NEWS

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday expressed unwillingness to continue its statement given on May 24 of no coercive action, including arrest, against former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh who is seeking quashing of an FIR lodged against him by Thane Police under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Senior advocate Darius Khambata, representing the state government, told a division bench of Justice Nitin M Jamdar and Justice Sarang V Kotwal: "In view of other developments, we are getting reports that he (Singh) is not traceable. We cannot give a statement in his matter."

President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Patna Wednesday afternoon on his three-day visit during which he will grace the centenary celebrations of the Bihar Legislative Assembly building on Thursday.

He was welcomed at the Jai Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna by Governor Phagu Chouhan, chief minister Nitish Kumar, Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, Bihar Legislative Council chairman Avadhesh Narayan Singh, deputy CMs Renu Devi and Tarkishore Prasad, leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and several other ministers.

A purorted photograph of Nihang sect head Baba Aman Singh with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar triggered a controversy on Tuesday, with the Sikh religious leader alleging that the Centre offered money to the Nihangs to leave the farmers’ protest site at Singhu.

The photograph — which includes former Punjab Police officer Gurmeet Singh Pinky, who was dismissed from service and convicted in a murder case, and BJP leader Harwinder Garewal — is believed to be from a meeting about two months back.

Terming Captain Amarinder Singh`s statement on aligning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as "shocking", Congress General Secretary and party`s Punjab in Charge Harish Rawat on Wednesday said that the former Chief Minister has killed the "secular Amarinder" within him.

Rawat after meeting with party leader Rahul Gandhi told a news agency that Amarinder Singh was a symbol of "Sarvdharm Sambhav" and was connected to Congress` traditions for a long time.