Breaking news on October 18

Today NIA arrested absconding accused Lalita Devi, wife of Chhotu Kherwar who is Regional Commander of CPI(Maoist) from Balumath. She is accused in a case relating to seizure of huge cash from operatives of CPI(Maoist).

NCP leader Praful Patel was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for nearly 12 hours on Friday in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged illegal assets of late Iqbal Mirchi, an aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Patel, a former Union minister in the UPA regime, emerged out of the ED office at Ballard Estate in South Mumbai around 10.30 pm.

He had arrived at the office at 10.30 in the morning.

After a day-long questioning, senior ED officials left the office around 6.30 pm, but Patel's questioning by the investigating officer continued, an official of the central agency had said earlier. 

SBI's head Rajnish Kumar has been elected as the chairman of the banking industry lobby Indian Banks Association for fiscal 2019-20. 

The body, which represents banks' interests with the government and regulators, said it has three top bankers from various lenders as its deputy chairmen.

An official statement said these include Union Bank of India's G Rajkiran Rai, S S Mallikarjuna Rao of Punjab National Bank and Madhav Kalyan JP Morgan Chase Bank.

IDBI Bank's managing director and chief Rakesh Shamra will be the honorary secretary of the body, it said. 

Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted for the investigation of Kamlesh Tiwari murder case. SK Bhagat (IG Lucknow), Dinesh Puri (SP Crime Lucknow) and PK Mishra (Deputy SP Special Task Force) are the members of the SIT.

Students were made to wear cardboard boxes during an exam at Bhagat Pre-University College in Haveri, reportedly to stop them from cheating.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar addressed a campaign rally in heavy rain on Friday evening at Satara in western Maharashtra, where a Lok Sabha by-election will be held alongiwth the state Assembly elections on October 21.

During his brief speech, the 78-year-old NCP patriarch, who got completely drenched in the rain, said he committed "a mistake" in selecting candidate for the Lok Sabha earlier this year, but people were now waiting to correct it.

After winning votes, India is set to be the host for 91st INTERPOL General Assembly in 2022, as part of celebrations of 75th Anniversary of Indian Independence. 

Rishi Kumar Shukla, Director, CBI had proposed India's candidature in his brief address at ongoing 88th INTERPOL General Assembly at Santiago Chile. An overwhelming majority voted in favour of India’s proposal to host. 

In light of 2019 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on 20 Oct, services will begin at 4 AM from all terminal stations(except Airport Express Line). Trains will be available at a frequency of 20 min till 6 AM, and then services will continue as per Sunday timetable. 

The body of a woman in her 30s was found stuffed in a suitcase on Friday morning in Outer North Delhi's Bawana, police said. According to a senior police official, a passerby informed police about a bag lying near a bus stand in Pooth village.

After reaching the spot, police personnel opened the suitcase and found the woman's body inside, he said. Her clothes were intact and there were no injury marks on her body. The crime scene was inspected by the forensic team, the officer said, adding that police teams have been formed to identify the woman.

Be it Centre or State, there is no stain of corruption on us, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at an election rally in Mumbai. Further, PM said Mumbai has excellent human capital, innovative venture capital and is strong financial capital.

Election Commission has seized Rs 78,70,000 unaccounted cash in Colaba Assembly Constituency. Yesterday, Rs 2.19 Crores were seized from 5 persons in the same constituency.

FATF (Financial Action Task Force) President Xiangmin Liu on Friday said that Pakistan needs to do more and faster. It's a failure to fulfil FATF global standards, the issue is being taken very seriously. If by February 2020, Pakistan doesn't make significant progress, it will be put in the 'Black List.'

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has written a letter to election officer of Beed, Parali constituency returning officer and Collector of Beed district demanding to activate mobile network jammer around strong room and counting centre between 21 Oct to 24 Oct to avoid EVM tampering.

Election Commission's flying squad today conducted check on helicopter for NCP MP Supriya Sule at Mahalaxmi Race Course helipad. After the checking, Supriya Sule left on the same helicopter.

Muralidhar Dhara, a Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank account holder, passed away today due to heart attack. Dharra, a senior citizen, was reportedly unable to withdraw money from the bank for his treatment.

The Bharatiya Janata Party MP Hema Malini addressed a public meeting in Hodal assembly, during an election campaign for Haryana Assembly Elections 2019.

She said: "We can't have another PM like Narendra Modi. The situation of the country 10-15 years ago was worrisome. But today our country is in safe hands. So, don't even think of supporting any other party."

At least 18 people killed and nearly 50 others wounded in two blasts inside a mosque in Nangarhar province during prayers today, local officials confirmed. 

Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, gusty winds and intense spells of rain likely to occur in the districts of Raigad, Thane, Jalgaon and Nashik during next 4 hours.

Sensex jumps by 240 points at 39,300 and Nifty 50 also jumped 75 points to end at 11,660 as of 3:25 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "When BJP government in Haryana was taking decisive steps for development of state, what was opposition doing? They couldn't fight with us,so they were busy fighting among themselves. They destabilized their parties for self-interest, can they give stability to Haryana?"

