80 shops gutted in Delhi fire
New Delhi, May 23 (IANS): At least 80 shops were gutted after a major fire broke out in the city’s Chandani Chowk area on Monday night, officials said on Tuesday. “A fire call in a saree shop was received at 10 p.m., following which 25 fire tenders were rushed to the spot,” a fire official told IANS. It took over four and a half hours to douse the flames. No one was injured in the blaze. The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained. The police has started a probe.
Bizarre goof up leaves 1,000 Aadhaar holders in UP village with January 1 as birth date
Allahabad, May 23 (PTI): When their Aadhaar cards arrived, about 1,000 excited villagers in Kanjasa were left both amused and irritated. The cards issued to them mentioned their date of birth to be January 1, for all of them. A technical goof up led to every fifth person in Kanjasa, about 50 kilometres from Allahabad, having January 1 as their official date of birth. Flooded with complaints, the authorities have ordered a probe and are trying to take remedial measures.
Jadhav is alive: Pakistani envoy
New Delhi, May 23 (IANS): Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Tuesday said that Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian national who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on alleged espionage charges, is alive. He said that an appeal sent by Jadhav’s mother has been passed on by Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.
President, PM condemn Manchester terror attack
New Delhi, May 23 (IANS): President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the terror attack in Manchester, northern England, that killed 22 persons, and offered condolences to the families of the dead. At least 59 others were injured in the suicide blast at the Manchester Arena, at the end of pop singer Ariana Grande’s concert on Monday night. “Shocked to hear of Manchester blast; condolences to families of deceased & prayers for injured. India stands by the government and people of UK in this hour of distress,” President Mukherjee tweeted. Modi tweeted: “Pained by the attack in Manchester. We strongly condemn it. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased and prayers with the injured.”
Kerala to set up dog pounds in all 14 districts
Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 (IANS): The Kerala government has decided to set up dog pounds in each of the state’s 14 districts to shelter stray dogs whose population in the coastal state is said to have touched 6.50 lakh. The statement comes a day after a 50-year-old man was mauled to death by a pack of strays in a city suburb. “There are 54 state-owned farms in these 14 districts. Two acres from each one could be set aside for the dog pounds. We will also meet animal lovers to seek their help in maintaining the dog pounds, while expenses will be met by the Kerala government.” said Local Self Government Department Principal Secretary T.K. Jose
ACB raids Kejriwal kin in PWD scam
New Delhi, May 23 (IANS): Delhi’s Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) on Tuesday said it has raided Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s deceased brother-in-law Surender Kumar Bansal’s residence in the alleged Rs 10 crore PWD scam. The raids were carried out on Monday evening at the Bansal residence and in two other offices of promoters under the agency’s scanner, a senior ACB official said. The three FIRs were registered against Bansal and PWD officers after it was discovered that several bills were cleared by different companies for different works. The FIRs do not mention Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Kejriwal’s name.
Punjab to treat absentee staff as ‘deemed resigned’
Chandigarh, May 23 (IANS): The Punjab government has issued directions that employees absent from duty continuously for a year without leave will be considered as “deemed resigned”, official sources said on Tuesday. The Finance Department has issued instructions in this regard. He said the strict action has been contemplated to enforce discipline in offices, so that there is no disruption in delivery of public services due to absentee staff. In some cases, absentee employees have even settled abroad after availing of permanent residency and citizenship of other countries, but have not resigned from their government jobs.
Court sends CA to 3-day ED custody in Rs 8,000 cr PMLA case
New Delhi, May 23 (PTI): A Delhi court today sent a chartered accountant (CA) to three-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate after the agency arrested him in connection with a Rs 8,000 crore money-laundering racket. CA Rajesh Agarwal was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Ruby Alka Gupta where the ED sought his police custody for 14 days, claiming that his custodial interrogation was required to unearth the conspiracy and the money trail. The agency also claimed that more incriminating facts were likely to come out in this case, which allegedly involves two Delhi-based brothers and is linked with political entities.
EC invites all recognised parties for EVM challenge
New Delhi, May 23 (PTI): The Election Commission has invited all the seven national and 49 state parties to participate in the challenge to prove that its EVMs can be tampered with. Now, the poll panel has sent letters to all the seven national parties — the BJP, the BSP, the Congress, the CPI, the CPI-M, the NCP and the TMC — and 49 state parties, including the AAP. The challenge begins on June 3.
Govt bids goodbye to 129 ‘non-performing’ babus in public interest
New Delhi, May 23 (PTI): As many as 129 government officers have been forced to retire in past few months in public interest for being non-performers, Union minister Jitendra Singh said today. The action is part of review being done by the central government to check deadwood of its workforce. Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office, said the government has zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and it is committed to ensure citizen-centric governance.
