I think a new leadership, a new era begins… He has turned out to be 'Jana Nayagan' (a man of the people) for the people of Tamil Nadu," the producer added.

While addressing the media, he briefly referred to recent challenges faced by the production, calling certain past incidents "unfortunate", while emphasising that the team is focused on moving forward.

'Jana Nayagan' has generated significant buzz as it marks a pivotal moment in Vijay’s career, coinciding with his recent political transition.

Recently, the film was leaked illegally on online platforms. A freelance assistant editor and several others were arrested in connection with the case.

Fans and industry insiders have been closely monitoring the project following delays in the certification process.

'Jana Nayagan' is directed by H Vinoth, who has previously made films such as 'Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru', 'Nerkonda Paarvai' and 'Thunivu'.

'Jana Nayagan' promises an action-packed experience and also features Bobby Deol, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Pooja Hegde, Narain, Gautham Vasudev Menon, and Mamitha Baiju in key roles.

The film has music composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The technical crew includes editor Pradeep E Ragav, stunt choreographer Analarasu and cinematographer Sathyan Sooriyan. PTI JR SSK

Gonda (Uttar Pradesh), May 11 (PTI) Setting up a fresh showdown with the Wrestling Federation of India, Vinesh Phogat insisted Monday she will compete at the National Open Ranking tournament here and not "take sanyaas", in defiance of a ban by the controlling body of the sport.

She told reporters that she has replied to the WFI's show cause notice, and is eligible to return from retirement. The WFI, however, says she cannot compete until disciplinary proceedings against her are complete.

The WFI had declared Vinesh ineligible to participate in domestic events till June 26, 2026, citing the mandatory six-month notice period linked to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.

"What do you expect me to do? Shall i take sanyaas and stay away? Accept defeat? So that their conspiracy against me succeeds?" Phogat told reporters after meeting the WFI officials.

Immediately after landing at the nearby Ayodhya airport, Vinesh replied to the WFI’s show-cause notice, claiming that Rule 5.6.1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code concerning retired athletes does not apply to her as she had already informed United World Wrestling (UWW) in June about her decision to resume competition after retirement.

As per world governing body UWW's rules, any athlete seeking to return to competition from retirement must notify UWW at least six months in advance while remaining available for testing during that period.

Vinesh argued that her formal intimation to UWW about her comeback fulfilled the procedural requirements needed to return to competition.

She said she had informed the WFI on December 12 that she intended to return to the sport. "Why did you have to wait for six months to give me show cause notice just two days before the competition?" she said.

Still, she gave a short reply initially and will give a full reply within the stipulated 14 days.

WFI sources said the federation was not satisfied with her reply and felt that the wrestler had addressed only the eligibility aspect while failing to respond comprehensively to the broader disciplinary charges levelled against her in the detailed notice issued on Saturday.

“The reply is not enough. She has not answered the full show-cause notice. Until a disciplinary hearing is conducted and the matter is decided, she cannot be permitted to compete,” a WFI source told PTI.

"We will not stop her from coming here but until we have a full explanation, and not just on one issue, she has to wait," added the source.

The controversy erupted after WFI issued a strongly worded show-cause notice to the celebrated wrestler, accusing her of indiscipline, breach of federation rules and anti-doping related procedural violations.

Before that, Vinesh had claimed that WFI was trying to block her entry.

The WFI also maintained that a “wrong narrative” was being spread that the selection criteria for the National Open Ranking Tournament had been altered specifically to prevent Vinesh from competing.

Vinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after her disqualification from the women’s 50kg gold medal bout at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

While her husband Sombir Rathi said that Vinesh never announced her retirement officially, and merely posted it on social media, WFI maintained that a communication from UWW in December 2024 acknowledged that she had intimated the International Testing Agency (ITA) about her retirement.

The federation has sought her explanation on several charges, including her disqualification from the 2024 Paris Games after failing to make weight, alleged whereabouts failures under anti-doping rules, and competing in two weight categories during the March 2024 selection trials conducted by the then IOA-appointed ad-hoc panel.

The weigh-in for the women's wrestlers at the Ranking event is scheduled between 5pm and 7pm on Monday and the competition is scheduled for Tuesday.

The medal winners at the event are likely to get a chance to compete at the World Championship trials later this year but they won't be allowed to compete in Asian Games trials as per the WFI policy. PTI APS APS PDS PDS

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Bangkok, May 11 (PTI) Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu will spearhead India's challenge as the shuttlers shift focus back to individual glory after the country’s bronze-medal finish at the Thomas Cup Finals when the USD 500,000 Thailand Open Super 500 tournament begins here on Tuesday.

Seventh seed Lakshya, who suffered an elbow injury and missed the crucial semifinal against France in Denmark, will open against Singapore's Jason Teh Jia Heng, while Ayush Shetty, who impressed during the Thomas Cup campaign, faces a difficult opener against sixth seed Japan's Kodai Naraoka, a world championships medallist.

In women's singles, sixth seed Sindhu will begin against Chinese Taipei's Tung Ciou-Tong. The 30-year-old from Hyderabad looked sharp during the Uber Cup campaign while sporting an experimental wearable device on her temple, but she will need to close out tight matches better to rediscover her ruthless edge.

With a semifinal finish in Malaysia and a quarterfinal appearance in Indonesia this season, Sindhu has managed to stay just outside the top 10 rankings, but the two-time Olympic medallist will need a consistent run to end her title drought.

Former world championships silver medallist Kidambi Srikanth, who reached the finals of the Malaysia Masters and Syed Modi International last season, has shown flashes of brilliance but has often struggled with inconsistency and unforced errors.

Now 33, Srikanth faces an uphill task to return to the podium regularly and will hope to make a strong start against eighth seed Loh Kean Yew in a rematch of the 2021 World Championships final.

Tharun Mannepalli, whose progress has frequently been interrupted by injuries and niggles, will take on Japan's Koki Watanabe.

Among other Indian women in fray, Unnati Hooda faces fourth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong in a tough opener, while Devika Sihag meets Japan's Natsuki Nidaira and Tanvi Sharma takes on Hina Akechi.

Malvika Bansod will open against Canada's Wen Yu Zhang, while Anmol Kharb has been handed a daunting first-round clash against second seed and former Olympic champion Chen Yufei. Isharani Baruah will face a qualifier.

In men's doubles, top seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will face Indonesia's Muh Putra Erwiansyah and Bagas Maulana.

The Asian Games champion pair of Rankireddy and Shetty will hope to regain their dominance after appearing slightly subdued on their return at the Thomas Cup Finals following the former's shoulder injury.

Seventh seeds Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun, who impressed at the Thomas Cup, will face Chinese Taipei's Chen Zhi Ray and Lin Yu Chieh.

In women's doubles, sisters Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda will be India's lone representative and face Taiwan's Lin Chih-Chun and Yang Chu Yun.

In mixed doubles, Rohan Kapoor and Gadde Ruthvika Shivani will face China's Jiang Zhen Bang and Li Yi Jing, while Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will look to regain rhythm against Denmark's Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje.

Young Indian pair Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh will also be in action. PTI ATK SSC

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Dubai, May 11 (PTI) India retained the top position in the ICC's men's ODI team rankings after the latest annual update with reigning world champions Australia claiming the third spot.

In a statement issued on Monday, the ICC said, "India remain at the pinnacle of the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings after the latest annual update, leading second-placed New Zealand (113 points) by a narrow five-point margin, while Australia (109 points) retain the third place to round off the top three."

