Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 19 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh High Court issued a stay on the case filed by State’s CID against former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and former minister in his cabinet, P Narayana in a case alleging that the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had taken away the lands assigned to Dalits by cheating and threatening them.
The court has heard the arguments today in the quash petitions filed by them.
The CID had recently filed a First Information Report (FIR) in a case alleging that the previous TDP government had taken away the lands assigned to Dalits by cheating and threatening them. The FIR named the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the then cabinet minister P Narayana.
The investigation agency had served notices under Sec 41 of CrPC to them to appear for an inquiry into the matter. Chandrababu Naidu and P Narayana have filed quash petitions in High Court on March 18 seeking to quash the FIR filed by the CID.
Supreme Court’s senior advocate Siddarth Luthra argued for Chandrababu Naidu. Former Attorney General (AG) of the state Dammalapati Srinivas argued for P Narayana.
They said that the sections of the IPC and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act mentioned in the FIR are not applicable for this complaint.
It is not correct to allege that the government order (GO) no 41 passed on February 17, 2016, is invalid. Further, the complaint was not made by anyone who has suffered losses due to the then government’s actions. The present ruling party has filed this case only to take political vendetta on former CM and minister. So the CID should be prevented from taking any further action including arrest.
Additional Advocate General Nagabhushanam has argued on behalf of the CID. He said that GO no 41 was issued violating rules and regulations, and without referring to revenue records. The GO was issued without following the business rules and procedures. Many irregularities took place in showing the area of assigned lands. GOs were issued without forming any village-level committees. The then CM Naidu had taken away the assigned lands in the position of Chairman of Capital Region Development Authority and violated many laws. As of now, the case is still at the primary level. A full inquiry is needed to bring out all the truths.
After hearing both arguments, the court has stayed the inquiry of CID and ordered the investigation agency to file a counter. (ANI)

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 19 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Madan Mitra on Friday in connection with the multicrore Saradha chit fund scam.
“It is a routine thing. The Enforcement Directorate is an authorised agency. They called and I came. But giving two-three hours during the election time is very expensive. I tried my best to convince them that I will come whenever they call me. In two hours we could have covered at least two blocks,” Mitra told ANI while leaving the ED office here.
TMC has fielded Madan Mitra from the Kamarhati Assembly seat in the upcoming polls.
Notably, Mitra was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2014 for his alleged role in the Saradha scam. He was later granted bail in September 2016.
The Saradha Group of companies had allegedly duped people to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore, promising higher rates of return on their investments. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): The trains are running at a restricted speed between Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar stations on the Blue Line section of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Friday due to track maintenance work.
“Trains are running at a restricted speed between Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar stations due to track maintenance activity in this section,” tweeted DMRC.
Notably, the glitch is occurring at the peak hours of Friday evening.
Further details are awaited. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): The Border Security Force (BSF) has informed that the yellow light of a flying object, suspected to be coming from Pakistan, was observed in Bamial, Pathankot on Thursday. After being intercepted, the suspected flying object flew back towards the Pakistani side.
“Troops fired two rounds towards the object. On firing, said flying object returned back to Pakistan post-Kalanwali side,” a BSF official said on Friday.
This is not the first instance that any flying object has crossed the International Border from the Pakistan side.
In November last year, two drones, suspected to be coming from the Pakistani side, had crossed the International Border in the Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
BSF is also doing technical surveillance at the International border. The force has listed the outset of stretches that have seen multiple drone activities in the past. (ANI)

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], March 19 (ANI): Clamping down heavily on the fresh surge of COVID-19 cases, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday ordered massive state-wide restrictions starting from tomorrow, with the closure of educational institutions till March 31 and restrictions on cinema/mall capacities.
“All educational institutions, other than medical and nursing colleges, will remain closed till March 31, with restriction of 50 per cent capacity in cinema halls and not more than 100 persons in a mall at any time,” as per a release issued by the state government.
The Punjab Chief Minister appealed to the people to keep social activity in their houses to the bare minimum for the next 2 weeks to break the transmission chain. “Not more than 10 visitors should be entertained in homes,” he urged.
In the 11 worst-hit districts, a complete ban has been ordered on all social gatherings and related functions, except for funerals/cremations/ weddings, which will be allowed with only 20 persons in attendance. This will be enforced from Sunday (March 21). In these districts, which will remain under night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am, cinemas, multiplexes, restaurants, malls etc will remain closed on Sundays, though home deliveries will be allowed subject to the night curfew. Industries and essential services shall be allowed to function, but barring these, all restrictions will be strictly enforced, the Chief Minister directed the top civic and police officials in these districts.
Also, starting next week, one hour of silence will be observed across the state every Saturday, from 11 am to 12 noon, in memory of those who lost their lives to COVID, with no vehicle to ply at this time. The Chief Minister asked the district administration to involve the general public, along with market committees, sarpanches etc, in this initiative, which will, however, remain voluntary for them.
In the 11 worst affected districts of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Moga, the Chief Minister ordered restrictions on in-person public dealings in government offices, with citizens to be encouraged to visit offices only for essential services.
Though other districts will not be placed under such stringent restrictions, for now, the Chief Minister ordered immediate reinforcement and strict monitoring of the strategy of micro-containment and containment zones where there are evident clusters. He made it clear that if necessary, strict curbs will also be imposed in other districts if the situation worsens and Covid protocols and norms are not adhered to be by the people.
The situation will be reviewed after two weeks, said the Chief Minister, chairing a meeting of the Covid Task Force with top officials.
Directing health officials to ramp up testing per day to 35,000, he said the special focus should be on super spreaders, and Government employees, teachers in educational institutions, etc. must be tested routinely. Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) testing should be stepped up along with RT-PCR testing, he ordered, while directing contact tracing and contact testing to be taken up to 30 per positive person. “The COVID patient tracking officers (CPTOs) must personally monitor this task,” he said.
The Chief Minister also directed the Department of Medical Education and Research to immediately complete the recruitment of specialists/super-specialists.
He said well-functioning hospitals, where serious cases are best handled, have been advised to restore the Covid beds and postpone elective surgeries.
“Reviewing the prevailing Covid situation in the State with DCs, SSPs and other senior health officials. There is an increasing surge of #Covid19 cases in Punjab. It is important that we all strictly follow wearing of masks and observe other safety precautions to save lives,” tweeted Punjab CM today.
Dr KK Talwar, who heads the state government’s expert team on Covid, said the state currently has almost 40 per cent cases from the under 30 population. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Member of Parliament and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane said that he has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and sought resignation of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and the imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra.
“Due to poor law and order situation and corruption,I have written to Home Minister Amit Shah for Maharashtra Chief Minister’s resignation and the imposition of President’s Rule in the state,” Rane said.
He took a jibe at the Thackeray government and said that even a person like billionaire Mukesh Ambani is not safe in Mumbai.
“Maharashtra government is not working properly. Everything is being done at the will of officers. person like Mukesh Ambani is unsafe in Mumbai,” he said.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh was on Wednesday transferred and he has been appointed as Director-General Home Guard following the Antilia bomb scare case. On Thursday, senior IPS officer Rajnish Seth took additional charge as Maharashtra’s Director General of Police, replacing Hemant Nagrale.
While Nagrale has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Mumbai Police.
A car carrying unassembled explosive materials was found abandoned at Carmichael Road in South Mumbai on February 25, near the house of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
The owner of the vehicle, Mansukh Hiren, was found dead in a creek in the Thane district on Friday. Now, ATS Maharashtra is investigating the case. (ANI)