Sunday, December 28, 2025

Bihar social welfare minister Manju Verma resigns over Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Bihar social welfare minister Manju Verma has resigned on Wednesday over indictments against her husband, who is accused of having links to Brajesh Thakur of Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case.

Manju Verma handed over her resignation to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The resignation came hours after Nitish Kumar said if anything came up against the minister during the investigation, she will not be spared.

“She (Manju Verma) has repudiated her involvement in the case. A CBI investigation is underway. Anybody found guilty, even the Ministers, will be sent to jail. No one will be spared,” said Nitish Kumar on Tuesday.

According to reports, call records confirm that minister Manju Verma’s husband was in touch with the man who ran the shelter home in Muzaffarpur where 34 minor inmates were allegedly raped, and seventeen calls claimed to be exchanged between them.

The minister had accepted that her husband was in touch with Brajesh Thakur, whose NGO ran the shelter home where girls were raped, beaten and assaulted but unaware that he was a criminal.

The shelter home rape case is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Prime accused in Muzaffarpur case: I am unnecessarily framed as I was planning to join Congress

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual horror case, on August 8 claimed that he has been falsely implicated in the case as he was planning to join the Congress party. Thakur was today produced before the court among other accused.

While talking to Media outside the court premises Thakur said, “I was thinking of joining the Congress and it was almost final that I will contest elections from Muzaffarpur. That is the reason why I have been unnecessarily framed in the case. None of the girls (inmates of the shelter home) has taken my name. You can check that yourself.”

When asked about Madhu Kumari, the other accused in the case who is still absconding, he said, “I have never had any relation with Madhu. This has been propagated by some newspapers who want my newspaper office to shut down. Their business is getting affected due to my newspaper; that is the reason why it is happening.”

While reacting to Thakur’s comment on planning to join Congress party, Bihar Congress president Kaukab Quadri said, “It is a laughable comment made by him. Investigation suggests that he was connected to Manju Verma’s husband. His connections with BJP and JD(U) have also come out. How can it be possible that he was supposed to contest elections representing the Congress? He should reveal the names he was in touch with from the Congress party. I feel that the law and order have completely failed in the state.”

NITI Aayog-CII launch partnership for sustainable development

By
Aditi Chahar
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Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State, Union Power and New and Renewable Energy, observed on August 8 that business and government must partner for sustainable development of India. 

He was speaking at the launch of NITI Aayog and CII Partnership on SDGs, at the Government and Business Partnership Conclave in New Delhi on 8 August 2018, organized by NITI Aayog, Confederation of Indian Industry and UN.

The Minister said that in sustainable development three things matter the most: energy, water and circular economy/green industry. To action his 2022 agenda, he expressed confidence that India will achieve its clean energy goals even earlier than 2022 and urged everyone to be conscious and responsible towards the environment.   

Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, in his address highlighted the high pace of urbanization of India at a time when the countries such as the USA and Europe are almost through with this process. Given our population, Kant emphasized, the only way to grow and develop sustainably is to use technology to leapfrog: use new and renewable energy and push for R&D and innovation to generate demand for electric vehicles, hydrogen cars, etc. and to find local solutions for 7 million strong population around the world.’  

Speaking at the occasion,  Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator, said that ‘conditions in India are favorable due to its nature, history, and demography, to come up with solutions towards a sustainable and circular economy for the world to emulate.’

Rakesh Bharti Mittal, President CII, and Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises Ltd stressed that the current theme of CII 2018-19 ‘India RISE: Responsible. Inclusive. Sustainable.’ is aligned with the sustainability agenda. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry, mentioned that CII’s nine Centres of Excellence are well-aligned to the SDGs.

CII-NITI Aayog have entered into a three-year partnership and a MoU was signed. This partnership focuses on specific activities that seek to develop the Vision and Action Agenda for businesses and industries to contribute to SDGs, Annual Status Reports, and Sector-specific Best Practise Documents. On this occasion, Dr. Ashok Kumar Jain, Adviser, NITI Aayog, spoke about the partnership and welcomed CII for innovative initiatives going forward. 

2 dead, 30 injured in stampede at M. Karunanidhi’s funeral

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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At least two persons died and 30 others sustained injuries in a stampede at Chennai’s Rajaji Hall, where the mortal remains of late Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M. Karunanidhi has been kept for public to pay homage. The chaos at the location forced police to resort to lathicharge.

The incident came after the DMK working president MK Stalin alleged that the State government is trying to create chaos and appealed to masses to maintain peace and cooperate with the police to ensure that everyone gets to pay homage to ‘Kalaignar’.

“Those who are in power are trying to create chaos, but you have all shown the strength of the cadres. I appeal to everyone to maintain peace. Please clear the way, so that by 4 pm, procession can commence,” Stalin added.

The huge crowd at Rajaji Hall led to chaotic scenes after public breached barricades, entered the VIP area and even tried jumping the walls. DMK leaders, including Stalin appealed for peace. But ultimately, Karunanidhi’s body had to be moved inside, since the crowd just kept swelling.

kanwariyas vandalise car after it hits one of them in Delhi’s Moti Nagar

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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An outrageous incident took place on Tuesday evening when a group of ‘kanwariyas’ reportedly damaged a car in West Delhi’s Moti Nagar area after a car brushed one of them while driving.