India have slipped marginally by a single rating point, and now have 118 points to their name.

The annual rankings update applies full weightage (100 percent) to matches played since May 2025, while results from the previous two years are given half weightage (50 percent).

South Africa's tally of 102 points allowed them to edge past Pakistan's 98 points and break into the top four.

The remainder of the top 10 remains unchanged, with Sri Lanka (96), Afghanistan (93) and England (89) completing the top eight.

Bangladesh are ninth with 84 points, while the West Indies are on 74 points now, and trail the Tigers by 10 points compared to six in the previous update.

"This particular outcome has important ramifications for both the sides, as they seek to secure a direct qualification for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027," the ICC said.

"The top eight teams in the ICC Rankings as of March 31, 2027 will secure direct qualification alongside hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, who have automatically qualified," it added.

In this context, if South Africa continue to remain in the top eight positions, given their automatic qualification for the tournament, the ninth spot becomes key to a direct World Cup ticket.

Ireland (54) have edged past Zimbabwe (53) into 11th place, while USA climbed to 13th, overtaking Scotland with a tally of 46 points compared to Scotland's 44.

UAE also made gains, moving to 19th after overtaking Canada with a tally of 16 points. PTI PM PM PDS

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Myrtle Beach (USA), May 11 (PTI) Aaron Rai carded a final round of even par 71 to finish the week as sole fifth on the leaderboard at the Myrtle Beach Classic, a PGA Tour event held opposite the Truist Championship, a Signature event.

Rai had led the field coming into the weekend before dropping down but still secured a top five finish. Rai had a total score of 15-under par (65-67-66-71). He will play the PGA Championship next.

Brandt Snedeker took the title after carding a final round of 5-under 66.

Rai began his final round at Myrtle Beach with a birdie on the first hole before making four consecutive bogeys starting at the seventh hole. Birdies on the 11th and 12th holes along with a late birdie on the 18th hole allowed Rai to finish the day with an even par score and hold onto the fifth place on the leaderboard.

Snedeker had a total score of 18-under par (67-66-67-66) and won the title by a single stroke. Third day leader Mark Hubbard finished in second place, one stroke behind Snedeker, with a total of 17-under par (66-67-64-70). Beau Hossler and Kevin Roy finished in T-3 with a total of 16-under par.

The 2026 Presidents Cup Captain earned his 10th PGA Tour win and a spot at Aronimink where the PGA Championship will be held. The 45-year-old last played in a PGA in 2020. With his win in the competing PGA Tour event, Snedeker joined Justin Rose and Gary Woodland as players in their 40s winning this season. PTI Cor AH

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Barcelona, May 11 (PTI) Indian golfer Yuvraj Sandhu produced a strong final round, carding 3-under 69, to finish at T-31 at the Estrella Damn Catalunya Championship golf tournament here.

The 29-year-old had struggled on the second and third days despite a promising start to the week. He shot 68-72-73-69 on the four days to total 7-under for four rounds.

Yurav Premlall of South Africa won the title by a comfortable margin of 14 strokes as he recorded a second consecutive round of 9-under 63 to finish the week at 28-under par (70-64-63-63).

Sandhu began his final day with four pars before making his first birdie of the day on the fifth hole. Two consecutive birdies on the ninth and 10th holes saw Sandhu move up to 3-under par for the day before bogeys on the 12th and 15th holes resulted to him falling back down to 1-under par.

Late birdies on the 16th and 18th holes helped Sandhu climb back up to T-31, his strongest finish of the season so far.

Premlall recorded his first win on the DP World Tour in style as he set the record for the largest margin between first and second place outside of the majors with his 14 stroke lead over fellow countryman Shaun Norris, who finished second this week.

The record for the largest margin of victory belongs to Tiger Woods for his 15 lead at the 2000 US Open, but Premlall’s margin was a record on DP World Tour. PTI Corr PDS PDS

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London, May 11 (PTI) The England cricket team might tour Nepal for a short white-ball series during the 2027-31 cycle, a media report has stated, suggesting that the plan was discussed at a meeting between the two Boards during the T20 World Cup in India.

According to ESPNCricinfo, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is open to the idea of a three-match T20 series against Nepal before engagements like a tour of India.

"England's men could become the biggest international team yet to tour Nepal, with the ECB exploring the prospect of scheduling a short T20I series at some stage in the 2027-31 international cycle," the website reported.

England and Nepal squared off for the first time during the T20 World Cup when the South Asian nation fell short by a mere four runs at the Wankhede Stadium.

"...ESPNcricinfo has learned that Paras Khadka - the former Nepal captain who is now CAN (Cricket Association of Nepal) secretary - met ECB officials in India in the days following that match," the report stated.

"While the ECB are wary of packing even more fixtures into their busy men's international schedule, a two or three-match T20I series could double as preparation for another series and add only a few days to their itinerary."

Nepal captain Rohit Paudel has said that having a high-profile team like England tour his country would be a huge deal for the local players.

"It would mean a lot, especially if Australia or England comes to Nepal. That would show world cricket (that) Nepal also plays cricket, and plays decent cricket... It is very important," he said.

"...the only way you improve as a cricketer is when you play against better cricketers, when you play against better opponents. That's when you learn the game," Khadka said.

England's will host Australia for the Ashes next year followed tours by Pakistan (June) and New Zealand (September). PTI PM PM PDS

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Charlotte (USA), May 11 (PTI) Indian-born Canadian golfer Sudarshan Yellamaraju, trying to force his way into a maiden Major appearance at the PGA Championship, carded a 1-under 70 to finish tied for 19th on the final day of the Truist Championship here.

He finished with a four-day total of 5-under par (71-69-69-70).

Rookie golfer Kristoffer Reitan, who finished the week at 15-under par (66-70-64-69), became only the second Norwegian after Viktor Hovland to win on the PGA Tour.

Besides Yellamaraju, the other two Indian-origin players, Akshay Bhatia (70) and Sahith Theegala (77), finished well down the leaderboard.

Bhatia finished tied for 37th at 2-under par with rounds of 68-70-74-70.

Theegala had a difficult final day, carding a 6-over 77 to fall to 69th with a total score of 8-over par (72-71-72-77).

Yellamaraju began his final round with an early bogey on the fourth hole and was still 1-over par at the turn despite a birdie on the seventh and a dropped shot on the ninth.

On the back nine, Yellamaraju made consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th holes, followed by another on the 14th, before finishing the round with a bogey on the 18th. PTI Cor AM AM

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Gonda (Uttar Pradesh), May 11 (PTI) Vinesh Phogat arrived here on Monday and replied to the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) show-cause notice, claiming that she was eligible to return from retirement even though the national federation maintained that she cannot be allowed to compete in the ongoing National Open Ranking tournament.

The WFI said she cannot compete until disciplinary proceedings against her are complete.

The national federation had earlier declared Vinesh ineligible to participate in domestic events till June 26, 2026, citing the mandatory six-month notice period linked to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.

Immediately after landing in Ayodhya, Vinesh replied to the WFI’s show-cause notice, claiming that Rule 5.6.1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code concerning retired athletes does not apply to her as she had already informed United World Wrestling (UWW) in June about her decision to resume competition after retirement.

In her response, Vinesh argued that she had formally intimated UWW about her comeback well in advance and, therefore, fulfilled the procedural requirements needed to return to competition.

