Top stories on 21st May in a capsule
Andhra CM lands in controversy involving misuse of temple funds
In fresh controversy for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, the retired chief priest of one of India biggest temple, Tirupati's committee- the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has alleged that the leader used the funds of the temple for political use. Head priest AV Ramana Deekshitulu was forced to officially retire ‘after the TTD Trust Board passed a resolution on 16 May that all 'mirasi archakas' (hereditary priests) must be retired on reaching the age of 65.’ According to news reports, the move came after Deekshitulu had accused that the temple administration board of duping people of money and CM Chandrababu Naidu of “choosing the board members and has diverted approximately Rs 100 crores of temple funds for his political use."
_________________
SC fines FB, Google over sexually explicit videos
The Supreme Court on Monday slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh on online and social media giants like Facebook, Google and Yahoo for failing to abide to the notice of pulling down videos of sexual abuse and child pornography from their portals. The top court in its April 16 order had asked these sites to file affidavits detailing steps taken to cut down circulation of explicit and violent videos. Delivering the verdict, the bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Uday Umesh Lalit stated that the sites are being fined as, “None of the entities have filed anything to show us the progress nor any of these entities is ready with any response...” The Court has asked the companies to file their responses by June 15.
_________________
Forest fires raged across in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon area for the third consecutive day on Monday. As per news reports almost 57 incidents of fire, both major and minor were reported from Kumaon as well as the Garhwal region. “A total of 69.71 hectares of forest area was lost due to fire incidents on Saturday and Sunday,” BP Gupta, chief conservator of forests told news agencies while adding that the economic loss due to the fires on May 19 and 20 was estimated to be around Rs 3.5 lakh and no casualties have been reported as of now. TV reports showed a trail of massive blaze gripping the forest area. While the real cause is not confirmed, investigations officials suggest ‘negligence on part of people.’
Three days of forest fire burn over 70 hectares of land in Uttarakhand
Forest fires raged across in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon area for the third consecutive day on Monday. As per news reports almost 57 incidents of fire, both major and minor were reported from Kumaon as well as the Garhwal region. “A total of 69.71 hectares of forest area was lost due to fire incidents on Saturday and Sunday,” BP Gupta, chief conservator of forests told news agencies while adding that the economic loss due to the fires on May 19 and 20 was estimated to be around Rs 3.5 lakh and no casualties have been reported as of now. TV reports showed a trail of massive blaze gripping the forest area. While the real cause is not confirmed, investigations officials suggest ‘negligence on part of people.’
_________________
_________________
_________________
BJP President Amit Shah on Monday lashed at the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) by saying that BJP emerged as the single largest party and the mandate in the elections was ‘anti-Congress.’ In his first public address after his party failed to get the majority numbers prior to the floor test, Shah also accused the Opposition of releasing fake audio tapes of BJP leaders that allegedly showed them offering bribes in order to influence the mandate. "Congress leaders have accepted that audio tapes released were false and were made to influence the case in the Supreme Court,' he added. Moreover, he questioned the Congress for their win as most of their ministers have lost and the JDS only has gathered 37 seats.
_________________
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Russia to attend the nine-hour ‘informal summit’ with President Vladimir Putin to discuss issues of bilateral partnership and the growing tensions following America’s exit from the Iran deal.’ Hailing Indo-Russian relations as ‘time-tested friendship’ PM Modi thanked Putin for extending support to India for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which is an eight-nation group that aims at military and economic cooperation among the member states. The Indian embassy in Russia further told news agencies that the leaders will focus on supporting each other in several international committees like North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa association (BRICS) and military-to-military cooperation.
_________________
In a fresh action against absconding Diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday attached assets worth Rs 171 crore provisionally. The action was in connection with the Rs 13,400 crore fraudulent transactions at state-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB). The attached assets of Modi include four properties owned by Modi’s firms Firestar International Pvt Ltd and Paundra Enterprises Pvt Ltd in Mumbai and Surat worth Rs 72 crore. Out of these four, the most expensive property attached by the agency includes the HCL House in Andheri in suburban Mumbai priced at a fair market value of around Rs 63 crore.
_________________
Minor accused in Ryan Murder case to be tried as an adult, rules Gurgaon Court
A Gurgaon sessions court on Monday ruled that the Class 11 boy who was allegedly accused of killing a seven-year-old classmate in Gururgram’s Ryan International school will be tried as an adult and not as a juvenile. Hearing the plea of the alleged accused’s family, Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu said, “The judgment delivered by the juvenile board is absolutely illegal. The 11th grader will be treated as an adult and he will not be subjected to any kind of leniency,” the victim’s lawyer was quoted by news agencies. The 11th grader was taken under CBI’s custody on November 2017 for killing the victim, who was found dead with his throat slit in the school’s washroom._________________
Viral video shows Gujarat man flogged to death, five arrested
In a shocking incident from Gujarat, a man belonging to the Dalit community was flogged to death by two men at a factory in Rajkot district. The deceased, identified as Mukesh Vaniya reportedly a garbage picker was involved in an argument with five men near the factory when he was beaten mercilessly, a video of which went viral. The disturbing visual shows Vaniya being tied up and two men take turns to flog him, while he begs and cries for help. According to news reports, the police have arrested five men based on the complaint by Vaniya’s wife and charged them with murder under the IPC and SC/ST Act. Meanwhile, Vadgam MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, called out the act on microblogging site Twitter and said ‘Gujarat is not safe for Dalits.’_________________
Karnataka election mandate was anti-Congress, audio tapes of bribe were fake: Amit Shah
_________________
PM Modi in Russia: Military cooperation, global partnership on the plate
_________________
PNB Fraud: ED attaches Nirav Modi’s assets worth Rs 171 crore
_________________
JJ Hospital resident doctor’s strike continues for third day
The on-going strike and protests by the resident doctors of JJ Hospital in Mumbai entered its third day on Monday after a relative of a patient, who had passed away, reportedly vandalised the hospital and allegedly attacked and injured two doctors. Following the incident, Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) called an indefinite strike demanding increased security in hospitals. Several doctors of the city's Sion Hospital have also joined them on Monday to demand immediate action against the attackers and adequate arrangements at hospitals to ensure the safety of the staff. The doctors have been demanding security personnel in every ward after the incident.
_________________
