NEWS

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has recorded the statement of former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh, arrested cop Sachin Vaze and ACP Sanjay Patil in connection with his allegations of corruption against former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

A CBI team arrived in Mumbai from Delhi on Tuesday and started recording statements as per the Bombay High Court order on the petition to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations and submit a report to the Director of CBI within fifteen days.

A Varanasi Court on Thursday gave its approval for survey of Kashi Vishwanath temple and Gyanvapi Mosque complex by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The court further directed the Uttar Pradesh government to bear the cost of the survey.

The court order came on a petition filed by a local lawyer VS Rastogi, who had demanded that the land entailing the Gyanvapi Mosque be restored to Hindus. The petition was filed in December 2019 on behalf of Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar in the court of civil judge. The petitioner claimed that Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1664 pulled down a portion of the 2000-year-old Kashi Vishwanath temple to build the mosque in its place.

The petitioner requested for a survey of the entire Gyanvapi compound by the ASI. He had filed the petition as the ‘next friend’ of Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar. In January 2020, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee had filed an objection against the petition. The Gyanvyapi mosque management committee had also opposed the petition.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday (April 8) that she would keep urging voters to vote unitedly against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) even if she was served 10 of such notices, challenging the notice issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Addressing a public rally in Domjur, Mamata Banerjee is quoted as saying by a news agency, "How many complaints have been filed against (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi? He does Hindu-Muslim every day, how many complaints have been filed against him? How many complaints have been registered against those people who referred to Nandigram`s Muslims as Pakistanis? Aren`t they ashamed? They cannot do anything against me. I am with Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians as well as tribals."  

She said that even if 10 show cause notices are issued against me, my answer will remain the same. I am telling everyone to vote unitedly, there will no division," adding "Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, do not give a single vote to them."

CoBRA jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas who was abducted by Naxals was released on Thursday (April 8).

He was captured by the Naxals during the Bijapur ambush last week.

Earlier, a photograph of Manhas sitting in a hut had surfaced.

“CoBRA jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas kidnapped by Naxals during Bijapur attack on April 3, has been released by them,” A news agency said quoting police sources.