However, WFI sources said the federation was not satisfied with her reply and felt that the wrestler had addressed only the eligibility aspect while failing to respond comprehensively to the broader disciplinary charges levelled against her in the detailed notice issued earlier.

“The reply is not enough. She has not answered the full show-cause notice. Until a disciplinary hearing is conducted and the matter is decided, she cannot be permitted to compete,” a WFI source told PTI.

The controversy erupted after WFI issued a strongly worded show-cause notice to the celebrated wrestler, accusing her of indiscipline, breach of federation rules and anti-doping related procedural violations.

Before that, Vinesh had claimed that WFI was trying to block her entry.

The WFI also maintained that a “wrong narrative” was being spread that the selection criteria for the National Open Ranking Tournament had been altered specifically to prevent Vinesh from competing.

Vinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after her disqualification from the women’s 50kg gold medal bout at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

While her husband said that Vinesh never announced her retirement officially, and merely posted it on social media, WFI has maintained that a communication from UWW in December 2024 acknowledged that she had intimated the International Testing Agency (ITA) about her retirement.

Vinesh, on the other hand, has argued that she had subsequently informed the world body about her intention to return and was therefore eligible to enter the tournament in Gonda.

The weigh-in for the women's wrestlers is scheduled between 5pm and 7pm on Monday and the competition is scheduled for Tuesday.

The medal winners at the event are likely to get a chance to compete at the World Championship trials later this year but they won't be allowed to compete in Asian Games trials as per the WFI policy. PTI APS APS PDS

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Sydney, May 11 (PTI) Australia has rested its premier pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood for the upcoming limited-overs tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh, opting to manage their workloads following a gruelling Indian Premier League season.

The decision opens the door for fresh talent even as Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood use the break to prepare for Australia's World Test Championship campaign, which resumes in August with a two-match home Test series against Bangladesh.

The trio will miss the three-match series against Pakistan starting May 30, with uncapped all-rounder Liam Scott and Australia Under-19 World Cup captain Ollie Peake earning their first senior international call-ups in a new-look Australian squad.

The IPL concludes on May 31.

Young batter Joel Davies is another new face after he was selected for the T20 series against Bangladesh in June.

Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett, who are all involved in the ongoing IPL with various franchises, will, however, travel to Bangladesh once their commitments in India are completed, while veteran all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was omitted altogether.

Mitchell Marsh will be the captain across both tours as Australia begins their preparations for the ODI World Cup to be held in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in October next year.

Australian selection panel chairman George Bailey said the tours presented opportunities for emerging players.

"It's always exciting to see new players get an opportunity to play international cricket and be a part of the national team," Bailey said.

"The blend of experienced players coupled with new or returning players will provide a nice mix for these subcontinent tours.

"Continuing to provide opportunities for players to develop across a broad range of conditions and experiences is important and will continue to be a focus over the next 18 months to two years."

Australia play Pakistan in three ODIs in Rawalpindi (May 30) and Lahore (June 2 and 4) before travelling to Bangladesh for three ODI games in Dhaka (June 9, 11 and 14) and three T20 Internationals in Chattogram (June 17, 19 and 21).

Australia ODI squad for Pakistan: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matthew Short, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa.

Australia ODI squad for Bangladesh: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Adam Zampa.

Australia T20 squad for Bangladesh: Mitchell Marsh?(captain), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa. PTI AH AH AM

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Kolkata, May 11 (PTI) The West Bengal Police on Monday arrested three persons from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in connection with the killing of Chandranath Rath, an aide of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, after investigators pursued leads from a UPI transaction made at a toll plaza by one of the suspects.

Investigators described the development as a "breakthrough".

The three accused were remanded to 13-day police custody after they were brought to West Bengal and produced before a court in North 24 Paraganas district, an officer said.

The three accused were detained on Sunday and arrested this morning by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the murder that occurred in North 24 Parganas district's Madhyamgram area on the night of May 6.

“This is a breakthrough. The investigation indicated that the assailants were from outside West Bengal. Based on technical surveillance, digital tracking and other inputs, members of the SIT were sent to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They arrested the three persons from UP and Bihar. They have been brought to West Bengal on transit remand," the officer told PTI.

Investigators traced "digital clues and interstate links" in the case, he said.

During the probe, it emerged that a car, suspected to have been used by the attackers, had crossed the Bally toll plaza before the murder, said the officer, adding that one of the occupants allegedly paid the toll through a UPI transaction.

"That digital payment helped investigators identify a mobile number and establish the identity of one of the suspects. The trail eventually led our team to the accused," the officer said.

The SIT sleuths were matching the identities of the arrested men with CCTV footage and images of the vehicle and its occupants captured at the toll plaza, he said.

"The three were produced before the Barasat court in North 24 Parganas district, and were remanded to 13-day police custody," the officer said.

The court asked the police to produce them again on May 24, he said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) prayed for two weeks' police custody of the accused, he said.

The three were charged with murder, possession of illegal arms, criminal conspiracy, and suppression of evidence under various sections of BNS, he said.

"Two accused - Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya - were detained from Buxar in Bihar, while the third one, Raj Singh, was detained from Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) on Sunday. After interrogation, all three were arrested this morning," a senior police officer said.

Earlier, the police had wrongly identified Vicky Maurya as Vishal Srivastava, and also claimed that all three were arrested from Uttar Pradesh.

At least eight people were involved in the conspiracy and execution of the murder, he said.

The police believe that the attackers had carried out detailed reconnaissance before targeting Rath, he said.

“The murder was executed with meticulous planning. The assailants had taken several measures to conceal their identities and movements. Investigators have been relying heavily on digital footprints, CCTV footage and technical evidence to find out the sequence of events,” the officer said.

The interrogation of the arrested persons is underway, he said.

Two days after the declaration of the fiercely fought West Bengal assembly poll results, Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram.

The SIT continued to conduct raids in multiple areas across West Bengal to trace the remaining suspects, the officer added. PTI SCH SUS BDC

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) A 35-year-old labourer was allegedly beaten to death by his brother-in-law and another man after a drunken quarrel over a "trivial" issue, with the accused later burying his body under sand on the fourth floor of an under-construction building in Delhi's Shahdara area, police said on Monday.

The victim's brother-in-law, Aakash Rai, and his associate, Man Singh Rai alias Ranu, who worked as a watchman at another under-construction building nearby and has multiple criminal cases against him, were arrested from Madhya Pradesh, they said.

The deceased was identified as Ram Sewak, a daily wage labourer from Tikamgarh district in Madhya Pradesh and father of four, who worked at construction sites.

According to the police, the murder came to light on May 6 when a foul smell was reported from an under-construction building in Naveen Shahdara area.

A police team rushed to the spot at around 6 pm and found the decomposed body of an unidentified man concealed beneath a heap of sand on the fourth floor of the building.

The police said the victim's face had decomposed severely, making identification difficult. Crime and forensic teams were called to inspect the spot and collect evidence, while the body was shifted to GTB Hospital mortuary for a postmortem.

During the inquiry, the police learned that the foul smell was first noticed by a contractor engaged in POP work at the site, who informed the main contractor of the building.

An FIR was registered at Shahdara police station and multiple teams were formed to crack the case.

"Teams scanned footage from nearly 100 CCTV cameras installed around the locality and simultaneously developed local intelligence to identify the deceased and trace possible suspects," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena said.

