Top Stories on 20th February in a capsule
AAP MLA detained after Delhi chief secretary alleges assault, party denies charges
Based on the allegations of Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash against two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs of assaulting him, the Delhi Police arrested one of the accused, legislator Prakash Jarwal on late Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, Anshu Prakash had met Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and registered a complaint against Jarwal, along with Ajay Dutt, for manhandling him at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Monday evening. However, the CM's office denied the allegations and said the incident never took place. The IAS officers' body has condemned the assault and the association in its statement said that no officer will attend meeting beyond office hours, outside office premises till time-effective action is taken against the MLAs. BJP activists also condemned the act by protesting outside CM's residence.
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India 12th among 52 countries having highest infant mortality rates
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) released a report on Tuesday warning about the "alarming" risks posed to newborns in the world's poorest and most conflict-wracked countries. UNICEF's report concluded that risks could be 50 times as high as those in the richest countries. 2.6 million newborns around the world died after their first month of life, with seven thousand newborns dying every day. The countries with the greatest chance of newborn survival were Japan, Iceland, Finland, Singapore, Finland, Estonia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Belarus, Luxembourg, Norway and South Korea. The countries with the least chance of newborn survival were Pakistan, Central African Republic, Somalia, Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau, South Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, and Chad. India ranks 12th among 52 low-middle income countries having highest infant mortality rates with over 6 lakh children dying within the first month of their birth in 2016.
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PNB Scam: CBI arrests five, sends 3 bank officials to police custody
In a major development in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) - Nirav Modi fraud case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested five more accused in the case. A special CBI court on Tuesday sent three Punjab National Bank officials arrested in connection with the Rs 11,300-crore fraud in police custody till March 3. Meanwhile, Nirav Modi, in a letter to PNB officials, Modi stated that his companies owed the bank less than 50 billion rupees, much lower than the amount alleged by the bank. He also said PNB had jeopardized its chances of recovering the sums owed by going public with its allegations. Whereas, breaking his silence Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the state will chase down whosoever cheats the banking system.
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Canadian and Indian companies sign deals worth 1 billion dollars
Canadian and Indian companies have signed 66 new contracts worth $1 billion in total in a deal expected to create 5,800 jobs in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Tuesday in front of an audience at the Canada-India Business Forum. He spent the morning in Mumbai, India's financial capital, meeting with titans of industry and finance at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, scene of a deadly terror attack 10 years ago. Most of the jobs will come from $250 million of new investments by Indian companies in Canada. Canadian companies will also invest $750 million in India.
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Kangana might leave Bollywood and join politics: Media reports
Popular Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut is reportedly considering entering politics, claims a media report quoting sources. A leading Hindi newspaper claims that Kangana is set to join the BJP adding that the actor had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times in the recent past. The report also stated that Kangana may choose her home state, Himachal Pradesh, to make her political debut. Kangana was recently in news over her public spat with actor Hrithik Roshan. She is currently busy in the post-production of her next release Manikarnika, which has faced opposition from the members of Sarva Brahman Mahasabha (SBM), who recently protested against the film.
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Gitanjali to shut down, ask employees to take relieving letters
Gitanjali jewelers owned by Mehul Choksi, who is the prime accused along with Nirav Modi in PNB Scam, asked its employees on Tuesday to collect their relieving letter thus confirming the shutdown. Employees were also informed that they will not receive salaries and gratuity for Feb 2018. About 600 employees of Gitanjali gems in Hyderabad demonstrated outside Choksi's house in Hyderabad after the announcement. Its 300-odd employees in Mumbai haven't turned up for work since the company promoter's alleged involvement in the over Rs 11,000 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB) came to light last week. The future of 500-odd contract employees who man the various Gitanjali's jewelry retail stores and the around 4,000 people (also employed on contract) for Gitanjali's diamond and jewelry processing/ manufacturing units is uncertain too.
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Goa journalist detained over 'false news' about CM's health
The Goa Police, on Monday, detained a local journalist for reporting false news about the health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is admitted to a Mumbai hospital for treatment of a pancreatic ailment. BJP leader Sunil Desai had filed a police complaint claiming that he was falsely quoted in the article on the chief minister. The journalist, Harish Volvoikar, works for a WhatsApp-based news service that covers local events across Goa. Inspector General of Police Jaspal Singh said a case has been registered in connection with the matter and an investigation was underway. “We have to know the origin of the message which was being circulated,” Singh said.
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Priyanka Chopra’s Assam Calendar photo creates controversy
In the Assam state assembly on Monday, several Congress MLAs had expressed their concern over Actress Priyanka Chopra’s dress in the Tour calendar, claiming the outfit to be inappropriate and immodest. “The government should preserve the respect of the Assamese society. The frock is not an Assamese attire and the calendar pictures were not sober at all” said Rupjyoti Kurmi, a Congress member. Kurmi further added Priyanka should be removed from the position of brand ambassador of Assam Tourism and replaced with a ‘talented Assamese actor’. However, the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) dismissed these concerns and failed to see any issue.
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Cong Leader splashes Petrol in BBMP office, suspended
Following the release of a viral video on social media of Congress MLA Byrati Basavaraj's close aide Narayanaswamy, the party has suspended him. In the video released on 20th February, Narayanaswamy was seen threatening the officers around with a bottle of petrol in his hand that he will set the office on fire. He can also be heard asking the officers to get out. According to a BBMP official, “Narayanaswamy wanted the Assistant Revenue Officer’s signature on a Katha document, which would attest to him being the property owner. He had refused multiple times and, on February 16, he took his threats to the next level.”
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