Top stories on 18th July in a capsule

19 officials arrested in 'cash for job' racked in Assam public exam

Around 19 officials including two BJP lawmaker’s relatives were arrested in a massive ‘cash for job’ racket that was exposed in the Assam Public Services Commission (APSC) 2016 exams. As per NDTV, Among those arrested is Pallabi Sarma, daughter of RP Sharma, BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Tezpur and Monika, niece of BJP leader Joyram Engleng. The racket came to light after the Assam police on Wednesday summoned officials- three police officers, 13 civil service officials and three allied served officials and appear for a handwriting test where it was found to be different from the ones in their answer sheets. The arrested will now be bought before Special Judge's Court in Guwahati on Thursday.

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Best time to buy Gold as prices hit five-month low
Gold prices on Wednesday hit a five-month low after the prices fell by almost one percent. The prices were cut down by about Rs 250 resulting in the rates to be at Rs 30,800 per 10 grams amid weak global cues and slow demand from local jewelers, reported news agency PTI. Silver followed suit and dropped by Rs 620 to Rs 39,200 per kg on poor offtake by industrial units and coin makers. PTI reported that the gold futures fell by Rs 29 to Rs 29,700 per 10 grams as participants cut down bets amid a weak global trend. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold prices for delivery in August declined by Rs 29, or 0.10 percent, to Rs 29,700 per 10 grams in a business turnover of 1,255 lots, it further said. This fall in gold has made this time to be the best time to invest in the metal.
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Once you open it for public, anybody can go: CJI on women's entry in Sabarimala temple
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it is the constitutional right of women to enter Sabarimala temple in Kerala and pray like men without being discriminated against. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, which is hearing a petition challenging the decision of the Devaswom board banning entry of women of age group 10-50 years, said that even if there was no law, the women cannot be discriminated against with regard to offering prayer in a temple. The observation was made during the hearing of a plea whether prohibiting the entry of women in the temple on grounds of biological factors was discriminatory and violative of the Constitution. “On what basis you (temple authorities) deny the entry. It is against the Constitutional mandate. Once you open it for public, anybody can go,” the Chief Justice observed. The petitioner -- the Indian Young Lawyers Association -- has challenged the 800-year-old practice of prohibiting the entry of women into the famed Lord Ayyappan Temple.

Chandan Mitra quits BJP, may join TMC say reports

Veteran journalist and politician from West Bengal Chandan Mitra on Wednesday quit the BJP party on amidst rumors that he will be joining Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress (TMC) party. Submitting his resignation to party chief Amit Shah and addressing a press conference on the same, Mitra said, “I have given resignation. I have not decided when or where I will join, I am not going to disclose it.” According to news agency Press Trust of India, Mitra will make an official entry in TMC in the party’s mega rally to be held on Martyr’s Day on July 21, when CM Banerjee will visit Kolkata.  

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No-confidence motion against Modi govt to be moved on Friday 

In a historic move in 15 years, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday accepted a no-confidence motion against the Modi government, which will be moved on Friday. The notice moved by the Opposition parties - Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and also a former friend of the BJP - Telugu Desam Party (TDP) - was accepted by sitting speaker Sumitra Mahajan. “The House will take up the debate (on the motion) on Friday, July 20th. The discussion will be held for the full day, followed by voting on it,” Mahajan announced in the lower house, in the first day of Monsoon session of Parliament. While the BJP has a comfortable number of 273 members to survive the motion, the Opposition also expressed confidence. Reacting to the situation UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said “Who said we don’t have numbers?,” NDTV reported on Wednesday.

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Three arrested, FIR against 18 in Noida building collapse

Three people, including the builder, were arrested in Noida Building collapse case on Wednesday morning. At least 4 people died when a 6-storey building collapsed on a 4-storey building on Tuesday night. At least 50 people are still feared trapped under the concrete rubble of the buildings. There is still no record of the number of laborers living in and around the buildings. The rescue operations were hampered in the night due to low visibility. Rescue dogs, hydraulic cranes, bulldozers and 4 NDRF teams have been deployed at the site since Tuesday night. The 6-storey under-construction building was made illegally and construction work on one had been completed after which a dozen families had shifted in it, officials told media agencies.
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BJP slams Congress after Karnataka MPs given iPhoneX, leather bags as gifts 

The Karnataka government faced criticism on Tuesday after iPhones and leather bags were distributed to MPs at the all-party meeting held recently. The matter came to light when a BJP Rajya Sabha member took to Twitter to return the phone, criticizing the government for spending on expensive gifts on one side and complaining about denied salaries and other public expenses on the other. Following this, the water resource minister D.K Shivkumar claimed that the iPhones were given to him in his personal capacity – and that the government money was only spent on bags which contained the Cauvery related papers.

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Prime accused in Kerala student leader murder case arrested 

The Kerala police on Wednesday arrested the prime accused in the murder case of student leader Abhimanyu, who was stabbed to death during an altercation between two rival college groups on July 1. The 19-year-old BSc Chemistry student, who was a member of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of Communist Party (Marxist) had engaged in an argument with rival gang Campus Front of India (CFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) in Maharaja College. According to Asianet News TV channel, accused Mohammad was detained by the Special Investigative Team (SIT) from Kasargod district in the morning hours and was believed to be the mastermind behind the mob that killed Abhimanyu.

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Elon Musk says sorry to British diver whom he called 'pedo'

Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk on Wednesday apologized for his remarks against British diver who was a team member in the historic rescue operation of 12 boys and a soccer coach from a Thailand cave. Diver Vernon Unsworth had challenged a legal action on Musk after the businessman called him a ‘pedophile.’ Seeking an apology on micro-blogging site Twitter, Musk said, “My words were spoken in anger after Mr. Unsworth said several untruths….”. Unsworth had lashed at Musk for sending a ‘mini-submarine’ for the cave rescue operation calling it unnecessary and a mere publicity stunt. 

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