During analysis of the CCTV footage and technical inputs, suspicion fell on Aakash and Ranu, who was working as a chowkidar at another under-construction building nearby.

"The duo had been seen with Ram Sewak on the night of May 2 and a heated altercation had reportedly broken out among them," the DCP said.

The investigators found that both suspects had suddenly left Delhi on May 4 on the pretext of visiting their native village in Madhya Pradesh and their mobile phones were switched off since then. Based on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs, police teams conducted raids in Tikamgarh and eventually apprehended both the accused from their hideouts.

"During interrogation, the accused confessed to the murder and disclosed that Ram Sewak was Aakash's brother-in-law. The accused said that all three had consumed liquor together on May 2 when an argument erupted over a trivial issue. During the fight, the victim allegedly abused the duo and hit Ranu on the head with a brick," the DCP claimed.

Enraged over the assault, Aakash and Ranu allegedly attacked Ram Sewak with utensils lying in their kitchen, resulting in his death, the police said.

To destroy evidence, the accused allegedly carried the body through the interconnected rooftops of the two buildings and buried it under sand on the fourth floor, believing the area was rarely visited.

While Aakash is a daily wage labourer with one previous criminal case, co-accused Ranu has multiple criminal cases registered against him in Madhya Pradesh, the police said. PTI BM RT

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, May 11 (PTI) The process of cancelling the corporatorship of AIMIM leader Matin Patel, booked for harbouring Nashik TCS sexual harassment-forced conversion case accused Nida Khan, will be undertaken after documents related to his house are verified, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar mayor Sameer Rajurkar said on Monday.

Khan was arrested on May 7 from Chhatrapati Sambhajninagar after being on the run since the case came to the fore following complaints from staffers of the IT major's Nashik unit. The complainants have alleged exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion to Islam, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment, as per police.

Patel was booked for harbouring Khan and her kin, following which the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation issued a notice to him over alleged illegal construction at his house.

"If Patel has indulged in illegalities, his membership of the civic body should be cancelled. Action has been initiated under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, which clearly states that no information should be hidden when the nomination form for civic polls is filed," Rajurkar told reporters.

Section 10 (1) (D) of Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act clearly states that if any corporator, spouse or dependent violates norms associated with construction etc, then his or her corporator post is liable to be cancelled, the mayor added.

"The civic chief will call for all the documents from Patel and give his verdict after verifying them. If the house constructed by Matin Patel is illegal, then his post of corporator should be cancelled," Rajurkar said.

Deputy mayor and Shiv Sena leader Rajendra Janjal said the illegal portions of Patel's house must be razed, adding he should be also be punished for giving shelter to Nida Khan while she was on the run from the law.

Meanwhile, leader of opposition in the civic body and AIMIM leader Sameer Sajid said the mayor has no right to cancel the corporator post of Patel.

He said Patel will reach out to the courts in this matter. PTI AW BNM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Delhi Police has arrested two people from Jharkhand for allegedly duping a 65-year-old man of more than Rs 10 lakh through an APK file-based cyber fraud, an official said on Monday.

The accused, Amarnath Rabidas, 20, and Bikash Rabidas, 21, both residents of Jharkhand's Dhanbad district, were arrested on May 9, he said.

According to police, the case came to light after complainant Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Meet Nagar in northeast Delhi, lodged a complaint.

Kumar alleged that on April 25, he received a call from an unknown person claiming to be calling regarding the updation of KYC details linked to his bank accounts.

"The caller allegedly asked him to download a file on his phone. Soon after, Rs 10,52,938 was fraudulently withdrawn from his bank accounts through unauthorised transactions," a senior police officer said.

Based on the complaint, an e-FIR was registered on April 26. During the investigation, a police team analysed technical evidence and tracked one of the suspects to Jharkhand.

Police first arrested Amarnath Rabidas from the Pithakyari area of Jaharkhand's Dhanbad district and recovered three mobile phones from his possession. During interrogation, he disclosed the involvement of his associate Bikash Rabidas, who was subsequently apprehended and another mobile phone was seized from him.

The accused allegedly revealed that they cheated people using APK files and routed the defrauded money through multiple bank accounts before withdrawing cash through ATMs.

Police said Rs 2.05 lakh of the cheated amount has been frozen in a bank account during the investigation.

Five other complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) were also found linked to the recovered mobile phones. Further investigation is underway. PTI BM BM SHS

SHS

Nashik, May 11 (PTI) A Nashik court on Monday remanded TCS sexual harassment-forced conversion case accused Nida Khan in judicial custody till May 24.

Khan was produced in the court of Additional Sessions Judge K G Joshi after her police remand ended during the day. She was arrested on May 7 from Chhatrapati Sambhajninagar after being on the run since the case came to the fore following complaints from staffers of the IT major's Nashik unit.

Khan, who is pregnant, was sent to judicial custody as the police did not seek her remand during the hearing. She is lodged in Nashik Road central jail.

Besides Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions for sexual harassment and defamation, Khan has also been booked under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as the complainant is a Scheduled Caste individual and Khan tried to forcibly convert her despite knowing the fact.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is investigating nine FIRs in the matter. One case was registered at Deolali Camp police station and eight with Mumbai Naka police station.

The complainants have alleged exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion to Islam, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment, as per police.

After her name figured in a First Information Report registered at Deolali Camp police station, Khan (27) had moved the sessions court last month seeking anticipatory bail, pleading innocence and citing her three months pregnancy. Rejecting the plea on May 2, the court had said there seemed to be a "systematic plan" of brainwashing the victim. PTI COR BNM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested six operatives and sharpshooters allegedly linked with the Rashid Cablewala-Hashim Baba gang and recovered 10 illegal firearms, including a rifle, and 81 live cartridges from their possession, an official said on Sunday.

The accused were identified as Faiz Qureshi (26), Maaz (24), Nawajish (32), Affak (24), Imran alias Teli (39) and Arshad alias Chota (25), all residents of northeast Delhi, he said.

According to police, the accused were active members and henchmen of the gang operating in the trans-Yamuna region, and were allegedly planning attacks against rival gang members.

"A team of the crime branch was conducting surveillance on active gangs and wanted criminals when it received information on May 6 that several associates of Rashid Cablewala and Hashim Baba had gathered at a club on Pusa Road in central Delhi," a senior police officer said.

A police team kept surveillance outside the premises as the club was heavily crowded and apprehended four suspects when they came outside around 4 am, the officer said.

During a search, police recovered four sophisticated pistols, including two Italy-made Beretta pistols, and 32 live cartridges from their car.

"Subsequently, based on sustained interrogation and follow-up raids, two more gang operatives were arrested and additional illegal weapons were recovered," he said.

The total recovery includes nine pistols of .30 and .32 calibre with 77 live cartridges, and one .312-bore rifle along with four cartridges, police said.

According to investigators, the accused were in direct contact with fugitive gangster Rashid Cablewala through a web application and were allegedly involved in extortion, illegal betting and gang-related activities.

Police said Rashid Cablewala, a close associate of jailed gangster Hashim Baba, is believed to be operating from Dubai, while the latter is lodged in Tihar Jail.

The gang is allegedly linked in several murders, extortion bids and firing incidents across Delhi in recent years, including the murders of businessmen Nadir Shah and Sunil Jain.

A case has been registered and further investigation into the matter is underway, the official said. PTI BM BM ARB

ARB

Kasaragod (Kerala), May 11 (PTI) A 26-year-old woman allegedly died by suicide in Kasaragod district days after her fiancé succumbed to injuries sustained in a road accident, police said on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Prafulla, a native of Kumbla in the district.

