Monday, December 29, 2025

Delhi Court acquits two accused in 1981 Indian Airlines plane hijacking case

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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A Delhi sessions court on August 27 acquitted Satnam Singh and Tajinder Pal Singh facing trial for their alleged involvement in an Indian Airlines plane hijacking on September 29, 1981. 

The Patiala House court acquitted both the accused of hijacking Delhi-Srinagar bound plane Boeing 737 with 111 passengers and six crew members on board.

Satnam Singh following the verdict said, “The Sikh victims of 1984 riots are yet to get justice, but in our case, we have got justice from courts.” 

Both the accused had already served the life term in Pakistan in connection with the crime. Satnam Singh, who was 30 at the time of the offense, has turned 67 while Tejinder Pal Singh is a year younger. 

Both accused had sought acquittal from the court during the trial on the ground of double jeopardy for the alleged crime. It would violate their fundamental right under Article 20(2) of the Constitution and Section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Code, they had submitted.

After serving their sentence in Pakistan, both had moved to Canada and the US respectively and were deported to India in 1998 and 1999 in connection with the incident.

The plane was hijacked by at least five Sikh hijackers belonging to Dal Khalsa. They had demanded the release of the Sikh preacher and head of Damdami Taksal Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who was arrested on September 20, 1981, in a murder case.

Leave Jawaharlal Nehru memorial complex undisturbed, Manmohan Singh write to PM Modi

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote a strongly worded letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to leave the Jawaharlal Nehru memorial complex in Delhi “undisturbed” out of respect for history and heritage.

Singh claimed that the BJP-led NDA government is pursuing an “agenda to change the character and nature” of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) and the Teen Murti complex.

According to the reports, Singh in his letter further asserts that “Jawaharlal Nehru belongs not only to the Congress but to the entire nation”.

In the letter sent last week, Singh further pointed out that during late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure “no attempt was made to change the character and nature of the NMML and the Teen Murti complex”. But for the current government of India that seems to be part of the agenda now.”

Singh urged PM Modi to keep Teen Murti as a memorial to our first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru and leave the Teen Murti complex undisturbed, as a mark of respect to both history and legacy. Singh also wrote that the museum itself must retain its key focus on Nehru and the freedom struggle because of his unique role having spent almost ten years in jail between the early 1920s and mid-1940s.

Jharkhand CM sends 26 farmers to Israel to learn hi-tech farming techniques

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on August 26 sent a delegation of 26 farmers for a four-day trip, accompanied by state government officials, to Israel for training in technologically advanced farming techniques, to overcome the challenges posed by lack of irrigation facilities and generate better produce.

State government officials accompanying the 26 farmers include Agriculture Director Ramesh Gholop, Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner Ravi Shankar Shukla, Garwha Deputy Commissioner Neha Arora, Horticulture Director Vijay Singh and Joint Director (Agriculture) Dr. Subhas Singh.

Addressing the farmers before their departure, CM Das asked them to learn the new farming techniques minutely and then use those methods and techniques in their own farming.

Chief Minister Das said, “At present, the farmers here are facing challenges of lack of irrigation facilities and scarcity of land for agriculture. They are only farming one crop a year. However, Israel has overcome similar problems by using technologically advanced methods of farming. If our farmers learn those techniques, it will be beneficial for them and even they can overcome the present challenges.” 

CM Das added that state is now lagging behind in grain production but the day is not far when it would not only become self-sufficient in producing grains but also would export grains to other states.

Agriculture Secretary Puja Singhal said that during their trip, the farmers would visit dairy farms, production units of fruits and vegetables and learn about the functioning of drip irrigation.

CM Das further said that on their return, the farmers would be appointed as master trainers and entrusted with the responsibility of imparting knowledge of hi-tech farming techniques to other farmers in various parts of the state.

Meghalaya assembly bypoll result: CM Conrad K Sangma wins South Tura seat

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma on Monday, won the South Tura by-election after defeating his nearest Congress rival Charlotte W Momin by over 8,400 votes.

Conrad K Sangma contested from the South Tura seat as the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) candidate.

The National People’s Party has leveled its tally at 20 with the opposition Congress in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly by Sangma’s win. The National People’s Party (NPP) is heading a six-party Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in the state.

According to the sources, the NPP president secured a total of 13,656 votes of the 22,200 plus total votes polled in South Tura.

The United Democratic Party Candidate Pious Marwein is leading over NPP candidate Martin M Danggo by over 3,390 votes in the Ranikor Assembly seat.

The bypoll in Ranikor was necessitated after Former Congress MLA Martin M Danggo, who was elected on a Congress ticket for the fifth time in March, resigned in June this year to join the ruling NPP.

BJP MLA says Kerala floods outcome of cow slaughtering in state

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Tehelka Web Desk
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In a bid to spark a controversy Basangouda Patil Yatnal, BJP MLA from Karnataka and a former union minister, in an outrageous comment said that devastating floods in Kerala are the result of ruthless cow slaughtering in the state.

“Slaughtering cows is against the feelings of the Hindu community. One should not hurt the feelings of other religions. Now you see what happened to Kerala, they openly slaughtered cows and you see in less than one year they’ve come to this stage,” he said.

