From Sridevi’s last rites to Karti Chidambaram’s arrest: Top stories of the day

Bollywood icon Sridevi, who died suddenly in Dubai while attending a wedding, was cremated with full state honours on Wednesday. Karti Chidambaram, the son of former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a corruption case. These stories made the headlines on Wednesday. You can read more about them here.

Bollywood star Sridevi cremated with full state honours

Bollywood actor Sridevi wasaccorded full state honoursas she was cremated at Mumbai’s Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium on Wednesday evening with husband Boney Kapoor performing the last rites. Daughter Janhvi and Khushi also accompanied the hearse.

The actor was draped in a Tricolour on her last journey ’s and her flower-covered cortege was followed by thousands of mourners. Her colleagues from the film industry, including Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Vidya Balan, also reached the cremation ground to pay their last respects.

Karti Chidambaram arrested in INX Media case on return from London, brought to CBI HQ

The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Karti Chidambaramin what has come to be known as INX Media money-laundering case. Karti, who was arrested from the Chennai airport on his return from London on Wednesday morning, was put on a Delhi-bound flight and brought to the agency headquarters . The Congress described the arrest as vendetta and a move to divert attention from the alleged Rs 12,636 crore Punjab National Bank fraud.

Aircel files for insolvency after ‘negative business and reputational impact’

Telecom operator Aircel said on Wednesday it has filed for bankruptcy as the company has been facing “troubled times” in “highly financially stressed” industry. In a statement in New Delhi, Aircel said that intense competition following the disruptive entry of a new player, legal and regulatory challenges, high level of unsustainable debt and increased losses had together caused significant “negative business and reputational impact” on the company.

PNB fraud case: Nirav Modi refuses to join CBI probe, cites ‘business abroad’

Billionaire Nirav Modi has refused to join CBI investigationsinto the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, officials said on Wednesday. Modi was asked to appear before the agency in connection with its probe into Rs 12,636 crore alleged fraud but refused to join the investigation saying he has “business abroad”, the officials said.

Bypoll results in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha: Gains for Congress, BJD

Results of bypolls in Mungaoli and Kolaras in Madhya Pradesh and Bijepur in Odisha were declared on Wednesday. The Congress candidate in Mungaoli, Brajendra Singh Yadav, defeated the BJP’s Bai Sahab Yadav by a margin of 2124 votes while Mahendra Singh Yadav, the Congress candidate in Kolaras, beat the BJP’s Devendra Jain by a margin of 8086 votes.

In Odisha, BJD won the Bijepur assembly seat by 41,933 votes, one of the highest in western Odisha.

India says nothing to do with the presence of Jaspal Atwal during Justin Trudeau’s visit

The controversy over the presence of Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal at events hosted in honour of visiting Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau last week continues, as Indiastrongly asserted it had nothing to do with the invitations given to Atwal. India’s assertion came after reports in Canadian press stated that Trudeau is standing by a senior government official who suggested factions within the Indian government were involved in sabotaging the prime minister’s visit to India.

Pakistan confirms FATF will place it in terror financing ‘grey list’ in June

Pakistan on Wednesday confirmedthat the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is set to include it in a watchlist of nations not doing enough to curb terror financing and said it will come up with an action plan to tackle the problem.

“Pakistan will be placed on the grey list in June, but there is currently no chance of placement on the black list,” Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal told a weekly news briefing in Islamabad, adding that an action plan to eradicate terror financing is being prepared and will be shared with the FATF.