Police said her marriage had recently been fixed with Mani, a native of Tamil Nadu.

The groom had suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident about a month ago and died while undergoing treatment two weeks ago.

According to police, Prafulla had been under severe emotional distress following his death.

She was found hanging at her residence on Sunday evening.

Police reportedly recovered a suicide note in which she expressed a wish to be cremated near her fiancé’s burial site. PTI LGK SSK

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Two women from the Northeast were allegedly molested, assaulted and subjected to racist remarks by a group of men outside a club in southeast Delhi's Nehru Place area, with police saying four people have been identified in the case and raids are underway to arrest them.

The incident took place around 6.30 am on May 10 near a tea stall outside the hotel, police said.

According to the police, a PCR call regarding women in distress was received at the Kalkaji police station at around 7 am, following which local police teams rushed to the spot and found the two women there.

"Preliminary enquiry revealed that the women were allegedly subjected to derogatory remarks and abuses by a group of men, which later escalated into a physical altercation," a senior police officer said.

The women alleged that they were having tea outside the hotel when two men started catcalling them. Soon, several others allegedly joined in, leading to an argument that later turned violent.

"One of the complainants alleged that she was molested during the incident and that her clothes were torn. The women also alleged that racist remarks were passed against them by the accused," the officer said.

One of the women also alleged that she was attacked with a bamboo stick while they were attempting to leave the spot. The accused also allegedly blocked their path and threatened them with consequences if they disclosed the incident.

"Both women were rushed to AIIMS for medical examination after police reached the scene. A case has been registered at the Kalkaji police station under Sections 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 74 (assault of criminal force to against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 78 (stalking) and 3(5) (common intentions) of the BNS on May 10 and investigation was taken up immediately," the officer said.

The women informed the police that they would be able to identify the accused if produced before them.

As part of the probe, CCTV footage from nearby areas was scanned, and several witnesses and passersby present during the incident were identified and questioned.

During the investigation, eight individuals, including witnesses and passersby, were rounded up and questioned, following which four main accused involved in the incident were identified, police said.

Multiple police teams have been formed, and raids are underway at locations linked to the accused to apprehend them. No arrests have been made so far, police said. PTI BM BM MPL

MPL

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested a man from Bihar's Jamui district in connection with a credit card fraud case involving Rs 3.99 lakh, an officer said on Monday.

The accused, identified as Sachin Kumar (26), was arrested after an investigation into an online complaint, he said.

According to police, the complainant, a resident of Shakur Basti, had reported that he received a call regarding switching to an eSIM. After he rejected the offer, his mobile network suddenly stopped functioning.

"The next day, when he visited a telecom store, he found that an eSIM had already been issued against his number, and his Aadhaar had also been locked," a senior police officer said.

After restoring his mobile and banking services, the complainant discovered that purchases worth Rs 3.99 lakh had been made using his credit card through his e-commerce account, the officer added.

She further said that based on the complaint, an e-FIR was registered on February 8. During investigation, police found that the goods were sent to incomplete addresses in Delhi and Patna.

"Technical analysis and surveillance further revealed that the account had been operated from Jamui in Bihar, following which a police team conducted a raid with assistance from the local police and apprehended the accused," the officer said.

Police said two mobile phones and two LED televisions purchased from the proceeds of crime were recovered from his possession. During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that he had learnt methods of stealing credentials from open-source platforms.

He used the victim's eSIM access to gain control over banking and shopping accounts and purchased electronic items using saved card credentials, they said.

The accused would allegedly order products at roadside locations with incomplete addresses to avoid detection and later sell them in the open market at discounted prices. PTI BM PRK

Mumbai, May 11 (PTI) The Bombay High Court has expressed shock over the manner in which a printing press set up by Dr B R Ambedkar in Mumbai was demolished in 2016 and rapped the city police for failing to act despite complaints against the move.

A bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Kamal Khata, in the order passed on April 30, directed the Mumbai police commissioner to file his personal affidavit on the issue.

It was rare that demolition was carried out post-midnight, the court noted in the order, a copy of which was made available on Monday. The HC also sought an affidavit from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner explaining whether demolitions at such hours are a normal practice in the city.

The order was passed on a bunch of petitions, including one filed by Prakash Ambedkar, the leader of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and grandson of B R Ambedkar. The petitions had raised concerns over the "illegal" demolition of the historic Buddha Bhushan printing press at Dadar in central Mumbai in June 2016.

As per the pleas, Dr B R Ambedkar had in 1930 purchased two plots of land with his own funds in Dadar. In 1945, he created a trust on one piece of land and constructed the printing press. The second plot had two buildings - Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhawan and Yashodhara Sanganak Kendra.

The trustees had certain disputes and under the garb of a false structural audit report, six of them, who were named as accused by the petitioners, instigated the BMC to issue a notice stating that the printing press building was in a dilapidated condition, the pleas claimed.

In June 2016, the accused trustees came to the printing press building along with a mob of over 400 persons to demolish the structure.

When Prakash Ambedkar's brother Anand rushed to the Bhoiwada police station, urging them to stop the illegal demolition, the police refused to act, pursuant to which the Buddha Bhushan printing press was demolished, the pleas alleged.

They also claimed that during the illegal demolition, machines purchased by Dr B R Ambedkar, preserved documents in his handwriting and the "Panchshil Flag" were also damaged.

An FIR was later registered against the trustees on a complaint by Prakash Ambedkar, but he, in his petition, claimed that no proper investigation was being carried out.

The high court, in its order, expressed shock at the affidavit submitted by the assistant commissioner of police denying the allegations, terming them as vague and baseless.

"It is deeply disturbing to read such a thoughtless affidavit. We are constrained to express our shock at the audacity and the manner in which the police responded to the complaints. It is rare, if not unprecedented, for the BMC or any authority to carry out demolition between 12 am and 7 am," the bench said.

It pulled up the police for failing to promptly proceed to the site and halt what appears to have been an illegal demolition, and said there was an evident inaction on the part of the police.

The court ordered the city police commissioner to file a detailed affidavit in response to the petitions and to also disclose the names of the officers who were on duty at the Bhoiwada police station when the incident occurred.

It also impleaded the BMC commissioner and directed an affidavit to be filed stating whether permission for demolition was taken and if it was granted.

"The BMC commissioner shall also state where demolitions were carried out or permitted to be carried out by the civic body in Mumbai between midnight and 6 am or was this an isolated case where such a thing has occurred," the HC said.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on June 15. PTI SP GK

Bengaluru, May 11 (PTI) A 23-year-old woman from Manipur has alleged that she was subjected to harassment and physical assault on several occasions by her employers at the IIM campus here, police said on Monday.

The alleged offences took place between June 1, 2021, and May 4, 2026, they said.

According to the police, in her complaint, the woman alleged that she had been working for nearly six years as a caretaker for the children of her employers, identified as Amar and Anshu, and had been residing with them on the IIM-B campus.

Since 2021, the employers had allegedly not been providing her with adequate food. She also alleged that whenever she fell ill, they physically assaulted her and snatched away her mobile phone.

In her complaint, the woman stated that she did not remember the exact dates and times of the incidents, but alleged that the couple had physically assaulted her on several occasions.

She further alleged that the last incident of physical assault took place on April 15 at around 2.30 am, when her employer, Anshu, allegedly pulled her hair and assaulted her.