A 15-year-old boy attacked a 21-year-old woman with a knife in a society in Sec-61. The boy then committed suicide by jumping off the 8th floor of society. The woman is undergoing treatment at a hospital. An investigation is underway. 

Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari died after being shot at in his office. 

CBI files charge sheet against P Chidambaram and 14 others in the INX media case.

Five men were arrested here for allegedly trafficking drugs, police said on Friday. The arrests were made on Thursday in an area under the Civil Lines Police Station limits, they said.

According to station house officer (SHO) Sameypal Artri, based on a tip-off, Mustakim, Dilshad, Amir, Gulsher and Farman were nabbed and around 1,500 sleeping pills and 950 grams of charas (cannabis) were seized from their possession.

A case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the SHO added

At least 50 policemen undergoing training at the Manipur Police Training College (MPTC), Pangei in Imphal East district have fallen ill after consuming fermented soybeans, a senior police officer said on Friday.

The trainees of the Manipur Police and the Manipur Rifles had bought the fermented soybeans, a local delicacy, for consumption from outside the premise of the training centre and were not served from within, MPTC Director R K Tutusana told PTI.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday met protesting employees of state-run HAL's unit here and said a meeting will be held in New Delhi post-Assembly election to find a way out over their demands.

The employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) are on an indefinite strike since October 14 in support of various demands, including wage revision.

"The (Assembly) polls will be over in eight days. If your union is ready, we will hold a meeting to discuss the issue (after the election)," Pawar told the employees during his meeting.

"This region has made India proud in every field, be it fighting in the wrestling ring or fighting against terrorism. Sonipat means 'Kisan,Jawan aur Pehelwan," says PM Modi in a rally in Goahana.

"When we talk of Swacch Bharat or surgical strike then Congress gets stomach ache,and if by chance anyone says Balakot then Congress starts jumping with pain. Pakistan uses them to strengthen their case globally,what sort of chemistry is this?" PM Modi says.

A school bus carrying 26 children overturned on Bandrabhan Road near here on Friday, an official said, adding that no child had suffered serious injuries in the mishap. As many as 22 students of Campion School were treated for minor injuries at the district hospital, area tehsildar (revenue officer) Shailendra Badonia said.

Following are the Direct Rates of Exchange (DRE) as announced by the State Bank of India here on October 18 (Friday). (All rates in rupees per unit):
CURR_CODE TTBUY TTSELL BILL BUY BILLSELL

USD/INR 70.4 71.9 70.34 72.04

EUR/INR 77.79 80.53 77.73 80.68

GBP/INR 89.94 92.97 89.86 93.15

JPY/INR 64.39 66.7 64.34 66.83

CHF/INR 70.75 73.4 70.69 73.55

AUD/INR 47.63 49.68 47.59 49.78

NZD/INR 44.46 46.52 44.42 46.61

CAD/INR 53.27 55.1 53.23 55.2

SGD/INR 51.29 52.97 51.25 53.07

HKD/INR 8.92 9.23 8.91 9.24

DKK/INR 10.42 10.77 10.41 10.79

NOK/INR 7.63 7.88 7.62 7.89

SEK/INR 7.22 7.45 7.21 7.47

BHD/INR 183.07 194.62 182.92 195

KWD/INR 227.2 241.99 227.01 242.46

AED/INR 18.79 19.98 18.77 20.01

SAR/INR 18.4 19.56 18.39 19.6

ZAR/INR 4.65 4.94 4.64 4.95

QAR/INR 18.85 20.04 18.83 20.08

Note: CURRENCY JPY IS CALCULATED IN 100 FOREIGN CURRENCY UNITS.

(PTI)

Aluminium prices fell 15 paise to Rs 133.40 per kg on Friday as participants trimmed their positions amid a weak trend at the spot market.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange, aluminium for delivery in October declined by 15 paise, or 0.11 per cent, at Rs 133.40 per kg in 362 lots.
Similarly, the metal for delivery in November weakened by 10 paise at Rs 135.60 per kg in 43 lots.

Analysts said cutting down of positions by participants on easing demand from consuming industries in the physical market mainly kept aluminium prices lower here.

-PTI-

The Enforcement Directorate has moved an application in Delhi Court to revoke approver status of Rajiv Saxena in Agusta Westland money laundering case. ED has alleged that Saxena withheld information, did not make a complete disclosure and misled the investigation agency. 

Former UP & Haryana MLA Kartar Singh Bhadana joins Bharatiya Janata Party

Raebareli Congress MLA Aditi Singh meeting with Yogi Adityanath has drawn the ire of her state party chief Ajay Kumar Lallu. 

"People who think of self-interest & have no ideology can go anywhere. We have issued a notice to her. If there is no reply, further action will be taken," Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu said.

Aditi Singh had earlier skipped a roadshow led by Priyanka Gandhi.

China’s quarterly economic growth weakens to 6.0%, its lowest in at least 26 years, during a tariff war with Washington.