The protestors attacked the vehicle with sticks, iron rods and later broke the windshield of the car and damaged it while turning it upside down after it allegedly brushed past them. The passengers who were inside the car managed to escape just in time.

The entire incident led to a massive traffic jam in that area.

However, no police complaint has been filed against Kanwariyas, said police.

Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage undertaken during the Shravan month.

Two Indian Businessman Brothers abducted in Malaysia rescued: Sushma Swaraj

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Two Indian businessmen brothers from Maharashtra Thane district, who were kidnapped from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia earlier in August have been rescued by the Malaysian police.

Rohan Prakash Vaidya and Kaustubh Prakash Vaidya, residents of Dombivli in the Thane district, own a fish export company called Rock Frozen Food and had gone to Malaysia for business purpose, where they were abducted on August 3.

According to the reports, one of the brothers called up home to inform the family that they had been kidnapped by unidentified men who were asking for Rs 1 crore as ransom.

After this, Family members sought help from Sushma Swaraj and also got in touch with the Indian Embassy in Malaysia.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Tuesday, “R.P.Vaidya and K.P.Vaidya who had gone to Malaysia for business purposes were abducted on 3rd Aug 2018. I am happy to inform that with the efforts of our High Commissioner Mridul Kumar and his team, Malaysian Police has secured release of both Indian nationals on 6th Aug 2018.”

ASI increases entry fee to Taj Mahal, other monuments

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Domestic and foreign visitors to Taj Mahal will now have to pay an extra Rs 10, and Rs 100 respectively from Wednesday as ASI has revised the entry fee to the monument.

A foreign tourist will have to shell out Rs 1100, which includes Rs 500 toll tax collected by Agra Development Authority (ADA) and domestic tourists will have to shell out Rs 50, in place of Rs 40, which they were paying earlier.

Moreover, SAARC Countries visitors will have to pay Rs 540, including Rs 500 toll tax charged by ADA.

On the other hand, for B Category ASI protected ticketed monuments which includes, Akbar’s Tomb Sikandra, Mariyam Tomb Sikandra, Ram Bagh, Itmad-Ud-Daula, and Mehtab Bagh, the rates for Indians have increased from Rs 15 to Rs 25 and for foreigners from Rs 200 to Rs 300.  An additional discount for cashless payments has been added.

This is for the second time that the entry fee to Taj Mahal and other ASI protected monuments has increased in the last two and a half years.

In Agra, the A category monuments include Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, and Agra Fort.

SC issues notice to J-K Govt over alleged torture to witness in Kathua rape case

By
Sunny Sharma
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The Supreme Court (SC) on August 8 issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir government on habeas corpus petition filed by the family member of the Kathua rape case witness Talib Hussain.

The petition was filed before the SC seeking an urgent hearing against the alleged custodial torture meted out to Hussian.

The next hearing on the case will be held on August 21. The Jammu and Kashmir will file its response on the mentioned date.

The petitioner claimed that when social activist Hussain was helping the family members of the 8-year old victim, the police allegedly picked him up and there was no information as to where he is at present.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra considered the submission of senior advocate Indira Jaising, counsel for the petitioner, that Hussain had been brutally tortured in police custody in Sambha District of J&K and judicial intervention was needed.

The bench asked the state government to file the response in a week and asked the lawyers to serve a copy of the petition on the advocate general of the state.

An eight-year-old girl from a minority nomadic community was abducted and gang-raped in January in Kathua District of J&K.

Kansas Shooting: Killer of Indian techie sentenced to life for hate crime

By
Sunny Sharma
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A US Navy veteran Adam Purinton who shot dead an Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotlatech was on August 7 awarded three consecutive life sentences for the racially motivated attack in Kansas City bar on February 22, 2017. He had been jailed for 50 years without parole.

Purinton killed Kuchibhotla and wounded Alok Madasani at a bar in the city of Olathe, Kansas, in February 2017.

According to a statement by the US Department of Justice Purinton, at his plea hearing in May, had admitted that he shot Kuchibhotla and his Madasani at a bar because of their race, color, religion and national origin.

“The crimes at issue, in this case, are detestable,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.

He further added, “The defendant acted with clear premeditation in murdering one man, and attempting to murder a second man, simply because of their race, religion, and national origin. As a result, a promising young life has been tragically cut short, and other lives have been filled with suffering.”

The judge in the case also ordered Purinton to pay compensation of $14,200 (£11,000) to Kuchibhotla’s family.

The attack drew worldwide condemnation and shocked the Indian community in the US.

Madras High Court allows burial site at Marina Beach for M. Karunanidhi

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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The Madras high court on Wednesday allowed the burial site for M Karunanidhi at Chennai’s Marina beach. The order came on a petition filed by the DMK party after Tamil Nadu government refused to allot land for him at the beach.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Chennai and paid his last respects to DMK President M Karunanidhi at the Rajaji Hall.

Indian Film actor turned politician Rajinikanth paid his homage to the Former Tamil Nadu CM at Chennai’s Rajaji Hall.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, senior state ministers among others paid homage to Karunanidhi.

Early on Wednesday, Karunanidhi’s body was brought to the stately Rajaji Hall from his CIT Nagar home for the public to pay respects.

Karunanidhi’s body was draped with the Indian tricolour. 

The 94-year-old leader died yesterday evening at the Kauvery hospital due to age-related illnesses.

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