According to the FIR, the employers allegedly assaulted her several times whenever she spoke to others, but she did not inform anyone out of fear.

The woman also alleged that her employers used to check the messages on her mobile phone and prevented her from going outside, police said.

She further alleged that on May 4, she was not given food from the morning onwards, following which she sought help from neighbours, who gave her food.

Using a neighbour’s phone, she informed her aunt, who lives in Bengaluru and is the president of the Kuki Students Organisation Bangalore.

Following her complaint, a case was registered at the Mico Layout Police Station on May 6 under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 127(4) (wrongful confinement) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

“All allegations are being looked into, and the matter is currently under investigation,” a senior police officer said. PTI AMP SSK

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has constituted a special task force under the chairpersonship of the Urban Development Department's joint secretary for the beautification, redevelopment, and maintenance of the Anand Vihar Bus Terminal area.

A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Madhu Jain said a beautification plan -- prepared by the PWD and approved by the task force -- be placed before it on May 26 and directed the police to ensure that no unauthorised vending takes place in the area in the meantime.

In an order passed on May 5 on a petition concerning vending activities in the area, the bench said the task force would comprise a deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

It will also have nominated officials from the PWD, Delhi Transport Department, Indian Railways, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Regional Rapid Transit System, National Capital Region Transport Corporation, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the SHO of Patparganj Industrial Area police station.

The court remarked that a task force was required in this case as the redevelopment of Anand Vihar Bus Terminal area could not be done by any particular agency on a standalone basis.

It directed the first meeting of the officials to be held on May 20, and said, "The special ‘Task force’ shall work towards formulating a comprehensive plan for the beautification, development, and maintenance of the Anand Vihar Bus Terminal area."

The court stated that the PWD would avail the services of a qualified architect, who would prepare a detailed plan, including a proper sketch as well as a 3D electronic representation showing the proposed landscaping and beautification.

It also said that specific locations for authorised street vendors shall be identified and earmarked, ensuring that vending activities are carried out in a clean and hygienic manner.

The court asked the chairperson and other officials in the task force to virtually join the hearing on the next date -- May 26. It directed all authorities to extend full cooperation in carrying out the mandate of the task force.

In January, the court had stressed the need for beautification and redevelopment of the bus terminal area to ensure a comfortable experience for passengers and tourists visiting the bus stand and the nearby railway station.

It had observed that the area deserved to be "properly re-planned, laid out, landscaped and tiled" with facilities such as shops, cafes, resting areas, sanitation facilities for passengers.

The court had also disapproved of the manner in which hawking activities were being carried out in the area, saying they were obstructing the smooth movement of the public. PTI ADS RHL

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) Flagging the mounting pendency of bail applications in high courts across the country, the Supreme Court on Monday suggested various measures including evolving a mechanism for automatic listing and fixing an outer timeline for disposal of such pleas.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it hoped and trusted that the high courts, state governments and the investigating agencies would have a collaborative approach to ensure a robust mechanism for the timely disposal of bail pleas while ensuring that the rights of victims are protected.

The bench clarified that its order should not be construed as an aspersion on the functioning of any high court and the suggestions were intended to strengthen the systemic efficiency.

The top court passed the order on a plea in which it had earlier directed the registrar generals of all the high courts to send complete details of applications for anticipatory or regular bail, suspension of sentence pending there, along with the date of filing, date of decision or the next date of hearing.

In its order passed on Monday, the bench said most of the high courts have furnished the data and taken initiatives for the timely disposal of bail applications.

It noted that the volume of pendency of bail applications in the Allahabad High Court was "too large" even though most of the judges there were dealing with hundreds of cases in a day.

The bench left it to the discretion of the chief justice and the administrative committee of the Allahabad High Court to evolve a mechanism to ensure a definite date of hearing for bail applications.

It said in the cause list, "listing of bail applications be prioritised".

The bench said a similar mechanism was required to be evolved in the Patna High Court where bail applications were sometimes adjourned for a longer period of time.

The top court noted several suggestions which were put forth before it to ensure the timely disposal of bail applications.

It said that according to the suggestions, bail matters can be listed on a weekly or fortnightly basis and there can be an automatic software system by which all bail pleas are listed at least once every two weeks.

The court said a status report on the bail plea be mandatorily filed before the first date of hearing and the application be served on the office of the lawyer of the probe agencies.

It said the practice of issuing notice and admitting bail applications has to be dispensed with and there has to be automatic listing of such pleas.

"The high courts can also resolve to fix an outer timeline for the disposal of bail applications," the bench said.

It said the high courts need to evolve a practice of discouraging avoidable or casual adjournments by the government counsel, reminding them of the courts' solemn duty to protect the most precious fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution which deals with protection of life and personal liberty.

The bench also highlighted the need to have the forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports within a reasonable time in cases especially those registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

"The responsibility of the investigating officers (IOs), especially in victim-centric cases, is also very important," the bench said.

It said the IOs must ensure that victims, who have a right to be heard, are able to participate in the proceedings and avail legal representation.

The bench also suggested the use of digital portals for uploading status reports.

The issue of pendency of bail applications in the high courts had cropped up before the top court while hearing a petition challenging an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

While hearing the plea on February 4, the apex court directed all states to fully cooperate with the high courts for early and time-bound adjudication of bail applications or a prayer for suspension of sentence. PTI ABA SJK ABA KSS

KSS

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday opposed actor Jacqueline Fernandez's plea seeking to turn approver in a Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar, saying she remained in contact with the accused despite knowing his criminal antecedents.

Earlier, Special Judge Prashant Sharma had sought a response from ED on the actor's plea.

In its response, the agency said, "The applicant (Jacqueline ) remained in regular and sustained contact with Sukesh Chandrashekhar (accused 1) even after having knowledge of his criminal antecedents, who carefully arranged all benefits, gifts and articles for the applicant out of the 'proceeds of crime' involved in the offence of money laundering."

It said that the consistent interaction through numerous ways of communication and receipt of benefits negates any claim of being an 'unwitting victim' as claimed by Jacqueline, and instead highlights her conscious association with the main perpetrator.

According to the agency, the actor used and enjoyed the 'proceeds of crime' for herself and her family members, demonstrating a conscious disregard for the source of funds while actively participating in the laundering process.

"Her claim of being a victim is therefore self-serving and contrary to the evidence on record," it added.

"That the applicant's conduct during the investigation has been far from cooperative, as she consistently failed to make full and truthful disclosures in her statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA on August 30, 2021, October 20, 2021, December 8, 2021, May 20, 2022 and June 27, 2022," the response said.

It noted that Jacqueline’s statements were evasive, contradictory, and incomplete, requiring repeated confrontations with evidence gathered by the agency.

The federal agency said that the actor had denied material facts relating to cash transactions with her script writer Advaita Kala, receipt of costly gifts and luxury articles, funds transferred to the bank accounts maintained by her sister and brother based abroad, cars purchased for her parents in Bahrain and association with one Pinki Irani and others.

"This deliberate concealment of facts and non-cooperation undermines the very essence of the approver scheme under law, which mandates a full and true disclosure," it underlined.

The agency said that as Jacqueline was not a minor participant but a significant beneficiary of the 'proceeds of crime' and an active participant in money laundering, allowing her to become an approver would be a miscarriage of justice and undermine the gravity of the offence.