 Share prices retreated in Asia after China reported Friday that its economy grew at an annual rate of 6.0% in the latest quarter.

The Shanghai Composite index gave up early gains, losing 0.7% to 2,956.93 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.3% to 26,768.56. Australia's S&P ASX 200 declined 0.5% to 6,649.70 and the Kospi in South Korea slipped 0.7% to 2,065.04.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index advanced 0.2% to 22,492.94 and shares also rose in Jakarta but fell in the rest of Southeast Asia and in Taiwan.

The 6.0% growth pace China reported for July-September was worse than forecast and the slowest since the country began reporting quarterly data 26 years ago. 

Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said his government believes in opening schools and not shutting them as he met representatives of non-recognised private schools here and assured them that the Municipal Corporation will not be allowed to close any school in the national capital.

The Supreme Court of India has declined to hear a PIL in PMC Bank Case. Top court said that the PMC petitioner can approach the concerned high court. 

Equity benchmark BSE Sensex rose over 100 points in early trade on Friday amid led by gains in index heavyweights HDFC Bank and RIL amid sustained foreign fund inflow.

The 30-share index was trading 122.21 points, or 0.31 per cent, higher at 39,174.27 in morning trade. The broader NSE Nifty advance 32.30 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 11,618.65.

Top gainers in the Sensex pack included Yes Bank, Vedanta, Hero MotoCorp, PowerGrid, L&T, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank, rising up to 3 per cent.

Debt-ridden housing finance firm DHFL has reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 242.48 crore for the first quarter ended June of the current fiscal. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 431.71 crore in the corresponding April-June period of 2018-19.

DHFL said the losses registered in Q1 of this fiscal were fully attributable to owners of the parent (company). Total income of the company fell to Rs 2,399.84 crore during the three months to June 2019, as against Rs 3,154.25 crore in the year-ago period, it said in a late night regulatory filing.

The fallout of the ongoing infighting in the Madhya Pradesh Congress unit can be witnessed in the Jhabua Assembly seat, where bypoll is going to held on October 21.

Congress General Secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia has not yet campaigned for the party candidate even though canvassing would end on October 19. Instead, he is busy campaigning in Maharashtra.

Scindia had campaigned intensively in the state during the 2018 Assembly and May 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Debt-ridden housing finance firm DHFL has reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 242.48 crore for the first quarter ended June of the current fiscal.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 431.71 crore in the corresponding April-June period of 2018-19.

DHFL said the losses registered in Q1 of this fiscal were fully attributable to owners of the parent (company).

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi to address a public rally in Mahendragarh, Haryana today

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union on Thursday accused the varsity administration of closing down democratic spaces. The students' union has been on a sit-in protest after they were asked to vacate the students' union office since the newly-elected body is yet to be notified.

Meanwhile, Umesh Kadam, the dean of students, said a proctor inquiry would be initiated against the students who are defying orders.

"We will try to counsel them and talk to them so that they leave the office. They held two film screenings at the office without due permission," he said.
Kadam said they were following the orders of the Delhi High Court.

Congress leader and former Maharashtra minister Nitin Raut on Thursday criticized the Union government for putting up for auction a statuette of Dr B R Ambedkar received by the prime minister as a gift.

Gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his official capacity are auctioned through the official website www.pmmementos.gov.in, and the proceeds are used for social causes.

The Election Commission on Thursday evening ordered registration of a case of violation of the Model Code of Conduct against former Shiv Sena MLA Harshwardhan Jadhav at Pishor police station in the district.

Jadhav, who is now contesting as independent candidate from Kannad assembly constituency in the district, has found himself in a spot over his alleged objectionable comment about Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Jadhav allegedly made the statement during the campaign at Karanjkhed village on October 14.

Signalling a major shift in the party, several old guards of the CPI(M) West Bengal unit on Thursday stepped down from various committees, paving way for induction of young leaders in important decision-making bodies.

During the first day of the crucial two-day state, committee meeting of the CPI(M) in presence of general secretary Sitaram Yechury, several senior state secretariat leaders stepped down due to health and age-old problems.

Senior leader and former minister Gautam Deb, Manab Mukherjee, Dipak Dasgupta and Nripen Chowdhury stepped down from the CPI(M) state secretariat -- the party's highest decision-making body at the state level.

In yet another incident of snatching, a 51-year-old senior Air Force official was allegedly robbed of his mobile phone on Thursday morning in New Delhi's Connaught Place area, police said. The incident took place at around 6 am, they said.

In his complaint, the victim said he was cycling at Connaught Place in the morning when two unidentified motorcycle-borne people, in their 20s, snatched his pouch which contained a One Plus 6 mobile phone and Rs 200.

A woman officer of central public sector company Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) allegedly committed suicide here over harassment by a Deputy General Manager and six other colleagues, police said.

The 33-year-old Accounts Officer of BHEL committed allegedly hanged herself at her residence in Miyapur area on Thursday.

Police registered a case against the Deputy General Manager (Finance) and her six other colleagues for allegedly abetting the suicide.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address public rallies in Mohana and Hisar in Haryana, today