Top stories on 28 February in a capsule
CBI arrests PNB's auditor in Rs 12,000 scam case
The Central Bureau of India (CBI) on Wednesday arrested the internal auditor of Punjab National Bank in connection with the Rs 12,000 crore fraud case. Auditor MK Sharma is allegedly 'responsible for auditing the systems and practices' pf the bank's Brady House branch in Mumbai. Sharma's arrest comes on the same day when prime accused Nirav Modi refused to work with the CBI on the investigation. The CBI said that they had contacted Modi through his official email address asking him to join the investigation. Modi in his reply said, “We have businesses abroad so I can’t join the investigation.” The CBI has further asked Modi to contact Indian Embassy of the concerned country and has offered to accommodate his return to India by next week.
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Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, accused in the INX media money laundering case, was sent to a one day police custody on Wednesday. The businessman who was bought before Delhi's Patiala House Court, was taken in by the CBI from Chennai airport in the morning after he had landed from London. Karti has been charged with taking bribes from television company, INX Media to help them get foreign investments clearance worth Rs 300 crore. The Congress, defending Chidambaram called it “classic diversionary tactic" to move attention from the Punjab National Bank Scam. The CBI had filed a case against Karti in May 2017, thereafter carried a series of raids in his properties
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The country’s first ever mobile phone operator, Aircel filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday in the National Company Law tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai. Owned by the Malaysia based maxis company, Aircel has been struggling to pay off the Rs 15.5 core debt. In January, Aircel had shut down its operations in six circles to divert its attention towards the erforminhg ones. According to reports Aircel’s this move will now affect the 500 employees of the company, tower firms, vendors and distributors. Citing it as a ‘sad’ reality Aircel’s founder C Sivashankaran said ‘the move was the best options available with the current owners.
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A special court on Wednesday acquitted bus conductor Ashok of Ryan international school, in the murder case of Class 2 student Pradhyum Thakur. Ashok,was earlier held as the prime suspect and charges of murder and attempt to sexual assault were leveled against him. He was given the clean chit by the CBI, in the charge sheet that was filed in the court on February 5. The Special Children Court of Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu acquitted Kumar and ordered to merge the FIRs by police and the CBI. It asked that the final charge sheet be filed by April 10.
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Congress leader P Chidambaram’s son in police custody for money laundering
Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, accused in the INX media money laundering case, was sent to a one day police custody on Wednesday. The businessman who was bought before Delhi's Patiala House Court, was taken in by the CBI from Chennai airport in the morning after he had landed from London. Karti has been charged with taking bribes from television company, INX Media to help them get foreign investments clearance worth Rs 300 crore. The Congress, defending Chidambaram called it “classic diversionary tactic" to move attention from the Punjab National Bank Scam. The CBI had filed a case against Karti in May 2017, thereafter carried a series of raids in his properties
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Aircel files for bankruptcy under pressure of Rs 15,500 cr debt
The country’s first ever mobile phone operator, Aircel filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday in the National Company Law tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai. Owned by the Malaysia based maxis company, Aircel has been struggling to pay off the Rs 15.5 core debt. In January, Aircel had shut down its operations in six circles to divert its attention towards the erforminhg ones. According to reports Aircel’s this move will now affect the 500 employees of the company, tower firms, vendors and distributors. Citing it as a ‘sad’ reality Aircel’s founder C Sivashankaran said ‘the move was the best options available with the current owners.
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Court gives clean chit to bus conductor in Ryan school murder case
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Sridevi bids her final adieu to films, fans, and family
Bollywood actress Sridevi was laid to rest on Wednesday, as her family, colleagues from the film fraternity and fans across the country, poured in their condolences for the yesteryear actor. The prayer meeting was held in Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala, where celebrities like Rekha, BJP MP Hema Malini, and Deepika Padukone, were among the thousands of attendees. Wrapped in a tricolor and donning a crimson saree, the actress was taken in a transparent casket to Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium, in a van decked with white flowers, as per her wish. Her cremation took place at 5:30 pm, with full state honors and gun salute
SSC students protest, demand CBI inquiry into alleged paper leak
Several students of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) in Delhi took to the streets on late Wednesday evening to protest the alleged paper leak and mass cheating in the examinations. Assembling near Lodhi estate, the aspirants demanded a CBI investigation into the charges. ON February 24, the SSC had postpones the exam for March 9, 2018, citing 'technical reasons' as the problems. The protestors, have called this a case of mass cheating.The SSC, in its defense is calling this a planned attck on them. SSC Chairman Ashim KHurana, on Wednesday issue a notice and said that the protests are being "instigated and sponsored by two coaching institutes/ agencies with vested interests."