It said, "The present application is nothing but an abuse of the process of law, filed with the sole intention of circumventing the legal process and escaping prosecution."

Granting time to Jacqueline's counsel to file a reply, the court posted the matter for further proceedings on May 12.

The actor, who was summoned by the ED several times in connection with the investigation, was named as an accused for the first time in a supplementary charge sheet filed by the agency.

On July 3 2025, the Delhi High Court dismissed her petition for quashing the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in the money laundering case.

Two months later, the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the high court's order.

The Delhi Police had booked Chandrasekhar for allegedly duping the spouses of former promoters of Ranbaxy, Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh, of Rs 200 crore. There are other ongoing investigations against him in several cases across the country. PTI MNR MNR MPL

MPL

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday said former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and others can file fresh applications regarding their claim that the victory margins in 31 constituencies in the recent assembly polls were less than the deletion of votes there during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions after senior advocate and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee referred to an earlier observation of Justice Bagchi that the court can look into the grievances if victory margins are less than the number of names deleted during the SIR. He claimed that there were 31 such seats.

The Election Commission, represented by senior advocate D S Naidu, opposed Banerjee's submission, saying that the remedy was an election petition.

Naidu said the poll panel can be held accountable for issues related to the SIR only and the consequential appeals against the addition or deletion of votes during the electoral rolls revision.

At the outset, Kalyan Banerjee referred to the earlier observation of Justice Bagchi on victory margins and said, “One of my candidates lost by 862 votes and, interestingly, 5,550 votes were deleted during the SIR from that constituency. "

He claimed there were 31 such seats where victory margins were less than the deleted votes.

“Whatever you want to say about results, about deletions, etc., this requires an independent IA (interim application),” Justice Bagchi said.

Justice Bagchi said that whatever the poll panel is saying -- that the election petition was the remedy -- it can come in the EC's reply in its counter-affidavit.

Banerjee then referred to the resignation of former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam from the SIR Appellate Tribunal, which had been hearing appeals by persons excluded from the electoral roll in the SIR exercise and cross appeals of the EC against alleged wrongful additions.

Justice Sivagnanam was one among 19 judges who had been designated as Appellate Tribunals by the Calcutta High Court to hear appeals against additions or deletions of persons from the voters’ list.

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for one of the petitioners, said that there is a feeling that appellate tribunals will now take four years to decide the appeals against deletions.

The CJI said he can see whether any improvement can be made in the adjudication of appeals against the deletions.

The apex court bench was hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by Mamata Banerjee, related to the SIR of electoral rolls in the state.

Approximately 700 judicial officers from West Bengal and neighbouring Odisha and Jharkhand were deployed to deal with around 60 lakh claims and objections of those who were deleted from voter lists during the SIR of electoral rolls in the state.

Later, the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, at the direction of the top court, set up as many as 19 tribunals headed by former HC chief justices and judges to decide appeals against deletions of names of persons from the voter lists.

Justice Bagchi had earlier said the bench will examine the more valuable right to remain on the electoral rolls later.

In the recently concluded assembly elections in the state, the BJP secured 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, while the TMC, which had been in power for 15 years, won 80 seats.

The state registered a record voter turnout of above 90 per cent in the polls. PTI SJK ABA RT

Nashik, May 11 (PTI) A Nashik court on Monday remanded TCS sexual harassment-forced conversion case accused Nida Khan in judicial custody till May 24.

Khan was produced in the court of Additional Sessions Judge K G Joshi after her police remand ended during the day. She was arrested on May 7 from Chhatrapati Sambhajninagar after being on the run since the case came to the fore following complaints from staffers of the IT major's Nashik unit.

Khan, who is pregnant, was sent to judicial custody as the police did not seek her remand during the hearing. She is lodged in Nashik Road central jail.

Besides Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions for sexual harassment and defamation, Khan has also been booked under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as the complainant is a Scheduled Caste individual and Khan tried to forcibly convert her despite knowing the fact.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is investigating nine FIRs in the matter. One case was registered at Deolali Camp police station and eight with Mumbai Naka police station.

The complainants have alleged exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion to Islam, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment, as per police.

After her name figured in a First Information Report registered at Deolali Camp police station, Khan (27) had moved the sessions court last month seeking anticipatory bail, pleading innocence and citing her three months pregnancy. Rejecting the plea on May 2, the court had said there seemed to be a "systematic plan" of brainwashing the victim. PTI COR BNM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) A Delhi court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to five years of rigorous imprisonment in a POCSO case, police said on Monday.

The convict was also fined Rs 10,000 in the case related to molestation of an 11-year-old girl in outer Delhi's Nihal Vihar area, they said.

According to police, the incident was reported on April 3, following which an FIR was registered at Nihal Vihar police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act.

The police said the investigation was carried out on priority due to the sensitive nature of the case.

"During the probe, investigators analysed footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras installed in and around the locality to identify and trace the accused -- a resident of Bihar's Madhubani -- who had been living in Nihal Vihar for around one-and-a-half years," they said.

A team arrested the accused after technical analysis and local verification.

The police said the investigation was completed swiftly, and the chargesheet was filed before the court within 18 days of registration of the FIR.

The court, while relying on CCTV footage and witness statements collected during the investigation, completed the trial within two weeks and pronounced the sentence on May 8, they added. PTI BM BM APL

APL

Kolkata, May 11 (PTI) Three persons, who were arrested from Uttar Pradesh in connection with the killing of Chandranath Rath, an aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, were remanded to 13-day police custody on Monday, a senior officer said.

The three accused were detained on Sunday and later arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the murder that occurred in North 24 Parganas district's Madhyamgram area on the night of May 6, he said.

"The three accused were brought to West Bengal and produced before the Barasat court in North 24 Paraganas district on Monday. They were remanded to 13-day police custody," the officer said.

The Barasat court asked the police to produce them again on May 24, he said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) prayed for two weeks' police custody of the accused, he said.

They were charged with murder, possession of illegal arms, criminal conspiracy, and suppression of evidence under various sections of BNS, he said.

Two days after the declaration of the West Bengal assembly poll results, Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram.

The SIT continued to conduct raids in multiple areas across the state to trace the remaining suspects, the officer added. PTI SUS SCH SMY BDC

Thane, May 11 (PTI) The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Thane has awarded total compensation of more than Rs 31 lakh to three members of a family who were severely injured in a road accident in Pune district.

In three separate orders passed on May 8, Tribunal Member KP Shrikhande directed the owner of the offending truck and Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd. to jointly and severally pay the compensation with 9 per cent interest per annum.

The accident occurred on November 26, 2021 on the Pune-Solapur Service Road under Indapur police station limits. Mathurabai Baban Babare (60), her grandson Arya Rupesh Babare (14) and relative Mahi Kesarinath Patil (18) were hit by a speeding truck.

The evidence clearly proves that the accident occurred due to the sole negligence of the driver of the truck, with the spot panchnama and FIR corroborating that the victims were off the main road when they were hit, the MACT order said.

The insurance policy was valid on the date of the accident and there is no evidence To show there was any breach of terms and conditions of the policy by the owner, it added.

The MACT ordered compensation of Rs 13.97 lakh to Mahi Kesarinath Patil, Rs 11,14 lakh to Arya Babare and Rs 6.61 lakh to Mathurabai Babare. PTI COR BNM

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court has granted anticipatory bail to a Canadian citizen accused in a rape case, saying that based on unverified allegations, it cannot be held that he is required to be morally condemned.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale granted relief to Manpreet Singh Gill, a Canadian citizen, who was booked for rape by the Punjab police on a complaint filed by a woman.

