Rafale deal: SC to hear in open court review petitions of its December verdict

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will hold an open hearing of review petitions of its December 2018 verdict dismissing the need for an inquiry into India’s deal with France to buy Rafale fighter jets, Live Law reported. The decision was passed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph. The court has, however, not given a date for the hearing.

PNB scam: ED attaches properties worth Rs 147.72 crore owned by Nirav Modi and his firms

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday attached properties worth Rs 147.72 crore owned by fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his companies. The Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation are probing Modi and his uncle, businessman Mehul Choksi, in connection with the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud.

IAF air strikes: China urges India, Pakistan to ‘exercise restraint’, improve bilateral relations

China on Tuesday urged India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint” in its first reaction to Indian Air Force’s air strikes against a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp across the Line of Control. China asked New Delhi to fight against terrorism through international cooperation.

‘Country is in safe hands,’ says Modi hours after IAF’s air strike across border

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the country is in “safe hands”, just hours after the Indian government said it had carried out a “non-military pre-emptive strike” targeted at the “biggest training camp” of Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. “It is such a moment that we should salute our bravehearts, bow to them,” the prime minister told a gathering of ex-servicemen in Rajasthan’s Churu. “I assure you that the nation is in safe hands.”

IAF air strikes: Gujarat Police issue high alert along state’s border with Pakistan

The Gujarat Police on Tuesday issued a high alert after Indian Air Force jets carried out a “pre-emptive strike” targeted at Jaish-e-Mohammed training camps across the border, PTI reported. The state police cancelled a conference on crime-related matters scheduled to be held at the Police Bhavan in Gandhinagar.

Assam liquor death case: Two key accused arrested; human rights panel issues notice to state

The Assam Police on Sunday arrested two main accused in the liquor death case which has claimed the lives of at least 155 people in Golaghat and Jorhat districts. Jorhat Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Nimbalkar identified the accused as Jitu Sonowal and Sunil Baruah who were arrested from Baksa district. Both accused are from Borholla in Jorhat where around 60 people died after consuming the liquor.

Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistani forces allegedly violate ceasefire in Rajouri, shell forward posts

Pakistani forces allegedly violated ceasefire in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday morning. The Pakistani Army shelled forward posts in Nowshera sector using small arms, but were repelled, the agency reported, citing unidentified police officers.

MM Kalburgi murder: Supreme Court transfers inquiry to SIT probing Gauri Lankesh case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the murder case of Kannada writer MM Kalburgi be transferred to the same special investigation team that is looking into the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh. A bench of Justices RF Nariman and Vineet Saran said there were similarities between the two murder cases. The investigation will be monitored by the Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court.

India eliminates multiple terrorists at JeM camp across LoC, Pakistan says it has right to retaliate

India on Tuesday said it had carried out a “preemptive strike” targeted at the “biggest training camp” of Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in the early hours of the day. A “very large number of terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis being trained for fidayeen action” were killed in the attack, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said.

IAF strike on Pakistan: BJP, its allies laud air force, Modi; say people of India are relieved

The Bharatiya Janata Party and other allies of the National Democratic Alliance on Tuesday lauded the Indian Air Force and the central government following the air strikes against the Jaish-e-Mohammed reportedly in Balakot of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district in Pakistan.

IAF air strikes: Pakistan says ‘fully prepared to respond’ to India’s ‘grave aggression’

Pakistan on Tuesday warned India against challenging Islamabad, adding that the country is “fully prepared to respond” to any misadventure. The Narendra Modi government has confirmed that the Indian armed forces had carried out a “non-military preemptive action” against the biggest camp of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed militant outfit earlier in the day.

Full text: ‘Non-military preemptive strike’ on biggest JeM camp was absolutely necessary, says India

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Tuesday said India carried out “non-military preemptive” strikes on the biggest camp of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed militant outfit after receiving credible intelligence that the terror outfit was attempting suicide attacks in various parts of the country.

Ayodhya: SC says it will decide on March 5 whether case should be sent for mediation

The Supreme Court gave the parties six weeks to study translations made by the Uttar Pradesh government in the status report on the case. “We direct the parties to examine translated documents and point out objections, agreements with the translated documents within six weeks,” the court said.

IAF air strike in Pakistan: Opposition leaders applaud air force for ‘brave operation’

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar also praised the armed forces for the strike. “I salute the Indian Air Force and indeed all our Armed Forces,” tweeted Yadav, congratulating the IAF.

NIA searches separatist Yasin Malik’s residence in Srinagar

“The area has been cordoned from every side and even press is not being allowed to move in the area,” a spokesperson for the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front said.

Sensex ends 240 points lower after IAF strikes on Pakistani targets

The benchmark BSE Sensex closed 240 points lower on Tuesday as investor sentiment weakened following Indian air strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control, PTI reported. Nifty 50 closed 44.80 points lower at 10835.30.

Meghalaya illegal mine: Navy detects ‘excessively decomposed’ body of fourth miner

The Indian Navy on Monday detected the body of a fourth miner who was trapped in the rat hole mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills District since December 13. At least 15 miners were trapped in the illegal mine, but only three bodies have been discovered so far.

Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security meets amid reports of IAF air strike in Pakistan

The Cabinet Committee on Security met at the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday morning in New Delhi after the Indian Air Force carried out air strikes in Pakistan. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the meeting.

Kashmir never was and never will be a part of India, claims Pakistan information minister

Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Monday claimed that Kashmir was never a part of India and never will be in the future. “Kashmir was never a part of India and will never be,” he said. “People cannot be suppressed by force. Peace cannot be established while deploying ten Indian personnel on a single Kashmiri.”

Indian Air Force hit and destroyed terrorist camps across the Line of Control: ANI

A dozen Mirage 2000 jets of the Indian Air Force destroyed terror camps across the Line of Control before dawn on Tuesday. They dropped “1,000 kg bombs” on the terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the officials said.

Ayodhya dispute: Supreme Court’s Constitution bench to resume hearing today

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday resume the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute case at 10.30 am. The previous hearing on January 29 could not take place as Justice SA Bobde of the five-judge Constitution bench was not available.

War memorial: Congress criticises PM Narendra Modi for using inauguration to make ‘political speech’

The Congress on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to use space dedicated to martyrs for political attacks. Modi had made several remarks against the Opposition party while inaugurating the National War Memorial in New Delhi earlier in the day.

Bandipur fire: Air Force choppers join efforts to douse blaze at tiger reserve

Two helicopters of the Indian Air Force on Monday joined efforts to douse a major fire in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, which has been raging since Thursday. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had requested the Air Force’s help after he held a review meeting of the firefighting and rescue operations on Monday.

Former J&K bureaucrat Shah Faesal announces launch of his party

Former Indian Administrative Service Officer Shah Faesal on Monday announced that he is launching a party. Faesal said he has applied to the Election Commission to register his political outfit.

Assam liquor deaths: Toll rises to 155, MLA alleges nexus between excise department, liquor traders

At least 155 people have died in Assam’s Golaghat and Jorhat districts after consuming spurious alcohol last week. Most victims are from Golaghat’s Khumtai region.