1. CBSE Leak Sparks Political Storm, 34 Suspects Quizzed
Investigations on Thursday, 29 March, pointed to the national capital emerging at the centre of an exam paper leak that forced the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to order two retests for 2.2 million Class X and Class XII nationwide and in select overseas locations, sparking outrage among students and parents and turning into a political slugfest between the Congress and the government.
Delhi Police said it had questioned at least 34 people, including an economics teacher at a private school in central Delhi and a coaching centre owner, one day after the CBSE said all 1.7 million students of Class X who took the mathematics exam on 28 March and 5,00,000 who sat for the class XII Economics exam on 26 March, will have to take them again, admitting that the question papers had leaked in advance.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. Union Minister Babul Supriyo Stokes Asansol Tension, Tells Crowd: Will Skin You Alive
Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Thursday threatened to “skin” some people who shouted slogans against him when he visited his constituency of Asansol, one of the areas hit by communal violence following Ram Navami processions across the state.
According to sources, Supriyo was on his way to a relief camp in Kalyanpur, in Asansol, when he was stopped by the police.
He was booked for violating prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and under Sections 146, 147, 148 (rioting) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), a non-bailable offence. He is alleged to have assaulted senior IPS officer Rupesh Kumar.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. ‘More Loyal Than the King’: Chelameswar on K’taka HC Chief Justice
Justice J Chelameswar of the Supreme Court has criticised the chief justice of the Karnataka High Court for initiating an inquiry against a district judge, who was cleared for elevation by the Supreme Court collegium, allegedly at the Centre’s behest, and suggested that he was “more loyal than the king”.
In a letter dated 21 March, sent to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra with copies to all the judges of the Supreme Court, Justice Chelameswar also questioned why the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari did not inform the Chief Justice of India about the probe.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. RBI Slaps ICICI Bank With Heavy Penalty for Flouting Guidelines
In one of the heaviest monetary levies by a regulator on a bank for violation of regulations in recent years, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a penalty of Rs 58.9 crore on ICICI Bank for violating the central bank’s guidelines governing treasury operations.
The RBI said the penalty was imposed for non-compliance with directions on direct sale of securities from its HTM (held-to-maturity) portfolio and its disclosure.
“This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers,” the RBI said in a statement.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Panel Will Steer Clear of Muslim Marriage Laws
The Law Commission of India, the country’s top law advisory body, which is working on a draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC), will steer clear of most personal laws relating to Muslim marriage and divorce so as to avoid a conflict with the Supreme Court, chairman Balbir Singh Chauhan said on Thursday.
The commission firmed up its stand days after the Supreme Court admitted pleas to examine the practices of polygamy, nikah halala, nikah mutta and nikah misyar . The last three are different types of temporary contractual marriages.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. Militants Gun Down SPO in Anantnag; Army Patrol in Shopian Attacked
A special police officer (SPO) was shot dead and his wife was injured after militants opened fire at them at their residence in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, an official said.
“Militants fired upon SPO Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh inside his residence at Katsoo in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district”, the police official said. The official added that while Sheikh was killed on spot, his wife Fareeda sustained injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In a separate incident, a group of militants opened fire on an Army patrol in Shopian district, forcing security forces to launch an overnight search operation in the area.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Steve Smith Breaks Down; Darren Lehmann Steps Down as Aussie Coach
A few more telling scenes in the tragic drama that Australian cricket has become over the past week played out in Sydney and Johannesburg on Thursday.
Former Australia captain Steve Smith wept, repeatedly apologised and was unable to finish a press conference at Sydney Airport. Darren Lehmann too wiped a tear or two and announced that he would step down as the team’s coach after this week’s Test match against South Africa.
Sacked vice-captain David Warner took to Instagram to accept responsibility for his misdeeds. And rookie Cameron Bancroft admitted to reporters, “I lied. I lied about the sandpaper. I feel like I’ve let everyone down in Australia.”
(Source: The Times of India)
8. Chaos at Delhi Airport as Hundreds of Bags Misplaced
Alleged slow handling of baggage due to passengers carrying power banks and other prohibited items in their checked-in baggage on Thursday led to delays at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport with passengers having to wait in long queues to go through. Hundreds of bags were also reported to be misplaced, further leading to chaos at the airport.
Sources say some flights were delayed due to the entire process even as passengers took to Twitter to express their grievances. Among those affected by the slow process included actor Hema Malini and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
(Source: The Times of India)
9. Government Will Bring Back Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi: Nirmala Sitharaman
The government will bring back diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, who triggered the Rs 12,600 crore fraud at state-run Punjab National Bank, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday and asserted that the NDA had provided a corruption-free government.
"We have to be careful that the system doesn't allow such loopholes. Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi have not gotten away, they ran away and we will get them back," Sitharaman said at an interaction at the fourth edition of Times Network's India Economic Conclave when asked about the banking fraud.
(Source: The Times of India)
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