He further added, “Whoever hurts the feelings of the Hindu community will be punished this way.”

In a statement, Yatnal was referring to a beef festival that was held about a year ago by Kerala legislators in the state assembly canteen to protest against a centre’s order banning cattle killing and trade.

BJP MLA Yatnal, who had quit the BJP a few years ago, made a comeback just before the Karnataka elections.

In the devastating floods following torrential rains in Kerala more than 300 people have died and lakhs of people rendered homeless.  

Mehul Choksi opposes CBI’s red corner notice plea, cites poor jail conditions

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Fugitive jeweler Mehul Choksi wanted in the multi-crore PNB fraud case, has recently opposed Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) plea to the Interpol seeking a red corner notice against him on the same grounds as that of Mallya that the conditions in Indian jails are not good.

In his plea before the Interpol, Choksi claimed that the jails in India “violate human rights conditions”. He has also alleged that a media trial was against him and that the judicial system may be influenced.

He stated that he was being ‘clubbed along with his nephew Nirav Modi in the case and also stated that accused in India don’t have the mandatory legal protection. He also mentioned a threat to his life, by his employees.  

As per the reports, Choksi is currently hiding in the twin islands of Antigua and Barbuda.

Earlier, India had formally handed over the extradition request of Mehul Choksi to the Antiguan authorities.

Gujarat: Several feared trapped after building collapses in Ahmedabad’s Odhav area

By
Shveta Mishra
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Several people are feared trapped after a four-storey building collapsed in Gujarat on Sunday.

According to the reports, the building collapsed in Odhav area of Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat. 

Four people have been rescued from inside the collapsed building.

According to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) officials, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the local fire brigade were deployed to evacuate the people from the debris of the collapsed building.

AMC officials had asked people to vacate their houses after it appeared that the building might collapse any time, but few residents came back.

As per the AMC Assistant Chief Fire Officer Rajesh Bhatt, “four people had been rescued so far.”

The exact number of people trapped under debris is not known but as per reports, it was likely 8-10 people.

Gujarat Chief minister Vijay Rupani had directed the district collector to take the services of the NDRF to evacuate the trapped people. 

Asian Games 2018: Dutee Chand win silver in Women’s 100 m race

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Indian Sprinter Dutee Chand on Sunday won a silver medal in Women’s 100 m race in the ongoing Asian Games at Jakarta.

Dutee finished second on the podium in women’s 100m event with a timing of 11.32 seconds while Edidiong Odiong of Bahrain won gold with a timing of 11.30 seconds. Yongli Wei of China won the bronze with a timing of 11.33 seconds.

This is the fourth medal in Athletics for India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dutee and tweeted, “Seems like a great run for our runners in the #AsianGames2018. The phenomenally talented Dutee Chand wins a Silver in the Women’s 100 m event. Well done!”

Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore in a tweet said, “What a day for India in athletics! In a Magnificent run, India’s Dutee Chand won SILVER medal in Women’s 100 m with a timing of 11.32sec. KUDOS to you Champion!”

India’s total medal tally at the Asian games 2018 stands at 36 with seven gold, ten silver, and nineteen bronze. 

Discussion on simultaneous polls gaining momentum; a healthy sign for democracy: PM Modi

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 47th edition of “Mann Ki Baat” programme on Sunday said that the discussion on simultaneous polls in the nation is gaining momentum as people are sharing their views on it.

In the radio programme, PM said, “A discussion in the country is gaining momentum for having simultaneous polls in states and Centre. People are sharing their views for and against. It is a good sign for healthy democracy.”

He also spoke on Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision on the electoral process, he said, “It will be a fitting tribute to Atal ji to develop best practices, sustained effort to strengthen democracy and promote discussions with an open mind.”

Election commission of India had already ruled out the possibility of holding Lok Sabha and Assembly polls simultaneously.

Asian Games 2018: Hima Das, Muhammed Anas win silver in 400m race

By
Tehelka Web Desk
-

Indian sprinters Hima Das and Muhammed Anas on Sunday won silver medals in women’s and men’s 400m race in the ongoing Asian Games at Jakarta.

Das finished second on the podium in women’s 400m event with a national record timing of 50.59 seconds while Salwa Naser of Bahrain won gold with a new games record timing of 50.09 seconds. Elina Mikhina of Kazakhstan won the bronze with a timing of 52.63 seconds.

Muhammed Anas clinched the silver in the same event in men’s category with a timing of 45.69 seconds, while Abdalelah Hassan of Qatar bagged the gold medal with a timing of 44.89 seconds and Ali Khamis of Bahrain won the Bronze with the timing of 45.70 seconds.

Congratulating Hima and Anas for their performance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “One of India’s most admired athletes @HimaDas8 bags the coveted Silver in the Women’s 400m Final. India rejoices in her glory. Congratulations to her and all the best for her future endeavours. @asiangames2018.”

“My young friend @muhammedanasyah brings home a Silver in the Men’s 400m event. Good to see our athletes performing well in track events. #AsianGames2018,” PM said in another tweet.

India’s total medal tally at the Asian games 2018 now stands at 36 with seven gold, ten silver, and nineteen bronze. 

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