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In a big setback to Bihar’s ruling party, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led NDA government, veteran leader Jitan Ram Mandir announced his decision to join Lalu Yadav’s ‘Mahagathbandhan’ on Wednesday. Calling Manjhi ‘a father figure’ and champion for social justice, RJD member and Lalu’s son Tejashwi Yadav welcomed him to the Mahagathbandhan and said he has exposed the hollowness of the BJP-JDU government. The grand aalliance of the political parties have been done keeping the 2019 election as vision, ahead of which former CM Yadav, who is currently serving jail time in the fodder scam case has brought the Yadavs, Muslims and Mahadalits together.
Ex Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi quits NDA to join forces with Lalu Yadav
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Suspended BJP MLA who was accused of killing 9 school children in a hit and run case in Bihar’s Muzzafarpur, surrendered before the police on Wednesday. “We took the steps to attach his properties, therefore, he surrendered,” DSP of Muzzafarpur –East said. Being on the run since Saturday, Baitha was taken to a civil hospital to be treated for the injuries he inflicted during the accident, leading to 24 stitches. He was then taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital, for treatment under police custody. Further legal action will be taken after Baitha’s condition improves. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased children is demanding death penalty for him.
Mahant Jayendra Saraswathi passes away at 82, PM expresses grief
Hindu religious leader Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi, the 69th head of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, passed away on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu's Kanchipuram. The 82-year-old religious leader had been admitted to a hospital this morning after he complained of breathing problems. According to sources, the reason for his death was cardiac arrest. The seer had been in poor health for much of last year. Jayendra Saraswathi was head of the Kanchi Mutt or Hindu monastery established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century and had a huge following in South India. Several leaders including PM Modi offered condolences, PM Modi said he was "deeply anguished" by the passing away of the Seer.
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BJP MLA involved in hit-and-run case surrenders after 4 days
Suspended BJP MLA who was accused of killing 9 school children in a hit and run case in Bihar’s Muzzafarpur, surrendered before the police on Wednesday. “We took the steps to attach his properties, therefore, he surrendered,” DSP of Muzzafarpur –East said. Being on the run since Saturday, Baitha was taken to a civil hospital to be treated for the injuries he inflicted during the accident, leading to 24 stitches. He was then taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital, for treatment under police custody. Further legal action will be taken after Baitha’s condition improves. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased children is demanding death penalty for him.
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Mumbai based construction builder, Jigar Thakkar accused in the Maharashtra irrigation scam shot himself at Marine drive, late Tuesday evening. Thakkar, director of his family-owned D Thakkar constructions was allegedly involved in defrauding Rs 100 crore worth loans from a public sector bank. The Anti-Corruption Bureau had also filed a charge sheet against Thakkar and others in January 2018, for forging documents to ‘wrongfully float tenders’ leading up to Rs 56.57 crores in the Gosikhurd dam project of Vidharba Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). The incident last evening happened as Thakkar was traveling with his driver from Chembur. As the car was parked opposite Hotel Marine Plaza, Thakkar asked his driver to get down and fired one round in his skull," said a senior police officer.
Mumbai builder accused of dam scam shoots himself
Mumbai based construction builder, Jigar Thakkar accused in the Maharashtra irrigation scam shot himself at Marine drive, late Tuesday evening. Thakkar, director of his family-owned D Thakkar constructions was allegedly involved in defrauding Rs 100 crore worth loans from a public sector bank. The Anti-Corruption Bureau had also filed a charge sheet against Thakkar and others in January 2018, for forging documents to ‘wrongfully float tenders’ leading up to Rs 56.57 crores in the Gosikhurd dam project of Vidharba Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). The incident last evening happened as Thakkar was traveling with his driver from Chembur. As the car was parked opposite Hotel Marine Plaza, Thakkar asked his driver to get down and fired one round in his skull," said a senior police officer.
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April to January Fiscal deficit hits 113% of whole year target
India’s April-January Fiscal deficit stood at Rs 6.77 trillion for April- January, which amounts to 113% of the target originally set for the whole year. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget for 2018/19 said the fiscal deficit target for the current year has been raised to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) from 3.2 percent. The capital expenditure during the period stood at Rs 2.64 trillion.
Canara Bank Scam: Company takes 500 cr loan with false receipts
The CBI has booked Kolkata-based computer company RP Infosystems Ltd and its directors for allegedly defrauding Canara Bank of over Rs 500 crore in loans on the basis of forged stocks and debtors’ statements and wilfully defaulting on the loan amount. In June 2015, the CBI had booked the same company along with other directors for allegedly pulling off a loan fraud to the tune of Rs 180 crore on IDBI bank.
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