The police lodged the complaint on November 11, 2025, by the woman, who alleged that she was misled about his marital status and had developed a relationship.

She alleged that Gill threatened her with dire consequences to withdraw an earlier complaint and had a sexual relationship with her on the intervening night of 9th and November 10, 2025, after administering alcohol and intimidating her.

Gill, who has challenged the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court denying him pre-arrest bail through his lawyer advocate Sana Raees Khan contended that the relationship was consensual.

Khan argued that the FIR was driven by an extortionist motive, pointing out that the complainant was fully aware of his marital status from the very inception of their relationship.

She further highlighted material inconsistencies, noting that while the alleged video was claimed to have been received on November 2, 2025, there was a conspicuous omission of this crucial allegation in the FIR lodged on November 11, 2025.

The bench in an April 20 order said that the court had earlier granted an interim protection to Gill pursuant to which he had appeared before the Investigating Officer (IO).

"Even according to the complainant, the relationship between the parties was consensual. As to whether any threat was posed, as alleged, is a matter of evidence. Based on unverified allegations, it cannot be held that the appellant requires to be morally condemned. As such, we are of the considered view that the appellant is entitled to be released on anticipatory bail," it ordered.

The bench allowed the plea of Gill and ordered that he be released on anticipatory bail on such terms and conditions as the jurisdictional investigating officer may deem fit to impose, and also on the condition that he would appear before the jurisdictional court on all dates of hearing except when exempted for any specific reason.

The trial court had dismissed the anticipatory bail plea on December 1 last year, after which Gill had approached the high court. The high court dismissed his plea on December 24 as well.

Gill, in his plea before the high court, said that the impugned orders suffer from non-application of mind and perversity.

"Both the high court and sessions court mechanically relied on FIR allegations, ignoring glaring inconsistencies, omissions, and improvements brought on record by the petitioner. While anticipatory bail jurisprudence avoids a mini-trial, it requires prima facie credibility evaluation, which these courts entirely bypassed," it said.

Gill claimed that he was falsely implicated in this case without any fault on his part.

"The petitioner faces implication solely for extortion, as the Informant visited his house demanding Rs. 50 lakhs, threatening to turn hostile in her Section 183 Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 statement," his plea said. PTI MNL MNL MPL

MPL

New Delhi, May 11 (PTI) In a setback to former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with a Madras High Court order directing a CBI probe into an alleged Rs 397-crore scam in the procurement of transformers during his tenure as the state's electricity minister between 2021 and 2023.

A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta refused to entertain the plea challenging the high court's direction for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for an official of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), said there was no specific prayer before the high court seeking a CBI investigation and contended that the proceedings were politically motivated.

"There was no prayer for a CBI enquiry before the high court. It's a politically motivated case," Dave submitted.

Justice Nath said the court was empowered to direct such a probe if the circumstances warranted.

"We don't need a prayer. It depends upon how the court feels," the Bench observed.

Declining to entertain the special leave petition against the high court order, the court ordered that it was not inclined to entertain the appeal and said investigation in the matter should proceed independently without being influenced by any observations made by the high court.

On April 29, the high court ordered a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities surrounding the procurement of 45,000 distribution transformers by the Tamil Nadu government.

Following the high court order, Balaji had maintained that all procedures were duly followed in the tender process and that no irregularities were committed in the procurement of transformers.

The DMK leader also said the procedures of procurement had been in place since 1987 and that the "same procedures were followed till now".

The high court order came on allegations that the state exchequer suffered a loss of Rs 397 crore between 2021 and 2023.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by NGO Arappor Iyakkam seeking an inquiry by a Special Investigation Team, while AIADMK legal wing functionaries E Saravanan and Rajkumar sought a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities.

The petitioners alleged that irregularities amounting to Rs 397 crore took place in the procurement of 45,000 transformers during Balaji's tenure as electricity minister in the then DMK government.

The high court directed that all related complaints be transferred to the CBI for a detailed investigation.

Ordering the CBI to conduct a fresh investigation into this matter, the high court directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to hand over all documents related to the case to the central agency within two weeks.

It had further directed the CBI, upon receiving the documents, to conduct and conclude the investigation expeditiously and to take appropriate action in accordance with the law.

The high court also ordered TANGEDCO, the DVAC, and the Tamil Nadu government to extend their full cooperation to the CBI during the investigation. PTI MNL MNL RHL

RHL

Mumbai, May 11 (PTI) The Bombay High Court has expressed shock over the manner in which a printing press set up by Dr B R Ambedkar in Mumbai was demolished in 2016 and rapped the city police for failing to act despite complaints against the move.

A bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Kamal Khata, in the order passed on April 30, directed the Mumbai police commissioner to file his personal affidavit on the issue.

It was rare that demolition was carried out post-midnight, the court noted in the order, a copy of which was made available on Monday. The HC also sought an affidavit from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner explaining whether demolitions at such hours are a normal practice in the city.

The order was passed on a bunch of petitions, including one filed by Prakash Ambedkar, the leader of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and grandson of B R Ambedkar. The petitions had raised concerns over the "illegal" demolition of the historic Buddha Bhushan printing press at Dadar in central Mumbai in June 2016.

As per the pleas, Dr B R Ambedkar had in 1930 purchased two plots of land with his own funds in Dadar. In 1945, he created a trust on one piece of land and constructed the printing press. The second plot had two buildings - Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhawan and Yashodhara Sanganak Kendra.

The trustees had certain disputes and under the garb of a false structural audit report, six of them, who were named as accused by the petitioners, instigated the BMC to issue a notice stating that the printing press building was in a dilapidated condition, the pleas claimed.

In June 2016, the accused trustees came to the printing press building along with a mob of over 400 persons to demolish the structure.

When Prakash Ambedkar's brother Anand rushed to the Bhoiwada police station, urging them to stop the illegal demolition, the police refused to act, pursuant to which the Buddha Bhushan printing press was demolished, the pleas alleged.

They also claimed that during the illegal demolition, machines purchased by Dr B R Ambedkar, preserved documents in his handwriting and the "Panchshil Flag" were also damaged.

An FIR was later registered against the trustees on a complaint by Prakash Ambedkar, but he, in his petition, claimed that no proper investigation was being carried out.

The high court, in its order, expressed shock at the affidavit submitted by the assistant commissioner of police denying the allegations, terming them as vague and baseless.

"It is deeply disturbing to read such a thoughtless affidavit. We are constrained to express our shock at the audacity and the manner in which the police responded to the complaints. It is rare, if not unprecedented, for the BMC or any authority to carry out demolition between 12 am and 7 am," the bench said.

It pulled up the police for failing to promptly proceed to the site and halt what appears to have been an illegal demolition, and said there was an evident inaction on the part of the police.

The court ordered the city police commissioner to file a detailed affidavit in response to the petitions and to also disclose the names of the officers who were on duty at the Bhoiwada police station when the incident occurred.

It also impleaded the BMC commissioner and directed an affidavit to be filed stating whether permission for demolition was taken and if it was granted.

"The BMC commissioner shall also state where demolitions were carried out or permitted to be carried out by the civic body in Mumbai between midnight and 6 am or was this an isolated case where such a thing has occurred," the HC said.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on June 15. PTI SP GK